Branded With the ‘Scarlet U’

John!!!!!

You are a talented person!!! I wish you all the best!! You still have that great sense of humor that always made me laugh...

I hope you get that break soon.

Best regards,

Luc

I wish you the best in searching for a job. Keep looking.

What I really noticed most when I read this article in the print version of Newsweek (and I came online trying to figure out how to send a letter to the editor about it - no luck yet.) was that you have to drive your kids to school. I remember the great yellow school buses. They were plentiful where I grew up in upstate New York, and they have them in Idaho where I have lived the past decade. But recently I heard from a friend in California that she had to drive her son to school, and fight to unbuckle her infant to bring the kindergartner in the building, and again repeat the process later to pick him up. Shortly after I heard another friend complain about the traffic trying to get around the crowd of cars bringing kids to school on her way to work. Then came your article. In Idaho almost every high school student drives because they can get licenses at 14 1/2, so every kid who doesn't ride the bus makes the route longer so fewer are willing to, and the vicious cycle repeats.

What are we teaching our kids? We keep talking about how everyone should carpool or take public transit. Instead schools are saving short term money by cutting bus service, or creating parking lots to allow every high school kid to drive. Our schools should take the lead in encouraging public transportation, even if the provider is the school district. Or work a deal with the community public bus line to step up real bus service in the pre- and post-school hours and have the school support regular public transit. The state and federal governments should spend some of the stimulus money that is earmarked for 'green' solutions to assure that kids learn by example that going to and from places individually is not the habit they should learn so early. Shame on the schools and parents for fostering such bad habits.

E. Smith, Boise Idaho

My PHD scientific educated husband had a very difficult career...I am talking about the 1970s and 80s. His lay off in the late 80s was the worse because HE HAD REACHED THE 50 YEAR OLD GROUPING, he was too old for the Bench research positions and management was not his forte. Fortunately I had a career as a nurse manager with the government so we were able to pay our bills and since our needs were minimal and we did not want what we could not afford we made it through. One Happy note that I want to share is that the lay off forced my husband to look at his other strengths....for a year he did temp jobs, from working as an appliance saleman for a large department store, as a data imput consultant then he finally found his best markatable skill....as a technical writer and editor for other's publications. So he started a consultant business editing papers and joined the Medical Writers group in our area which helped him set upa network for referral work. When I retired in 2006 and we moved to the East Coast to be near our only grand son I found a part time job as a staff nurse and shortly after that HE was hired by a consulting firm which reviewed and edited scientific papers...as he says "it's the best job ever and he loves it". I was unable to work 2 days a week and do the quality of work that I was accustomed to doing so I left my job and am now trying to determine what to do with myself as a retired person. I wanted to travel after we retired but that was put on hold due to our move and the acqusition of a few new monetary obligations.. If you haven't consulted a job counselor I would suggest you consider this and look at your markatable strengths....perhaps you may need to attend a few classes to add mor e to your skills for your resume.....but most important you are a worthy man who may need a bit of guidance and may have to accept a job of lessser statue than you had but discover your strengths, build new strengths and skills and "WAVE AT THE MOMS WHEN YOU DROP THE KIDS OFF AT SCHOOL" They will wonder what you are up to....Good Luck and hunting.....

Hang in there, Mr. Broomfield! My husband lost his job six months ago and is struggling to find work as well. Thankfully my job pulled in the bigger dollars and the benefits so we're OK but it's been an up and down struggle for him. But I appreciate him taking over most of the weight at home but it's getting old. The problem he's running into is that he's willing to take laborer jobs, etc. to just get working again but with his degree and experience beyond those jobs, no one will hire him for those either - "why would you want to do this?" Because he's tired of being home and wants to be productive in the workforce!

I feel your pain! Just becuase you live in a nice area, with nice things, does not mean that you can not still have the same struggles as people in other areas of the country. It's tough with no income, nowhere to be during the day, and an open schedule with no activities to fill it. You're not the only one who is struggling with their self-esteem and who feels like they have no purpose on a day-to-day basis. Keep your head up--take the time to do the little things you always wish you had time for. Relish the extra time you get to spend with the kids and wife--when you get a job again, you're going to miss it all, even the mini-van moms!

For the record; No one was really trashing Mr. Blomfield the other day (not even edhryb). His situation was being discussed in a very mature manner. Well, as maturely as a group of people with 6th grade intellects could discuss anything.

Good Luck there Johnny boy....I'm sure you will land on your feet-you have a lot of great skills that I'm sure will be an asset to a company in the near future.

PS
Do you have to pick up the dry cleaning too? ouch!

My previois comments can be attributed to a hard kick to the head. I actually sympathize with Mr. Blomfield and I Agree with edhryb that we armchair psychollogists should keep our opinions to ourselves. As far as dropping the kids off at school, remember the immortal advice Michael Keaton got in Mr. Mom: SOUTH TO DROP OFF A**ho*E!!!

I once knew a MAN named John Bloomfield.......any relation maam??

My prior comments can be attributed to a hard bump to the head. I actually sympathize with Mr. Blomfield and agree withthe previous poster that we armchair psychologists should count our blessings before we spout our rhetoric and stupidity.

I once knew a MAN named John Bloomfield...any relation Maam?

Hmmmmmm. I guess fantasy football at the office didn't pan out too well.

Well, edhryb... The other day you were trashing "Mr. Bloomfield.

great article I offer you my services as a headhunter e-mail me jwaldman@jobscss.com

John great article I offer my services as a headhunter send me an e-mail Jwaldman@jobscss.com

Well, there are certainly a bunch of amateur psychologists out there with the time to invalidate Mr Blomfield's feelings and judge him. Whatever happened to simply acknowledging how somebody feels instead of telling him he's not allowed to feel that way?

I know exactly how you feel. I'm 48 and was laid off after many years with the same company despite performances bonuses every year. The world has definitely changed around us and many, many valuable contributors are now looking for work elsewhere. I felt shame in the beginning but have since realized how much talent is freely available now.

The job market isn't any fun but I am trying to remain positive and would encourage you to do the same. I do believe I'll land somewhere else and like others have said, things will definitely be better after the transition. It's the time in between that???s the hardest when God is trying to teach us patience and perseverance.

I understand the ???Scarlet U??? feeling, but would encourage you not to think that way. Rather, get up at the same time you did when working, enjoy the time with your kids, and if you must, think of yourself as a local business owner (yourself) who has the flexibility to run errands around town.

And do chores. I hate vacuuming the house as much as I ever did but seeing the joy on my wife???s face makes it all worthwhile.

I've been down this path myself...good for you to be able to be productive with helping out at home, etc. I agree that it really does seem like you're branded; I'm remembering running across an article, in Esquire I believe, about this topic, written by Stanley Bing, who'd lost a job in an office. I've never forgotten one particular phrase: ". . .the sunshine hitting you in the face like a rebuke." God bless you in your work search.

I too am unemployed-a newspaper writer- the "contents" of America's stomach go first! I have to say when reading your story I had a smile on my face- it was funny. Not yours, others or my situation- just life in general. But like Winston Churchill said, "If you're going through hell, keep going!" Good luck.