Yep, it’s another week that I’m taking it easy while everyone else does all the work. Geez, I hope I don’t get fired.
This week’s challenge comes from Marilyn is looking for whatever there is. N.
In August she posted Saturday Writng Essential - Writing Len's Challenge - FIRED! as a response to my request for your challenges.
* * *
This is a different thing to do, but I'm trying it because Len Said So.
You have a great job, but you just got fired. Fired doesn't automatically guarantee you unemployment benefits. Now, if you were laid off, that's different, but, you just got fired, so in a week, you're going to lose your insurance and get turned down for unemployment.
This Week’s Challenge:
What are you feeling right now? Are you scared, relieved that it's over, or some other feelings? Are you going to, or have you already called people in your support system, assuming you have people that you can trust with your feelings, IE: good friends, parents, a cousin or even someone you haven't seen in a long while? If so, what will you ask them? Can you think of places you can go for help? Tell us about these things, if you'd like to include any or all of them.
How are you going to handle this, RIGHT NOW, it's Saturday night, are you going to stay home over the weekend and brood? Are you going to party with your usual friends? If you do, will you tell them? I'd love to see some dialogue in this, because this prompt lends itself to dialogue, but if you're not comfortable with that, description works as well.
Ideas:
You have no transportation and actually don't know where the unemployment office is.
The computer you could have filed on, belonged to the company that fired you.
You've recently moved, gotten rid of your car, just to be within walking distance to your job.
What are you going to do?
Getting another job, quickly is a thing that's probably not going to happen, once a company does a credit check on you.
Call the IRS - you owe them money. Try to make arrangements. Call anyone that belongs to the Saturday Writing Essential and ask for advice. Feel free to do this in the comment section.
Watch Out For:
Depression, although some is predictable. Don't get angry enough to do something stupid.
Giving in to the temptation of throwing out your bills, or not paying your rent. Don't leave the country.
Recap:
I know that this week’s challenge is “Fired” but all of you seemed to be “fired up” this past week. No matter what type of writing you prefer, you'll find it in these posts. Please take the time to read them.
"Neighbors" at of Forest Hills Cemetery (SatWe Writing Essential) by elizabeth evans
A Poem:(Saturday Writing Essential) by Jackie Vadney
Dude in His Chair - a rondeau for Len Maxwell by Susan Budig - Mindful Poet
Fibonacci Freestyle - SatWe by Veronica Hosking
FREESTYLE !!! by Stacey (Jesus is coming soon-are you ready? )U.
Ghost Trees (SatWe Challenge) by elizabeth evans
I Have a New Best Friend (Saturday Writing Essential) by Len Maxwell
Saturday Writing Essential: Klaxon Klaxon Klaxon by Chuck S.
Saturday Writing Essentials by Phillip DeNise
Saturday Writing Essentials (Freestyle): Trick or Treat by A. F. Stewart
Saturday Writing Essentials: 4th Grade and Beyond by Mouthwideshut ....
SatWE Freestyle: Enchanting Forests of Your Mind: Twist Your Terpsichore into a Yawp-filled Chalice and Drink the Drink Called: Frog Your Imagination! By Kathryn Esplin
Session Notes on a Compulsive People Pleaser (Excerpt) by Doug Westberg
Sometimes a fantasy is all you need-satgwe By karen vaughan
The Gardener's Dream - (Saturday Writing Essential) by Lynn P.
Voyage to Gliese 581g (Excerpt) SatWE Saturday Writing Essential Freestyle by Doug Westberg
When The Eleventh Month Comes - Saturday Writing Essentials - Freestyle by Barbary Chaapel
Franklin Newman had a banner week with his writing. If you’ve never read any of his work, you’ll be amazed at his imagination.
SatWE submission: Not the angel you expected.
SatWE submission: How to do Halloween correctly.
SatWE submission: He thinks he's an Ace, and that I'm just a King.
SatWE submission: Searching for the Boogey Man
SatWE submission: When they tried to kill violet.
SatWE submission. The man who couldn't stop feeling terrific.
Weekly reminder: Don't forget to recommend an article that you like (to learn why, read Ann Marcaida's article Attract More Writers and Artists to Gather!). Also, try to place a comment on at least one article and say more than you liked the piece. Tell the author what worked and what needs work.
The Rules:
- Put this challenge statement at the beginning or end of your submission so readers will know what you’re supposed to do.
Challenge: What are you feeling right now? Are you scared, relieved that it's over, or some other feelings? Are you going to, or have you already called people in your support system, assuming you have people that you can trust with your feelings, IE: good friends, parents, a cousin or even someone you haven't seen in a long while? If so, what will you ask them? Can you think of places you can go for help? Tell us about these things, if you'd like to include any or all of them.
How are you going to handle this, RIGHT NOW, it's Saturday night, are you going to stay home over the weekend and brood? Are you going to party with your usual friends? If you do, will you tell them? I'd love to see some dialogue in this, because this prompt lends itself to dialogue, but if you're not comfortable with that, description works as well.
- There is a limit of three submissions from each member per day. If you’re extremely prolific, spread out your work and post only three submissions per day.
- Post to Gather Writing Essential.
- Tag your submission with SatWE.
- Include (Saturday Writing Essential) as part of your title.
- I ask that you make your submission(s) by next Friday afternoon.
Good Writing!
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Comments: 54
Unfortunately, I wish to stay out of this challenge, because this challenge is not a piece of fiction to write. This is actually my life. Getting fired quite literally just happened to me on September 26. I lost my job of six years with a place I couldn't stand, due to untreated bi-polar disorder and a man who isn't a manager but thought he had the power to tell me how to do my job anyway.
Naturally, since I did have some fault in the process, I was denied unemployment. Leaving the country, if it were financially possible, seems a very sensible thing to do. I've been surviving on Food Stamps, and selling off some of my possessions. Even a good number of my tarot decks had to go in order to survive. I've just got the money from my 401 K, and half of it's already gone catching up on the rent and the bills. Leaves me just over a thousand to try and live on. At least it gives me time to hopefully find work.
A miracle could happen - a real publishing house that'll do real editing could suddenly decide to pick up my six self-published novels, but it's getting harder to believe.
So I will be staying out of this challenge. It's too close to home.
Watch that 401K money. The government will want the other half next April. They don't care why we have to use our retirement, they just assume it becomes their money, if we do. Both a bummer and a relief that you didn't qualify for a stipend from Welfare. $315 a month is tough to live on, too.
If'n you want, (but never tell them this is what you're doing with it) check out your local Freecycle Network for stuff people are giving away. All you have to do is pick it up, and then you can start selling other people's stuff. (Less painful that way and a study supply of stuff to sell.)
PM me if you need other ideas on how to survive with very little. I had to learn the system quickly a few years ago, so I know a lot of it doesn't dawn on people, unless they end up finding others who learned something about it.
Really bad time to lose a job, but, hey, my hubby and I went through never-have-another-job-again in the last recession, and we've survived. It is doable.
And, this challenge could be where imagination comes into play. I regularly say that the SatWE challenges are designed to push you out of your comfort zone and ask you to write something you wouldn't normally do. Use your imagination to take your own situation and fictionalize it.
Set it in the future where someone is laid off from his/her job as a warp drive engineer. Maybe in the past where the protagonist, a Roman soldier, is fired because he screwed up the tension on a catapult.
(Hinthint, Marilyn, if you ever get electricity back up there and can see your sidewalk again.)
I'm just not a hard steel-driving kinda gal, so can't create one in fiction. lol
Feel free to fire me, I meant the prompt as in anyone getting fired.
I really have been fired twice - once for a forgotten promise given to the cleaning lady (he promised her a telephone sales job, when one came up, but hired me, before she reminded him of his promise) and once because they found a better telephone sales person than I was. Both times, I really was fired. Both times the company apologized and let me take unemployment insurance for my troubles. (The second one helped me land my bookkeeping job by putting in a good word for me, because the owner didn't like how it was handled, knew I wasn't given a fair chance, and knew I was a good worker.)
I also quit once, but was still able to get unemployment because my life was in danger on that job. (Open gun fights on the other side of the door to my office, since the building stood across the street from the only heroin dealers in Philly.) That was only part of the reason I quit.
With that background, I really do know what some of the reasons are to collect unemployment, despite the circumstances. I'm learning the other reasons. It's just not the end of the world, but it sure helps to know "What now?" It is scary.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING AT SURREAL CIRCUS!
If you get the time to write something for this challenge, do it when you can. I accept submissions for my challenges any time -- even a year or so late.
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474980722738
Thank you for submitting to: Not Gathering Dust!
My experience is with people who plan for retirement, give themselves room to move that date up or back as they move closer to retirement. The other half of that scenario is, I have not known of anyone wanting to one out of retirement and not find something to do. Many start, or partner in some type of business, or hobby for which they earn money or are compensated in other ways. I would love to see the group submissions on this topic fiction or fact.
Thank you posting to the Triple Name Club. Now featured.
Thanks, also, for the feature.
Thank you for sharing with Gather's Best Writers & Artists!