Peter, Peter, Peter, I Know You Have the Letter

Just sent this to my State Senator White and Governor Peter Shumlin:

On Friday, Dec. 30th at 3:50 p.m. my mail was delivered with a notice from ESD telling me I had to schedule an interview with them by January 4th or lose my benefits. It was too late then (they close at 4) and they were of course closed on Monday the 2nd, so I started calling yesterday, the 3rd, at 8:30 a.m. (they open at 8:15). In total yesterday I callled 8 times, spending 2 hours and 20 minutes on hold waiting for an agent. I left 2 messages as instructed to do so.

This morning I began calling at 8:12, with the same results- no agent to speak to, endless muzak interrupted by an autovoice advising me to call early or late for quicker service, several beeps as if keys were pushed, advisement to leave a message where an agent will call me back within one business day. I have called 4 times this morning, for a total of one hour and 35 minutes of holding. I left another message expressing my concern that I haven't been able to schedule an interview.

Should ESD not respond, I'm afraid I'll lose my Food Stamps and Medicaid subsidy. As I only receive 775$ in SSDI a month to live on and have bills to pay, this worries me. Actually it more than worries me, it kept me up half the night and is giving me the pukes.

Please advise me of what to do. I will continue calling in hope that I'll reach an agent but after 12 calls and 3 messages left... I just hope allowances are made for the backlog of calls and the inavailability of agents to field the calls that must be coming in.

Thank you for your time, in advance.

This is what it's like to be "in the system" in the US. Yeah, we're having a great time in the land of the gravy train.

News, Schmooze

First new thing today; I never heard of a "sting jet" before
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/transport/forecasters-scrambled-to-update-advice-as-conditions-worsened.16350053

Life is full of surprises
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/swedish-couple-find-long-lost-wedding-ring-carrot-garden-article-1.1000639

Oh grow up; everybody hates America
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/german-suspect-los-angeles-car-arsons-tells-cops-i-hate-america-article-1.1000258

Haven't recovered from this yet:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2012/jan/03/iowa-caucus-voters-decision-video
(how do you go thru all that and say "Gingrich"?)

We had our first fire of the year:
http://www.sentinelsource.com/news/local/fire-damages-apartment-in-brattleboro/article_d67c0ba8-3680-11e1-b86b-001871e3ce6c.html

Our Legislature is in session for 2012
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20120104/NEWS03/120103031/Vermont-Legislature-opens-pomp-song-some-early-business?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Camilla Rees will speak on Wireless Hazards
http://www.ibrattleboro.com/article.php/2012010322331813

I can't get this outta my mind (warning: F bomb)
http://www.youtube.com/user/czg123?feature=chclk#p/a/u/2/PdBHAHjZsxY

The High Pro Glow

Despite 5 attempts in over 2 hours in total of hanging on the line waiting, I couldn't get thru to Economic Services still, this afternoon. I left a message and will start calling again at 8:15 tomorrow morning. But everything else got done today. All the carbs are gone from the house. I have much meat and cheese in the fridge. The party trash and recycling is out. The sink is cleared. I even took down some of the holiday festoonery. Kim came over from the office and the notarized okay to probate Uncle Glenn's Will is in the mail already. So are the bill payments. I ordered the dress for Greg's concert. And kitty supplies. I've got a backlog of emails to return but there's tomorrow to do that. It's a good start on the new year.

It may be all in my mind but I can feel the energy shift from just today's eating. Eating high protein is an instant change in me. I get really hungry and eat just a bit and my energy level doesn't dip or zoom. It's been years since I last did this; I was still working then. I remember feeling good and after the first couple of weeks not missing carbs at all. There's no deprivation syndrome, really. You can eat whenever, and the surprise is that you don't eat big amounts because you're eating fats and protein that satisfy hunger PDQ. The drawback is that it's expensive. Which is why I had to quit it. But that was back when 7/9ths of my income went to my landlord. With so little left after rent, I often lived on ramen noodles and box mac'n'cheese, both unhealthy and fattening. Affordable housing is affordable. Things are better now.

Now if was just a tad warmer, or there was some snow cover to insulate the house from the wind. Man is it cold. That wind is just cutting. The sun's just gone down, too. Tonight's gonna be killer cold. I hope everyone's safe and warm.

Taking Care of Business

Right. Today is full already. I have many things to do and people to talk to. Let's jump right into the news:

Roulette is more dependable than investment banking:
  http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/us-court-ruling-to-cost-pension-funds-millions.16304692

Occupiers take it to Dem HQ
 http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/02/occupy-iowa-democrats-war-room

The LA arsonist may have been found
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/cops-detain-man-questioning-los-angeles-car-arsons-blazes-erupt-article-1.999753

Coke is still corrupt
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/02/coca-cola-accused-swaziland-dictator

Don't sugarcoat the plight of fat kids
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/anti-obesity-ads-featuring-overweight-kids-spark-controversy-georgia-article-1.1000142

The beatings continue
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/02/china-zimbabwe-workers-abuse

Aretha's getting married again
http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/aretha-franklin-engaged-longtime-friend-william-wilkerson-pregnant-article-1.999928

That's enough of a morning's info...see you later.

Is It 2012 Yet?

It is? Seems just like 2011. Except for dragging my ass, a big mess in my house, the pile of things in the sink and the cleaning out of carbohydrates from my abode. All signs that Something Has Happened.

My friend Kathleen brought her spare keyboard to me, so that minor miracle made life a bit easier. This was a lost weekend otherwise. People in and out, much drinking and eating, too much fun and no fun insurance. I can't bear listening to anything or even talking. I'm so tired I don't care about the used paper plates in my bookcases. I'll get to them tomorrow. Red wine kills, don't let them tell you different!

The Beest has been sleeping all day. She was everybody's darling yesterday. Though only about half the people I expected showed up; this was one holiday season that went on for a long time. I'm relieved that I can hunker down in my Hobbit house and won't be entertaining for a few months. It's exhausting! My brain hurts! My everything hurts!

Back to normal tomorrow. Happy new beginnings, everyone... ah, my bed awaits.