Laid off, losing my house, and worried about health insurance
Today I join the ranks of laid-off men over 50 who will probably never find a job as good as their last one. Let’s face it: the demand for journalists has been going down every year for the last decade. Worse, the demand for senior-level editors has never been huge, and is dropping faster than the need for young college graduates who will work for next to nothing. Sure, in addition to being a competent writer and editor with a good grasp of technology and science, I am also skilled in the art of building viable (and profitable) online communities, but does that mean anything in today’s horrible economy? Will I be able to find another job? Failing that, will I be able to get enough freelance work to survive? I have no idea.
In any case, I’m preparing to give up my mortgaged house. Without a job I can’t afford the payments. Luckily, my wife and I have already bought a small (and very cheap) house trailer we hope to have fixed up and ready for occupancy around the middle of January, so we’ll be out of here long before Wachovia forecloses on us.
I always did well as a freelance writer, and since I last freelanced 10 years ago I have become a competent video shooter and editor, too, so I probably can build enough freelance trade to produce a decent living before my small savings account runs dry, especially if I can collect some unemployment (I’m eligible) while I scrounge up enough freelance work to live on.
My biggest problem — and biggest fear — is health insurance. My wife and I are both 56, and we have pre-existing conditions that no private health insurance plan will cover for at least two years. My only choice is to continue my current employer-paid health plan through COBRA, and that’s going to cost $848 per month. Meanwhile, Florida’s maximum employment payment is $275 per week — which means my wife and I will have a total of about $300 per month to cover all other expenses.
There’s no point in complaining. I’ve voted for more than a few Republicans over the years, and this is my payback for that mistake. I’ve voted (mostly) for Democrats since 2000, though, and hopefully the Democrats now in office will realize that people like me need as much help as bank and Wall Street executives.
That’s enough for now. I need to get some employment applications and freelance story proposals out. I don’t know what you’re doing this New Year’s Day, but that’s what *I’m* doing. 
January 1st, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Robin,
Sorry to hear it — this is terrible news, and a terrible time to be looking for work.
Best wishes for a new year full of opportunity, somewhere and somehow.
Jon
January 2nd, 2009 at 8:59 am
I am sorry to hear your news. I recently read about new very affordable health care plans available through the state…not sure about the quality or restrictions, but you can check them out here:
http://coverfloridahealthcare.com/
January 2nd, 2009 at 10:47 pm
Robin,
I know a lot of people who are panicing right now. Yes, the economy is crap, but you know that many companies do exceptionally well in a downturn? Sit back, and look at what doesn’t work. Then do the opposite.
FYI, the company I work for should be able to double our sales this year. Seriously. We’ve done a lot of hard work, for a long time, and even in a downturn we are going to sell a lot of kit. And guess what. I’m looking for a job, even though my position is solid. I’ve gotten bored, and when you get bored, it’s time to move on.
One last suggestion - move to Canada. As a Canadian, I’ve watched with shock the debate in the USA about “socialized medicine.” Pardon me, but these guys are loony. We have a beautiful system. It’s not perfect, but I don’t know any Canadians who have been forced to file for bankruptcy because of medical bills, and I know a lot of Americans who either have had to, or have had to forego treatment because they couldn’t afford it.
Wayne
January 2nd, 2009 at 11:41 pm
When you speak of shortened lives, the real consequences and costs of our “for profit” medical system, this is something I very much have direct and personnel experience with as well.
As very few people know, in the 70’s and 80’s I went from foster homes to came to live on the streets of Chicago, and in fact places like Robert Tailor Homes and Cabrini Green are rather familiar to me, if only because they were too expensive for people in our community to live in. With no jobs, no families, we at times survived in the then abandoned buildings around printer row and similar places along the fringe of the financial district. While partially blind, I could still see the hard looks people gave us when we moved from place to place, while at the same time concerned that should we somehow get ahead, that it would somehow mean they would become less advantaged.
Another lesson I learned on those streets was love, and my first true lover. And with all the deprivations, with that, I found it worth surviving on those streets. However, when I had found a chance to escape that life, she had refused to come with me. She did not wish to leave that life, that place, the people that she was familiar with. And so, I made that choice alone, and when I left those streets, that door and that entire life closed with my departure. With no phone or fixed address, there was of course no way to find or keep in contact with her, especially being far away. However, there were a few people I still knew who lived in the area who did have a means to reach me as it turned out, even if rather late.
This is rather relevant to this very topic, as while I myself was in the hospital recovering from pneumonia (in 2004), I had learned of her passing. She had also went to the hospital with a 105 fever, and, as it seems common for how people with no medical insurance or means to pay are treated in our “for profit” medical system and hospitals where the Hippocratic oath has become the hypocrites oath, was sent immediately back out onto the streets with a prescription she had no means to fill to avoid unnecessary costs to the hospital. She had died that very night on those streets in the arms of her fiancee.
To me, basic healthcare and universal access IS an essential human right. No human life is more (or less) important than others. To me, I do not care if we call it socialized medicine, single payer, or use some other terms or labels to describe it. It is about something very basic that human beings do collectively for each other in a truly human society. Rationing healthcare as a limited privilege is simply about creation of artificial scarcity solely to increase profit, and truly, to parasitically profit on the pain and suffering of others.
January 3rd, 2009 at 5:41 am
I’m so sorry Robin. I’ve been following your articles on Linux.com for some time. Maybe you’ll find some other Linux sites to freelance on?
January 4th, 2009 at 5:15 am
What I have learned in the last two years is that “The internet give everybody equal chances of success”. I may not make that much now but I’m learning and growing.
As far as I see this: your life is just starting. I’m almost in the same position you are, got kicked out of the house few months ago.
You already know how to “do stuff online” so start YOUR community while freelancing. Also work with affiliates while you are at it. It will pay of in time.
I’m also sure you have lots of people around you that wouldn’t mind writing an article once in a while for the community.
As trust, I’m already willing to buy a small share (%) in your “not started yet community”. Your only enemy is time. Use it, make it worth.
Cheers.
January 4th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Good luck! We’re pulling for you in MD.
January 4th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
Hey Robin,
I am very sad to see that you aren’t at Linux.com anymore. You’re a valuable resource to the community - sure that they won’t be able to replace you there (IMHO). It’s a tough thing - been there (as you know) - lost my shirt and more. You will find work - but you may have to take less for a while. Given time - it will turn around.
You’re in our prayers.
Chuck
January 4th, 2009 at 11:23 pm
Hang in there, Robin!
You can always find a place in Curaçao, or Bonaire, and do your work from there. It’s cheaper than living in the good old US of A, and we *do* have health plans that are far more generous than most in the region.
Oh, and then there is Mexico, of course
January 5th, 2009 at 1:31 am
I moved into a 19′ travel trailer 4 years ago.. Best move I ever made. With an F150 HD 4spd, I can go wherever I wish. As long as I find work to buy gas ;-)) As for health care.. that’s vitamins, organic food & tai-chi.. When I go, I go.. I sure as hell don’t want to give any money to the american thief system..
enjoy
bobby
January 5th, 2009 at 8:28 am
I understand your situation, and you candor has given me lots to think about. But to the poster named Dave Sugar, who writes “basic healthcare and universal access IS an essential human right”, one has to ask him to consider that to execute that right, there has to be a provider, and by mandating that the provider give care, you have fundamentally stripped the provider of any rights. While our system is out of control, it is simply not an option to say that one is entitled to the labor of another, nor should we allow ourselves, as a free nation, to expect that someone else should shoulder the burden of our lives on top of their own.
Roblimo, I wish you and yours all the best in the upcoming year, and can only offer you the same advice that I gave a friend the other day. Take stock of all that you have learned over the years, all of your experience, and figure out a way to market it to people. You undoubtedly have significant know how and could prosper by the proper means of dissemination. Your task is to figure out how to make it profitable.
Good luck.
January 5th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
This made me think of my own situation. While I am solidly employed at age 44 i am not really at a job I can retire from. Soon the amount of money I’ll want to stay here will be more than the job is really worth to my employer. I’m very comfortable here but perhaps I should change jobs now at 44 rather than starting over at age 50.
Here’s hoping you land on your feet.
January 6th, 2009 at 9:11 pm
Robin -
I’ve read your work for years and tolerated your incessant whining about those holding opposite political views, but seriously stfu. Everyone is hurting in this economy that has tanked since the Democrats took over Congress and pushed their cronies’ bad home loan programs. You wanted change, well there you go. Oh yeah, Obama has appointed more Washington insiders than GWB…. so much so I challenge you to distinguish his incoming administration from Bill Clinton’s. You thought you were getting change? Well there’s your change with a side order of More-Of-The-Same.
Do what we’ve all had to do - tighten the belt, retool your skillset to become more marketable, and stop whining. We’re all in the same boat. Crying over losing your cushy job writing about the fruits of other people’s Open Source labor is pathetic.
Good luck and I hope this experience has opened your eyes somewhat.
January 7th, 2009 at 9:44 am
My best wishes on the challenges that lay ahead…
January 7th, 2009 at 9:57 am
Robin, We’ll the Bush administration was the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back. The fake Iraq war and the borrowed expenditure to finance it is probably what’s caused the greatest damage to the nation. I mean we wasted 8 years under Dubya.
I do not think the economy is coming back to normal for at least a decade if not more. There are no more bubbles to be had. The tech bubble and the housing bubble are both not coming back. And who knows how long China buys US treasury bills.
The upcoming democratic government can do very little except print more money. Its now like throwing matchsticks at a charging rhino (where the rhino is the recession). I do not think the government is in a position to help, rather I would suggest thinking out of the box and looking for opportunities in places abroad. I am sure a person of your caliber can be suitable employed in many companies both inside and outside the US. Moving into a trailer should be a temporary solution only.
All the best.
January 9th, 2009 at 6:58 am
Sorry to hear you are hit by this tsunami and sad to find you won’t be on Linux.com any longer.
Times are undoubtedly hard for you. Don’t look back, don’t look down and don’t shrink from opportunities that pass by. And …. ignore all advice from strangers on the internet!
One odd thought is to try sending your freelance work to foreign news organisations and Linux web sites. An unique inside insight always has a special place.
Best wishes
A
January 9th, 2009 at 8:41 am
Robin,
I hope it all works out well for you. We ’spoke’ on #mepis years ago and I had some dealings with you when I wrote articles for linux.com. I find it rather remarkable that they let go a man with your profile. One of the linux warriors so to speak.
It makes me wonder what path linux.com is planning to take.
Hang in there! I wish you and your family all the best!
January 9th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Quit whining you hack! Need some cash? Sell your boat!
I did get a kick out of your sarcasm and obvious jab at Linux.com for sh!t-canning you, but come on do you expect people to believe that you’re broke and penniless? What were they paying you, peanuts?
Don’t cry to us. I work for $13 an hour. Wanna trade places?????
January 9th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Relax, goat boy. The boat’s already sold. And I have a surprising amount of freelance work coming in, so I may not collect unemployment for long, if at all. The only long-term problem is health insurance — and that’s a problem shared by millions of other laid-off Americans, not to mention even more millions who don’t get any even though they *are* working.
January 11th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Robin,
Thanks for your many articles and talented work at Linux.com. Like many of the companies across the USA and the world, I think they are and have been making very large scale mistakes in ousting many “older” folks from the work force. I’ve been a chimney sweep for 20 years and found that my “own” business has been the fallback many times over. 5 years after I started the chimney sweep business I began with computer teaching which lead to repair and now network support in small situations …. again my own business. The issue of getting rid of senior working people will come to bite them on the backside, IMO! In fact, I believe that many US company failures has been because of that very fact. Amongst many reasons for the failing issues with companies has been that they keep insisting on throwing out good basic business practices for the sake of a buck …. like hiring minimum wage kids to replace older workers. Eventually I myself, will have to give up the sweep work for physical reasons but I’ll work it as long as I can.
I picked up Linux (Slackware) approx. 8 years ago and do love (Linux) it. There have been many times when I came to Linux.com and discovered you had wrote something or video taped things with your thinking reflected in your writing, always encouraging and interesting. If you stay with journalism within the Linux community, I’ll be looking forward to reading your thoughts on what you write where ever you go.
Robin, be encouraged as you face a change of direction and I pray and wish healing to both you and your wife. Thanks again for your work!!
Tom
January 21st, 2009 at 8:38 am
aristotle jones: Are you the typical American?
Your view is that everyone should be left fending for themselves, we have no responsibility as a community?
If you’re stupid enough to be poor you don’t deserve health-care?
I’m so happy I don’t live in a society as cold as that, and I sincerely hope you need help you don’t get someday you arrogant POS!!
January 21st, 2009 at 8:40 am
Oh, totally forgot: Good luck Robin!
January 22nd, 2009 at 10:29 am
Hi Robin,
It’s always a scary experience to get laid off when you have a family to provide for - especially in an economic lull. Kudos for handling it with a positive outlook. I hope to see you continue to write linux/bsd/foss articles in other places.
February 24th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
Robin -
Just heard about your lay off. Sure sorry to hear about that. I know that you will land on your feet. Best of luck to you.
This may sound cold, but maybe Joe picked a good time to check out.
March 5th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Roy at Boycott Novell put a link to this story in the freenode IRC channel. I’m sorry to hear this but pity saps like me who never got the good job to begin with and all those fresh grads who get to work for nothing in a shrinking market where experienced people get to live in a trailer. My only consolation is that Microsoft is finally over. Your talent will get you a good enough gig when things settle and people figure out that people like you have been right about things for more than a decade.
Oh yeah - the health care thing is a sham and it’s crazy you would give up something as basic as safe shelter for it. Depending on what state you live in, you are better off as a charity case. Here in Louisiana, having insurance just means that you get to pay your bills yourself. Given my deductible, that means I pay all but the most major of bills myself and avoid health care. Rather than sell my house, I’d ditch the insurance. $850/month will buy you a lot of primary care visits, so you might just stay healthy in the first place. Good luck, I feel your pain.
March 10th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Robin,
I’m sad for you on many levels, and in some ways I’m sad for this country. We have completely lost the ideals that this country was founded upon; personal responsibility, freedom, limited government. Those who can only see this problem as Us vs. Them, or Democrat vs. Republican, or rich vs. poor, have lost sight of America.
Read The Federalist Papers. Maybe then, you can understand how wrong it is to put things like health care in the realm of ‘basic human rights’. No person has the right to another person’s labor. That’s a pretty simple but powerful concept, but in this entitlement society, that concept is all but forgotten.
Your ‘new’ government is nothing new. Hope and change has become fear and control. The saddest part of it all is that smart people (like you) have bought into this lie, hook, line and sinker. We are so totally screwed unless smart people (like you) wake up and smell the totalitarianism.