Would you like some cheese with that WHINE?

The economy continues to stink like a sippy cup of milk left under the car seat for a week in July.

The Bob continues to be unemployed. He has had a total of three possible job leads, interviewing in person for two of them, having nothing come of it. This last one was particularly frustrating. It started a month ago with a phone interview with an HR guy. That lead to a phone interview with the manager of the team that needed a guy. The manager liked him. Said he would set up having Bob come in for an in person interview with the team. However, he was going on vacation the next day for 3 weeks. But the interview could happen while he was gone. Great. Waiting. Waiting. Two days go by, no call about the interview. Just as he was getting super frustrated, a different HR guy called saying now he was handling this case, the other HR guy was a victim of some recent restructuring. Bob goes in for the interview. All goes well. The rest of the three weeks of the managers vacation goes by, Bob hears nothing. This week he finally sent an email to both the manager and the HR guy to follow up. He got the "thanks but we went with someone else" email. SADNESS.

It was like he was laid off all over again. Every time it feels like a little headway is being made, it turns out we are no further ahead. It is SOOOOO demoralizing. And it REALLY improves his mood at home. I can't judge him for that. It totally sucks big time and I know he is worried and frustrated and HI I LOVE YOU BOB.

On top of that he has been battling with the unemployment office because, well, they are a bureaucratic system and overwhelmed by the demand for their services and GAH it sucks. If we were a family that didn't have some severance to live off of we would seriously be in bad shape.

I have spent the last couple of weeks in the office doing almost nothing but responding to appeals for more financial aid, based on changes in circumstance, i.e. someone has lost a job, or hours have been cut, or the business they own is earning half of what it earned last year because of the economy. Everywhere I turn I am reminded of all the people struggling. I have a job, for which I am VERY VERY VERY grateful, but my job entails me being reminded on a daily basis just how bad it is and that makes me even more sad and feeling slightly hopeless about Bob's job options.

I am trying mentally to stay hopeful. To stay positive. I know he is good at what he does, and I know anyone would be glad to have him working for and with them. I want so much for him to find something and get back to feeling useful and like a provider. Painting the living room is only going to go so far.

In an effort to salvage this post in some way, I leave you with Cooper, imitating his dad. His awesome, fabulous, most groovy dad.