I appreciate hearing the varied responses from the folks here who are in different careers. To be honest, I was so desperate at one point, I literally scrubed floors and toilets in a hair salon/day spa in a local strip center.
After nine weeks, they cut my hours from 35 hours a week to 20. And I was making a "whopping" $8.75/hour! I'm not above cleaning dirty toilets, emptying trash, or just about any other sort of job.
But I cannot make it on part-time hours. And Ago is right - people are making 1999 salaries nowadays - at least what I read on resume-posting discussion boards.
I will have my college degree in May. I have software skills that will be in the best shape I can get them because the local college offers intensive summer school courses in Windows XP 2007.
My major fear? I have not worked in 6.5 years! Why? For the last two I kept trying to get a job in this looney place!
Work is work. We all need to eat and have shelter and clothing. Other than that, I'm not adverse to keeping my 7-year-old car operative as long as possible.
Colorado, Arkansas, Nebraska ... no, sorry - NOT Alaska! But I'm pretty open-minded about where I land.
And thank very much to each of you for your insightful responses. I NEED to know what is happening in the real world of work!