NoJoMo – Page 10

3

Once again, this is kinda incomplete. A result of getting home late, not being able to write during the day.
Since I email these back and forth to myself, I game mysel the subject of “Tres Commas,” since it’s the third.
Mmmmm. Tequila. Silicon Valley.
Yes, this could be a good weekend once the new season is out.
Onto today’s prompt….
Biggest challenge you have faced so far?
It would be easy for me to say, “Multiple Sclerosis,” but that’s not entirely true.
The MS, atop the thorough fucking I’ve taken by several jobs, makes it tough.
The employment experience before this one, and the ultimate lack of success therein, I will say is partially my fault.
That one, the combination of health problems landed me in the hospital thrice during the fifteen months I was there; a night in September, two in October, two more in June.
At the same time, I was so out-of-it after the situation with MSC and CACI, that maybe I didn’t really care anymore. Maybe in a way, I still don’t.
There was no reason I should have seen my salary return to what it’d been in 2006 at the behest of a criminal. I accepted the job, because it was the only thing available, and we needed the money. If someone hears from him in Federal Pound-Me-In-The-Ass prison in Texas, ask him if he’s proud of himself.
So, despite a serious lack of compensation, I’ve kept working. II’ve done what I needed to do to try and keep my wife and myself above water.
I am tired, though. Since 2012, I’ve not had a solid week off. When I say, “solid,” I mean time off without concern about where the next paycheck is coming from.
I really don’t feel like writing a lot more about all this, though. The fuck-you-I-got-mine crowd can keep despairing about the 2016 election. I don’t have the energy. It must be nice….
And back to writing now. As I told my wife as she’s pouring over the plans from the Federal Exchange, I think she’s understanding why I was so upset yesterday.
Essentially we’re being forced to accept a plan from my employer knowing full well that my job could end soon, and I’d be on very expensive COBRA.
Bubuhbut you’re supposed to get insurance through your job!!1!
And people who are in comfortable situations are in the fuck-you-I-got-mine mindset.
I just don’t care to deal with them anymore.
Tomorrow?
Free Write

1

Introduction. Why am I doing this, and how long have I been doing it?
This is year eight. Why am I doing it? Well, because it’s something that settles my brain, and gets me ready for the end of the year.
I can look back, and see what I’ve done over the past year, and maybe write a bit about other things on my mind.
In the month of writing leading up to my birthday, I was kind of spiraling. I was unemployed, poor, and trying to decide where to go next. Thankfully, I was able to find work, albeit not what I was hoping for.
But it pays the bills. Sorta.
Things really got knocked askew in May, when we were forced to move out of the place where I’d been living since 2007.
The new place is considerably smaller, but it’s also a lot more expensive. I don’t know that we’ll be staying terribly long.
I admit that I’ve not really put out my prompts for the month. I do have some of the ideas my wife helped me put together stashed aside. I also have some birthdays I’ll write about. ~~Armistice~~Veterans’ Day. Thanksgiving.
Purportedly, Open Diary, where I wrote pretty regularly from 1999 until its closure in 2013, is returning sometime soon. I am also writing on ProseBox.
I think, though, what I’m going to do is end each entry with what I’m going to write about tomorrow.
Do you ever feel conflicted when someone you admire comes under controversy?
Maybe this weekend, I’ll get this better set up. We’ll see. On my lousy blog, my wife may be joining in on the fun.
I would write more, but today’s been incredibly long. I did get my infusion this afternoon, so by the end of the weekend, I expect my energy level to be back to peak.

NoJoMo Ep. Eight

Yes, I am planning to write this November. Yes, I have plenty of writing topics, largely due to my wife’s efforts.
I am weeding through, and trying to decide which ones I’ll use.
Definite targets:
Three free-writes, including 30 November.
Thanksgiving plans.
Thanksgiving recap.
Veternas’ Day.

Sure Happy It's Thursday

Before TGIF, there’s SHI…Thursday.
The second part of the week has already been very trying, and almost resulted in an impromptu resignation by me midday.
If you ask me a question, at least have the common courtesy to let me finish my answer before you start talking.
So, though I resisted hasty action, my choice is as easy as I’ve ever made.
In other news, start of Hampton Roads IT conventioneering has started anew. Blame the obstinance of the Shmoo people, outrageous speed of ticket sales. While I’d grown to appreciate the wintertime trip to the capitol, it’s clear that they’ve no place for someone like me. That’s okay. There’s good things here, despite my resolution to leave once my wife finishes school.
I am a bit concerned about a few things with this, however, and I wonder if I’ll be able to voice them without sounding confrontational. In short — we probably won’t draw any out-of-towners with something in frosty Hampton or Newport News.
On an unrelated note, perhaps I’m now too comfortable with writing in November, and am seeing it negatively affect my output at other times. I applied for a writing gig last week; they want a writing sample. I’ve been putting off writing it, and am considering withdrawing my interest. It’s not very much money, and I don’t think I’d be missing anything by not being a professional blogger.
I mean, I know my blog sucks. So does yours. The level of suckiness varies, but they all ultimately suck. This potential assignment perhaps sucks less than many, but I’m still skeptical about whether I want it.
Unrelated, but something I’m still proud of — I think I was able to better articulate what I’d like to do with my business. You would think that someone who’d bought a ton of letters after his name could artfully describe things, but the proper application of the techniques the game of minesweeper shows, actually make investment in the letters wasteful. Ironic. Sorta like rain on your wedding day.

Sure Happy It’s Thursday

Before TGIF, there’s SHI…Thursday.

The second part of the week has already been very trying, and almost resulted in an impromptu resignation by me midday.

If you ask me a question, at least have the common courtesy to let me finish my answer before you start talking.

So, though I resisted hasty action, my choice is as easy as I’ve ever made.

In other news, start of Hampton Roads IT conventioneering has started anew. Blame the obstinance of the Shmoo people, outrageous speed of ticket sales. While I’d grown to appreciate the wintertime trip to the capitol, it’s clear that they’ve no place for someone like me. That’s okay. There’s good things here, despite my resolution to leave once my wife finishes school.

I am a bit concerned about a few things with this, however, and I wonder if I’ll be able to voice them without sounding confrontational. In short — we probably won’t draw any out-of-towners with something in frosty Hampton or Newport News.

On an unrelated note, perhaps I’m now too comfortable with writing in November, and am seeing it negatively affect my output at other times. I applied for a writing gig last week; they want a writing sample. I’ve been putting off writing it, and am considering withdrawing my interest. It’s not very much money, and I don’t think I’d be missing anything by not being a professional blogger.

I mean, I know my blog sucks. So does yours. The level of suckiness varies, but they all ultimately suck. This potential assignment perhaps sucks less than many, but I’m still skeptical about whether I want it.

Unrelated, but something I’m still proud of — I think I was able to better articulate what I’d like to do with my business. You would think that someone who’d bought a ton of letters after his name could artfully describe things, but the proper application of the techniques the game of minesweeper shows, actually make investment in the letters wasteful. Ironic. Sorta like rain on your wedding day.

NoJoMo 26

Describe what you’re doing for the rest of this year.

At this point, there’s very little I know for certain. There are some facts that’ll affect what happens, but I don’t know the actual course of events.

1. I guess I’ll try to get a Shmoocon ticket. Not terribly amused by their response when I asked how a half-blind guy could get a ticket. Oh, we can pair you up with someone else. Okay, I migh tsee if my wife could help, too. Oh, if your wife is going to help you, kindly go fuck yourself. Thank you!
2. Continuing my three-pronged pushes — ITS757, GS Job, and civilian job(s). The third prong, obviously, includes the crappy situation I’m in right now.
3. ???
4. Profit

Things are still very much up-in-the-air, unfortunately. Maybe something good will happen.

NoJoMo 26

Describe what you’re doing for the rest of this year.

At this point, there’s very little I know for certain. There are some facts that’ll affect what happens, but I don’t know the actual course of events.

Things are still very much up-in-the-air, unfortunately. Maybe something good will happen.

NoJoMo 5

Write about your siblings. Where are they now, what are they doing? When was the last time you saw him/her/them? Are you on good terms?

I have a younger brother, who was actually born in the zip code where I’m now working. There was an oh-wait-a-minute moment when I realized that a few weeks ago. I mean, I was three when he was born, so I don’t remember too much. I guess I pegged his name if he was a boy, though. My mother used to tell stories about how I really wanted them to name him, “Brian.” When they put him on display in the nursery, I guess that was his not-yet-official name tag. My parents didn’t name him that, though.

He is living in Texas, after his wife’s company moved them out there. Cowboys’ fans galore, but you married one, bro.

I guess the last time I would have seen him would have been sometime this summer, before they left the East Coast.

We are on decent terms. High school was tough. He and my longtime high school girlfriend didn’t really get along (well, that was true for she and pretty much everybody else in my family). His high school girlfriend, who he ended up marrying, well, I’ll shuttup. That’s over. His second wife is great, and I’m happy they’re doing well. Even if it is in Dallas.

NoJoMo 5

Write about your siblings. Where are they now, what are they doing? When was the last time you saw him/her/them? Are you on good terms?

He is living in Texas, after his wife’s company moved them out there. Cowboys’ fans galore, but you married one, bro.

I guess the last time I would have seen him would have been sometime this summer, before they left the East Coast.

NoJoMo 4

Since it’s Election Day, when did you first vote? Did you vote today? Have your political opinions changed as you’ve aged?

1999, maybe? There was some weirdness with me getting registered in Virginia, so I think I missed the general election that year. It’s only 1030, and I’m off work. I plan to take my wife, a first-time voter, over this afternoon after my couple of midday meetings. I’ve pretty much made up my mind, and will be voting for candidates from the two political parties. I won’t be voting Libertarian, because, once again, the candidate the LP is running in the biggest race seems more concerned with getting high than doing the basics of governing.

No matter what you think of Bill Clinton or George W. Bush, both were good at making sure the Federal government did the things it was supposed to do. In the past few years, however, that’s gone away. IOW, I won’t be voting to reinforce a Senate leadership who’ve completely punted on the budgeting process. There is one smug guy from the desert to blame.

As for my own political beliefs, yes, there’s been a change. I’ve become a lot more moderate as I’ve aged. One of my friends from college pretty well nailed it when he described government under me — everyone would get what they needed, but nobody would be happy about it. I do have a very egalitarian streak, but I also see the value in following the rules from top to bottom.

On the major issues, I’ve rethought many positions I once held. The latest? Capital punishment. I am now, pretty firmly, against the state having the power to take life. I realize that getting rid of it, completely, would require an amendment to the Constitution.

I support universal health care. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a disaster, though. It’s legislation artfully crafted to try to protect party politicians, while, simultaneously avoiding offending organized labor. Disaster. I still think a single-payer insurance system, with the ability to purchase auxiliary or alternative insurance, and a purely private delivery system is best. Note that that is not a single-provider system like the British NHS, the VA, etc. Roberts’ opining upholding “Obamacare” did not really help resolve the issues. But it did absolutely destroy a misreading of what Congress can do under the Commerce Clause.

I’ve written enough. This afternoon, I’ll go vote against some people, and vote for only one. That’s been the story for me the past few elections.