[RaceBannon]

No offence, but the mantras people recite make me sick.

I learned only ONE CAD software from school for my degree. I now know 5. I went back to school 4 times to learn new skills.

I am enrolled for a 2nd degree to make myself more employable, and have been since last September on a FAFSA grant, thats how broke I was, i as a white male qualified for a grant.

I dont have money to move, I live in the most expensive part of the country, in the cheapest town, in the cheapest apartment, dont have cable, have all the calling plans in the world to save money, drive an 18 year old car, am only $9K in debt, but only make $346 a week collecting unemployment.

Adding up my bills, i need over $16 an hour to break even...if I was even to start! Only with repeated unemployment in the last 3 years, I am way behind, plus surgery last year, I owe much more to the hospital that I intend to rely on the lawsuit to pay for.

Plus I am being sued for the LIEberman Freep and need to hold a fundraiser soon to help pay for the legal fees for that, and that is over $12K after depositions.

Peole who know CADKEY, AUTOCAD, PRO/E and Solidworks but DONT have a BS dont find work right now.

I haven't got the money to take the courses for the two remaining softwares that are being advertised for, and I hope to have the state WIA program pay for classes in UNIGRAPHICS soon.

I have petitioned the Congress to allow veterans like me who have the Expeditionary Medal to receive Veterans benefits equal to Vietnam Era vets bennies, because MANY of the Vietnam Vets who get bennies NEVER WENT ANYWHERE, but I did, you have to actually be deployed in an area of conflict to get the Expeditionary Medal, only for my time period, i get nothing. Plus, they ended my Vietnam Era GI BILL 3 years early on me! So, I never got to take full part in the program because Congress cut off funding back in 1988-1989

[Darlin']

I don't know anything about mantras, just curious why a young, educated person, with no mention of any physical limitations, hadn't found some source of employment for the past 3 to 5 years. I must admit I know nothing about your profession, however, it appears you've made some effort to stay viable in your field but to no avail. At least not in your area. At the risk of repeating a mantra, it seems you do have options, albeit some may not be especially palatable but they don't have to be permanent either, just a means to an end.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

Is moving to a new area of the country a viable option? Some areas are doing better than others.

[lepton]

Adding up my bills, i need over $16 an hour to break even...

For those that think he's nuts...yeah...that's basically what it costs to work and eat in much of CT.