Tuesday, September 4, 2012

You Mean I Skipped This Again??!

In some ways, maybe losing my job is a good thing.

I mean, after 14 years in one place, maybe I should see more of what it's like out there in the working world. I can go back to school if need be to freshen up on skills that I may have forgotten over time. I can finally visit places that for years I have not been able to go because of my schedule. I can get more involved in my kids' activities (my son wants to follow in his sister's footsteps...literally...by joining band as a percussionist).

And then, reality sets in (ie, becoming broke), and I realize that I really need to look for a job.

All kidding aside, with eight more days before my company shuts its doors for good, I am really starting to scramble. I have all the information I need once I become displaced (I wasn't laid off, I wasn't fired, the company is closing...that's why I'm going to be out of work), and will take advantage of a lot of programs that came with the unemployment packet (AllKids insurance for example...thanks Blago).

The good news is that I will be able to focus a bit more time on my blogs. Meaning I can devote more energy to this dog-and-pony-show-of-a-blog, the All-Star Team Tournament that I've neglected, maybe adding more to the Topps 300 (and then some...), and most importantly, the Sports Card Blogroll). The bad news? I might have to stop buying cards for a while...or at least until I find a job.

Anyway, it's been two months again, and I have once again failed to update the SCBR. Some blogs being removed are at seven months of inactivity. While I promised to be a bit more timely, as you can probably guess, it hasn't been a big priority of mine lately. I apologize for this...AGAIN. On with the show.

On July 7, the last time I updated the big Blogroll, I ended with 361 active blogs. Within the last two months, I have added six new blogs to the roster, and returned HOF blogDinged Corners to the active ranks (both Patricia and Lucy posted in August...I had to do it). So now, there are presently 367 blogs listed on the site.

The following sites will now be removed due to six (or seven) months of inactivity:
Yikes, that's thirteen blogs being removed, which will now bring the total number of blogs down to 354, a net loss of (-7) blogs in two months.

Regarding "A Cardboard Problem." Marie and Sooz (both can be followed on Twitter as @baseballzochand @yanxchick / @soozonsports are very busy ladies who have real lives outside of the Hobby. Sooz (aka Susan Lulgjuraj) recently got a gig with the Number One Source in the Hobby, and after months of being a contributing editor, she is now the Football and Hockey editor for Beckett Media. Congrats to Sooz on the job. A couple of months ago, she sent me an e-mail:

Hey James,

I started a new card blog. I haven't written on A Cardboard Problem in a long time. I don't know if Marie is going to keep that up.

My response to her was that I had no problem adding her new site (Cards By Sooz) and that if ACP reached six months of inactivity, I was going to add their site to the Blogroll HOF. Why? ACB was an extremely well written blog by a couple of serious collectors who, at one point, had more than 6,000 unique visitors per month. They were one of the pioneers of Hobby Blogging and set an example for other bloggers to follow. Both are still active (did I mention that you can find them on Twitter?) but the blog is not. So it is my great honor to add A Cardboard Problem to the Blogroll Hall of Fame (joining 88 Topps Cards, the Baseball Card Blog, and Dinged Corners). Congratulations ladies. Well done.

So once again, I ask, implore, beg and plead, as I always do when writing these posts. If you or someone you know has a blog about the Hobby we all love, please send me an email at bdj610@hotmail.com and let me know about it. If your blog was on the big SCBR and was removed from inactivity but are planning on rejoining the big Hobby Blogging Community, let me know as well so I can put your blog back on the roster.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Hey, I feel your pain. I lost my job when my plant closed in Jan 2012. They moved to Mexico, and most of us were promised the gov't assisted training, most didn't get it. I ended up becoming fully disabled due to illnesses in Iraq. I feel your pain about not having the money, I fight with that every month I want something new. I want to send you a "care package" in hopes to make you feel better. I'll email you about it. Good Luck!

William Regenthal said...

Hey man, I didn't see these blogs listed:

http://fantasticcatch.blogspot.com/

http://mrbaseball-scott.blogspot.com/

http://oldfoulcardboard.blogspot.com/

Hope this helps! Good luck on the job front. It is really tough to change jobs after so many years. I did it 5 years ago, but I got really lucky getting on with the firm Im with now.

Anonymous said...

JayBee,

I've been laid off, I've had companies shut down on me, and while it sucks at the time, things often work themselves out. One of the few things that's good about a company closing down is that you have an instant support group; you're all going through the same thing at the same time, and you can all help each other out.

Network, my man, network! Look for a career networking group in your area, and think outside the box... I've found that schmoozing at Chamber Of Commerce meetings can get you some contacts, even if the people you talk to aren't in the same field you are.

Good luck! I'll send some positive thoughts your way.