Ap, there are so many people in your situation. Somehow this country has gotten into a terrible situation. People who are willing to work and smart should not have to struggle like this to get jobs. I've been thinking that if I retire or get canned this year and and I run into financial difficulties, one of my "fallbacks" is to apply to a retailer with a good track record for treating employees well. There are a few out there. Maybe that could work for you if your current contract runs out. Just a thought. You sound like a super smart resourceful person, you deserve better than this. Sending you good vibes.
Thanks.

Yea I've even thought I should work retail weekends or something now so I had that experience. But really I'd have to think long and hard, as there's a limit to how much I really should over-schedule myself, but desperate fear drives such thoughts.

But ETA: contract work goes okay. Bf probably did Not get the contract position HE interviewed for I mentioned earlier in this thread (like I said he has a full time job now though - bad in many ways though). I tried very hard to be supportive of him there as he wanted to get that contract position, I did try despite myself, but I failed to be so fully, as all I could think was: good heavens we're both going to be unemployed at the same time when contracts run out! Also he said he was thinking of taking the contract work because he thought it would advance his career. I inwardly screamed, because I think I got into this morass switching full time jobs initially trying to make decisions that I thought would advance my career and well clearly it didn't work out, mostly due to bad luck of getting a bully, but ALSO I now think it's very hard (impossible perhaps) to predict the job market that way and what job really will advance a career or not.

If we both were unemployed and unable to find work I could see me living with my elderly mom in her falling apart shack really as plan Z. But that's not for now anyway.