My neighbor killed one of my dogs. That is, I'm pretty sure that's what happened. And when I say neighbor, I mean the guy who lives in the house that's half a mile away (the closest to mine). Anyway, she, the dog in question, was probably doing something he thought was unacceptable or maybe he just wanted to shoot something. It doesn't really matter. I've only talked to this fellow maybe three times since he moved in about 2 years ago. The first time was when he was fixing the fence between our properties and I went over to see if I could help. Naturally, some of my dogs came with me and "violated" the (3-strand barbed wire) fence. I apologized and he said it was okay "as long as they don't run the horses into the fence". I guess he changed his mind.
The morning in question I was walking with my dogs as is my usual routine. Four of them ran over to see something on this neighbor's land. It was foggy and just a few hours before a major blizzard hit us. I couldn't see what the dogs were doing but I could see his horses and they weren't even moving, much less running. Then I heard a shot. Then three of them came running back to my house. Then the wind and the snow came up. I waited but she never came home.
I'm still waiting.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Tuesday, February 05, 2013
Unemployment
After working continuously for 40 years, the most recent 25 of which with the same company, I find myself without a job. I don't think I'm "retired". That implies several things that are not true in this case. First, "retired" connotes that my new-found unemployment is voluntary; it is not. Moreover "retired from ..." implies that "..." is somehow participating in my post-employment sustenance; they are not.
Now, it's true that I am old enough to qualify for social security benefits. The government, however does everything in its power to dissuade me from enrolling for those benefits for another 4 years. And indeed, it had been my intention to accede to that protocol. Alas, that may not be possible. It's also true that if I were to start expending those resources I have always planned to use for my retirement, I would probably be able to live reasonably comfortably (along with my long-suffering spouse) for as long as living itself is an option. It just irks me that the decision has been taken from me.
There are, as is well known, many people worse off than I am. Millions of people are unemployed with far fewer resources on which to rely. In that sense, removing me from the workforce is a public "good"; I'm not competing with those who need a job more than I do. I suppose it's a bourgeois conceit in the first place that a man is supposed to work at all. I just don't know what else to do. So I'll look for a job while I adjust to not having one. As Arthur Dent said to Mr. Prosser, "we'll see who rusts first."
Now, it's true that I am old enough to qualify for social security benefits. The government, however does everything in its power to dissuade me from enrolling for those benefits for another 4 years. And indeed, it had been my intention to accede to that protocol. Alas, that may not be possible. It's also true that if I were to start expending those resources I have always planned to use for my retirement, I would probably be able to live reasonably comfortably (along with my long-suffering spouse) for as long as living itself is an option. It just irks me that the decision has been taken from me.
There are, as is well known, many people worse off than I am. Millions of people are unemployed with far fewer resources on which to rely. In that sense, removing me from the workforce is a public "good"; I'm not competing with those who need a job more than I do. I suppose it's a bourgeois conceit in the first place that a man is supposed to work at all. I just don't know what else to do. So I'll look for a job while I adjust to not having one. As Arthur Dent said to Mr. Prosser, "we'll see who rusts first."
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