Got a call from my boss last Sunday night, saying that he doesn't have enough work to keep me on and that he has to lay me off. Then tries to make me or himself feel better by saying he'll approve my unemployment claim. Like he had a choice in the matter.
I haven't been this pissed off in a long time. I worked in a public school for the past three years teaching special ed, and it was a good playing job with benefits but I just didn't have the patience or heart to do it anymore. During the summer I have been working for a painting company to supplement my income and the boss had been saying to me if you want to stay on full time ill have work for you.
It wasn't easy but I decided to quit my teaching position and take the new position for the painting company through the winter. This would give me the chance to figure out what id like to do for a career while still being fully employed. All was going well since August until last week.
Now I'm scrambling to find a new job and trying to get by on unemployment. With the NYE run coming up and the potential for some epic 2013 shows I'm really nervous and depressed.

Thanks for letting me vent. If you know of a job opening for a guy with a MS in education let me know. Also I will not sell my NYE tickets to you.

Might start a caregiving service

I have been in a similar situation. I lost my full time job back in April. Did some temp work before hooking up with a construction company. Made some really good money over the summer and things seemed to be working out well. They laid us off for a couple of weeks in September (the week just before Dicks and after) so I wasn't that broken up about it. They had a couple of jobs lined up, then I did a travel job in LI. When I got back they hit us with a full seasonal lay off. I thought I would be back to work at the end of the month, maybe early December at the latest. I just heard from the bosses lady that it wouldn't be until January.

Luckily for me, I have been looking elsewhere. I seemed to have locked another full time, stable, reliable job up. Just waiting to hear the results of my drug test. Hopefully today or tomorrow.

The company is based out of NH and their unemployment sucks. They only award about 30% of your take home. Still waiting to hear back from them.

Best thing I can say, is you have time. If you can try and lock down some shitty job NYE can still happen. With some creativity and hard work, you can just eek out a few shows, or the full run. Give yourself some time to find another stable full time job and maybe 2013s epic anniversary touring year can happen. Stay positive. Stay diligent and keep grinding it out. Things always work out for people who work hard. That's a fact.

Much love. I hope things work out for you.

@tripsforjoeg said:

@Drgordy Is substitute teaching an option?

It is but the pay isn't very good. Like $60-80 a day depending on the school district. Plus it's not very reliable. I use to do it while I was in grad school and was lucky to be called twice a week.

It's not ideal but its better than nothing type of thing.

@Drgordy sorry to hear about the lay-off. Have you considered starting your own business in painting? you can start off small and list ads on craigslist and posts signs in local stores to get some jobs until you build up the business.
There should be very little overhead as a one man business....all you need is a dependable vehicle, some ladders and rollers and brushes.
you can even start off where you have the client buy the paint and you just charge the labor....a business license is usually inexpensive and business insurance shouldn't be too much for this line of work.
Also, with your experience teaching special education, can you sell your services as a in-home tutor?

I got laid off last Oct. I know how you feel. I was at my job for 10yrs and they came up with a lame excuse to fire me. Really I got fired because they changed the pay scale and I was making twice as much as everyone else. It took me 6 months to back to where I was.

It was the same time of year, I also panicked about the New Years run last year. I had no money when they went on sale and didn't even try for anything. I was bummed. I printed up resumes the day after I got fired, no unemployment. I went out every day and dropped off at least 5 resumes to different places I would look up on the computer the night before. So with much persistence I found a place I could work part time and make enough to get by. I was able to save enough to get tickets, I went on the 30th and 31st. So it all worked out and it will for you too. See you on NYE

skipping NYE run this time. Got laid off after 13 years. Hanging on the edge of existence with unemployment.

It makes me feel slightly better to know other people are in or have been in the same situation as I am right now and survived.

@joonze I've thought about starting my own company but I don't own a truck. A friend of mine started a painting company last year and is struggling right now. We'd be competing in the same market too. He actually might have some work for me if he gets a contract he's hoping for. He was a partner in the company I was laid off from and had a falling out with the other owner. I now see where he was coming from.
I just put my tutoring services on Craigslist. Thanks for the idea.

@spanishmoon I wouldn't miss NYE for the world. I got tickets for the 30 and 31 through ptbm and tm.

@mrmillerahhhh that's always a possibility, although I use to have a job that let me do both. We shall see.

@momentsandseconds hang in there, I'm sure we'll both end up with better jobs soon.

alright f*** it, step 1. create a PB&J Empire on lot 2013. step 2. become billionaire.