Economic Realities Hit the Mulder Household: Mulder Moose changes his career plans

Editors Note: As we prepared this post for publication, we realized that it was most powerful if told in the first person. So we would like to welcome the Mulder Moose to his first Cliff Notes blog posting.

In the State of the Union address last night, President Obama spoke of vast changes in the economic landscape. No longer can our children count on finishing high school and getting a good job at the local factory - perhaps the same factory where their parents worked. As one of many Americans who are chronically unemployed, I can relate.

My father was a lumberjack in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. In fact, all my relatives worked in the lumber industry. But in 2001, I was stuck in the UP unable to find work as a lumber jack. My only job was holding a welcome sign at a local gift shop. Luckily, Cliff Mulder spotted me and brought me to Portage to start a new life. Unfortunately, the economy turned worse and I have remained unemployed - no lumberjack jobs to be found. To make ends meet, I was paid to dress up as an elf at Christmas and would also welcome people to high school graduation open houses. While I love living with the Mulders, being unemployed has been difficult and these part time jobs were humiliating (I don't look good in an elf costume).

After hearing the President last night, I have decided to take charge of my future. I went to Macys to buy a professional suit and tomorrow I am signing up for computer classes at Western Michigan University. Now that I have shed my "lumber jack look", my potential is unlimited.

Wish me well,

Mulder Moose