U. S. Census 2010

This morning I mailed my completed 2010 Census form. I received the form yesterday on April 1st as promised by the Census Bureau.




The form was very easy to complete. It took me less than five minutes to complete it.

The only information I had to record was my name, address, home ownership, sex, date of birth and race. I also record the same information for the other person living in my house.



I was very pleased to discover there was a box entitled “Unmarried partner” indicating the relationship between me and the other person living in my house. That “other person” is my partner of 46 years.

Marriage between same sex partners may not be in place but at least the government is now recognizing the reality of all the living arrangements of the people of this country. No longer will do I have to indicate I am “Single” when filling out such a form when in fact I have been happily “married” for the past forty six years! To be honest, I never thought I would live to see this day when Bill and I would be recognized as two legitimate people living in the same household. It is a wonderful feeling not to be discounted as a human being and an American citizen.



Bill and I are both veterans (me the Army and Bill the Army and Air Force.) Both of us have been productive members of the American society earning a living and contribution to the great American economy for lo these many years. During those years we have paid our full share of the many taxes of this land. Even though for most of those years we were discounted as American citizens and did not have the full rights most other Americans take for granted, we paid our full share of taxes. Someday I’ll add up the thousands of dollars we spent on school taxes even though we had no children in school. I don’t regret paying those taxes because well educated children benefit all of us in the country, gay and straight. However, I do remember the times when our straight neighbors in Pennsylvania used to harass us for even daring to live next to them because we were gay. But that’s a story for another day. Today is too nice of a day to go down that negative lane. The sun is out, the temperature is forecast for the low 70’s, and today is the 42nd Annual Kite Festival at the Cape Henlopen State Park. That’s where I’m going today, not back to the Bad Old Days when we lived in Pennsylvania with our homophobic neighbors.

This time last year I trained to be a Census worker. Let me tell you, this is a tough and thankless job. I don’t care how much they’re paying, it is a hard job. After a week of training I quit. Even after I quit I received a call from the Census Bureau asking me if I wanted to work this year. That call surprised me. Either I really did super on my test and training (which I did by the way) or else they were hard up for workers (which they are by the way.) I turned them down. I’m not one for going into strange neighborhoods and knocking on stranger’s doors inquiring as to why they haven’t sent back their census form. I have all the respect in the world for those Census Bureau workers who do that tough job. It is a job that needs to be done.

So folks, mail in your Census form today or as soon as you can. If you don’t send in your completed form you will receive a visit from a Census Bureau worker inquiring about the census form they haven't received. One thing is for sure though, that worker won’t be me.  But please make their job a little easier for those Census workers who decided to stick it out.  It's a tough job.

My New Job

This is the first working day of the New Year. As I mentioned in previous blog postings, I’m on hiatus from my part time job at the hotel. However, that doesn’t mean I stop working. To the contrary, I have a new job. I’m working for myself.




Today I’m selecting old photographs to scan into my computer. Some of these photographs I’m posting to my Facebook account to share with friends and family. This is a job that I’ve been putting off for a long time. Now is the time.

I feel this need to get everything in order before I check out of this world. At 68 years old, I don’t have that long horizon of time left to me to procrastinate.



The thought has crossed my mind more than a few times that no one would be interested in whatever mementos that I leave behind. But I can’t be concerned about that. I have to do what I have to do.



Through my genealogy research I know how appreciative I am to come across information and photos left behind my ancestors. Sadly, most people leave this earth and their life history goes with them. I’m just that self involved that I don’t want that to be my legacy.



The sun is out today, the winds have died down but the cold is still in the area. Shortly I’m meeting friends for lunch in Rehoboth. I feel good about my situation now and I'm looking forward to a very productive year.

Why I Quit My Census Job

This past winter when I heard from a friend that the U.S. Census Bureau was hiring workers for the 2010 census I thought this would be a wonderful opportunity for a part time job.

For years I have been researching my family genealogy. I have often read the census records from 1790 (the first official U.S. Census) to 1930 (the latest year for which the census is available to the public.) I often thought that if I had the opportunity I would be a census worker myself so future generations could view the results of my conscientious efforts.



In early Spring I took the test for be a census worker. I passed the test and was offered a job as census enumerator. Basically, that is a pre census job in locating the housing units to send the official census forms in the fall.



I was scheduled to attend a week long class before I begin my actual job. The first day of class a red flag went up.



Sure, we were to be paid $16.25 an hour and now I knew why. This is a hard job. Not only is there a lot of technical detail to learn, you have to traipse around neighborhoods barging into people's personal lives trying to ascertain if anyone actually lives in that abandoned barn in the back of the house.



Each day we were given a warning about safety precautions. What was this? Did this mean we wouldn't be welcomed with open arms? Remember, this was before all the crazy tea-bagging and "You lie!" wing nut activity. Apparently there are folks out there who do not like the government any way shape or form.



My training was scanty. I had problems with my GPS unit. Heck, my instructor didn't even have a working GPS unit. The first day out in the field, our leader quit. The signs weren't good.



On my first day out in the field, I look for and find my neighborhood assignment. Now where to park my vehicle? On the lawn? In the road? Then I have to stand out in the middle of the road to get a good satellite connection. The good vibes I had about being a selfless census taker are rapidly disappearing.



I can't find my starting address. I see an older man and a teenage working on installing a stair from the deck of their doublewide. I introduce myself as a United State Census worker. They look up from their work to me with unsmiling faces. They are obviously not thrilled to see me. Maybe I'm interrupting them from their work or maybe I work for THE GOVERNMENT. I live in a very conservative area of Sussex County, Delaware. I have since found out this is Teabagging County. Little did I know then.



I asked them for directions to my first address. The older man gestures impatiently towards the end of the development. Still, I'm the only one who is speaking the mother tongue of the colonies, English.



I proceed toward the other end of the development. I find my address. I walk towards the door and immediately I hear a dog barking with alarm. My first house and I get a dog attack. An elderly gentleman appears behind the glass storm door. I identify myself as a U.S. Census worker and explain my mission. He also is not thrilled to see me. I ask him my questions and he confirms that the information I have is correct. I think him and proceed to the next house on my list.



My car is at the other end of the development. Should I move it? Would the person who owns the property object to my car being parked out in front of his Home Sweet Home? Probably. It was then and there that I decided "This isn't the job for me." Nope. That was it. I quit.



Now I don't quit jobs lightly. I take very seriously my responsibilities when I apply for a new job. But from Day One, all the signals were negative for me on this census taker job. I would be traipsing all over the countryside into people's back yards, sticking my nose where it didn't belong, asking questions that the recipients were not welcoming. I was an intrusion on their lives. That is not my personality.



When I got home after a full 2 1/2 hours or so (one windy afternoon) out in the field, I called my field manager and submitted my resignation.



Later that day I wrote about my resignation on my blog. I was promptly castigated by some readers on my blog about being a "quitter" and taking the money and run (I got paid for the week of training.) To be perfectly frank, I didn't care whether they paid me or not (they did about two weeks later.) I just felt like a tremendous burden was lifted from my shoulders.



Now this week I hear where a census worker was found dead. He was naked, had "Fed" written on his chest, and was tied to a tree in a wooded area of Kentucky (not God's country by any stretch of the imagination.) Uh huh. My worst fears were realized.



Now don't get me wrong. I have all the respect in the world for our census workers. It is a job that needs to be done. It is hard work. Even at $16.25 an hour, they still aren't paid enough for what they have to learn and the sheer physical effort that they have to put forth in searching out addresses and people. It is a thankless job.



We have Wall Street types and bankers who get paid millions (and in some cases billions) just for rearranging money packages. Then we have people like census workers and our military personnel sacrifice their personal comfort and put their lives on the line for the betterment of this country. What is wrong with this picture?



I point the finger of blame on the current version of the Republican Party who has whipped up such an anti-government fervor in this country that causes violence like this to happen.

I've always felt tinge of guilt because I quit my census taker job but now I know why. I'm not putting my life on the line to be exposed to the danger that the Republican Party and the wingnuts have caused to happen in this country.




Ironically, about a month ago the Census Bureau called me and asked me if I wanted a job as a poll taker in the fall. Even though I quit my enumerator job in the spring they still wanted me back. That's how bad they are hurting for census workers. I turned down the job offer.

Thoughts Early Saturday Morning

I'm up way too late. The time right now is 1:12 am, Saturday morning. Usually I don't get on my computer late at night because it leaves my head to busy to go to sleep. But, for some reason I felt like catching up on my Facebook account and e-mails. Tomorrow afternoon I go to work again at the hotel for three straight days. I need the job for the money and to get out of the house to stimulate my brain. No complaints from this quarter about going to work.

This morning Big Bob and I drove to Dover. Bob and I used a dentist in Pennsylvania for over 20 years but all good things must come to an end (I can't help cliches.) Unfortunately for us our dentist and his wife retired last year. Guess where they moved? Yep! Good old Lower Slower (Sussex County, Delaware.) Thus, we were out in the cold again looking for a new dentist. I got lucky and found a good one (actually a couple) through my HMO plan at work. Bob wasn't so lucky. His dentist is drilling holes in his teeth were there were none before. He has the dental version of a bad garage. I suggested that he try my dentist. So, off to Dover we go. That's about 39 miles straight up Route 1. We get there and find the office closed. Uh oh. I forgot, they're closed on Fridays. Big Bob isn't the only retiree who is losing his brain cells. I'm guilty this time.

We stopped in the Chicago Bar and Grill (at my suggestion) for lunch. Again, a Delaware restaurant disappointed me. A big, fat, tastless $10 hamburger. As my friend Wayne says, "Don't expect anything good for under $20 in Delaware." Well, I don't pay $20 for lunch. I would have enjoyed my six pack of Lantz peanut butter crackers (what I usually have on the night shift at the hotel.) I'm becoming convinced that Delaware's restaurant are incapable of serving a decent meal for under $10. The booth and wooden table were nice though.

Am I ever glad I didn't continue with my Census Bureau address canvassing job. The rain today was not conducive to walking around strange neighborhoods trying to Mapspot addresses. Bless their souls the individuals who have the constitution to continue the job. Someone needs to do it. It's not my style to quit but that job would have driven me right into the ground.

I watched a movie I rented from Netflix tonight. It was called "27 Dresses." What a stupid, idiotic movie. I'm usually pretty lenient with movies but this one was miscast and predictable. James Marsden was the male lead. If that actor is straight then I'm straight. Man oh man, not believable at all. This was supposed to be a romantic comedy. I'm in a light mood tonight. I need some laughs. I didn't get it with this movie. I was embarrassed watching it.

It was good to have some time with my friend Big Bob. He said sitting in that booth with the wood table brought back memories of our Army days. Funny, I don't ever remember sitting in a wooden booth with him. But I didn't disagree with him. All I remember is the Formica table tops at the Service Club at Ft. Devens. I never went to a full fledged restaurant until I got out of the Army. My first restaurant experience was at an Italian Restaurant in Philadelphia called DaVinci's. Bill (my life partner) took me there. He ordered veal parmigian for me. I never had veal before in my life (my father didn't believe in eating baby animals, we never had lamb either - I haven't had lamb to this day and never will.) I remember how absolutely delicious that veal parmigian dish was. Scrumptious. A "first" for me. Up until that time the only dining out I had done was with the parents of a friend of mine. We ate at a diner. One of those all aluminum diners of the Fifties. I was mightily impressed then also with the hot dog I got. Oh, the other "dining experience" I had was at Dick Thomas's. Dick Thomas's was a hot dog/milk shake/french fries hangout for the teenagers of my day (the Fifties.) Also mighty good. I didn't have any money when I was a teenager so my dining out experiences were few and far between. In fact, they were almost non-existant. I've since made up for lost time though. In fact, I've become quite satiated with dining out. I prefer my own cooking to dining out these days. If I do dine out, I want to get something that I wouldn't cook at home. Unfortunately, here in southern Delaware, that goal is almost impossible to attain unless I'm willing to put out $30 or $40 for a meal. No one meal is worth that to me.

Time for bed. I have top get up early tomorrow. Bill and I have out weekly breakfast at Zorba's in Rehoboth Beach. For the both of us, the total meal will come to $11.40. Now that's more like it.

Why Does Susan Boyle Mesmerize Me So?

I dream a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung so wine untasted
But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
And they turn your dream to shame

I continued to be enthralled by this modest, unassuming woman from Lothian, Scotland. What does the beauty of her voice and soul say to all of us? I find it hard to put into words my feelings of joy when I watch her video again and again. Susan is much more than the Pop Flavor de jour. She represents something in all of us, the desire to be accepted as we are and for our own unique talents whatever they may be. There is so much pressure in this world from the time we begin school to conform to someone else’s notion of what we should be that it is almost impossible to be ourselves. Susan, bless her heart, is Susan. She represents true beauty, the beauty that comes from within. It is the beauty of the soul.

We all have this potential to be ourselves. God made us all unique. I think what I find so appealing about Susan’s story is that she didn’t let the naysayers and people mocking her to keep her from her dream. And the way she did it, with grace and good will, is a lesson to all of us. After having come out of eight years of the divisiveness of the Karl Rove politics and resulting failure of the George W. Bush presidency, our world was ready for new leadership. Barack Obama is providing that enlightened leadership in our country even as the hard core Republicans and their Politics of No are melting into a green puddle on the ground like the Wicked Witch of the West in “The Wizard of Oz.” Susan Boyle is providing another kind of leadership, the acceptance of all people as one on this very small planet called Earth. The young and old; the short and tall; the thin and fat; the black, white, yellow red; the gay, straight, bi and transgender. Susan brings out the best in all of us.

Below are just some of the thousands of positive comments that I have taken from the Internet of Susan Boyle’s performance:

1. The power, present, interpretation put altogether is like nothing I have ever heard. Others sing technically perfect but miss the connection with the audience on a grand scale. She did it starting with just the first few words – an accomplishment seldom heard in a lifetime.

2. God shows himself in all shapes, forms, colors and genders.

3. Susan Boyle – plain of physical appearance, but angelically beautiful of voice and spirit
The music of her voice went straight through my chest and to my soul. One voice, one song, a few notes made me feel better than I had that whole day.

4. Susan Boyle has already won.

5. Why does Susan Boyle move us so:

Her performance was so perfect it felt like it came from Heaven
In one way or another we all have a less than attractive side to us – whether it be in looks, personality, quirks…..you name it…. that get in the way of us being appreciated for our special qualities. What Ms. Boyle demonstrated – rather profoundly I think – was that we can believe in ourselves in such a strong but healthy way – with humility dedication and humor – that we can transcend the stereotypes and challenges to be.

For me the past few weeks have been difficult. First the job I took with the Census Bureau that didn’t work out and the subsequent criticism I received from some for that decision. That was followed by the worst cold I’ve ever had in my life, from which I am still recovering. Then, on top of everything else my long time friend from Pennsylvania renews his proselytizing efforts to “save” me for eternity. I again remind him that I cannot participate in a religion that out of hand condemns me for being gay. Our ensuing conversation deteriorates to a point that I lost my desire to make the trip to Pennsylvania that I was going to make today for my class reunion committee meeting and to spend some quality time with my friend. That wasn’t going to happen since he accused me of “always bringing up the homosexual thing and acting the martyr.” That dismissive tone of voice and discounting of me as a human being belies an undercurrent of prejudice which is not conducive to a mutually respected friendship. It's just not something I can or will tolerate anymore. One of the reasons I moved down here to lower Delaware near the heavily gay populated community was to get away from this superior attitude that many straight people don't even realize they have. I don't need to make a trip back into that oppressive atmosphere.

As I said in a previous blog, I’m going to stop putting myself in situations in which people (friends included) bring out the worst in me. Those days are over. Instead I will watch this amazing woman and what positive lessons in life that she is giving us. Thank you Susan for bring a smile to my face, a lump in my throat and warmth to my heart. I, along with millions of others, appreciate the beauty that you have brought into our lives with your angelic voice and pure spirit. And please, please don’t change a thing about yourself. We love you just the way you are.

Brush with Pneumonia

Thursday, April 9th is when the symptoms of my first major cold since 2001 began showing up. The usual suspects; chest congestion, clogged sinuses, coughing, runny nose, and body aches all over. Ironically just days before I was bragging I never get colds. Well, I can no longer make that brag. This time I got the worst cold I ever had in my life. In fact, it was so bad that, for the first time in my life, I went to the doctor.

After four days of trying to sleep the cold off and only seeing it get progressively worse, I called my doctor and made an emergency appointment. Of course the day I decided to go out it is cold, windy and rainy. Then I go to my doctor’s office, which is called The Clinic by the Sea and I find it has moved. Thus I had to wander around in the wind, rain and cold trying to figure out how to get in her new office. I find her office and await the good doctor.

She asked me my symptoms. Then, as if on cue, I cough up a hunk of green phlegm. She looks on with horror at the ugly mucus and says “You’re seriously ill. I commend you for walking into my office instead of waiting to go to the emergency room.” She examines me and suspects that I have pneumonia in my left lung. She writes out a prescription for Levaquin 500 mg tablets, which is an antibiotic for pneumonia. She then tells me to get a chest x-ray to determine if, in fact, I do have pneumonia.

I go back out in the wind, rain and cold. Thank goodness Bill was driving. I could not have driven myself. I was too lightheaded (more so than usual.) Bill takes me to the Beebe Medical Campus off of Rt. 24. They take several chest x-ray pictures. I then go to Wal-Mart to fill my prescription. The Wal-Mart in Rehoboth doesn’t have a pharmacy department. Only the super Wal-Marts have a pharmacy. I forgot I do live in Lower Slower. Back out in the wind, rain, and cold. I stumble over to Eckerd’s to get my prescription filled. The doctor had warned me that it would be expensive. For 10 tablets, the cost would be $154.75. Okay. That’s expensive. I normally get my prescriptions filled through the Wilmington Veterans Administration but there was no way I could wait three days while my prescription request traveled through that bureaucratic maze.

I called my doctor for a less expensive alternative. She said that the Beebe Medical campus had called and said that I didn’t have pneumonia……yet. Thus I wouldn’t need the Levaquin. The doctor instead prescribed Augmentin. For 10 tablets, the cost was $41.98. I purchased the Augmentin and was on my way.

When I got home I took the first of my two tablets a day. Before I went to bed last night I took my second tablet. Last night about 2:30 am I woke up in a cold sweat. My T-shirt was soaked. But, this was good. For the first time in a week I felt normal. I could breath. I had an appetite. My head didn’t feel like I was walking underwater. I was going to live another day to stir the Pot of Life. I changed T-shirts and went back to bed, thankful that I had my health back.

Since I’ve been sick I haven’t been on my computer. That’s how you know I am really sick when I’m not on my computer. This morning I got on for the first time in two days. I updated my Face book account, checked my e-mails, and checked my on line banking. Ironically, I noticed that the Census Bureau has made the deposit for my one week’s employment with them to my checking account. This made me think of what a mess I would have been in if I had continued to work for the Census Bureau. The Census Bureau told us that we were not to let bad weather deter us from working. What with the rain, wind and cold of the past two weeks and my march towards pneumonia I’m just thankful that this story appears to have a happy ending. My only concern now is that I think I’ve used up the last of my nine lives.

Rainy Saturday

If there was ever a day that I was glad I didn’t continue with my address canvasser job for the Census Bureau, it was this morning. I awoke with a deep congestion in my chest and aching from bone to bone. I could hear the steady downpour of rain from outside my bedroom windows. My voice is little more than a croak. Thank goodness that I don’t have to work at the hotel this weekend. Thank God I don’t have to go to work this morning verifying addresses for the Census Bureau. My sympathies go to those Census Bureau workers who are going out today to verify addresses. God bless them.

One of the biggest benefits of being retired is the freedom to decide to do with my day. Today is such a day. I don’t have to go to work at the hotel until next Friday, at which time I will work a four day marathon. I will be filling in for the full time front desk clerk who is going on vacation. But until next Friday I have nothing on my schedule except a dental appointment in Dover on Monday. I’m getting an upper partial dental plate and it is in. It will probably take several visits to get the fitting just right. Hopefully, I won’t have as much problem as my friend Diane did with her partial. Wish me luck Diane!

Tomorrow even I am meeting friends at the Purple Parrot in Rehoboth Beach for our weekly get together. That is if it is not raining. The days are longer (which I love) but I still don’t like to travel in the rain, in the daytime or nighttime. There probably won’t be too many more of these Sunday night gatherings anyway as the tourist season heats up. The traffic, people and congestion is just too much to have a pleasant evening with friends. No complaints about the seasonal tourists though, we need there business to keep our economy going here in Lower Slower.

This morning I received an interesting comment on my "Census Job Day Five - I Quit" blog. The following is the comment that “Anonymous” left:

"Guess some people get tired of your long-winded posts; the infinite details that are truly boring, and the fact you document every aspect of your life.Maybe you could post more interesting discussions that invite people to participate, rather than to read about your life that is truly focused on yourself in a way that is consistently way too verbose, and tiring to read."

Guilty as charged. My post are detailed. I do that on purpose. That is my style. Yes, I do try to document aspects of my life. Guilty again. In fact, that is the purpose of my blog. It is called a BLOG. That’s short for Weblog. It is a personal journal. It is MY personal journal

“Anonymous” sates “the infinite details that are truly boring….” Perhaps the details are truly boring to him/her. So what? Why read my blog then?

“Anonymous” suggests “Maybe you could post more interesting discussions that invite people to participate, rather than to read about your life that is truly focused on yourself in a way that is consistently way too verbose, and tiring to read.”

I love this comment. This stranger is telling me to post a discussion forum. What? There are thousands if not millions of blogs of this ilk. When I originally started a blog I had one like that. It attracted all kinds of unpleasant and negative people like “Anonymous” who presume to tell me how to write and lead my life. I discontinued that blog because it did nothing but drag me down to the same depths where people like “Anonymous” live. No, that was not a good thing. That isn't where I wanted to go with my blog.

What I love about the Internet and blogs is the freedom to write whatever I want to write about without seeking the approval of people like “Anonymous.” Yes, my blog is about me and I will continue to write in detail about every aspect of my life. I have to admit I do find it fascinating that some people like “Anonymous” feel the necessity to try and dictate how I should write my blog. Displays of arrogance like this always amaze me. This to me is perhaps the main problem with human kind today; some people telling other people how to live their lives. They have an innate inability to live and let live. They abhor freedom. They assume they and only they are always right and anyone who has a different viewpoint on life is wrong. They seek to control and when they can't control that which they cannot control, they strike out in fear with insulting and hurtful words. Frankly, I enjoy receiving these kinds of comments. I love pricking at the oblivous pomposity of self-important czars of Internet like this person.

So "Anonymous", back to the details of my life…….no work next week, I may eat a Clementine or two during the week, perhaps bake a German Chocolate cake (which I haven’t done since my father died August 22, 2000 – it was his favorite cake), might do some gardening if the weather is nice, will vacuum clean the house (haven’t done that in about a month – it’s way overdue), will have to update the mailing list for my 50th high school class reunion, will try to come up with a design for the cover of the 50th class reunion booklet, will try to get some more items for the Clear Space Productions Thrift Shop, will update my Facebook account at least three times a day, will check my e-mail also at least three times a day, will try to reduce my backed up mails to zero (lots of luck on that one), will continue to watch two Netflix movies a week, will keep my partner Bill entertained with my witty conversation and repartee ( I posses a smidgen of French in my vocabulary – my 8th grade English teach Miss Hurlock would be proud), will try to update my genealogy records on Ancestry.com and Family Tree Maker, will also try to scan more old photographs into my computer for permanent storage, will try to get rid of the boxes of old correspondence in the dining room, will take more digital pictures of unique scenes as they appear, will continue to work part-time at the hotel and fill in where necessary when other workers have emergencies, will continue to have breakfast every Saturday morning with my partner Bill and our good friend Bob C., will continue to read the four books by Allen Hollingwurst that I got from Amazon.com (Mr. Hollingwurst writes excellent prose), will call my Mom in Pennsylvania to hear her latest complaints about Obama and Nancy Peolosi, will continue to watch my favorite MSNBC programs “Hardball” with Chris Matthews, “Countdown” with Keith Olbermann, and the “Rachel Madow Show”, will continue to have Ralston Purina Corn Chex for breakfast with one ripe banana and 2% low fat milk, will continue to have a scoop of potato salad for lunch with a flour tortilla wrap of roasted red pepper hummus and feta cheese and a side of Pineapple Mango Chipotle Salsa, and for dinner (when I’m not eating out), fresh Romaine Hearts with Parmesan dressing and whatever leftover rotisserie chicken I have on hand that week that I purchased from either the Wal-Mart at Georgetown or Milford. Oh, one more thing. There's a grapefruit in the bottom fruit drawer of the refrigerator that's been there since the Inn Christmas party. I better eat that this week before it turns to mush. Hate to waste food. Waste not, want not I always say.

And that my “Anonymous” friend, are just a few of my favorite things I will be doing all this week. Check my blog daily and I will attempt to fill you in with more detail. Have a wonderful day!

Dandelions

Some consider dandelions a weed. Almost all of the unoccupied lots around here now have a profusion of dandelions blooming in their full butter yellow glory. I have a few of them on the very edge of my highly manicured and treated green carpet lawn. During my walk this afternoon in the development behind where I live, I looked at amazement at the unoccupied lots that are covered in a yellow blanket. The poor dandelion, no one wants it on their lawn. Then I noticed that the unwanted dandelions were wanted by one living form, the humble honey bee. Yes, honey bees were swarming around the thousands of dandelions that are spreading in profusion in the many untreated lots. This is one positive aspect of the current housing market, plenty of dandelions for the local honey bees.

In addition to the sunny mild weather, this was a good day for me. I took my car to The Garage to have another motor installed for the rear window shield wiper. I called the first thing this morning to ask if the part was in. I was asked “Would it be inconvenient for you to bring your car in Monday?” Uh……YES! I’ve been messing with this window shield wiper business all week. I told them that it would be inconvenient for me to wait until Monday. They told me to bring my car in and leave it with them. They would work with it today.

I dropped my car off and Bill and I visited our friend Bob. If you remember Bob, he is my long time friend who is showing signs of early dementia. Or at least it seems that way to me. Bob lives a short distance outside of Georgetown, in the woods on 22 acres of land. We arrive and knock on his door. He greets us and invites us in. This is one of his good days because he is animated. We seat ourselves in his living room. I ask Bob if his partner Jim is sleeping because I didn’t want to wake him up by talking loud (Jim is a nurse who works nights and I do talk loud.) Bob said not to worry because “Jim can sleep through anything.” After about a half an hour into our visit, Jim is heading for the front door. We ask where he is going. Jim says “I’m going to the f—cking Post Office then I’m going to the g..dam f—cking library.” Well……okay. Must be one of Jim’s “multiples” (the way Jim refers to his multiple personalities.) This is nothing different for Jim. He is very possessive of his relationship with his partner Bob and jealous of any attention Bob receives from his other friends. Jim has succeeded in discouraging most of Bob’s friends from visiting him but I refuse to end my friendship with Bob. I’ve known Bob a lot longer than Jim (since 1960 – Jim has been with Bob “only” 23 years.) Jim may be 68 years old but he sometimes acts like a spoiled petulant child. I don’t let his attitude bother me. The way I look at it is the old police attitude towards an accident or crime scene: “Nothing to see here, let’s move on.”

As I was getting ready to leave Bob’s, we hear a knock at Bob's door. It was Scott, a Census Bureau address canvasser. What a small world! Last week I attended class with Scott in Laurel. I had to ask him how he was doing. As expected he told me that address canvassing is indeed very hard work. He said at the end of the day he finds his neck aching. He’s had some problems with insufficient training but he is overcoming it. I told him I respect his work but that I just couldn’t juggle both of my jobs. He said he had worked in the previous census but this one was much harder because of the use of the HHC (hand held computer.) I have to admit I experienced a temporary sense of melancholy when I saw him holding his personal HHC and swiping his fingerprint to sign on. He was having problems signing on (you get three tries then you have to wait fifteen minutes.) I gave him advice on how to swipe his fingerprint and he was successful. I’m glad I could be of help to him.

It was such a beautiful day today that I felt a slight sense of regret that I didn’t stay with the census job but that quickly went away as I gave a deep cough. I’m overcoming a bad cold. I could just imagine if I had stayed with the job with my cold out in the wind and the rain and the cold. I would probably have pneumonia by now. No, it was a good thing (for me) that I left when I did. I wished Scott well and Bill and I were on our way while Scott was off to Map Spot more Housing Units.

This evening I had dinner with a long time friend of mine from Pennsylvania who came down to his Rehoboth Beach house for the Easter holiday. We dined on Eggplant Parmesan at the Rehoboth Dinner. As is usual for folks of our age (we went to school together), we discussed our various medical ailments and treatments. A sure sign we’re officially OLD. The evening ended as I drove up Rt. 1 to my home on the impossibly green acre of manicured, Lawns Unlimited, dandelion free (except for a few dandelions on the edges) lawn. Yes, today was a good day. Even for the dandelions and the honey bees that feasted on their nectar.

Not a Smooth Week

This morning I woke up to a cold. My first cold since I moved to Delaware in April of 2006. I’m blaming it on this crazy spring weather we’re having here in southern Delaware. One day is a glorious warm, brisk spring day. The next day the cold winds are relentless. No wonder I have a cold. People all around me have had colds. Bill just had one last week. The breakfast hostess at work was diagnosed with pneumonia. I'm surprised that I haven’t come down with a cold before now.

I’m still playing around with getting the rear window shield wiper fixed on my car. This is getting to be an all week process. A couple of weeks ago I took my 98 Subaru in for a major overhaul. I had just hit 111,000 miles and I decided that this car is going to go another 90,000 miles. I can’t afford a new car. This car has to last. My real window shield wiper wasn’t working so I decided to go for it and get that fixed too. First time out in the rain and the rear window shield wiper doesn’t work. So I call the garage where I had it fixed. Coincidentally the garage is called The Garage. This was on Friday. They tell me it will take more than a few minutes to check the motor. I worked at the Inn on Monday. I took the car in Tuesday. They check it and told me I would have to leave my car with them, which I did yesterday. Then they tell me they have to order a new motor. I picked up my car. Now I’m waiting for the new motor to come in so I can leave my car with them again. I can see where this is going. I’m wondering if they even put a new motor in my car. But how can you tell? I don’t need this stress. This is turning into another nightmare.

My spring bulbs are in glorious bloom. I love the change of seasons. This past winter seemed so long. Six months of cold, windy weather. We’ve had a lot of rain the past few weeks which has produced wonderful green grass all around. I hope we don’t have the dry parched summers of the past few years. I can’t wait until I can get outside and work on my flower beds that border the back acre of our lot. I’ve tried but the winds are so relentless. It’s no fun working in winds that gust up to 30 mph. It’s almost like working in a low grade hurricane. Not fun. It blows my hat off and musses my hair.

Bill and I are trying to arrange a time to visit our friend Big Bob. Bob is our longtime friend who is losing his mental capabilities. He’s not getting any better. I talked to him on the phone the other night. Another one sided conversation. I do all the talking. I ask him how he’s doing. He says “Okay.” I ask him what he’s been doing. He says “Nothing.” And that is about the extent of his input into the conversation. “Okay” “Nothing.” It’s sad. He seems to enjoy our in person visits even though he seems confused. Sometimes I wonder if this is all my imagination. Maybe it is and I’m the one who is losing it. At this point in my life, nothing surprises me. It's scary.

One thing I am really glad about this week is my decision not to continue with my Censes address canvasser job. I would have been wiped out if I was out traipsing through neighborhoods attempting to Map Spot Housing Units. Bless their hearts, those people who are out there doing this hard work of verifying addresses. It is an important job and I have all the respect in the world for those who are able to go out everyday with their Hand Held Computers (HHC) to verify addresses. I wish them only the best.

I’ve decided to clean up my blog site. I removed links which I never go to. I don’t have time to explore different blogs. The times I have gone on a search for blogs, they generally are overloaded with content. They’re confusing. I like to keep my blog simple. I have two blogs, a personal one and a genealogy blog. I removed links to those blogs which aren’t updated. I also temporarily removed a link to my friend’s blog who is having trouble with his blog address. In the past year he has had both his e-mail address and his blog address hijacked. I don’t know how or why that happened but I’m totally confused now as to what his address is. I consider blogs a reflection of the blogger’s personality. That is why my blog has a lot of music and a minimum of soap boxing and links. Some of my friends have complained about the music but there is always the option of turning the music off. But if my blog has a mish mash of content, then I get confused to say nothing of how it affects the reader of my blog. Thus, clean up time on the blog. No offense meant toany of my friends who links have been removed from my blog.

I want to thank my friend Ben for suggesting that I use Facebook for my social networking and another outlet for my expressions. I’m having a lot of fun with my Facebook account. I love it. As we go through life, every now and then we encounter caring people who unselfishly offer to help enrich our life. I have been very fortunate in my life that I have met many such people. Even though I haven’t had a smooth week, I know that I’m living the good life retired in Delaware. Now for some rest so I can be at my best tonight at the hotel.

Census Training - The Aftermath

Three days after my last day as an address canvasser for the U.S. Census Bureau I’m finally getting back on track. I’m writing this blog after just having read a very critical comment to my blog posting “Census Training Day Five – I Quit.” I’m not posting the text of the comment because it was full of incorrect assumptions and vitriol but I did want to address my reasons for quitting again. The writer called me a “lazy whiner who wasted the government’s money...."The writer is also an address canvasser and obviously the job is a good fit for him/her. I’m happy for them. It wasn’t a “good fit” for me and I decided to quit before I wasted my time and the government’s time. When I gave my resignation I suggested that they should give the job to someone who needs the job. I don’t need it. I thought it would be good fit for me because I like to get out and drive about. I enjoy immensely finding cemeteries and taking pictures and posting them to FAG (Find a Grave.) That aspect about the job is what appealed to me. However, that I didn’t account for were the more immediate problems like:

1) Parking
2) Safety
3) Weather conditions
4) Training

5) Bathroom needs

These are not problems I encountered with FAG. If the weather was bad, I didn't go to cemeteries. I didn't have to worry about my safety at cemeteries unless the dead decided to rise. Also, parking is never a problem at cemeteries. And, I have yet to encounter a dog in a cemetery. (note: this is another "tongue in cheek" reference in case "Census Taker" is reading this blog.)

While I’m aware these aren’t problems for some others, they are for me. I didn’t receive sufficient training. The trainer favored her group over our group. Our first day out in the field, we were on our own because the assistant crew leader quit (because she didn’t have an HHC was too stressed out to train – is she a “whiner” too?) The first day out in the field on my own was my first learning experience. Perhaps if I had an experienced person with me for an hour or two it would have made the difference. But, that didn’t happen. I'm not a dummy but I do need a basic run through in the field. It was promised to us but it didn't happen.

I respect the Census workers who are address canvassers, trainers, crew leaders and assistent crew leaders. In fact I have a renewed respect for the men and women who are our postal carriers. At work yesterday at the hotel, with all the wind and rain outside, our mailman came in to drop off our mail. I looked at this wind blown and rain soaked mailman and now I realize what he has to go through everyday. I have a new appreciation for him and his daily rounds in "rain, snow, wind, and sleet."

The following is a portion of the comment left on my blog who accuses me of being a “whiner.”

I could have misread you, but my impression of you from this post was, "what a lazy whiner". You should have known the job was not a "good fit" before you wasted a week of time and $16 an hour of taxpayers money. What did you think it would be like walking door to door? I wondered what your work ethic was and if you felt bothered when a person came into your hotel office and made you have to look up from the TV or your paper :) Again, apologies since you probably are not that guy, but from just this article, that's was my initial take.

To Census Taker, I accept your apologies because I am not the person who you are referring to when you say: “I wondered what your work ethic was and if you felt bothered when a person came into your hotel office and made you have to look up from the TV or your paper."

You are wrong in your assumption that I am the type of person you referred to in a hotel office. I am the ONLY person ever to win the President’s Guest Service Award for the Hampton Inn in Exton, PA. My job at the hotel is a good fit for my personality and skills. Just because I don’t do as well in another area of the job market doesn’t mean that I’m a “lazy whiner.” I write my blog with complete honesty. If I attempted a job as a brick layer, I would quit too because that isn’t a job suited to my personality or skills. That doesn’t mean I’m a “lazy whiner.” Just as I wouldn’t call you a “lazy whiner” if you quit a hotel front desk job from where you have to be everything from a restaurant reviewer, give driving directions for a 150 miles radius from the hotel location, do hotel laundry and kitchen chores, set up breakfast, help set up special events, check in and check out guests all the while maintaining a happy disposition no matter how tired your are or what is going on in your own life, and work shifts from 3 PM to 11 PM and come in the next day and work 7 AM t0 3 PM all the while staying fresh and new to make the guests’ stay at the hotel a pleasant experience.

Census Taker states:

My first day out I did over 100 map spots. I had a tough area that had been developed, abandoned, and then picked up again. The addresses were listed by where they 'thought' things should be based on computer mailing records, not on the ground observation; that's why they need us! I had to move apartments from one block to another and add and change roads that did not get developed according to the original plan. It made it more fun and challenging. Most blocks are much easier than that and "boring" as you say in that I am just validating an address and entering a map spot.

I commend you for completed for a job well done. You are the type of person who should be working as an address canvasser for the Census Bureau. You find the challenge as I did. However, I don’t understand why you thought I said it was “boring.” I didn’t say that. If you got that message from my blog post then I didn’t write clearly. I didn’t consider anything about the address canvassing job boring. In fact, I thought the job would be quite interesting. That’s why I applied for the job. Not to repeat myself, what I didn’t take into consideration was juggling both jobs and the lack of training.

Census Taker further states:

I don't find the work boring, thought I am really just moonlighting because I wanted to be out in the beautiful spring weather and meet people. I think I brighten their day. I don't go in with fear and I don't come across as a salesmen or "Jehovah's Witness". The few people who look like they are going to stare me off their property are quickly smiling and wanting to chat when I give them my smile, my opening line, and my sense of humor. So you are right in that you definitely needed a different attitude for the job and the government needs a lot more forward thinkers and a lot less "typical government employees" that everyone complains about.

Dear Census Taker, obviously you misunderstood that I my comment was tongue in cheek (look up this term in Google if you don’t understand what it was) that I went in with fear and coming across as a salesman or Jehovah’s Witness. The people that I did encounter on my brief foray were friendly and helpful. I have no complaint with them. Perhaps if I didn’t have my job at the hotel, I would have toughed it out on the training part and stayed with the job. When I applied for the Census job my hours at the hotel were cut back to one day a week. Once I began training, the hotel called and increased my hours. I felt obligated to go through with giving the Census job 40 hours a week. When I realized how difficult it was going to be to juggle the two jobs in addition to dealing with the elements, I decided to resign the Census job.

I’m sorry that my blog posting was so poorly written that it came across as a post of a “lazy whiner” who epitomized all the worst stereotypes of government workers. I meant in no way to disparage the individuals who are working as address canvassers for the U.S. Census. I have a great deal of respect for them because this is a hard job (as our regional leader reminded us every day.) The message I attempted to convey with my blog post was that this job wasn’t a “good fit” for me (and hopefully with some humor.) The people who are doing this job should be like you, committed, hardworking, and willing to take on the challenge of this very important job. However, I don't see the purpose in disparaging me by calling me a "lazy whiner" because I posted a blog stating that the Census job wasn't one for me. Please take time to explain to me what you hoped to accomplish by calling me a "lazy whiner." You seem to have a deep seated anger over some issue. Maybe you should address that problem instead of making sweeping assumptions about someone you don't know.

Earlier today I received an e-mail from a friend of mine who took the Census job test as a result of me taking the test. She told me today she was asked to attend training. She said she was having second thoughts now because of the warning about taking pepper spray with her. She has a legitimate concern. However, I urged her to take the training and see for herself if the job is a “good fit” for her. I certainly am not discouraging anyone from taking this job. Last I heard, this was still a free country and we have the freedom to chose. Just because I quit a job that I didn’t feel I could give my all I don’t think that warrants calling me a “lazy whiner.” As my Mother always said, someone who calls someone else names says more about the name caller than it does about the person who is being called the name.

To the commenter of my blog who called me a “lazy whiner”, I wish you much success on your job as address canvasser. Remember what our regional director promised: if you’re good enough you’ll sent to Newark to help them with their address canvassing. Just make sure you take your pepper spray.

Census Training - Day Five - I Quit

Yes, you read it right. I quit my Census job today. Today started out as another gray, dreary, rainy day. This was the day of the Big Test. I was first to arrive at our classroom meeting place at the Lighthouse Church outside of Laurel Delaware. Shortly after I parked my car, my crew leader arrived. She unloaded boxes of material from the back of her SUV. More Census trainees arrived. Some stopped to talk to our crew leader before going into the building to prepare for the qualification test. The test would be 30 questions and we would have an hour to complete it. We would have to score 70% or better to get our wings to go out in the field. You know the old saying “be careful what you wish for?” Stay tuned.

Ten o’clock rolls around. We take the test. As we finish we hand our papers to one of the crew leader’s assistants who take the finished test papers back to be graded by the crew leaders. Once they are graded will call us back one at a time to tell us if we passed and what our assignment will be. My turn came and I was called back. My crew leader told me I scored 97 on the test. I passed! Then I got my assignment. She said I could work on it today or over the weekend, whatever works best for me. I decided to work on it this afternoon.

I shot on home for a quick lunch. I packed up all my material and head out to Hunter’s Mill, a housing development about five miles from where I live. Earlier in the day it had rained, hard at times. The sun was out when I left home for Hunter’s Mill. However, the wind was gusting up to 30 miles per hour. Big puffy clouds filled the sky. I had no trouble finding Hunter’s Mill. However, as I drove into the development I saw the first problem. Where am I going to park? I’m not comfortable pulling off to the side of the road. I couldn’t pull in a private driveway. Hmmmmmm. So, I drive around the development, looking for my starting point that my HHC indicated. I turned on the GPS. I was out of the area. Back around the development I drive a few more times. Still can’t hone in with the GPS. Then I notice another problem, the houses don’t run in consecutive order. Another problem, some of the houses don’t have numbers on them. But then I remind myself, that what they’re paying me for, to update the addresses to census forms can be sent to the correct addresses where people live.

Okay…………..I’m still driving around looking for a place to park. I finally find a cul de sac where I’m not too obtrusive. No one is around. A few houses up the street a dad and his teenage son were building a railing on their deck. They shot a few glances my way that weren’t exactly “Hey there! Welcome to the neighborhood” looks. This was a nice neighborhood and it was quite obvious that I was the Strange Person in the Neighborhood. I could feel several sets of eyes looking at me from behind silent picture windows of some of the other homes in the neighborhood. I have my Census bag on my shoulder and my Census badge blowing around my neck in the 30 mph gusts of wind. It was an unusually warm afternoon and I was starting to sweat.

I get out my HHC (hand held computer) and try to see where I am by looking at my GPS indicator. The bright sun was making it hard for me to read my HHC. The wind is causing my badge to slap me in the face. I’m trying to hang on to my Colorado Rockies cap. This isn’t going good. The first house I see isn’t on my HHC. This must be a new house. I see someone out front watering his lawn. I got to introduce myself by walking over to him then I remember, we’re not to walk on lawns. So I look for the cement walkway to approach the homeowner. He’s not looking happy. “Who is this nut?” he’s probably thinking. Yesterday we were mistaken for Jevohah’s Witnesses. Probably because of the bag we’re carrying over our shoulder. He’s also probably not happy seeing me take the long way around to circle into him. All he wants to do is water his lawn. My procedure is that I identify myself (“I’m Ronald Tipton with the U.S. Census Bureau and I am verifying your address for the 2010 Census”) and then I hand him a Privacy Notice. I had him the notice and I notice that his hand is holding a hose that has water running out of it. Ooops. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. I asked him how long his house had been there. He said it was built in 2006 (same as my house, but that’s another whole story). Thus, it wouldn’t be on my HHC because it only contains information from the 2000 Census. This is a New House. I have to add it to my HHC.

Here we go. My next step is to do an ADD. I enter the information on my HHC. House number, street, town/city and zip code. Then I attempt to do a Map Spot which is to have the HHC GPS indicated where the house is on the map. My GPS had gone. Where, I do not know. It’s not there anymore. Oh great. Now I do a manual Map Spot. I can do that but I don’t know where to put it on the map. My map is either 5 feet out or 5,000 feet out. No in between. I think you can see how this is going. I discovered I was out of my range. In other words, I was in the wrong assignment area. Back to Go.

I find another house and I am in my assignment area. I bring up the GPS again and nothing. Nada. Zilch. Zero. While standing in front of the door of the Housing Unit, I see an elderly man looking at me on the other side of the glass storm door. He’s looking at me like I’m a Jevohah Witness. Those damn bags. I go to the door and to introduce myself. He opens the door and a dog scoots out. All five pounds of his furry self. My first dog! We were warned about “My dog doesn’t bite.” What did the elderly gentleman say? He didn’t say “My dog won first place at the Westminster Kennel Show.” He said……are you ready?........he said (I swear to God) “My dog doesn’t bite.” Oh Hallelujah! I think that was the grape that caused the camel’s back to sag. My first open door and I get a “My dog doesn’t bit” scooting out to greet me. Actually, this dog didn’t bite. She was just a little big of fur (some Yorkie mix) who actually seemed happy to see the big old strange man at her door with the Jehovah Witness should bag at her front door. I wasn’t happy. In fact, I was finished. That was it. This isn’t the job for me. I admit defeat. I go down in a blazing fireball of flames.

What in the world was I doing out here on this unusually warm, windy spring day when I could be home doing one of the following:

1. Taking a nap
2. Working in my garden
3. Writing my daily blog
4. Updating my genealogy records
5. Aggravating Bill

I hate to admit defeat but I just didn’t see this job fitting in with my lifestyle (such as it is.) I love my hotel job. I know others who would hate such a job. Too boring they say. Not to me, I never know what’s coming through that door at the hotel. I’m always up for the challenge. I like the challenge of making people happy. I didn’t see that in this job of canvassing neighborhoods, verifying addresses. I’m traipsing around in front of people’s houses, bothering them. That’s not me. I want to make people smile, not frown and fear that I’m going to hand them a Watchtower religious pamphletgiving them the opportunity to be one of the 144,000 Chosen. Then there are the other problems of where to park my car, and where was my GPS signal? That was so frustrating. I didn’t know where I was. I couldn’t Map Spot the house to verify the address on my HHC. At the hotel I have no problem “Map Spotting” my guests right into there room and I leave them smiling. And I didn't even get into the problem of going to the bathroom. How wold that be handled? I can hold it but not for hours on end. Wearing a giant astronaut diaper was out of the question. Maybe a mayonaisse jar. Nah, wouldn't work either. I was advised to try local libararies and fast food joints. Maybe McDonalds is good for something after all, a pee break.

No, address canvassing for the Census Bureau isn’t Ron. Sometimes you just have to admit defeat. Maybe defeat is too strong a word. A more accurate description would be that the job wasn’t a “good fit.” I remember years ago after I got out of the Army, I applied to Lukens Steel for a job. Back in the small town where I came from, most guys who didn’t go to college worked for the local steel company. I was no exception. Except that I wanted a job in the office but this was back in the early Sixties when sexism was still rampant and Political Correctness hadn’t been discovered yet. Office jobs that I wanted were listed under the “Female” section of the help wanted ads in the local newspaper. So, I dutifully applied for a job at Lukens. I passed the test and physical (had to parade around nude – all of us at once – all ages – something wrong with that.) I was hired as a crane operator. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the steel industry that is a job in which you’re in a small enclosed cage on tracks high above the factory work floor. The crane operator operates a giant magnet to pick up metal sometimes weighing thousands of pounds and move it around to different places on the work floor below.

Right away I saw a couple of problems with this job. First, was the cage air conditioned (it was not.) Second, there are men milling about the floor down below me, what happens if I make a mistake and drop a couple of tons of steel on someone’s head? Then there were the other problems like when and where to I potty? And I didn’t even get into how dirty my hands were going to get operating those greasy levers. I could see a lot of broken fingernails in my future. So, even after I was hired as a crane operator, I quite before I started. At lest today, I gave this job a couple of hours. But I could tell, this wasn’t the job for me, wandering around in front of strange people’s houses looking for my GPS. “Hey you! Whaddya doing out there?” Me……”I’m looking for my GPS signal.” Uh huh. Time to end this puppy’s misery.

I get home and I call my crew leader immediately. I inform her of my decision. She expresses regrets (a very nice lady by the way) but says she understands. I feel bad because they went to all the trouble to train me and I’m bailing. But, it was either now or later. I could see it coming. This job needs to go to someone younger and more energetic and less sensitive than writer of this blog. The unemployment figures go up everyday. I have a comfortable retirement and a lovely part-time job that I enjoy immensely. It was time to turn in my HHC. My crew leader told me to call her assistant and he would arrange to pick up my material. I called him and told him I would deliver it to him. Bill drove me to the assistant’s house and I delivered all my Census training paraphernalia and my HHC to the assistant. I officially resigned my job as a Census Worker. The resignation was probably necessary because I did take an oath of office when I was hired. I'm still feeling guilty that government funds were spent to train me and I didn’t follow through with the job.

It was better to quit now than later, when I would be totally frazzled and shell shocked. As the old saying goes, “You have to know when to play them and you have to know when to fold.” (Kenny Rogers?) I folded today. But, life goes on. I have a new appreciation for my hotel job. Bill is ecstatic that I will be home more. After 45 years, he knows me better than I know myself. He told me that he knew I wouldn’t like the job. Oh he does know me.

I go to work tomorrow at 7 am. Tomorrow night I think I’ll take in a movie from one of my Net Flix rentals (“Dan in Real Life”.) Sunday looks like dinner with friends at Stoney Lonen. Monday I work again at the hotel. Tuesday I take my car down to The Garage to get the rear window shield wiper working. Ah yes, back to the regular routine.

Day One at Census Training

Today was my first day as a U.S. Census Bureau worker. The location of the training was at the Lighthouse Church in Laurel, Delaware. I got up early and left early to make the 23 mile trip down Route 1, through Georgetown, Delaware. I didn’t want to be late. I wasn’t. I was an hour early. In fact, the church doors were still locked.

It wasn’t too long before the Census officials arrived with cartons of material for the trainees. I helped the women unload the boxes. One of them thought I was one of the trainers. I told her that I was one of the trainees who arrived early. I got a knife from the church kitchen and sliced open the tape that had secured the cartons of training material. After I was done, I selected a seat next to a window and waiting the arrival of the rest of the trainees.

Nine o’clock arrived soon enough along with about sixty more trainees. We were to be a consolidated training group. I was told this was the reason for the location in Laurel, it was the halfway point between the two districts. The materials were passed out. The first thing the instructor did was ask us to rise and take the oat of office. After we took the oath, she asked us? "Did that oath sound familiar?" Yes, it was very similar to the presidential oath. So now I'm an official government worker. My resume expands.

After administering the oath of office to us, the instructor explained to us our duties. It wasn’t too long before I realized that I wouldn’t be working on the census as I originally had thought. Instead we’re doing the preliminary step to the census count. We are called listers. Our job is address canvassing. That means we are given a neighborhood or an area and go out and verify the addresses. We are to identify structures that are listed as living quarters. This includes checking buildings, trailers, sheds, tents and even caves. Yes, caves. That should be interesting to see who is living in a cave. Anything that is a structure, we are to check.

We will be working with hand held computers. Perhaps this sounds easy but it is actually more complicated than it sounds. There is a certain protocol to be followed. Our official title is “Census Enumerator.” What we’re doing is counting and identifying where people live. We have a U. S. Census badge that we wear around out neck identifying us. We have to identify ourselves when wandering through neighborhoods clockwise canvassing structures for addresses. We have to indentify ourselves everywhere we venture, even the caves.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the day was when we got fingerprinted. Yes, fingerprinted. Again, it was not as easy as it sounds. No, we didn’t have to get mug shots. The fingerprinting is necessary because that is how we sign on to our hand held computers, heretofore to be known as our “HHC.” Lots and lots of acronyms were tossed at us today. We were told by our instructor that by the end of the week we will be masters of those acronyms. Ah, brings back memories of my Army days (AOL, TDY, etc.)

At the beginning of the day I was unsure if I would like this job. That uncertainty is gone now. I can see where this job will be interesting. My only concern now is working around my hours at the Inn. I’m scheduled to work four days next week and the following week. I think this should be manageable because there are no set hours. One of the big rules is that we’re not allowed to work more than 40 hours in any given week. The other Big Rule is that all the information we accumulate is confidential. We are not to divulge any of this information now or after we leave our temporary employment with the U.S. Census Bureau. Again, brings back memories of my time in the Army when I worked for the National Security Agency at Ft. Meade, Maryland.

Most of my fellow trainees were older women. The ratio of women to men was about 70/30. There were very few young people. I counted only four in the total group of about sixty trainees. I initially counted myself among the young (a frequent mistake I make until I look in the mirror in the morning) until I realized at 67 years of age, I’m in with the rest of the group.

Today was a good day. The trainer was knowledgeable and had a sense of humor. She conducted today’s session with an easy authoritarian manner. We learned something in a friendly collegial atmosphere. A bit of overload with the information but I’m sure we will be more comfortable with it by the time we finish our training session this Friday. The only downside was my lunchtime excursion to Hardee’s. Why did I think I could eat a fast food hamburger? Fast food is the meal that keeps on giving. I’m still digesting that 100% Black Angus Thickburger. Tasteless.

Census Training

This morning I called the Census Bureau to find out the location of my classes which are to begin Monday, March 30th. Two weeks ago they called me and offered me the job. At that time they told me when the classes were to begin but they didn’t tell me the location. I patiently waited two weeks for a call from the Census Bureau and heard nothing. This wasn’t a good sign. So, this morning I called. I was informed that the classes would be in at the Lighthouse Church in Laurel, Delaware. Laurel is 21 miles from where I live. At least the training session wasn’t in Philadelphia or Dover. My greater concern was once I finished the classes, where would I be assigned? I told the Census Bureau representative it was too far me to travel and to count me out.

Later today I received a call from the local supervisor of the Census Bureau. She informed me that the classes were being held in Laurel as a combination of two areas to save time for training. She assured me that every effort would be made to assign me to the Milton-Lewes area. I expressed my concern that I didn’t want to be knocking on people’s doors who are not in my demographic area. She told me that the census bureau didn’t want to pay for excess mileage to census workers. After her explanation I felt a lot more comfortable.

The first three days will be class training. The next two days will be training in the field. That sounds interesting. I am looking forward to it. The job comes at a good time since my hours have been cut in half at the Inn. I continue to spend money like there is no tomorrow. Just this morning I made a pit stop at Loews’ and purchased several forsythia plants. Spring is just around the corner and I do consider it my personal responsibility to keep Peppers (a local nursery) in business. In the past two weeks I had my 98 Subaru overhauled when my odometer hit 111,000. That set me back over $1,700. I’m shooting for 200,000 miles on my old reliable red Forester. Last summer I briefly considered buying a new car but when I was only offered $1,600 as trade in (book value was $3,800), I decided keeping my car was worth more than a hefty commission for the Subaru auto dealer.

Wednesday I was fitted for a partial plate at my dentist in Dover. That little baby set me back another $1,049. And that’s with insurance. I only had to pay half. Of course when I was in Dover I had to stimulate the local Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club. Tomorrow I’m going to stimulate a local author and buy up a passel of her very funny books as gifts for my friends. I’ve also made several charitable contributions (local theater group, local fire company) in the past week. Then there are my regular monthly bills for Discover Card, Master Card, propane gas bill, electric bill, water bill, and the combination telephone/satellite TV/DSL computer connection/wireless phone bill from Verizon. It still boggles my mind how my hillbilly ancestors in the hills of western North Carolina managed without these “necessities” of life. Oh yes, I’m high maintenance.

So what to do? Cut back and hibernate in my house or work more and continue my lavish lifestyle? Oh yes, I do like to eat out. This Sunday I have a date with my friends at the Purple Parrot in Rehoboth Beach. We won’t have too many more of these Sunday night get-togethers once the horde of summertime tourists descend on our quaint little beach resort. I don’t think there is any question as to my choice. I will make the laborious trip next week to Laurel for my census training classes. It’s only for a week. Compare that to the eleven year commute I made from Downingtown, PA to Philadelphia which I paid $280 a month for the privilege of doing so. Of course there is no comparison. I have gotten spoiled since I moved to Delaware. I’m glad that the Census Bureau has offered me a job and is paying for my training. I am very fortunate. The adventure continues.

Another Full Plate Day

So whatever happened to retirement and all this free time I was supposed to have? I often talk with some of my other retired friends about how we are busier than ever in our “retirement.” The common refrain is “How did we have time to do all that we do now when we were working fulltime?” To think that at one time I was commuting to my job in Philadelphia spending at least two hours a day on the train doing nothing except reading, listening to my Walkman (yes, it was that long ago) and napping.

Today’s schedule looks like this:

9:40 Appointment at the Georgetown VA
11:00 Go to work at the Inn to fill in for Mike who is going to a food fair for Sysco (Slower Lower couldn’t survive without Sysco)
3:00 Return home and update my address list for my 50th high school class reunion

Yesterday Bill took me to my dental appointment in Dover. It was for a fitting of a new partial plate in the upper left side of my mouth. That set me back another thou. While we were up in Dover we stimulated the economy by dropping dollars in Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club. Say what you will about Wal-Mart but they do offer the best prices for the best products. I don’t lay awake at night racked by guilt because they don’t offer domestic partner benefits. I shop where my dollars go the farthest. Just as I’m not moving out of the state of Delaware because they won’t pass the anti-discrimination bill nor offer same sex marriages, I will not discontinue shopping at Wal-Mart.

At lunch yesterday I read in the local newspaper (the Cape Gazette) where the town of Lewes is raising property taxes 25 percent. Now there is a way to stimulate the economy. Kick the peeps when they’re down. Talk about squeezing blood from a stone. Also in the paper was a story about the town of Milton beginning a property reassessment. You know what that means, higher taxes. Sure, they say some reassessed properties will have a lower tax bill. Uh huh. When is the last time you heard of a local municipality lowering property taxes? And just for good measure, Tidewater, our local water company will conduct public hearings in regards to their proposed 33 per cent increase in water utility rates. Yipper. That’s what you do when the economy is down……raise taxes and utility bills. God forbid that the employees of the local government and utility companies might have to pay part of their medical insurance coverage.

I still haven’t heard anything from the Census Bureau as to where I am to begin taking census class training. When I was offered the job of census enumerator a couple of weeks ago I was told classes were to begin March 30th. I haven’t heard a thing since. March 30th is this Monday. I don’t have a good feeling about this. While I could use the extra money and the job sounds interesting, I don’t know if I want to go chasing after some minion at the Census Bureau to find out where I am to begin training. I could probably make better use of my time around the house unpacking the remaining boxes from my move down here a year and half ago. And then there is the springtime yard work. So far this spring we’ve had very few warm days. This morning the temperature was 28 degrees. Not conducive to yard work, especially when the wind is whipping around my head and shoulders.

Time is running out, especially this morning. I have to end this posting and get ready for my semi-annual visit to my nurse practitioner at the VA. If I’m not mistaken, I think it’s time for the prostate exam. What a way to start a day.

The Recession Hits Home

It was just a matter of time until this recession became personal. That happened last night when my manager at the hotel where I work informed me that my hours will be cut in half. Instead of work Mondays and Thursdays on the 3 to 11 PM shift, I will now only work the Monday night shift. This change in hours will continue until business picks up at the hotel. My co-worker, the other retired “elderly gentleman who works part-time” also had his hours cut in half. I know the owner of the hotel was reluctant to make these changes but he had little choice. My co-worker and I can manage because we have other sources of income (retirement pensions and Social Security.) The full-time employees don’t, their only source of income is their job. Of course I will have to do a little belt tightening. Maybe I won’t go out to dinner as often or buy a new passel of books from Amazon.com. I’ll survive.

Actually, yesterday was a “Bad news, good news” kind of day. I also received a phone call from the Census Bureau. Right now we’re playing telephone tag but I suspect they’re calling as a result of the Census Bureau worker application test that I took last month. Hopefully they’re offering me a job. I’ve always been interesting in the census because of my work in genealogy research. When I read about Census Bureau jobs in my AARP magazine, I thought “Why not?” It seemed like a job I would be interested in and I can certainly use the extra income. I won’t mind working the odd hours (evenings and weekends.) Seems like a no brainer to me. The only downside would be if I would have to work in a neighborhood that is either too far away from me or a different socio-economic group than I am. Not to seem stuck up or priggish, but it would not interest me to travel all way to Milford or Dagsboro and exploring strange neighborhoods with potential unknown dangers. Nor would I be interested in a supervisory position. I’ve had just about all the supervisory positions I need for my lifetime, thank you. It’s just about all I can do to manage myself and Bill.

The snow is still on the ground outside but it is melting rapidly. 70’s are forecast today. Maybe by the end of the day this dirty, nasty snow will be gone. Even though the economy is falling all around us, I am thankful for where I am now. Just a few weeks ago a friend informed us that he had “the big C.” One never knows when one’s number will turn up. I may have lost hours at my job yesterday, thus closing one door. However, another door may open soon for me. As long as I have my health I have hope. I got some aches and pains and I may not look as pretty as I did thirty years ago but I still have few days ahead of me. I have my friends, family and home and health. I am rich.