Relief for the un-and-underemployed

This morning, midway between wake and sleep, I heard Joel Osteen advise his parishioners and the television audience to redeem their time. Huh, I wondered. Did he mean like a coupon from the Sunday paper? (Note to self, get up soon and get the New York Times before they run out.) My reasoning skills were not yet at peak performance this early on a Sunday morning. As I listened on I realized that he was talking about making every day of our lives something special--making it count. Great advice, but how do you maintain this attitude when you're overwhelmed by the emotions that come along with being unemployed, I wondered after switching to CNN and hearing the latest numbers of those out of work.

Pep talk to self: When you're down, there is no where to look but up. This means you have to stay on your game and not give in to idleness. My mother always says an idle mind is the devil's workshop. So, as one of the underemployed, after the magazine where I freelanced shuttered, folded, went the way of the shredder, I decided to get busy. Delay is time for preparation, I once heard.

What do the experts suggest we do: #1 - Reinvent yourself and be willing to follow a new career path. (Preferably in an industry that isn't going belly-up the way that my industry of choice has...) #2 - Schedule physical activity into your daily routine. Exercise helps to fend off depression. #3 - Redo your resume. Don't just itemize duties but highlight accomplishments. #4 - Network, network, network. #5 - Relax, relate, release.

Some very specific information I found that may help someone:

• Go back to school. St. John's University is offering a 50 percent discount to alumni. I hope other universities will follow suit.
• Stay informed. The National Unemployment Law Project keeps unemployed and underemployed Americans abreast of the latest policies affecting them.
• Get health insurance even if you're not working full-time. As a freelancer or self-employed individual you can join the Freelancers Union and pay a reasonable amount for these benefits.
• Talk to and learn from others who can relate to your current situation at LaidOffCamp.
• Get a break from car payments if you own a Hyundai. The Hyundai Assurance program will pay your car loan for three months if you lose your job. If you are still not able to make payments after that time period, the company will allow you to return your car with no harm to your credit.
• Avoid foreclosure on your home if your loan is with CitiMortgage, thanks to their Office of Homeownership Preservation.