Bronchitis @ MindSay

I just don't understand, today I got a PAID day off for missing
too much work, what the hell is up with that, I have had four
absences so yesterday I was druged into the office and was told
I have missed too many days so now I have to stay home today
and write a 'formal' letter to management telling WHY I want to
keep my job and how I can prevent this from happening in the
future.

Mind you I work at Wal-Mart that place is just like being in
school, with all the drama that place has it is actually worse
then High School, this had to happen right before my personal
time rolls over so I can use the personal time that I
accumulated which would solve all this, my personal time rolls
over on December 5th and here it is the 1st of December, it is
pretty screwed up if you ask me, so when I was back in the
management office I told my assistant manager that this is
crap, he kept on telling me, "we rely on you being here when
your scheduled" So they gave me a paid day off, how much sense
does that make?

So I had write my stupid letter. For all your enjoyment feel
free to read :)



December 2, 2008


To whom it may concern:


I Scott Mead received this my Decision Day for missing work on
Tuesday November 25th 2008 due to illness which my throat and
tonsils swollen and lost my voice from being up coughing all
night, I felt by me calling in would be the right thing to do,
prior work missed was due to weather conditions last winter,
bronchitis, flu and pneumonia, which is common to me catching,
I understand that Walmart expects me to be there when I am
scheduled however I was just thinking about our customers and
fellow associates because I work in a food environment I felt
it was the right thing to do.


That being said I will think twice next time and make sure I
have the personal time to be able to be absent from work due to
illness, and if the personal time is not available I will
continue to work my scheduled shift regardless of my health
conditions.


I feel that I should be given another chance because I know my
job and I do my job well, I have received a exceeds
expectations on my 90 day evaluation and also received a
exceeds expectations on my annual evaluation.



Thank You,



Scott Mead

So, my birthday went pretty well over all until the party was crashed by our house guest's early return from Nashville. Oh well, before she showed up it was glorious. Although Donna and Perry had to cancel coming because Donna was sick, and Wyatt forgot it was that day and, well, dabbled in the recreational hooha and wasn't in any state to leave the house. Not exactly surprising, but indeed a bit disappointing.
Anyway, Greg got me some rad stuff. A diamond-tip scribe for printmaking (the diamond tip is supposed to get fine lines and never dull), a 4 pack of various sketchbooks, and a bar of exfoliating oatmeal soap. Lovely. Paula got me "Paris, Je T'aime" (DVD - quite good, I might add), "Let It Die" by Feist (absolutely fabulous; absolutely addictive), a multi pack of glow-stick bracelets (quite fun), and a book on Van Gogh. Kyle got me a Barnes and Noble and a Best Buy gift card, and Laken got me two books - 99 Ways to Cut, Sew, Tie & Rock Your Scarf, and 99 Ways to Cut, Sew, Trim, and Tie Your T-Shirt into Something Special.
Also, Greg said that the dress I was wearing would, "make men like a biscuit in your hands." Hah, how he kills me. I love him.
If you want to see a few bday pics (alas, we failed to take one of me. Imagine that), let me know and I'll share the album link with you.

Tuesday Ariel came down and spent the night. We (she, myself, and Laken) stayed up late talking, looking at photos, books, etc. All very fun. The next day we went to JC and had japanese at Moto then over to campus where we ran into Donna and spent 4 HOURS talking. Wooow. Hopefully the 4 of us (Donna, Laken, Mama, and myself) can get together for lunch sometime next week.

Thursday we kicked Suzanna (house guest) out. The plan had been for her to live with us over the summer, free of rent and utility charges, in exchange for help around the house, contribution to food bills, and of course with the expectation that she would get a job in Gville for the summer. After one month we found ourselves with money even tighter than usual, our house guest spending her days sleeping 'til noon then lying around the house chowing down on our food while watching tv, and without a job at that. And so, because she failed to live up to her end of the bargain (and seemed to think we were her maids, cooks, providers-of-food, and taxi service--without an offer for gas money, at that!), we terminated ours. Ever since she's left we've all been able to breathe so much easier.

Today I went to the doctor after developing a dry cough and discolored mucus in addition to my preexisting allergies. Apparently what I suffer from is allergic rhinitis (Hay fever). In addition to this, I have developed a touch of bronchitis. So, a shot of steroid in the hip, a dose of 4-day prescription z-pack, and a dose of Clarinex (same as Claritin) later and my nose is still retarded but my eyes are no longer begging me to claw them out. So, there are some minor improvements. Anyway, Dr. whats-his-name informed me that the best approach to hay fever is Claritin once and day along with a daily snort of Nasonex (something he also gave me a sample of). I'm a bit apprehensive about the Nasonex...just because things of that sort have been found addictive. So, I may try to forgo it if I can stand to. But anyway, hopefully the Claritin will prove to be a better medication than Benedryl, which caused me to sleep more than I was awake.

Oh, and I forgot to mention, we've a new girl at work. Well, two new ones, actually...though one has been there slightly longer. The latter is Kayla, a bleach-blond highschooler with as much intelligence as a handful of dust. Her work ethic leaves something to desire as well. The only reason she still has a job after days of work-less work is because she's related to the manager. Gotta love Subway politics, eh? Anyway, the second (newer) girl is Ashley, a dark-framed glasses wearing, impressively intelligent-for-her-age highschooler who, after 2 days, proves to have a pleasing work ethic and a personality, to boot. Also, she bears a slight resemblance to Ingrid Michaelson, though her hair is not redish and her eyes are blue, not brown.

Anyway, I'll leave you for the night with some lyrics off of the Let It Die album (something you really ought to check out if [1] you've not yet done so, [2] you like good lyrics, and/or [3] songs with a 1970'esque beat are in any way appealing to your musical tastes):


P.S. There's something rather attractive about John Steed of the 1961 – 1969 show, The Avengers. Yes, I realize he (at the time) would have been more than twice my age and he's not what most would consider "hot," but he's got an excellent persona on the show...and that bowler hat and english accent come close to giving the "lesser" Wilson a run for his money.

There is a theme to this update, it seems ... Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. ~ Prov 22:6

 

1.  New job - I still feel rather like a fish out of water with these little ones, but ... at least I'm now being compensated better ... <sigh>  Rather get back to high school ...

 

2.  Soldiergirl has arrived safely at her new duty station.  We have learned, thankfully, that she will be reimbursed for her transportation expenses!  (YESSSSSSS!)  We have also learned that there is every likelihood that her unit will be deployed to Kuwait in Nov for approx 1 year.  She and I have talked long and hard about this ... we talked before she joined and we've talked since on several occasions.  Although it is not our hearts' desire to go ... it is an honor both on her end and mine.  She has been well-trained and well-loved and will continue to be on both counts!  With her job title (human resources), she will be behind a computer in the a/c no matter where in the world she is sent, so ... we're not terribly worried ... except for the  further separation. 

 

Otherwise ... all is well on the homefront, but for a recurrance of bronchitis. 

 

~ B

I got this info from the great folks over at Native Remedies.  Visit their site through any of the links below to read more informative health care articles.

Given the fact that we are blissfully enjoying the warmth of the summer season (for those of us located in the northern hemisphere anyway) you would probably think that it’s unusual to hear the hacking cough of a nasty winter cold, right? But recently it seems that everywhere I go I hear more and more people coughing.

There was no news of a cold or flu epidemic, so there was no way to really pinpoint what was going on, but it piqued an interest. As our team researched ‘coughing’ and ‘breathing problems’, there was one thing that was quite evident – there is an incredibly large number of people in America and around the world suffering from chronic lung disorders.

Although there are millions suffering from mild forms of asthma or occasional bouts of bronchitis brought on during the flu season, there are more than 600 million people worldwide suffering from COPD or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. What’s more, this is a disease that many people don’t know a thing about!

When we discovered that this unfamiliar condition was not only the 4th leading cause of death amongst Americans, but that more than half of those cases were likely preventable by diet alone (Read our article on Second Hand Smoke, Diet and Chronic Lung Disease), we knew we had to raise COPD awareness.

I don’t want to give away the contents of the entire article, but one interesting thing we found out is that many environmental pollutants are a contributing factor for COPD. This lead into some research on toxicity and an entire article dedicated to the beneficial nature of eating organic foods (Read our article on The Danger of Pesticides), as well as the 12 most polluted foods you should only purchase from an organic source and the 12 least polluted that can be purchased from a regular source (Read our article on Twelve Organic Produce Items to Reduce Your Pesticide Exposure by 90%).

Ok...here is an update.  I have finally decided to join the living again for one reason.  I am out of PTO (paid time off). 

 

I have missed a couple days of work, and was laid up my entire weekend.  Let me share my list of afflictions...I have a sinus infection, which incedentally left my face in so much pain that I thought even my jaw was going to fall off.  I have bronchitis, strep throat, and a lovely bout of ear infection with a side of kidney infection.  Yes, I am lucky to even be upright.

 

My youngest son was home from school Monday and Tuesday due to a little strep throat himself.  Let me tell you...being sick, and taking care of a whiny, demanding, sick child is no small feat.  I have not slept since last night (I know, I know...you need rest to get better) But, it was either get up or piss myself from coughing so hard. 

Yes, I know TMI...

 

Fortunately, my son is going back to school this morning, it is a half day...what sucks is that he is going back to school for 1 day ... Unfortunately, my son is going to be out of school until March 26th due to spring break...yay for him...FUCK for me...that means no sleep, because there is no school or daycare.  Robs mom broke her arm from slipping on a fricken glacier in her driveway, she went into surgery Tuesday to pin it back together because it was entirely shattered...they think she will be lucky to have 40 percent function...and that means she will not be able to help for this round...it is pretty bad.

 

The job hunt continues, as I have every intention of leaving this personal hell.  Hopefully, this job comes through that I am hoping to get...we shall see, it will free me up a bit timewise, and I may be able to live like a normal human being again.  That would be lovely.

 

Hopefully, with spring here, things will start looking up...you know...

"It can't rain all the time" 

 

Spring is renewal of the earth...maybe, this year it will be renewal for my family and I.

 

(THIS IS WHERE THE "RATS" COME IN-I HATE REALTORS AND SALESMEN)

 

I am house hunting finally.  I am looking at this fabulous house that has 5 bedrooms.  It is about 3,600 sq. ft.  Two stories, 4 bathrooms, 3 car garage, formal living room with vaulted ceilings and a fireplace, Oh...the master bedroom has his and hers closets with a jacuzzi in its bathroom!  whoo hoo! There is a "media room" which translates to mini theater (theater and tele not included of course), There is an office, a den and a room that was used as a gym.  Yes... I am going to ask them to leave the fitness equipment...it is better than the stuff at the local gym.  For the asking price, it should be.  Apartment living blows, so hopefully, I will get my dream home. 

 

I was looking at trading in my geo (been my baby for 11 years now) and join the ranks of Americans with Status Utility vehicles (SUV)  Try having 3 kids rammed into the backseat of a car about the size of a hotwheels saying

 

"mom...mom...MOM...MOM...MOM...MOM...hes touching me!!!!!!!!"

 

I definitely need the space.

 

I was looking at the "grocery getters" and the soccer team transporters, and the vehicle I want had just as many perks, if not more, than the mini vans or the station wagons...plus, they aren't my style (minis and sw's).  I like to be able to look down into peoples cars because I am so high up, (they don't know I see them and watch what they are doing when waiting at a red light.) 

 

Just kidding...

 

but my ass has been riding on the pavement for so long that something I have to have a ladder to climb into is appealing as hell.

... The one I am looking at is the new Aspen from Chrysler...lots of perks, decent mileage, and it takes E85 ethanol...I havn't bought a brand new car in 11 years...(since my baby geo)  I think I am entitled.  I will have to look into this if I do get the new job.  I am trying to buy a house regardless, but the car will be coming soon...

 

That about sums me up for the last missing days...just in case any of you give a damn.

 

Have a good night all...

 

Nic