
There goes the neighborhood–literally. After several years of living in the same townhouse complex, four very close friends have decided to move all at the same time. During the summer, it seemed everyone would stay put for at least a year, but a mutual friend of all of ours who also used to live in the same complex, made a move from a rental home to a large detached house.
This was the push everyone needed and like dominoes, each fell under the same spell. When the first one left, it was strange but tolerable. When the second sold, a feeling of discomfort strangely settled into all of my joints and muscles. A third friend sold her house in one week and was gone during that same period. BAM! Finally, the fourth has just sold and will move in December. My wife and I are of course very happy for them as they are all moving on with their dreams. However, there is a darkness about all of this for me. It’s not about keeping up with the Jones’ but a feeling of abandonment. Add in the fact I have been unemployed for many, many months with prospects running thin, and that feeling is compounded.

Don’t get me wrong. I understand people move on and life changes but more has changed in the past 8 months than the previous 8 years. We are also happy in our home but even so, I wonder if we are missing some sort of bandwagon. I suppose we have to be thankful for what we have. Besides, our daughter has only two more years of elementary school so we don’t want to move and risk being in another school district. And even though all her younger neighborhood friends are gone, she is getting to that period where she will be hanging out with girls more her age anyway.
I guess I am writing this because in the past, I never had such a large group of friends and it just feels like all of that is dissolving along with my resolve to keep fighting for employment. I have submitted 90 resumes with the last two weeks and the phone sits silent. I contacted several people who had leads before, one of which was going to offer me a job in the summer and then suddenly didn’t have the budget. He now says they have won some key accounts and may have something for me (I am finding it hard to be optimistic about that). Another possibility is a junior position where I don’t even have the skills to perform (web design)which is also making me depressed.

Maybe I will find Jesus
I at least want the OPTION to be able to move even if we CHOOSE to stay. At the moment, I think I am feeling trapped just because that option isn’t available right now and won’t be available even if I get a junior position. Did I also mention we will have new neighbours right beside us too? That’s always a trip. Will it be the slobs from planet Motherfucker or the noise demons from the 13th level of hell. Worse…could it be teenagers??
My wife is also looking for new employment which will be a positive change. I just wish I had a crystal ball to be able to see if/when all of this nonsense will end. Oh well, I guess that would take some of the mystery out of it. Perhaps I should just find Jesus and pray–but that’s not bloody likely.
Thanks for listening.








