Tardstrength – Definitely more physical than mental (693 hits)
Category: Business & FinancialRating: 1.88 on 33 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Tardleby the Involuntarily Terminated (View user info) at 2009-05-07 12:57:17 EDT
I have become another victim of the economy. Until last Thursday I was a Truss Line Supervisor in a manufactured-home factory. Now I am unemployed, thanks to the "economic downturn" that has crushed the people who buy manufactured homes and in turn the companies that make manufactured homes. We'd had a few rounds of layoffs a couple months ago and cut the staff from two shifts to one, then went to 4 day work weeks, and now there's just not enough people buying manufactured homes to keep the doors open and what few orders we do get are being filled by another factory 75 miles away.
I should have seen this coming after the first round of layoffs. Three years ago I would have. I remember being pretty quick on the uptake but now I'm just clueless. I am strong. I can lift heavy things. I can recover from a rather devastating injury. Or so I thought, until Thursday. Thursday made it clear to me that I am not and cannot be who I once was. That things that do not kill you do not necessarily make you stronger in every way. It was very disheartening.
Like most people who found themselves out of a job on the same day, I went and filed for unemployment on Friday. I saw a lot of my shift guys there. A few were saying they were going to wait for the business to pick up, a couple said they knew of some jobs at other local businesses. I listened and hoped that nobody would ask me what I was going to do. I hoped no one would ask because I have no idea. Before I had the Traumatic Brain Injury, I had a technical job wherein I was paid to think and plan. After the TBI, I cannot do those things very well at all, at least, not quickly enough to satisfy an employer. I do concentrate well now, and as I said before I am strong, so working in a manufactured home factory was a natural. But now all the manufactured home factories around me are closing. That and farming is pretty much all there is here, and I don't know anything about farming.
We have the settlement money from the lawsuit, or what's left of it after the market drop. We're debt-free. My wife and kids won't starve and unemployment pays enough to cover food. My wife can go to work doing retail sales again if she has to, I suppose. The thing is, with the exception of hospital and recovery time after the bike wreck, I have never not worked sine I was 12. Working is part of my identity. Moreover, I have never been faced with the clear knowledge that there are things pertaining to a job, "big picture" type things, that I cannot grasp anymore. Tardstrength is no help there. Failing to see these layoffs coming months ago and preparing myself with other employment skills at that time was not a mistake caused by inattentiveness or belief that things would get better. I saw that I was standing in the road and I saw the truck. I am just not smart enough to get out of the way anymore.
Again and moreso this time I must rely on my wife to carry us through this tough spot. Last time I was unconscious through no fault of my own. This time it's harder because I should have known better. She tells me that we needn't worry about it and we'll be OK. This I know. I am worried that I'll not be able to find another job and become a burden to my family, and the psychological ramifications of that. I hate uncertainty and especially being the center of it.
I wish that the crash, the lawsuit, the new job, the loss of the job, the "economic downturn", all of it had never happened, but it did so I'll have to deal with it. I hope that things get better and people find jobs again and start working and saving again and buying manufactured homes again. I would like to go back to work soon. I can lift roof trusses by myself and I am already tired of TV.
User Reviews
Submitted by Merlina (user info) at 2009-05-15 21:31:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2009-05-10 19:25:58 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by TLawrence (user info) at 2009-05-10 00:53:24 PDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Obama is a terrorist.
Submitted by Bubba2341 (user info) at 2009-05-08 18:00:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I think you are underrating yourself. Anyone who writes as well as you do has no lack of mental alacrity. Everyone gets a little slower with age (mentally), but you still have it. If you can hang until the economy recovers, you will be fine. Meanwhile, use them thar muscles to break some shit and then come by the next day and offer to fix it. A case of construed economy, which is how this country works anyway.
:D
Submitted by Jack_McCallum (user info) at 2009-05-08 16:03:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I'd say hang in there but you already know the drill.
Submitted by Ducky (user info) at 2009-05-08 02:10:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by RoadSong (user info) at 2009-05-07 23:54:26 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
"We have the settlement money from the lawsuit, or what's left of it after the market drop. We're debt-free. My wife and kids won't starve and unemployment pays enough to cover food. My wife can go to work doing retail sales again if she has to, I suppose."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sorry to hear you lost your job. Just keep reminding yourself that things could be SO much worse for you and your family.
I run a free food pantry and our clients have increased recently. Some people have jobs and still can't keep food on the table. Many have lost their homes.
Being "debt free" is ace. Buck up bucky, you and your family are going to be OK.
Many Blessings to you all.
Submitted by Phallic_Cymbals (user info) at 2009-05-07 23:13:37 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
The last line of this was really delicate.
Submitted by gonefiguring (user info) at 2009-05-07 21:56:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
TuTs: I have dictionary.com, thesaurus.com, and spell/grammar check. I also used to be able to write very well and quickly. I still know all the words, I'm just slower at putting them together now.
inion_de_trua: Those guys are serious, and I don't know when to stop. I'd hurt myself. I've done so already trying to lift the back end of a car by the bumper.
FALLEN : straw bales are about 80 lb. I bet you can deadlift 160 lb with both arms easily. That's two straw bales. Alfalfa hay bales are 220 lb, because they're bigger and they're not dried. I have to use both arms for those.
BadCompany: I can't weld. I can run a 'beater wrench' to put things together and a 'blue wrench' to take them apart, though. Fun Tardstrength Fact: At work once I used two 16" wrenches to put together a M10 25mm dia. bolt and nut on a transport yoke. The shop's IR 1" drive 1600 ftlb max torque beater wrench could not break it loose. I had to take it back apart with the wrenches.
Submitted by Lib (user info) at 2009-05-07 21:30:52 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by TuTs (user info) at 2009-05-07 20:21:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
You write well for a "tard".
Submitted by inion_de_trua (user info) at 2009-05-07 16:37:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
do those strong man competitions? they have cash prizes and you have an edge.
Submitted by Wildman (user info) at 2009-05-07 16:35:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
If you knew how to cut a roof in instead of just stacking it maybe you'd still have a job...
with the rest of the mexicans.
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2009-05-07 16:34:33 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by redskieslookfake (user info) at 2009-05-07 16:29:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
best of luck
Submitted by LittleMonster (user info) at 2009-05-07 16:06:44 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by BadCompany (user info) at 2009-05-07 15:42:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Pics or it didn't happen.
Submitted by FALLEN (user info) at 2009-05-07 15:34:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
straw bales with one arm?
damn
try the WWE.
Submitted by BadCompany (user info) at 2009-05-07 15:09:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Can you weld?
Submitted by rob_berg (user info) at 2009-05-07 15:09:16 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Good luck, sir.
Submitted by orphelia (user info) at 2009-05-07 15:05:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
emo
Submitted by bozznc (user info) at 2009-05-07 15:01:30 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Salut! I feel for you and really enjoyed reading this. As an Airframer and Powerplants Mechanic I know says, "I may not be smart, but I can lift heavy things! If even I can't lift it, I'll put your head through a wall!". He has a bit of a temper unfortunately.
As a sidenote, Check with DOT and Crane and Rigging companies. Lots of highway funds coming down the pipe, and joist framers and bridge riggers are in high demand (so I've heard). Salut again!
-Bozz
Submitted by gonefiguring (user info) at 2009-05-07 14:52:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Hadn't thought of just handing (that's what they call being a farm hand). If it comes to that, I bet I'd be pretty good. Straw bales I can one-arm and alfalfa bales are no problem. Thanks for the suggestion.
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2009-05-07 14:47:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Heh.
Submitted by HellRazer (user info) at 2009-05-07 14:42:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Well, shit man. IDK. Good luck I guess. And farming's not all THAT hard, maybe you could look into being a farm hand somewhere. Tardstrength IS helpful in carrying feed and catching pigs.
Submitted by Yozz (user info) at 2009-05-07 14:18:10 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
That's a bummer man. -Like Jeff Lebowski
My unsolicited advice - during the layoff treat your wife like a goddamn queen and don't sweat it. It will turn around.
Submitted by monkeyswithguns (user info) at 2009-05-07 14:03:46 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by gonefiguring (user info) at 2009-05-07 13:41:02 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I appreciate the thought. You hiring over at BadCo? I can lift heavy things.
Submitted by no1hasdis (user info) at 2009-05-07 13:41:02 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by BadCompany (user info) at 2009-05-07 13:31:44 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Listen to me. You will find a job. Apply for a job in exactly 14 days from when you read this comment and you will have a job. I have predicted it, it is in the stars. Jesus helped me a little bit, but it was still pretty much all me. Bob Marley wanted me to say "hello" as well.
Submitted by SgtHartman (user info) at 2009-05-07 13:28:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
+2 simply for this!
http://www.ubersite.com/m/13199
WTF
Submitted by gonefiguring (user info) at 2009-05-07 13:27:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
This reads as a lot more 'emo' than I thought it did when I wrote it this morning. I'm not whining, I'm concerned and frustrated.
Perhaps I'll feel better if I break something. It works for David Banner.
Submitted by SgtHartman (user info) at 2009-05-07 13:11:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Ballare (user info) at 2009-05-07 13:05:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment