Holidays End

It’s Sunday afternoon already, almost three and three o clock is pretty late in the weekend not as bad as four o clock it’s pretty late. Too late to start anything new except the wash and maybe dinner, I rose late today and did not even get breakfast done till 12:00 and the breakfast today was garbroch, so the meal is still sitting with me. So I will not even begin dinner for another hour or so Today I want to make single meat meatloaf—just hamburger. I figured meatloaf will be the change from turkey we need at this point on Thanksgiving weekend. The turkey has been boned and the meat is either frozen in small pouches or waiting in the fridge for sandwiches or snacking, the pies are gone and only the fruit cake remains. I hoping to post this to my blog today but I can see we have lost our connection..again but hopefully the connection will reestablish itself before I go to bed. Dianne and I are become more and more frustrated, it seems there seems to be a good sized portion of every day when he have lost our broad band connection. This is not good sign we have been with our new carrier, for only a short while, and I think we have been off line more then we were with the last carrier, which was a local type carrier. We hated that carrier because that carrier could nor keep their cable TV side of their operation up and viewable but we always seemed to be able to access the INTERNET.

I got an email from my little sister, Linda over night—a mom update. Seems my mom is having some heavy duty issues. Linda and Paul spent a good deal of time with my mom this weekend. Mom is beginning to do some pretty weird things which really makes me feel her time is neigh. Today is Sunday, which is the usual day I call my mom. Dianne thinks I should call soon or loose my opportunity, Di thinks I calling every day now, since she has been placed on hospice support—which I understand is “the end game”. What do I do.

Last week, at the office I was talking to staff about the holidays and the issues that step kids face with the whole holiday meal thing, where to go, or not go and all the politics which come with the”step” orientation. She looked at me and said, “Oh you know what I mean you’re adopted”. I was startled because I did not know what she meant. In my mind being adopted is not the same as being a step-child. To my knowledge I had one set and only one set of parents and they were very stable. Since I was basically adopted before I was born, I never knew my birth mother. Even though the upper tiers of my family were adopted and kind of played the adoptee game my brother Ross and I, both adopted, lived a fairly normal life. The kids which followed me were adopted too but not quite the same. Their birth mothers were actually cousins—they came to know where they came from, got to know their cousins were actually their brothers and sister and though they have the mother and father I did they also knew and got to know their birth parents. I did not live “that” step environment. I suppose everyone thinks I did and that is kinda weird.

New Treads

So this morning I had my appointment with my durable medical equipment vendor who is also my support group for mechanical issues with my power chair for the replacement of my mid-wheels. I figured that since I was there I would toss the other issues I have had this week at the techs and see if they could give me some direction. You have to dump on the techs this way cause their time is so limited or demanded.

I got to Magic rest a few minutes before my appointment, and the time the place opened for business. What is weird is that these kind of places will leave their phones ‘turned off’ until their advertized time is at hand. I must have arrived at the shop about 9:50 a.m. The techs were there I could see them moving round in the store. But each time I called all I got was the recording letting me know there closed and their ‘normal’ business hours.
And sure enough, exactly at 10:00 the head tech turned the phones on and I got hold of as technician. I like to do this—I then have the technician come out to the van and collect my chair and let them work on the machine while I sit in relative comfort of my van. Really, it just easier this way . Years ago, when I was pounds lighter and much more agile I would never have a problem jumping out of my chair but is an entirely different story. So the came out and drove my chair into the shop and an hour later I was on my way and $160.00 poorer. The rest of the bad news included that I have a hole in my right motor which is the reason for the “chattering I have been experience the last could of weeks, plus with the motor running low on oil, the motor heats up and the chair shuts itself off until the motor cools down. Plus the cord which connects my controller to the drivers needs to be replaced. The motor, if I should need to replace could run as high as $1,500.00 and a $130.00 for cord. I am going to have to check with the head tech on Monday and see what they can do. There is a possibility of getting a rebuilt motor at maybe half price or something but now I really need to move forward with getting a new chair with the items and features I need. My sales guy has been out of the office all over the holiday but should be back in the office on Monday so no now I have to put the heat on. For the time being I have new tread on my wheels and kind of knowledge of what is wrong with the chair and that even if the chair strands me. If I am patient the chair motors will cool down and I will be able to continue on my way.

Thanksgiving 2008

Thanksgiving was OK, we scaled down, did not go anywhere and did not have anyone over for dinner. We were about 7:00 a m and Dianne had the bird in the oven 8:00 am with a target of eating about 1:00 pm. We were a bit surprised when we got a call from Charles our youngest letting us know he and Aurora would be stopping by round 10:00. Not a planned event but it was great getting a chance to visit with Charles.

Mark came over just as our dinner was getting finished. I had asked that Mark come over and put the big computer system together—which he did and I was excited to have both systems working. We did run into one problem however: we could not get the systems to find the INTERNET and we had to eat and Mark also had to go and get his Thanksgiving dinner on the road. In fact I think the main reason mark came over was to invite Dianne and myself to dinner with his inlaws. We appreciated the invite but really did not want to one: wait to eat till 4:30; and two: have to endure the chaos of his inlaws holiday dinner. Not that we don’t appreciate these folks but the family is a typical mormon extended family “billions of kids, adult drama( all the time) and a drive to an area I am not familiar and coming home in the dark. We begged off and sent Mark off with my appreciation for helping me get my system back on liner.

Dianne and I had a great dinner, we were stuffed. Dianne had promised Anakah, that Dianne would visit after dinner. I stayed home and tried to complete my INTERNET connection, which I was not able to do and I ended up watching cable and dozing until Dianne got home. Michelle called and did the holiday visit and that was it. A little more TV before bed time then bed. But it was a good day. I think we enjoyed the holiday without the holiday family stress.

Serves me right!

I was trying to do an end run, save a little money and keep my power chair powered until I can get s new chair or something. I was going to give the reutilization project, I am part of, a try. I have been in conversations with tech and he assured me he had motors which would fit my chair and I should come over and we could check them out to be sure. I tried to go over yesterday but Jose was out on appointment so I sort of made an appointment for today. Jose assured me he would be into day but asked that I call to be sure that he was in just the same.

I waited until ten this morning before I made my first call to Jose, he did not answer his phone, which did not necessarily me Jose was not in—he could have been on the phone of with another consumer and surely would be free by the time I got to the Buffmire building. I was operating on faith but sometimes one has to. So, I took off to the bus stop for a ride to the Westside. I had been charging my chair since I got into the office this morning at about 10 minutes to seven so I knew I had the “Juice” to get where I needed to go. The morning had turned warm, autumn warm with bright sunlight showing. I waited for the 217 which runs on 15 minute head ways and the bus was there. One of the older vehicles which actually had a wheelchair lift. The new vehicles are kneelers with ramps. But I had no problems getting on the vehicle. I backed in and the driver tied me down or rather my chair down and we were off.

It was weird I had got the west side and to the street I needed to down load. The driver stopped the bus and walked back to me and undid my restraints and I turned on my chair but nothing happened. I just got “fast lights” blinking which means there is a problem somewhere in the electrical system of my wheelchair. No matter what I did I could not get my chair turned on so I could dismount the bus. The driver tried to be nice, as much as public transit operators can be but I knew she needed to get on her way. I decided that I was close enough to my end point if I could just get off the bus, and le the bust wander away I could call the Buffmire Building and I am sure the would send someone literally push me to the building. I showed the driver how to disengage the clutches which sets my power chair into “free wheel” allowing me to move by gravity or being pushed but having no control or my mobility. I was moved( excuse the pun) when the young man who had been sitting next to me volunteered to push me where I needed to go. This was quite a rave act for this young man—who’d to say I would not demand that h push me all the way back to my office. But he hopped off and he did push me the block to the Buffmire building where Jose was not but luckily we were able to run Jose down by cell phone and showed up in about ten minutes.

When Jose did get to the building he seemed a little distracted but was able to get me and my chair back to his work area. The time was about 11:30 and Jose then informed me he had a 12:00 pm doctor’s appointment. Here I was, once again, the kinda of consumer I hate, one who shows up for services thirty minutes before lunch or closing time. Jose worked hard and fast tearing my equipment apart trying to find the problem, trading part with other chairs and finally isolating the problem in the harness. Jose also indicated in the course of the search that my chair was newer then the chair he had harvested the motors from and those motors would not work on my chair. Sigh the trip had been in vane. I am glad, however that I chair decided to fail on my trip, at least there was someone there to assist me. The experience was a lesson. I am going to just have to accept the fact I am going to have to go through my durable medical equipment provider—pay the price what ever the price might be, and get on with it. I shall always be poor.

Chatter Chatter

I have done it again, I have waited too long, drug my feet and now I am looking down the barrel of some serious wheelchair trouble. This morning for the first time I am aware of the motors on my power wheelchair have began to “chatter”. I have been told this phenomenon happens when the motors began to fail. I guess what happens is the motor seize and release very quickly causing the chair quickly start and stop making a staccato or chattering sound. At this point the chair is still running ok, I am seeming to get everywhere I need to go but I can tell major issues are happening.

I am waiting, here at work, for my friend, Jose, who actually runs the local reutilization program. I am part of this program, a program dedicated to the reuse of good durable medical equipment. The program is not what I envisioned when we started the program but I have accepted the new direction and am trying to support the project. Essentially, the main point of the project to make this equipment available. I have never had to use the program as a consumer, as the program was designed but now I am going to see how well the program works.
What the program does is take in equipment which is no longer needed, like manual and power wheelchairs, the program fixes the equipment and check its durable. What’s great is they, the program, have literally piles of wheelchair motors and the technician feel they may have a couple which just might fit my chair and if they do, I can pick the motors up at greatly reduces cost.

Now, because there is a draw back to everything, I have to worry, if in fact I find a set of motors which will fit my chair, well the attention to my chair jeopardize the chance of my getting a brand new power wheelchair. The insurance company reasons if the old chair has new motors, batteries and controller why does the guy need a new chair if the old chair has all these new parts? But since I am getting the parts from the used parts program the insurance never needs to know.

Well, the day is now half over and the tech has not called and I have called at least three times. And what makes things really worse, when I returned from my meager lunch which was interrupted by only one homeless person who I guess did not realize that even civil servants eat lunch from 12:00 to 1:00 pm; Brent the sales guy I am working with at Magic Rest calls, the first time in weeks about showing me new chairs. I had just about given up on Brent and he shows up on the day I contemplate checking out the motors. I think I am still going to have to check out used equipment because I have to do to keep this chair going until I get something else and now that the chair is “chattering” I best be quick.

Getting Ready For T-Day

We bought the fixens for Thanksgiving Friday. We teamed up. Dianne drove me to the market and I in my power wheelchair zoomed round the market throwing items into my basket. Dianne stays in the van keeping it warm and making ready for a fast get away if we need it. I have worked out a pretty good system. I get a lap basket and a regular shopping cart and then move the cart to the end of each row I am shopping—or I will leave the cart by the check out area with firm orders that no one is to take the cart regardless of how deserted the cart may have appeared. Then I scurry up and down the aisle dumping my basket into to shopping cart when ever my basket gets full.

We’re doing a very scaled down version of Thanksgiving this year. Diane and are sick and all the extended families seem to be having their own dinners else where. A 12 pound bird, mashed potatoes and gravy, dressing, bake and serve roles and at least one pumpkin pie maybe two.` Sweet potatoes, green bean casserole and cranberry sauce. About $40.00 all told. Not bad. We have enough if someone should stop over needing a meal and if no one stops by we will have a great feed of our own with lots of leftovers. We stopped at the liquor store—which is one of my favorite places during the holidays. I believe the holiday spirits lingers best and longest at the State liquor store. I really didn’t need any lavations but I wanted to shop and I came way with a bottle of blush, amoretto and some Irish cream for my coffee.

Tomorrow begins a short week at work and the Boss is gone for the week and the new guy is in charge. I hope to be in and out of the office on different projects during the week and stay out of the new guys way. I hope to get the motors on my chair looked at and hopefully replaced. There should just be four of us in the office this week: Frank, Chapman, Red and me. Should be easy duty. I just need to stay out of folks way.

Ghosts!!

There’s ghosts in our office, at least one. I don’t think about the office ghost much he or she is just there and I have accepted this and moved on. The ghost does not bother me and I don’t bother the ghost. However, the ghost came up this morning during coffee discussions at the office. Relatively new employees at this office who have not had experience of hearing or interacting with the haunt , of course doubt the authenticity of the tale, just blow the whole idea off. Any way the ghost IS here, whether they want to believe it more not and eventually all staff will be made aware of its existence. I don’t think I have shared with you’all the vid I made of one of the encounters I think I had with the entity.

1-2-3 CLEAR!

I have been trying to get used to being a “one computer” house all week, ever since I made the decision I was not going to pay nearly a thousand dollars for a rebuild of my last system. I had called and told the technician to “button-up” my system an I would be to pick up the box sometime this week. Well, today Dianne was out and about and stopped by PC Lap Tops and when she asked for my dead system she was shuttled over to the store manager, John, who began telling her another story of what I was told. Essentially, Bill tells Dianne they can conjure up a working system from used parts for way less then what I was quoted for new parts. Granted, I did ask them to prepare a quotation on new parts, but I also wanted a comparable quote on used parts. Actually, another tech said he tried to build me one from used equipment but said there was not mother board which would go with my sockets or processor or some odd thing. Now there is a plethora boards and processors and low-priced power supplies which they will assemble and get my old system back up and running for less then $400.00 which is much more what I had in mind. I think once I have the system up and running I am going to start an aggressive program of replacing these used parts with new and powerful parts. Let’s face it I just could do the “one computer thing” for very long.

Work Sick

Council Day every staff member is needed to insure a good Council Day and I have had enough of being sick so I drug my sorry butt out of bed and went in—thank god Dianne was there. I actually could not make the lift from my bed to my wheelchair. I had to wake Dianne up and hold the chair steady for me—mind you that never happens and has me more then just a little concerned. I am hoping I am just a little weak from so much coughing and such. There are some other problems I need to address and I have been putting them off but now I have to come to grips with these issues so I can continue to live as independently as possible.

The cold morning air felt good on my face as I left the house and motored down the ramp, I stopped at the neighbors and picked up the paper off their drive way and threw the paper on their back porch and headed further up the road, I zigged and zagged but the cold air helped me focus enough to force the zig zags into more or less straight line. I was focused enough to wait for the train as I got to the station but not focused enough to read my paperback—so I just sat there with my parka zipped up to my nose and stared at the lightening sky. By the time I got to work I could tell I should have listened to Dianne and stayed home one more day and that today was going to be a long day a very long day.

I covered phones during the first portion of Council and I began to feel a little better as the day continued. I had not had time for much a of a breakfast before I headed out the door so when the caterer showed up with her full Thanksgiving dinner was ready. I got my plate of mashed potatoes and gravy scarfed it down and began to feel load better. This afternoon I have felt much better but I can feel my cough returning but know I am on he mend and tomorrow I will be better. I canceled the broadcast I had scheduled Thursday for two weeks from Thursday December 4th and the rescheduling has made me feel just tons better.

I am about ready to head out for home, Bill and Shirley were just in my office and I was about to show them what I have been doing with the broadcast project and I think I must have got a major endorphin jolt because right now is the best I have felt all day.

Home Sick

I am home today, ill. I hate missing work but I could just not make it in to work today. I have been down all weekend long, really down, sick in bed down. I am having a problem bouncing back. I am hoping I will be able to make it to work tomorrow but at one-O-clock today I cannot say. I am stuffed up, a bit dizzy and I have something in my chest BUT I am not coughing like I have been and I feel if I can make it to work I can stay there all day.

And now for something really serious, I finally was able to call PC Laptop and got hold of Bill the head tech or something. Bill started off my telling me that my computer was next in line to be to be served or looked but that is what I told last Monday , that there were about three machines a head of mine so I was a bit chagrined and I think Bill heard that in my voice and so he looked it right there while I was on the phone and soon I had the grim news that I basically needed a whole new rebuild of my computer; mother board, Processor, power supply and whatever the hell else they can stick me for. The numbers tumbled and when they all fell it looked like the price will be over 700.00 dollars!! I cannot do that, not right now—maybe if I did not have the loan on the van I am having to pay off. Bill is going to leave the system on the bench for the next day waiting to hear back from me but I don’t know what else I can tell him, this close to Christmas, the economy or what ever. I would really have to come up with a great idea to justify this kind of expense. The other idea is purchase the parts little bit by little bit and have Mark A assemble the system as I go along. Bill thought this was a stupid idea but of course he would—however, Bill had good arguments like the PC Laptops would be there for support and help if I and when I needed the assistance and finally the simplicity of having someone else do the rebuild. So, I am just going to have to stop by and pick up my “box” it’s a nice box Bill said so.

Thanks Mack You'll be Missed

Yesterday I was checking links on my Disability Links Page and I came across what I thought was a broken link. I would click on the link and it would render only a 404 page where Mental Health Association in Utah should be. Then just on a hunch I went to Google and did a search and again nothing; everything, every bit of the website for

I found out yesterday that Mental Health Association in Utah Health Association in Utah folded back in September victim of the economy, a private-non-profit agency here in Utah that I was fortunate to cut my web design teeth in. Dr Mack Gift, was the executive director, and a good friend of mine. Mack was working for the state out of the same office that I worked out of. He was hired on “soft money” and eventually Mack needed something an option with a bit more substance and that was when Mack took over leadership of the Mental Health Association in Mental Health Association in Utah. When I first went to work with the State I was required to learn enough web design (HTML) to update the website with was part of my operation; which I did. I learned enough I could craft a basic website an I was able to convince Mack to let me develop the website for the Association. I have to admit I amazed myself and in due time I was able to put together a web site, which ran for a number of years, and which Mack paid me fairly well over my involvement with the project. I learned enough to learn that I really did not like web design as much as I like the idea of being a web designer and saying that I ran a website—this maybe the fact that I was doing this only as am part time affair and doing the work after hours and on weekend which I was surprised to realize how much I resent ed the commitment. I liked the money. I eventually used the payments as my Christmas fund, not billing Mack until late November or early December usually giving me a $1000.00 or more to use over the Holiday season. Mack always paid, however, painful it was to him when I presented him with an invoice and I appreciated that.

Mack’s plight is the first( actually the second) I have heard as a direct result of the economy plunge. I fear many more are going to dry up and loose their private non-profit lives and then Staten and Federal not to mention all the other private sector jobs. Mack is even older then I and he might just finish up his existence on this Earth on his Social Security. I am tempted to go that route should my State position dry up. I should be eligible for SSDI now and I think I could live on it. Dianne and could make it together—our quality of life would not be huge but we would be able to live and keep the house. It would be survivable. I could make

Looking For Heroes

I love this time of the year—it s the time when miracles really stand out. I firmly believe in miracles are happening constantly but go unnoticed until now. It also a time when people, themselves, are more likely to step up to the plate and take a swing at being a hero.
I got a call this morning from a caller down South. Living in a fairly conservative city about a friend…an acquaintance living in someone’s hall way. The person is a women and uses a wheelchair for mobility and is basically homeless. The person who called had gotten to know the wheelchair person from just frequent public contact like at the market and other places. The caller says they are not friends but she has come more and more concerned and now wants to help this person out. So, I did the requisite to the local Independent Living Center and community action agency and between those two calls if each staff is any good at all should be able to link this person or point her to the appropriate program. In the process of the call I asked the caller if her home was wheelchair accessible. The said, she had never thought of that—I thought if the place was accessible in the least the maybe she could have the friend over for Thanksgiving—and interesting idea but the caller was going out of town.

But there it is; someone thinking of someone else, maybe for the first time season. I believe this person is going to assist the other in becoming less homeless and maybe more independent. I stated toward the end of the call that she has become a hero. Of course the caller backed away from that moniker real fast—oh I am not a hero, she said. But you are I said. I know these things, I get calls day in and day out few ever want to know what THEY can do to assist the problem, to be the solution or even part of the solution. I told the caller that I envied her because she might be one of the lucky one to witness a Christmas Miracle first hand. She lused over the phone and said I did not know what I was talking about and I counter with I do know because this is hat I o for a living. I talk with those in hard places or going to hard places or know others going to such places. I am the guide, I see things happen—sometimes I actually guide them through the hostile land, or eviction, homelessness, poverty and hunger and I see the miracles o a daily bases but nothing seems so special as the miracles wrought by reluctant Heros.

I'm Back

We have been offline for two days now and just a few minutes ago Quest fixed our connection so I am back on line with a real posting instead of the Twitter posting which leaves a lot to be desired on all respects. I have rather sad news to relate however, in the time we have been off line Mark A came over and diagnosed our PC dead.

Our PC has been dying for sometime, in fact we may have killed the system ourselves, unknowingly but killed dead just the same. I have heard a fan slaving for the past couple of months now, every time we started the system you could hear a fan trying to start up. I should have taken the system in right then but I did not—I was sort of hoping the sound was a small issue—it was not. Something was not being cooled down. Actually it was something on the motherboard. Mark came over yesterday and we disconnected the big system—the biggest and best system I have ever owned. Major speed, storage and capability and I will miss the system. To repair or not repair, that is the question! The outfit which built the system are gone—they were just too good and pricey for their own good. I got good a number of deals on my equipment because Josh, a close friend of Mark A’s worked at the shop. Nothing “hot” mind you just some good prices on equipment that I would usually never consider because of price and sophistication. I got this “life-time” warranty on the system which has actually been picked up by a similar shop. I have thought about dragging my system in and having them “bench” it and at least perform an autopsy to see just what was the “cause of death”. But I am hesitant, I just know they would want a proof of sale of some kind, I would. Maybe I can check my bank account and maybe years ago there is some distant record for the computer purchase.

I am still thinking of replacing the unit with a system which may not have the speed or over all power but which will allow me to write, access the NET allow Dianne and I to be on system and on the NET at the same time. I don’t even need a new system for that; just one which boots and works. I have asked Mark A to be on the look out and he has a number of friends who are sort of in the computer industry and they might have access to affordable ‘used systems”. Economically this is not a good time to try and replace the “big guy”, But I hate having to rely totally on my lap top—I have had the Satellite for a number of years now and I would not be surprised if this system failed, and then we’d be un a real mess. It sounds like I need to make a healing chicken soup. Dianne is coughing and my throat is scratchy. I make healing chicken soup—I gotta go…I’m Back!!

I Did Not Go...

Yesterday the snow came followed by cold air, really cold air. I was also supposed to drive up north to participate in an Information Fair in Syracuse. Not far maybe forty miles away. But this was forty miles (up and back)after a full day of work. Forty miles most of which would be in the dark after an all day storm. The snow fell all day till 3:00 pm and I was planning on leaving about 4:00pm because I wanted to at least drive up to Syracuse in as much daylight as I could. The Information Fair was to start at 6:00 pm and end no later the 8:00pm.

He snow worried me as it fell and luckily, the ground was still pretty warm from the recent Summer and Fall so the snow was not accumulating and no snow accumulation is good. I did not want to go to this I&R I could say I had a feeling but my boss seemed insistent that we go and really as the day progressed I kind of got into the spirit. I was going to go smile, pass out information and drive back very safe and leave early today with the two or three extra hours I would earn. As the snow fell, all day, the staff kept telling me not to go, Dianne called a couple of times worrying about me going—but I was going. I had driven into work and ofcourse some one was parked right next to my van and I could no access my vehicle and had to have Frank drive the van out—then there were last minute calls as I was trying to leave and eventually I finally got free of the office in my van a little after 4:00, the sun was shining brightly now and felt I could make the trip. As I transferred into the driver’s seat from my wheelchair my world stopped.

I mean literally stopped. I drive from, what is called a six point power seat. This seat swivels, raises up and down ad slides back and forth under the stirring wheel. What happen was some how there a short had developed not allowing the driver’s seat the ability to slide me forward! I messed and messed with the switch which drives the seat and the seats various functions, and eventually got the seat to move forward to a point where I could drive safely. I figured that when I got to where I was going I would b able to get myself out of the seat one way or another. The biggest fear I now had was to be somewhere in Podunk Utah and be trapped in my van after dark. I decided then and there I am not going to Syracuse—I am going home and I did—and I am sure that made all the difference.

Corporate Invisability

When I first came to Salt Lake, over twenty years ago, I came to work at the Independent Living Center in Salt Lake and I was hired as the Resource Coordinator and part of that job description was to work in the community to bring a more affordable, accessible public transportation to the great Wasatch Front. My job was essentially to make the public transportation system wheelchair accessible. In 1984 there were no accessible bus routes in the city, the city had purchased something like thirty buses from another transit authority which were wheelchair accessible but had been bolted shut so the wheelchair lift cannot be used. A major struggle in sued which lasted years, resulted in bus strikes negations and finally a fully accessible transit system—actually two bus system: an accessible main line service and a para transit system which has been which has been a sore reminder of one of my greatest failures, but the greatest failure is fodder for another blog posting.
One of the spin- offs which resulted from the days of storm and stress for an accessible fleet is the Committee on Accessible Transportation or (CAT). A committee rising out of the transit wars, developed by the transit authority management .

The CAT was and is made up of perceived local transit leaders—vocal folks with disabilities who possibly could influence decision makers. I was on the committee, there were reps from the blind community, physical disability a side from the Independent Living Center, Cerebral palsy, and others I have forgotten. The authority usually supplied a lunch and a year bus pass! The pass alone was worth hundreds of dollars but I soon realized nothing happened with the committee of any consequence. In fact real issues public transit and people with disabilities often “bottle necked” in the committee sometimes never getting out. There were battles in the committee of one disability group against the others taking months if not years to resolve. I would leave each meeting more and more frustrated and angry until I realized CAT is a holding tank!! What a perfectly, simple plan! Compromise the most, vocal, visible and committed transit advocates in the community give them a fancy dancy title and “buy” off with a bus pass. The transit authority, in one swoop, made the best advocate invisible from the board of directors, the folk who can make the “real” decisions . Once I made the connection I resigned from the CAT cut up my bus pass and bought my own, headed back to the board meetings where real advocates belong, where real advocates can make a real difference. I have also tried to get the other advocates who had been on the Committee realize what they were doing, what was happening to them, the best advocate in the system, but continue to frequent the meetings and I do not see a whole lot being done.
I heard earlier in the week the boss was considering becoming part of the CAT Committee, she knows how I feel about the CAT and how the people are being used by management. She says she is just going to go to see what it is like and what the CAT is all about. I just hope she does not become one of them!!

Well This Day Ever End?

Its the first day following the switch back to Mountain Standard Time; I have been sitting here ay my computer yawning and falling to sleep on the verge of feeling guilty. It’s now late afternoon, the clouds for tomorrow’s storm have rolled in, blotting out then sun and bringing on an what seems an early evening. The dark prelude is not for an early evening but to an evening as usual evening, that even on clear cloudless nights the sun will be setting (what seems) too soon. The “too soon sunset” is only exacerbated by the new State work schedule of 4/10’s with quitting time being 6:00 pm and the world is dark when I leave for home. I leave for work in the dark now too so for the next for to sixty days , except for the weekends, when I am home it will be dark and for some reason that strikes me as weird.

But usually I stay focused and conscience thru my work day. I do not have time for falling a sleep in front of my terminal--I will be glad when I get passed this yawning behavior and again, look like the professional I am.

Cold and Rainey Day

It seems the Winter and wintery side of fall has finally arrived. Cold wind driving even colder rain has blown into the valley making the decision to stay inside wise and comfortable. Dianne even went out this morning to so some grocery shopping and returned with bags and bags groceries saying she must have been “winter hording” bug. We’re in now warm and quiet-Dianne reading and me writing and working on the computers. A perfect winter afternoon, I downloaded a piece of software for fire recovery just for the fun of it. I have the software scanning system now…I don’t know how well I like the software however, it seems to be taking a long time to scan my system or I don’t have any files to recover which I doubt. We reverted to Standard time last night. The day is dark and seems to be lasting for ever.

The Gore...The Gore!

Rather then packing up on sugar and candy treats and sit by the front door all night and pass out treats to all the neighborhood urchins, Dianne and I opted to take the low-road and and close up the house and move our bedroom in the back of the house and watch TV all night. We really did not think this an issue let alone a morale issue till Anakah called asking what we planned to do during the evening gaiety of little kids scampering across streets and yards filling the bags and pillow cases with tomorrow dental bills. When she found we were doing nothing Ani was aghast. You would have thought we had informed her we were going to drink heavily and drown kittens and puppies just for fun. Even after we assured her we just turning out the lights and watching TV in our bed room and after we signed a document certifying that no small mammals or any other animals were harmed in the execution of our Halloween evening Ani still wanted to do some kind of intervention. She even , at one time, offered to come by her self and pass out the candy just so our home would not be blighted with the label of, "the house which did not celebrate Halloween". Luckily, for us, Ani had a Halloween party followed by sleep over. Ani did the next best thing of things she could think of and that was to drop off a pumpkin in the spirit of the day, her last hope that that pumpkin magic would change our minds. It didn't. In fact it was best she was not here as we gutted the squash and placed the thoroughly cleaned pumpkin halves into the oven and cooked it for pumpkin pies. Dianne even made a small one for Anakah--we won't tell her where it came from until after she has eaten it.