Itā€™s not crying Wolf this time

Dr. Kenny's Hall of Mirrors

It's a blog, not Orson Welles

Kenneth Wolman

Location: Long Branch, New Jersey, US
Birthday: February 23

Title: Wanderer
Company: none

Bio: I am 68 (oh shit), straight, divorced, an Episcopal convert from Judaism, and I've had a collection of experiences that have left me intensely grateful that I'm still breathing at the same time I'm angry at some things that have come at me from outside. Angry. Somehow, it's supposed to be a bad thing if you're described as "angry." I guess I'm doing a bad thing, then, one among many. I've seen a bumper sticker that reads, "If you're not outraged you're not paying attention," and I absolutely subscribe. People get upset, justifiably, over wars, international politics, the local legislative swamps in our backyard. But I'm not sure how many people are willing to take on and unearth the misery that too often infects daily life. If I have a mission (God, how pretentious!), that might be it. Unfortunately the life I know best is my own. So what you get from that grandfatherly looking old sonofabitch in the avatar is what I sincerely hope is directed anger, exposure of the daily pain of living in a world we can't really fix, and how we use the tools open to us--including writing--to cope with the unacceptable and, when possible, "man up" and risk telling the truth even to power. Of course, that insures that the prospective bosses who read here to prescreen me will never even call me in, right?

MY RECENT POSTS

Con games and their discontents
September 28, 2012 11:21AM
If youā€™re not outraged, youā€™re not paying attention
September 19, 2012 03:46PM
Yahrzeit for Cid, ? 2000 ā€“ August 4, 2009
August 04, 2012 06:56PM
Back at Da Shaw
July 01, 2012 05:49PM
Itā€™s not crying Wolf this time
June 24, 2012 10:27AM

MY RECENT COMMENTS

“This is the kind of "interaction" that's been known to make me scream.…”
October 16, 2012 05:18PM
“Hey, I've missed writing to you. I've heard of Prescott, oddly enough. And I must…”
May 24, 2012 08:21PM
“I can't imagine assuming that horrible responsibility, even if you really need a…”
November 23, 2011 11:16AM
“I've always thought the world was dangerous. Maybe that's me losing MY father whe…”
November 23, 2011 11:14AM
“Thanks for kind thought!”
September 30, 2011 02:59PM

Kenneth Wolman's Links

Salon.com

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JUNE 24, 2012 10:27AM

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I called NJ Unemployment this morning to file my claim, only to discover that there are no more Extended Benefits even if there is money remaining in the claim.

Blam. Just like that. This is not a “Benefits Exhausted” announcement that leads to yet another tier of benefits. This appears to be the real deal this time. See, the employment situation has so improved in New Jersey (I was collecting from there even when I was in Pennsylvania), that nobody needs extended benefits anymore. You can walk in to a company and have any job you want. Right.

I’m glad I filled my gasoline tank yesterday. I’m scared and getting a bit desperate. To answer the next question, no, I’m not having fun yet. The Housing Authority will reduce my rent, but then I have to buy food. Funny about that. Food is good.

I have to feed my cat. Funny about that, too. And no, I’ll be damned if I surrender him to the SPCA. It costs $100 to turn in an animal and I don’t have it–but he’s also my best friend, he’s 14 years old, and how could I do that to him by giving him a one-way ticket to euthanasia?

So I’ve started to reread The Book of Job. Don’t laugh too hard. This is an old building, after all. All I have left is desperation, trust, and as much prayer as I can muster.

I’m just plain scared.