I wish ya' the best of luck. Tech work is great, but honest, the manager job is probably more stable in terms of job security during the upcoming months. Economy is starting to show a little life, but tech companies are still laying off thousands of employees every week. Chance of getting a tech job in Chattanooga is about null, unless you are perhaps a top tier programmer is some dead archaic language like Cobal or Fortran.
Myself? Still unemployed here. I said forget it, and am working towards completing my BS degree. If the tech sector in my area doesn't improve soon, I may just shoot for my MS as well. Could being a college student for the rest of my life be considered a legitimate career choice?