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Sister Ann came home from work Friday and
looked a little shaken. They laid off a dozen people
from first shift. Thankfully, not her. She won't find
out until Monday how many from second shift got
the boot.
She works in a lab for a company that tests oils
and such from transformers. Many of their customers
are in New York, California, Connecticut and other
states that are shutting down. Thus, a drop in
their business.
There is no union so they don't have to lay off by
seniority. Ann has worked there over 20 years but
a co-worker with 30 years was one of the ones let go.
They've started checking everyone's temperatures
before they come in to work and they adjusted the
work schedules so there is no overlap between shifts.
Our brother in Cinncy is a salesman for a manufacturer
and is working two or three days a week from home.
Several of his customers stopped allowing "outsiders"
into their facilities, so a lot of his work is done by phone
or computer face-time.
His daughter has been working from home for two
weeks... for the Council on Aging.
His son works for Northrup-Grumman writing
software and is now also working from home except
when he is working on classified gov't jobs.
Everyone is grateful to still have jobs but it feels like
they're all walking on eggshells hoping the other
shoe doesn't drop.
Carol is starting to get cabin fever because she can't
go to church. Liturgies are cancelled. She needs to
avoid people because of her shakey immune system
anyway, so I'll probably be doing any shopping for her.
She's been staying busy at home doing her laundry
and sanitizing the bath and kitchen.
I'm trying not to worry but sometimes I catch myself
wondering how long this whole situation is going to last.
We are close enough to the interstate(s) that we could
hear the traffic when sitting on the porch. Now?
Barely noticeable.
It's just so surreal. It feels like the world is disappearing.
Got the computer back last night.
Turns out it was harboring two viruses.
Computer fix-it guy said he didn't check for
viruses the first time because what I mentioned
didn't sound like virus issues. Thank you so much.
I thought a virus check was standard.
Anyway, he didn't charge me any more to resolve
the problem so I'll not complain much. Plus, he
added some new virus scanning/checking things.
The job fair on Monday was pitiful.
A discount grocery store looking for ONE cashier
and ONE manager. They did no advertising other than
a poster on the front door of the store and, from the piles of
applications turned in, I am estimating at least
three hundred people applied before I got there.
I can easily say that the big draw was that the
cashier job was advertised as full-time and pays
ten bucks an hour. That's big money in these parts.
I could pay my bills on that.
The attitude of the twenty-something dweeb in a suit
pissed me off, however. A company rep not doing the
company any favors. I don't think he likes his job.
When I turned in my app (they don't take resumes),
he asked me three questions that I'd answered on the
app (simple, one page, two sides). One of the questions
was "Do you have a GED?" I answered "No. Bachelor of Science."
He shot me a sharp look and made a note on a paper
he attached to my application. I commented on the huge
stack of applications already collected. Without looking at me,
he mumbled "yeah, have a nice day."
Does that qualify as summarily dismissed?
I'd say Young Dweeb slept through Personality Class 101, had
someone take the test for him and skipped 102.
I'd been a bit concerned about dressing appropriately since
this was a job fair. From now on, I will not worry.
Approximately twenty other applicants in the room, all but
two or three as young or younger than Young Dweeb.
Most of the females attired in shorts with their butt-cheeks
hanging out, tank tops and no bras. (I really am old, aren't I?)
I could have spent the rest of the day trying to count the multiple
piercings protruding from lips and nostrils. The young males
in attendance were decked out in baggy shorts, tattoos and
their own supplies of metal balls and rings.
Did I mention that no fewer than three of the females were
carrying infants with them?
That was my competition.
I am so hopeful that I decided to continue spending one
or two dollars a week on lottery tickets.
Odds are about the same.
