So, that last unemployment payment I was talking about? Was apparently yesterday. After I used the online claim system and answered all the required questions, I was notified by an overly-perky computerized woman that this was my FINAL payment and in order to try and get the extension, I would have to call the Department of Labor and Training.
As of right now, I’ve had 45 minutes of a busy signal, finally got through to the menu and have now been on hold for 25 minutes and 54…55…56…seconds.
I’m pretty sure I’ve memorized the Voice of Unemployment after six months of calling in. He sounds like he’s in his mid-40s or so and wishes he was doing anything but the recordings that slowly drain the hope from people like me. If I ever heard his voice in public, it would probably trigger some repressed rage and I would jump on him screaming “45 minutes of JUST A BUSY SIGNAL!!!!”
Every 10 seconds or so he informs me that all agents are busy and my call will be answered in the order it was received. I’m pretty sure all the agents are just drinking coffee and catching up on their weekend while their call light flashes over and over again.
After this lovely morning, I better get the extension!
To pass the time, I’m watching A Baby Story and omigod, you guys. Last night I watched a new show on MTV — 16 and Pregnant — and was horrified. Horrified! The girl profiled was riding a dirt bike with just weeks before her due date, her belly all huge and bouncing on the back of her boyfriend’s bike and I wanted to jump through the screen, grab her and say “Stop it! You are SHAKING THE BABY!”
Then she had the baby and named it Bentley. Like the car.
33 minutes on hold…
20 comments
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June 15, 2009 at 10:02 am
Jessica
Bentley? Oh dear lord. Reminds me of that Kanye song with the lyrics “Couldn’t afford a car so she named her daughter Alexus.”
June 15, 2009 at 10:19 am
Sara
16 and pregnant is the only should that could have topped engaged and underage on the horror scale. Not only was she on a quad…her boyfriend was horrible! Absolutely HORRIBLE!
June 15, 2009 at 10:42 am
Inna
Man, I hate being on hold! Sorry they are all busy (or not) right now.
And Bentley? who in their right mind names a kid that???
June 15, 2009 at 11:22 am
zoey
16 and pregnant, huh?
i think shows like that glorify the moronic.
June 15, 2009 at 11:25 am
A
Can I just tell you how hard it is reading you in Google Reader? Someone else titled their post, “It’s a BOY!” and I thought it was from your blog for half a second and had an OMGWTF moment.
On a more relevant note, hope your patience pays off today.
June 15, 2009 at 11:26 am
Judy
Oh my God! I watched that too! She went from riding the dirt bike TO the hospital to deliver her baby!
The BF was such a jerk. I almost fell off of my couch when he just put the baby on the bed and went to sleep! I couldn’t believe it.
On a side note, Bentley was born on my 1 yr wedding anniversary.
GOOD LUCK WITH UNEMPLOYMENT HELL….
June 15, 2009 at 1:23 pm
Cat
And THAT is why I watched Kendra on E! last night. Actually, I don’t think that’s any better because she’s 23 and pregnant and just recently learned that you need to use stamps when you mail a letter…
Good luck dealing with The Man.
June 15, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Mel
I wanted to watch that show… now… I don’t know.
My dad is dealing with unemployment right now and it sucks. Its a miracle if you can get a live person.
June 15, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Jessie
sounds stressful, no one likes being on hold that long!!! I’ll cross my fingers that you don’t get disconnected!
June 15, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Jersey
Some people shouldn’t be allowed to reproduce.
Bentley? (Head shaking is ensuing)
June 15, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Sarah
haha! Aw, the image of you pouncing on the unemployment voice recording man cracked me up. So… at least one good thing has come out of you being on hold for ten thousand years?
June 15, 2009 at 4:46 pm
whitney
oops. sorry. I just posted about the teenage mom on on your cute post about you and your hubs. My bad. I’m sorry about the unemployment. I’ve always imagined them sitting around like a bunch of butts answering calls when they felt like it. hmph.
June 15, 2009 at 4:57 pm
Marissa
I saw the show too and was yelling at my TV too!!!!
June 15, 2009 at 7:21 pm
Sheenah
I wanted to watch that!
June 15, 2009 at 9:30 pm
Becky (rksquared)
I do not envy you. Everything here (for unemployment) is online, and if/when an extension is necessary, it just automatically loads into your account. I haven’t spoken to a single person (recorded or otherwise) yet.
Hopefully you finally got through and received good news.
June 15, 2009 at 10:06 pm
KT
I tuned in to about 5 minutes of that “16 and Pregnant” show last night. I did not see the bike riding but OMG seriously??? Also, naming your kid Bentley? So sad.
June 16, 2009 at 7:11 pm
humanbeingblog
Well, maybe Bentley’s mom was just trying to induce labor? Seriously, how can that even be a show? What’s next, a show about a gay transvestite underage prostitute?
I hope you got the extension. My fiance sat in hold-hell with Colo’s Dept of Labor when he was unemployed for 3 hours and 26 minutes once.
June 16, 2009 at 9:44 pm
spamwarrior
I heard about the show from another blogger who was all like ” &*)(^) why are they doing this??” I mean, dirt bike + unborn baby isn’t the best combo.
That’s one of the worst ideas for shows that I’ve seen. It’s as if it’s something cool.
June 19, 2009 at 10:57 pm
kat
I just don’t understand why MTV is doing this! There are so many shows that are making teenage pregnancy look cool or letting teens have a chance to be famous for being pregnant.
I know that this is not really my platform to say anything about teenage pregnancy but gesh! It’s just too much! Scares me!
June 22, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Shannon
I watched that episode! I wondered if I was the ony one going WTF!!