The past few days have been quite frustrating for me. I may as well ventilate rather than keep the aggravation inside me!
Tires
Yesterday I walked a total of thirty-two blocks in the process of
fixing the flat tire that prevented me from visiting my mother on Mother’s Day. I made two trips to the store to purchase cans in tire inflating/fixing stuff. (I’ll admit that walking that far was probably good for me; however, when one weighs as much as I do and suffers from emphysema, the trek was not an easy one and took much more time than I had expected).
It wasn’t until after I had gotten the right back tire inflated (and observed that the inflating foam was coming out of the sidewall and not the tread of the tire) that I noticed the front left tire was also flat! That’s what forced me to make the second walk to the store: to buy more of the same stuff.
When I finally had both tires partially inflated and was able to drive my car to the service station, I learned that neither tire could be repaired because the punctures were in the sidewalls and not the treads. That necessitated purchasing two new tires, which I really couldn’t afford. The service station attendant informed me that he believed that both tires had been intentionally slashed; he said there he saw no other explanation for the type of punctures and their location on the sidewalls of the tires.
That information evoked from me anger, frustration, and more than a bit of despair. I have no idea who would have intentionally punctured my tires.
Continued Unemployment
Yesterday was the three month anniversary of my first interview with Liberty National Insurance Company. Since then I have paid for and submitted to three background checks; paid for and taken courses in health and life insurance; paid for and passed both of the Insurance Commission examinations for agent licenses. I have also filled out the same paperwork twice. And, I have given Liberty National Insurance of Georgia a check to pay for the fee the insurance company is supposed to pay the state for issuing licenses.
The last was done two weeks ago today. As of the moment, the documents that Liberty National Insurance Company is supposed to provide the state Insurance Commission have not been received by the Commission, nor has my check to Liberty National Insurance Company cleared my bank. When I access my Insurance Commission file on the Internet, it shows that I have passed the two tests and the issuance of the licenses to me is “pending”—pending the receipt of the required documents and fee from the insurance company.
When I telephone the new Louisville office of Liberty National Insurance Company, the usual result is that no one answers the phone. Last Wednesday I did get through to the regional manager; he said to telephone him back on Friday. I did telephone several times on Friday: the telephone was never answered, which has been the usual result of my phone calls. I also telephoned several times yesterday and again this morning with the same result.
Needless to say, I feel frustrated. I need work—to earn a living income. I have been told that I can begin work as soon as I obtain the state licenses. I have jumped through all of the hoops to obtain those licenses—I feel I have literally paid for and earned them—and I do not have them because of something that is beyond my control. That’s frustratin’.
It’s Nice to Know
Tires
Yesterday I walked a total of thirty-two blocks in the process of
fixing the flat tire that prevented me from visiting my mother on Mother’s Day. I made two trips to the store to purchase cans in tire inflating/fixing stuff. (I’ll admit that walking that far was probably good for me; however, when one weighs as much as I do and suffers from emphysema, the trek was not an easy one and took much more time than I had expected).It wasn’t until after I had gotten the right back tire inflated (and observed that the inflating foam was coming out of the sidewall and not the tread of the tire) that I noticed the front left tire was also flat! That’s what forced me to make the second walk to the store: to buy more of the same stuff.
When I finally had both tires partially inflated and was able to drive my car to the service station, I learned that neither tire could be repaired because the punctures were in the sidewalls and not the treads. That necessitated purchasing two new tires, which I really couldn’t afford. The service station attendant informed me that he believed that both tires had been intentionally slashed; he said there he saw no other explanation for the type of punctures and their location on the sidewalls of the tires.
That information evoked from me anger, frustration, and more than a bit of despair. I have no idea who would have intentionally punctured my tires.
Continued Unemployment
Yesterday was the three month anniversary of my first interview with Liberty National Insurance Company. Since then I have paid for and submitted to three background checks; paid for and taken courses in health and life insurance; paid for and passed both of the Insurance Commission examinations for agent licenses. I have also filled out the same paperwork twice. And, I have given Liberty National Insurance of Georgia a check to pay for the fee the insurance company is supposed to pay the state for issuing licenses.
The last was done two weeks ago today. As of the moment, the documents that Liberty National Insurance Company is supposed to provide the state Insurance Commission have not been received by the Commission, nor has my check to Liberty National Insurance Company cleared my bank. When I access my Insurance Commission file on the Internet, it shows that I have passed the two tests and the issuance of the licenses to me is “pending”—pending the receipt of the required documents and fee from the insurance company.
When I telephone the new Louisville office of Liberty National Insurance Company, the usual result is that no one answers the phone. Last Wednesday I did get through to the regional manager; he said to telephone him back on Friday. I did telephone several times on Friday: the telephone was never answered, which has been the usual result of my phone calls. I also telephoned several times yesterday and again this morning with the same result.
Needless to say, I feel frustrated. I need work—to earn a living income. I have been told that I can begin work as soon as I obtain the state licenses. I have jumped through all of the hoops to obtain those licenses—I feel I have literally paid for and earned them—and I do not have them because of something that is beyond my control. That’s frustratin’.
It’s Nice to Know
It’s nice to know that I am not the only one in this country who feels frustrated:
I'm sorry you're having such a bad time of it, Nick. Do you have an enclosed garage to keep your new tires safe?
ReplyDeleteHang in there!
I hope things go better for you with the job. Only thing I have to say witht the political cartoon is that I'm upset with our president as well, but probubly for different reasons. I'm not quite sure if using the national guard is the best idea for solving this problem with our border. Anyway, hope things go better for you:)
ReplyDeleteYou could quite easily erase Bush's name and insert John Howards instead.
ReplyDeleteCrossing fingers you get to visit your mum soon, and begin work asap :o)
When you said that the gunk was coming out the side of your tires I thought it sounded like slashing. That really, really sucks. I hope it was a random thing (even though that's terrible, too) and won't happen again.
ReplyDeleteAnd how frustrating on the licensing. Good luck!
Huh nick...had a similar experience today. My bike had a flat tyre and it was a bit troubling to get it repaired, all the while battling a sore eye and the summer heat---not to mention the usual heavy work load at office. But not as frustrating as your experience.
ReplyDeleteI feel touched at the troubles you have to undergo at this age, with your health complications. My sincere wishes are with you, nick.
Good luck man. I'm rooting for you.
ReplyDeleteAnd I hope the bastard(s) that slashed your ties come down with herpes.
THOMAS: I have a magnificent 2.5 car garage with plenty of interior and exterior lighting and more electrical connections that I could ever use. Unfortunately, last summer the automatic garage door opening malfunctions and the garage door came down on the top of my car as I was backing out. That resulted in bending the door and the track it runs on. The estimates I have obtained tell me I must replace the door and the track at an expense of $1200 to $2200, which I can’t afford. Ugh!
ReplyDeleteEL: I concur with you regarding the National Guard, as do most of my friends in the Guard and Reserve. Today we are becoming more of a militaristic nation than even our bellicose history indicates: the most warlike nation in history, with no generation having not been involved in a war.
MICHELLE: Interesting that you connect John Howard with that cartoon. The question of Dubya in it is being done by the Republican Party, his party. As I remember it, John Howard once said some like that he will remain leader as long as he has the confidence of his party. Are you saying the Australian Liberal Party may be questioning Howard’s leadership just as the U.S. Republican Party may be questioning Dubya’s?
I have been able to visit my mother—twice on Wednesday, on the way to and from my MD appointment. I was able to give her the card I made for her (and published in part on my blog on Mother’s Day) and we were able to dine together.
SQUIRL: Yeah, the tires were slashed. I still wonder who did it; even though I have since learned that the tires of two more cars were slashed around the same time. I hope it was a rand act of mischief and not an intentional act directed specifically at me.
As of today, the check I gave to the insurance company has still not been cashed and the local office isn’t answering their telephones. The latter is not new, they seldom answer the phone. I suppose the former isn’t new either. I remain frustrated.
VISHWA: Flat tires, either on bikes or cars, are always frustrating. At the very least they are time consuming and if one needs transportation to get somewhere important, can be catastrophic.
I consider the “troubles’ I experience as part of being alive—karma, if your will. I think the title of a book I read many years ago rather sums it up: “I Never Promised You a Rose Garden.”
LIMPY: Thank you: my luck changes frequently and I’d due for an upswing.