When resources are scarce, it is human nature to try to prioritize and cut back until the situation improves. Usually, these are either short-term or seasonal shortages, giving us some idea of how long we will need to endure -- a sort of "countdown" calendar to work against. When we don't know how long the shortages will last, when necessities such as food, water, and medicine will return, we hunker down into what is called a "siege mentality". The problem with a siege mentality is that it can lead into a downward spiral, with the shortages getting more and more pronounced, until it seems impossible that there will be an outlet or that it will arrive in time... or until the besieged die.

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No, not THAT kind of change of life!  I was laid off from my job 10 days ago.  Boy, talk about a life change!  I am doing a little contract work, so I don't know what to call my current position.  "Stay at home Mom" has such negative connotations and I find "Full-time Mother" offensive because I've been a full-time mom since my son was born, regardless of my employment status.  

My 4 year old has gone from 9-10 hour days at a daycare center, to 3 hours at a small local preschool.  The rest of the time he's with me.  My 14 month old is with me 24/7, or so it seems.  My husband does step up so I can maintain some other adult relationships. What those will be and how often I'll get a night off remain to be negotiated.

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It never rains, but it pours... -- Old Proverb

It's official: barring still another extension of unemployment benefits, I've signed for my last check until I find a new job... which means things will be getting extremely tight around here. What makes it worse this time around is that I have been (back on) blood pressure medication, so any lapse in medical coverage will result in "Pre-Existing Condition Hell" -- and unbeknownst to me, we've been behind enough on our other bills that by Sukkot I may own and/or have access to nothing other than the clothes on my back.

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