Year 2008 In Review

Wow, what a crazy year! Seriously, don't know how it just blew me away! Literally....

Family and Friends

• Josiah turned 6 on August 19th. We had a small party, with only a few of his friends. He's even funnier and smarter than last year. But also more hyper and bold against authority.
• Josiah finished Kindergarten at Ramsey, started 1st grade there, but couldn't handle 45 minute bus rides to their. So, I had to transfer him to another school. Whatever one was open which was Longfellow. Teachers there have told me, after asking me not to mention their names, that it was a bad school because problem children tended to go there and would adversely influence my child. Yet, Josiah is not able to handle himself on a bus - what makes him so much better?
• Leah Seelhoff moved to the Winona area with her daughters. Siah and I miss them. She's the only real person I used to talk to on a regular basis and not think I was crazy. :D
• On my birthday, I rescued a cat who was starving outside and was very friendly. Josiah wanted to call her "Candy Cane" but she is a Calico. She didn't look like a candy cane at all! So, I gave it some thought and a month later re-named her Kanika ( which sounds very similar to candy cane, but it sounds like a princess name). So, I rescued Kanika from starvation, got her shots, and fixed. And I won't de-claw her because that is just wrong. She is now very healthy and happy!
• My brother Tim moved in with me in January. He stayed until June. After moving to Duluth in October, he came out and SHE is now referred to as Natasa. So, you could say I was my brother's last room-mate. And that I no longer have a brother.
• I did go to my half-brother, Jerich's birthday, and still have the DVD we made of it. But my conservative father seems to have ex-communcated with me. Perhaps he feels we aren't to his liking.
• My Mother moved in with me in October. She found a new partner, Kathy, and will be trucking with her at some point in early 2009.

Financial / Emloyment

• On the last day of April, I was fired for being a political blogger. Yeah, quite illegal. But the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux believe they can trample on their employees Constitutional rights. And they like to be consistent about it. Many of my co-workers were fired this year without written reasons, and were able to get unemployment as well. ( If they applied, which most I have talked to have. ) I have nothing against Native rights. But you fired me because I am a member of the Green Party? Seriously, I think Glyn Crooks has something against Winona LaDuke.
• Took classes at the Minnesota Workforce Center, and improved my resume which improved my ability to get interviews.
• Worked temporarily through Cynthia Cook ( never trust these people ) for the John Roberts Company in Coon Rapids. They fired me because I gave them two weeks notice that I couldn't work on a specific Monday. I could work every day after that, but it didn't matter to them. ( I told them when they hired me of this date and they said it was okay!)
• Even though unemployment was okay, it was stressful filling out dozens of applications and faxing resumes ( occasionally hand delivering). Looking for a job is more than full-time work!
• I wanted my unemployment to last, so I actually took a job at Blockbuster. It was fun, chatting about mindless movies all day ( most of which I have no intention of seeing ). But the pay was pathetic. And residents of Edina are worse snobs than angry gamblers!
• I now work downtown, less than 15 minutes from LRT or bus. I am also a member of a unon: SEIU Local 26.

Education

• My career goal: dietitian. Will dietitians exist if our society collapses? Probably not, but any education will look good on a resume until then. :D
• I wanted to start college this fall at MCTC. Getting laid off had me post-pone it until January. I intend to go to college even if I have to pay for it myself and move to a smaller place to make it happen.
• I haven't taken any college classes yet owe over $35,000 in co-signed student loans. I was paying Megan Kyllonen's at $400 a month, until I was laid off. Worried I couldn't get another job if they checked my credit rating, I put $8500 of her loan onto my Discovercard. Bad decision, because now I can't pay any of Brandy Kyllonen's loans, which are in default. I will also not be able to pay on Megan's anymore after the payments catch up in February of 2010 ( I think ). What is most ironic about this situation is that I could have had my college paid for by the National Guard, but Brandy insisted that she go. She's 12 credits shy of graduating with an associates degree in culinary arts.

Health

• After being laid off, I lost my health insurance. So did Josiah.
• Within a week of being laid off, I was supposed to have surgery to get teeth removed and then get myself braces. My teeth are very genetically inferior. But without income, or insurance, there was no point in adding $200 a month to my expenses. I canceled my appointments and someday will be able to fix my teeth. ( I already paid for some plaster of my mouth to be made, photos of my teeth at all different angles, a couple consultation appointments. Wish they would have warned me that they would be firing people at random! )
• Been a vegetarian for seven years now ( in November ) !
• I did have a health assessment at Mystic Lake in March. I am very healthy! ( and now I don't work where there is second-hand smoke! )

I look forward to 2009 as a better year and one that I can build towards a better future.

Unemployment Appeal Letter

At this point, I was several weeks into unemployment. I had received no income. I had to wait until I won my appeal case. There was no guarantee I would win an appeal.

Lawyers from the law firm Olson, Allen, & Rasmussen were actively searching my blog. What did they expect to find? They spent hours a day surfing my blogs. I hope they decided to send a check to the Green Party, go carfree, or stop supporting wars. I assumed they would misconstrue some of my blogs to "prove" I didn't deserve my unemployment. A very worrying time indeed, because the economy was just beginning to collapse. Little did I know, they decided it not worth defending their lies in court.

I received a letter about possible healthcare. COBRA would take up more than my entire take home after unemployment, so I declined healthcare coverage for myself and my son Josiah. I would just have to cross my fingers until a new job manifested itself. Of course, I was still hopeful someone at Shakopee Dakotah would come to their senses.

My 401K had also asked me what option I wanted to take. In May it was worth $13,000. About the same as the DOW Industrial Average. If I didn't cash out now, I never could until I retired. Why would I keep my money in a nation that doesn't value me or my rights as a worker? I was angry, and unsure if the economy could cope with $100+ a barrel oil, so I cashed out. In October my 401K would have been worth $8000. SO even with a 10% penalty tax, cashing out in May was well worth it. I sold high, not low. :D

Wind-powered Casino?

Okay, few think of "green" when they think of gambling, but patrons will be welcomed by a wind-turbine come August. Xcel energy ( coal and nuclear power ) is their primary source of energy , which I believe is supplemented by a hydrocarbon-based generator during peak demand. The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux have been very wise in building up their community's infrastructure (i.e. their fire station, water systems, wetland restoration, health-care ). Now they are getting into the energy business, and doing it in an environmentally sound way.

I have been a patron of Xcel for many years, and a member of their Windsource program. So I am supporting wind even if I am not able to install one in my backyard. Many Minnesotans probably think this is too expensive, but it costs me less than $5 a month! Now when I initially started using Windsource in 2002, it cost my almost $8. But wind energy is cheaper now in comparison to oil, natural gas, and coal.

They will be installing the 2-megawatt wind-turbine during their annual Pow Wow known as Wacipi which will be August 15,16, and 17th. Unfortunately, the previous years I always had my National Guard drill during this time. Last year, it was Josiah's birthday and we had other plans. But this year, I would really like to see this. I live near Little Earth Community in East Phillips and go to Mother's Day Pow Wow, but SMSC has a much bigger venue.

While it has been said that the wind-turbine energy will be used by residents of the community residents, it could be a model for replacing the inefficient/expensive oil-powered generators at Mystic Lake and Little Six casinos and hotel. What is obvious by all of these positive developments in the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community is that this is only the beginning. A more sustainable business built on renewable resources and local assets are key to SMSC's long-term prosperity. Too bad the rest of Scott County has chosen an opposing route.

Easter Eve

I)Shopping

Today was QUITE interesting. It is the first Saturday I have had without Josiah so far in 2008 and I am not sure what to do with myself apart from keep busy. SO...I did.

I went shopping! I exchanged a couple videos and Blockbuster, then got my Yuban coffee on sale at Rainbow. Then I hopped over to Target to get a Radio/MP3/CD Player boombox for my living room.

Upon getting home, I checked out the player, and it worked okay. But on my older MP3 cds,it tended to skip 1/2 seconds every so often. It played a newer one fine. I am going to test an audio drama I am recording right now from my iMac. Can't wait to listen to the new Doctor Who I just downloaded! Though I almost wish they made a Torchwood one now! Man that show is hot!

Then I cleaned the living room while listening to some older faves of mine.

II) America's Financial system and Peak oil discussion

Lynne Mayo invited me to attend a discussion at her place about issues that concern both of us more than the average citizen. I will go into this topic more on the Multipartisan blog.

It is interesting to note that Dureti mentioned the night before (on break ) that she was interested in these money-making schemes known as derivatives. She knows people that make money on it, and she feels just as deserving. Of course, I told her this was gambling, which...it is. But day-trading can be thrilling for some. I prefer real work with real benefits. But some wish to work "smarter not harder." Though I prefer to serve regardless.

III) Easter celebration with Jehovah's Witnesses

Tim and Myrtle Williams invited me to attend this celebration at Sabathani Community Center. I accepted. It is amazing, because this was held in the same room where I attended my first Green Party function!

Anyways, one might find it odd that I am a Buddhist who hangs out with Jehovah's Witnesses. But they are exceedingly nice, and even though I don't agree with resisting blood transfusions(or their view on sin or everlasting life), I like a lot of their perspective on the Bible. And Buddhism doesn't prohibit me from celebrating other beliefs, which is ironic as I am celebrating with people who have this as their only holiday which is Nisan 14 and not Easter! I really enjoyed my time there. As wonderful as it was, I didn't hang out with them at Christo's afterwards.

IV) Shopping again

I did what I had already planned. I went to Rainbow for another can of Yuban. You see, there was a limit on how many one could buy - one. And they were $6.50 off! I love them, and I also wanted the organic canned green beans on sale for a dollar each. Paper bags were important too.

V) Following my instincts

I already knew before I went to Sabathani my plan for the night. I would go there, then to Rainbow, then take the #21 to Bloomington and take the #14 home. I usually take the train home, but somehow I KNEW that I needed to do that. And there seems to be a reason I listened to these strong instinctual-like feelings.

While waiting for the #21 just outside Blockbuster, a #7 dropped people off. Just as it was leaving, a man shouted to have someone stop the bus. I did. Had I not been there, the bus would have left him. The couple other people at the stop didn't seem as enthusiastic about doing anything.

The odd feeling about taking the #14 at Bloomington didn't seem to make sense. But I followed it. I waited there with this beautiful young woman. But she didn't know her buses, and needed to get to Robbinsdale. I assumed every 14 went there - they don't. So when the bus got there, the driver told her to wait for the next bus.

As we were about to drive off and leave her there, she shouted to stop and I let the bus driver know. Had I not been there, he would have never done so. She got on because she would have to wait 30 minutes out in the cold ( silly as it is, she didn't have a hat with her)! The bus would stop at a transit station that was warmer and would allow her to transfer to the correct bus. I wished her a good night as I got off on 24th Street.

VI) Audio Dramas and then.....

Okay, I made myself some tea and will have some chips and salsa. Have these while listening to the audio drama on the MP3 CD I just made while typing this. Perhaps I should write my first review of these. Or just go to sleep afterwards....zzzzz