November 20, 2022

Okay, no one's posted anything about it. PTSD shock?

I've been to that club, once, on a visit to my brother in Pueblo. I had a weird experience with that: some little group was hanging out at the driveway to that club, jumped out and snapped a pic of the back of my car.
When I mentioned this to someone in the club, he replied "Oh that's just Focus on Other People's Family zombies. You're officially on their petition to some cruel diety to send you to hell now." "OIC."
There's not a shadow of doubt this was a RW, and possibly "religion motivated" hate crime and many who call themselves "Xtian" also have blood spatter all over them.

October 26, 2022

The cutoff generation. You may find yourself squirming a bit.

I'm part of the next wave of retirees. I'm probably going to be forced to take my social security a little early due to recent cancer diagnosis. And I'm screwed, after countless occasions of being screwed.
Even towards the 80's it was becoming the norm for corporate entities to eject most employees before they become retirement responsibilities. I also joined the "gig" generation long ago that turns over even quicker, but short term gains are significant. It's been those in-between gig times, never able to save up significant amounts, emergencies and more recently medical bills have repeatedly forced me to drain retirement savings.
Most of my retirement funds went to the fund brokers, who charge back exorbitant fees for early withdrawal.
Oh, no you don't go there, older boomer, and I'll tell you why. Those who have fallen under that healthy retirement fund status are the norm of my generation-- not the exception and becoming quickly more the norm. When I've mentioned this in the workplace there are a dozen, in a dozen different work settings Ive gigged for now, drop the pretentious shit ready to chime in about their story of having to empty their own retirement accounts! And a few, very obviously privileged few, that sheepishly excuse themselves from the conversation at hand.
These vultures have stolen enough from me. I do better stashing away the damn cash than those "retirement fund" gambling. If the job market is bad, the rich get richer and working Americans get screwed.
Most of my relatives are of that boomer generation. Bought homes with clean walls long ago I'll never know, and travel the nation and the world on their "pensions". Most are Democrats but I've made mention of "Gee how very Republican of you" countless times from getting an "I got mine, get your own" attitude about my generation. Not for long: it only takes a few highly enlightening, simple, honest economic comparisons can embarrass the holy crap out of them! They soon discover they have something in the oven they gotta go and...
Now there's an important reason I'm mentioning this here. One factor has been Republican presidential administrations--- I've never, unexceptionally, gotten through the end of a Republican presidential administration with a job! Period! My field is very market-driven, and by the time they've gotten done taking the wrecking ball to the working class's world there aren't any gigs. At GWB's end of term it took 6 months, not one opening that didn't garner thousands of applicants. I was draines further than ever. There it is: forced again to blow through assets we worked so hard to scrimp and save beyond much of older boomers imaginations. I recall my older relatives whining about having to cut down on luxuries.
Now, the screwed over generation is getting ready to retire without but only a ramshackle set of belongings, veritably no savings possible for 50 years and barely enough to eek by collection of the social security we paid into. There's not enough to pay for end of life care for most of us.
And now there's the likes of Rick Scrooge trying to steal that.

October 22, 2022

Thank you again generous DU'ers!!!

Headed into Flagstaff to shop, after an overwhelming deposit went into my account from GoFundMe. There was nearly 10X my goal in there!!! I didn't expect that!
It turns out much serendipity to it, via more good news.
Not only will I see my doctor and get tests, but I'm hired for a job starting mid-November! I'll get back on track altogether, then pay off my first hospital bill sooner (the one on low payments but it's a whopper)
I've turned off the donations. It will be more than enough, but greatly advantageous for fixing a number of items in disrepair, obtain Tiago's heartworm chews (one left), and pay rent up front when I start new gig.
Once I'm money ahead enough I'll be certain to return this good karma somehow. It's restored my faith in people that had gotten a bit dark after unexpected layoff.
Thank you again, keep the faith DU'ers!
Let's pray the midterms go well! Screw those MAGA idiots. Just driving around Arizona are some facepalmworthy crazy campaign signs.

October 20, 2022

First good nights sleep in 2 weeks

Quickly losing signal for internet, and I slept in till almost sunrise. Calls come across but after sunrise, internet pages only freeze here.
When I drove into Seligman yesterday there was 3000 dollars in this gofundme and I think I got all the bank transfer stuff set up. I broke out in tears of joy right there outside the library and was glad no one was nearby at that moment.
More, possible good news but I'm not "counting chickens till the eggs hatch": another job prospect may be calling me today. It's a remote place, sort of low pay but low expenses too- but most meaningful is if it happens, now I start from ahead rather than weeks of making up for lost time. Specifically, if I can pay my own rent up front, I pocket the remainder of per diem pay.
And ultimately that means I can save up to: pay the COBRA coverage, get the scope, take recovery time, cover the co-pays and be far more knowing the status of my cancer.
I have to get busy "batting the hatches" of storage here and going through more stuff so it's all ready for winter storage, and listen for the phone.

October 19, 2022

4 a.m., can't sleep

I'm in trouble, sinking under my medical and other expenses.
I paid off one of my hospital bills for my 2nd cancer surgery 2 months ago. It was a bad mistake to do, because as soon as I got to work, I learned I was getting laid off, (essentially, I'm a traveler) in 2 weeks. So, that 2 weeks pay is nearly gone.
I'm just over 200 short of sinking my bank account below zero in about 1 month. Both are medical bills, payment on my first surgery (16.000 after insurance, on payment plan) and my PCP's monthly fee.
My PCP is driving me nuts with his secretary calls that I'm now overdue for tests.
Soon as I get some mail information relayed to me I can finish my social security application. But that's a 6 week gap away once that happens. I thought I'd get work by now, but 2 interviews and still no gig.
I may be able to do some local work but getting there is an expense I dare not do unless it's a multi-tasking trip.
I'm so tired from lack of sleep and trying to deal with depression of trying to get work at 63.
Anyway, any help would be greatly appreciated.
So I set up this gofundme.
https://gofund.me/057a8210
I'm only asking for what I need. 250 will keep my bank account afloat. Another 250 I can go see my doctor and get the u/s and minimal tests he's driving me crazy to get done. 40 gas, 100 motel 6, various road food, etc.
So I set my goal at 500, plenty to do what I need, fresh food and if the best happens- get me to a job site.

October 12, 2022

A stern reminder to MAGA'S

When you go to the polls on November 8th, remember that there was no way Donald Trump could have lost the election unless the voting machines switched the count!
So since Diminion and all the voting machine manufacturers are protected by the Democrats who eat children for dinner, the problem still isn't fixed till you get Donald Trump back in power.
So, remember to select all the Democrats on your machine, that way you'll make sure your fascist MAGA candidates get selected.

October 9, 2022

Jesse Scrooge

Holy moly the double hypocrisy of Jesse's crassly slanted criticism of a government solution, goes straight into waxing nostalgic about incarcerative, strait-jacket government solutions that his representative heroes de-funded long ago.

October 7, 2022

My furry reason for living

https://twitter.com/lambchopp59/status/1572657225835114496?t=8HlB-SgglqZO-LpZHcfiNg&s=19
This is Tiago. Short for Santiago. I adopted this crazy pup 2 years ago before I found out about my bladder cancer. He needs some special care: he was likely wandering the northern California fire zone extensively prior to being captured by Ukiah Animal Control. He does well with humans, seems gentle with children but I've always kept a firm hand ready to pull him back just in case the child does something startling. But he feels challenged and defensive around most other dogs.
I've always been able to handle him, and hopefully I'll out-survive him, but's gonna hafta hafta rotsa ruck.
This may sound depressing: I don't let it all get to me much beyond my worry what happens to this animal. I'm not looking for some flowery sympathy shit, so please don't.
But here goes: I've discovered I can't tolerate the treatments 2 different ways. I've always had multiple sensitivities to medications, compounds and food additives. Secondarily, some of the first procedures done by a poor bedside manner practitioner left me with severe PTSD nightmares long after.
Although I've got some options, and a better practitioner with far better approach and willingness to take some extraordinary measures for me, now I'm between gigs, uninsured and unable to do anything more than hope this stays in some remission state. Even if I pick up work now, it will exceed recommended treatment intervals..
My health improved considerably after the first surgery, and no cancerous tissue was found on the second. Still, it's the nature of the high grade tumors to recur. I'll reiterate: I'm gonna need rotsa rotsa ruck.
For now, Tiago is the only emotional support I have aside from any physical support at my home sweet travel trailer.
If this rotten country had socialized medicine like most of the planet, I wouldn't be in this potentially deadly conundrum. The ultimate irony of it all? I work as traveling ancillary medical staff.
I only hope should the worst happen to me that Tiago goes to someone loving who can accommodate a loving, special needs pupster.
In my present situation, if I have the fatal cardiac or cerebrovascular event where I'm at, he'd probably have to eat me and I likely wouldn't be found for months.
Situation of a long term, widowed traveler. I've accepted my likely grisly potential demise.

September 23, 2022

Kabul mosque bombed

At least 4 dead, motive yet unknown.
😨🙏


https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-kabul-6d6efc909b17b60f52d2f6cc7412f360

September 20, 2022

Undeniably the WORST campaign video ever...

I listened to this just out of curiosity for just how utterly simpleton-appeal banal a "conservative" campaign rap video could be. It's worse than the imagination stretches. Much much worse.
https://www.queerty.com/gay-hating-grandma-announces-run-utah-senate-embarrassing-homophobic-rap-video-20220919#comments