Fuckin' A, Sam. Well done. Your persistence clearly paid off :)

Isn't it funny how stuff starts to happen when you put some serious effort into it? The same-day appt is pretty impressive. How did it go?

It went really well, Mon. Apparently, Colorado still has some funding left for voc ed training, and they're willing to pay for me to go back to school and get retrained in a new field. All I have to do is fill out about a 60 page proposal/plan (paper-work, ack!), and turn it in to her when we meet again next week, and she'll put it into the pipeline right away. She says the trick is to act fast (*cough*), and get my approval as soon as possible before more funding cuts go through. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

I wish you the very best.

Good luck Sam! :)

Woot!

Go Sam, Go Sam!

good Luck Sam! I hope it works out for you.

Corn field? Pelennor field? Football field? Field of dreams? What's your new passion? ;)

Good luck, whatever you choose. Make the most of it.

A farmer, silly. See her? She's outstanding in her field!

A camping field, from what I can tell.
And not camping as in mincing either.

Yay you Sam.
Well done for hanging in there, and pestering, and working at it.

The irony being, getting through this is not supposed to be a chore.
The real work isn't supposed to start until you're employed.
Although I expect - if you're like me - the relief once you are working again will make all of this worthwhile.
Stupid. But worthwhile.

And yes, everything crossed.

Well, of course looking for a job is work. For anyone, not just for those who have to deal with the meanie-weanie public employees.

For me, looking for a job is harder than the work. It's stressful, you get rejected, you try not to kill yourself, you get rejected again.

When looking for a job, your job is: looking for a job.

*shrugs*

Great news, Sam.

I agree, Shawnee. Now, if only weeding work was year round here, I'd be all set!

I accept that for anyone, looking for a job is a job.
If you don't already have one, then you make it your job.
But trying to get some sort of assistance, needing specialist help, meeting criteria for benefits, proving you're looking when you have genuine hurdles - that's like normal looking for a job, but with mittens and a blindfold on.

In the end nothing the Job Centre did helped me.
I got my job through volunteering, pure and simple. Oh and being awesome of course.
But I don't blame the staff at the Job Centre, there was (and is) honestly a dearth of jobs.
I bought them some chocs as a thank-you, because they understood and unofficially accepted my position when I had a job but had to sign on til my CRB cleared.

Some people are lazy shits. It's true.
Many are trying their best. I count myself lucky every day. I can't wait to get back to school.

Thanks for your good wishes, everyone! I really appreciate them. :blush:

Dealing with the state and federal bureaucracies has been the most difficult work I have ever attempted. I'd rather work at the Bates Motel, anytime. :thepain:

Exactly! I couldn't have said it better myself. I can't wait to start my classes. I know they will require a lot of effort, but it will be so worthwhile if I can get that credential to put on my resume. I am going after a certificate in environmental writing which would open up a bunch of jobs with either the Forest Service or the National Park system, writing anything from environmental impact statements to guides to the great out of doors.

And I have more good news. The Queen of the Western Feds just called and when I explained to her what I want to do, told me that she would most likely approve it as soon as I get the paperwork in to her (paperwork - BARF!). And I am allowed to combine Federal assistance with State voc-rehab assistance. Yay!

She told me that they can work some sort of magic with my social security/disability benefits where-by I can get an extra $700/month to be used on officially approved job related expenditures. She said that she would approve me using that money to buy a camper trailer, because that would allow me to live at my proposed job site - the National Parks! Wow!

It's funny how right after I posted here about how impossible this whole process has been, everything started to come through all at once and right away. The Cellar must have some powerful mojo!

Unbelievable good news SamIam!!


How wonderful for you, I'm so happy and excited for you, congratulations!