About Me

I am a 40-something year old computer analyst working in the world of the mainframe and the confines of the corporate machine.
My favorite things to do are:
Sports & PC games
I don't really have a favourite colour.
I am living common-law after being divorced. I have a son and two daughters, plus a step-daughter. All are gems in their own way.


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    One Canadian Voice
    Games, Politics, Religion, Life.
    Wednesday, March 23, 2005

    Times are tough 

    Times, they sure have changed. Gone are the days you can count on being employed at one company, as long as you want to stay there and do a good job. Gone are the days where there is any security in doing a good job. Gone are the days of saving for the future with any regularity.

    Growing up we didn't have a great deal of money, but we never really wanted for anything. Even during the years my father was on strike at Stelco, we still had food on the table and clothes on our backs (for a family of 6, that is no small feat). Today, with my family of six, albeit a split family, it becomes increasingly harder to provide the necessities for the family. I'm doing it, but the pressures increase almost on a daily, and certainly on a monthly, basis. Gas prices have risen to a point where my monthly gas expense is equal to a car loan. Food prices are ridiculous, and entertainment costs (that includes all the electronics --TV/Comp/DVD/etc.)are rising even though most of the technology is getting cheaper to make. Vacation? Forget about it. At least on the trip front.

    Generally speaking, I'm not whining or complaining. There are trade offs that we all must make going through life. I've made many. Outside of finances, I'm happier now than ever before. I've got much to be thankful for: a well-paying job, my health, and a great family top the list. The realist in me, however, knows that the entire thing hangs by the slimmest of threads.

    Having a positive attitude can help. Not listening to that negative voice most, if not all, of us have in us helps. Believing in "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff, And It's All Small Stuff." helps. How do you cope?


    posted at 3/23/2005 09:45:00 AM by Megadeath

    Comments:
    my husband's getting laid off the end of this month. the company he's working for is shutting down one of their plants to take it back to the states, because the canadian dollar is so 'strong' that they're 'losing' money.

    in the meantime, his 10 years put in there mean absolutely nothing, it appears, when it comes to applying for another job.

    it wouldn't be so bad if i could go back to work full-time. however, not only do we have a 4 year old daughter, but i am 5 months pregnant... i can barely keep up at my part-time job.

    add to this: mortgage, debt... whatever...

    how do i cope? antidepressants help. but once my husband's drug benefits cease from his current employer, i don't know how i'm going to afford those...

    where is the line between small stuff and stuff that should be sweated? i think we're pretty close.
     
    you're right...it's hard to distinguish where that line ends and the "oh crap" line begins.
     
    Your first paragraph had me crapping...I thought you got punted from your job. Small stuff is anything that, at the end of the day, isn't detrimental to the health of you and your family. So the guy who cut you off on the way to work is small stuff. Not having enough money to buy ice cream at the mall is small stuff. Not having enough money to buy food for your kids is big stuff.
     
    Do your best, be a good person, hug your kids everyday and tell your wife you love her.

    Take care!
     
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