A bad impression?

I miss my phone.

My service was cutoff on Monday due to a past due balance. Ugh. I know. I need to pay my bill. It's hard to do right now unfortunately. I'm unemployed. Yay. They say the economy is recovering, but not for me. When the recession hit I was gainfully employed and happily paying all my bills on time. That was the case up until August of this year.

I was laid off. The company I worked for could no longer keep an office open in New Mexico. Really sucks. So, I did get a nice severance package and a promise to be helped from the Department of Workforce Solutions. Things were fine for a few weeks. My boyfriend was still employed, so we could stay afloat and I paid rent in advance for two months from my severance. Hey, we even went to California to celebrate his best friend's wedding.

Then, when hope started to fade and 6 weeks had passed. The company I had worked for before called me and said they possibly had a position open and would like for me to come back, though it may just be temporary. I was so happy to get that phone call. I had had one interview since my lay off and I don't think it went really well. I told them I was ready to go tomorrow, but they said they would be contracting me through a temp agency.

Now, let me explain something. This was the company I was technically laid off from. They were the branch in New Mexico that was sold by the main company months prior to my lay off. However, I still did work for the main company. Since the main company pulled out of NM, the new company that was sold didn't have anything for me and my 6 co-workers.

So, it was a chance to work for technically the same company and doing something similar. I jumped at that opportunity like a fat kid with cake. And I should know, though I didn't get fat till puberty, I've had plenty of break ups to make me appreciate cake.

I signed up with the temp agency and started working again. Things were going well. My boyfriend and I were struggling with our bills, but we were floating. I walked to work to save on gas and had up my ramen consumption back to college-levels. 3 weeks passed and I even had a meeting with an old manager. She told me I was doing well and encouraged me to apply for another position that had just opened up. I knew it would be more money and the ability to move up. I really loved working for this company and turned in my resume and application quickly.

Another week started and it was your typical Monday. Busy day and 1-2 people not doing their job so you have to pick up the slack. Aggravating, but you fight through it. 5pm is coming soon and you'll be out and home with your sweetie. We needed some groceries first though and I had to talk to my mom. It had been a few days. I love my mother, but if a few days have passed and she hasn't heard from me, she worries. Especially with my work situation. I keep telling her that as long as I post something on Facebook, I'm alive. She then responds by telling me that I could have been killed and someone else is posting on my timeline. That's way too crafty for criminals around here.

Anyway, I tell my mom that I have put in my application, but nothing yet. I can hear my call waiting beeping, but nothing is coming up on the screen. My mom has to get back to her work, she's a seamstress. I hang up and peruse the juice aisle for Sunny D. My phone goes off. I answer; it's the temp agency. The company has decided it's not working out and today was my last day. What? Did they give a reason. "Well," the girl hesitates on the phone, "there was something mentioned about you sleeping at your cubicle 3 or 4 weeks ago." I would never do that. That's unprofessional. I'm insulted that they think I would do that. "They say someone saw you sleeping at your desk. Did you ever lay down at our desk or put your head down?" No. I may have had my head down on a break, but I was never sleeping.

The conversation went on for a few minutes of me explaining the meeting with my manager and thinking everything was going well. I even told her that if they thought I was sleeping, why wasn't it brought up at the time. She said she didn't know and there was nothing they could do since it was a he said/she said sort of thing. Though, "it won't affect any future employments". Bullshit. My reputation is tainted because someone made up a story.

I was hurt. I worked for that company for almost 3 years. Didn't my tenure and the fact that they asked for me specifically make a difference? Apparently not. This happened almost two weeks ago.

I've applied for more jobs, but haven't heard a thing. The temp agency says they have nothing, but they keep posting things online and in the paper about all the jobs they're trying to fill. And on top of that, I don't have any unemployment. I called the Dept of Workforce Solutions to reopen my unemployment claim. Well, all they told me on the phone was to report how much money I made and then I can start getting money again. She didn't tell me I was to put why I wasn't working anymore. Since I never had this happen before, I put that I was fired. What else was it supposed to be? There was nothing in the options that fit my situation. Lo and behold, I wasn't supposed to put that. So now I have to wait for them to review my case and see if I should be receiving unemployment. Solutions my ass.

I have to give credit to the people here at the local office, they're trying to help. It's just the main office in Albuquerque that can't tell the difference between the peace sign and the symbol for a very expensive German car. They're supposed to make a decision by November 13th.

I'm hoping for a solution soon. My phone was shut off. My rent is due and I have a car payment to make on the 14th. It just sucks ass. I'm not asking for anything, just wanted to vent. Till then, I'll work hard and remember that tomorrow is another day.