I hope everyone had a happy Memorial Day weekend.
Thanks to my not trusting the car (even though my neighbor Stephen finally fixed the tail light problem it had earlier), I did not make my annual trek to the cemetery to place the flag on my uncle's grave... but once the car undergoes an overhaul (which worker's compensation makes very difficult to afford) I will get out there.
... In other news, my pinched nerve on my left side seems to be growing worse. Twice over the weekend I was laid up for hours at a time because the pain just wouldn't go away. I have a re-check coming up this Friday and I almost dread hearing that I'll need an epidural injection... I have major problems with the sting of needles.
... Also, after about eight years, my cousin Raymond's house is finally finished! All it needs is cosmetic touch-ups to the new upper floor, and all his hard work will finally be paid off. I just hope he doesn't do what I fear he'll do: turn around and put the house on the market.
That's one thing I could never understand. I realize that to increase the resale value of a home, the seller must do some basic upkeep in order to make the house look clean & presentable. Code violations, etc., must also be addressed... and it does take time, labor, and money. But for a total house re-do (in my cousin's case, the house's square footage nearly tripled), wouldn't you want to at least live there a few years to enjoy the fruits of your labors?
My landlord had talked about adding a dormer to this house years ago. Were we to go about doing it, I wouldn't think about moving in the slightest. I'd love the new look of the house, as well as the new space.
Call me crazy for thinking like that; having not been a homeowner before. But when you work so hard to put your signature on your own home, wouldn't you want time to enjoy and show off for your family and friends?
I defer to Raymond, however... he is the engineer of the family and in this case, I guess he knows best.
May 30, 2007
May 23, 2007
Handing out a heart
Short entry today giving my heart and best hopes to Jenni, as she is prepping to undergo a massive venue change which will work out so much better for her family. I know she can do this; she has more guts than any of her friends ever gave her credit for.
I believe in her and I know she will get the job done - and she will be so much better off for it.
My heart also goes out to the neighbors, who are facing more health issues. The news as of last night is very encouraging, however, as the person in question did a 180-degree turn in terms of health and seems to be back to her old self. I hope so, because she is a wonderful mom, grandmom and great-grandmother.
You guys know where I'm at if you ever need anything at all. :)
I believe in her and I know she will get the job done - and she will be so much better off for it.
My heart also goes out to the neighbors, who are facing more health issues. The news as of last night is very encouraging, however, as the person in question did a 180-degree turn in terms of health and seems to be back to her old self. I hope so, because she is a wonderful mom, grandmom and great-grandmother.
You guys know where I'm at if you ever need anything at all. :)
May 22, 2007
The food chain is in danger
What "great" news we have been hearing the past three months or so regarding all these pet-food recalls for salmonella poisioning. I don't even want to begin to figure the ratio of good pet food vs. bad pet food. The shelves aren't empty, but they're certainly more light-weight.
Now Jenni emailed me an article which says that several dozen fish species are being killed off in Lakes Erie & Ontario due to the viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus which has infected 19 different fish species in the New York area. Although it does not directly affect humans, the disease has killed off members of six of the species, and can be spread very easily, even by tainted bait.
Look at what's happened the last ten years or so, especially in this area. Combine the salmonella issues and the VHS issue along with the Emerald Ash Borer, the zebra mussels which crowded the Detroit River years ago, all the beach closings in southeast Michigan with the e.coli bacteria breakout, mad cow disease in England, the pending arrival of the "killer bee" in the next several years, and you have to wonder: what is happening to the balance of nature?
And what will happen to our source, and our pets' sources, of food?
Remember also that corn is skyrocketing in price due to its use in ethanol. What will be left for us to eat that isn't just machine processed pellets with loads of preservatives?
Years ago, I used to laugh at a Looney Tunes cartoon featuring the Gopher Twins, who end up getting caught in a food processing plant. One of the gophers ended up in a water-soluable food packet which opened when you added water. The idea of such food packets was decades ahead of its time and was played for laughs.
Will we need to watch that cartoon in order to see what the future actually holds for our food consumption, the health of our pets, the safety of our beaches, and the well-being of the fishing industry?
If there's anyone who's an expert on how to truly slow down & eradicate these diseases so they do not threaten livelihood, please stand forward. We've heard all the news, and the situation could grow worse. Someone needs to step up and say there's a plan, then stop talking and implement the plan.
Science brags about being so technologically advanced that our heads would spin. Our heads are only shaking right now, particularly mine, at the fact that these advancements have done nothing to cure these conditions found out there.
The food chain must be kept out of danger, or lives will change from a totally different perspective: biological.
Now Jenni emailed me an article which says that several dozen fish species are being killed off in Lakes Erie & Ontario due to the viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus which has infected 19 different fish species in the New York area. Although it does not directly affect humans, the disease has killed off members of six of the species, and can be spread very easily, even by tainted bait.
Look at what's happened the last ten years or so, especially in this area. Combine the salmonella issues and the VHS issue along with the Emerald Ash Borer, the zebra mussels which crowded the Detroit River years ago, all the beach closings in southeast Michigan with the e.coli bacteria breakout, mad cow disease in England, the pending arrival of the "killer bee" in the next several years, and you have to wonder: what is happening to the balance of nature?
And what will happen to our source, and our pets' sources, of food?
Remember also that corn is skyrocketing in price due to its use in ethanol. What will be left for us to eat that isn't just machine processed pellets with loads of preservatives?
Years ago, I used to laugh at a Looney Tunes cartoon featuring the Gopher Twins, who end up getting caught in a food processing plant. One of the gophers ended up in a water-soluable food packet which opened when you added water. The idea of such food packets was decades ahead of its time and was played for laughs.
Will we need to watch that cartoon in order to see what the future actually holds for our food consumption, the health of our pets, the safety of our beaches, and the well-being of the fishing industry?
If there's anyone who's an expert on how to truly slow down & eradicate these diseases so they do not threaten livelihood, please stand forward. We've heard all the news, and the situation could grow worse. Someone needs to step up and say there's a plan, then stop talking and implement the plan.
Science brags about being so technologically advanced that our heads would spin. Our heads are only shaking right now, particularly mine, at the fact that these advancements have done nothing to cure these conditions found out there.
The food chain must be kept out of danger, or lives will change from a totally different perspective: biological.
May 21, 2007
Lawsuit in the making?
I'm not sure if this is a case of over-reaction or not... but based on the phone call I just made, my patience is worn thin and almost at the breaking point regarding my worker's compensation adjustor.
After two relentless days of searching for the source of a problem tied to no brake lights on the Contour, it has turned up nothing. The rest of the morning was spent online trying to troubleshoot the problem. The good news is, I think I have located the problem's source. The bad news is that I can't afford the fix right now, and in my panic about today's therapy appointment, I had to cancel, and then call the transportation provider to take me in tomorrow.
To say it was done grudgingly is an understatement. The adjustor treated me like she was the know-it-all mom, filled with sarcasm and making me question why I even pick up the phone half the time. "This stuff regarding your car is your responsibility to take care of," she said, "and I don't see where I still should be helping you."
Thanks a lot. In an effort to keep a technically street-illegal car off the street while waiting for my next delayed compensation payment to come in, she'd rather hope the law be broken?
Maybe it's a case of me trying to go through life with a perfectly spotless driving record. In these days, it may be unobtainable given the road rage conditions out there.... someone is bound to be at fault.
But the point is, I am aware of an electrical problem in the car. Without the means to fix it, I am still trying to steer my way around it (literally). And all I get in response is a soggy-bread session with the adjustor -- who, by the way, has left my April mileage compensation sheet unsigned & unprocessed for twenty days. She only found it among a mound of paperwork when it was mentioned to her. That's only $80, but hell, it could afford me the part I need to correct the brake light problem.
Co-workers have said I could pursue a lawsuit over all the anguish. I am half-tempted to inquire into it, although it might be equal to kicking a dead cow.
Friends, I don't think I'll ever be able to return to that job. You don't pour yourself full-force back into the job hoping the nerve miraculously stays normal. Many times, complete rest is the only prescription, along with an alteration in routine. That includes job routine. So my time at the airport is likely done. Point being, however, that I'd like to stick with the compensation arrangement a little longer just to see how the nerve reacts to further therapy. I'll use all I can, then say "screw it, I quit," if it comes to that.
But whenever the therapy and the compensation does end, you can bet hand will be meeting rear end in a not-so-subtle gesture towards this compensation agent, who has made this entire non-work experience a living hell; for me and for other co-workers who have been down her path.
Does it pay to be injured? I guess not -- and even if it does, it comes several days late according to the "pattern", whatever that may be.
After two relentless days of searching for the source of a problem tied to no brake lights on the Contour, it has turned up nothing. The rest of the morning was spent online trying to troubleshoot the problem. The good news is, I think I have located the problem's source. The bad news is that I can't afford the fix right now, and in my panic about today's therapy appointment, I had to cancel, and then call the transportation provider to take me in tomorrow.
To say it was done grudgingly is an understatement. The adjustor treated me like she was the know-it-all mom, filled with sarcasm and making me question why I even pick up the phone half the time. "This stuff regarding your car is your responsibility to take care of," she said, "and I don't see where I still should be helping you."
Thanks a lot. In an effort to keep a technically street-illegal car off the street while waiting for my next delayed compensation payment to come in, she'd rather hope the law be broken?
Maybe it's a case of me trying to go through life with a perfectly spotless driving record. In these days, it may be unobtainable given the road rage conditions out there.... someone is bound to be at fault.
But the point is, I am aware of an electrical problem in the car. Without the means to fix it, I am still trying to steer my way around it (literally). And all I get in response is a soggy-bread session with the adjustor -- who, by the way, has left my April mileage compensation sheet unsigned & unprocessed for twenty days. She only found it among a mound of paperwork when it was mentioned to her. That's only $80, but hell, it could afford me the part I need to correct the brake light problem.
Co-workers have said I could pursue a lawsuit over all the anguish. I am half-tempted to inquire into it, although it might be equal to kicking a dead cow.
Friends, I don't think I'll ever be able to return to that job. You don't pour yourself full-force back into the job hoping the nerve miraculously stays normal. Many times, complete rest is the only prescription, along with an alteration in routine. That includes job routine. So my time at the airport is likely done. Point being, however, that I'd like to stick with the compensation arrangement a little longer just to see how the nerve reacts to further therapy. I'll use all I can, then say "screw it, I quit," if it comes to that.
But whenever the therapy and the compensation does end, you can bet hand will be meeting rear end in a not-so-subtle gesture towards this compensation agent, who has made this entire non-work experience a living hell; for me and for other co-workers who have been down her path.
Does it pay to be injured? I guess not -- and even if it does, it comes several days late according to the "pattern", whatever that may be.
May 20, 2007
Safety net's down below
I went to the airport this morning to turn in some long-overdue medical paperwork. I went there anxious & rather happy. I left feeling some depression, resentment, and yet in glee, knowing I'm not missing much over there, and might be better off without that job, now more than ever... even with Michigan's economy continuing to take a tumble.
I didn't recognize half the staff that was there. And the half I did recognize took their sarcasm routines to a new level in which I only wished I could have dropped the paperwork off and did away with the socializing. Nine weeks away have shown me the bad attitudes I was working with, and they stick out like a sore foot the more I'm not there. If they're in misery, perhaps they deserve it.
No one knows to this point how much more therapy is needed for my back and waist nerve, and no one knows how long the worker's compensation will last. If in fact it runs out on me soon, I do have a safety net in place: a possibility of two jobs waiting for me. Combined, they can earn me more than the airport ever gave me.
The immediate hope is as a taxi dispatcher in Romulus. I have experience as a dispatcher in 1999-2000, and I did enjoy it with the exception of the hard-nosed boss. On one of the early April cab rides from the clinic, I struck up a conversation with Karl, an older driver. Turns out he's the father of one of the new company owners. He asked me then if I wanted a job; repeating the request later in the month when I needed the service to attend a funeral. I said sure, keep me in mind. He took my number and I thought nothing of it, until he made some calls to me within the last week.
Apparently they like the way I conduct myself with others; a value I have held dear since childhood. They are on the lookout for dispatchers as they move to a new building. I'm not crazy for the hours, since they are night hours, but it might be a good start.
Then my friend Jackie alerted me to a job in my career field at last: a videographer for weddings and such. Just think - a possible $200 per night doing what I specialize in. Now there's the salary that the field demands! I have had to put the call to the lady on hold until I found out about my transportation situation, which is technically good now. This week, I will be putting in a call just to test the waters.
Money is nice, but happiness is the most important. Should a person enjoy what they do for a living? I believe the answer is yes, and I hope I can be one of those yes-men in due time.
I didn't recognize half the staff that was there. And the half I did recognize took their sarcasm routines to a new level in which I only wished I could have dropped the paperwork off and did away with the socializing. Nine weeks away have shown me the bad attitudes I was working with, and they stick out like a sore foot the more I'm not there. If they're in misery, perhaps they deserve it.
No one knows to this point how much more therapy is needed for my back and waist nerve, and no one knows how long the worker's compensation will last. If in fact it runs out on me soon, I do have a safety net in place: a possibility of two jobs waiting for me. Combined, they can earn me more than the airport ever gave me.
The immediate hope is as a taxi dispatcher in Romulus. I have experience as a dispatcher in 1999-2000, and I did enjoy it with the exception of the hard-nosed boss. On one of the early April cab rides from the clinic, I struck up a conversation with Karl, an older driver. Turns out he's the father of one of the new company owners. He asked me then if I wanted a job; repeating the request later in the month when I needed the service to attend a funeral. I said sure, keep me in mind. He took my number and I thought nothing of it, until he made some calls to me within the last week.
Apparently they like the way I conduct myself with others; a value I have held dear since childhood. They are on the lookout for dispatchers as they move to a new building. I'm not crazy for the hours, since they are night hours, but it might be a good start.
Then my friend Jackie alerted me to a job in my career field at last: a videographer for weddings and such. Just think - a possible $200 per night doing what I specialize in. Now there's the salary that the field demands! I have had to put the call to the lady on hold until I found out about my transportation situation, which is technically good now. This week, I will be putting in a call just to test the waters.
Money is nice, but happiness is the most important. Should a person enjoy what they do for a living? I believe the answer is yes, and I hope I can be one of those yes-men in due time.
May 18, 2007
Surprised I wasn't deleted
Okay Kevin, remember what you kept telling everyone when you thought you would hit it big in television: "I will never forget my roots; I will never forget where I came from."
One humongous myspace account later, I sat here wondering where I came from. Hence, my return to these parts after a near two-month absence. What goes around comes around, it seems. Have I edited anything on myspace in the past three weeks? No. Yet I get the sudden desire to blog. And yes, it will become daily (or as close to it as possible) again - I promise.
So there will need to be plenty of updates concerning me, my condition, and the goings-on in life, so here goes:
* Me myself: things are progressing slowly. Tuesday I finally purchased a vehicle to replace that stinking Grand Am I threw money at daily: it's a 1996 Ford Contour, suspiciously identical to the one my cousin had in 2000-2003. I even got a bargain on it. The lot wanted $995 flat for it, but the internet site had it advertised for $850. Good thing I printed the $850 ad and showed it: apparently used car lots are now responsible for providing the plate; thereby adding an astronomical $125 plate fee to the mix. Otherwise, I would not have been able to afford it. As is, my budget for the next two weeks is now virtually non-existent.
This car looks to be another work in progress, and I am extremely concerned (to the point of paranoia) that something major will go wrong in this one too. It has trouble when it first starts going, and I had to deal with a plume of white exhaust on a run towards the airport. But the white plumes seem to be lessening the more I drive -- so maybe the vehicle just sat for a long while before the lot picked it up.
Regardless, I needed my independence back, and this was a hell of a start.
* My condition: The MRI I spoke of in the last entry turned out normal, although the EMG (which is a nerve reflex test) showed a pinched nerve in the lower waist. This is now the primary reason why I am still out of work - and there is no telling whether the return date will be late June, late July, or whenever. I still have my 3x-week therapies, which don't do much, although it's fun to try to exercise and talk to the others in there. I can't believe how many people from different firms are off on injury - this is what you get when society stresses productivity per worker.
Times have changed, and the workers' bodies aren't adapting to this change as well as the firms have hoped.
* Steve is still here (cue the groans). However, the internet access here has been eased considerably, as he has rented (surprise) a new computer. Hey, at least it's not the ever-popular flat screen TV! My computer has now moved into my room, while his may be moving to his room in the next couple days. He seems to have recovered from his memory loss of late March, which to this day, I still attribute to stress regarding his overseas situation. His visit there earlier this month was great, but now he's beginning to feel ill again in the morning.
I'll just keep my thoughts to myself on that one and let him deal with whatever it is. I know he'd prefer a professional, rather than personal, opinion.
* The utility switchover I conducted in late March has paid dividends: our electric bill is only $63 -- while Mike's power is shut off at his trailer. Not entirely his fault, though... he's out on injury as well, and is being subjected to the same rude treatment by his worker's comp. manager that I have been on mine. Now I think he's seen it all, probably a reason why he's been more understanding towards my plight the past few months.
Stay tuned for more - within the next day or so (that is a promise!). It's good to be back to my roots.
One humongous myspace account later, I sat here wondering where I came from. Hence, my return to these parts after a near two-month absence. What goes around comes around, it seems. Have I edited anything on myspace in the past three weeks? No. Yet I get the sudden desire to blog. And yes, it will become daily (or as close to it as possible) again - I promise.
So there will need to be plenty of updates concerning me, my condition, and the goings-on in life, so here goes:
* Me myself: things are progressing slowly. Tuesday I finally purchased a vehicle to replace that stinking Grand Am I threw money at daily: it's a 1996 Ford Contour, suspiciously identical to the one my cousin had in 2000-2003. I even got a bargain on it. The lot wanted $995 flat for it, but the internet site had it advertised for $850. Good thing I printed the $850 ad and showed it: apparently used car lots are now responsible for providing the plate; thereby adding an astronomical $125 plate fee to the mix. Otherwise, I would not have been able to afford it. As is, my budget for the next two weeks is now virtually non-existent.
This car looks to be another work in progress, and I am extremely concerned (to the point of paranoia) that something major will go wrong in this one too. It has trouble when it first starts going, and I had to deal with a plume of white exhaust on a run towards the airport. But the white plumes seem to be lessening the more I drive -- so maybe the vehicle just sat for a long while before the lot picked it up.
Regardless, I needed my independence back, and this was a hell of a start.
* My condition: The MRI I spoke of in the last entry turned out normal, although the EMG (which is a nerve reflex test) showed a pinched nerve in the lower waist. This is now the primary reason why I am still out of work - and there is no telling whether the return date will be late June, late July, or whenever. I still have my 3x-week therapies, which don't do much, although it's fun to try to exercise and talk to the others in there. I can't believe how many people from different firms are off on injury - this is what you get when society stresses productivity per worker.
Times have changed, and the workers' bodies aren't adapting to this change as well as the firms have hoped.
* Steve is still here (cue the groans). However, the internet access here has been eased considerably, as he has rented (surprise) a new computer. Hey, at least it's not the ever-popular flat screen TV! My computer has now moved into my room, while his may be moving to his room in the next couple days. He seems to have recovered from his memory loss of late March, which to this day, I still attribute to stress regarding his overseas situation. His visit there earlier this month was great, but now he's beginning to feel ill again in the morning.
I'll just keep my thoughts to myself on that one and let him deal with whatever it is. I know he'd prefer a professional, rather than personal, opinion.
* The utility switchover I conducted in late March has paid dividends: our electric bill is only $63 -- while Mike's power is shut off at his trailer. Not entirely his fault, though... he's out on injury as well, and is being subjected to the same rude treatment by his worker's comp. manager that I have been on mine. Now I think he's seen it all, probably a reason why he's been more understanding towards my plight the past few months.
Stay tuned for more - within the next day or so (that is a promise!). It's good to be back to my roots.
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