December 20, 2008
Turns out my new Blackberry came with issues all unto itself. So, after a brief stop at the post office to mail gifts, Yara and I headed back to Crossgates. Thankfully, it wasn’t nearly as crowded as I’d expected. The rep at the Sprint Store told me that he’d hopefully have the phone working in about an hour and a half so we wandered the mall. I ended up buying a few more gifts for Dad and the family and some things for people at work as I found deals just too good to pass up. I also splurged a bit on myself and picked up a new pair of sneakers which I’ve been needing somewhat desperately for months now.
Unfortunately, nearly $500 and an hour and a half later, Sprint still hadn’t resolved the issue with my phone. Hopefully in another hour they said. “If I end up spending another $500 before you fix the phone, I’m billing you,” I joked, half seriously, to the rep.
By now the mall was really starting to fill up and my patience was quickly exhausted by the complete lack of respect and kindness from shoppers regarding Yara. One person loudly complained to her friend, quote: “I’m sick of it, if that dog touches me one more time!” Whatever. Seriously, people were just rude. No one was paying attention at all to where they were walking and when they’d walk into the dog or me, they’d get all bent out of shape like it was Yara’s fault entirely and she wasn’t behaving properly. Needless to say this aggravation made it easy to cease contributing to the economy because I was hardly willing to battle the crowd. We just walked the length of the mall and back a few times. Thankfully, Sprint had managed to fix the phone when we dropped by an hour lately and Yara and I practically ran to the exit to catch a bus home.
Not surprisingly the roads are a right mess from yesterday’s blizzard and it still took an inordinately long time to get back home. But after more than 15 miles¹ of walking, Yara and I are quite tuckered out. In fact Yara headed straight for her bed and passed out for about two hours before I coaxed her awake to eat dinner.
1. Crossgates is quite literally one mile from one end to the other. And yes, we looped it at least eight times today.
Cell Phones, Holiday Cards and Lots of Snow!
My Blackberry up and broke today! Seriously. Out of nowhere it just had a random error and ceased to function. Called Sprint, who were totally not helpful, and the verdict ended up that I’d probably need to do a hard reboot to get it working again. As this would cause me to loose my address book, it was advised I go to the Sprint Store at Crossgates and see if they could salvage any data. Left work early (see below) only to have the Sprint Store be unsuccessful in (a.) retrieving my address book and (b.) fixing my phone. I do, however, have a brand new Blackberry. Too bad I don’t have anyone’s phone numbers to call them!
Picked up my holiday cards! During my hour wait for my cell phone, I wandered the mall, bought myself a chocolate Fribble, and stopped by Penney’s to get my holiday cards. They are indeed adorable beyond words and I heart them greatly. After I am finished with this post and feed Yara, I shall be making them out and they will be mailed tomorrow morning. (As too shall the presents for the Chabot-Weingarts and Adamses!)
It’s snowing! In fact, it’s pretty much blizzarding, if that’s actually a verb. The forecast lead most to believe we’d have a small amount of snow before the afternoon when it was to pick up dramatically. And though the morning proved to have not a flake, come just after noon it started with quite a force! In fact right as it started there were people in my office headed out the door fearing the worst. By 1 P.M. it was snowing so hard it was literally a wall of white and I got permission to take off due to my need to get all the way across Albany to fix my phone. It took nearly an hour to get there and more than that to get back. I spent the majority of my time silently praying the buses would continue to run and I’m thankful they did and I’m not stranded at the mall a la 2003’s blackout!
Increase in Job Placement for NYS Blind
CBVH press release received from ACBNY-L email list:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New York State Office of Children & Family Services
Contact: Edward Borges, Director of Communications 518-473-7793
Dec. 17, 2008NEW YORK STATE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES ANNOUNCES INCREASE IN JOB PLACEMENTS FOR THE LEGALLY BLIND
Commission for Blind & Visually Handicapped Placed 402 Legally Blind Adults in Competitive Fields; Increasing Placements for Third Year in a Row
New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) Commissioner Gladys Carri?n, Esq., today announced that the Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped (CBVH), a division of OCFS, has successfully placed more legally blind adults in competitive jobs than it did last year - reflecting a three-year growth in job placements.
This year, CBVH placed 402 legally blind adults in fields as diverse as law, social work, financial consulting, family divorce mediation, radio, youth services, physical therapy, counseling, teaching, retail, food services, banking and research.
“When only about 37 percent of individuals with disabilities are employed in this country, it is incumbent upon the leaders of our state and nation to ensure that the disabled community is provided full opportunity to contribute in a supportive environment free of discrimination,” said Governor David A. Paterson. “Our work to confront this problem is only beginning, but I am pleased with the growing recognition that individuals with disabilities have the potential to contribute great things to our society. And with New York facing an economic crisis, it is critical that we give those opportunities to all capable individuals who can help make an immediate and positive impact on the future of our economy.”
“We are extremely pleased that with training and adaptive technology our clients can experience the satisfaction of supporting themselves and their families, and contributing their valuable skills and talents to the workplace,” said Commissioner Carri?n.
She added: “I am also grateful to our public and private partners who assist with training, and all those employers who recognize that our consumers, given the opportunity, make significant contributions to the workforce.”
CBVH works with not-for-profit agencies for the blind throughout New York State to provide assessment and technical, training, job placement, and resource assistance to clients to help them achieve economic self-sufficiency and full integration into society.
Michael Godino, a board member of the New York Vision Rehabilitation Association and a former client, said: “I’d like to congratulate CBVH and its partner provider agencies for their great success. Given the quality of service I received, it’s not surprising to me that the number of people placed in competitive jobs is increasing each year. We look forward to greater successes.”
Nancy D. Miller, Executive Director/CEO of VISIONS Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired in New York City, said: “The New York State Commission for the Blind is a leader in providing cost-effective services for blind and visually impaired persons of all ages. The focused interventions and successful collaborations among consumers, providers and CBVH counselors are at the heart of this achievement in employment outcomes.”
In addition to vocational rehabilitation, CBVH assists clients with daily living skills, orientation and mobility training, diagnostic evaluations, obtaining adaptive equipment, job development, job training, and job placement services.
CBVH also operates a Business Enterprise Program, assisting people who are legally blind to own businesses operating newsstands, snack bars and cafeterias in government buildings.
In addition, CBVH provides rehabilitation services to children who are legally blind, including working with and empowering parents, arranging services to supplement educational activities - including providing college scholarships, and ensuring a smooth transition to adult services to maximize their future independence. CBVH also provides children with the opportunity to attend summer camps and year-round recreation programs, which encourage independence and increase self-confidence.
For legally blind individuals who are 55 and older, CBVH has programs to teach the skills necessary to maintain safety and confidence in the home environment.
For more information on services for the blind, call toll free 1-866-871-3000 (TDD 1-866-871-6000) or visit the agency website at www.ocfs.state.ny.us/main/cbvh.
“And a smile means friendship to everyone”
- Had dinner with Rachel at Peaches wherein I ate Chicken Florentine and it was good. Also went to the post office to get stamps and boxes, stood in the longest line of my life outside of an amusement park or midnight movie showing, and somehow spent $30 without even sending anything. Then went Christmas shopping which never ceases to put me in a good mood even though I spend the majority of the time dazed and/or annoyed.
- Have now fully wrapped and boxed up gifts for Raechel, James and their dogs and Patty, Tom and their dogs. Have yet to purchase gifts for pretty much anyone related to me. Am slightly panicked that I may never accomplish this. Am also horrified at how much money I’ve spent on gifts already and how little I have to show for it, though this may be at least partially due to the fact I keep forgetting that the entire amount I spent at the pet store last Friday was not solely on presents. Am to go shopping with Christina on Thursday. Doubtful I’ll finish then, but will be back at the mall Friday to pick up holiday cards so there is always time for more aiding of the economy.
- On a related note, I received the low-res proofs from the holiday cards and they are ludicrously cute. Must admit that I’m very saddened my grey hair is becoming severely obvious. I’d blame it on being a brunette, but truth is I’ve had greys since I was 16 and it’s pretty much a common thing on Dad’s side to be all grey/white by early 30s. Also there’s one shot where I quite literally have a “come hither” type smirk on my face and I’m not at all sure where that came from. No, seriously. Anyhoo, once I get the high-res copies, I shall post them tootsweet for you all. Unfortunately, this will most definitely be after the holidays; you’ll just have to cope.
- Will be attending the SED Holiday Reception tomorrow which promises to be an abundance of food and frivolity. Also there are prizes and choirs and decorated columns and puppies. Three to be exact. I don’t know why this excites me given I will be leash in hand with a certain GSD, but it does. I make no apology. Though, it should be noted that Yara is a full three rooms separated from me under the kitchen table and not, as per her habit, on her bedroom bed.¹
1. As opposed to her living room bed. And no I’m not talking about my furniture.
December 15, 2008
Today was Yara’s second to last B-12 shot and she was a typical dramatic GSD about the affair. I wouldn’t even classify it as crying; she was downright screaming. Thankfully, she didn’t move around too much so it was short-lived, but I’m still convinced Christina and Casey are going to call the Humane Society on me.
I’m not sure if she’s feeling all right, to be honest; she’s had a decidedly smaller appetite these last few days and is at this moment lying in front of her dinner bowl, refusing to touch it. Still, she’s eating just under four cups daily so it’s nothing I’m exactly alarmed at.
The bottle of Viokase-V from Fidelco arrived this afternoon. I’m actually quite grateful as I haven’t received the bottle I purchased from my vet and when preparing Yara’s dinner I accidentally dropped and subsequently spilled the remaining contents of the current bottle. At nearly $50 a week it’s kind of unsettling, but not much I can do to put powder back in it’s bottle.
I also spoke with Robbie today. She was somewhat noncommittal on the subject of Fidelco’s possible reimbursement, noting their own financial issues. But promises she’ll be in touch sometime around the beginning of January to inform me of how much they’ll be able to help me, if at all. It’s not encouraging, but it’s also not nothing.
At this point, I’ve firmly decided whatever happens I’m not letting it ruin my holidays. And for now, that’s all I have to say on the subject.