Didn't See This Coming

Here are some stories that I have come across this week. I know I have not been on here in a while so here we go..Not so crazy but newsworthy to say the least. I have also linked my stories so that you can click on them

1. Nita Reed from Bring It On dies from hit and run accident

2. Hurricane Sandy Death toll hits 65

3. Freeway Killer on the loose again

4. Man etches his wifes vajajay on her tombstone

5. Man lived in hotels for 20 years using stolen credit cards

6.Lawrence Wilkerson says GOP is full of racist

7. Shooting at Creflo Dollar megachurch, one person killed

8. The top 8 beloved countries in the world, and the U.S. is not in the top 8.

9. Sandy headed to east coast, many are evacuating.

10. Woman set fire during C-section loses suit against doctor

Not Broke Enough?

I know we all probably know someone who has been affected by the changes in the economy and I am no different, except for that someone is me. These last two years of my life have been a roller coaster to say the least. I went from middle class corporate america to lower class in the matter of minutes. I also went from a family of 2 to a family of 3 right before I was downsized by a huge corporation, who will remain nameless, but they have a worlwide presence.

Anyhow during this time I collect unemployment and I have been looking for a job. It is not easy but I am determined to find something before my unemployment runs out. I not only lost my job but all my health benefits that came along with it. This was very crucial to me because I have type 1 diabetes. I was fortunate enough to get medicaid from the state, until the state started making cuts. I lost my medicaid because I exceeded the income guidelines for a family of 3 by $28.00. I was shocked and upset by this. I can't live with out my insulin and I felt the state was telling me that my life was not worth more than $28.00

Thank God, I got past that and the insulin manufacturer has a program thru my doctor's office that made it affordable for me. I am so grateful for that. I was scared and worried the whole time trying to figure out how I was going to afford my medicine and take care of my kids on unemployment.

Along with all that my youngest son was born with hearing loss, thankfully he is still able to be covered by medicaid. But I thought since he had hearing loss, he could get disability benefits. I applied and was told I made too much "unearned" income. If I made the same amount with a job my son would qualify. I never knew there was a difference between earned and unearned income. I still pay taxes on my unemploymemt. Its crazy how these agencies look at the source of income instead of the need.

I have been trying to get help for me and my family through all these agencies and I keep hearing the same thing, my income it too high. It is unemployment!! Its temporary its not an on going thing. I had to be out of work to get it. So I was thinking, wow how broke do I have to be to get help.

You either have to have very little income or more kids to get help. Now I kind of understand why some people who are in the system do the things they do. They say all this aid is supposed to be temporary, but for people who are in temporary situations like myself, it doesn't appear to be true.

Gas prices are ridiculous, food prices are up, everything is going up. I have to provide for me and my family. It has not been easy but I thank God, I am making it. But this experience has shown me why the welfare system, and other agencies have the issues that they do. Don't get me wrong some people actually need it. But where is the motivation to get off the system if its so easy to get help, when you are very poor. I am not saying to not help them, but the poor has changed over these last few years. The poor is not who you think they are and not who they used to be. I am right on the bubble and suffering from consequences I did not cause. My unemploymemt is too high to get assistance but not enough to change the quality of life for me and my kids. I guess this is the new middle class...