That's not what the Death card means


A day in the bureaucracy
written 2019-12-10 15:13:40

Today I went to a required workshop for job seekers claiming unemployment. I jokingly referred to it as "taking a class on being unemployed." It was not great.

First, the parking meter ate my quarter.

I had to wait in line to register to wait in a different line.

The RESEA program requires you to come in and hear about the offerings available to the unemployed, mainly so they can find exmilitary and thank them for their service. This is slightly overstated, but they do ask you about nine times over five different forms if you are a veteran or a military spouse.

There was a mandatory stress management lecture.

We were required to stand in line for the mandatory stress management lecture.

"This waiting in line is giving me stress" says one of my fellow applicants.

Major takeaway from the mandatory stress management lecture: "if you a child of God, can't no one break you"

The workshop is scheduled for 9am to 12 noon. Even though it is now after 12 noon, you still have to wait around for the next available job interviewer before you can be considered to have attended the workshop.

Wait around long enough for the motion sensing lights to go out, leaving you sitting in a large meeting room in the dark.

Wait around long enough for the next session in this room to come in and awkwardly ask if you belong there.

Wait half an hour to have an even more awkward conversation with the job interviewer about the jobs for which you would be suitable. They are just doing their jobs, but it's pretty hard to tell someone who has been looking for work for twelve years that maybe they just have to look harder.

Feel bad about being negative, but try to feel good about being honest.

--2:55 PM, EST, 12/10/2019, Philadelphia, PA, "I've been looking so long at these pictures of you / That I almost believe that they're real"

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