Yes, this is an enema twin pack

I dedicate this to those who need to be cleansed of their stuff. 

I have concluded there are people that need to use this, and often, as cleansing seems to clear a few things out, shall we say.

 

To all those who annoy, aggravate or anger me, a dedication

And I mean this in a kind, loving and compassionate way.... (evil laugh)

For Equality and Justice For All

So anti Florida Hospital

I really hate Florida Hospital.... Demanding prepayment for a procedure that we don't even know what the final total for it is. They called me, demanding I make payment arrangements on Monday.  They asked me today about financial arrangements when I went in for pre procedure tests.  Talk about Christ and the Moneylenders in the temple.

There's a time and place to have the discussion.  AFTER the procedure.  AFTER the totals have been added up and my insurance portion has actually been applied.  AFTER I get the bill.

That is just as bad as demanding prepayment for ER services while the patient is under sedation, which is what they did to my other half. We were so offended, I had the financial services idiot escorted out of the exam room.  We are not in a Third World Country, where payment for services is required at that time, and shouldn't be treated as such. I understand that they have bills to pay and are trying to be proactive to avoid financial losses, but this is the wrong way to go about it!!!  

What pisses me off even more, is I received better treatment overall during worker's comp injuries through one of my other employers, which just happens to be one of the largest employers in Orlando, and is one of their partners. They need to treat everyone equally, with respect and dignity.

Never do this to a perspective employer

Subject:  Intern
 
My name is (name deleted) I’m a student at UCF. I’m working on my bachelor’s degree. My major is cinema studies. I’m available Tuesday’s and Thursday’s. My resume is below....

(What follows is a list of work experience that has nothing to do with what I do.)

-----

My response:

Dear (name deleted)

We have received your resume.  After reviewing it, a few questions come to mind:

What do you know about us?
Have you done any research about what we do?
How do your skills apply to what we do?
What have you done in the industry?
Why are you interested in what we do?
Why do you want to learn what we do?
What are your proficiencies in what we do?
Where are you at in your professional development/training/

education?
How will this help you in pursuing your art/craft?

Frankly, after reading this, I'm glad that you can work with children, first aid certified, have an AA from (school deleted) and have applicable computer skills, you have not told us why we would be a good fit.  Nor have you told us what you can bring to our organization, or even, apply your work experience, education and knowledge to what we do.  It looks like you just saw the word internship on our website, and sent us a letter of interest with experiences that have NOTHING to do with Special Effects, without showing the respect to the person reading this.  By sending a 'blanket' letter of interest and a general resume, it comes across like you don't care.  Which means, we don't either. 
 
Should you be embarrassed by what you have submitted to us?  Yup.

Consider yourself extremely lucky, that we took the time to respond to this, as most people would be so offended and enraged by the lack of professional consideration, this would end up in trash, literally and figuratively.  However, we believe in helping fellow artists, to help them elevate themselves to higher standards, so we offer a few words.
Advice to save you from further professional embarrassment:
Do your research.  You need to tailor whatever you submit to them.
Tie your experiences into how they can be used in their business.
We don't care about your work experience.  We care about the experience in the industry.  A list of credits of what you've done AND a website or a comp sheet that displays your work goes a long way to demonstrate skills and committment.
Tell the perspective company these things:  why you want to work with them, what you can offer,  how your experiences can help them, AND where you're at in your professional development and education. 

You have to sell yourself and your professional skills very quickly, regardless of how you contact someone -- the first paragraph of an email or letter.  Or we don't care, and the resume ends up in the trash or deleted.
 
We are not mad at you.  We are appalled that prospective interns, such as yourself, have demonstrated lack of professionalism by committing some serious job/internship hunting sins.

We wish you many successes in your internship search.  We hope that this diatribe helps you be more focused, precise, and professional to others that you will be submitting to, as not to waste their time, as you have ours.
 
No response is required or necessary. 

Very Truly Yours,
Me

 

Shhh.... Just listen....

We all have time to voice our opinions. What we don't usually make time for is to actually listen to what someone says. When I let it out, I just want people to listen to me vent, and not give me opinions. If I wanted advice, I'd ask for it, because otherwise I prefer to listen to my own counsel in most cases. One of the secrets of building relationships with anyone is the ability to just let someone talk. Because that someone needs to express a few things, and chose you to express it to. Listening is a gift and an art, don't throw it away.

Eva must think I'm an idiot

You asked about me to a third person. Try asking me to my face. Or if you were just being nice, save those words for when you really mean it or actually care. 

Eva, you must think I'm an idiot to fall for that.  If you honestly believe that, you're the idiot, as I'm really over the games you and your staff play.  But there are people that continue to tolerate that.  I will not.

I can see through the 'correctness of your thinking'.  The karmic circle will come and haunt you.

My attitude isn't toxic verbal vomit, I'm telling you how it is in my world.

The Pope, Part 2

In Habemus Papum Feline, I mentioned I can excuse the Pope's anti-gay efforts in Argentina.  I would like to expand on that.

Whilst I don't believe that religion has the right to oppress people just because the people in question are contrary to what that church believes in, I do feel that in time, as the Pope's efforts to reach out to the flock expand to the masses, the efforts will expand encompassing the fight against all forms of social injustice, including eliminating all forms of discrimination, as all of God's children are equal in His eyes.  The more the Church will see that, then change will eventually happen.  However it will be a process, rather than an event, and will probably stretch beyond Francis and many of his successors.

It gives me faith that real change will happen.

My Pug's Facebook Page

Gau The Pug's Facebook Page Link (Click to visit)

Yes, I have created a Facebook page for my Pug.  Like I don't have enough to do.  Please feel free to visit and like.

Habemus Papum Feline

Yes, Pope Francis has some issues with gays and assorted social issues, Argentina's Dirty War, and President Cristina Fernandez Kirchner amongst others, but he gives me hope.  Especially after Pope Benedict, who I have extreme hatred for as the man who guided Church doctrine, told gays that they get what they deserved, referring to the AIDS crisis in full swing.  I hope Francis swings the priorities towards the people, and not doctrine and Church traditions.

This picture gives me levity in light of all that has transpired. 

If a cat were pope.... 

McDonald's: Stop exploiting guestworkers.

McDonald's: Stop exploiting guestworkers. (Click here to sign petition)

McDonald’s has just been caught hijacking a program that’s supposed to allow young people to come to the U.S. for cultural exchange programs and professional training. Instead, the fast food giant used it as a source of cheap, exploitable labor.

Students from Latin America and Asia found themselves working at McDonald’s for minimum wage. But their take-home pay was far lower after exorbitant deductions for employer-owned housing. If they quit or were dismissed, they would lose their visas and be deported, a threat their boss constantly dangled over them.

They were sometimes required to work for 25 hours at a time with no overtime. They were housed eight to a room in substandard housing and expected to be ready to turn up for work at any time with only 30 minutes notice. And to add insult to injury, the students paid $3,000 each for the privilege.

But these students aren’t just sitting down and taking the abuse. With the support of the National Guestworker Alliance, many of them walked off the job in protest. And one of the students, Jorge Rios, has launched a petition with our friends atCoworker.org. He writes:

My name is Jorge Rios. I’m a student guestworker from Argentina who came to the U.S. on the State Department’s J-1 Summer Work Travel Program, together with other students from Latin America and Asia.

We paid $3,000-4,000 each to come to the United States on this program, expecting a cultural exchange and good work that would let us earn back this money over three months and travel a bit at the end.

Instead, we became exploited workers at McDonald’s restaurants in Pennsylvania. We had terrible working and housing conditions. We faced threats, stolen wages, grease burns up and down our arms. We were only used to enrich our employer.

When we talked to the U.S. workers alongside us, we learned that they were being exploited too. They told us they also faced too few hours, threats from managers, and unpaid overtime.

This is not the America we believed in. We believe America is a beautiful country, where everyone can have respect and fair treatment at work. We decided to stand up for ourselves, for other J-1 student guestworkers, and for U.S. workers. We respectfully ask that.

These students are taking their campaign on the road. They’re heading to McDonald’s corporate headquarters outside Chicago to demand a meeting with CEO Don Thompson. All along the way, they’ll be delivering petitions to McDonald’s managers, and the more of us that sign, the bigger the impact will be.

So we need to act now let McDonald’s know that its customers are paying attention to this case and that we’ll hold it accountable if it doesn’t follow through.

(Drew's disclaimer:  Yes, I also work for a company that also uses student guestworkers, I cannot comment on that either.  What I will say, is, if the efforts with McD's is successful, then other companies that use them will start paying attention.)

Robert Reich On Why Raising The Minimum Wage Is One Of The Smartest Things We Can Do

From MoveOn.org:  Robert Reich On Why Raising The Minimum Wage Is One Of The Smartest Things We Can Do
(Click link to watch)

It's important that people understand that raising the minimum wage will actually help us all.

Why won't I have anything to do with you?

There are reasons I don't trust people: lack of transparency, lack of honesty/integrity, lack of respect, and a proven history of undermining me, my efforts, and my aspirations covertly. If you're going to screw me, at least do it so everyone including me, sees and knows it, and not get hit blindly later with it. 

Basically, if you don't like me, that's fine.  At least have the courtesy to let me know where I stand.  That way I know who my enemies are, no secrets, no games and everything is out in the open.  Truth is freeing and liberating, don't you think?

And people wonder why I won't have anything to do with them, except on a superficial level, if at all....

Shane Koyczan: "To This Day" ... for the bullied and beautiful

Very beautiful and profound!  One of the best 10 minutes spent!