Do You Like Your Job?

 Another day has slipped away and I really didn't accomplish much other than eating and catching up on some much needed sleep.  I don't know if we can really "catch up" on sleep or not.  Are we catching up or are we banking for a later day?  I guess it doens't really matter as long as a person can rest enough to feel like facing the next day.

Time seems to fly by way to fast unless I am at work.  I swear the clocks move two hours ahead and one hour back during my shift.  Unless there is a major deadline - then the clock goes into double time.  I was working on a project the other evening (I work straight evening shifts) and I didn't realize it was close to quitting time until the night shift crew walked by my office and greeted me.  "WHAT???" 

Work has been a complicated and tricky place to be recently.  The patient load is high and the staff availability is low.  This computes to not enough nurses to work needed hours and extremely overworked nurses being asked to pick up even more shifts than they already do.  I am not one of those nurses.  I pick up extra shifts here and there, but due to a heart condition I cannot work the hours that I used to.  I also struggle with the fact that my current profession is not the intended path I embarked on when I went back to college.  It's almost comical to see the expression on people's faces when they ask "why did you want to be a nurse?" and I reply "I never intended to be a nurse - I went back to school to become a paramedic". (cricket - cricket - cricket)  Sure, I make the best of my job and I do enjoy certain aspects of it, but trust me, the first solid opportunity that comes along to do something else will end up with the door hitting my ass on the way out.

 I recently cut back on my hours - not because of my heart, but because I am fortunate enough that I do not need to work full time to make ends meet.  Working many hours during our earlier years allowed my spouse and I to reduce our debt and put ourselves in a position of being debt free.  Of course, that could very well be what caused my heart condition.  The multiple jobs sometimes had me working up to 170 hours every two weeks.  In addition to that I had two children to help raise.  Looking back, I don't know how I did it.

My oldest son recently quit a job that he had been at for almost four years.  He enjoyed the job, but he could no longer work the 12 hour shifts 5-7 days a week like he had been doing for all those years.  He was a young healthy man but the physical and mental stress of the job has taken its toll on him.  He got injured on the job a year ago and has since become deconditioned, overweight, and his patience level is almost non-existent.  As much as my spouse and I wanted him to have a great paying job with benefits, we could not stand to see what was happening to him - his life was passing him by and his health was declining.  We encouraged him to find a different job and to quit where he was.  He did this and the new job did not work out for him.  He is currently looking for work - but that is okay, we are in a position to help him until he finds one that is a good fit for him.  I am a firm believer that if you don't like your job or your working conditions then you need to leave.  No job is worth losing who you are as a person.

Random thought:  What if we could agree to train in profession that has a shortage and our government would provide us up to four years of free schooling along with living expenses to help to help attain our goals?  Of course we would have to maintain a standard that meets requirements, but just think of how this could help reduce professional shortages in many fields.

This is randomly me ~ Daemon

Surviving Covid

I never thought I would be as affected by the isolation that goes hand in hand with Covid-19.  I don't mind being alone and I often enjoy my solitude.  However, being on the cusp of introvert-extrovert, there are times when I need to be in large crowds to get energized.  With the pandemic looming large, that option is not available to me without creating a situation where I risk exposure to someone carrying the virus.  For those of us who enjoy and have a compulsion to travel, I can honestly say that social distancing sucks!

I recently took a trip - yes, I know I should have stayed home and not risked myself or anyone else - to Boston with some of the women in my family.  Many online news sites, social media platforms, and travel sites had information stating Salem was closing everything down and were recommending that travelers cancel their trips.  I am very happy we did not heed this poor advice.  We got tested for Covid before we left on the trip, got our results the second day of the trip, and had an absolute blast the rest of the trip!  We took a day trip up to Salem and I have to say that I was really impressed with the precautions and enforcement the Salem community had in place.  There were plenty of places to visit in Boston too.  Although many of the businesses were closed, many were not.  People practiced social distancing, wore masks, followed the rules set by the communities, and because of this we were able to enjoy our trip.

Nobody in our group got sick, nobody acquired Covid from travel, and nobody complained that the trip was wasted.  We were able to contribute to the Salem and Boston economy (even though our contributions were a drop in the bucket compared to normal tourism) without creating additional risk.  I don't think travel is a bad idea if people are smart about their social practices and pay close attention to hygiene.  Even working as a nurse, I am wearing my mask, using hand sanitizer followed by washing with soap and water (yes, I do both - in that order).  I don't touch my face, I don't pull my mask under my nose or chin - I remove my mask to eat and I don't let it dangle off of one ear like some.

I have taken a "hands off" stance when it comes to my own well being.  My coworkers do not touch me and they respect my "bubble".  This is nothing new for me and maybe that is another reason why I haven't contracted Covid.  My two sons have had it, I have been exposed multiple times, and I have had direct patient contact with Covid positive patients.  I have had five tests since last spring due to exposure or symptoms - all were negative.  Maybe the antihistamine effect of my allergy pills made me less susceptible or maybe the Vitamin D supplements really did help.  Or maybe I am just lucky. I prefer to think that I am just cautious and that my efforts are what have kept me Covid free and hopefully will continue to do so.

This is Randomly Me - Daemon

Another Day of Being Crazy

  I know I have posted before about feeling like I am losing my mind but now it is official.  I got a phone call today from someone saying the insurance information I had on file with their company was not working.  I did change in insurance companies this year but I completed online updates and made phone calls to my providers to make sure they had the new information.  After all, I sure don't want to have to pay more than I am supposed to for my medical expenses.  Anyway, back to the phone call.  I didn't recognize the number that came up on my caller ID but I answered it anyway.  The woman on the other end has a slight drawl and started talking about my bill and how it wasn't going through insurance and she needed my insurance information - then proceeded to name my old insurance company.  Ding, ding, ding, there went the warning bells - Scammer Alert!!

  I told her I would call her right back and she asked if I wanted her number.  I told her I already had it and hung up.  She did mention two of the companies I deal with so I called the first one to see if they were making calls about insurance.  Nobody was in the office, which is typically closed on Fridays, so I left a message telling them that there was possibly someone using their name in a scam.  Then I tried to look up the number for the other company but it wasn't in my contacts list.  That is strange because they have been one of my providers for five years or more.  I decided to dial the "scam" number to talk with this woman again and try get more information.  I called the number and a muffled voice said, " [company name that I couldn't understand] this is Dave".  Silence on my part . . . then I said, "Sorry, I think I have the wrong number".  Interesting that a man answered this time - wait - did he say his name was Dave?  I think that is the dudes name that owns the company.  Yikes!

  I hopped onto Google and put the phone number in.  The name of the company came up and boy, did I feel stupid. I dialed the number again and a different woman answered, "[company name] this is Nancy". I recognized the company once the name was said clearly and I recognized Nancy's voice.  "Hi, Nancy.  This is [me] and I just got a call from your number and some woman said my insurance account wasn't working anymore.  I told her I would call her back because I didn't recognize her or the number and I thought it was a scam {embarrassed giggle}".

  To make a silly story shorter - I got connected to the woman and got everything figured out.  Then I proceeded to go into my contact list and add the provider's phone number to the company name so the next time they called I wouldn't let paranoia set in.  Oh! I also called the other provider and left a message on their machine letting them know the scam wasn't really a scam, that it was just me losing my marbles.  [I am an idiot some days!]

  Ten years ago this probably would not have happened but the age of technology and the waning morals of our society have created people like me.  Technology lovers who have multiple layers of hacking protection put in place because we know the immoral people are out to get us.  When someone calls us, rather than communicating electronically per our preference, we immediately start coming up with scenarios in our minds about all of the scams that could be introduced via the telephone.  In my own defense, several years ago I was a victim of a online banking hacking scam.  The alerts I had in place allowed me to be immediately notified and I was able to shut the hacker down.  However, it still created a sense of violation in my mind made me secure my accounts even more with multiple access layers.

  I think the cyber world is only going to get worse and we all need to learn to use security layering to protect our identities from those individuals that think it is okay to steal anything and everything a person has.  So, do yourself a favor and check your accounts, delete accounts and profiles you no longer use.  Unsubscribe to those e-mails from companies you no longer deal with and stop giving out personal details on social media sites.  Be smart and stay safe onliners!!

Random thought:  When was the last time you received a letter on stationary from a friend or loved one?  Better yet, when was the last time you wrote and sent a letter to someone?

~Daemon

Blogging Anonymously Allows Personal Freedom

  I recently shared the fact that I am a Blogger.  I am not sure if that was the smartest thing I have ever done.  I started blogging years ago as a means to express myself and to provide an outlet for all forms of thoughts.  I didn't have my blog open to others at first - I was using the space more as a diary that had the added security of an electronic key rather than a physical one.  About a year ago I allowed a few trusted friends access to my blog - we shared common interests and I knew they wouldn't judge my random musings.  I made several of my blog pieces public and kept the rest private (a girl has to have some things that are private). 

  Anyway, back to the sharing comment . . . I was on FaceBook and someone posed a request for the readers to share something about themselves that others may not know.  I posted that I was a blogger.  Well, that piqued the interest of some of my friends and several asked for the link to my blog site.  Here is the dilemma - if I share the site address I will lose the anonymity I have enjoyed and others will be able to tie me to my pseudonym.  Is this something I am willing to do?

  I decided that I would take a chance and share the blog address.  I only ask that any of my friends who I have shared this site will honor my request to remain anonymous.  I am not so conceited that I think I will become the "talk of the town", however, I do not want to open myself up to scrutiny from those who do not understand and respect my need for personal privacy.  If any of my blogs speak to you or make you feel the need to share them, feel free to share my site address - just don't share ME.

Older parents and technology - Just shoot me now!

Does anyone else have that one parent that thinks he is ready for technology even though he can't even operate a remote control?  When computers were in the Windows 95 stage (probably one of the better eras) my mom decided to buy herself a desktop computer because all of her friends were sending "e-mails" and it was the thing to do.  Needless to say, she had no clue how to operate a computer and none of my siblings were tech saavy - so, guess who got to bond with mom over a Windows 95 desktop device?  Yep!  Lucky me!  Now don't get me wrong, I do not think there is anything bad about someone wanting to try something new and improve themselves.  However, I do think that a person needs to make the committment to at least learn how to use the technology they have so willingly enmeshed themselves into.  Over time my mom did learn how to use her computer to send e-mails and to print "stuff" (mostly jokes and pictures on plain paper).  In addition to those skills, she learned how to play games online.  She entered the world of POGO and opened herself up to a whole new world of fun . . . and viruses!

Is it selfish if you don't want to go visit your parents because you know that the so called visit is going to turn into a technical nightmare of redoing system settings, cleaning out caches, and killing viruses?  How about when the phone rings and it's your mother on the other end and she "just has a little question!"

     "Yes mom, this little picture (icon) needs to be left alone". 

     "No mom, don't try to "clean" your computer yourself".  

     "Sure mom, I can drive 45 miles one way to fix your computer".

     "Did you shut the computer off and turn it back on first . . . ".  

     "Oh, your friend Steve said to do a system restore because that's what he does when his computer freezes - Ummm, no! Do not press that button, I will be there in 45 minutes". 

I was in heaven when my parents decided to buy a second home in Texas and head South for their winters.  Six months of not having to trouble shoot computer problems (they didn't have smart phones yet either).  I was dreaming of what I would do with all of my extra time over the winter months . . . and then my mom calls and says, "I am taking my computer to Texas with me.  What do I need to do to get internet when I am there?"  [Crickets chirping . . . ]  And, that single sentence started a month long saga of me trying to "talk" my mom through a process that she was in no way, shape, or form, able to handle.  The saga ended with me getting on a plane and flying to Texas to get my parents set up with "dial-up" internet.  Well, that wasn't the only reason but it happened to be a catalyst. Yes, this was a long time ago and wireless technology wasn't readily available - this fact alone should indicate how many years I have been dealing with this demon called technology.

Roll forward to 2019 - my dad is no longer with us, my mom is remarried to a great guy who is a little more tech saavy than she is - just enough that I can actually explain steps to him over the phone and he is able to follow them.  My mom has had a cell phone for years - I put her under my phone plan and I pay for her monthly bill and we call it her Christmas, Mother's Day, and birthday presents all rolled into one.  Solves my problem of trying to figure out what to get her and it keeps her from having to dish out money each month for a phone.  Enter the SMART PHONE - since hubby #2 has a smart phone and he can do all kinds of cool things with it, mom decided she might need a smart phone.  Oh God!  I didn't realize I had PTSD (Prior Technology Stress Disorder) until I heard the words "how much would it cost for me to switch to one of those smart phones?"

Here's the problem - as a teenager I could look my mom in the eyes and lie my ass off to get myself out of any situation.  As and adult, I can't do it;  I wish I could, but I just can't.  So, I let mom know it wouldn't cost any more for her to switch to a smart phone and she would just have the cost of purchasing a new phone.  I ordered her phone (a very simple Motorola without major bells and whistles) and my older son set the phone up with everything she wanted.  She got a Facebook account, and e-mail account, and all of her contacts loaded into her phone.  Passwords were created and documented for her. Family members were notified that mom was entering the "smartphone" world. But the best thing by far was the "Duo" application that was loaded to her phone.  We could now make phone calls back and forth and use the same technology that George and Jane Jetson used when making their cartoon phone calls.  How cool was that? 

Today I almost cracked - my mom has not checked her voicemail messages for years.  Six months ago I spent time with a Verizon tech getting her password reset (this was pre-smartphone) because she couldn't remember what her PIN # was.  She also insisted that we never told her what her PIN was to begin with.  Okay, my fault, let's just move on.  Today, I spent time with a Verizon tech trying to get my mom's voicemail cleaned out.  The mailbox was full and nobody could leave messages for her.  She then tells me she has never checked her mailbox because nobody ever gave her the PIN #. [Plant my palm on my face].

Long story made short:  After an hour of frustration and explanations, I finally got my mom to understand that the "little blue circle with all the dots on it" could be pressed and an actual keypad would appear. Of course, in order to do this, I had to call "Hubby" and have him take a picture of her screen then send it to me so I actually saw what she was seeing.  Once we accomplished this, I was to talk her through accessing her voicemail. Loe and behold, she did have a PIN # ["Oh! Well how was I supposed to know what that number was for?"].

As I try to look on the bright side I remind myself that I will always be tech saavy . . . because my mother demands it . . . Just shoot me now!

Random thought:  In twenty years are my own children going to be blogging about my inadequacies and sharing their frustrations with anyone in cyberspace who wants to "listen?"

~Daemon