2022-10-27 - 4:30 p.m.

Weirdly the VEC phone system did not allow me to enter the NEXT week's claim for the first week of October. The message got was that there was no additional action on my account.

SIGH

So could not get that done today.
I have a check list , to do list for each outstanding week I need to file info on so I won't get confused and forget to follow up.
Its just a PIA
which is redundant to say !
All know this by now.

What is ironic is I have been ranting about how the poor are HONEST and don't GAME the system

And a friend who had at one point lost a really good six figure job and applied for unemployment and GOT IT
told me how VEC sent a letter saying that they overpaid, as benefis were paid out too early and they expect reimburement for the weekts hey sent payment that my friend was receiving severance pay.

Sheesh

So yeah that friend did make a mistake
OR if INTENTIONAL TRIED to game the system.

The thing is I don't think it is the POOR gaming the system except the few who get more allocated in food stamps than need for food so take friends shopping and then get the cash
with whcih they then can pay RENT or PAY for medical bills etc...
as there is NOT enough support for those for them.

It is so crazy. The way that happens for folks to survice.

I think it is really true perhaps those MOST WELL OFF perhaps are gaming the system
by not reporting severance pay ( it is really clear you have to)

OR By doing crap like registering their car at a differnent address for lower car insurnace annually.

I just don't get why that is worth it. Hell too much trouble for what it worth it seems to me.

I first became aware of that when the one dude continued his part time overnight shifts like once a month only at the group home I was managing and his car insusnace bill arrived inthe mail.

I was like "Dude- you gotta stop using this address for your BMW. I mean dude you are a successful real estate agent now. Its been TEN YEARS since you were working only this low wage job and living poor. Come on now... you can pay the difference for living in City. I get it but really..."

But of course I just asked politely every once in a while.

But the dude was driving a relatively new BMW as he drove into work and parked it next to the crappy cars the low wage career direct care workers kept running with duct tape. extra oil added regularly and lots of prayers....

I suppose I am LESS judgemental than in my past. I don't deem friends unworthy of associating with when I hear of their nickle and diming in this way.

I just think it is quite silly to be so worried about the extra couple thousand a year when you have a really good job.

So My assessment stands: It is the people with MORE MONEY who are MORE INCLINED to CARE ABOUT MONEY And be GAMING the SYSTEM.

Often the poor don't have money as they have not chased the dolllar. They have been driven by valuing different things.

I think that is largely TRUE.

I mean I have seen many times someone could have made a change to make more money but they were like "why?"

I HAVE what I need.
I am CONTENT enough
or I am not miserable.
And I KNOW THIS
This is my life

And just don't see too much incentive to aspire to do something different.

I respect those folks content with what they have and where they are!

TREMENDOUSLY

I respect those who are not discontented and feeling like life is harder on them than others and who are honest and confident and make it by playing by the rules. It demonstrates respect for OTHERS when folks are not circumventing rules and "gaming" any system.

I think it just does take a bit of selfish entitlement

YES
that is it

A sense of ENTITLEMENT when folks game the system

And Trust me THE POOR do not have such sense of entitlement.

It is more often those who grew up RICH who think they can get something for nothing or feel like someone OWES them something.

I feel like it is the sign of having grown up coddled and well off when one takes what they want without consideration of whether they are doing so FAIRLY in the systems we actually have in place , set in place by the collective society which we live in.

BUT I try not to judge.
I am pleased I don't feel DISGUST and JUDGMENT but a more dispassioned assessment of what I think without it making me think LESS of a person-
if that makes any sense whatosoever.

I guess thinking in the past of the past folks I saw act entitled. The boyfriend I had ZERO respect for once realized his whole business was build STEALING the client of his former employer;
the judgment of those who were discontented but did not do the WORK to make their lives better.

HA HA I guess perhaps being around a couple like THAT in my life- folks who did not take ANY ACTION
hell Art couldn't even be BOTHERED to navigate the unemployment system
(Unless he did not tell the whole truth to me of the story-- and there was some reason HE KNEW he was not eligible,,,)

Well , I suppose I have actually a bit more respect for those who have made MISTAKES that they did not think were not ethical ( even if I disagreed with their choices)- such as writing the wrong address to cut a break on insurance costs.

I am a purist however. a Friend once was freaking HOMELESS and asked me if she could use my address to get benefits
and I said NO
I mean Maybe THAT was NOT the ethical choice? To care more about the law and the community rules in place for greater good than my friend?

In any case I am certainly less judgemental that such choices define a persons character to such an obvious extent that they should be avoided or judged.

I suppose the older I get the more obvious it becomes that few people are truly honest all the time.

Funny how when I write I never know where it is going to lead- what topics will emerge and be written about.
I often have a thought that spurs me taking pen to page or turning on the computer to type and then that thought doesn't even make it down!
HA

The thoughts today as catalyst:
1. The medical bill sent to my EX I was bitching about came BACK as the address is not correct. (Or he closed that PO BOX?)
* I did however email it to him so still no excuse his ignoring request to help oay for kids medical care.

2. A recruiter called and I said YES To him submitting my resume for a job at my OLD OLD Employer--- the one worked at for 5.5 yrs! It was submitted by him at a salary $30,000 higher than my last pay there.
* That was YEARS Ago- so hope actually not too low for the job. (But it is not a management or director job so think salary is spot on. Heck if I stayed there I would have had raises. BUT using a salary calculator with a 3% raise over 10 years I STILL would not have been paid as much as the recruiter is pitching me for.

Fun little tool
to see what you should make if you get a 3% raise each year ( Which not every employer does ! BUT Should ASK for it!)

https://www.fncalculator.com/financialcalculator?type=salaryIncreaseCalculator

Now I don't expect them to call me. BUT it is a very large company and I worked with ALOT of folks there who thought highly of me so who knows.
The HR paperwork not in my favor as I WAS fired. But it was nonsense.. I mean fired cause my boss was promoted then I reported to another boss who was pissed as I inadvertedly exposed her fav employee as having lied about work I DID that she passed off as her own! I had not even know that at the time it happened! HA HA I just sent my work product to another person so they did not have to reinvent the wheel! It turned out this co worker was on some project and had been passing my deliverables off as her own.

I was CLUELESS about the interteam project! HA HA IT was like the goal was to get that gal visibility and opportunities to promote and her boss was helping HER- politics at play! HA HA
And I had no clue and at end of year was just trying to be helpful and quietly prevent someone from doing work I already did. I didn't even want credit for it! HA HA That was the funniest thing. I sent my delieverable off thinking no one else had to waste time doing the work I did but perhaps could just improve it.

HA HA
I have had so many moments like that where I was CLUELESS about the POLITICS around me.
I just couldn't care less about them.

So it just felt good these years later to know I have done well, and with each job change moved into a role where learned more and eventually got paid more and NOW I am am worth more in the market.

BUT the other VERY COOL Thing is that I ALSO today applied for two completely different full time jobs in the human services field.
THESE include
Concierge and
Business Office Manager
in an Assisted Living place.

I was honestly looking at postings in that space for a friend who just is miseerable and needs to find another job. I was looking in HER field for work that she does-
and came across the Concierge roll, full time, about a 30 min commute maybe 40 on a bad day- that pays a full $10 more per hour than the part time rate I currently work at to DO THE SAME JOB.
Differently company
They pay more!

Hell yeah! I so ENJOY That work
and it is SO EASY compared to the intense thought and detail I need to apply to my other work.

I could easily do that job Monday thorugh Friday full time and then moonlight if I get work in with my company.
I Love the idea of that-
making that kind of job my full time and then the work through my company just part time.
That would give good income overall and not be at all stressful! AND I Would have GOOD HEALTH insurance for my family.

That is the #1 need just now.
I can't keep working at a rate that leaves me in the red with expenses and increase of health cost debt.
I have to take a job SOON.

AND I have no problem being paid a fair market wage for work in OTHER fields which are lower wage jobs.

I only demand the high pay for my contract management work beacuse of my years of experience. I would RATHER take a lower wage service job, and with the rental income have an EASIER JOB that pays the bills than a job that is demanding but not paying top dollar iin that contract manager corporate role. HELL NO I am not going to Commute far for that work unless it pays well AND I am not taking a job in that field unless it pays top dollar for my actual skill and experience

MAINLY BECAUSE I DON"T LOVE IT
So if I am going to SELL OUT

Well then - if the only reason to do taht work is beacuse it is SETTLING to land the job to support family
I wil only SELL OUT at TOP DOLLAR.

IT is just not worth compromising otherwise.

Its time away from home and time away from doing other work which literally brings job into the world! Sure working as a contract manager helps CREATE JOBS for folks- whenever winning proposals and landing a contract on which then a bunch of other resources will be hired to support.
BUT I am not particularlly moved by that.

Heck I WOULD be moved by that if I grow my own business and create work for specifically capable professionals who are being overlooked-
for Disabled
or older workers

Honestly THAT would be really gratifying! To land a great role for instance for my former co worker who I thought ROCKED his work but whom our boss just toxicly iliterally abused putting him down.

It was unbelieveable to see that happen.

If I land a job as a concierge/receptionist the thing is there is DOWN TIME too in that kind of role. NOT ALOT when workign Monday through Friday. The down time is in the afternoon /evening shift moreso. BUT there would be SOME during which I can scroll SAM and see if there is a good fit of any Request for Proposal to find a job for my former co worker come Jan when his current project ends.

I do think however his current employer DOES value him. I think come Jan they will find a good fit for him and keep him on.

Ok those are all the thought wanted to ramble on about today. Time to relax and practice guitar. It was a lazy day (other than job hunting). I just had low energy. Took a couple walks with the dog, and a nap.
OH and started a data analytic project. Just for fun. Pulling data and capturing it to analyze... will just get it done before write much about it. The thing is that made me SLEEPY. ( REASON I could not work full time doing data analysis. I DROP OFF TO SLEEP!)
That preceded the nap.
The walk revived me.
Hydration and food in hope of mitigating a headache.
Today was a low energy day in part cause I had a rare headache. I realized it is likely a caffine withdrawal headache as I have been drinking coffee and did not make any this AM!

*I hope that is what it is! Hope not getting a cold or anything else. Still there slightly- even after water, food, cafiinee free herbal tea.

OF course having a cup of coffee would be the EASIEST way to confirm that is the cause but I realized this late in the day after my nap and thought best to ride it out for a couple days and detox from caffine dependency anyway.

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