Waiting for Change: Impacts on life, family, work, and the new 99% reality

Waiting for Change: Impacts on life, family, work, and the new 99% reality
by Christina McCale
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Review & Description

The premise for this book was simple: what is the real, human experience of those so adversely affected by the economy – the human face? But I wanted it to be more than “a catalogue of pain” as one reporter once described Robert F. Kennedy’s speeches. People can only care if they are aware. If they understand a situation, then perhaps they can see how it involves them or their interests. And if we’re lucky, really lucky, people can then be inspired to want to do something about it. In an effort to profile and understand the long-term unemployed or under employed, Dr. Christina McCale has gone beyond the media sound bite statistics of the Great Recession and profiled the very personal realities of those living with the economic impacts to their housing, sustenance, employment, children, and our social support systems: exploring how these areas of one’s life can be so drastically impacted – irrevocably altered – by job loss and the continuing drag of the Great Recession we’ve all experienced in a myriad of different ways. Upon reflection, I have come to the realization that it takes far more strength and endurance to be broke than it ever did having a job or having money. Being broke develops character “muscles” you never knew you had. It’s an exhausting existence trying to stay positive, keeping up a good appearance – even just “neutral” – just to be sociable. It takes more time, more effort, more thinking outside the box to do what needs to be done, get what needs gotten, and survive each and every day. It’s a wearily, perpetual balancing act. A balance between being “positive” and being real. Between keeping your chin up and acknowledging how hard it is or how much you are struggling. It’s a balance between selling things for money that is needed now, versus believing that this is just short term, and that someday, some day I might need the lovely briefcase, shoes and purse because my life will finally start again. It’s waiting for change – but not knowing how long you’ll have to wait."

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #370285 in Books
• Published on: 2012-02-13
• Binding: Paperback
• 180 pages