E. I. or L. S. (Life Support)!?

I filed my first E. I. report today. It's been years since I've filed an E. I. report. I don't recall how long it would take to have the money in my account. The damn thing is I just had to pay for my car insurance. I have some credit card debt accumulated as well but that's every month. 

The fact is life on E. I. is similar to being alive by a Life Support machine! You can't move much, you eat a little through a tube just to be alive because you aren't able to eat! 

If you I think this is the 3rd time that I have requested E. I. benefits. The first time was 2006 and I was totally clueless. It resulted me ending up in British Columbia. I was laid off one time there as well and I think it was 2009 but found a job within such a short time that I didn't even bother starting the process.

Going back to Alberta resulted in nearly 5 years of easy and well-paid job but instead of building a structure, I carelessly spent. I should not disregard the role The Lady in this scenario! She was playing along while spending everything she earned. He plan was, I was notified later, to move back to British Columbia because she hated the wicked cold of the province and eventually did. While it doesn't have to do anything with the story of Life Support (E. I.!), I got laid of sometime in late 2015 (which its stories all have been told) and went to a deep shock. It was very hard for me back then although I had my wife beside me but she was no support. She was too focused on her moving plan which eventually was executed. That was one I moved back with my family. It was hard on us, particularly because I made a few more mistakes! 

Now I'm on the same boat! Attached to a Life Support machine! No visitors! Not much nutritious meal! Not Perhaps I shall say not much meal at all. I have reduced my intake(!) significantly and gasoline is being saved because I don't go to work! Bills keep coming and I'm determined to get a good job until the time I have to get whatever comes to me.

(Photo: I'm laying down and connected to the life support machine. Unfortunately no one is monitoring my situation closely but me!)

Early Celebration

Before heading to the CBSA College in Quebec, after being selected to become a Border Officer, and I failed, as usual(!), my friend's (at the time) wife, said something: She said don't celebrate early! She, of course didn't know that I would come back home with my tail between my legs(!) but she was right. Unless you have the Job Offer letter in your hand, nothing is finalized. 
Getting to that stage of CBSA was not easy but passing all the courses at the college in such a short period of time was hard. Too much pressure. Of course I was not the only one who could not finish the program, and that is not an excuse, but overall it was not a pleasant experience. The people who graduated are set for life: Easy job, good salary, Government pension, paid vacation, you name it. It was a mistake from the beginning, by me, to even think of such a job. Instead of spending time on such a thing, I should've devoted myself to studying and job search and I was better off today. Look at the people who were there and the majority of them finished the program and are enjoying their lives now: 1) Bartender 2) Legal Aid 3) Out-of-work Salesperson 4) seasonal Railway Worker and a few similar workers in the same salary range.
With that in mind I just received a message from another Government position job that I had applied a few month ago. It seems that I have been selected to go further in the selection process. I was expecting that because this job really matches what I used to do and is certainly up my alley but I'm not going to celebrate early! I'm just go to send a message and show my enthusiasm and than them.

(Photo: Former Lakers, Nick Young is known for his early celebration at a home game when he attempted a 3-pointer! You can see that he has turned back before the ball goes in and is celebrating!) 

The Hidden Disadvantages of E. I.

When it comes to temporary work, many people,like it because they prefer  to work for a period of time and then relax at home and just receive E. I. I always hated being unemployed, sitting at home waiting for a handful of peanuts that the Government pays you, just simply disgust me. Now that I am unemployed again, I am studying for a test (three tests, in fact) in September and I am doing job search to. My E. I. benefits hasn't been started yet but I'm not too anxious because I have a little money saved and I am in a relaxed and quiet environment. These are two main features of E. I. that the Government put an end to them a few years ago as many abused the system: 
1) People used to quit their job, go home and apply for E. I.! The Government changed that in a way that only the people who get laid off, would be eligible for E. I. benefits.
2) There were many people, mostly foreigners, who would leave the country after they applied for E. I., get a job in their own home country or simply relaxed while the government would deposit money to their accounts! Hojam was one of these guys. I hope someone from CRA reads although it's too late and the guy is not back to Canada but at least they can do something in case he ever decides to come back. What he did was he was working for a business and then when it came the time, he asked the owner to lay him off so he can apply for E. I. The guy did and he left the country shortly after that but before that he asked a buddy to keep filing E. I. reports. The guy who he introduced to me as Ali Afghani kept doing that up to the time that Hojam was eligible and thousands of dollars were saved in his account! I don't know the rest of the story as how he used it but I heard that he purchased a few used cars and intended to sell them in the old country! The Government of Canada now indicated that there is a collaboration between CRA and CBSA and if people leave the country, unless it is for employment purposes (Interview, for example), in the US or loss of family members, their E. I. benefits would be suspended for the time of their absence. I do know about the level of competence of the people in CBSA who are supposed to track the people who intend to leave the country while receiving E. I. benefits but it shall be a correspondence in the systems that these two Government organizations use.
With that in mind, here are some disadvantages of E. I., in my personal opinion: 
1) No CPP would be deducted form your income, because there's no income!

2) You are like a prisoner! You can't leave the country until you're employed again or you should kiss the benefits goodbye.

3) You have a limited income every month, despite how much you used to make. There's a cap. That's barely livable, particularly in today's economy. I doubt that the Government has increased the amount to somehow match it with the inflation. 

4) The psychological affects of that is significant. I don't know how people can enjoy the so-called benefits. Everyone realizes sooner or later that you're not working and you seem like a loser to them! 
(Photo: Lisa Simpson shows a loser sign. That is how you feel when you are asked to leave your job and that's how the majority of people see you. You are a loser in a way!)

Coffee versus Gasoline

Eating out is part of Western Culture which has been spread to the other parts of the world. I don't remember even once that I had my breakfast anywhere rather that home, before immigration. We ate breakfast at work and it was quite fun. Every day one person would bring something but there are only a few days in a month that we would arrange for that. Here unless it's a weekend and barely, no one eats breakfast at home. Long lines in the morning at Tim Horton's and McDonald's, the two main breakfast places in Canada, is seen every morning. People spend hundreds of dollars every month. The major part of breakfast here is coffee and it's price has gone up like everything else's in the past year or so. 

I have reduced my outside coffee intake but if I want a coffee, I will go to a McDonald's, usually. My regular size of coffee is medium which is a 16 Oz. cup., if we trust what McDonald's claim! Oz., or Ounce is an imperial unit for measuring volume. One ounce equals to approximately 0.03 Liters, a metric unit for measuring volume, which is not used much here in Canada except for gasoline which the way it's used is funny! When you go to a gas station to pump, you won't say you like to purchase 20 Liters of, for example, gasoline. You say you would need $20 worth of gasoline! Why? That's how the system has been set! 

Going back to McDonald's coffee, a medium size coffee is 16 Oz, which equals to 0.45 liter and now I think it's $1.79 and a 0.05% tax is added that to where I live, in Alberta and it goes up to $1.88, although I'm sure I paid more the last time I bought a cup. If we consider a medium coffee is $1.88, including tax (in Alberta), it's way more expensive than gasoline!!

Average price of gasoline in Alberta is nearly $1.41 for a litter now, which is said is less expensive than other provinces. Here you see why companies such as McDonald's make millions of dollars! They rob people blindly! 

Less than a liter of coffee cost $1.88 and one liter of gasoline cost $1.41!! You are telling me it cost less to extract oil, transfer it to refinery, run it through a process to make gasoline and then transfer it to a gas station in a city, than making a damn cup of coffee??!!

(Photo: McDonald's so-called muffins and Donuts. Must be one of the healthiest and most delicious ones amongst all in the world!)

Signs of Dementia

I had recently this problem that almost every morning when I was leaving for work, after driving out, I was not sure whether I had locked the door or not! It was other things too: Forgetting the phone or other essentials. I even lost things that I haven't been able to find them yet and don't think will be able to. I lost an USB Drive with lost of valuable information and also my phone's earpiece. 

But something happened recently that I think I knew why those things happened: Stress and lack of sleep are two main contributions to forgetfulness which could be the first step of Dementia. It's not an expert's opinion. It's based on my personal experience but I will have to confirm with a physician. 

One of the things that I thought I had left somewhere or had lost it was my Bridge Cam Gauge. The last time I had it I had difficulty taking it out of its case! I struggled with it for a few minutes until I took it out and then I decided not to put it back. Then that was it. When I decided to use it for a little practice yesterday, I was not able to find it but not being under the stress of work and not being so physically and mentally tired, I started thinking. I remembered I had it in the same place that I had my Casio calculator and I had looked for it everywhere! I had gone through a plastic bag with lots of stuff in it and I had not seen the gauge but when I went to the bag again, I saw the calculator which I had not noticed the first time and knowing the gauge was next to it, then I dag more and there it was!

I'm glad that I found it because despite the fact that I do not use it regularly (I don't use it at all!), I, for a second, thought of buying another one. I have this sense of satisfaction that by analyzing the problem and understanding what the cause of that had been, I was able to resolve it, not that it's a great accomplishment or something! 

(Photo: My Bridge Cam Gauge was given to me by a former colleague a few years ago)

End of one Misery, beginning of another!

I got back to misery after almost 6 years, again: Unemployment! I was shown the letter that the manager had written this last Fri. morning. The funny thing is I kind of predicted that but I was hoping it was just being pessimist! I was not! This was the last weeks of the project and everyone had to do this silly online safety course to be able to continue work. Guess who was the only person never was ask to do it? I was!

We started our daily work and at around 10:00 or something the guys were taking a break. At this time I saw the supervisor walking toward me. He asked me to go to his office to have a word and he handed me the letter. Another funny thing is the so-called P. M. was sitting there and I had just seen him pulling to the parking lot a minute ago! This is how great this outfit was. The P. M. goes around to hand out lay off papers! 

I was then escorted(!) of the premises after collecting my stuff and returning the company's properties! Bad experience.  I have saved a bit of money and I was hoping to get a job before or shortly after being laid off so I can by a good vehicle to replace this old one but I guess I can't! At least not until I get another job! It's the first day that I do not work, officially! I already have sent my request for E. I. and I know it will take time to kick in. I sent my last time-sheet and I also am hopeful for my vacation and statutory day pays. I, like many others, had the privilege of purchasing items with company coupons. I used them all and ordered the things I liked. I'm waiting for them as well. All I got to do is studying (for my exam. of 28.Sep.) and keep looking for positions. The supervisor asked me if I had been looking for positions and I said yes! He asked me if that was the reason why I was taking too many hours?! I told him that I had to see a physician as well as having a laboratory test but one of them was actually the long phone screening I just had. The thing is this asshole never looked at all the long hours that I spent in that miserable and dirty job with all the other assholes, worse than him but it's okay. I'm done with all that now. 

Note: The P. M. highlighted here is the person who replaced the P. M. who was let go, his story was told last Dec. and could be read by simply clicking on P. M., here. They used to work together. not so brilliant though!

(Photo: The long battle of position searching and interviews just got started)

I Don't Care (Repeat!)

I live in a quiet neighbourhood. That's what I wanted. It gets sometime a little noisy in summer because people are outside but still is okay. There has never been any major issue. There was this old nosy woman across the street who complaint about my lawn(!) but I ignored him and she shut up. She sold her damn place and moved out a few weeks ago. Then there're these couple who do nothing but smoking weed and playing with the little flowers and lawn in front of their place, all afternoon and evenings in summer! The guy wanted to befriend me but I shut him up after a few times he was trying to be smart. I even once going to report him as he was sawing some damn things at 22:00 hours but I changed my mind, the last minute.

I was at my desk the other night and I think I was watching a clip (that how I waste most of my time!) and her a woman shouting. I couldn't tell what house it was but and I could barely hear the worlds but eventually I heard she was shouting the term that Canadians and American use a lot, on daily basis: I DON'T CARE!

I actually had to concentrate and focus(!) to be able to hear properly, due to the distance. And then she went: WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO TELL YOU TO DO! 

I don't know what that was about but obviously it was a couple's fight. At one point I dialed 911 and I was about to push " send " but hesitated! Then I decided to call my neighbour who's an older lady and has given me her number recently (not that for relationship purposes!) to see what she says but then I though she would think I'm crazy! The fight ended shortly after that. 

I wanted to talk about this " I DON' CARE " which has destroyed the North American society. Not that the other countries are way different. It is way worse in the US and Canada. There're no day passing buy without hearing " I DON'T CARE ", " I DON'T GIVE A S*IT " and so forth. In fact this is the first phrase that I learnt after coming to Canada. This " I DON'T CARE " has come to the point that:

1. Now there're neighbourhoods in the city which has become predominantly East Indians! There were this big Pizza Hut at the corner of Castleridge and Falconridge when I first came to Canada. It was turned to an East Indian business and has remained the same for many years. 
2. There're jobs which are predominantly East Indian (or any other ethnic group of similar nature!) which others have no or little chance to get in, such as Class 1 drivers. 
3. The damn traffic become worst every year. I was on the highway the other and all of a sudden there was this gridlock! There're nothing that I hate the most. Driving and stopping and then driving and stopping again and going forward for three feet and stopping again. It messes up the fuel, the clutch and gearbox and my nervous system! Going forward like that for nearly 15 minutes finally saw what had happened. More than five vehicles had collided! Some might say it could have happened anywhere and has nothing to do with overpopulation. Wrong, It certainly has. More damn cars on the road and more idiots who think they can drive! 
4. Water is a major issue in the province now. Probably in other parts of the country as well. Sections of the province is so parched that the farmers have no hope they can get a good crop this year. 

The list can go on and on but this is just the beginning. But shall not be forgotten is that the Government needs cheap labour. Who would work all these shit jobs with near minimum wage? " I DON'T CARE " policy, has advantages and disadvantages for the country. There's no doubt that the disadvantages are way more than the advantages and this has started to show. 

(Photo: As many as five vehicles were involved in an incident a couple of days ago in the middle of highway. Regular day, no rain, no fog, no smoke no nothing bust stupidity and lack of driving skills. That caused a backup of at least 15 minutes and the toilet-eaters of Government of Canada want to bring more people to the country!)

Long Phone Screening

With the project winding down, I've started looking for positions. It won't be easy. However I had my first phone screening, which is the first step of getting the position just a couple of days ago. It was a long one: Almost 75 minutes! 
The funny thing was that it was postponed a couple of times because the person was very busy with multiple positions. The screening was scheduled for a time in the morning. It was easy for me to execute that: I took the work laptop with an USB Drive with the resume I had submitted and drove to a nearby business with a big parking lot! I parked, opened my resume and waited for the call. During the call, questions were being asked and the answers were being recorded by typing. I could hear that! 
I think I did well and I have a chance to be interviewed but it all depends on the other candidates. Will wait to see.

(Photo: There was only one question which I thought, for a second, it might ruin the entire attempt. I recovered from that eventually! Ask me what it was)