In the last 3 years, I believe that I have filled out more paperwork, forms and decidedly marginally important documents than I have done in all the rest of my life. I am seriously thinking of contacting President Obama to volunteer to work (with pay, of course) in helping create a Department of Redundancy. This department wouldn't actually CREATE redundancy; on the contrary, it would help consolidate processes and eliminate the need to produce the SAME information that each current department of government now requires. There would be no CA7a Forms for just the Department of Labor; there would be basically the same forms for ALL departments and agencies that are requiring the same information from persons. That way, these same departments and agencies could actually COMMUNICATE information to/from each other. Presently, it's like the Department of Labor speaks a completely different language and uses a different alphabet than, let's say...the US Postal Service. They should also use the same computer system and information processing and while I'm at it, I would also allow secure input from a person's PC to any agency or department. I am, therefore, my own conduit between the Department of Labor, the US Postal Service, and Social Security Administration and all these agencies want basically the same thing from me. It is also difficult for me to try and remember which agency speaks which 'language' and whose form belongs to whom.
I absolutely LOATHE it when I want to actually speak with a representative; I have to plan on spending upwards of 15 minutes just to leave a voicemail which, according to the information stated on the recording, says I shall receive a call within the next 2 business days. The problem with that is it's like waiting for Larry the Cable Guy to show up with a 2 day window. If you have to go to work or the store and they call, you have to call them back to be put on ANOTHER 2 business day call-back! Even if you leave your cellphone number, if you have your phone off and they call you...you go back on the 2 day call-back list. No call for YOU!
Maybe one of the most frustrating aspects is that I'm not 'allowed' to contact any of these agencies via my home computer nor can I file any requested information via any kind of computer link which leads to my next dilemma...the mind-boggling amount of paperwork generated in one's quest for truth, justice and the American way. I remember when personal computers first came on the scene...they were touting that computers would eliminate the need for actual PAPER! How droll and amusing! In the last 3 years, I have generated 18-3" binders worth of paperwork and that's just what I have kept at home as the recipient's of my paperwork have THEIR 18-3" binders-worth of Karen generated crap. My Department of Redundancy would save a planet's worth of trees currently being made into woodpulp for paper and don't even get me started about the ink! You're welcome! ;-)
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
I'm not stupid, son, really; I just don't live and breathe through my computer
I am the first to admit that I am not computer savvy, in spite of owning numerous electronic data devices. That being said, I did work in the data processing field back when dinosaurs ruled the earth and computers were housed in ROOMS that held less processing abilities than currently are contained in the average cellphone. It's not that I'm not capable of understanding the functions and inner-workings of computers...OK, it's that and MORE. I just don't have the energy, time OR inclination to submerse myself in all that is computer.
I have a great deal of difficulty dealing with my 27 year old son with this dilemma. This is a child that practically teethed on a computer keyboard. When he was 6, we bought him a used computer with a tiny monitor from a friend that was upgrading their system. A few hours after we gave it to him, he was cheerfully playing 'Oregon Trail' and later in the evening, when we realized that the house was MUCH too quiet, we went looking for him. He was discovered in his basement 'boy cave' happily watching color TV on his new computer monitor. I asked him how it did it and I got what was to become a familiar eye-roll and *sigh*..."Well, Mom", he said, "I just ran the lines through the VCR and connected it to the cable TV outlet." I was slack-jawed and asked him who taught him how to do THAT and he said "No one; I just DID it and it worked". I could read the "DUH, Mom! How come you're so stupid?!" Things haven't gotten much better in the last 20 years. My son graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering with a double minor in Computer Science and Physics. He is from Mars, I am from Venus with a degree in Secondary Education with an emphasis in Social Studies. When I have problems with my computer system I still hesitate calling my son for fear I'll get the *sigh* and eye-roll; in fact, I have contacted friends as far away as Germany to get help before I call sonny boy. He's a great son but needs more empathy for his poor computer-ignorant Mother. Maybe after I retire I'll get the hang of this computer stuff and be able to figure out how I just managed to skew the screen and accidentally post something to someone else's blog instead of my own...
I have a great deal of difficulty dealing with my 27 year old son with this dilemma. This is a child that practically teethed on a computer keyboard. When he was 6, we bought him a used computer with a tiny monitor from a friend that was upgrading their system. A few hours after we gave it to him, he was cheerfully playing 'Oregon Trail' and later in the evening, when we realized that the house was MUCH too quiet, we went looking for him. He was discovered in his basement 'boy cave' happily watching color TV on his new computer monitor. I asked him how it did it and I got what was to become a familiar eye-roll and *sigh*..."Well, Mom", he said, "I just ran the lines through the VCR and connected it to the cable TV outlet." I was slack-jawed and asked him who taught him how to do THAT and he said "No one; I just DID it and it worked". I could read the "DUH, Mom! How come you're so stupid?!" Things haven't gotten much better in the last 20 years. My son graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering with a double minor in Computer Science and Physics. He is from Mars, I am from Venus with a degree in Secondary Education with an emphasis in Social Studies. When I have problems with my computer system I still hesitate calling my son for fear I'll get the *sigh* and eye-roll; in fact, I have contacted friends as far away as Germany to get help before I call sonny boy. He's a great son but needs more empathy for his poor computer-ignorant Mother. Maybe after I retire I'll get the hang of this computer stuff and be able to figure out how I just managed to skew the screen and accidentally post something to someone else's blog instead of my own...
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Gmail - Inbox - bonbonner@gmail.com
Enough already
Today I did what I didn't think I'd ever do...block some FB 'friends' because I'm just too tired of their pedantic political position. I am a total live-and-let-live kind of person; the kind of person who, though I may not agree with your political or religious beliefs, will fight to the death for your right to have said beliefs. BUT, I reached the point where I was tired of constantly paring and sparing every time I posted something on MY Facebook page. The fact that I don't know how to disengage my cellphone from 'receiving' every FB posting also helped me justify why I wanted the madness to stop. The way I figure it is, if I like something and feel like it might be something that I would like posted to MY FB page, I will do so. I don't think I have to justify everything I post. Furthermore, I figure that if any of my FB 'friends' are tired of my postings, they will ignore them or block me. Meh. In the current political climate, I think there is a LOT of hypocrisy and humor and it's worth sharing. Other than my husband (who is also one of my FB friends). no one is forced to listen to me and my rantings and even my husband owns a set of noise-canceling headphones when he suffers a me overload.
Today I did what I didn't think I'd ever do...block some FB 'friends' because I'm just too tired of their pedantic political position. I am a total live-and-let-live kind of person; the kind of person who, though I may not agree with your political or religious beliefs, will fight to the death for your right to have said beliefs. BUT, I reached the point where I was tired of constantly paring and sparing every time I posted something on MY Facebook page. The fact that I don't know how to disengage my cellphone from 'receiving' every FB posting also helped me justify why I wanted the madness to stop. The way I figure it is, if I like something and feel like it might be something that I would like posted to MY FB page, I will do so. I don't think I have to justify everything I post. Furthermore, I figure that if any of my FB 'friends' are tired of my postings, they will ignore them or block me. Meh. In the current political climate, I think there is a LOT of hypocrisy and humor and it's worth sharing. Other than my husband (who is also one of my FB friends). no one is forced to listen to me and my rantings and even my husband owns a set of noise-canceling headphones when he suffers a me overload.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Planned Parenthood and Contraception
Today has been a day of frustration. It seems like I spent hours trying to convince a neighbor of mine that the fact that the recent healthcare bill now includes BIRTH CONTROL for women should be a non-issue. Au contraire it appears. Said neighbor's religious beliefs prohibit artificial methods of birth control (known to the rest of as as pregnancy and ultimately PARENTHOOD). He takes issue with being forced to pay his tax money to support something that his religion prohibits and thus this legislation violates the constitutional guarantee of the separation of church and state. I offered, numerous times, to pay what I estimated might be HIS share of this contraception access (which I estimated it to be about 2 cents) but he demurred. I then offered to trade the tax burden of all things associated with an unwanted pregnancy brought to term and the subsequent costs of raising such a child. Silence. It appears that that cost in mere dollars is subsequently MORE than 2 cents but wait! It's not an economic issue!! It's a MORAL and RELIGIOUS one. Offhand, I can think of at least 6 words for...here it comes, cover your eyes if you are easily offended--BULLSHIT! If you don't want to use birth control, fine--don't use it. If you don't want an abortion, fine--don't ever have one. If you try to fly the flag of religion when it comes to either issue...you are SO busted! Talk about separation of church and state--keep your rosaries off my ovaries; keep your dogma out of my boudoir. Mind your own business when it comes to reproductive choices. Think that your 2 cents is paying for puppies or whatever but do NOT mess with a woman's right to decide her personal, private reproductive choices. If I have to pay for your extra children's educational needs, then you can pay 2 cents for medical coverage of contraception. MYOB.
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