Had to lowbuck it

[Hookeye]

Sold all my recurve and compound gear, kids gobbled those better bow funds up :-(

So I have to go cheap.......decided to order a Tradtech Pinnacle 2 riser and Black Max reg fiberglass limbs.

If I land a decent job then maybe I'll reward myself with a Blackwidow. Thought this post layoff garbage would have been done by now.

I can take a lot of crap as long as I have a decent deer season (or can look forward to one).

Deer hunting is way more fun than job hunting.
I seem to be better at one of them too ;-)

[rastaman]

Good luck with your job hunting AND your deer season sir!  

[Hookeye]

Thanks.

I have a PT job, but that just means the savings dwindle at a slightly slower rate.

Yeah, I should be thankful for much, and I am.........but that doesn't mean I'm happy with the lack of progress. I look for work, network etc, and pray...........but these lessons on patience have taken their toll.

I hope the new bow changes my attitude, but I bet it won't. I'm pretty grumpy after being a freakin' cheerleader for 2 yrs without any improvement.

[COLongbow]

Hey good on you!
Family first. Do the right thing (as you are) and God will bless you with the Right Things! Hopefully that includes a BW!

By the way, if you're gonna hold out, a BW is it! Or a Lost Creek!  Some cheap bows shoot pretty good too. Got a 2009 Bear Grizzly I just can't seem to get rid of for some reason.

Blessings from Colorado.

[imhntn]

Seasons of life.  Sometimes we sacrifice and sometimes we live on the fat of the land.  Hoping your fortunes change soon.

[Ron+dog]

GOOD LUCK
ive been laid off recently as well thank goodness all i have to provide for is the dog it will get better it has to
     

[Hookeye]

Thanks.

FWIW I've done the "right thing" for a long time and am rather annoyed at repeatedly having to do it (esp when others who are stupid and or evil don't have to).

Standing still sucks. Going backwards just *&^%$ me off.

Ya know, prayer helps the mind and heart most times, but every now and then a guy just has to kill something.......and no groundhogs are out at this time of night.

Little liberal rodents they are.........some even sound and look like moronic TV personalities.

Maybe now my frustration is better illustrated?

;-)

No archery gear in the house now......whatdya wanna bet a big 'possum strolls into my yard........oh boy, that'll put me over the edge!

[COLongbow]

I hear ya brother.
The psalms are full of "Why are the A**holes living the high life when I'm so low?"

Hang in there. Been there.

[Ron+dog]

sounds like your mad enough t beat him to death with a bat try it garantee youll feel better

[Hookeye]

3 kids (all daughters) and 3 freakin cats (plus an ex wife).........I'm having a blast!

At least the dryer is drowning out what noise they are making.

Gotta fetch one from a party......the relative quiet is soon to be gone.

[Hookeye]

No 'possums (drat).

BTW, I always used a shovel. That rig was a major loss in my divorce......nuked quite a few with that wonderful "FWANG/WHOMP" mixed sound.

FWIW chasing a big 'coon between your neighbor's house and your privacy fence (narrow), in the dark, with no lighting at the rendezvous point..........I don't recommend.

Grabbed my pantsleg as he chaged direction, was rather spooky. I probably haven't done anything as fast since then.

Nope, when it comes to the toothy ones, it's been CB caps since.

[Hookeye]

Back on topic, I'll post pics of my lowbuck rig when it comes in next week.

Thanks for the well wishes, just kinda sorta needed to vent (due to lack of deathwish critters).

[mooseman76]

I feel your pain, brother.  I was there a few years back.  Had to sell all 12 of my custom bows to make ends meet.  Went from 12 (6 Toelke longbows and 6 Widow recurves) to nothing pretty quick.  I hunted for 2 years with borrowed bows and toughed it out.  Was I bitter, YOU BETCHA!  I worked my butt off to be able to buy those bows and to see em go made me pretty upset.  But hey, I had to do it.  Times are better now and I have two bows in my collection, it will get better for you.  Just hang in there.  Hope everything pans out quickly...Mike

[marsniper27]

I know what you are going through to i lost my job a week after my son was born we are now stuck living at the in laws un-till i go back to school in the fall. The only bow i have right now is the bow i inherited from my grandfather. I have a dozen new shafts and can't afford a fletching jig to set them up.

Things will get better sometimes it just takes more sacrifice then we are ready for.

[Hookeye]

Thanks again guys.

I've been through it before, was tolerable then, is just annoying now.

There's more to it (as always) but if I was allowed to transfer way back (new group tried for a yr to get me) I would still be working, stuff would be paid off.......my 401K would never have been touched, and I could have paid next month's college tuition for my oldest in cash.

3 kids, all girls, 3 cats and an ex wife.........all live with me. And there's no man cave.

Hunting season, local, is my only vacation from the grind that I've had for 20 yrs. So anything that might impact that I'm rather sensitive to.

[COMPOUNDLESS IN CONCRETE]

I am in the same boat hookeye, I have been outta work since august with a couple of weeks of work thrown in there a couple times but the company I have been with for 8 of the 12 years I have been in the full time workforce has shut the doors officially and we are all out of work.  I am in the frustration and pissed off stage right now as well.  My wife is making up what unemployment benefits dont cover but it is still a heavy burden on a man to be without a job and not be able to provide for his family.  I have been out for so long my 4 yo daughter doesn't even remember daddy having a job, now that is discouraging.  On the positive, I have been able to spend every day with my 4 yo and my 9 month old daughter and that has been a blessing from this bad situation.  I feel your pain and frustrations, and will remember you in my prayers for a job when I am praying for myself to find one.  Someone wiser than me once said, "Every good man has been through something tough, and it makes us stronger."  Good luck.

[Hookeye]

I lost mine in Oct '08. Didn't think it'd take this long to find something.

Death, divorce, layoff.........I'm plenty strong enough. I'm just getting tired.

I've found jobs listed, applied, even gone to a couple of career fairs.......sorry, I'm not the fave of some liberal spokesperson (who seems to only really talk to others of their type/orientation).

If you've been to such "events" you know what I mean.

Blind applications get about a 2% success rate, and after 1.5 yrs and hundreds of applications......I have yet to get any response. Sure I'm applying to jobs that are around my experience.......but automotive electronics/manufacturing, and manufacturing in general, has taken a massive hit in the midwest.

It was when I got my job long ago "who you know".
I didn't get mine through such channels, was in college, saw a posting there, applied for contract job, got degree, got hired direct and put in 14 yrs after that.

Being an honest and capable person puts one in a small group. One that tends to upset some.

It's along the lines of that old saying:

If you're taller than your boss
if you're smarter than your boss
if you have more hair than your boss,
if you are thinner than your boss
if your wife is prettier than your boss's

you're screwed.

So add in "honest/decent" in the above too.

People who play the systems, less than honestly, hire those who are of that same character.......it's all about favors, who played ball with who back in 6th grade, who has a sister with a big rack somebody wants to date (yeah, missed out on a good job I was perfectly experienced for......due to that one).

Eh, if the rack was as nice as they say, I could kinda sorta see how ;-)

Anyway, it's getting old, logging into sites, networking on the web and in real life. Couple of things though:

Don't be bitter about your old boss/job. I haven't been, it just is what it is, time to move on. Do know from others that bitter will sink you.

Let people know that you are looking for a job. No need to beg, but people have their own lives going on and often don't know or remember what your situation is......even in your intermediate job, be genuinely nice and let those who may have associations know "hey, I'm still looking for a job".

Don't get your hopes up, think that something great will happen in proper time/fashion. It might, and is certainly worthy of prayer..........but don't expect it. That roller coaster is brutal.

I've played it smart, put out the effort.....and I'm about burned out. Folks new to the unemployment circus need to guard themselves from wasted energy and emotion. Hopefully your run will be short, but if not you won't have such things to waste.

Even with a logical and informed approach it can be draining. Add in the personal cost with friends moving, wacky ideas of self worth, selling crap, stress on the family/self.........it becomes a battle after about 6 months.

Think long haul and don't give up.

[Hookeye]

You can vent now and then, but even so you have to be smart about it. Posting a rant on Facebook might cost you.

Anon venting, like mine on this thread, is rather childish, but dangit......sometimes ya just gotta.

Holding frustrations in all the time, that fire will burn you up.

So if ya gotta vent, do so in a somewhat guarded fashion and tag along some humor too. It lightens the mood for others who may be in a similar boat, keeps things from being too negative.

It gets the desired result of venting........and really, even when things suck bad bad bad.......there is something funny about it somewhere.

Maybe such venting and humor is all that remains after a while.......dunno. Maybe that's a holding stage until things get better.

One can be a realist/optimist to some extent, even when PO'd and dead tired.

Don't let the garbage get to you too much.

[LeverActionman]

Been laid off since Jan. Maybe it will get better.

[cohutta orange]

Been in the same boat. I* was a carpenter and when the bottom dropped out a few years ago as did I. Finally got work now doing landscaping. I actually got the job helping a friend of a friend move and when my current boss had lost a guy asked that friend if he knew anyone that could work. Greatest thing ever. I was a lucky one. Keep your head high and chest stuck out.