A Euro For Your Thoughts?

In 2003, I was sitting in a local bar during an open mic night waiting for a friend's band to come on as the headliner.  The acts prior to the headlining show were folks ranging from solo acts to fairly popular local indie bands.  Only one of the opening solo acts was memorable--particularly because she was so terrible.  She had recently experienced a hard ship in her life, which in turn led to the creation of her aptly titled song, "Unemployment".  Played in alternating 'G' and 'C' chords, the other lyrics of the song were lost far beyond the chorus, "Unemployment" which was sung as if she were Courtney Love performing the fourth verse of Hole's, "Doll Parts" only in a manner that sounded like cats were being slowly murdered and the sound of the atrocity blasted through an amplifier in a small, enclosed space.

In 2008, the stock market is in the tank, our current administration has plunged us into divisive politics at home and abroad, compared to the U.S. Dollar the Euro is worth $1.57, and I have fallen victim to corporate restructuring in a perilous economic time.  I find her haunting song ringing in my ears.  It was indelible in its delivery, but also because I used to offer up this story as an anecdote to cheer up my jobless friends.  It was funny then and it's funny now--save the fact that I now find myself unemployed.

In addition to being charming and hard working, I have impressive qualifications, I'm involved in the community, and according to a former co-worker, " [...] a joy to work with and highly regarded in the office."*  My views aside, the reality is that the current job market stinks.  Business is bad all across the board: cuts are being made at every corner, financial institutions are being made solvent by assistance from the government, and I--with assistance from friends [and my unemployment account]--am barely making it by.  Still, after all these years, I can't help but to wonder if that young lady has since found employment.  I know I'm still singing her song.

* LinkedIn, July 21, 2008, Chad Weinzierl, Field Technology Specialist, ING Employee Benefits.