Posted by jturner7477 (anonymous) on September 5, 2009 at 5:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Obviously, the person who wrote the article is employed. How easy it must be to say the job maket is better when you have a job.

Posted by BigDog (anonymous) on September 5, 2009 at 8:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I see help wanted notices in the paper everyday. It might not the job you want, but it would provide a paycheck until something better came along.

Posted by WAtidefan (anonymous) on September 5, 2009 at 11:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Good point, BigDog. A lot of people don't want a job, they want a position.

Posted by SouthernAttitude1 (anonymous) on September 6, 2009 at 4:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

You know folks, sometimes you can fill out application after application and still not be hired. It usually has nothing to do with ability and all to do with who you know in this town. All you will have accomplished at the end of the day is spending food money your family needs on gas. Times are hard. People have young families to support.

jturner7477, Apply at Burke's Outlet. I think you would do fine there. They need guys who can unload those trucks and they do employ men. All in all, it is not a bad place to work and you get employee discounts. It sure beats those burger joints.

Posted by sbarneswalker (anonymous) on September 7, 2009 at 10:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)

i have no problem having a job- i have had jobs my whole life, but i also have children now, and they have to be cared for when i am at work, which costs money- alot of money and if i am only making 7 or 8 dollars an hour- we are in the hole. all i am sayin' is be sure you've walked a mile in someone else's shoes.........

Posted by sbarneswalker (anonymous) on September 7, 2009 at 10:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)

and by the way, i was working a full time job along with 2 part time jobs until i was pink slipped, so it's not like i was trying to get out of work :)

Posted by WAtidefan (anonymous) on September 7, 2009 at 12:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It really comes down to decisions. People decide to not get further training or education. There are programs w/grants or low interest loans available for those who desire to make a higher wage. With a very few exceptions, people decide to have a family. It isn't as if having to pay daycare is a surprise. Children have to be cared for and most people have to pay for it.
Read the article on Mark and Tiffany Rhodes in the current Star News. Where there is a will there is a way. I don't know this couple, but wish them the best.

Posted by lookeyhere (anonymous) on September 7, 2009 at 12:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

What Watidefan saying correct me if I am wrong is you should plan ahead before you have kids.

Posted by WAtidefan (anonymous) on September 7, 2009 at 1:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Yes, that is part of what I am saying. If religious beliefs are a part of the equation, don't get married until your education is completed and you are established in the work place. I realize that there are no absolute guarantees that there will never be a layoff, downsizing, etc. But, those who plan (which includes living within your means) are better prepared to weather the loss of a job. I have had to do it.
I come from a poor background myself. My family would have been called the "working poor" if that phrase had been coined at the time. While I love my family, I realized that I wanted a different life. I was accused of "getting above my raising", laughed at and told I would never go to college. I did it anyway.
Again, there is assistance for those who seek it. My posts may seem harsh. That isn't the intent. Personal responsibility is key. Please do not make decisions then whine when you don't like the consequences.
Again, read the story of the Rhodes couple. I don't hear any whining in their story.

Posted by purelogic (anonymous) on September 7, 2009 at 1:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Good post WAtidefan.

Sometimes you have to work a job until you find a position.

If you find a position, and then lose it, you just might have to start from the bottom again. One thing you always take with you is your skills, education, and experience. You can't get laid off from these traits. So whatever you can do to put pluses in these columns is to your advantage.

I know many (sometimes I think it's the majority) that go the other way around however and have kids before all else. It doesn't make it impossible then, but no doubt the more difficult path has been chosen.

Posted by WAtidefan (anonymous) on September 7, 2009 at 4:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I have been inspired by legal immigrants (specifically Asians) who owned businesses, who were professionals in their home countries but gave up all they had to come to this country. They took any job they could get to support their families and started over. Most became a financial success. I know a Vietnamese family who worked at what some might consider very menial jobs until the father could establish his own car repair garage. He worked two jobs and repaired cars on the side and by word of mouth grew his repair business. BTW, this family is very patriotic and I would advise America haters to find another repair shop. His shop looks like a 4th of July parade waiting to happen.
I would encourage those who want to better themselves to seek help. Find out what is available to you for schooling, training, etc. Sometimes it is necessary to sacrifice now for rewards later.

Posted by sbarneswalker (anonymous) on September 7, 2009 at 5:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I have been married for almost 13 years, and I have had my Master's degree for over 10 years. My husband and I did wait to have children until after I completed my education, and he was within months of finishing his education when we had our first child. I never said it was a surprise to have to pay for child care. I don't believe I was whining, either. I am simply stating that I don't believe you can judge fairly when you haven't walked a mile in my shoes. I just wanted to defend hard working people who have come into unfortunate situations. I am willing to start from the bottom again, but have not been given the opportunity as I have applied for several positions and not even received an interview as of yet.

Posted by sbarneswalker (anonymous) on September 7, 2009 at 5:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I just took your advice and read the story on the Rhodes' family and I think that what they are doing is awesome!!! However, my story is completely different. I respect them and anyone else who has worked hard to better themselves, which is exactly what my husband and I did- we worked hard, we got our educations, but that still doesn't guarantee anything.

Posted by purelogic (anonymous) on September 7, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

sbarneswalker: Hang in there! Something will open up eventually. It was 7 years and 3 months after I got my degree before I landed a job that actually required it. (So I definitely have had both jobs and positions.) I was one of the ones that had just about gave up hope, and I really didn't care if I ever used it in the workplace or not. I knew what really mattered was the knowledge and experience that I had gained, and I was already putting that to use in my personal life. With enough time, things will work out.

Posted by jturner7477 (anonymous) on September 7, 2009 at 7:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Maybe bigdog and watidefan don't realize that not everyone has qualifications for every job. I guess they think that just because there is an ad for a job in the paper that just anyone can run out and get it. The news reported today that the unemployment rate in Alabama is 10.2% which is higher than the national average of 9.7%. Also, I am one of the unlucky folks that has been laid off from a job that i have had for several years. Bigdog,you should know what you are talking about before you start spouting off smart remarks. You too watidefan. Thanks for the heads up about burkes, southernattitude1. I'll be checking them out in the morning.

Posted by WAtidefan (anonymous) on September 7, 2009 at 9:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

None of my remarks were "smart". I know that everyone isn't qualified for every job. Believe it or not, I once didn't get a job because I'm not black. If you read carefully, I wrote that there are no guarantees that there will not be layoffs, etc. I have lost jobs in the past. My husband has lost jobs, as well. We have both been unemployed at the same time. My comments were not out of line based on prior posts. I did not specifically identify anyone.
One observation: It is interesting to me that when comparing the first two posts by sbarneswalker to the last two posts, it is almost as if the last two were written by a different person.
I apologize for offending any who are looking for a job. I sincerely hope all of you find employment soon.

Posted by purelogic (anonymous) on September 7, 2009 at 9:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Interesting observation WAtidefan. I didn't notice that until you said it, but the writing style is completely different.

Posted by shawnkempf08 (anonymous) on September 8, 2009 at 4:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Thousands of jobs in medical billing needs to be filled find a local school to get a degree at http://bit.ly/ESUNX

Posted by sbarneswalker (anonymous) on September 8, 2009 at 8:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)

You know what's funny to me is that the first two post I wrote were just out of simple frustration. I just wrote something off the cuff to try to encourage others to not judge so quickly. I am assuming you are referring to the fact that I didn't use punctuation or capitalization. When I checked back and realized that it was assumed that I had not planned for children or childcare and did not have an education, I felt as if I had to defend myself, and, yes, I did write in a different manner because I felt different.....amazing how judgmental others can be when all I was trying to do was say life isn't always easy or "ain't" always easy no matter how well you think you've planned it-- if you only knew me in person- you would understand.....I never knew I would have to explain why I typed something a certain way on here!!! That's funny!! I really just try to look at all sides to a situation.

Posted by lookeyhere (anonymous) on September 8, 2009 at 8:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)

sbarneswalker...You seem like a person who is doing the best you can.I dindn't really notice or care how the comments were typed.Hey not everyone can spale or pronunseeate werds likk me an ewe.

Posted by purelogic (anonymous) on September 8, 2009 at 9:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)

sbarneswalker, it is the nature of humans to immediately try to "read" other people from whatever they know about them. In your case a couple of paragraphs of english type without regard to punctuation or capitalization.

While everyone knows you can't "know" a person by that microscopic bit of info, nevertheless opinions are formed and remain until new information is given to show to the contrary. While no one is fully observant, and most folks probably didn't even conciously pick up on the different styles. I know I didn't.

Anyway, it's the nature of folks to judge a book by its cover whether conciously or sub-conciously whether they mean anything by it or not. It's just the way the mind works more or less.

Glad you like to look at all sides to a situation, as I try to do that myself. :)

Posted by sbarneswalker (anonymous) on September 8, 2009 at 10:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Thank you for the POSITIVE comments!! It's so nice to know that not everyone feels the way the other two do- I was starting to get paranoid! haha! I really have tried and I know several others who have also truly tried to find good stable jobs around here, and while this is a great place to raise a family, there is not a whole lot of options or opportunity in the job market. But, I always try to keep my chin up and thank God every day for what blessings I do have!

Posted by superman (anonymous) on September 8, 2009 at 5:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I have seen alot of help wanted signs around andalusia and sum even in opp one problem facing the unemployed is the fact that a lot of people are trying for the same job. With that in mind the workforce is getting super pickey who they hier cause they can. Sure is a lot of educated folks jobless. I also think the woman on waao during lunch cant read

Posted by winkie (anonymous) on September 8, 2009 at 8:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Welcome sbarneswalker. LOl, there are some great people on here,both Demos and Repubs. We all may not agree but we respect the other persons views. Don't worry bout spelling ,we all get lazy, or are in a hurry sometimes, and sometimes we feel eickieeee to. Good Luck finding a job.

Posted by WAtidefan (anonymous) on September 8, 2009 at 10:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

sbarneswalker: If I am one of the other two, you have just judged how I feel based on what I have written. Did you not chastise me for judging you based on what/how you wrote? Doesn't really bother me. Sometimes we end up doing what we don't like others doing.
I apologized to you and others that were offended. I sincerely hope you find a job that matches what you desire to do in your life. You set goals and achieved them by the education you worked to get. I can imagine that there are fewer opportunities in CC for employment than in larger, more highly populated areas. This could be the reason so many people leave. Again, I apologize for offending you.
Please remember, as I will try to do, that when people read what we write that is all they have to assess who we are and what we believe. There is a lot more to all of us than we express when commenting on this site.

Posted by Anne (anonymous) on September 10, 2009 at 7 p.m. (Suggest removal)

If I may, I'd like to throw in my 2 cents for what it's worth.

I am a true believer in Entrepreneur-ship. Start your own business.

One of my son's did just that, and has become very successful in what he loves to do - that's the key - works very hard, long hours, physical work, but loves it.
He was featured on the Star News Tues. Sept 7th - CARING FOR HORSES PART OF LESSONS. His name is Joseph and he was homeschooled along with his brothers and sisters right here in Covington County.
Not only did he build the stables himself to board the horses, he built his own 2 story bungalow to live in himself. He paid as he went.
His reputation follows him wherever he goes.

I myself decided to start my own business as the children grew up - something I loved and new about, a health food store. With a loan of $500 and 10 cases of the best smelling soap, I gave a few home parties to get people acquainted with the natural products...word spread as it will, and before I knew it, I had a place rented for my herbs, vitamins and health foods in the stone bldg that Dr. Kerr occupies.

This is what can happen when you put your mind to work with something you are good at and love to do, that people have a need for, and work very hard...this can include sewing, for mother's with children, or computer work in the home.

Or for the men, a specialized service. My son Danny, went to McArthur Tech to learn welding, took tests, learned more, took tests and is now the Quality Control of an oil refinery, making 6 figures. He is in his mid 20's.

I also recommend some of the health network marketing companies that provide excellent health products. They will even train you, and for a very small start up cost, you can make a substantial amount of income to supplement your family.

If health is not your forte, there are home products you can sell. There is always something you can do to supplement, and if you are particularly motivated, can make a substantial amount of profit.