Being unemployed …….. or a 500 mile commute????

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100222/ap_on_re_us/us_the1000_mile_commute

What I found saddest about this was the comment by the wife about ‘no sympathy’ “They say at least he’s working.”

Well I’m not working.

I haven’t had a steady job since October 2005, when I was fired by a boss who had disliked me from the minute SHE was hired (two weeks after I was hired by someone else, he got promoted, she got hired, shortly thereafter my life went to hades in a handbasket).

My unemployment benefits (extended numerous times) run out next week–not that $104.00 a week stretches very far.

I’ve drained 2 IRA’s and 3 online savings accounts already plus sold numerous guns and pieces of jewelry to pay my bills.

I’m 2 months behind on my space rent.

I eat only because I get $200.00 a month in food stamps.

I’m paying $50.00 a month towards my property taxes to prevent the county from putting a lien against my manufactured home, which I couldn’t sell if I wanted to.  There are homes in this park that have been for sale for literally YEARS with no action.

In June the house insurance comes due and I haven’t a clue how I’m going to pay for that.

I have no family support at all, not even emotional support as I’m estranged from most of my extended family and have been for years–mostly THEIR choice and IMHO THEIR LOSS.

On the bright side, I own my own home, taxes and space rent be damned. The park manager does all my yard work because he was SO pleased that I had the place repainted and reroofed in 2008 (after my dad passed away).

He was also pleased that I put in a yard and sprinkler system to replace the dirt and rocks that were here before (he lives across the street from me and I am sure he was as tired of looking at peeling paint and dirt/rocks as I was)

I got 1 1/4 cords of wood on Friday due to getting energy assistance (energy assistance is also going to pay my electricity bill) and I had another 1/4 cord left of the last cord I purchased last spring.

I am current on all monthly bills other than the space rent.

I have antiques (furniture, glassware, memorabilia) that I can sell if it comes right down to the nitty gritty.

And still, I have sympathy for the people in the story referenced above.  The thought of a 500 mile commute puts my problems in perspective……for me at least.

Is a 500 mile commute (one way) worse than my situation? I DON’T THINK SO.