now that i’ve got that out of the way, i want to gripe about DVR again. they strung me along for 4 months after not even paying attention to me for almost 5 years, and then, yesterday, i got their notice in the mail that they won’t be doing anything for me anyway, which i could have told you if it weren’t for the fact that all the time between january, when i first met with them, and yesterday, they said they actually could do something for me. basically the notice i recieved yesterday told me a whole bunch of things that are wrong with my business, some of which i can actually change without any suggestions, and all of which can be changed fairly easily as long as i can find some helpful suggestions for what i can do instead. but then it said that, given the fact that my business was so fucked up, they won’t be able to help me, without a clue as to what i should do to change it, or what i should do next. great… even the print brokering, musical instrument repair and pipe-making are beyond the capability willingness of DVR to help me out. and with no suggestions for what i can do to change it, i’m basically right back where i started, not making an even remotely livable income and without the possibility of ever making a livable income in the future.
yes, i am fundamentally against work, but i figure, with my talents, there should be some way for me (and everybody else, if they want it) to make an acceptible income doing what i like to do, but with government agencies that are supposed to help people like me shooting me down every time i try to move forward, it’s getting really discouraging, and right now i don’t know what i’m going to do next. 8(
the thing is, i don’t have a bachelor’s degree, but i’ve got at least three bachelor’s degrees worth of experience… all of which could be potential methods of employment if it weren’t for my injury and my tendency to get fired when i work for other people. and the things i like to do make a little money, but not enough.
Been there, done that…I’m sorry you’ve had this experience with DVR; I had essentially the same experience several years ago with VESID (Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities) here in New York state.
The counselor I went to for my intake into that fine agency asked me what were three things I’d like to do; I gave her three answers (piano tuner and cook were two; I don’t remember the third) and she shot them all down. My experience with them went downhill from there.
My chief problem with them was that I already had a (useless) bachelor’s degree; I couldn’t go back to college to build on that with a master’s because they didn’t have the funding, but instead the agency led me around by the nose for a couple of years in order to get funding for having me as a client. It was fruitless and circuitous and I finally quit–or they wrote me off, whoever you wish to believe.
Fortunately, I fell into something and was able to create a business, because it addressed a need. Six years later, I’m still doing it, and most amazing of all, I like my work.
I wish the same for you; I think it can be done.