Red Room Where the Writers Are

I've been laid off now for almost two months. Yep, the printing company I worked for had a wonderful idea that they could just ship the electronic files for our customers to thier big printshop in another state and let go of all the production workers... eleven of us, give or take. Well, it seemed good on paper. But I'm getting the word that it wasn't so good in practice... I bet the guy in the home office (corporate) that came up with this idea is sweating it up good. And well he should.

Business isn't just about product and cost estimates, and deals. It's about people - customers, employees, employees family members, distributors, suppliers, and a host of folks that are impacted by an industry... in this case real estate advertising.. and it does one well to consider the impications of a broad action, instead of just looking at the spreadsheets. Beancounters... so much for one guy's idea of a good time.

Me? Oh, I'm handling it well enough, I suppose. It has given me the chance to pursue the dream. I'm writing most every morning, putting myself into the arts community around here... as well as looking for the more mundane jobs in which I have expertise. My problem in looking for 'normal' work is something... and I hestate thinking this... that there is an ever present and rarely mentioned attitude towards older workers. I don't even know if that's true, but I have to think about it. See, I've got some time left to work... oh, quite a bit of time, if you ask me. Eleven years before I retire... or qualify to retire. I have a pitance in my 401(k) that would last me 6 months in today's economy (well I started saving late, you see). And what? I've put alot of time into many different jobs, never climbing any one ladder very far.

So then there's this. Writing. writing. I'm pretty decent at it... maybe better than most who have it as a 'hobby' (That would be the IRS definition when you don't make a profit 3 out of 5 years). It's that 'sending stuff out' that has kept me cloistered so far. In the last five years, with a normal job, a house in need of repair, little money, and the daliy grind... the writing has kind of taken a back seat. Now, things are different... I have more time.. less money (thanks for the help MA DUA! I mean that, thank God for unemployment)... and a loving wife who is supportive - no, Very supportive... of my dream, but nervous as hell while I sit here writing instead of searching for "a real Job".

And I'll find something. That book deal won't come in the mail if I don't send it out. That short story won't get published if I don't put it in the mail. And while I'm waiting for that agent to tell me how brilliant I am and why didn't I get ahold of her sooner, I'll have to find that job... matched to my skills... (God help me stay away from serving at KFC!)... that allows me enough time to type and type and email and type and type out that cover letter short story query bio script novella that finally lands me a Check and a little Recognition... just a little.. enough to get noticed easier the next time I submit that next story... that next line.

Well, all - Keepin' the dream alive in Pittsfield.

Rocket