New Ventures

It's been a long time since I wanted to write here. When life is not going my way, no matter how hard I try, I have a hard time expressing it. I'm usually better off just keeping my mouth shut. It's safer that way anyway.

It's been six months since my husband lost his job, and we're both still unemployed. I think I mentioned in a previous post that we've never been unemployed before and I really thought, back in February, that this would be a short-lived situation. Doug has been recruited multiple times to a variety of institutions and he always had headhunters calling him...when he had a job.

We've learned how much more difficult it is to get a job when you don't have a job, and especially when you have had a big gap in your employment history -- mine is 14 years. And so far I am 0 and 34 in the job application department. I've had two interviews for real jobs and one interview for a temp agency. The two real jobs ended up being jobs I don't think I could do, for a variety of reasons, for more than a couple days. No one has called me back, so I didn't get a chance. I even got passed up to be an elderly caregiver with an agency. In a phone screening, I said I wasn't sure I felt confident, having had no caregiver experience, changing a man's soiled Depends and getting him in and out of the shower/bath. Well, that was the wrong answer because I guess there are other people waiting in line to earn $10 an hour to do that job.

Doug had one Skype interview and they didn't call him back. Most of the jobs for which he applied were jobs he was over-qualified for, and he even assured the HR people that he was fine not managing a big department, just working with donors on a more personal basis. But, I guess the fear that he would take off as soon as he found something else, or the fear that he was really trying to get the boss's job was too much for them to handle and they passed, even though they were passing on 30 years' experience and contacts in this town.

We are at the age at which it becomes very difficult to find a job. I know now why so many middle-aged people start a business -- it's the only way to get a job.

Which led to Doug starting his own business while I continued to look for work. The name of his company is Veritas Philanthropy and he hopes to work with pastors, principals, and non-profit presidents to enhance their fundraising abilities. So far we have a half a client, and we need about 6-8 clients. We're learning that the church, schools and non-profits are really slow-moving vehicles. It takes a lot of people to get a contract approved. It's rather frustrating when all he wants to do is work, but has nothing to work on.

After my last interview on Friday, for a job I know I am just not capable of doing for a number of reasons, as much as I want to, and as much as I want a job, I decided I have to be real. I know what I am capable of and I was just not capable of doing that job.

 I, too, have decided to try and start my own business. My cousin (thank you Mindy!)) has been asking me  if I would be interested in cooking freezer meals for her family and doing the laundry (thank you for your persistence!). Maid services don't do laundry and, of course, don't prepare dinner either. So, my new job is, cooking and washing, two tasks I really don't mind doing (and I know a lot of people really don't like doing those two jobs, so hopefully a few of them will be my clients). I created a blog to direct potential and current clients to so that they can check the menu each week and choose their meals, and the name of my business -- One Woman and an Apron. 

I am going to keep Mary Devotions up and running, as well as Swaddling Clothes, so please, please pray for some successes (some clients!) with us. It's very depressing when you really want to work, and the world just keeps telling you that you no longer have any value.