The Unemployment Office

So this morning, after Dustin’s prodding (along with encouragement from Ben after yesterday’s interview), I get up and hea to the local Unemployment Office. They open at 8:30, and I’m able to find my way easily and quickly. Given how little time I’ve spent driving around the city proper, I’m amazed I didn’t get lost.

So the entire process is relatively straightforward. A lot of forms to fill out, and a lot of repeated questions. As I was directed to a table, the guard was giving me instructions on where to proceed once I finished. He pointed to the computers along the wall and asked "Do you know how to use a computer?"
I just smiled at him.

Here’s where I was sitting, filling out my forms:

And here are some of the forms:

Before today, I was hesitant to even try to say that I "needed" unemployment. I guess it was the way I was raised, my own pride, my inability to accept help from outside sources. There’s also something of the idea that while I may be currently without a job – I have little to no real worries. I don’t have kids, I don’t have a family to support. I’m young and relatively healthy (though I still can’t jog very far).

I had a hard time looking people in the eye today. And as I tried to watch others, I noticed most everyone there had the same problems.