Fourth day of Class

Fourth and last day of Census Training. Now if we just get the address list delivered to us. Hello? If the stuff was not ready why did the classes start?

Another day -soon I hope

Day 2 Census Training

Well Census day is April 1,2010 -so wherever you were on that day is usually, where the Country want to count you. 

Basically it is for how many representatives your State gets for the House of Representatives. I have seen NO INCOME questions -but lots of Race questions. it is exactly the same as the questionnaire most of us all filled out.

If you havent sent your form back yet -a Census taker will be out to your door. Anyone who has ever done a genealogy project and found your Great Grand parents in the Census books only to have lost them when the Census taker misspelled the name or the ancestors did not answer the questions -knows how important this information is to future family.

Day 2 was mostly about filling out and understanding the forms and questionnaire. All done by hand and door to door. It is a hugh undertaking. Our Crew is pretty sharp and the leader is good and funny but the material is Dull Dull Dullllllll.   I can not wait for it to be over. 

I am still pretty tired by the end of the day and today I broke down and bought a can of stale Diet Coke -to stay awake. We have 45 min. unpaid lunch time -I was driving home -but that means 15 min there and 15 min back and 15 min to make and eat lunch -not enough time -so I guess I will try to bring or buy lunch for the next two days. I am just not use to working a full day, and miss my nap in the afternoon. LOL. 

We still dont know how much our case load will be. Once that is decided hopefully, I will be able to plan my part time day around Dr appointments, lunch, and ah.........naps?

Stay tuned....

My adventure as an Enumberator for the US Census

I thought I would start keeping a diary of sorts for my new temporary job as a Census Enumerator. of course I will NOT give any identifiable personal information about the citizens I encounter.Hopefully it will go well.

It started circa 2008 with my Best Friend telling me I had to much time on my hands in retirement and I needed to do more. He suggested Dept. of Commerce and the Census in 2010, but I couldnt find out where to apply on the web site. Ok , so I didnt really look that hard. Forward to 2010 and my little post office. My Postmistress handed me a pamphlet and said you need to apply -this is perfect for you. It was about working for the 2010 Census, and a phone number to call to schedule the test. It also had a web site. So I called and got registered for the next test offered ,in my County. The web site had a sample test and test questions.

I was surprised I only needed two forms of ID and not fingerprints. I showed up /took the test -which had a couple of unusual questions -but of course appropriate for a future enumerator with the Department of the Census. Also I taken the self test online and it was excellent preparation for the test itself. Census employees that administered the test,  also graded the tests by hand -right then -and anyone who wanted to, could stay for their grade. I left.

About a month later, I was called Did I still want the Job? and come to training. I said "Sure"/ wrote down the information and went to FL. for a week. I called when I got back to verify it was a real job offer. It was. A week later they called me to ask if I wanted to help them out with fingerprinting?. I said "Sure". So last Wednesday I was taught how to finger print the other newly hired enumerators. Dept of Commerce still uses ink on cards and sends them to the FBI.  I am not kidding.

Let me get this straight -most everyone has converted to quick Digital finger imaging that link directly to FBI or upload to the Agency. People have been allowed to take the test and started in the system without their finger prints or clearance/ at least 25 people were sent to finger print training and paid to learn ink printing. No computers were issued or did the Census contract out  the fingerprint job  to a private company that uses computers and digital printing. Census sends all the ink prints by FedEX. Does any of this make fiscal sense? I am not in charge, I am not in charge.

Finger print class also got alot of administrative paperwork out of the way. So far teaching is reading out of the book. Actually for the length of time these crew leaders have been on the job (a week longer than I ) they are doing ok. It is boring and more time was spent on paper work than learning. it was very very disorganized. I was told today I need to have my prints done again because they can NOT find them . I am not kidding.

Today was the first day of Enumeration training. Held in a large room in the local Fire Company Hall.very very nice and much better than the fingerprint class; a small Sunday School Room in a Church. Who picks these training sites? Do they have to be free? Today's class was repetition of last Wednesday's class, but our Crew leader is much more organized so far -and funny. Of about 15 people scheduled for her crew only 9 showed up and said they were available. We did the fingerprinting at the end . It went well but took a while. Our crew consists of  Two real young males -I dont know if they have voted yet. A few young women.. Five Young senior Women, I think three are retired. The Crew Leader is about 49 and not currently working but was /is in Real Estate related businesses.

Did you know ?

"Historic Snapshot of the Nation

The official U.S. Census is described in Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution of the United States. It calls for an actual enumeration of the people every ten years, to be used for apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives among the states. The first official Census was conducted in 1790 under Thomas Jefferson, who was the Secretary of State. That census, taken by U.S. marshals on horseback, counted 3.9 million inhabitants. Since that time, the decennial Census has been conducted every ten years, generally on April 1 in years ending in a zero.

Besides providing the basis for congressional redistricting, Census data are used in many other ways. Since 1975, the Census Bureau has had responsibility to produce small-area population data needed to redraw state legislative and congressional districts. Other important uses of Census data include the distribution of funds for government programs such as Medicaid; planning the right locations for schools, roads, and other public facilities; helping real estate agents and potential residents learn about a neighborhood; and identifying trends over time that can help predict future needs. Most Census data are available for many levels of geography, including states, counties, cities and towns, ZIP codes, census tracts and blocks, and much more."




I am glad I took the job -it seems like a good crew and a HECK of an Adventure ! :)))))

Flight to Florida

I recently went down to Florida for a week to visit my parents in Ft. Myers -it was my Mother;s 80th birthday. I also was able to visit with a retired snowbird friend from Penn State U, in Sarasota. It was a busy but nice visit.

                                      

I flew in a Southwest airline plane. It was nice but they offer no seat assignments. However, for $10.00 extra dollars each way, you can board after the wheelchair people and Kids between 6 and 12, that fly without their grownups. They wear these badges around their necks and usually have heavy back packs that fit under the seat filled with snacks and things to do. They dont need the leg room, their legs are short. So I was in the A boarding (or sort of first) #26 of 30. The first people have room in the overhead for their carry on luggage and a choice of seating. EVERYONE has carry-on luggage -so if you dont board early -space is tight. In fact, the last people to board had to take any available seat and had no idea where their luggage was stored. But they saved $10.00. If I ever fly SW again / they allow two check in bags at no additional cost/ I will try the small carry on and board last and save myself $10.00 -welllll maybe.:))))

 I really lucked out -I like the aisle seat -so when I boarded about three rows were filled -except one with two kids. The aisle seat was free.I sat there and put my carry on above. Two ten year old girls -not related -were in the window and middle seats. They were delightful. Having just met each other , they included me in their adventure. Seasoned travelers they were in constant motion. One with enough energy to power the plan and non stop talking. The other was a bit younger and shy , but non the less delightful. We shared stories and pictures of our families and pets from our cell phones. They offered me snacks and stories of their lives. The more outgoing one informed us she was studying to be an actress -told us her full name and urged us to remember our meeting when she became famous. I shared my frog story with them . They were very quiet and then with deep regret told me that Walt Disney had already made the story. WHAT? I , being childless had no idea. They were quite curious, I had no children or pets? The shy girl also said that she writes and I should work on the length of my stories and make them longer! I am still smiling as I write this. Thank you GOD, these young American women were just delightful.

Having had such a wonderful experience on my flight down to FL. I was looking forward to the adventure home. Once again I boarded early. A15 this time. Behind me were two young girls flying together with no tags, A16 and A17 boarding order. On the Jet tube , I asked them if they wanted to go in front of me so they could sit together. Yes, they did take the window and middle seats , leaving the aisle for me. I admit it, I planned it. Once again I had wonderful seat mates. Cousins, ages 9 and 12. The 12 year old was in charge, Sorry, I think that is to young to be flying without the attendants looking out for them. They could not even see over the seats for the Oxygen demonstration. So little did I realize , as the adult on the seat row, I was responsible for helping them with their mask's , if need be, AFTER I put on mine. But, that was fine I was looking out for them already  I had another wonderful experience into the lives of two young women. Again, we shared pictures from our cell phones and family information.

Warning to parents of children flying alone. I am a nice person, but these children had no -I mean NO FILTERS; when it came to telling me personal family information. I shutter to think if a NOT nice person sat next to them -what would have happened? I dont know if it was me or my attitude or because I spent my life's work interviewing people and finding out information -that put these children at ease -but I could not believe the information I was getting. 

I dont know the solution but I am glad GOD put me in that aisle seat. I had a amazing flight experience and feel I helped protect the innocence of four young women -at least for a couple of hours.