Another Friday Comes and Goes

Well, we didn't make it to Chicago for the doctor appointments after all. After picking up some prescriptions earlier this week and putting gas in the van, we determined that we had just enough gas to get us there and back and not enough money for parking. At one office the parking's only $5.00, but the other office is twice that. I don't have enough cash for that (and nothing on a card) so I would just have to park on the street. Well, MLM hates that because she fears the van will get sideswiped or something. I think that's more likely in the parking garage since the spaces are so small and the corners so tight. The upshoot is that if we had gone we'd be totally broke with no gas until next Wednesday - sheesh! Anyway, I called, canceled, and rescheduled. Also called the surgeon's office to let them know we'll need to reschedule her surgery too.

So the economy is still getting worse too. What a mess! I read the DOW lost 19% this last week which is the most it's lost in one week in history. Whee - they're breaking records every day! Why? Because there was no oversight on home loans and other investment paper and we invaded Iraq for no reason other than to squander billions of dollars, thousands of young lives, and to insure W got elected to a second term. Well, at least that worked didn't it? Sad to say. We were talking about it a few days ago and realized our lives started heading downhill after 9/11. That's when I had my first layoff from a company that looked as strong a Gibralter, and it's been the same cycle ever since. I guess the one to really blame for where we are now is, ironically, Ralph Nader! If he hadn't screwed up the election in 2000 for Gore things would be a whole lot better today. Oh well. Haven't had a good ol' world-wide depression in 80 years now. I guess we're due.

I'm pulling a lot of DVDs we don't watch anymore and posting them on eBay. The few I did last week sold briskly so I can hopefully scare up some extra cash this way.

Made good progress on the living room today, then made some killer stroganoff for dinner. Then called Kelly to wish her a happy birthday -- had to leave a voice-mail as she was probably out celebrating. Feel pretty crappy that all we could send her this year was a nice e-card. Man, it sucks being broke!

Just finished the bulletin for church on Sunday and mailed it out for approval. I've doing that for MLM lately since it's getting harder for her to type for any length of time. Now we (me really, she's sleeping finally - been awake for about 30 hours) are watching Spirited Away - really love this film. The English dub is excellent and the animation is so natural; particulary for Chihiro, the little girl, her movements and behavior are spot-on for her age. It's a good anime. Recommended by me, to you. Get it? Good.

Gotta go. I'm tired.

Hangin' In

No job as yet. With the economy crashing around the world it's likely that this condition will continue. Gonna have to do bankruptcy to get out from under the infinitely revolving credit cycle. Then did a budget based on my unemployment pay and our basic expenses - rent, utilities, gas, etc. - and found that we're a little over $400 short. Meanwhile, I've got Citifinancial Student Loans climbing all over me for the loans I took out a couple years ago for MBA classes that my Dad co-signed for (so he's getting hassled too!) and since they were privite loans - not gov't - there's no forebearance on these suckers. I'm talking to them and filled out all kinds of forms to put a stop to stuff but no help. Also tried to consolidate them with my Staffords but that's proving to be rather impossible being unemployed and all.

So I spend my days fielding collection calls and informing them of the impending bankruptcy, looking for work online and doing follow-up calls to recruiters, and trying to organize the living room and office area. I should say I ran out of my anti-depressent medication some weeks ago and said, oh I can get along without that 'cause it's so costly. I was wrong. I was spiralling into a great grey funk and being totally immobilized. So I got my meds again last week and things are moving along much better now. What a pain!

MLM and I spend most evenings watching anime - that's really saved us. Now we have to go to Chicago for a couple doctor appointments tomorrow (no today, Friday, it's late) where her dentist will let her know if she can have her surgery on the 20th or not. If she's got dental infections or had recent work, they can't operate on her shoulder. Also, it will be difficult to say the least monetarially if she has the surgery while I'm unemployed since there WILL be lots of extra expenses related to that and for aftercare and recovery. No idea what might be involved there. So, I dunno. We may have to postpone it until I get a job. Damnitalltohell!!

God I'm pissed about all this. The present administration should be taken out and castrated so they can't procreate and then drawn and quartered. I'll help.

Enough for now. This is just a downer, but it helps to talk it out.

Hope. Hang on to Hope.