Job Loss Journey | Ask Uncle Gary

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Eleven Months Later

Altadena, CA. Nearly a year after the Eaton Fire carved its way through the foothills, the town is still living in its shadow. Eleven months sounds like enough time for life to snap back into place, but for many families, the calendar doesn’t match reality. People are still scattered across borrowed bedrooms, spare couches, and motel rooms that were never meant to be home. Entire neighborhoods feel like they’re holding their breath.

Dec 30, 2025

I was laid off last month from my job as a university administrator

Dear Uncle Gary, I was laid off last month from my job as a university administrator. I didn’t tell my wife right away because I truly believed I’d find something quickly and then explain it once I had good news to soften the blow. But here we are, a month later, no interviews, no prospects, and I’m still pretending to go to work every morning. I feel ashamed, stuck, and scared. I know I need to tell her, but I don’t know how to begin. I’ve never lied to her like this before,