Close to home

So it wasn't too long ago that the Ford Plant in Norfolk, VA closed meaning the end of many much needed jobs.  The Shipyards go through hiring and firing spells--it's the nature of the business I suppose... but most recently International Paper (formerly Union Camp) in Franklin, VA has announced it's closing and come spring, another 1200 jobs go with it. 

Franklin is fifteen minutes up the road from me and to be honest, the Papermill is the only thing keeping that town alive in my opinion.  Parts of Franklin were under water after Hurricane.... hell I don't remember which one, Floyd maybe, around 99 or 2000 but they rebuilt and kept it moving.  I don't know that the will survive this most recent announcement.

You have to figure, in addition to just the jobs of the plant workers...there are also jobs going to be lost (loggers, trucking companies, etc will be hit hard)  You see the situation the economy is in and hope it will take a turn for the better, but how long do we have to wait until that happens?  I've been saying it a lot lately, but I truly believe that by the end of the year, my position will not exist any longer.  I'm not even convinced that the client company won't make more cuts in attemps to survive like they did earlier this year. 

I'm bummed out by this fact.  Here I am finally, with a degree that is supposed to open up so many doors during a time where the job market is just a damn scary place.  The economy plays a huge part in the field that I've worked in for so long now....logistics, warehousing, distribution... if no one has money, no one buys product, if no one buys product there is no need to distribute it, etc...

I don't typically blog about such "serious' shit... but dammit, this shit keeps hitting closer and closer to home.  I held tight when my hours were cut in half... for those couple of months... but what awaits me tomorrow is a dismal unknown.  This is fucking scary.  I can't lose sleep over it.  I do hope that I can get a resume together that sells all that I have to offer (though I still have plenty of learning to do) and lands me in a position where I can surely survive this current economic situation.  My goal (though I know I only have so much control over the matter) is to find a job and voluntarily resign, as opposed to being escorted from the premises.