knightfan26917 Posted September 12, 2014 Report Share Posted September 12, 2014 * We tell others to "never say never", but then use the phrase "never forget" for 09/11/2001! Perhaps "always remember" is a bit more appropriate for Patriot Day & other things? I’ve said it’s more about people than anything, but starting to wonder.... Until a few weeks ago, it had been ~1 year & 3 months since I posted. I’ve been without a job for over 2.5 years & without income for a year (unemployment ended September 2013). I was denied disability; I am now on Medicaid, but cannot see my doctors. I’ve sold cars, with 2 more for sale now; all of my FWD-condoning MCs are gone. Otherwise, things are great; ha! Nephew will be 6 years old & Niece will be 2 years old this November. Job search has had too many misses. I’m looking for customer service, marketing or social media opportunities; trying to use my crafting creativity on my OLD CARS, STRONG HEARTS facebook page to leverage social media experience. Thinking about moving to 1 of these areas: Nashville-Jackson TN Bowling Green KY Albuquerque NM Kingman-Flagstaff AZ Amarillo-Dallas-Fort Worth TX Tulsa-OK City OK 5 years ago, I was in the midst of my 2009 Route 66 road trip. I’ve been sharing pics from that journey on OC,SH daily: https://www.facebook.com/OldCarsStrongHearts That was 1 of many road trips I did 2002-2011 to meet people in person, including some of you. My 2 most-recent trips were in 2010 & 2011: https://picasaweb.google.com/knightfan26917/NorEasterTrekRoadTripWed08042010Sun08152010 https://picasaweb.google.com/knightfan26917/CoastToCoastRoadTripFri06242011Mon07112011 Easy to support when things are well; challenging when not. Easy to hope someone is OK; challenging to reach out to them. Easy to claim to be a good friend; challenging to show it. Easy to wish you could help; challenging to actually do so. Need to sell these 2 Caprice Classics ASAP; storage gone at the end of this month: http://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/cto/4623573271.html For these parts, pickup or local delivery. Prices extremely negotiable; if not sold, parts will be dumped at a local junkyard: http://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/pts/4623575967.html "I can still hear us laughing on the front porch in the dark; there are days when I know I've traveled so far that I'll never find the road leading back to the start" "I used to love this view, sit here & drink a few ... these sleepy streetlights on every sidewalk side street shed a light on everything that used to be" "Somewhere in this city is a road I know where we could make it, but maybe there's no making it now ... I was only trying to bury the pain ... If the time could turn us around, what once was lost may be found ... We hit a wall & we can’t get over it, nothing left to relive." "It's hard to say it, time to say it, goodbye; so hard to stay, so hard to leave" Cort | 40.m.IL | pigValve + paceMaker + cowValve | 1979 & 1989 Caprice Classics OLD CARS, STRONG HEARTS = https://www.facebook.com/OldCarsStrongHearts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keep the Show on the Road! Posted September 13, 2014 Report Share Posted September 13, 2014 I hate to see a fellow's pain go unnoticed. Tough times for you indeed! My personal experience with your issues is very limited, but I have a close relative getting SS disability. As you know it is routinely denied, and there are attorneys who make a handsome living fighting and winning disability claims, for a share of the income. The process sucks, but if you have applied and been denied, their income is earned on a share of the payments you receive back to the date of your application. In short they don't charge fees, they just take a share of the back payments. If you are disabled and have applied and been denied, they will jump at the opportunity to help you get your benefits. I have no idea the extent to which your serious heart condition limits your ability to work. If you are totally disabled you are almost certainly eligible for disability even if it takes several tries with competent legal assistance. Of course, if you can work full time, and are actively seeking work, it is a tough argument to claim disability. I don't recall where you live so I don't know the employment outlook. I suppose a move is rational if the prospects where you are are very poor. And obviously the more narrowly you define what you can and will do, the lower the chances of getting a job. I don't see in your posts the actions you are taking to find work where you are. I doubt any of the geographic areas you cite are so much better than where you are that a move is a certain solution....but I wouldn't dismiss it. Your local community college might be a helpful place to visit. If you don't already have a college degree (or in some cases if you do) you may be eligible for federal grants, student loans, and possibly a retraining program. Even in the worst case, you can probably find a sympathetic counselor who will help you define a plan and locate possible employers. And usually the college works with Worksource or whatever employment program the state supports. Well, that is a lot more than you asked for. I hope you turn the corner into the sunshine soon! Dave 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knightfan26917 Posted September 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2014 * Near the end of this week I turn 41. 5 years ago, while on my Route 66 trip, I didn’t think things would go bad in a hurry: 4th open heart surgery (11/11/2011), forced to job hunt, selling cars, discovering I have way fewer friends than I thought, etc. For those who take life for granted & don’t see things ever changing, it CAN switch in a heartbeat. On the plus side, starting my OLD CARS, STRONG HEARTS facebook page has been a blessing, in many ways: https://www.facebook.com/OldCarsStrongHearts Still, I’m unnerved with much “up in the air” & unknown but trying not to worry. In the next 2 weeks, I have to sell 2 Caprice Classics or find storage for which I cannot afford. Drove a bit this past Sunday, despite gout flaring up, to enjoy the sunshine-drenched skies, but I just felt sad. “Has it all gone to waste? All the promises we made, 1 by 1 they vanish just the same … Now the days are so long that summer's moving on, We reach for something that's already gone … Of all the things I still remember, summer's never looked the same, the years go by & time just seems to fly, but the memories remain” NEW AD; 2 Caprice Classics http://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/cto/4672447173.html NEW AD; pickup or local delivery ONLY. Prices EXTREMELY negotiable; if not sold, parts dumped at a local junkyard http://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/pts/4672448456.html Cort | 40.m.IL | pigValve + paceMaker + cowValve | 1979 & 1989 Caprice Classics OLD CARS, STRONG HEARTS = https://www.facebook.com/OldCarsStrongHearts I hate to see a fellow's pain go unnoticed. Tough times for you indeed! My personal experience with your issues is very limited, but I have a close relative getting SS disability. As you know it is routinely denied, and there are attorneys who make a handsome living fighting and winning disability claims, for a share of the income. The process sucks, but if you have applied and been denied, their income is earned on a share of the payments you receive back to the date of your application. In short they don't charge fees, they just take a share of the back payments. If you are disabled and have applied and been denied, they will jump at the opportunity to help you get your benefits. I have no idea the extent to which your serious heart condition limits your ability to work. If you are totally disabled you are almost certainly eligible for disability even if it takes several tries with competent legal assistance. Of course, if you can work full time, and are actively seeking work, it is a tough argument to claim disability. I don't recall where you live so I don't know the employment outlook. I suppose a move is rational if the prospects where you are are very poor. And obviously the more narrowly you define what you can and will do, the lower the chances of getting a job. I don't see in your posts the actions you are taking to find work where you are. I doubt any of the geographic areas you cite are so much better than where you are that a move is a certain solution....but I wouldn't dismiss it. Your local community college might be a helpful place to visit. If you don't already have a college degree (or in some cases if you do) you may be eligible for federal grants, student loans, and possibly a retraining program. Even in the worst case, you can probably find a sympathetic counselor who will help you define a plan and locate possible employers. And usually the college works with Worksource or whatever employment program the state supports. Well, that is a lot more than you asked for. I hope you turn the corner into the sunshine soon! Dave Hi Dave! I sure appreciate your response. For as much as I was active on many forums "back in the day", you are 1 of all of 5 people who've responded ... & yours is the most in depth & heart felt, it seems. So, thank you. I did apply for disability, but was denied. I have NOT pursued it further because I am NOT completely disabled; I am, however, limited in the work I can do. Unfortunately, companies are finding ways around the law ... by asking about health without asking about health ... by adding weight lifting requirements to even office jobs. That has been the most-aggravating obstacle these past 2.5 years. I am in the greater Chicagland area. I didn't mention what all I'm doing to find a job ... because that's about all I do all day. To say it is discouraging, doesn't even begin to cover it ... so, I try not to discuss that when I give myself "time off" to do other things, such as visit boards. As for narrowing what I can do, that's not exactly a choice.... Yes, the local community college is 1 resource I'm using to locate work. It is tough, even tougher when your are limited in what you can do. *shrugs* But, I haven't stopped looking.... Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
32vld Posted September 26, 2014 Report Share Posted September 26, 2014 I do not read or post much here for a while. Though I remember you and your story. My first car was a 1935 Buick 3 window coupe. Bought it in 1970. Sold it in 1995. Still miss that car from time to time but it was time to let it go. You should try to contact you Congressman and Senators office seeking help with your disability claim. After you exhaust that then get a lawyer as Dave said. I lost my good job in 2007 when the economy took a dive. Used up UEI. Many interviews. Still do them though always come up short when they can hire someone young for a lot less money. Age with many jobs industries no longer there has made finding work hard. Which led me to start my own landscape business. Lucky I had all the equipment that I needed to start my business so able to start up with very little money. I am in good health though who knows how long I will last at this being I am 60. Is there something that your health can allow you to start a home based business using computer skills? If so maybe a move to an area that has the need for your skills will help generate business. I have a 2001 GMC Suburban, 5.3, OD, 3.42 rear, 21 hwy. Was to take me coast to coast discovering all the old US routes. So far I have only been on US 20 in parts of MA, NY. Parts US 6 in CT, NY, PA As the Dodger fans use to say: wait till next year. I'll be able to afford going coast to coast. We have to stay positive. Side story I had a 1967 Impala convertible, 283, powerglide. Black, black interior. That car rode nice. Wish I had it now for a road trip as well. Tough call to take the 67 or the 01 suburban. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knightfan26917 Posted October 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 Thank you, 32vld. Good to "see" you! I haven't pursued the disability claim, but if I do re-apply, I will contact them ...! Yep ... I am also looking into starting my own business ... or teaming with others. We'll see what develops. Sounds like we've been along the same roads in similar areas ... cool! Trying very hard to stay positive..... Cort | 41.m.IL | pigValve + paceMaker + cowValve | 1979 & 1989 Caprice Classics OLD CARS, STRONG HEARTS = https://www.facebook.com/OldCarsStrongHearts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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