DISPATCHES FROM THE GHOST MOOSE

A beautiful fall day. Last year, we went through those weeks of storms from Hurricane Katrina. As I get more involved in things at work, I continue to see colleagues of mine still affected as I check LinkedIn. I wish them all the best of luck, because you need a healthy dose of luck. I read the stories about the recession being over - what exactly does that mean? Have we gone a month with no job losses? Are companies hiring high level professionals? hardly. Hopefully, things will open up soon, if not then by Q1 2010. When I was off, I kept hoping that hiring would start after the election....then at the end of the year.....then in Q1. at any rate, good day to be alive.

A year ago was the date I got let go. I suppose I was on the front edge of the massive layoffs that were to follow. I know a few people that were let go around the time that I was that are still looking. Things are not getting better at all. I have spent a lot of time in the 6 months I have been re-employed getting ready for the next time I am unemployed, which I hope never happens again. That was the first time I had ever been let go, and while I saw it coming, nothing can prepare you for the frustrations and depression you will face as you do the job search. I guess I am about written out on the topic of being unemployed. I got so many comments from others, it encouraged me that there were/are plenty of good people that through no fault of their own found themselves jobless. Living on unemployment, thinking the worst, dreading the holidays, feeling like a failure. During my time off, I found that I do enjoy writing, and reading some of my posts makes it looks like I can put a