When you spend the weekend...

When you spend the weekend changing his dirt, and also make him a second level, then rush home today because his fancy new food was delivered, and all he wants to do is tear shit up and eat bricks. 😣😂

The day started off hopeful enough...

The day started off hopeful enough and I had a productive day at work, but then things took a turn.  I called the food stamp office to try to make sure my form got to the right person (because I gave him my original copy [like a dummy] so the info was gone if it didn't make it to him).  Well, that pretty well ruined my day.

I left a couple of messages for the guy who was supposed to receive my form and he never got back to me.  I called the office and spoke to "customer service" who tried to lecture me on the meaning of being eligible for food stamps and also who tried to start in on me with that "Your paperwork was late" bullshit.  I don't normally do this, but I straight yelled at her.  I recognized her voice and it was the same woman who's been unhelpfully jerking me around for a week and a half.  When she tried to talk to me about eligibility I cut her off - saying that I didn't want to hear that.  She tried to talk to me about being late with my forms and I raised my voice to tell her that the supervisor admitted they had it on time so to quit with all that.

I love my curse words - she is quite lucky that I kept my composure enough to not use them on her.  I, too, work in customer service and rude customers can ruin my day.  However, when you are screwing around with someone's ability to feed their family that's a little more serious than receiving the wrong color of bracelet or whatever.  Also, when I am dealing with upset customers my goal is to fix their problem and help them - not push them into a rage by lecturing them.  Some people are just assholes.  I was not so nice to her and I am not usually like this, but hope I ruined her day as much as she did mine.  That is not the way you treat people.

Long story short:  The supervisor did as he said he would - which is amazing.  However, I'm getting half of the food stamp amount that I normally do.  I am guessing that it's because I was off for a week and a half.  I don't know.  Whatever.  It's better than nothing and it will help.  Too bad I spent real money on food - including a cheap box of brownies that I stress ate before I rage napped.  Still have enough money to pay one bill, though, so I guess that's something.

I'm ever so grateful to the great state of Alabama for taking such good care of one its hardworking single parent students who volunteers her time, energy, and part of what little money she makes helping others.  Just kidding. Fuck this place.  I never thought it was a great idea for all the cool people to leave this state because then it will never get better, but it's not getting any of my tax money when I get my money job, for real.  I am officially done with this place ASAP.

Just got off the phone...

Just got off the phone with the food stamp supervisor who CALLED ME.  I guess after all of the angry messages they received over the weekend they really didn't want to see my face!  He confirmed that the holdup on my case was not that they did not receive my fax on time (they did and I KNEW THAT!) - part of one of the pages didn't come through.  I can believe that because faxes are finicky.  If only ANYONE had bothered to tell me that a week and a half ago!

Long story short:  I am taking him the missing page on my way to work.  He will get my case processed today.  Food stamps will be on my card tomorrow.  WOO!  I'm still going to wait until tomorrow to pay bills, though.  JUST IN CASE.

Ugh. Didn't realize it was midnight.

Ugh. Didn't realize it was midnight. Oh well. 😕

Slept super late today. Needed it.

Saw a friend today. Needed that also.

Cleaned the dogs' room. Needed that SO BAD. I hadn't put much effort into that room since last semester started.

Needless to say I feel accomplished. 🙂

Just not looking forward to tomorrow. I SO do not want to spend time at the food stamp office, but they are screwing me over. Can't have that right now.

Get ready for Monday, friends. It's coming and we can't stop it!

Watching SNL on Hulu and Alicia Keys just performed.

Watching SNL on Hulu and Alicia Keys just performed. She appeared to be makeup free and is gorgeous. She's a stunner!

As a female who doesn't paint my face - she just made my day. You don't see that often in the media. I'm diggin' it! 😃

(To people who wear makeup, do your thing. I'm not judging you. I'm just happy to be represented, too!)

Aaand... no food stamps.

Aaand... no food stamps.  Why did I just know that was going to be the case?  What a pile of shit.  I'm gonna tear a hole in someone's ass, IN PERSON, on Monday.  I'm going to that stupid office and not leaving until there is money on my card.  I hate this state and it's incompetent, uncaring people.

My shoulders hurt.

My shoulders hurt. Have been since school let out. It's no good. I feel like it must be tension. I haven't been able to relax yet, though, so it would make sense. 🙁

I took another job - for a total of 3 once school starts back and I'm tutoring again. I'm just so ridiculously broke. I don't know what else to do. I REALLY REALLY wanted to relax during my 3 weeks out of school, but I'm just going to work instead.

To make things more stressful it was time for my food stamp renewal at the end of April so I got that handled and faxed in the day before it was due. A few days later I got a letter in the mail saying that I'd been terminated for not turning in the renewal forms. I called last week and spoke to my case worker's assistant and she told me she had my paperwork and that the caseworker had 10 days to put it through since it was late - which would have been today. We usually get our food stamp benefits on the 14th so that would have been great timing.

I called to check in today and got the assistant again. My case had not been processed. My case worker was unavailable. So I left a message on her supervisor's voice mail. Then I called back a few times until I reached someone who could do things. It may well have been my case worker; I have no idea, but she was asking questions and sounded like she had some authority. She said she got my paperwork late, but I told her the date I faxed it and that I could get a copy of the fax log if need be. I also pointed out that if she had it then they received it the day I sent it because faxes do not get lost in the mail. She said they would push it through today and we'd get our benefits tomorrow as usual, but we'll see. I'm not holding my breath. Just tension in my shoulders, apparently.

Anyway. It's been a rough week and I'm glad it's over. I guess I'm just waiting until the morning to find out if I can pay bills or if I have to buy food because I cannot do both. But for now I'm piled up on my couch in blankets and I plan to stay here until either the dogs need to pee or I do.

And on that note, goodnight. ❤