Rant #2,451: I Can't Tell the Bottom From the Top

Again, I apologize that this blog has become my sounding board for my current unemployed situation, but that situation is consuming me right now.

Yesterday, things continued on a somewhat downward slope.

I was going about my job search business yesterday morning, applying for a few jobs and even getting my Linked In page more in order--yes, I put up a photo, not a great one, but at least a photo is there, and I changed some other things, although I still have questions about a few things that I cannot figure out.

Some time before I was to take my son to work, I received a call from my wife, who was involved in an auto accident maybe a mile or so away from her work. She is fine, the driver of the other car is fine, but there are some dents on his car and some scratches on her car--but her car also has some internal problems that made the car undriveable, so it has to be towed to a repair and body shop nearby.

I made sure my father could take my son to work, and then I drove to where she was, we spoke to the police, and the car was towed. I took my wife to work, where she worked part of the day until feeling so upset that I picked her up slightly early.

In between all of this, I was contacted by New York State Unemployment, which wanted me to explain any money beyond my salary that I obtained when I was let go two weeks ago today. Evidently, in my haste to get my unemployment application to them, I inadvertently did not add in any other money that I received from my former place of work when I was terminated and the company went out of business, so I had to provide documentation that I did receive extra compensation to them, which I did yesterday, attaching a pay stub to their inquiry.

I am sure this is all going to delay my receiving unemployment, so I am going to have to make due with whatever money I have until that happens.

So yes, at this point, at two weeks of unemployment, I still can't tell the bottom from the top. I thank you for sticking with me, and incredibly, the hit rates for this blog have gone up since I lost my job, even doubling on some days.

I can't attest to exactly why that has happened, but I guess people like to read about those who are worse off than themselves. Maybe I am writing stuff that is more compelling to the general audience.

I truly have no idea why more people are reading this blog now than they were two weeks ago.

But thanks for doing so. It makes me at least somewhat feel that what I am saying is beneficial.

But anyway, I see that the Washington Nationals beat the Houston Astros again in the World Series, and are up two games to none in the championship series. Funny, if I were a betting man, I would have made a lot of money this baseball season, as I said back in April that the Nats would be in the World Series (I said the New York Yankees would be their opponent, so I guess I am not that smart).

But anyway, the World Series is far from over, but it would be a great surprise is the underdog Nats would win the whole thing--and I will kick myself for not actually betting on them to do so, but then again, all bets are off when it comes to me; I learned early on that betting can be a disease.

A long time ago, as a kid, I used to have a friendly bet with a guy I knew, a bet I would make each year of 25 cents that the American League would beat the National League in baseball's annual All-Star Game. This was during the period that the National League never lost the game in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and I lost each year, except for one, if I remember correctly.

And the same guy I used to have this friendly bet with was a big poker player, even at nine, 10 and 11 years old. One year, on the camp bus, he played one guy cards, and he beat him innumerable times. The buy owed him probably $50 within days--at 25 cents a pop--and could not pay him. So the poker playing guy stalked him all summer, ended up beating him up, and I don't think any money ever exchanged hands.

But it taught me a lesson: never bet, never gamble, it simply isn't worth it.

So I never did.

The only thing I bet on today is that everything will be copacetic, I will do what I have to do to get through the day, and that I make it to home plate by the time the lights are turned off and the day is done.

During this really bad period in my life, that is the only safe bet I can make.