“We the People”

You know what is a pet peeve of mine?  Its when a politico pulls out his little constitution pamplet to use as a prop and says the first three words of the constitution are ‘We the People’ the follow up with a statement referring to the countries founders principles.

Well, I think immediately about that same document and what it said in 1787 , and ratified in 1788, Article I, Clause II, Section III the words ‘three fifths of all other Persons’ referring to the counting of slaves.

Yup, that politico wants us to return to slavery, a time before the suffrage of women, & a time to fight the indians,

I chuckle.

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What was the best thing about the Twin City Tea Party meeting Monday night?

Answer:  The Border Wings & Margaritas!  Close 2nd: Being in the company of Roxanne.  Last: Sitting beside DaTechGuy.

That last was a joke.

To be as blunt as possible.  Any blog post I write about it would do far less damage to the conservative movement in central Massachusetts than  Kenneth Mandile, the organizer and speaker from the Worcester Tea Party did for the Twin City Tea Party movement in North Central Massachusetts and its members in attendance.

He made such a ridiculous statement, “Sarah Palin is not the Tea Party” that prompted me to get up and walk out!

This same individual when opening his speech earlier in the night told the Twin City Tea Party members to “avoid social issues…and focus on fiscal responsibility”  This same leader who later stated that the same members attend a ‘activist training course’ in Danvers, Massachusetts so that they can learn how to protest from such ‘grassroots organizations’  like Americans For Prosperity, Sam Adams Alliance, and American Liberty Alliance.

When a member asked why they would need to have ‘activist training’, he avoided the question.  She asked again.  I prompted raised my hand and stated ‘I watch a lot on MSNBC.  I have heard these organization names before.  Don’t you believe that the reason why grassroots organizations are being called ‘astroturf’ by the left is because you promote ‘activist training’  by these specific corporations?

He defended his opinion, by avoiding my question and claiming that since they don’t support republican candidates (even though my question was about corporations) that the training is warranted.

There were plenty of good questions asked.  Some local candidates spoke and took questions.  Most made the jabs at the current administration in Washington & Massachusetts about health care, spending, etc.  I, of course, asked questions such as who were the state Governors over that same period of time for the study and they answered Weld (R), Romney (R), & Swift (R), Patrick (D).  I then asked under which Governor is credited with the current Massachusetts Health Care System and the audience answered Romney as the speaker answered Romney as well.

Prior to the Mr Mandile, the meeting was spot on.  I was enjoying myself.  I agreed with some points, disagreed with most, I stayed open-minded and wanted to hear the other side I can form my own opinions.

Be sure to check Datechguy’s page, http://datechguy.wordpress.com/,  for his impression of the meeting and that of Roxanne as well. I’m sure it’s linked.

Oh , and as I always say, form your own opinions.  Here’s the website for Kenneth Mandile’s Worcester Tea Party http://www.worcesterteaparty.com/.  There’s a tax day event in Worcester on April 15th you can check out if that’s your cup of tea.  I just can’t understand how a group can be motivated by such a monotone, unenthusiastic, extremely boring public speaker who rambles on and on.  We even clapped when he finished talking so that he could take the hint and get off the stage.  He didn’t get the hint and assumed we wanted more.  UGH.

Oh also, if you speak in such a boring monotone voice DON’T quote Teddy Roosevelt from your BlackBerry!

If he we’re the head football /basketball coach giving the pregame speech to motivate his adult players to win the big game against a team of children, I would bet all my $$ on the children!

After the interview

The interview in Boston I thought went well.  If all goes well next week will be the 2nd interviews. 

A few thoughts regarding the day:

I had a full tank of gas Friday morning,  by Saturday night I was on E.

Parking at the Alewife Subway Station is now $7, it used to be $4.  Had I known that I could have taken the commuter rail train & subway for under $20 round trip.  I’d still have a full tank of gas.

I wore a fedora with my suit.  If it works for Datechguy perhaps it works for me.

A light at the end of the unemployment tunnel?

I spent 8 hours the other day on craigslist, monster.com, careerbuilder, and many other job search websites filling out applications, emailing resumes, and completing online assessments.

Well yesterday I got a call back.  I spoke briefly about my experience and was asked to come in Friday afternoon at their location in Boston.

I’ve got my suit at the cleaners, my car is full of gas, and I’m ready to go!

This place does things the right way.

Yesterday was the SABLE Baseball League draft.  We play our games in Fitchburg/Leominster but we held our draft a a small pizza restaurant in Orange.

Villa Pizza located at 435 East Main St (route 2A) in Orange, Massachusetts was a wonderful place to hold our get together.  The normal dining area has 8 booths and 2 small tables and there is a private function room in the back.

The owners are very friendly, the staff is friendly and helpful and that would be more then enough of a reason to become a regular customer.  I would go back for the service alone…but they have EXCELLENT food and that clearly puts this place over the top.

Every customer I”ve talked to has said that they have the best steak subs around.  I agree.  Their menu says their food is “best within 50 miles” I would agree.

My favorite menu item is the steak special pizza.  It has chopped steak, mushrooms, pepper, and onions.  Delicious.  The meat pizza is very good too.

Our baseball league ordered tons of food; 6 orders of wings, 1 steak pizza, 2 meat pizzas, a mushroom pizza, a cheese,& a pepperoni, 6 2 liters of soda, 1 steak sub, and an order of fries and the total came to only $140.

So if you are ever in the Athol/Orange area of Massachusetts on RT 2A stop by and get something to eat.  You will not regret it.

Finally a call

Its been a while since I got a phone call for a job.  I had responded to job postings on craigslist yesterday and got one call back this morning.

I talked with the person regarding the position for a few minutes and he asked me to email him my resume.  I did so and he said he’d call me again tomorrow to discuss the position further.

So we wait…

Is it just me…

or would flying halfway across the country for an interview show that I have serious interest in the position and also show that I’d show up for work for anything.

My thoughts on anti-depressants

After I lost my job in June of 2008 I felt down in the dumps.  I visited my family doctor and she gave me a depression test.  Of course my answers which were based on the unemployment situation put me in the status of midly depressed.  No Shit!

So I was prescribed Zoloft.  I took it as I was suppossed to and everything slowed down for me.  The world was calm, not so fast paced, I felt happier, I enjoyed life.

Occassionally I would have a panic attack, feel overwhelmed, or just need to take it slow.  Then I started having visions of hurting my children.  I knew the medication was most likely the cause of this so I stopped taking it and told my wife.  We tried to make an appointment to change my medication with a psychiatrist, but those could only be done 6 months out. 

I went to the hospital and checked myself in so that I could see the on-call/on-duty psychiatrist that way.  Heck I had a vision of hurting my children so they should take me in.

After spending a few hours there talking to nurse after nurse then finally the psychiatrist she gave me a new prescription with a different medication.  This medication wasn’t covered by insurance and being that we were already at our monetary limit I wan’t about to pay over $100 for some pills.  So I went without.

I haven’t had antidepressants in over a year now.   The world still goes by slowly.  There are no panic attacks, no overwhelming feelings, no visions, no anything.

Am I depressed?  Of course I am.  Naturally who wouldn’t be?  I’m without a job.  I’m without my family.  I miss reading to my daughter. I miss playing with my son.  I miss giving hugs and kisses and hearing them say I love you daddy.

Do I need a pill to take those feelings away?  No.  I want to miss my children.  I want to care.  I have a purpose.  I don’t want a pill to cover that up and make me feel artifically better.

I’ll feel good once I’m working.  I’ll feel even better when I speak to my children.  I’ll feel best when I hug them again.

I got a phone call last night…

…it wasn’t for a job.

Someone who knows me personally had read the blog.  I haven’t gone into detail as to what my situation was really with anyone.  I didn’t really give out so much in the last posting.  The story does goes very much into deeper issues but the theme is the same.

He called to basically say, he had been complaining about some things in his life, but he really shouldn’t because my life is currently much worse than his.

Let me put this as blunt as possible.  I don’t need or want pity.  I wouldn’t want my situation to happen to anyone.  Individuals should more or less, in my current view, be selfish for themselves and not worry too much about me.  I want you all to worry about your own issues first.  I’m strong enough, or at least seem to think so, to get through this.

Do I appreciate the thoughts and prayers?  Of course I do.  Am I grateful to have been brought up in an Italian family, with strong family values and support?  You bet I am!  People who I haven’t seen in over 14 years, have messaged me on facebook and actually given me encouragement.

 I’m starting over from nothing.  Well not nothing exactly, I still have my degree, I still have my car, and I still have my mind.  I have the opportunity to remake myself.  

I’m going to do it.   Just hopefully the motivation continues.

Two things happened today

1. I found out that my unemployment, which expired 3 weeks ago, is not extended from the latest extension that was signed into law last Wednesday.

2. The employment lawyers who were handling my case regarding wrongful termination have closed their file and are no longer involved.  I guess that is what happens when they only attempted to settle from the start, the company just waited them out.

So there ya have it.   Not the happiest of days today.  Some day my luck will start changing for the good.