06.29.04
Will Webdesign For Food
Where’s the nearest street corner I can stand on to become a day laborer?
It’s official. I am flat broke. Tomorrow I’ll walk around Emeryville until someone hires me on the spot, even if it means I have to quit in a week or so when I get a real job. I’ll wash dishes for a meal right now. I’ll shine your shoes, sure. Just give me a little rice or that lettuce that’s past its prime, and I’ll gladly do your math homework for you. Need your computer fixed or your house cleaned? No problem. Want a fence painted? A dimmer switch installed? A doghouse built? If you’ll provide a meal, you’ve got yourself a deal.
I’ve applied to about 30 or so jobs via craigslist, but I haven’t the BART money to apply in person. My one shift at Venus isn’t forthcoming yet (this past Saturday was my “retraining,” as if I’ve forgotten how to make a lattç, and I don’t get the meager training paycheck until next week sometime), and any job I do get, even in the next few days, isn’t likely to pay me for another week, at the very least. Still, I maintain that coming out here was a good idea, no matter how broke I am, and things will work out. I’ll have proper employment very soon, and a place of my own within a few weeks of that, considering that Carlos’ generosity means that I have no expenses other than food, transportation, and laundry until I find a place of my own.
In the meantime, I’ll only wear my more presentable clothing when I’m looking for work, and I’ll sell toenail clippings on ebay or something for food. I’m glad I still have multivitamins and strongly caffeinated tea.
David said,
June 29, 2004 at 4:36 am
Having a wife who has been unemployed for a year and a half, I understand your situation. Wife, debts, house, cars and a kid and not an easy thing to maintain on a $48K a year. But we are hopeful better times will come –even though wife’s knowledge is getting way out-of-date, which means…—
From an unemployed family to another, hang in there and do not give up. Keep trying. We do.
Danny Dawson said,
July 5, 2004 at 4:56 pm
Thanks, David. Things are looking much better already. I have a serious job prospect and my friends have been very supportive. Some have bought me food and others have sent me tickets for public transit, covering both of my major costs until I see that first paycheck, and I was able to scrounge up some change today for laundry, which I won’t need to do again for at least a week.
I hope your luck is turning up, also.
Dinaz Sheriff said,
July 8, 2004 at 5:51 am
Tell me about it! Am a poverty-stricken student. Randomly applied for about seven hundred and twenty three jobs the other day. Thought things were looking up when I got a call for an interview today. Duh, they want full time and I can’t cos I am still studying! Taljk about bad luck!