the efficiency of the system

Over two years ago I was temporarily laid-off from my job at a local floral greens distributor. Much like any other person who had spent the last 9 years of their life working full-time, I filed an unemployment claim and followed the standard Employment Security protocol of applying for other jobs. Simple.

Somewhere along the way this process became much more complicated than I had initially anticipated. Paperwork that I had filed with Employment Security was lost, my worked hours were miscalculated, and another person's Statement of Wages and Hours was sent to my home (with all of their personal information--fortunately, I'm no identity thief). All the while I tried to maintain the utmost of patience, working with State of Washington Department of Employment Security to provide the lost paperwork, correct the miscalculations, and inform them of their grievous mailing mistake. Eventually, my claim was denied because as a "full time student the Department finds that you are unavailable to actively seek employment."

In the meantime, despite the Department's confidence in my inability to secure employment, I managed to do just that. And then I filed an appeal, informing them that I was not only available to actively seek employment, but that I had found said employment. I also took the time to remind the Department of Employment Security of the many ways in which my claim had been mishandled, offering names, dates, and forms filed as evidence (my mother would be so proud). Satisfied that I had made my case, I went about doing my new job schlepping handbags and awaited the compensation I was due.

My claim was denied again. This time because I "did not work 680 hours during" my base year. Overwhelmed by frustration at the thought that I would once again have to submit all of my pay stubs proving I had indeed exceeded 680 hours, I gave up.

You might wonder what all this preamble is leading up to...

Today, August 31st 2007, I received a letter from The Washington State Employment Security Department informing me that my claim from July 10, 2005 was DENIED. That's right folks: over two years later and with absolutely no prompting from myself, Employment Security sent me another Statement of Wages and Hours to inform me that my long forgotten, hopeless, incompetently handled claim, is still denied.

Evidently, parking fees were all that was holding the system together. God help the system.

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something to aspire to

Today my parents in-law celebrate 32 years of laughter, tears, bocce, dominoes, tent-trailer camping, road trips, and sheer craziness. That is, 32 years of marriage. Congrats, Mom and Dad. We love you!

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Spain: the aftermath

My husband has been after me to update my blog which is suffering a new post drought thanks to my recent return to the real world. What he really wants is for me to recount my time in Spain in full, no easy task.

You see, despite my smiling face in many of my photos, my two and a half months in Spain were not the mostly-easy adventure I had been anticipating. In fact, just about everything about my study abroad experience in Spain was surprising, often rather unpleasantly so.

Rather than rehash all of the dirty [and believe me they are] details of my ten weeks in Spain, I though I'd just share a few of the things I learned while I was there.

1) If your flight is longer than 6 hours, pay the extra money and fly business class. You'll regret it if you don't.

2) No matter how you say it--two and a half months, ten weeks, 71 days--it's still a long, long time to be away from home, especially if you're married.

3) There is absolutely no way to pack light for ten weeks away from home.

4) However much you pack (90 pounds or 900) you will never have everything you want from home, never mind the things you need.

5) Roommates are best when they're heavily screened for undesirable behaviors such as filthiness, thievery, and general lack of consideration for others.

6) Despite what everyone in Spain may tell you to the contrary, ham is NOT the perfect accompaniment to every meal.

7) Coffee, wine, beer, and food all taste better when you can eat them at a table outside in the sunshine. Especially if the street has been closed to automobile traffic to make way for said table.

8) Life without a car is possible. Enjoyable even.

All joking aside, the ten weeks I spent living in Úbeda were, at times, nightmarish. I had to deal with things I never imagined possible. Granted, most of the problems I encountered had to do with my fellow classmates and not with Abadat Escuela or the city of Úbeda and its inhabitants, but there were problems nonetheless and they served to make my stay in Spain [during the first five weeks] very nearly unbearable.

Imagine my surprise, then, when upon driving out of the city for the last time (very fittingly to the musical accompaniment of "It ain't over 'til it's over") I found that I was sad to go. Overcoming homesickness and horrid roommates, I was shocked to discover that I was coming away with a few more good friends and lots of experiences to laugh about in the years to come. More than anything, I realized that despite the drama and frustration and bad food, this small Spanish city had managed to steal a place in my heart.

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1095 and counting

Three years ago today I stood in a backyard garden and said "I do" to my best friend, soul mate, and the man of my dreams. I love you, Jim. Happy Anniversary.

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