Ask, and you shall not receive

Starting on April 1, I will be paying $800 per month to provide my family with health insurance coverage, which equates to $9,600 per year. When I deducted the annual cost of insurance from my current salary amount, I realized that I would potentially be making less than what I was when I worked at my previous job. At my last job, family health insurance coverage was $350 per month. I will be paying 2.28 times more than I was before.

I was thoroughly disgusted when I realized that I would be making less than I was before. I decided that the best thing I could do for myself was to ask my boss for a raise. I didn't come right out and ask for it, I explained that my husband would soon be losing his unemployment benefits and his job prospects were not what we had hoped they would be. I knew that I would be receiving a three percent pay increase at the end of March and asked my boss if there would be a consideration of a larger pay increase. She told me that she appreciated my suggestion and that she would think about it.

This morning she stopped by my desk and asked how things were going and I told her not so well. I was hoping to get partially paid health insurance for Mike and Brody through the state, but I found out that it wasn't going to be an option for us when I came home from work last night. She then did something I wasn't expecting, she began to patronize me. Have you done this? Have you done that? Needless to say, it really pissed me off. I told her that Mike was registered with four different temporary agencies and that he had his resume posted on at least six different websites. I guess I know what the answer is to a larger pay increase. I think it is time to look for a different job.

You say Sibley, I say Selby

The office I work in is located next to one of the main entrances to our office building. From time to time I have to answer the door because someone is lost, or someone believes our office is the management office for the building. Today was one of those occasions....

Me: Can I help you?
Irritated @&*^ing Bitch: Yeah, you can help by opening the door.
(I walk over and unlock our office door)
Me: What can I do for you?
IFB: Yeah, I am looking for the (blah, blah, blah). Isn't this it?
Me: No it isn't.
IFB: Well, can you tell me how to get there?
Me: What is the address?
IFB: This is the address, THIS ADDRESS (referring to our office location). I am at 400 Sibley Ave. ain't I?
Me: No, this is 400 Selby Ave., Sibley Ave. is located downtown St. Paul.
IFB: Thanks a lot you @&*^ing smartass.

Well, I guess I would rather be a smartass than a dumbass.

Long time, no post!

I really hate the fact that I had to change my blog over to the new format. Since then, it has been impossible for me to login to my account. For some reason I was able to login today. I had better write as much as possible now because who knows when I will be able to get it to work again. On to what has been going on in my life...

My Babies
Last month on the 23rd of January, I was blessed with another adorable little boy. Byron is totally different from his brother, Brody. It has been an adjustment, but all is finally starting to fall into place. It is a real challenge having two babies under two, but it is grand nonetheless.

My Husband
Mike cannot find a job outside of the home. It has been four months today since he lost his job. His unemployment will be coming to an end soon and I have been trying not to think about it. Money isn't as important as love; which we have a lot of.

So many other things have happened, but it is impossible for me to list everything. I need to get back to blogging on a regular basis. I think the next time I post I will have to include a photo of Byron. So much to do and so little time...

Is being 33 equivalent to being middle aged?

Two days ago I was reading the obituaries (it is something that I do on a daily basis) and I saw that a friend of mine from college had lost his father. His father was only 56. I have noticed a trend lately (a bad one at that) of individuals dying in their early to late 50s. Since when did being in your 30s equate to being middle aged? I wonder if I am spending enough time with my parents. Since they are now both in their 50s, I wonder if they will be dying in the next few years. With the trend the way it is, I am really beginning to wonder.

I spoke to my husband about my fear of dying young and he felt the same way. Since both of us could stand to lose some weight, we both made a pact that once I am done with my pregnancy, we are going to change our lifestyles. Right now we eat better than we did the last time I was pregnant, but it is not enough. There will be a total revamp in our household once our next child is born. I am really looking forward to it.

It was the end of the year as I knew it (and I felt fine)

2006 is over. I couldn't make it to midnight, but I did make it to 11:36 p.m. I left my husband to watch the ball drop in Times Square by himself. I am sure he forgave me for it; even though he sounded hurt that he had to watch it by himself the next morning. Oh well. I am glad 2006 is over.

The end of 2006 was happy for me. Last week we received a backpayment of my husband's unemployment benefits, which was nice. What was even better was my win of over $1500 at Mystic Lake Casino last Friday. Isn't that something to smile about? The only bad part is that I have to pay taxes on it because it was a single win of over $1500. Listen to me. I guess there always has to be a bad part to something.

Since the New Year is a time of reflection, I think I will write of some memorable New Year's Eve celebrations of years past...

New Year's 1987
I spent the night talking to some guy named Zave on the phone and drinking Asti. I drank so much that I crawled under my parents' pool table and passed out. The next morning I woke up with the phone still in hand; lying in a pool of my own vomit. I wasn't even of legal drinking age.

New Year's 1995
I got into a huge fight with my ex, Drew, that night. I left the party we were at and went for a walk. I spent the last few minutes of 1995 wondering what the hell I was doing with my life. I remember looking up at the stars and wishing that I had a life other than what I currently had. It was very momentus.

New Year's 1998
I spent this one at Gator's in MOA. I had my first fight my ex-husband, Wayne. It was funny. He was trying to be an ass to me and I kept laughing in his face. I was also three sheets to the wind at that point during the night, but I still remember how funny it was to me. I should have known then how much of an ass he really was. If I did, I probably wouldn't have married him.

New Year's 2003
This was the last time I spent New Year's with Wayne. He, my cousin, and her husband went to Treasure Island Casino. They all were losing and wanted to go home. When we left, I remember Wayne didn't talk to me at all on the way home. It was very depressing. I kept wondering why I was even with him. It was very momentus as well.

New Year's 2004
This one was a lot of fun! I spent it with my girl, Trudy, and my boyfriend (now husband) Mike. We had went to a party and got nice and drunk. Mike and I also had a bit of a falling out that evening, but the night ended with some good make up sex. Ahh...memories.

Happy New Year! :)

There needs to be closure

Yesterday my husband had a telephone appeal hearing about his unemployment benefits. Almost a month ago he was able to come to an agreement with his former employer and they were willing to change his termination to a permanent layoff. By taking the "deal" my husband was informed by his union representative that Mike would be entitled to his unemployment benefits without reservation. This was incorrect. When he spoke to the unemployment judge on the telephone, he told Mike that he received a copy of the "deal", but it was only going to be taken into evidence and would not be a deciding factor in his decision. Once again we are left in limbo; wondering if things will be in our favor or not.

As the clock ticks by, I am also troubled by the decision pertaining to our health insurance coverage as well. I have left enumerated messages to the person handling my account for over a week and have yet to receive at least one return phone call. today I left a message for the person's supervisor, but I have not heard a response back. I know it is early in the day, but this is getting ridiculous. The reason I am so worried about this is not only because the clock is ticking toward the end of my pregnancy, but I could potentially receive a refund from my current insurance provider if I receive retroactive coverage. This means I would receive a credit back for over a thousand dollars. Since Mike is not working, this would be wonderful for us to receive.

Although I know I need closure to theose things that have been ongoing for quite some time, I do feel fortunate that I do not have the same problems that my other family members have. My cousin who recently gave birth to a Downs Syndrome child found out that child will also need to have heart surgery because she has a hole in her heart. Children are innocent and do not deserve to suffer.

My father also told me last night that my cousin, who has been married to his wife for over 18 years, was told that she wanted a divorce after she has been meeting her two on-line boyfriends and spending enumerated hours at the bar; smoking and drinking.

It could be worse, but some closure would be nice.

Paranoid

I am at the part of my pregnancy when I am paranoid about everything. I hate this period of time. When I was pregnant with Brody I was convinced that my husband was cheating on me and having sex with someone else while I was at work. I even told my husband at the time that I thought he was doing this. After I told him, I think he asked me if I needed psychological help.

Although I do not feel the way I did about the fabricated "cheating" last time, I still question what my husband is doing with his time. Since he is not working, I feel a bit unsettled. I especially feel so after I come home from work and notice that nothing has been completed throughout the course of the day. I then wonder if taking care of Brody takes that much energy, or if he is doing something else that isn't constructive.

I don't know. I am becoming more and more paranoid as each day passes. I am afraid for the health of my child. I worry when I do not feel movement from him as each hour passes. I go back to the doctor a week from today and I wonder if it is soon enough. I feel like I really have no control over myself anymore. My feelings of paranoia are starting to wear on me. I really need this pregnancy to be over with; once and for all.

Bah, Humbug!

I am really lacking the holiday spirit this year. We did not purchase a tree or deck the halls. I am too tired to do anything when I come home from work and the weekends have been filled with running from one place to another. I still have not completed any holiday shopping for gifts, and, to be honest, I am not sure when I will be able to either. The holidays are not the same anymore.

There used to be a time in which I loved the holidays. It was wonderful to be able to spend time with family and loved ones. Now I feel as if I am being controlled by my family members to do what they want and it really bothers me. I don't think that I would feel as awful if I wasn't pregnant, but I do. I haven't had the energy to do much of anything but get up, eat breakfast, go to work, east lunch, go home, eat dinner and go to sleep. I cannot tell you the last time I did something for myself. It was too long ago to remember.

I really want the holidays to be over with. Yes, I know...bah, humbug!

Keep on moving

Yesterday I had my OB appointment to find out if my chid was head down and on his way out the exit. Guess what? He isn't. It is worse than two weeks ago; he is now transverse, which means he is currently length-wise in my uterus. It is very uncomfortable and I can't hardly breathe with his back pushed into my diaphram. My OB told me that she is just trying to get me to 37 weeks and then I could be induced. This means I have five weeks left of my pregnancy--technically. I guess I will just have to wait and see what happens. Keep moving baby, keep moving.

Watch out! She's foaming at the mouth!

Okay, I admit that I am very neurotic lately. I think being able to admit that is half the recovery process. The next month and a half--or whatever amount of time I have left being pregnant--will be very difficult for me. God bless my husband and other people around me. If I had to put up with myself on a daily basis I think I wouldn't be able to. I think that sounds like telling someone to shut their mouth when they are talking to me. I digress.

This morning I was running late for work and I could not get my shoes on. I felt as helpless as a child when I realized that I could not bend over and put my tennis shoes on. My child-to-be prevents me from doing so. I yelled to my husband to help me with my shoes. I think he thought I was crazy when he saw me trying to put my shoes on without using my hands. I think I will need to wear slip-on shoes from now on. He put my shoes on for me and tied the laces. I then hugged my son and went out into the garage to move my car outside. When I opened the garage door I realized that my husband had parked too close when he had come home from the grocery store last night. I got into my car and proceeded to try to maneuver my car to try to get out of the garage. I hit the garbage cans three times and got so close to the edge of the garage that I could not get out of my car. I began screaming and crawled into the passenger seat to get out of the car. I then went into the house and told my husband that he had better get outside and move his @&*%ing car. He was about to throw his keys to me when I told him that if he didn't move it himself, I was going to make sure it would never move again. As soon as he moved his vehicle, I barreled down the driveway and proceeded to drive to SA for gasoline.

When I got to SA, I was feeling bad that I had been such an ass about my shoes and the garage situation. I got out of my car and put the hose in my car to pump the gas and got back into my car to call Mike. I told him I was sorry for the way I acted and told him that I loved him. He accepted my apology and told me he would call me later. At the time our conversation ended, the gas had stopped pumping. I went to hang up the nozzle when a voice said to me, "Pump 12, Pump 12 you need to be outside of your car when you are pumping your gas." I could not believe it what this bitch had just said to me. I yelled back to the voice so hopefully her and the rest of the people who were at the gas pumps could hear, "@&%$ you! I'll pump my @%&$ing gas anyway I want to!" I then went into SA and I was ready to kick some ass. I grabbed my daily purchase of English Toffee cappuccino and threw my money on the counter. I walked out of the store and got into my car.

I know it will end soon, but not soon enough.

Something for the complaint file

Okay, I know the last month of my blog has revolved around my complaints over my husband losing his job and the like. Although that whole fiasco has really pissed me off, there are several other things that seem to be taking the cake lately. Here they are; in no particular order:

1) My pregnancy
I currently do not weigh as much as I did during my last pregnancy, but for some reason my ass must be bigger. I can no longer fit into the same chairs I used to sit in last year when I was pregnant. So far I have gained 33 pounds with my pregnancy and last time I gained 83. Hmmm... What bothered me the most was when I went to the restroom today at work and as I was walking my child-to-be kicked me very hard. As I put my hand up to my stomach the building cleaning lady asked me if I had a stomach ache. I looked at her appalled at practically yelled at her, "I AM PREGNANT!" She then looked at me as if I were crazy and I proceeded to answer the typical questions pertaining to pregnancy: other children, boy or girl, when due, etc. I don't know. I am now in a state of wonderment about the way I look. Is it normal to look as if one has swallowed a beachball?

2) My job
We are closing on a property at the end of next week and everyone who works here needs an attitude adjustment. I have been coming into work early so I do not have to stay late. Guess what? I have had to stay late because things don't seem to progress around here until 4 p.m. It reminds me of the song in "The Wizard of Oz"...
We get up and then we go to work at one,
Take an hour for lunch and then at two we're done.
Jolly old fun!
Here it is a bit different, but only slightly. People come and go as they please. One person has perpetual doctor appointments. Don't even get me started on that one.

3) My medical insurance
I am currently paying $750 per month for my husband and son to be medically insured. This is a good portion of my total monthly income. It might not seem like a lot of money, but when you are the only person working and trying to support four people (since being pregnant I can count my unborn child) it is a lot to me. I qualify for discounted medical insurance, but I was told that even though I am pregnant, I am not entitled to the stated fifteen-day waiting period because there are a lot of people who have also applied and the main office is overstaffed. Is this my problem? No, it is not. As time ticks by, I am becoming more panicked. I don't want to have to pay an additional $350 in February to insure my newborn when I won't be working full-time.

4) My family
Every year my grandparents have had a massive Christmas celebration at their house for as long as I have been alive. This year I found out that they will not be having the celebration at their house because there is not enough room for the 50+ people to fit in their basement. Instead of going to their house in the cities, we are now all expected to drive to Wyoming, MN on Christmas to celebrate at my aunt and uncle's house (which is considerably smaller than my grandparents' house). Since I have to drive to Forest Lake on Christmas Eve, I am not too willing to drive up there two days in a row. Christmas, to me, is about being able to celebrate with family members. If one side of my family is trying to dominate my participation in holiday activites, it is not fair to the other side.

A day in the life

I read the news today;
Oh boy...

The Har Mar movie theater is closing its doors on Thursday after being open for over 30 years. I must admit that I am a little sad over this news. In the late 70s and early 80s I saw many films there. The one thing I liked the most about Har Mar was the women's restroom. I know, it sounds odd, but if you have been there before, then you should know what I am talking about. In the main theater, which has three screens, there is a women's restroom that is unlike any other. The restroom has stalls that are of every color of the rainbow. When inside the stall, the vanity, sink and toilet are all of the same color. It was like having your own personal bathroom inside of each stall; except for a bathtub or shower. Perhaps I should go one last time and vie for the blue stall; just like I used to do with my cousin Judy when her and I were young. On second thought, I am not that nostalgic over a restroom.

Happy, Happy Birthday Baby

Yes, today is my 33rd birthday. I should also mention that it is my brother Joshua's 19th birthday as well (Happy Birthday, Josh). Do I feel older today? That was the first question asked of me by one of my co-workers this morning. I said no, but I really think I should change that response to a yes. The first thing I did when I came in to work was spill half of a SuperAmerica English toffee cappuccino on my desk; which destroyed a large pile of important papers. Nice. Well, it can only get better from here. Well...maybe.

Last night I began to think back to my previous birthdays. Here are a few of the most memorable (not for good reasons either)...

Birthday #30 - I was sick with a sinus infection and had to leave work early. I went home and felt sorry for myself, so I watched "Gone with the Wind" on DVD. (This is something I usually do when I am ill)

Birthday #29 - I got a free birthday steak from Cherokee Sirloin Room, which was unedible due to the fact it was burnt to a crisp on the outside. I also received dead flowers from my husband at the time. Perhaps it was an early premonition of things to come.

Birthday #21 - The day before this birthday I had went to Perkins with a group of friends and, by accident, left my purse on the roof of my car and drove away. When I noticed its absence later on in the evening, I went back to Perkins and no one had the decency to turn it in. There was over $250 in cash in my purse. I had no license; I could not drink. A week later I received the purse in an USPS Priority Mail box and a note. The note said that the person was sorry, but they had to keep the money that was in my wallet because they needed it more than I did (yeah, right). He/she also told me that he/she was keeping my name and address so that they could return the money to me if he/she "ever hit it big". I am still not holding my breath over that one.

Birthday #14 - I was a selfish and self-hearted adolescent on this birthday because my brother was born and all I could think about was myself. I hate to think about how awful I used to be; that is why it is one of my non-favorite birthdays.

Birthday #4 - My friend across the hall, Kimmie, decided that she was going to cut off all of my ringlet adorned hair because we were playing house and I was the baby. Babies weren't supposed to have hair. My mother screamed bloody-murder throughout our whole apartment complex. I think the screaming is what I remember the most about my Golden Birthday.

Instant Karma

We all shine on; like the moon, and the stars, and the sun...

Yesterday was an interesting day. Mike called me at work to tell me that he was offered a temporary position working for a company in Columbia Heights doing the same work he had done before. He would be required to work 10 hour days that would begin at 4:00 p.m. The pay is $3 less than what he was making before, and it would be a longer drive for him as well. The other downside to this position is that since he would be required to work 10 hour days, he would not get home until 3 a.m. and possibly not to sleep until 4 a.m. I work at 8:30 a.m. Brody usually gets up at 7:00 a.m. As Brody grows older, he does not like long naps in the morning any longer. I fear that this position will not be the greatest for Mike or our family. Needless to say, I told him to take it. If it does not work, then we will deal with that later. We also do not know if this position will last two weeks, or potentially longer. We need money right now and that is the bottom line.

I also had a doctor's appointment yesterday afternoon and I found out that the child I am carrying is breech. This is not good news at all. I am hoping he will have a change of heart and do a somersault sometime in the near future. He is measuring two-weeks ahead of his size, which is not a surprise at all. I do not need a c-section with this pregnancy because it would require me to be out from work longer than the two weeks I had already anticipated being out for. Since my employer does not have a short-term disability policy, any time I take off for my pregnancy is unpaid (aside from the two weeks I currently have banked in vacation and sick time).

I really wish there was a simple solution to these problems. But, like the song says, I guess we all just have to "shine on".

Still the same

I really like the song, "Still the Same" by Bob Seger (who is incidentally playing at the Xcel Center tonight). It is about a woman who like to play games without holding herself responsible for anything that comes from the game playing. She is a distant person who does not allow herself to become attached to anyone. I think the reason I like it so much is because that person used to be me.

I laugh about a lot of the things that I used to do. I am not sure if it is because I am humored by my previous actions, or if it is just because I cannot think of how else to feel about what I have done in the past. For example, when I was 21, I went to 'Club Hideaway' off of Rice St. with my friend at the time, Laurie, and told her that I could get the next guy who came out of the restroom to kiss me. I don't remember the name of the guy who was the lucky recipient of my kiss, but I do remember that he was wearing a light blue, button-down oxford shirt. I told him that I was getting married the next weekend and all I had wanted to do was know what it was like to kiss another man who was not my husband. He was willing to oblige, as long as I did it in front of his friend. Whatever. I did it and my friend was shocked to say the least. Well, at least I didn't have sex with Steven Pearcy from Ratt in the back of his tour bus like she did.

I need a drink and a cigarette

Last week there was an interesting booklet that was included in the St. Paul paper. It featured recipes for enumerated alcholic drinks and what wine went with which food. I know that this isn't the most important thing I should be thinking about right now, but I cannot help it. I was practically drooling over the recipes for chocolate martinis and margaritas.

I realize that after the birth of my second child that my chances of being able to get drunk are slim to none. Let's face it; no one will want to watch an infant and a one-year-old overnight so mommy can have a few cocktails. That would be like asking someone to undergo unneccessary surgery for the fun of it. Perhaps I am feeling sorry for myself given my current life situation, but this is the prime time for my selfish tendencies to show.

In my recent dreams I dream that I am sitting at a bar with two drinks in front of me and a pack of Marlboro Ultra Lights (box). In the dreams I am able to drink, drink, and drink some more without any repercussions. I also smoke like a chimney in the same dreams. Nice, huh? I think it is rather sad that I am dreaming about alcohol and cigarettes. I should be dreaming about something more realistic, but why? My dreams are a means of escapism. Tonight I will be sure to order another tall Bud Light and smoke another 10 cigarettes.

The importance of being earnest

I look for jobs for my husband every day. I do this because it is easier for me to search at work during the day than it is for him to try to get on-line from our house (we have dial-up) and try to look while caring for Brody. This morning I found a position that was perfect. Although it was from 8 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., it was the same work my husband had been doing previously. I told him about it and he was interested despite the graveyard hours. Did I mention it was from Sunday to Wednesday? Only four days? Anyway, I sent off his resume and he received a response immediately. He was not pleased that it was located in Coon Rapids (we live in IGH), but he was willing to meet with the HR representative nonetheless.

At noon I received a phone call from my husband at work telling me that the place he was going to was much further than he thought; it was almost in Anoka. He also said that his mother asked him when he was going to get any sleep when he worked until 6:00 a.m., and then I left for work at 8:00 a.m. I told him that I was under the assumption that his parents were still going to help with our daycare situation. He then asked me if I would bring the children (since #2 will be here in less than two months) to his parents' house before I went to work in the morning, and I told him yes. I didn't think it would be that much of an issue for his parents to help us since they told us before that they were more than willing to help us out with whatever we needed. I didn't like the way my husband was presenting this to me; it was as if he was already throwing away the whole notion of working for this company even before he had an interview with them.

About a half an hour ago, I received another phone call from my husband. This time it was more frantic. He asked me what the phone number was to the place he was interviewing at because he could not find it. His interview was at 1:00 and he was calling me at 1:05. I was livid. I asked him why he was calling me now when he had been in the area for at least an hour already. He told me he wasn't there that long, but it didn't make any sense. If he knew it was on the border of Anoka at noon, then why was he calling me at 1:05 wondering where it was? I gave him the number and hung up.

I do not know what to think at this point. I am mad at my mother-in-law for telling my husband she didn't think this was a good position for him. Is she planning on supporting us until my husband finds a job? I doubt it. I am also upset with my husband for throwing away the hope of landing the position before he goes to the interview. I really feel that he shouldn't be picky at this point in time, but he is. For me, it is difficult to understand why he isn't overtly gushing over any position I put before him.

It ain't over till it's over

The saga of the employment position continues. I will try to sum it up as best as possible...

1) Mike attended meeting
2) Employer said Mike is still fired
3) Union rep tells Mike it isn't over until union board votes on position on Wednesday
4) Mike thinks he'll know about job future on Wednesday until he calls union rep again and finds out this is only the preliminary voting to decide if they will appeal Mike being fired by the board
5) Mike finds out mediation process can take 4-9 months
6) Mike calls temporary agencies and cannot find work

Should I continue? I think I won't. This whole thing reminds me of Dante's "Inferno"; but I am not quite sure which "Circle of Hell" this would fall into. Hmmm...too bad I don't have more idle time to ponder that one.

Things could be a lot worse than what they are. This statement is starting to wear on me--kind of like the advice of my in-laws. Did I say that out loud? Well, I guess I did. Perhaps tomorrow will be better; it will be another day.

These days I feel my life is like a river running through...

This morning Cities 97 played one of my most favorite songs ever: "Year of the Cat" by Al Stewart. It wasn't just the regular radio version either; it was the extended version that included the piano solo at the beginning. It was nice to have such a treat this cold November morning.

I am beginning to feel more at ease about the fact that my husband is jobless. I haven't cried yet today, so that is a good thing. After tomorrow morning, I will feel even better. Tomorrow will go one of two ways: Mike is offered his job back or he isn't offered his job back. I really hope it is over for good. I feel it is time for us to have a clean break from the whole thing and try to get some normalcy back into our lives. I am doing everything that I can to keep my family secure and that is all I can do. The things that I cannot control or fix are completely out of my hands.

It's always darkest before it goes pitch black

Despair. Isn't it lovely? I am in the midst of complete and total despair. My husband was denied his unemployment benefits yesterday. I had a complete and total breakdown and went into hysterics as I drove home from work yesterday afternoon. Did I mention that I am in my third trimester of my pregnancy? Well, I am. I had no business getting worked up the way I did. It just happened that way.

I used to care about what was going on in the world, but now I could care a less. I now wonder if I am going to be able to feed my family, if there will be a roof over our heads, if my unborn child will be born premature, etc. I think one can get the jist of what I am speaking of. I have not had my hair cut since June and I am in dire need of a color touch up as well. Do I care? No. These things are petty and will have to wait until other things are taken care of.

My husband seems to think that he will be getting his job back at his former place of employment on Friday. He has a meeting with his union representative and the bitch who authorized his termination. I have always subscribed to the belief that people who do bad onto others will, in turn, have bad things happen to them. Karma; it is a blessed thing.