Most people think of this as being the day after Halloween, or All Saints day if you're Catholic. Some may think of it as the day to take down all the Halloween decorations (I'm not in that category, thank you very much... ) and some just think of it as the beginning of a new month.
I think of this as being "that day" which makes me take a deep breath, take a look around, and tell myself that it's all in the past. On this day in 2008, wife #2 moved out of the house. A few days later I discovered the several thousands in debt she left me behind with on top of the several thousands I already knew about. Seven days after that, I was laid off from my job.
Fast forward to Aug. 2009... I got a job, started myself back in school, and on Nov 1, 2009, I
was again laid off along with two other technicians. The financial crisis was still in full swing and the dealership I worked at thought it would be a good idea to thin the masses before the winter slow period set in.
This second layoff had more financial ramifications however. I had somehow recovered quite well from the first round, but the second time the State of Oregon decided that in those 88 days of employment, I had worked just long enough and made just enough money that my unemployment insurance benefits had reset. So during round two, I was entitled to less than $100 week. I was scared. I had no idea what to do or how to fix it. And even though it only lasted about 9 weeks before I was called back by the same employer, the financial damage had been done. I still remember, however, the effects of the fear of the uncertainty of what was going to happen to me and my house and how I was going to come out of it on the other side.
The second layoff was indirectly the cause of "November Mayhem Part 3". In Feb. 2010 I applied for another loan modification, since I had gone back to work. However the bank somehow thought that I made too much money to get another loan modification. I didn't make enough though, to repay all the bills for the two months when I only made $87/week. So, the house went into foreclosure, I put it on the market in a short sale status, and on Nov. 1 2010... I moved out of my house of 12 years. I loaded the last of my belongings into my little crappy 1989 Tercel coupe, and I took it all to my new little crappy apartment. It was a very sad day for me... and I remember it all too well. It was cold, it was raining, and the sun never showed itself the entire day. The car was completely blanketed with yellow leaves and dirty cold rain.
The apartment never felt like home. It was always more like a place to store my stuff until I found my way again. I didn't unpack any boxes for the six months I was there. My cat didn't even like it. And he liked everything.
On May 1 the following year, my g/f and I moved into the house we're in now. It's our home. And although it's a rental and it has it's flaws, it's ours. And I still think about Nov. 1st in a different light than anyone else would ever know.
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