Now I'm getting weird stuff thru Monster.com -- gotta watch this stuff -- don't need spam crap. I talked to EDD last week - he was actually very sympathetic. I told him the situation and what happened. He asked if Keenan had a problem with my collecting EDD - I told him that they'd told me to contact EDD regarding my benefits as I was entitled. I hope to get a check this week. Then I should get the next one next week as I'll send the paperwork right back to 'em. I get paid as submitted until I'm caught up. Boy, won't that be nice?
Since it looks like lunch with the girls may be cancelled - maybe I'll take Sophie up Mt Rubidoux this a.m. after all.
We have fires everywhere - it's early this year. Before the Santa Ana's tho so that's good...sort of. The smoke is just hovering everywhere but the flames aren't travelling as far nor anywhere near as fast. Maybe the animals will be able to get out safely. Heaven knows what they'll do when all this is over....there's no rain around here til January.
I'm having lunch with Carl tomorrow - gonna sell some more jam for Jill's dog rescue. I forgot to give Anne the cash last week when we met for movies and lunch. I'll drop it off to Jill at work this week, need be. Or maybe I'll write the check and get the credit on my taxes - I definitely need to do that. She did give me credit for the last $105 I gave her -- I should get a notice from the Mission Valley Animal Rescue in Costa Mesa for 2009 taxes.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
New Day - 8-30-09
Starting over with the hype on the job -- Sedgwick fell thru. Maybe the psyche test since I took it what, 5 days after being fired. I think my brain was probably toast. I did email Donna to ask her to critique my interview. Maybe that'll help next time around.
I'm half considering taking the Health Markets job. It'd probably be a good idea - meet lots of new people, sell 'em what they need anyway and make $$ doing it. Gotta be better than dealing with the deadlines and creature-features of work comp in CA. And 10 years vested brings big $$'s and I love ESOP type money. I'd have to resume putting $$ in my IRA but that's not a big deal -- or I could put it into my small cap fund. Course, I'd have to expand that a lot -- IRA would be better and it would be a Roth since it'd be after taxes.
I'm also going to get my Notary Public - it's only $70 or so and that's a little extra cash to bring in. Maybe I'll find out how much it costs to get bonded & licensed to pet sit/dog walk. It'd still get me out of the house, meet new people and I could potentially do all 3 jobs and still have time for me.
My attitude must be getting better - I had an emotional meltdown last week when I saw the girls on Wed. I took them their oranges and took back a huge rack of guilt -- and I'm not the guilty one. That sucked. Today I spent the day with David Attenborough -- my favorite naturalist of all time. I love our planet and it's wonderful diversity of life.
But back to the not guilty thing -- this whole BS started back with Sue Lemerandes file and Mt SJCCD trying to screw her out of her benefits.
First they send a letter 12-23 knowing she won't get it until after everyone's left for the holiday -- saying she was out of benefits on 1-9. Well, we figured it out and they were trying to short her at least 6 weeks of TD benefits under Ed Code. I sent a letter asking them to clarify and whoa -- I was right.
Then, due to a multitude of F'ups - hers, Dr Uppals and Mt SJCCD's -- they wouldn't take her back on the 39 month rehire list. (this is all back in 2006). Dr Tyler said it had to her 'specific job' or they didn't have to honor it. Well, then she applied for a bunch of jobs around the area - remember now - this was the height of the job boom -- and she couldn't find a thing. No one would even interview her. (are you reading between the lines??) She sold her house (or, more likely, walked away from it) and moved out of CA. I got an email thanking me for being nice and taking care of her -- I responded with I was glad she was back on her feet and that I'd been concerned about how she was treated by her employer.
Well - that was a mistake. Her attorney filed a 132a months after she left CA and won! Go figure. Well, MSJCCD read that email and accused me of telling her to file the 132a. WTF is that about??? She had an attorney, she was long gone from CA, she'd already settled her claim and why would I do that? That doesn't make sense. Her atty has an MD and ESQ -- is he not smart enough to figure it out himself??
Well, they wrote a letter to Keenan accusing me of telling her to file it - they wrote me up to appease MSJCCD (god forbid that maybe someone should stick up for me -- we did have the offending email after all). I did respond to the write up with my version of what happened but.... (Oct 08 by the way)
Then we have now. Let's see -- Jan 09-- I get the ACEUSA project files (15 or so) - biweekly meetings while I'm trying to settle them. My caseload is over 160 but it's not a big deal. April Cara goes out sick -- we get a temp - she's good. Not a big deal (Linda Gardner) to us. June -- let's have a meeting. Murrieta Valley USD isn't happy about the temp nor is PUSD -- and what Christina gets, Judy gets and vv. Well, Vicki can take those on -- unofficially at least til 7-1....along with the other 160+ files -- that takes my unofficial count over 212. Hmmm. I have Becky as asst on those 2 accounts and my wonderful Mel on the others. Jaime still has my ACEUSA files. I get to keep track of all of that.
Mind- I have new losses coming in cause school's ending. I have Christina emailing me about new claims, old claims, statuses etc. I'm freaked out cause J & H made such a big deal about those two I'm practically afraid to talk to them. J says - if you get too stressed let me know, except her door's always closed and H is constantly asking about AMA, opinions, ideas and talking her g'baby crap etc. A little extra stress cause I didn't have enough already.
Then, 7-15 rolls around -- my Redlands files are with Sil finally - I keep getting calls on 'em tho. I get a new stress claim from VVUHSD -- Lisa and I are on the phone for over an hour about it. It's good faith personnel action and will be denied. It's the Dir of School Svcs - directly under Herb (V Sup'tnt). A potential political nightmare.
My asst Becky is now on 2 wks vacation and I have not been given anyone to help out. Amanda volunteered but the emails still come to me. Sandra had been promoted, as of 7-1, to MO -- she doesn't want it. They give it to Pam (yay) as of 7-15 I think -- she goes on 2 wks vacation cause her husband is having surgery. I have no issues with that, in itself, but I'm getting MO calls, status emails and people constantly asking for help with stuff.
We have a conf call on 7-22 about IW and Herb asks that we contact the MD's (read me) about keeping her off til 7-28 cause he's at a conf 7-23 & 7-24 and he needs to talk to her about her new job duties (or the lack thereof). Since neither supv nor mgr says anything about this personnel issue vs medical issue (MD had rrtw on 7-23 full duty) I called MD's ofc. Well, they told IW that it was my idea that she be off til 7-28. I explained 'no' it was her employers request. So then she asks why. I said we were concerned about what looked to be a lack of treatment considering her ongoing symptoms (PR2) She then asks 'what if I go get a new rrtw for 7-23?' - I tell her ' it's not my business to tell you but you'll be sent home on paid leave'. All goes silent for a moment then she starts talking again - frankly, I have a MD appt of my own in 15 minutes so I tell her that I hate to be rude but I really have to leave for my own appt and that I'd call her in the a.m. if she still wanted to talk some more.
I then called Louis Rocha really quick to tell him I'd resend his paperwork (he'd called back while I was on the phone) and he told me to get outta there, I was late for my appt. I laughed and hung up.
Oh look - is this a personnel issue or medical? It should never have been given to me to call the MD's ofc to begin with -- it was all personnel and should've been handled as personnel. My Lisa was on vacation and wasn't there to run interference -- she feels bad, Herb feels bad and I got fired. WTF again.
I'm feeling a little blackballed myself here -- we'll see how it goes but when I get a job going, I'll be filing my own 132a cause this whole thing is BS.
Just my opinion but there it is.
I'm half considering taking the Health Markets job. It'd probably be a good idea - meet lots of new people, sell 'em what they need anyway and make $$ doing it. Gotta be better than dealing with the deadlines and creature-features of work comp in CA. And 10 years vested brings big $$'s and I love ESOP type money. I'd have to resume putting $$ in my IRA but that's not a big deal -- or I could put it into my small cap fund. Course, I'd have to expand that a lot -- IRA would be better and it would be a Roth since it'd be after taxes.
I'm also going to get my Notary Public - it's only $70 or so and that's a little extra cash to bring in. Maybe I'll find out how much it costs to get bonded & licensed to pet sit/dog walk. It'd still get me out of the house, meet new people and I could potentially do all 3 jobs and still have time for me.
My attitude must be getting better - I had an emotional meltdown last week when I saw the girls on Wed. I took them their oranges and took back a huge rack of guilt -- and I'm not the guilty one. That sucked. Today I spent the day with David Attenborough -- my favorite naturalist of all time. I love our planet and it's wonderful diversity of life.
But back to the not guilty thing -- this whole BS started back with Sue Lemerandes file and Mt SJCCD trying to screw her out of her benefits.
First they send a letter 12-23 knowing she won't get it until after everyone's left for the holiday -- saying she was out of benefits on 1-9. Well, we figured it out and they were trying to short her at least 6 weeks of TD benefits under Ed Code. I sent a letter asking them to clarify and whoa -- I was right.
Then, due to a multitude of F'ups - hers, Dr Uppals and Mt SJCCD's -- they wouldn't take her back on the 39 month rehire list. (this is all back in 2006). Dr Tyler said it had to her 'specific job' or they didn't have to honor it. Well, then she applied for a bunch of jobs around the area - remember now - this was the height of the job boom -- and she couldn't find a thing. No one would even interview her. (are you reading between the lines??) She sold her house (or, more likely, walked away from it) and moved out of CA. I got an email thanking me for being nice and taking care of her -- I responded with I was glad she was back on her feet and that I'd been concerned about how she was treated by her employer.
Well - that was a mistake. Her attorney filed a 132a months after she left CA and won! Go figure. Well, MSJCCD read that email and accused me of telling her to file the 132a. WTF is that about??? She had an attorney, she was long gone from CA, she'd already settled her claim and why would I do that? That doesn't make sense. Her atty has an MD and ESQ -- is he not smart enough to figure it out himself??
Well, they wrote a letter to Keenan accusing me of telling her to file it - they wrote me up to appease MSJCCD (god forbid that maybe someone should stick up for me -- we did have the offending email after all). I did respond to the write up with my version of what happened but.... (Oct 08 by the way)
Then we have now. Let's see -- Jan 09-- I get the ACEUSA project files (15 or so) - biweekly meetings while I'm trying to settle them. My caseload is over 160 but it's not a big deal. April Cara goes out sick -- we get a temp - she's good. Not a big deal (Linda Gardner) to us. June -- let's have a meeting. Murrieta Valley USD isn't happy about the temp nor is PUSD -- and what Christina gets, Judy gets and vv. Well, Vicki can take those on -- unofficially at least til 7-1....along with the other 160+ files -- that takes my unofficial count over 212. Hmmm. I have Becky as asst on those 2 accounts and my wonderful Mel on the others. Jaime still has my ACEUSA files. I get to keep track of all of that.
Mind- I have new losses coming in cause school's ending. I have Christina emailing me about new claims, old claims, statuses etc. I'm freaked out cause J & H made such a big deal about those two I'm practically afraid to talk to them. J says - if you get too stressed let me know, except her door's always closed and H is constantly asking about AMA, opinions, ideas and talking her g'baby crap etc. A little extra stress cause I didn't have enough already.
Then, 7-15 rolls around -- my Redlands files are with Sil finally - I keep getting calls on 'em tho. I get a new stress claim from VVUHSD -- Lisa and I are on the phone for over an hour about it. It's good faith personnel action and will be denied. It's the Dir of School Svcs - directly under Herb (V Sup'tnt). A potential political nightmare.
My asst Becky is now on 2 wks vacation and I have not been given anyone to help out. Amanda volunteered but the emails still come to me. Sandra had been promoted, as of 7-1, to MO -- she doesn't want it. They give it to Pam (yay) as of 7-15 I think -- she goes on 2 wks vacation cause her husband is having surgery. I have no issues with that, in itself, but I'm getting MO calls, status emails and people constantly asking for help with stuff.
We have a conf call on 7-22 about IW and Herb asks that we contact the MD's (read me) about keeping her off til 7-28 cause he's at a conf 7-23 & 7-24 and he needs to talk to her about her new job duties (or the lack thereof). Since neither supv nor mgr says anything about this personnel issue vs medical issue (MD had rrtw on 7-23 full duty) I called MD's ofc. Well, they told IW that it was my idea that she be off til 7-28. I explained 'no' it was her employers request. So then she asks why. I said we were concerned about what looked to be a lack of treatment considering her ongoing symptoms (PR2) She then asks 'what if I go get a new rrtw for 7-23?' - I tell her ' it's not my business to tell you but you'll be sent home on paid leave'. All goes silent for a moment then she starts talking again - frankly, I have a MD appt of my own in 15 minutes so I tell her that I hate to be rude but I really have to leave for my own appt and that I'd call her in the a.m. if she still wanted to talk some more.
I then called Louis Rocha really quick to tell him I'd resend his paperwork (he'd called back while I was on the phone) and he told me to get outta there, I was late for my appt. I laughed and hung up.
Oh look - is this a personnel issue or medical? It should never have been given to me to call the MD's ofc to begin with -- it was all personnel and should've been handled as personnel. My Lisa was on vacation and wasn't there to run interference -- she feels bad, Herb feels bad and I got fired. WTF again.
I'm feeling a little blackballed myself here -- we'll see how it goes but when I get a job going, I'll be filing my own 132a cause this whole thing is BS.
Just my opinion but there it is.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Day 3
Except I skipped a few days - don't know why - just did.
Well, First Comp has a position in Henderson, NV. I'd have to sell the house and move -- way more work than it could possibly benefit me. I'm still hoping for the Sedgwick job -- would be way close to home and I liked the people I met when I was there. A large company and growing with lots of room to move.
I have 2 interviews next Tuesday- 8-25 -- unk why insurance sales folks are looking for me. Feels weird. Unless I really like something, selling it just isn't my thing. We'll see. One's in Ontario and one's in Murrieta. The Ontario one is only 22 miles - Murrietas 40. Thinking I know which one I'd more interested in either way. And frankly, I doubt I could live on commission.
Still haven't seen part II of the EDD issue. I sent in my first 2 weeks paperwork back on 8-10 and still haven't rec'd the 2nd part. I'm guessing it'll show up after the 8-27 interview -- and then it'll be turned around asap so they'll pay me 2 checks PDQ. Or they better. I have the governor's email.
I'm still considering that 132a too -- and temping. Neither of which smokes my shorts but if I have to, I have to.
Kathy & I were talking about a website to help with questions for IWs too. More of a question and answer blog vs a FAQ. It's hard to FAQ if you don't know what you're looking for and frankly, I&A isn't too helpful most of the time. All they'll tell you is to get an atty and all that does is cost you anywhere from 12 - 20% of your Award. And they don't do anything for you in the meantime.
Kismet's living in the pen -- I think she has a tumor in her head. She's doing okay - doesn't seem to be in any pain. I'm just afraid if she's out, she'll either fall and hurt herself or she'll end up getting killed by one of the stray dogs around here like the little white feral kitten did 4 wks ago. She deserves better than that - she deserves dignity when she goes.
Punkin still has her issues too - her teeth are just rotten with that autoimmune problem she has. She's been hiding out with the tortoises most of the time -- must feel safe back there. Popeye doesn't bug tho so it's no biggie.
Big Momma still isn't eating enough -- she's so light. She's done 2 stints of meds and her URI is still the pits. At least she is eating some tho. And I'm soaking her whenever I see her out of her hole. She also deserves better in life - she's over 40 - which for a desert tortoise is in the prime of her life. At least little Swee' Pea seems to be doing well. She laid a couple of eggs back on 6-27 so I'm keeping an eye out. There was only one that was viable when I dug the little hole for it -- she didn't seem interested in the one place that she could dig that far down. So I dug it for her after she laid it - unk how long it was in the sun tho. Won't know til Oct or so.
My life right now is vascilating between hope and despair -- it's gotta get better. At least my 401k looks better now. It just needs a new home so I can go back to feeding it regularly.
I told my friend Lorrie I'd get back to painting too -maybe tomorrow. Today's movies and munchies with my friend Anne. She said I needed to get out of the house. Her treat - I'll catch back to her when I'm settled into $$ again. It's been too hot out to paint anyway, the paint just dries up before you get a chance to use it. I do want to paint the backyard tho - it's so pretty right now. It's been the coolest August on record (which, frankly scares the crap out of me - global climate change is definitely going on) so the roses are very happy. I even had a few irises flower this month-- really bizarre. I still have Peruvian Daffodils up too.
Ah well, off the feed the little feral kitties since nothing good showed up in the mail. Then it's off to the movies and stuff - gonna go check out Anne's new place and meet her new dog, Sydney. She's been really good for Rookie - as a doggie friend and companion. I'm so glad Anne took Rookie - turned out to be just what the big wookie needed.
Well, First Comp has a position in Henderson, NV. I'd have to sell the house and move -- way more work than it could possibly benefit me. I'm still hoping for the Sedgwick job -- would be way close to home and I liked the people I met when I was there. A large company and growing with lots of room to move.
I have 2 interviews next Tuesday- 8-25 -- unk why insurance sales folks are looking for me. Feels weird. Unless I really like something, selling it just isn't my thing. We'll see. One's in Ontario and one's in Murrieta. The Ontario one is only 22 miles - Murrietas 40. Thinking I know which one I'd more interested in either way. And frankly, I doubt I could live on commission.
Still haven't seen part II of the EDD issue. I sent in my first 2 weeks paperwork back on 8-10 and still haven't rec'd the 2nd part. I'm guessing it'll show up after the 8-27 interview -- and then it'll be turned around asap so they'll pay me 2 checks PDQ. Or they better. I have the governor's email.
I'm still considering that 132a too -- and temping. Neither of which smokes my shorts but if I have to, I have to.
Kathy & I were talking about a website to help with questions for IWs too. More of a question and answer blog vs a FAQ. It's hard to FAQ if you don't know what you're looking for and frankly, I&A isn't too helpful most of the time. All they'll tell you is to get an atty and all that does is cost you anywhere from 12 - 20% of your Award. And they don't do anything for you in the meantime.
Kismet's living in the pen -- I think she has a tumor in her head. She's doing okay - doesn't seem to be in any pain. I'm just afraid if she's out, she'll either fall and hurt herself or she'll end up getting killed by one of the stray dogs around here like the little white feral kitten did 4 wks ago. She deserves better than that - she deserves dignity when she goes.
Punkin still has her issues too - her teeth are just rotten with that autoimmune problem she has. She's been hiding out with the tortoises most of the time -- must feel safe back there. Popeye doesn't bug tho so it's no biggie.
Big Momma still isn't eating enough -- she's so light. She's done 2 stints of meds and her URI is still the pits. At least she is eating some tho. And I'm soaking her whenever I see her out of her hole. She also deserves better in life - she's over 40 - which for a desert tortoise is in the prime of her life. At least little Swee' Pea seems to be doing well. She laid a couple of eggs back on 6-27 so I'm keeping an eye out. There was only one that was viable when I dug the little hole for it -- she didn't seem interested in the one place that she could dig that far down. So I dug it for her after she laid it - unk how long it was in the sun tho. Won't know til Oct or so.
My life right now is vascilating between hope and despair -- it's gotta get better. At least my 401k looks better now. It just needs a new home so I can go back to feeding it regularly.
I told my friend Lorrie I'd get back to painting too -maybe tomorrow. Today's movies and munchies with my friend Anne. She said I needed to get out of the house. Her treat - I'll catch back to her when I'm settled into $$ again. It's been too hot out to paint anyway, the paint just dries up before you get a chance to use it. I do want to paint the backyard tho - it's so pretty right now. It's been the coolest August on record (which, frankly scares the crap out of me - global climate change is definitely going on) so the roses are very happy. I even had a few irises flower this month-- really bizarre. I still have Peruvian Daffodils up too.
Ah well, off the feed the little feral kitties since nothing good showed up in the mail. Then it's off to the movies and stuff - gonna go check out Anne's new place and meet her new dog, Sydney. She's been really good for Rookie - as a doggie friend and companion. I'm so glad Anne took Rookie - turned out to be just what the big wookie needed.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Saturday - day 2
Sophie and I went up Mt Rubidoux this a.m. - she sure does enjoy the smells and sights of everybody who'd been there before us. Still waiting for that phone call saying "can you start on Monday?". I'm so ready for that.
In the meantime, gonna do some yard work, run some errands and get down to business here. My friend Kathy and I are looking at doing some sort of web work with work comp- maybe answering those questions that I&A never seem to get around to returning calls on. I told those girls "information & assistance" means info and assisting...not ignoring or saying 'get an attorney'. Most questions and concerns can be answered without an IW losing 12-18% to an atty who's just going to prolong the file and cause them no end of grief...and the possible loss of their jobs. How stupid is that. And it's all so they can get their $$ and keep their businesses afloat.
We'll see - we're still in discussion stages. Apparently my blog is hard to find so I'll have to figure out how to make it more accessible.
In the meantime, gonna do some yard work, run some errands and get down to business here. My friend Kathy and I are looking at doing some sort of web work with work comp- maybe answering those questions that I&A never seem to get around to returning calls on. I told those girls "information & assistance" means info and assisting...not ignoring or saying 'get an attorney'. Most questions and concerns can be answered without an IW losing 12-18% to an atty who's just going to prolong the file and cause them no end of grief...and the possible loss of their jobs. How stupid is that. And it's all so they can get their $$ and keep their businesses afloat.
We'll see - we're still in discussion stages. Apparently my blog is hard to find so I'll have to figure out how to make it more accessible.
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