Census Field Day

Hot high 80's and humidity almost 90% -LOL -So the addresses came over the weekend to our Crew Leader /she assigned areas closed to where we lived -at first I was unhappy with this but then I remembered I now work for Census -a HAPPY JOB. I can smile (when I remember) as I approach a house. We had a meeting late mid morning today, and went over the addresses and areas. I did not feel well so I went home after the meeting. Decided to go out late afternoon -early evening and meet up with people as they came home. Yea right. I was so excited to get out to start field contacts/ I forgot to spray myself with deep woods mosquito stuff. I must have 50 bites.

Just like my field contact job with IRS  -I still have my sixth sense about which house I was looking for -that had failed to return their Census form. So the third house and the one my Crew Leader was observing -said -"but I sent that back" and did not have time to fill it out a new one right then. Of course I had the paperwork all filled out with my name and number to leave it on her door -so I gave it to her and said call me -we can do it on the phone at a better time for her. She will never call, I will stop back in two days, another people sense I havent lost. smile

The last house was also deep woods and the man was home -outside -so I stood and filled out the form /got a hundred new bites and finished faster than the book said was average times.

I am sure the mosquitoes were happy with lots of SWEET Robin blood today.

I love working close to home/went home to  tinkle and Benzedril on the bites/ change and off to the gym before it closes. About an hour of paperwork and plan my day tomorrow when I get home. House should have cooled down by then. NICE

Note to self -SMILE MORE.

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. 

A Frog Story

 Yesterday at 10:53pm 

This was supposed to be a Homework assignment on 5 min. in your life that was significant. My mind was blank and It was a night the lent itself to scary stories so this is the story of a significant 5 minutes.


A Frog Story by R. L Simpson 03/20/20ten .


I was closing up the gym. Well I was locking up –everyone had gone at closing time –I locked the doors and decided to do my workout routine Legs and arms and stretches and cardio Though Lord knows I did enough cardio just cleaning the bathrooms. We moved from a small gym in a busy shopping center where we parked in front. To a new gym four times the size and 4 extra bathrooms and urinals –(urinals are just weird). Extra shower stalls with no privacy and lots and lots of gym equipment. It was a pain to clean.


Anyway we now park in the back by the entrance, hidden from the busy street in front. It is a big back parking lot, Storage Units on one side and little kids dance studio on the other side. Tall security lights on timers that echoed the hours the businesses were opened. Behind us was a swamp or ‘environmentally friendly drainage; and Frogs sung a very loud chorus every night. I loved their songs.


By the time I left the gym, it was so foggy I could not see my hands in front of me. Security Lights were off. In fact I did a Three Stooges Eye Poke and missed my one eye and hit the other eye, with the wrong finger. I winced and laughed. Mostly to hear noise because the frogs were quiet and it felt like what I would hope an enchanted evening would feel like. Magical. I couldn’t find my car so I pressed the lock on my keys and could hear the beep sound but could not see the lights. Great, I thought, this would be a fun drive home.


I literally bumped into the back of my car. The alarm sound had echoed off to my right, the car was to my left. I hand walked slowly, along the side of the car to my door, opened only the driver’s door and got in. I locked the doors and rolled up all the windows, before I started the car. As the engine started, I looked down at the odometer reading –it was 7777.7 . WOW how cool it that –LUCKY 7’s! maybe I will stop at the grocery store and buy a Lottery ticket because it is to far and foggy to go to Atlantic City tonight.




I backed the car out and drove slowly out of the lot. I should have realized something was wrong when I didn’t hear the first speed bump, but I was so excited about seeing all lucky 7’s . I never heard the second speed bump either and my car speed increased.


I must have done a little air over the end of the lot, because I realized I had gone the wrong way in the parking lot, as my all wheel drive SUV started to sink into the environmentally friendly deep drainage swamp..




OH man, I thought, How am I going to get myself out of this one. It was 2 hours after closing. I was not on the schedule to work for 2 weeks. I lived alone, no one would even start looking for me for days. Of all the times to forget my cell phone.


I looked up and there on the window of my closed Moon Roof is the biggest frog I have ever seen. He is not singing. He is however moving his mouth. “WOW , A talking frog”, I think to myself.
I still have engine power but the car is sinking fast, I open the moon roof.


The frog yells down. “R U Nuts? -Cars aren’t allowed in the swamp”. The frog has an Old English accent.


I yell back “I am dead, right?’


Frog says: “No Princess. but when you get the bill for this little wrong turn , your gonna wish you were.”


“What do I do?” Oh dear, I am asking a talking frog with an English accent what to do. And I started to cry. Now I NEVER cry –well mostly never and never in front of people> or ah> Frogs


" Ok Drama Queen –Is it my turn to talk now? My friends and I can help but it will cost you." says the Frog


"What?" said I.


Frog: (yelling louder) "IT WILL COST YOU"


The car has now sunk to the window tops. I should have tried to get out earlier. I need to close the moon roof or try to crawl out quick. The opening is small and I am large –but I have nothing to loose. I did have lucky 7’s.today, right? I unbuckle my seat belt and start to stand.


"You will never make it thru the swamp without my help" says the English frog.


"Ok so help me". (Am I still talking to a frog? Did I hit my head?)


"The cost for help will be a kiss." the Frog drools " Do you accept?"


"What?" I said stalling for divine intervention.


"It will cost you A Kiss". he repeats with smirkie frogness


"Oh ok" I say with defeat," but no tongue."


He drawls himself up; indignant and says:" I am an English Frog NOT a French Frog."


I Grimaced and stuck my head out the moon roof.
He LIED !
The Frog planted one sloppy tongue french Kiss on me.
Jeeze, My arms and legs and pocketbook were still in the car.


Apparently English frogs like tongue kisses like most Males.


POOF !


Well to make a long story short. : All frogs can talk if they want to, Frogs don’t have lucky numbers and some males have magical tongues,


AND


I hopped right out of that car and joined in the chorus.


I just love frog songs.

Wanda's Husband

I belong to a Creative Writing Group -this was a recent story of growing old /the assignment was to write a story for AARP or an ageing population ;but it turned out a little depressing ........I never know until the end where a story will go:

He went into the hospital complaining of his toes. They hurt. They were turning black. The Doctors ordered a test. Results showed a funny blockage in his groin. It was causing the blood to flow somewhere other than his toes. So they operated. Guess what?  The old man was really hurting and this did the trick –pink piggy toes. Everyone was Happy, especially his 85 year old wife. His long suffering wife to this brilliant, devout Episcopalian, cruel alcoholic, mentally abusive misogynist.

But in his good days –ah those good days –he was deserving of God’s Grace and Wanda’s love.

Two weeks later he is taken back to the hospital in pain. They do another procedure thru the femoral artery to see if another blockage has occurred or can they widen his 85 year old veins to help the blood flow. Nothing was accomplished. They sent him home.  Unfortunately, he was hallucinating and it wasn’t the confusion of the anesthesia. It was a weird reaction to the pain medicine. His 85 year old wife was not able to talk with the Doctor since he was released to his #2 son. Getting him into the house he collapsed on the #2 son and cut his finger. #3 son finally arrives. Together get him into the house. It was chaos and bloody.

In the middle of the night he is awake on the phone with a telephone supervisor trying to get her to tell him where these people are holding him, he doesn’t know his bride and calls her the ‘face’. She calls the #2 son in the middle of the night and he drives the 20 min. back to their house. He talks sweet to him and gets some calm response. But the ‘face’ can no longer be within his sight. #3 son takes the next shift and reads out loud from a condensed story. The old man dozes. They have to watch him –two days and he is still hallucinating. They get him to use the urinal. He puts in his finger and pees on the floor. The old woman will have to clean it up but maybe she can finally get rid of the rug in that room. She laughs.

The discharge, follow up nurse calls from the hospital to see how he is doing. The old woman tells her and the nurse says; oh he must be having a reaction you should have brought him back. The old woman screams inside her head –Why did you send him home so soon?. The nurse continues to talk; this doesn’t happen with same day procedures. The old woman is tired. Her sons have heard the verbal abuse he has heaped on her for years and are in denial, blaming the vitriol tirade on the medicine. #1 son calls and the old Lady asked him to take turns with his brothers.

On a long distance phone call to the daughter of her heart, the old Lady says she is grateful to her sons The old man actually was able to use the walker to get to the bathroom –but his grown grandchildren, trying to help, got marching orders to leave him alone. I wonder if they are even thinking of leaving her alone with the old man. I worry. I tell her to make sure she sleeps with a knife under her pillow and call 911 if she needs help. He is still so strong and violent when he is not in control of himself and the world. She says she knows he hates her and maybe never EVER Loved her. I tell her NO –he did Love you –but he is tripping and sick.

I wonder how this will all end.

 So many grandchildren and great grandchildren the three sons have given the family. Does anyone just hold her? Is this what a lifetime of love mixed with abuse looks like? She cant remember the good times anymore. She just want to take her Prozac and tune him out. I want to rescue her , but she will not leave him. For better or worse ; In sickness or in Health. 

Their generation really take those words to heart.

Because in his good days –ah his good days –He is deserving of Wanda’s Grace and God’s Love.......... and .......I guess, mine too.