Mauser,
No, I do not have a store front and the FFL is more of a hobby (learning gunsmithing skill) for me. It certainly is not an income I count on to pay the light bill.
A little over four years ago I lost my dot com job, which was paying me six figures. My job went overseas to Bombay where contract Indian software engineers were paid 1/5 of my pay producing the same product.
I was unemployed and did work for Walmart part-time for $10/hour for a few months to get out of the house and kept my sanity. I certainly thanked Walmart for the job.
Eventually I swung and made a few changes to develop new skills, still in software world but different area where my skill was applicable and locally needed.
Do I feel bitter toward my former employer for exporting my job to overseas program analyst? Heck no. They have to do what is necessary for the company to survive and earn a profit. Why blame them for hiring someone else who could do the job I was doing for much less pay? Why would I be entitled to a phonily high salary for a job someone else could do for much less? just because I am American? that is the nonsense incompetent people put up when they get the pink slip.
I'd rather channel my energy into finding another niche to break in. I kept a positive attitude and did what was necessary to make myself marketable again.
Though I do not earn as much as I used to and probably will never get back to the hey day of booming dot com. I certainly am much better off than some of my former colleagues who spent their years of unemployment refusing to take a $10/hour job at Walmart and spent the whole time bitching and whining against everyone else but themselves. Some ended up in divorces and alcoholism.
I am not surprised you cannot stand people like me..... We are just two different extremes.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
I'd rather exercise initiatives to work my way out of tight spot than pointing fingers at others for my shortcoming of being unable to adapt to new situation and new world with broken fourth grade English writing skill. That's what Americanism is all about......competition competition and competition. That's what made this country wealthy and stay the number one world power.