Plan B

[Aubrey]

This is personal, & I have the skin of...one of those see-through frogs specially made for hs science kits. So be REALLY gentle. Full-mooners, back off! Eye-rollers: I can hear it in the tone of your post. Or imagine it. So if your name isn't preceded by "St." (pagan saints allowed), please know that your comments will send me over the edge. No matter how random you are. That's how I roll. :001_huh:

 

This is Plan B. (Plan A is still for dh to get a good job & live happily ever after.)

 

1. I need to be retrained.

 

*Deep breath* I just went to see a psych (I don't know which ending). I've never held a job for more than a year, & I hadn't realized it. That kinda scares me, because my ability to interact w/ people has seriously declined since that year. I was diagnosed w/ BP, & she said this is common, which was nice. It's nice to have someone tell you WHY you can't do something instead of just drop their jaw & shake their head.

 

Fwiw, I have a MEd in Teaching, a BA in English, & secondary cert for English. Even if it weren't for the BP, you all have heard what's going on w/ teachers in TX--it's not a lot better anywhere else. And, while I realize we don't all agree about making hs'ing a priority, I obviously couldn't do that & teach. (At least, not English, where you bring home over 100 essays to grade. 5yrs ago, I had 30-40 students/class. Now it would be much, much worse.)

 

We don't have life ins, disability ins, *anything*...at this point, I think it's just common sense that I need to have *something* I could actually do WITH the thought that I have a passel load of kids to take care of. Even getting us all to ps in the mornings w/ our homework & graded papers (if teachers were being hired) seems...like a lofty goal.

 

So I'm thinking some kind of web design--something concrete, practical, able to be done from home. I taught myself html a few years ago--what I learned is obsolete now, but I learned it easily & liked it well enough. I could learn something like this online for free & get certification online for under $100, so it's not like going back for another degree.

 

[This is long, so I'm going to break it into multiple posts.]

 

ETA: I don't think I'm being clear about the BP. In the last year, I have not been able to go to church. I've rarely been to the grocery store. I can barely drive. I *almost* don't leave the house. I've been suicidal. I haven't posted about it *at all* because I've been trying to find a job, & on the off-chance that someone comes across me here, I don't want to shoot myself in the foot.

Edited April 7, 2011 by Aubrey

[Aubrey]

2. We would live w/ one set of parents while I did this & we got caught up on bills. Dh would go back to Starbucks or some other nominal job. I learn web design or Illustrator or some combination of something useful. We pay bills. We share hs'ing. I get a job, working from home if possible, split between home & office if not.

 

3. Dh applies to to law school while I'm learning the web design & then attends school while I work. If necessary, we continue living w/ parents, but if my salary does it, we move out. Living w/ parents would be app. 1-4years.

 

Why law school (after everything else)?

 

Dh has been looking for a job for a long time w/out ANY results. He's got a history degree & a couple of years experience in logistics & a couple of years experience in customer service. The cs experience is 10 years old.

 

He's got health problems that prevent some jobs: *severe* allergies (so he sometimes can't be outside at all), asthma. He's got other health problems that have been diagnosed in the last 6mos: ADD & severe chronic depression. Thus his many accidents lately.

 

Law should be in demand, even the way the economy is going. Dh is GOOD at learning details, GOOD at doing school--as long as it's FT, traditional, in person (not online!). Law is a specific, concrete skill (unlike history). When I suggested it, he thought it was a good idea. (He hasn't thought anything was a good idea in a long time.) He got hopeful. (Not in a long time.)

[Aubrey]

4. New life.

 

Commentary:

Between the 2 of us, I think we could continue homeschooling. I'd have to put most of my writing projects on hold for a couple of years. This seems silly to even mention, but I've spent the last year working on a "neutral" history curriculum for the logic stage. It kills me to have that time wasted, & since part of the point was to have something for my own kid entering the logic stage, I'd also have to settle for a curric that wasn't an acceptable choice. But...in the larger scheme of things, this seems like a reasonably small sacrifice. Just...big enough to me that I can't skip mentioning it.

 

If dh gets a job before we get to step 3, then my training is simply a good back-up plan until we have life ins or extra income until things stabilize.

 

I think it's practical all the way around, which is so unusual for us that I thought I'd do a reality check w/ you guys. The amazing part? He likes the idea, too. Most of our ideas leave us filled w/ dread & despair.

[Aubrey]

IF this makes sense to you...

 

any ideas on certifications? Would html/javascript be more of a practical way to go or something like Illustrator/Dreamweaver? At a glance, the latter looks more expensive/complicated to obtain, & probably less likely to be work-from-home. BUT if there is more of a demand, maybe that's ok.

 

Either way, I'll work through the free tutorials first.

 

Ok. I'm done. :bigear:

[MSNative]

2. We would live w/ one set of parents while I did this & we got caught up on bills. Dh would go back to Starbucks or some other nominal job. I learn web design or Illustrator or some combination of something useful. We pay bills. We share hs'ing. I get a job, working from home if possible, split between home & office if not.

 

3. Dh applies to to law school while I'm learning the web design & then attends school while I work. If necessary, we continue living w/ parents, but if my salary does it, we move out. Living w/ parents would be app. 1-4years.

 

Why law school (after everything else)?

 

Dh has been looking for a job for a long time w/out ANY results. He's got a history degree & a couple of years experience in logistics & a couple of years experience in customer service. The cs experience is 10 years old.

 

He's got health problems that prevent some jobs: *severe* allergies (so he sometimes can't be outside at all), asthma. He's got other health problems that have been diagnosed in the last 6mos: ADD & severe chronic depression. Thus his many accidents lately.

 

Law should be in demand, even the way the economy is going. Dh is GOOD at learning details, GOOD at doing school--as long as it's FT, traditional, in person (not online!). Law is a specific, concrete skill (unlike history). When I suggested it, he thought it was a good idea. (He hasn't thought anything was a good idea in a long time.) He got hopeful. (Not in a long time.)

 

 

Um, I don't know any pagan saints. I'm not really up on any of my saints, so take this with a salt lick.

 

Love the idea of getting a cert, but there are A LOT of unemployed computer geeks out there. (I have friends who've been out of work for over a year or have taken jobs seriously below their experience level.) However, I think there is a niche market for people who can help start ups and small businesses develop an attractive, useful internet presence. If you have design talent and can learn the programming, that could be an interesting market to explore. No help on current web software. I haven't designed a website in a decade. When I did, I used Dreamweaver and it is very easy to learn.

 

Since you have all the degrees in teaching and English, what about becoming an online tutor or online instructor at a virtual academy? You wouldn't have to retrain, you've got great credentials and you could still do it from home. You could also look into tutoring in person locally. Lots of people are willing to pay good money for someone to help their child be a better writer.

Edited April 7, 2011 by MSNative

[MSNative]

4. New life.

 

Commentary:

Between the 2 of us, I think we could continue homeschooling. I'd have to put most of my writing projects on hold for a couple of years. This seems silly to even mention, but I've spent the last year working on a "neutral" history curriculum for the logic stage. It kills me to have that time wasted, & since part of the point was to have something for my own kid entering the logic stage, I'd also have to settle for a curric that wasn't an acceptable choice. But...in the larger scheme of things, this seems like a reasonably small sacrifice. Just...big enough to me that I can't skip mentioning it.

 

If dh gets a job before we get to step 3, then my training is simply a good back-up plan until we have life ins or extra income until things stabilize.

 

I think it's practical all the way around, which is so unusual for us that I thought I'd do a reality check w/ you guys. The amazing part? He likes the idea, too. Most of our ideas leave us filled w/ dread & despair.

 

Dang, evidently I was typing while you were still posting. Forget everything I said and finish that darn neutral history curriculum. NOW!! My kids are swiftly moving out of logic stage. :)

[TheCoffeeChick]

I don't have any words of wisdom - as my family is pretty much in the same state of limbo, trying to get a new life, and lots of stress. I just want you to know you're not alone. Sending some virtual hugs your way...:grouphug:

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Trying to type as lightly as a feather.

 

What are the long term employment prospects for someone with a law degree practicing law? I ask because I'd started to hear that law has been promoted for so long that there is a developing glut. I don't know if that is true, or if it reflects people who went into law thinking it was something it wasn't or if it is a regional issue.

 

Are there paralegal positions that would provide more rapid employment, and a salary without the expense of years of law school? (Just throwing out an idea.)

 

Are there positions in your area (or near your parents) for after school tutoring? We're in northern Virginia and it feels like every strip mall has some kind of a tutoring center. I have no idea what the pay is like.

 

What about substitute teaching? That might be more stress; it might be less. Could you move school to 3-4 days a week, including weekends, thus freeing up several days a week for substitute teaching. It might not be much money some places. In fact it might not be as much as Starbucks, depending.

 

I hope you find a great Plan B. You've impressed me here as a thoughtful, wise person.

[SquirrellyMama]

 

Since you have all the degrees in teaching and English, what about becoming an online tutor or online instructor at a virtual academy? You wouldn't have to retrain, you've got great credentials and you could still do it from home. You could also look into tutoring in person locally. Lots of people are willing to pay good money for someone to help their child be a better writer.

 

I think this is a good idea.

[KnitWit]

:grouphug:

 

Aubrey, I think the online writing tutorial probably has a niche. Especially if you will read and grade writing for homeschoolers. You could let yourself be known at the TOG forum as well as *here* (of course) and I bet that alone would keep you busy. I hear this all the time, parents want to teach good writing skills but then feel inadequate at grading the work.

 

Even when parents feel they have the ability, I know my own dd said that she would have felt more confident in her first year of college if we had outsourced that more ourselves, so *she* would feel confident in *other* people's assessment of her writing.

 

Of course, I have no idea if that would bring in enough.

[Aubrey]

Um, I don't know any pagan saints. I'm not really up on any of my saints, so take this with a salt lick.

 

Love the idea of getting a cert, but there are A LOT of unemployed computer geeks out there. (I have friends who've been out of work for over a year or have taken jobs seriously below their experience level.) However, I think there is a niche market for people who can help start ups and small businesses develop an attractive, useful internet presence. If you have design talent and can learn the programming, that could be an interesting market to explore. No help on current web software. I haven't designed a website in a decade. When I did, I used Dreamweaver and it is very easy to learn.

 

This seemed like a good idea because my ex-sil was able to find jobs in this area in the last few years very easily. I don't know if it's DFW or if she's unique, but...she seemed to do ok, lol. (One person's experience, I know.)

 

Since you have all the degrees in teaching and English, what about becoming an online tutor or online instructor at a virtual academy? You wouldn't have to retrain, you've got great credentials and you could still do it from home. You could also look into tutoring in person locally. Lots of people are willing to pay good money for someone to help their child be a better writer.

 

Online teaching & tutoring pays really, really badly. W/ an MA, one co would still only pay $10/classroom hour. :svengo:

 

Also, until we get ins & I can get an rx, interfacing w/ parents & admins, even online, is probably not possible. :( I know it seems isolated, but remember the see-through skin? Parents & admins are *never* happy w/ a teacher's work. At least...not unanimously.

[Aubrey]

I don't have any words of wisdom - as my family is pretty much in the same state of limbo, trying to get a new life, and lots of stress. I just want you to know you're not alone. Sending some virtual hugs your way...:grouphug:

 

Oh my gosh. It's ridiculous how such a simple statement of kindness can send me to sobbing. Thank you.

[Unicorn.]

Um, I don't know any pagan saints. I'm not really up on any of my saints, so take this with a salt lick.

 

Love the idea of getting a cert, but there are A LOT of unemployed computer geeks out there. (I have friends who've been out of work for over a year or have taken jobs seriously below their experience level.) However, I think there is a niche market for people who can help start ups and small businesses develop an attractive, useful internet presence. If you have design talent and can learn the programming, that could be an interesting market to explore. No help on current web software. I haven't designed a website in a decade. When I did, I used Dreamweaver and it is very easy to learn.

 

Since you have all the degrees in teaching and English, what about becoming an online tutor or online instructor at a virtual academy? You wouldn't have to retrain, you've got great credentials and you could still do it from home. You could also look into tutoring in person locally. Lots of people are willing to pay good money for someone to help their child be a better writer.

 

:iagree: What about teaching a High School English class or 2, (or 3) for homeschoolers. I know several people that homeschool their kids, and make their living teaching classes for homeschoolers. It doesn't have to be a co-op! Or what about tutoring at someplace like Sylvan?

 

I also really, really think you should finish that curriculum. It would fill a huge need for a lot of people- including you!

 

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: I'm sorry things are so hard right now.

 

St. Unicorn :D (ok, I'm not a saint, but we unicorns are big on gentleness and goodness... does that count?)

[Aubrey]

Trying to type as lightly as a feather.

 

What are the long term employment prospects for someone with a law degree practicing law? I ask because I'd started to hear that law has been promoted for so long that there is a developing glut. I don't know if that is true, or if it reflects people who went into law thinking it was something it wasn't or if it is a regional issue.

 

Thanks for the feather-fingers. ;) I've heard that about law, too, so we'd need to know more before going forward, but I *think* if you're not idealistic about the kind of law you're going to practice or the kind of salary you're going to make, you might be fine.

 

Are there paralegal positions that would provide more rapid employment, and a salary without the expense of years of law school? (Just throwing out an idea.)

 

Paralegals make around 20k. Dh has applied for paralegal positions anyway, & gotten no calls. So I don't know.

 

I did suggest that for before/during law school, so that he has *experience* on his res. From what I've heard--only a couple of people's experience--it's not a good option.

 

Are there positions in your area (or near your parents) for after school tutoring? We're in northern Virginia and it feels like every strip mall has some kind of a tutoring center. I have no idea what the pay is like.

 

$10/hr, & they treat you like you're in highschool. Most retail stores pay their 3rd key highschool-age managers better than that.

 

What about substitute teaching? That might be more stress; it might be less. Could you move school to 3-4 days a week, including weekends, thus freeing up several days a week for substitute teaching. It might not be much money some places. In fact it might not be as much as Starbucks, depending.

 

I hope you find a great Plan B. You've impressed me here as a thoughtful, wise person.

 

Student teaching pays around $60/day. Not enough to live on, & not a way to move forward. I'm not sure if you mean for dh or me, but at this point, I don't think they'd hire dh w/out teacher cert. The market is literally flooded w/ unemployed teachers.

[KnitWit]

 

Also, until we get ins & I can get an rx, interfacing w/ parents & admins, even online, is probably not possible. :( I know it seems isolated, but remember the see-through skin? Parents & admins are *never* happy w/ a teacher's work. At least...not unanimously.

 

Understand this. :grouphug::grouphug:

[Aubrey]

:grouphug:

 

Aubrey, I think the online writing tutorial probably has a niche. Especially if you will read and grade writing for homeschoolers. You could let yourself be known at the TOG forum as well as *here* (of course) and I bet that alone would keep you busy. I hear this all the time, parents want to teach good writing skills but then feel inadequate at grading the work.

 

Even when parents feel they have the ability, I know my own dd said that she would have felt more confident in her first year of college if we had outsourced that more ourselves, so *she* would feel confident in *other* people's assessment of her writing.

 

Of course, I have no idea if that would bring in enough.

 

I've been doing that & enjoying it. I've also been writing & getting paid. All told, I probably made $200 last year. It's *fine* for something I enjoy & for a little spending $ on the fs boards, but it's not a living.

 

Gosh. I don't want y'all to think I'm rejecting all your advice. I know that's frustrating on the other end. Really, though, we've tried a lot of things for a long time, & it's not working. *Something* has to *significantly* change.

[In the Rain]

:grouphug: I'm sorry your family is struggling so much.

[Gooblink]

Rather than do the actual web design, how about partnering up with web design firms as a content writer/editor? When we used to do websites for companies, the project bottleneck seemed to be where we needed their web content in order to go live. Had we kept that part of our business, we would definitely have had contract work for content writers.

 

As for your husband, have you considered his allergies/depression/etc., might be food related? Especially sugar, wheat, and maybe dairy?

[Impish]

Talk to your/his parents.

 

Personally, I couldn't live with my parents or MIL. I'd end up in the news.

 

I wish you guys all the best. :grouphug:

[Carol in Cal.]

Aubrey,

I'm so sorry that you and your family have so much difficulty to deal with.

 

I hate to rain on your plan, but I keep hearing about underemployed lawyers, like it's a new chronic disease. I am certain that having a law degree is no longer an automatic paycheck, and law school grads tend to come out with big debts that they can't even bankrupt themselves out from under.

 

If I were facing your situation I would prioritize health insurance and avoiding debt above all else. I'd say that someone (maybe your DH, maybe you) needs to get a job with health insurance at all costs--even if it's just with Starbucks/Peets, seriously. You all really, really need this.

 

Assuming that it's your DH who gets that med job, you're such a good writer, and it's a lot easier for me to imagine you teaching writing via, say, Julie Bogart's online classes than almost anything else. She was looking for more teachers within the last 6 months--I strongly suggest that you at least check that out. Also, substitute teaching is nice because it's variable--you don't have to commit to doing it all the time to keep it going.

 

I have a relative who got Microsoft certified as the sure ticket to job security, and has been unemployed for 2 years. I don't think that tech jobs are a sure thing these days. It's getting bad out there for tech technicians. I wonder whether a technical writing certification wouldn't help you more, particularly with your editing chops. It's not like you're a brand new English major with no experience, so you have some good credibility in that area.

 

:grouphug:

[Random]

Aubrey,

 

Have you or dh ever read the book, What Color is Your Parachute?

http://www.amazon.com/What-Color-Your-Parachute-2011/dp/158008270X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1302188287&sr=8-1

A therapist recommended it to me in my last year of University. It has many, many ideas for finding out which careers are a good fit, as well as market predictions. It's updated every year.

 

:grouphug:

 

I get so much of what you are saying, and you're not alone.

[Jumping In Puddles]

FWIW, about law school... this is an interesting article from the NYT, January 8th 2011. Worth a read.

 

Is Law School a Losing Game?

 

IF there is ever a class in how to remain calm while trapped beneath $250,000 in loans, Michael Wallerstein ought to teach it.

 

Here he is, sitting one afternoon at a restaurant on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, a tall, sandy-haired, 27-year-old radiating a kind of surfer-dude serenity. His secret, if that’s the right word, is to pretty much ignore all the calls and letters that he receives every day from the dozen or so creditors now hounding him for cash.

 

“And I don’t open the e-mail alerts with my credit score,” he adds. “I can’t look at my credit score any more.”

 

Mr. Wallerstein, who can’t afford to pay down interest and thus watches the outstanding loan balance grow, is in roughly the same financial hell as people who bought more home than they could afford during the real estate boom. But creditors can’t foreclose on him because he didn’t spend the money on a house.

 

He spent it on a law degree. And from every angle, this now looks like a catastrophic investment.

 

Well, every angle except one: the view from law schools. To judge from data that law schools collect, and which is published in the closely parsed U.S. News and World Report annual rankings, the prospects of young doctors of jurisprudence are downright rosy.

 

In reality, and based on every other source of information, Mr. Wallerstein and a generation of J.D.’s face the grimmest job market in decades. Since 2008, some 15,000 attorney and legal-staff jobs at large firms have vanished, according to a Northwestern Law study. Associates have been laid off, partners nudged out the door and recruitment programs have been scaled back or eliminated.

 

And with corporations scrutinizing their legal expenses as never before, more entry-level legal work is now outsourced to contract temporary employees, both in the United States and in countries like India. It’s common to hear lawyers fret about the sort of tectonic shift that crushed the domestic steel industry decades ago.

 

But improbably enough, law schools have concluded that life for newly minted grads is getting sweeter, at least by one crucial measure. In 1997, when U.S. News first published a statistic called “graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation,” law schools reported an average employment rate of 84 percent. In the most recent U.S. News rankings, 93 percent of grads were working — nearly a 10-point jump.

 

In the Wonderland of these statistics, a remarkable number of law school grads are not just busy — they are raking it in. Many schools, even those that have failed to break into the U.S. News top 40, state that the median starting salary of graduates in the private sector is $160,000. That seems highly unlikely, given that Harvard and Yale, at the top of the pile, list the exact same figure.

 

How do law schools depict a feast amid so much famine?

 

“Enron-type accounting standards have become the norm,” says William Henderson of Indiana University, one of many exasperated law professors who are asking the American Bar Association to overhaul the way law schools assess themselves. “Every time I look at this data, I feel dirty.”

 

IT is an open secret, Professor Henderson and others say, that schools finesse survey information in dozens of ways. And the survey’s guidelines, which are established not by U.S. News but by the American Bar Association, in conjunction with an organization called the National Association for Law Placement, all but invite trimming.

 

A law grad, for instance, counts as “employed after nine months” even if he or she has a job that doesn’t require a law degree. Waiting tables at Applebee’s? You’re employed. Stocking aisles at Home Depot? You’re working, too.

 

Number-fudging games are endemic, professors and deans say, because the fortunes of law schools rise and fall on rankings, with reputations and huge sums of money hanging in the balance. You may think of law schools as training grounds for new lawyers, but that is just part of it.

 

They are also cash cows.

 

read the rest here

 

Edited April 7, 2011 by Jumping In Puddles

[Aubrey]

Rather than do the actual web design, how about partnering up with web design firms as a content writer/editor? When we used to do websites for companies, the project bottleneck seemed to be where we needed their web content in order to go live. Had we kept that part of our business, we would definitely have had contract work for content writers.

 

I've tried this. I really don't know why I'm not getting calls, but I'm not.

 

As for your husband, have you considered his allergies/depression/etc., might be food related? Especially sugar, wheat, and maybe dairy?

 

He's been off of wheat & dairy for nearly 2 years. He's allergic to chocolate, bananas, & I forget what else.

 

He was on med for about 6mos & doing quite a bit better. Not perfect, but much better. They've run out, & we had to wait for the tax return to refill (he's doing that today), but we've also struggled to buy groceries the last 3 mos. I *know* he hasn't been eating well (sometimes at all), & I know that's part of the problem. I've talked to him about it, but there's only so much I can do.

 

From what I've seen in the years I've known him, his allergies are going to be a significant problem as long as we live in DFW. Elsewhere? No telling.

[Aubrey]

Talk to your/his parents.

 

Personally, I couldn't live with my parents or MIL. I'd end up in the news.

 

I wish you guys all the best. :grouphug:

 

We have. They're both supportive.

[Impish]

We have. They're both supportive.

Thats excellent. I envy you both.

[Jumping In Puddles]

My dh is considering law school because his company will pay 100% :w00t: but we're a little put off by the notion that legal work can and is able to be outsourced. Not all attorneys obviously, but it's hard to go into a field that is shrinking.

[simka2]

Aubrey, :grouphug:'s!!!!

 

Do you guys qualify for medicaid/care? I know it is controversial, but I would really get all the meds you and dh need to be able to make these decisions with the clearest heads possible. (Coming with NO condemnation as someone who has had to go on meds, because I did not forsee moving stripping me of my established coping skills)

 

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

[Aubrey]

Aubrey,

I'm so sorry that you and your family have so much difficulty to deal with.

 

I hate to rain on your plan, but I keep hearing about underemployed lawyers, like it's a new chronic disease. I am certain that having a law degree is no longer an automatic paycheck, and law school grads tend to come out with big debts that they can't even bankrupt themselves out from under.

 

If I were facing your situation I would prioritize health insurance and avoiding debt above all else. I'd say that someone (maybe your DH, maybe you) needs to get a job with health insurance at all costs--even if it's just with Starbucks/Peets, seriously. You all really, really need this.

 

I don't mind the parade-raining, but Carol--I KNOW. For 2 years now, that has literally been our ONLY goal. Neither of us has been able to get a job & *rarely* a response at all.

 

Dh worked for S'bucks a couple of years ago, & while the pay was good *for what it is,* it wasn't enough, & at one point, his hours were cut back to 5-10/wk. That's few enough to lose the health ins. AND the health ins was too expensive. WAY too expensive.

 

Assuming that it's your DH who gets that med job, you're such a good writer, and it's a lot easier for me to imagine you teaching writing via, say, Julie Bogart's online classes than almost anything else. She was looking for more teachers within the last 6 months--I strongly suggest that you at least check that out. Also, substitute teaching is nice because it's variable--you don't have to commit to doing it all the time to keep it going.

 

I have a relative who got Microsoft certified as the sure ticket to job security, and has been unemployed for 2 years. I don't think that tech jobs are a sure thing these days. It's getting bad out there for tech technicians. I wonder whether a technical writing certification wouldn't help you more, particularly with your editing chops. It's not like you're a brand new English major with no experience, so you have some good credibility in that area.

 

:grouphug:

 

Substituting wouldn't cover the cost of childcare. At some point, if y'all keep suggesting this kind of thing, I'm going to pretend it's a great idea & let the thread die while I go sit by myself & cry. I'm REALLY sorry that these ideas don't work, but BELIEVE me, they don't.

 

My plan has been to build my writing career. It's working, but it's SLOW. And w/in the hs community, I don't really know if I can expect to make a living. I *know* I can't expect health ins, thus prioritizing: putting the history curric aside to do something more practical.

 

Maybe web design isn't it. *sigh* I don't know.

[Aubrey]

Aubrey,

 

Have you or dh ever read the book, What Color is Your Parachute?

http://www.amazon.com/What-Color-Your-Parachute-2011/dp/158008270X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1302188287&sr=8-1

A therapist recommended it to me in my last year of University. It has many, many ideas for finding out which careers are a good fit, as well as market predictions. It's updated every year.

 

:grouphug:

 

I get so much of what you are saying, and you're not alone.

 

Yes. But we've got 4 kids & the economy's a wreck: it really doesn't matter any more what's a good fit, kwim?

[fairfarmhand]

Any jobs available on second shift? If something like that happened around here, dh and I would take turns working. I'd be home (homeschooling) in the morning and go to work when he got home.

 

2 full time jobs would help us make it.

[Aubrey]

FWIW, about law school... this is an interesting article from the NYT, January 8th 2011. Worth a read.

 

Well...I thought he'd spend the year between now & application deadlines applying for scholarships. Not that that's really the point.

 

I thought that w/ all the financial disaster, foreclosures, etc, everybody would need a lawyer. :tongue_smilie:

 

But if every field is in this kind of downward spiral, what does a person do? I mean, a few years ago, I would have said just "do what you can," but if that's not resulting in *anything,* you've got to do something differently--what is it?

 

Doesn't law school feed into politics, too? There seem to be plenty of those. ;)

[Carol in Cal.]

Any jobs available on second shift? If something like that happened around here, dh and I would take turns working. I'd be home (homeschooling) in the morning and go to work when he got home.

 

2 full time jobs would help us make it.

 

OH! I just remembered a crazy idea.

 

I once met someone who was a writer. She did infant daycare on the graveyard shift at her home. Mostly the babies were asleep, but she could charge a lot because so few would even take anyone overnight. She would take a total of 4 babies, and made a very good living at it.

 

Plan D: One mcjob with health insurance (COBRA is your friend if they cut your hours) plus one home daycare at a high rate in either the evening or the night.

[Mrs Mungo]

Have you looked into online colleges? I have 2 friends with Master's degrees who teach online college classes. They both make decent money, but they both have math degrees. I don't know if that makes a difference.

[fairfarmhand]

I don't know what kind of back ground your dh has, but my dh is a civil engineer w/water and wastewater. Not to say he would never get fired, but he will most likely always have a job since people are always going to be flushing the toilet. (he works for a public utility) That is great job security, and if your dh has a good work ethic, he will find a spot.

[elegantlion]

First :grouphug:

 

Second :grouphug:

 

Third....you have a plan. Sometimes it's easier to move forward when you feel like you have a plan, even one you aren't sure about.

 

I wish there was a job like in the show The Librarian that would simply fall into your family's lap. You both have unique giftings and the world deserves to see them.

 

think butterfly...you're still in the caterpillar stage.

 

Have you considered teaching through an online university? My sister does that and makes too much money for what she does. My sister is not miss social either, so if she could teach, you'd be wonderful.

 

I like the idea of co-teaching with your dh.

 

I have no clue about the law thing.

 

IMO you need to get off the merry-go-round. I don't know what you bill situation is, but if you're simply spinning your wheels to pay rent and eat some food, it's not worth it.

 

Cutting your expenses may relieve some of the stress so you have think more clearly. Moving in with the parents might be helpful. You and your dh need a period of rest. Is either family willing to support you financially for a few months? I know you'd have to move out of state to move in with your family, is your mom willing to put you up and allow this whole thing to stop for a moment?

 

A few years ago I worried about whether you'd roast in an apartment with no AC, honestly now, I'm concerned about your mental health and your dh's. Long term stress is not good.

 

You need/deserve a fresh start. That may mean cutting all your loses and moving away. Hide for a few months, hibernate, knowing you're around someone who cares about you. You're young, take time now to refresh and restart. When you hit 40+ your body doesn't rebound from stress as well.

 

Remember the footprints in the sand. One set is where God carries you. The thing is, sometimes God uses other people to do his carrying. Go where you can be carried for a while. :grouphug::grouphug:

[Gooblink]

I've tried this. I really don't know why I'm not getting calls, but I'm not.

 

One thing you might try is to hook up with some networking groups. BNI (Business Networking International) is a good one, as well as a plethora of "techie" meetups in the area. Get a batch of inexpensive (Vista Prints, maybe) business cards and just introduce yourself to folks. Start meeting people and spreading word. Most of our business now comes from referrals, but we put a LOT of time into networking groups in the beginning.

 

Don't be discouraged! It takes time, and you've got the education and talent!

 

 

 

He's been off of wheat & dairy for nearly 2 years. He's allergic to chocolate, bananas, & I forget what else.

 

He was on med for about 6mos & doing quite a bit better. Not perfect, but much better. They've run out, & we had to wait for the tax return to refill (he's doing that today), but we've also struggled to buy groceries the last 3 mos. I *know* he hasn't been eating well (sometimes at all), & I know that's part of the problem. I've talked to him about it, but there's only so much I can do.

 

From what I've seen in the years I've known him, his allergies are going to be a significant problem as long as we live in DFW. Elsewhere? No telling.

 

Texas is horrible for allergies. I'd never had a problem until I moved here. :(

 

It sounds like he might need a more aggressive "gut" healing. I've been following a book called "Gut and Psychology Syndrome," by Dr. Natasha Campbell McBride. She discusses the relationship between the gut, food allergies and psychological/behavioral issues, including depression, ADD/ADHD, etc. Healing involves a pretty drastic diet change for most, but I personally know people who have had excellent results (the diet changes aren't permanent, but could take 2 years for healing).

 

Anyway, if you are interested, I can loan you the book.

 

:grouphug: If there's any more practical way I can help, don't hesitate to PM.

[Random]

Yes. But we've got 4 kids & the economy's a wreck: it really doesn't matter any more what's a good fit, kwim?

 

Yeah. I hear you! ;) Sorry I wasn't clear...the book has cross-reference lists of jobs that suit personalities and areas of predicted job growth/decline.

 

Keep us posted! You have been so fun to get to 'know', even though I'm still new here.

[simka2]

First :grouphug:

 

Second :grouphug:

 

Third....you have a plan. Sometimes it's easier to move forward when you feel like you have a plan, even one you aren't sure about.

 

I wish there was a job like in the show The Librarian that would simply fall into your family's lap. You both have unique giftings and the world deserves to see them.

 

think butterfly...you're still in the caterpillar stage.

 

Have you considered teaching through an online university? My sister does that and makes too much money for what she does. My sister is not miss social either, so if she could teach, you'd be wonderful.

 

I like the idea of co-teaching with your dh.

 

I have no clue about the law thing.

 

IMO you need to get off the merry-go-round. I don't know what you bill situation is, but if you're simply spinning your wheels to pay rent and eat some food, it's not worth it.

 

Cutting your expenses may relieve some of the stress so you have think more clearly. Moving in with the parents might be helpful. You and your dh need a period of rest. Is either family willing to support you financially for a few months? I know you'd have to move out of state to move in with your family, is your mom willing to put you up and allow this whole thing to stop for a moment?

 

A few years ago I worried about whether you'd roast in an apartment with no AC, honestly now, I'm concerned about your mental health and your dh's. Long term stress is not good.

 

You need/deserve a fresh start. That may mean cutting all your loses and moving away. Hide for a few months, hibernate, knowing you're around someone who cares about you. You're young, take time now to refresh and restart. When you hit 40+ your body doesn't rebound from stress as well.

 

Remember the footprints in the sand. One set is where God carries you. The thing is, sometimes God uses other people to do his carrying. Go where you can be carried for a while. :grouphug::grouphug:

Paula, this was a wonderful!!!

[MelanieM]

I would recommend learning to write for the web (Search Engine Optimization) and focusing on growing those skills. You already have a strong foundation and good credentials in this area, so building on those skills for the online market will give you an automatic leg up when you're searching out clients. You could also use these skills for content sites and make a decent living. For example, I know someone who makes thousands a month writing for Suite101.com.

 

If you are iterested in writing online you could try applying at Suite101.com (payout is based on advertising income), Examiner.com (again, payout linked to advertising), or OnDemand Studios (pay per piece). I especially recommend Suite101 because their tutorials about writing for the web are stellar. You could sign up there, read through their info to learn the ins and outs, and apply it to any online writing you do. Then sign up at OnDemand Studios for faster cash (I think they payout weekly). (I'm happy to chat with you more about this if you'd like... feel free to PM me.)

 

Web design has become something that most people can do at a small level quite easily with no technical skill, and so people tend to do it themselves or hire cheap talent to do it for them. For bigger jobs, it's more likely that clients will hire a firm rather than a solitary work at home person, so it may not fit your ultimate goals of part time, work at home option.

 

Best of luck and lots of abundance vibes to you!

[MariannNOVA]

Hey, sweetie -- My skin is so thin it is transparent so I know what you are talking about.

 

I know pooh about HTML so you will have to get advice from others about that.

 

As far as law school --:iagree: -- my way out there suggestion would be for both you and dh to go to law school. One of you first, the other next.

 

Here in the DC area, it is a recession-proof profession. THAT would be enough for me to start completing applications and prepping for the LSAT (oh, that's right, I did that 30 years ago).

 

PM me if you want - I am up to my eyeballs with so much stuff going on here, but I think you are on a thinking path that has real positives. So, if the kids go into ps for a year or two -- you know what, they will be fine.

 

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

[Aubrey]

I don't know what kind of back ground your dh has, but my dh is a civil engineer w/water and wastewater. Not to say he would never get fired, but he will most likely always have a job since people are always going to be flushing the toilet. (he works for a public utility) That is great job security, and if your dh has a good work ethic, he will find a spot.

 

Dh would *love* to be an engineer, but virtually none of the coursework from a liberal arts degree overlaps w/ an engineering degree. He'd have to go back FT for 4 years to get a BS. (I think you have to have a master's for most engineering jobs. But...law school is 3 years. Maybe it's potato-potato. Except law would be *easy* for him, & while he's good at math, it would be a lot more work...easier to fail (for him), if that makes sense.)

[celticmom]

Another idea in the tech field is either computer networking or computer security. Once you have the expertise it can pay fairly well to go in and set up for a new company, location, system, ect. It is alot of work and long hours but for a fairly short period of time (1-2 weeks). It can involve a great deal of travel also. The upside is that it would be possible to do this a few times a year and make a pretty good income.

[fairfarmhand]

Dh would *love* to be an engineer, but virtually none of the coursework from a liberal arts degree overlaps w/ an engineering degree. He'd have to go back FT for 4 years to get a BS. (I think you have to have a master's for most engineering jobs. But...law school is 3 years. Maybe it's potato-potato. Except law would be *easy* for him, & while he's good at math, it would be a lot more work...easier to fail (for him), if that makes sense.)

 

 

dh has a bachelors...not even considering going back for masters; especially if you work at a utility it really doesn't matter.

 

I know what you mean about the schooling though. Dh told me that the engineering college waives alot of the standard requirements (2 yrs foreign language, arts etc.) because the engineers are required to take SO much math and science.

[simka2]

Dh would *love* to be an engineer, but virtually none of the coursework from a liberal arts degree overlaps w/ an engineering degree. He'd have to go back FT for 4 years to get a BS. (I think you have to have a master's for most engineering jobs. But...law school is 3 years. Maybe it's potato-potato. Except law would be *easy* for him, & while he's good at math, it would be a lot more work...easier to fail (for him), if that makes sense.)

 

Maybe he would like to work with engineers? You may want to look in to Right of Way, land agent type work.

[funmamacita]

Aubrey, just another perspective. I am mostly a freelance writer (mainly for magazines, but occasionally books and web content), but I also do a little web design on the side. It is not a good place to be if you are thin-skinned. You'll get lots of criticism and mixed messages -- This is fabulous! Change everything! -- people will ask you to meet ridiculous deadlines and then fail to give you the details you need to meet them; you'll probably have to chase down payment. These things stink and can take a major toll. You will have to deal with people A LOT. It is my least favorite thing about this kind of work. Please don't think I'm saying this to discourage you! I just think there's a lot more dealing with people in this line of work than *I* personally expected, so I thought I would share.

Dealing with financial worries is no fun at all. I'm so sorry you're going through this. I think you're very brave to open yourself and your ideas up this way and to be willing to try something new. Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

[Aubrey]

Aubrey, just another perspective. I am mostly a freelance writer (mainly for magazines, but occasionally books and web content), but I also do a little web design on the side. It is not a good place to be if you are thin-skinned. You'll get lots of criticism and mixed messages -- This is fabulous! Change everything! -- people will ask you to meet ridiculous deadlines and then fail to give you the details you need to meet them; you'll probably have to chase down payment. These things stink and can take a major toll. You will have to deal with people A LOT. It is my least favorite thing about this kind of work. Please don't think I'm saying this to discourage you! I just think there's a lot more dealing with people in this line of work than *I* personally expected, so I thought I would share.

Dealing with financial worries is no fun at all. I'm so sorry you're going through this. I think you're very brave to open yourself and your ideas up this way and to be willing to try something new. Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

 

Between that & the lack of health ins w/ freelancing, while I have done *some,* I don't consider it (for me) a serious effort at supporting my family.

 

I can query a book. I can query a magazine article. I can follow through w/ those things.

 

I think I could manage working for a company as an in-house copywriter. I don't want to depend on freelancing, though, I agree.

[Aubrey]

ETA again: I'm not looking for a PT work-from-home thing, exactly. I was interviewed for a FT writing/web design position last year. It was considered telecommuting because you only had to come in for meetings once a week or so. If I had to be in the office FT, that would be ok, too.

 

Web design is something that I know *can* be done from home. Teaching *can't.* (Ok, there are the virtual academies now, so...kind-of.)

[Avila]

Hey, if you sew, it sounds like you could make a killing selling Utili-kilts on the For Sale Board! :D

 

I know, a cheap attempt at lightening the thread ...

 

:grouphug: I know God has something in store for you. I will pray you find it quickly!

[Tap]

I haven't really talked about it much here, but dh is losing his job in the next few months. He has worked 60+ hours every week for 10 years. He is a district manager for an international company, but he never got the degree to go with it. In our area people like him, are a dime a dozen. He is stressed beyond belief. We are looking at other options, but for him, his best opportunity is to change careers entirely, so that is what he is doing. One requirement that I have of him changing careers, is that he return to school along with it. I know dh. He is very ADD. If his new job doesn't require 60 hour weeks, he will still put in 60 hours. It is just how he is. I am hoping that we can turn part of that energy into at least an associates degree in the next few years (or trade school, or certification, or....). Dh only has a high school diploma.

 

The reason I put that in here, is so you see, that while my words may not be powder soft, they are coming from a similar place.

 

Tech in our area is fairly flat lined at the moment. There are a lot of colleges in our area and students who design web pages are every where. It isn't a niche market here, but it maybe in your area.

 

I too, know several underemployed lawyers right now (PNW). Lawyers making $20,000 a year. One friends husband found a niche, not in practicing law, but in starting a prep course for passing the BAR. LOL His second job....is teaching survival classes. He hasn't practiced law in the years I have know him after college.

 

I would call the HR dept of some law firms and ask them how many applicants they expect to get for entry level positions and what the wages are. Then factor in student loans. Is there a decent law school near either of your parents homes? What will the immediate expenses be if he does go to school? Do you have student loans already? Will those be put on hold while he attends school? Is there an option for night school for him, so you can work days, and he can watch the kids?

 

Said very very, softly....so quiet, you may not even be able to hear me......does your dh really want to be a lawyer, or does he just want to go back to school where he knows he can succeed? To do something that he is good at for a guaranteed 4 years? Your dh seems to really love learning (a wonderful trait) but at what cost to you and yours? I forget...what happened to seminary?

 

 

If you decide to follow through with the move, I would suggest that 'you' contact a recruiter and see what is out there for your degree. Maybe dh needs to be the at home dad for a while, while you get your feet under you, and then move forward on his career.

 

Maybe look at starting a tutoring business. Possibly specializing in SAT prep, or CLEP, or AP. Look into things that homeschoolers need, so you can spread out your day, with one parent teaching while the other is home with the kids. One benefit you would have is understaning the differences in hsing vs ps. Maybe you can find a community center to have the classes at that also has a play ground or pool, for the driver to hang out with the kids during the sessions.....don't think just about the market, but what you can do to stand out in it!

[MelanieM]

I know you said you don't want to freelance, but I thought I'd let you know that I'm pretty sure Demand Studios (http://www.demandstudios.com/freelance-work/writers.html) has a health care plan for writers. I don't know any specifics as I don't write for them and I'm in Canada so it's not relevant for me, but it might be something you would like to look into.