Unemployed in Michigan

Folks in Illinois think they have it bad. When it comes to (un)employment, they should take a gander at Michigan. Yeah, it's a great place to vacation. It also leads the country in unemployment (current rate: 15.2 percent). Another dubious distinction, recently reported in The Wall Street Journal:

Only one state -- Michigan -- saw statistically significant increases in poverty two years in a row.

When looking for blogs (like mine) that detail life in a "jobless economy," where better to turn than Unemployed in Michigan?

"Unemployed in Michigan" offers "advice, activities, and discussions on how to survive the unemployment experience." In reading through a number of posts, I grew to appreciate the blogger's practical perspective and no-nonsense voice. As he relates in his first (April 23) post:

When I was first laid off I thought I could take advantage of my project manager certification and experience. But no one would hire me... The challenge was to stay busy at home. I became adept at this and suddenly knew that if I did retire I would not have any problems filling my time – something I had worried about. Becoming involved in my hobbies and working out each day became necessary to stay sane. I got good at planning and making dinners.

He compares getting laid off in 2003 versus 2009:

This time I have a much more ominous feeling about it. The economy has tanked now as everyone knows. The press seems to be changing in the way it is referring to the economy over the past few months. A few months ago I only read comparisons to the crash in the 80’s. This progressed to making comparisons to the economy after World War 2. Today they are saying it is the worst since the great Depression.

A sobering thought for all of us.

In the same vein, there's an uncomplicated, homespun look to the site... until you notice the variety of categories in the sidebar. How does a reader differentiate between General, Unemployment, and Job Search? Also, depending on the category, one is left questioning, "Is this thread still topical?" For example, while Health Care Debate has an entry as recent as September 13, the most recent post to Unemployment is dated June 25 (while the Job Search category only goes up to May).

A number of the posts begin with "Day XX" of the blogger's job search -- a nifty device to show how the search is, or isn't, progressing. However, in toggling between categories, we find that this continuity, this through-line, goes out the window. We get a confusing melange of posts pertinent to that category. Moreover, readers may be left to wonder how many posts overlap between categories ("Didn't I just read this in that other category?").

Another concern: some readers may be intimidated by the amount of text in some posts. Granted, there's an unfettered, stream-of-consciousness feel, but readers tend to favor a snappy, visually oriented approach -- short paragraphs plus photos, videos, and links that speak to the subject (links seem especially vital when the blogger's tackling complex/contentious issues such as health-care reform).

In short, I can relate to this blog. I'm dealing with many of the same struggles as this honest and helpful blogger. But I could relate better if the site were more reader friendly, more ably organized.