Rant 3,651: Nowhere Man

I was just so busy with work yesterday.

I had to cover this conference, and i worked on it all day through about 7:15 p.m. or so, when I called it quits for the night.

And I am still not done with it, so this Rant is going to be short, as I have to get back to work.

I will tell you that i was so knocked out by this work that not only did I pretty much sleep the night, but i even dreamed of one of the main subjects of the conference--

The Department of Government Efficiency, aka DOGE.

Don't ask. But no, Elon Musk was not part of the dream, thank goodness.

So since this is going to be a short Rant, and while I am still working, how about reading the latest chapter of my novel?

It can't hurt ... can it?

Certainly not as much as my typing fingers do right now.

20

Abraham Lincoln Panim got through that first day, and when his mother arrived home an hour later, she had some good news for him.

“Mr. Praeger will be out for at least the rest of the week, so you are going to sub that class through Friday,” she told him.

“Thanks for letting me know, Mom,” he replied. “I know it is a job, but can I actually have fun while working? Is that something that is OK?”

“Yes it is,” she replied. “If you enjoy your job, if you love your job, it is almost not like a job. It is almost as if you are being paid to do something that you really like to do.”

And the next few days went quickly. He would enter the room, the students would be milling about, and he always saw Melissa talking very actively with a few students surrounding her each and every day.

And each and every day she asked “Mr. Abraham” why he wore a scarf so tightly around his face. And Abraham Lincoln Panim had the same answer for her each and every day: “I don’t want to get sick, because then, you would have a sub for a sub.”

The students didn’t laugh as hard as they did the first time that he said this, but his reply always seemed to quiet the class down, including Melissa, who after hearing his reply, went back to her schoolwork.

The days went by quickly for Abraham Lincoln Panim, and the class was getting to know him better as he was getting to know them.

Mr. Praeger had called in a few assignments for the class to do while he was convalescing, and “Mr. Abraham” and the class got through them.

Melissa and the other students would ask at times why “Mr. Abraham” wore his scarf all the time, but other than that, everything went pretty well with the students.

Although Abraham Lincoln Panim had vowed not to go to the teacher’s room ever again after his previous episode with Mr. Sedall, he decided late in the week to give it another try, and at lunch, he lumbered over to the room, opened the door, and sat in the same place on the same couch that he used during his previous time there.

He just planned to sit there quietly, eat his lunch, and go back to his class after lunch.

Again, a group of teachers were chatting amongst themselves, and again, Mr. Sedall broke away from the group and sat next to “Mr. Abraham” as he had done the previous time.

“You know, it is easier to eat your lunch if you take the scarf off your face,” Mr. Sedall said.

“Well … I keep the scarf on because of germs,” Abraham Lincoln Panim said. “I guess I am something of a—“

“Something of a rat-faced guy?” the teacher asked, as the other teachers in the room laughed as Abraham Lincoln Panim pulled his scarf up even tighter over his face.

“We did some snooping around. You are Mrs. Panim’s kid, and we remember that when you were born, you looked just like a rat,” said the teacher. “Do you still look like that? I guess it is good to be the principal’s son. How else would you get this job, or ANY job?”

The other teachers laughed as Abraham Lincoln Panim got up, took his lunch, and proceeded back to his classroom, entering it, closing the door, and sitting at his desk.

He vowed right then and there, once again, to not tell his mother what had happened, but he learned a lesson:

“I will not go into that room with the other teachers ever again,” he said to himself. “I am going to make this work.”

Friday came, and the day began as any other day did, with the class roll being taken, and more and more students were answering that they were present. “Mr. Abraham” was beginning to recognize names, so even if they didn’t answer, he had a good sense of who was there and who was not.

An extra bonus on this particular Friday was that on Monday, there was no school, as it was a day off leading to several other days off during the winter mid-semester break.

The school would be closed a week, and Abraham Lincoln Panim would have a full week to feel good about what he was doing, and a full week to find out where he was needed in the school next.

Rant #3,650: The Way

President Trump delivered an incredible speech on Tuesday evening, and polls say that more than two-thirds of Americans liked what he said.

The Democrats demonstrated what a nasty bunch most of them really are with their behavior, and the Republicans--whether you believe them or not--seem to be more in tune with our country's needs, wants and desires.

The Democrats showed their true personality when they did not stand up and cheer that young cancer survivor, who was made an  honorary Secret Service agent by the president.

But the president also made a major gaffe, not acknowledging the presence of Israeli citizens who were taken hostage during that horrible situation in the Middle East.

The president acknowledged just about every special guest that was there, but not the Israelis, who went through months of capture and torture until they were finally released.

Some of those present were parents of now dead hostages, some had dual American/Israeli citizenship, and his speech barely spoke about this conflict, only mentioning Israel related to an "Iron Dome" type of protection the president wants for our country, much like the one employed in Israel.

I expected more, but it wasn't coming.

But the Democrats really demonstrated to the country how miserable they are, and they showed maximum disrespect to the president and the process with their collective behavior.

Not that the president's behavior when he lost to Biden was anything to write home about.

In my estimation, while it wasn't a perfect situation, the president said more that I liked than I didn't like--much more, in fact--and now, he has just one, single term to fulfill his many promises.

And the Democrats' rebuttal went over the usual nonsense about the Republicans brown-nosing the rich, but nobody in the chamber on Tuesday night can be called "poor"--not with the salary and the perks they get for being elected to office, and some are extremely wealthy--so this argument is a bogus one.

And perhaps it is time to lessen the belief that yes, our country is very divided; even in the chamber, the Democrats sit on one side, the Republicans on the other.

i have a suggestion to at least make the general public believe that our legislators are in it for the same purpose:

Rather than sit the Democrats on one side and the Democrats on the other, sit the legislators not by party, but by state.

This would enable both Democrats and Republicans to sit side by side with each other, and lessen the belief that both parties are out for their own interests, and not the interests of the American people.

Maybe it will even force them to talk to each other, like the responsible people they are supposed to be.

No, I dont fully trust any of these legislators-Democrats nor Republicans--and that is why I didn't vote for either of their presidential choices.

Yes, I know, my suggestion will never happen, but I think it is a nice thought.

"United we stand, divided we fall."

Rant #3,649: Down Town

This cloud over me gets thicker every day.

We met with one of my son's counselors, and while it was a good conversation, it didn't lead to any solid job leads, although the counselor did say she would look into one possibility and get back to us if anything transpired.

I am still having residual problems with the aftermath of that prostate procedure that I had in November.

I had a bad episide on Sunday afternoon, after weeks of minor problems.

The doctor tells me that what I am going through might not be "visibly" pleasing, but medically, I am OK.

Beyond that, he cannot do anything for me, but I am on pills for an enlarged prostate.

You know, regarding this problem, i don't know which way is up anymore, and I don't know who to believe and to not believe.

I don't have to see this doctor until early June, so I expect to see not only an improvement, but a full recovery during the next three months 

That is what I expect, but it might not be what i get ...

Who knows?

And during the past couple of days, I have experienced an on again/off again pain in my upper teeth on the left side of my mouth.

It comes and goes, but it was coming more than it was going yesterday morning, so I called my dentist, and they told me he had no appointments open until Monday, as he was going away for a few days.

They said they would call back if anything opened up, and happily, an apppintment on Tuesday afternoon became open, so I grabbed it.

Unfortunately, after taking x-rays and visibly checking out my teeth, his belief is that they evidently shifted, putting pressure on that part of my mouth. 

I need a crown, but as with everything in my life, it ain't easy.

I had to come back to the office at a later time yesterday for a cleaning, which the dentist said would remove some of the pressure.

It did not, only making my teeth and that side of my mouth and face even more sore than it was.

It takes four to six weeks to get approval for a crown from my insurance company--what costs they will cover, what costs they won't cover--so I have to wait for a crown--a temporary crown--to be inserted into my mouth, which cannot be done until April.

And then the permanent crown can't be put in my mouth until May--

So this entire procedure is going to take about two and a half months to complete 

And you wonder why I am so miserable.

The only thing going good for me right now is that lesion on my face that was removed a week ago is healing pretty nicely, thank goodness.

I watched most of the President's speech last night. I am no Trump fan at this point in time, but I have to say that that was some speech.

It was more of a pep rally than anything else.

I found myself agreeing with much of what he said, and I do believe that he proved his main point: Joe Biden was a terrible and very weak president, and he let things go that he should have taken care of with America's best interests at heart.

I still have to wonder where people like my family and I fit into all of this.

For instance, he delved very lightly into why groceries are so highly priced, but I don't see any solutions on the horizon in the near future.

He keeps on talking about removing the Social Security tax, but talk appears to ne cheap, as he only has talked about it ... with the myriad of  executive orders he has signed, I don't see the rescinding of the tax among those orders, even though he keeps on bringing the subject up ad infinitum.

But overall, the speech was a good one.

Now, if his speech could really help my wife, my son and myself, that would be something to truly applaud.

But right now with my family and I, it is truly one hand clapping.

Rant #3,648: What, Me Worry?

Another day of nothing ...

But things are going to pick up by the end of the week, as I have another one of those dastardly meetings to cover for work.

I was speaking to my wife over the weekend, and we were talking about our work situations--

As supposedly "retired" people.

My wife actually officially retired, but found that she was bored, but more importantly, missed her weekly paycheck.

Me, I was forced to retire, but have really never stopped working, and probably can't --

And won't, for as long as I can do it.

But we agreed that at this stage of the game, we wish we could really be retired, like other people do, with their only concerns being ...

Well not much, pretty much none at all.

We aren't looking at the jobs we have unkindly; never look a gift horse in the mouth.

But we wish we could just actually be retired, but that doesn't seem to be possible.

In fact, we plan on going on our first vacation in a couple of years later this year, and like the previous two or so vacations we did manage to take, it won't be a "real" vacation for me, as I will have my laptop with me and will have to work for the duration of our time away.

No work, no pay ... this is a vacation?

How ironic that while the two of us wish we could live out our supposed retirement years like we should be doing--as honest to goodness retired people--our son is just looking for a chance at the start of a real career.

It is just so funny, but so sad at the same time.

Again--and I know I have repeated this a million times already--I have no clue what retirement means, no clue at all.

All that I do know is that what I have experienced for the past several years cannot possibly be what retirement is all about.

If you are enjoying your retirement, bully for you.

My wife and I aren't, and we worry about our son and his future employment prognosis--

So what, me worry?

You bet I do, every day, all the time.

Rant #3,647: Another Day

This looks to be a very light week for myself and my son.

There appears to be no job-related appointments for my son this week, but we are always on the lookout for something ... anything ... to obtain better employment for him.

At the end of last week, I signed him up for a job fair based locally, but it isn't until April, and I am hoping that he might have something by then, as he was just approved for one organization's programs, and maybe at long last, they can help him in his job pursuit.

But I kind of think we are in the long haul for this goal, and we are just going to have to grit our teeth and keep our eyes and ears open for any possible leads.

We recently found one, a hotel that is going up near us and should be ready by early summer.

Of course, we had to submit my son's resume online, which we did, but the overall site would not take his information, as its "Submit" button did not work.

I tried to do this on several different devices and through several different browsers, but the site would not accept my son's information.

I cintacted the company about the problem--all I will say is that it is an international hotelier whose name starts with the letter "H"--and they sent me back a form "FAQ" letter which did not adxress, in any way, shape or form, the problem with their site.

i immediately sent them back another communication, where I was a bit more direct, telling them to "stop being so lazy" and getting a technician to fix their site.

They finally got back to me this morning, admitted to the problem with their site, and said they would be working on it and would alert me when the problem was taken care of.

Me, this nobody from Long Island, telling an international hotelier that their site doesn't work--imagine how many people around the world have been as frustrated as I was, but just let it go--

And how many talented people just threw up their hands and gave up.

And how many talented people this company let fall through their fingers because of their utter imbecility.

That being said, even if the site worked to the letter, I also have to be realistic about the whole thing. 

Somewhere around 75 percent of people in my son's special needs category are unemployed, and right now, he is almost lucky to have his one day/four hours of work to go to each week.

But long term, that certainly isn't going to cut it.

My son is 29 years old. He has a lifetime of work ahead of him, if someone will simply give him a chance.

This whole situation is not only unfair, it is upsetting beyond belief.

Special needs people can do so much, and have so much to offer--

If someone would give them a chance.

On the newest season of "Survivor," there is actually a special needs contestant.

She is autistic--which my son is not--but obviously a high performer, and she stated that she tries as best as she can to not let her autism hold her back.

She has told just one other contestant about her affliction--she is worried about the stigma she might exoerience if all the contestants knew--and she has also told him about what to do if she tells him that she is overwhelmed--hold her hands tight.

It will relieve whatever pressure she might have.

As I said, my son is not autistic, but he does have some other things to deal with.

Since he has been working since he is 15 years of age, one thing he shouldn't be worrying about is finding a job.

Maybe Elon Musk can take a break from firing so many seemingly competent people and find places for people like my son to work.

I think that that would show just how "efficient" he really is.