For the last several months working two jobs, like many people these days, has been the norm for me.  Five days a week at FedEx Ground were I have worked for the last seven years holding various positions.  The latest as an instructor in our corporate university helping train field managers.  I also work anywhere from 2 to 4 days at Giant Eagle grocery store stocking shelves.  I arrive at FedEx around 7:45am each morning and work till 5:00pm.  I then hurry to my neighborhood Giant Eagle were I turn in my collared button up shirt, slacks, and the occasionally tie for a Giant Eagle uniform complete with hat and apron.  It is definitely a feeling of were did I go wrong, why am I here.  But its a feeling I am willing to accept to help my family.

   In September of 2008, after much discussion with my wife, I decided to find a second job to supplement our income.  The money was not intended to pay monthly bills, but keep our meager savings intact.  The price of gas at the time was killing us as I drove a half an hour back a forth to work everyday, in my 1998 Ford Ranger, which does not get the best gas mileage.  Another reason for getting the second job was to save some money for the birth of our second child (already have an eighteen month old girl Isabelle), he was due in December of 2008.  As the economy really started to suffer in October and people were losing their jobs, I felt extremely fortunate that I had two.  Soon though I needed the money to pay bills and then the bomb dropped.  On December 18th, 2008, the same day my beautiful son Michael was born, news hit that I would be losing 5% of my salaried pay at FedEx, there would be no raises, and no more company contribution to my 401K next year.  With that said, understand that I love FedEx and I believe that reducing salaried employees wages instead of laying people off is the right way to go and I am happy to do my part to keep all my FedEx peers employed.  But it still hurts in the pocket book.  It was a huge shock when that was announced and I knew now that not only would I need to use the Giant Eagle money as I had been but the savings was going to soon be gone as well.  It is a scary time and we live day to day knowing that there are people worse off then us and it's hard to imagine.  I wish them the best of luck and pray for them daily.

  My family does not live a lavish lifestyle, we have a small three bedroom house built in the 40's.  Two used vehicles, some hand me down baby clothes, and decent amount of debt that we are desperately trying to pay off.  Working seven days a week is not something you plan to do or for that matter really ever want to do but my father taught me many years ago, before he passed away from a stroke when I was seventeen, that you do whatever it takes to provide for your family.  My father was a GREAT man and I pray everyday that I make him, my mother, my wife, and kids proud.