More on insurance companies are the enemy...

I HATE INSURANCE COMPANIES!!! They are nothing but thieves and liars. They drag you around, change their tune every time you talk to them, blow you off when you try to find something out, then suddenly reappear because they imply YOU are screwing them over and then tell you too bad so sad, you're out of luck.

This damn claim from my burglary ALMOST THREE MONTHS AGO is still not resolved and guess, what, they are saying it's all MY fault. Yeah I asked for someone to break in, still over $12000 worth of stuff, then I told the cops to not bother investigating and told the insurance company to give the the crap run around.

The latest... They called me this week while I was out of town and said, oh by the way, you've not given us any documentation to prove you bought this stuff so we can't give you any money. They tell me I need to produce receipts and produce them fast because my claim is too big. Funny, they told me two months ago, I did not need receipts or photos for clothing. They told me I had to have that stuff for jewelry then proceeded to tell me my policy doesn't cover jewelry so they can't give me but a pittance for it anyhow.

So I called back last night and left a message saying why do they keep changing their tune on me? Why do they tell me one thing then later tell me something totally different? I don't HAVE receipts for probably 90% of the clothes that were stolen. And it doesn't matter that most everything that was stolen I've had for a while it's not stuff I just bought yesterday. I've barely bought any clothes in a couple years because I have so many and I've been trying to trim down the wardrobe. A bunch of paperwork never made it here when I moved because I didn't bring a lot of it with me or what did make it here got tossed when I arrived and moved in, not intentionally, but it did. And I've not bought any good jewelry in at least three or four years and I don't keep receipts forever. And clothes? I buy them on sale usually, and with my debit card, or cash, so I don't go overboard. I never keep cash receipts. And my debit card receipts I only keep until they they clear on the account and then they get thrown away. If I kept every single receipt for everything I've ever bought, I'd need a mansion to store all of it!

So then they tell me, well then we are taking the MAXIMUM depreciation off of the value of everything and you're going to get hardly anything back from us. Doesn't matter that I've already had to go out and buy replacements on bunches of stuff and had to pay more then the MAXIMUM DEPRECIATION value for everything. Oh and did o know that clothes, lose all value the moment they leave the store? Yep that's what they then try to tell me. So even if I could produce documentation on EVERYthing, I'd still only get a pittance because there's no value left on anything.

So I get angry at being screwed on both ends and the woman says "insurance claims are not an emotional process, they are cold hard facts" and basically tells me to shut up. So I ask her have you ever been robbed? Of course they try the "this isn't about me" routine but I press and she says "No but if I did I wouldn't get upset over it. After all it's only material goods." Well I told her I never thought I'd get overly emotional about being robbed either. But guess what I do and not over the items stolen but the fact that to have someone break into your home where you are supposed to be safe results in a terrible violated feeling. And I said "don't sit here and say you know what you'd do because fact of the matter is, you DON'T!" You never know how you'd react until it happens. All your thoughts on "what if" and "how would I deal with this?" go out the window when it happens.

And this whole thing has dragged on forever. It should have been resolved ages ago but nobody is doing their job! The police tell me I'm on in a thousand and basically tell me I don't warrant an investigation, because my crime against me isn't bad enough for them to waste time on it. The "independent" claims adjustor hired by the insurance company (hmmm, tell me how can it be independent when they know who is giving them their paycheck?) never bothered to call me for ages, only finally calling when I complained to the insurance company I'd not heard anything. Then he finally DOES call, probably because he was yelled at and the insurance agent tells me to call him back and tell him they handled it themselves already. So I do that, then a month goes by and suddenly I'm accused of ignoring the requirements and never calling the claims adjustor to finish the process. Funny I called him, told him what they told me to say, then I never hearform the guy again. And a month later the insurance company tells me they can't process the claim without my RECORDED statement. Geez, I've only told about 5 people already what happened, between the police and the insurance and that's not good enough? And if they did need a recorded statement, why the hell didn't the claims adjustor call me back and say "Ok I know the paperwork was sent to the insurance company, but you still need to give a statement. Had he or they bothered to tell me that, I'd have made sure it was done. Instead they sit on their asses and do nothing and suddenly a month later it's my fault because I didn't do something I didn't know I was supposed to do?

So what have I gotten out of this whole mess? "Too bad, don't get robbed next time." Like I ASKED for this?!? So basically I get shit from anyone. No closure since the police told me too bad you're not important enough. An insurance company that thinks I'm something less then human because I actually HAVE feelings and get emotional over something like this. They are the ones that are less then human. You might as well have a bunch of robots doing their job, they practically are robots already anyhow.

Car Dealers like to torture us

Yes I am convinced of it.

I had to get my car inspected before the end of this month, and since next week I won't be home, this week was it. So I took my car down Tuesday night and got a ride home. I couldn't afford to spend the whole day waiting again. Every single time I go to the dealer for ANY kind of work, no matter how simple, I end up being there all day. So I went to work in the morning on Wednesday, but had to head to the dealer just after lunch since that was the only time i could swing a ride. So I got to the dealer around 1:30. I knew I needed an oil change and I knew I needed my transmission serviced and the trans fluid changed. I also have a broken trunk latch, that they supposedly fixed last year but it has never worked properly since then. And this was all BEFORE getting to the inspection!

Well 5:30 rolls around and I'm still there. I also needed a new fan belt, which I expected because last year they told me it would need changed or I wouldn't pass this year's inspection. Turns out they didn't have the belt in stock so had to order the part. By 5:30, they had done everything except the trunk latch and said it wouldn't be finished then.

BUT they said if I came in this morning (Thursday) they'd have it fixed in two hours. So hey said last night. The service dept opens at 7 but the manager gets there at 6;15 and he said if i got there then, they'd get started right away so I was done sooner. Well i got there 6:45 and settled in to wait two hours. Only to be told today that it would be three hours. Five hours later, not a word. So I hunted down the service manager and demanded an update since no one had told me a thing. Turns out something else with the latch was broken other then what they thought so they had to fix that too. He told me no worries, it would be done in 20 minutes. TWO HOURS later it's finally finished and I had wasted a total of 12 hours, a whole day and a half I could not afford to not be at work, before everything was done.

Had I known Id be there ALL day today, I would have made them shuttle me to work, even though I was told they don't go as far as where I work away from the dealer.

They didn't charge me for the trunk work, but $400 later my car will make it through another inspection. Though apparently there is some sort of seal in the axle that is starting to leak and though it didn't need fixed right now, it will be needed in a few months. Oh and the service manager (who is actually the ONLY person in there service department I like and will ever deal with. The rest of the guys there I've dealt with try to treat me like an idiot since I'm a woman. I'm far from a car genius but I know the basics and don't deserve condescension. The manager always deals straight up with me, never condescends, and will answer any and all questions I have. He even helps me out on a break now and then if I'm stuck. Anyhow, he told me to bring my car down there for my next oil change, to ask for him and he'll ensure I get the oil change done for free, to make up for today's fiasco. It's not enough to make up for all the hassle, but $35 is $35 that i won't have to pay. LOL I'd never take my car to the dealer for an oil change unless like this week I knew I was late on it and the car was going in anyhow, because they are so darn expensive for that. But I'll take it next time if it means I get it for free! LOL

Oh but it gets better! They try to tell me my extended warranty expired a month ago! I purchased a 5 yr/100K mile warranty and THEY tried to tell me I bought a 4 year/60K warranty. Well I know what I wanted and asked for and I know what is written on my sales slip from when I bought my car! I'd NEVER buy an extended warranty that would expire before the car was even paid off! I always go for a 60 month financing plan, and I'd never buy less then a 5 year/75K warranty with the amount of driving I do.

Two phone calls yesterday

Mom and Dad are presently in Alaska for one of their dream vacations (and mine too! LOL) They left last Friday really early, at like 5 AM to fly to Alaska. They first week of their trip is a cruise and the second half of their trip is land. I tried to call them Thursday night before they left, even calling really early since I figured they'd go to bed early, but I still missed them. Plus I wanted to wish dad a Happy Father's Day early since they'd be up there over the weekend. I haven't even tried calling since then because I doubted they'd have a signal, at least while out to sea.

Well yesterday they were in Juneau and Mom had a signal on her phone for the first time since they left so she was calling each of us "kids" to say hello. I thought they had traveled with Mom's best friend and her husband since it is a Church trip, but they actually are traveling with a couple from their bowling league they are close friends with. (Sam and Nancy... The ones who helped us plan Dad's surprise birthday party a couple months ago).

Anyhow Mom and Dad are having a BLAST! They've been to shore every day and at sea at night and stopping in different places. So far they've been to Ketchikan and Skagway, and of course Juneau. Today they are to be in Icy Strait Point and tomorrow Hubbard Glacier. Mom got a kick out of the fact that she found out Juneau is actually warmer then Pittsburgh in the winter! At least I think it was Juneau she said that about. I forget now. Yesterday they went on a whale watch and they saw two humpbacks. The one was breaching out at sea, and tossing up it's tail fin and pretty much "playing." The cruise director said that's rare for the adults that usually it's only the calves that do that. But that this one was definitely an adult. That had to be exciting to see. I'd love to see a hump back. She also said they've seen TONS! Of bald eagles since getting there. Yesterday alone they saw about 10, all hanging out around a salmon farm. Apparently they hang out there waiting for the salmon to be released so they can get some free meals. LOL Mom assures me she's taking tons of pictures too. She knows that's my dream vacation and that she better have lots of photos for me! LOL So I'm really excited for them they're having so much fun, even if I'm insanely jealous!

That was the one phone call. The second was from Amy. She called me yesterday to say our cousin Kate had her baby. Jacob Andrew was born at 3:21 PM yesterday and was 6 lbs, and 13 oz (I think it was 13). Amy didn't know the length. That is the first of the many babies this year.... 7 total that I can remember. Kate was first, I think Tommy and Tanya are second, then our cousin Bonnie and our cousin Suzie, then Amy bringing up the rear on family babies. Then my friend Marcy from high school is due this fall, as is a family friend, Kellie who's due in September.

I and the last really cool thing... I saw a fox today! Or I think that's what it was. I've NEVER seen one in the wild before, if you can call the city of Grand Prairie "wild" that is. I was bouncing in the seat in excitement. LOL When I first saw it I thought it was a deer. Then I'm like, it's way too small and the ears are too big to be a deer. So I realized it was a fox. It was a different kind of fox then the small red ones seen up north. I forget what species this one is, but I've seen pictures of it before and heard of them. I want to say a San Joaquin fox is the kind it was, but I'm not positive. I remember there is a kind of fox with a name similar to that found down here.

Anyhow, that was my excitement this AM. I had to come to work WAY early today (I was here at 6:30 because my car had to go to the shop last night to be inspected today and that was the only time I could hitch a ride to get here so I didn't have to sit all day at the car dealer like I do every time I go down there. I'm off on Friday, but I didn't want to waste my day off at the car dealer since I got lots of stuff to do. Like getting all these baby shower gifts in the mail. LOL

The latest on Body for Life

Well I'm almost two full weeks in to it so far. I like to think I'm doing fairly well.

I've been good about my exercising, only missing one day out of the 12 in so far. And I've noticed some changes already. For example, after almost two weeks, I'm finding my abdominal exercises to be easier (as in can pull my body up farther during crunches then I could even a week ago. So I'm hoping that means I'll start to lose some of my stomach! LOL I've upped the weight used on my leg exercises already. Next week I'm going to try upping my weights on my arm exercises. I did regress slightly there though since my triceps are not very strong I discovered. I had to go down from 10 lb dumbbells to 8 lb ones for those exercises, but haven't had to change anything else weight wise due to difficulties.

I'm not doing wonderful on the food, mainly because I refuse to plan my meals ahead of time. So I'm not quite meeting the total number of servings of proteins, carbs, etc each day. But at least I am trying to eat healthier. I am still allowing myself those treats now and then when I want them though. LOL I'm also not quite making the eat 5 or 6 times a day either. I always forget about my mid-morning snack when I'm working and I often forget my afternoon snack too. LOL But I'm trying and I do try to eat healthy for those, as in a piece of fruit or some yogurt or a slim fast bar, that sort of thing. I'm doing horribly on my water intake. I'm supposed to drink 12 a day and I'm averaging 6-8.

I need to go get me a cloth measuring tape though so I can take my measurements and see how I'm doing. I've only lost maybe 1-2 lbs so far, but that's better then nothing. My goal is to lose 25-30 by the end of the 12 week period.

I was so proud of myself one day this week though. I had had a horrible day at work and running around chasing after people and things and was just mentally exhausted by the time I got home from all my running around at about 4;30 or so. I crashed for half an our or so to take a nap, then got up and fixed dinner. By 8:00 I was ready for bed but I knew I HAD to get my exercising in since I couldn't at lunch time like I usually do. So as worn out as I was, I trucked myself down to the apartment complex fitness center and put in my 30 min cardio workout due that day. It was the last thing I wanted to do but I did it and was so proud of myself for not saying "heck with it" like I SO wanted to.

I had quite a dream last night

well actually it was this morning but still, quite a dream.

I'm not sure where I was at exactly in this dream, but I was sitting at a table with Gina, an internet friend of mine, and across the table from us were my Uncle Ken (who died in 1990) and I've already forgotten who the fourth person was. Uncle Ken and the other person came walking up to us from somewhere and when they sat down at the table I introduced them to Gina. What's interesting is in this dream, I knew Uncle Ken was dead, but somehow he was corporeal and talking, having come back from beyond I guess, for a little while. Gina of course did not know he was dead, but she looks at him and says she senses something in him an motions towards his abdomen. He and I just look at each other, and then Gina says she sees a darkness in his eyes but doesn't know why it is there. Uncle Ken gets up and walks away briefly, tearing up almost. Gina then looks to me and says "He's dead, isn't he?" I started crying and said yes he died 15 years ago of cancer. And I tell her that the worst of the cancer was in his kidneys.

After a minute he came back to the table and walked over to stand beside me. I was still sitting down and just reached over and put my arms around his waist and started crying a lot. I really wasn't saying too much, and part of what I had been saying to him I have forgotten already. But I remember saying that I miss him very much and that I think about him all the time. I kept telling him I loved him and that I wished he were still here. He just held on to me and kept saying he knows I do. Then I woke up, and had a hard time going back to sleep after that.

I get the feeling there was supposed to be more to this dream and why Uncle Ken came back to see me, and why he was in my dream at all, since it's probably been many years since he was last in a dream of mine. But since I woke up too soon and had difficulty going back to sleep, I guess I'll never know what it was supposed to be.

Body for Life for Women

I decided I needed to do something to get myself back in shape and lose some weight since I've gained a good 15-20 lbs since I moved here 2 years ago. And as horrible as everything has been going for me since about December, I needed something to feel good about again. I've had a horrible year so far, lots of problems and dilemmas and stressed to the max and feeling depressed about some things. I had been thinking about doing some sort of work out program but never actually started one. I kept coming up with excuses NOT to do it.

A few weeks ago, one of my internet friends mentioned she was starting the Body for Life for Women program on June 1. (This is similar to Bill Phillips' popular Body for Life, but revamped by a woman to fit women's needs and requirements.) She had started a yahoo group and was looking for people willing to work it with her. I thought, what the heck? I've been wanting to do something and this gave me the excuse I needed to start something. So I told her I'd join up.

I went online and bought the book, bought myself a few of the workout items I need, a Pilates training kit and video, though most of my exercising I'll do in the apartment complex fitness center or the fitness center at work. Then I went and bought the journal in the book store for logging everything for the program. It's a 12-week program that runs Monday to Sunday. So I suggested we start instead this past Monday, June 6, rather then mid week. Plus several of the people doing it hadn't gotten their books yet or had the books but had not finished reading them. So everyone agreed and we started Monday. I'm doing halfway decent on the food but some things I just won't give up yet. LOL

Exercising I'm dong better. Granted, it's only been two days but I'm committed to sticking it out. Monday I did cardio, Tuesday was upper body. I actually reversed the two from the way they are set up in the journal, so today I'm doing lower body instead of cardio. That will get me on the journal's schedule which will make it easier for me to keep track. I'm actually still hurting from yesterday. I misread some of the details and ended up doing way more then I was supposed to. By the end of my workout I was so sore I could barely change back in to my regular clothes. LOL Today I ache but tomorrow I'll probably be worse, after doing lower body exercises today.

I have a woman I sort of work with that I had told I was doing this program and she said she'd be my workout buddy. So we meet at lunchtime everyday at the gym and workout during lunch break. So I guess we'll keep doing that, at least when we are both here. Debbie said she's going to come with us on the days she's here. So between the three of us, most of the time we should have two people together working out. I know I need someone to do it with me, even if we are doing different exercises and barely talking. At least there is someone else there to talk to when I feel like I'm wanting to quit.

I just hope I can keep it up this time. Every other time in the past I've tried to start exercising, I never stick it out.

Why I totally and completely HATE cops and insurance companies more then ever...

As if all the work nonsense isn't enough. Let me fill you in on my burglary from almost two months ago. This entry starts with details that happened almost two weeks ago now.

I sent everything I needed to send to the insurance agency, or so I thought. And they got the police report. Both the police and the insurance agency got the exact same list of stolen goods. But the insurance agency insists none of the clothing stolen was on the police report, just the jewelry. And I know it is since the list I created for the police is what I generated the list for the insurance from. So they tell me, until the police report is updated to include all the clothing, they will not do anything about it and can't issue me a check. No matter that I TOLD them it's on in the police report (even though I haven't seen it) unless the police screwed up. But of course insurance agents do not know how to talk to police officers so I have to call the police to tell them what they need to do. Well I FLIPPED on the insurance agent, because I'm furious that I've gotten nothing but crap from them and the police since I filed my claim and everyone ignores my calls, no one from the one section of the insurance agency who was to take my statement and my itemized list ever bothered to contact me hence why I went straight to the insurance agency, per their guidance since the other people blew me off. But the very next day after I told the insurance agent this middle man company never bothered to call me, I get TWO phone calls. So I called the insurance agent AGAIN and she said to tell them she handled it all since I got no response from the other guy. This was about 4 1/2 weeks ago. Nothing since then. Until this past week.

I got a letter saying they've sent me several letters in the mail and I've not responded to any of them so if I didn't reply within a week or something like that they were canceling the claim. I kind did this out of order here. LOL So I immediately called them to find out what that was all about. This is when they said oh yeah we got your list, ignore the letter, but by the way... And the whole thing I typed earlier about the clothing not on the police report and all that. And oh yeah why haven't I called that other guy working with them on it to give him all my documentation and give my statement? So I reminded the lady that those people never bothered to call me so that's why I sent the list to her. And that the other guy never called me until AFTER I complained to the insurance, which leads me to believe something was said to him and that's the only reason he called. I called him back just like the insurance agent said to do and told him I sent my list to them. I never heard from him again and now apparently they are holding THAT against me too! Go figure. HE screwed up and I pay for it!

So after I screamed at the insurance agent telling her I'm sick and tired of all this crap and lack of help from them AND the police and she tells me screaming accomplishes nothing I said no it doesn't but it makes ME feel better over their incompetence. Then she gets all condescending to me and I ask her, "So tell me have YOU ever been burglarized? Have YOU ever had someone break into your home, where you are supposed to feel safe and secure, steal your belongings and go through your most personal items?" She says "this isn't about me, it's about you." I'm like Bullshit it isn't. Have you or not? She finally says no so I say how dare she then say she understands how I feel when she hasn't a clue. I said you can't possibly comprehend how it feels unless you've been there so don't sit there and talk down to me like I'm an idiot for being upset and angry. Yeah this is going to do nothing but make things harder for me to get this damn case resolved and get my money but I'm tired of the crap.

So I called the police, actually GOT the detective for a change and ask what's going on with my case. He says "well with no leads, nothing." I asked him if anyone even bothered to talk to the neighbors and he's like why would we do that? GRRRR!!! I said oh I don't know and I'm not a detective but common sense tells me that if someone's home is broken into the first thing the police should do is talk to the neighbors to see if anyone noticed anything suspicious. Guess what he tells me "Yeah that's true but we don't have the time or the manpower to go out and canvas the neighbors. This is just one case in a thousand we have to deal with." NOT a smart thing to say to someone who is already angry and looking to them for help in resolving a crime.

So I got even madder, and asked why none of my clothing stolen was in the police report. He says it is. I'm like oh really? Not what the insurance agent tells me. He said it's in a supplement to the original police report and they probably didn't get that part of it when they got the report. So guess what he tells me next? That I need to call the insurance agent back tell them they need to contact him to tell him they need it and to get the rest of the report and then he'll send it. ME telling him they need it isn't enough, THEY have to tell him. So I try to give him their phone number and he says no can do. He won't call them I have to, as he doesn't have time. So I told him well I guess I better call the insurance agent "so they can tell me to call you so you can tell me to call them so they can tell me to call you again" since they won't talk to each other and I hung up on him. Obviously he's doing she*t to resolve this case.

Two hours later after I calmed down enough to not scream again, I called the insurance agent, left a message that they have to call him themselves and that by the way if they need a statement from me they better have their guy call me. Gee and they wonder why I was furious I'm getting the runaround everywhere.

And every single freakin' year I give money to the police department towards whatever fund it is they are building, retirement or something, I don't remember. Anyhow, next year when they call with the annual plea for my money I'm going to tell them they are not getting another dime from me and I will proceed to tell them WHY. This is TWO cases they blew me off on!

The adjustor, (middle man for insurance? I'm not exactly sure what he does that the insurance company can't do themselves.) finally called me last Tuesday, May 31, at work no less. And he tells me he needs to get my statement and wants to do it right then. I said sorry, no can do, I'm at work after a week out of town, I just got a brand new computer I'm trying to get hooked up and running properly and I just did not have time to talk to him just then and that the whole week was going to be quite busy. So he's like "well when can you talk?" I said it will have to be in the evening this week. So he sighs like it's such a HUGE problem for him and gives me a "well I guess I can rearrange my schedule to make time to call you one night this week." Excuse me, who's fault is it he didn't do his job? Certainly not mine! Anyhow, he called me Wednesday night as I was making dinner and I gave my statement while I made dinner. So who knows how long till I get another phone call or letter that I've not done something I was supposed to?

Part 2: Work woes and how frustrating that is...

The rest of the work situation is this. My contract expired last Tuesday, May 31. The new contract has been awarded, this having happened at least a month ago now, Jim assures me, and that I'm not going anywhere. Why is this a bad thing? I've not heard ANYthing from my new employers!

I was supposed to start working for them June 1 and they have to send me an acceptance letter, I have to sign on the dotted line, and they have to go through all the new employee stuff that I'm supposed to do BEFORE starting work for them. So even though Jim says not to worry, I don't even know for sure if I DO have a job right now or not! And it gets better, or worse depending on how you look at it. Our other field person, who's in Oklahoma, hasn't heard a peep out of our new employers either. But guess who has? EVERYone in Little Rock, our main office. They've all gotten all their paperwork, including employee handbook, benefits package info, etc. I don't know for sure if they've gotten their acceptance letters yet since I haven't talked to anyone yet, but from something I did hear a few days ago,they have gotten theirs, though that is not confirmed yet. Supposedly our offer letters were being FedExed to us last week but we've not gotten them yet, well two of us haven't anyhow.

And WHY was this not done on time? Because our contract person was on vacation in Puerto Rico! I'd love to go on vacation too, especially there, but heck I had to cancel my annual beach trip with my parents because I can't afford it! And it's worse now because I don't even know if I'm getting paid for the last week of work I've put in or not! Excuse me, but if the contract was signed like a month ago now, and I'm SURE she had her vacation planned long before she actually went, common sense SHOULD apply. She SHOULD have gotten everything ready to go for our contracts so someone else at the office could mail everything to us. So our rep tells us when she gets back from vacation that our letters are going out FedEx the next day. Then the same day she comes back and says her boss went home sick so it would be at least another day before they were mailed. And I didn't even find this out from her! I had to hear it from someone in Little Rock.

What infuriates me even more is that last week I sent our rep an long e-mail full of questions she has not answered for me that I asked a couple months ago. The EXACT same day I e-mailed her, someone from LR did, at almost the exact same time even. MY message was ignored, and the one from LR was answered immediately, and there was quite a long dialogue of several e-mails on that one. I know this because LR forwarded it to the rest of us. So why does LR deserve better then us field people do? It is unacceptable to me that they are getting special treatment, or even normal treatment, and us field people are ignored. As our Oklahoma field guy put it this morning when he called me to find out if I'd heard anything... "NOW I am officially royally pissed off!"

I called Jim to tell him what happened, or didn't happen, as is probably the better expression. He can't do anything legally since he's not a part of the contract itself, even though he is paying for it. He's furious we've not heard anything yet and he was going to call our new company this morning also, even though he can't do anything. The contract issues themselves are between myself and the company alone, he's not allowed to get involved or he can get in BIG trouble.

I've had a few people say, "well what are you worried about? You know you have a job still." But they don't understand that Jim's affirmations we still have a job don't mean anything. We HAVE to have the documentation from the company itself and sign the dotted line before we can be certain. That's how contracting works. We can be replaced at a moment's notice if it suits the employer. Just because I've been doing this job for two years, and 5+ years somewhere else before moving here, doesn't mean they can't replace me just because they want to.

Part 1: Work woes and how frustrating that is...

Let's see, where do I start? I went down to Ft Hood two weeks ago - the week before Memorial Day actually -(some trivia for you. This is the largest "free-world" (that's how someone referred to it the other day) military base in operation anywhere in the world.) for my annual environmental inspections, which by the way were supposed to happen two months ago but all the problems and issues at work kept delaying them. I had 6 places to visit, all of which were e-mailed at least four times, and they were all given plenty of time to let me know when was good for them to have me come visit. Not a single facility manager got back to me to say anything. That in itself is frustrating.

So I schedule when is good for ME to be there since they can't take two seconds to even reply to an e-mail. Everyone was notified plenty of time in advance, and even got a reminder message the Wednesday prior to my visit. AFTER I picked the dates, I had one facility manager tell me he wouldn't be available but he'd have someone there to work with me. And that's the only response I got from anyone.

So I get down there, having sent them a tentative schedule last week (which I also said was always subject to last minute changes once I actually arrived. I learned the hard way that no matter how well organized or planned, someone won't come through and I have to change everything else for them.) So I arrive Monday afternoon and head straight to the one huge maintenance shop down there I needed to visit, that I had planned to be at on Monday and told them so. Only to arrive and neither environmental person is there for me to talk to. They all work 4 10's down there and both environmental people are off on Mondays.

So the week just starts bad. Why the heck couldn't they tell me Monday was not good and to come Tuesday instead? Then I could have been at one of the other places that day instead. But by the time I found out no one I needed was there, I had no time to go to another facility that day since this one is 45 minutes away from everyone else and it was already 2:30. Just about everyone on normal 8 hour schedules leaves at 4:30 and I need more then an hour. So there goes Monday...wasted.

So I have to be there Tuesday AM instead. I'm already a half day behind schedule now. So I go there Tuesday morning, everything goes OK and I finish up just around lunch time. Which works out because by the time I get to the other end of post for the next facility, they'll be done with lunch there. So I go to the next site, which I was supposed to be at Tuesday morning. and guess what? Yep, neither of the people I need to talk to are there either! There was one person there who was able to help on most everything though so it wasn't a wash out. But this facility was in REALLY bad shape last year and I was mad they didn't bother to tell me the people there I needed were not going to be around. So the other place I was supposed to hit that day didn't get done since it took longer here then it should have due to not having the right people there. Still a half day behind.

Wednesday I had two aviation facilities to visit and that schedule I was able to keep, or so it seemed that morning anyhow. This is the place where the manager said he wouldn't be there but someone else would be for me to talk to. And guess what... the other guy is NOT there! He's in meetings all morning and then he had to go home at lunch. Aviation units don't work normal work schedules as they have to go by flying times. And this guy had a flight at 3 AM so they had to let him go home at lunch to be ready for the flight. I can deal with the unusual schedules, when I'm told about them. So the one lone guy who WAS there says, too bad, you need to reschedule. You were supposed to be here last week and never came so we can't accommodate you this week. Well he's half right. I had originally planned to be there last week, but something came up right after I scheduled it so I had to move it to this week. I alerted the facility manager about the change, still three weeks in advance so not like it was last minute or anything, and THAT was the message he replied to about having this other guy there to talk to me. So now I have to make a special trip down there because either the manager never bothered to alert the others about the change or he did and they are just saying he didn't. Which wouldn't be the first time that happened.

So I head to the other place for the day and JUST as I start their visit, the one guy from the other place calls and says come right now and I can do this meeting with you. I said sorry, No. I was just starting someone else's visit and wasn't leaving in the middle of it to accommodate him. Plus the fact these two facilities are opposite ends of Ft. Hood also so are a good half hour away from each other. So I do this visit and now I'm pretty much back on schedule, except for the one place I had to skip on Tuesday. So this is Wednesday and I figured, I'd stick to what was left of my schedule and visit the one place missed on Thursday and take an early day Wednesday. I was so mad about how it all went down I felt I deserved the early day, especially since Friday
was supposed to be MY day off and I had to spend it driving home.

Thursday morning I arrive at the last facility to visit and guess what? Yep the guy's not there! The one who was said, you didn't show up on Tuesday like you said you were so he figured you weren't coming at all and took the rest of the week off. HEL-LLO! I SAID in my schedule message that everything is subject to change last minute once I arrive. So I was only able to do half of what I needed to here. Pretty much the whole week was a wash out and I called Jim my boss Wednesday when I left this facility telling him what happened and why this makes me so
angry. Especially since this is THREE months in a row someone did that to me.

They never bother to tell me when is good and when isn't for them so I schedule for when is good for me and let them know. And then either they say, sorry we can't do it then or they say nothing at all, which to me means, everything is fine. So I show up and no one is there. This happened to me last week too. I drove 4 hours to San Marcos to visit ONE facility only to get there and the people aren't there. But THEY say "well I tried to call you to let you know I wouldn't be available and you never called me back. Guess what? NOT A SINGLE MESSAGE from her over e-mail, work phone or cell phone. So who the h*ll did she contact? It sure wasn't me! I'm furious over these people's attitudes and Jim gets to hear all about it. And if they play games with me like this? I slam them as hard as I possibly can on everything at the facility, which Jim's blessings. LOL

And THAT is just part of the work related stuff.
Part 2 coming...