April, 10, 1997 (Day 22 – Off the Trail at Camp Koinonia, Tennessee)

I can’t write today, too much to process. Just sitting and thinking.

Aquaholic

April 10, 2009

Hey Aquaholic,

In February, for the first time in my life, I applied for unemployment benefits. I’ve always held a certain amount of pride for not having to or not choosing to collect unemployment at other times in my life, but now I figure every little bit would help while I worked out what to do next.

So I applied and was accepted. Just over $400 a week after taxes. Nothing impressive considering our circumstances, but something. I received one week’s worth of benefits and then I received a letter in the mail from the state employment office saying that I had been disqualified from receiving benefits because, as my employer indicated on the form, I “did not meet job performance requirements.”

I appealed the ruling, went to a scheduled hearing last week, pleaded my case, and received a letter this morning saying I was again denied.

The job performance requirements in question were my sales goal of $$,$$$ per month and the standard of establishing X new contacts per week within a particular industry we were targeting. The last six months in 2008 were something of a challenge for closing new business. Regardless of the economy, we had to generate revenue to stay in business, just like everyone else. I generated the lion’s share of the sales we did close during that period, but I did not consistently reach my goals. I also could not confirm that I met my weekly contacts quota. And there you have the grounds for my disqualification of benefits.

I was at fault. That’s how it works.

So I spent most of the morning with a big lump in my throat. Then I went for a mountain bike ride and coughed it up. I feel better now.

O’

Purging a throat-lump on the climb through Apple Valley...