Work week ends

Got the final OK for next Tuesday working yesterday. Got to work Wed and asked if the agency bloke had been told that I was coming in Tuesday instead of him. No, he hadn't. WTF? Are management all fuckin morons? So what's the story then, am I or the agency bloke coming in next Tuesday? I ask the supervisor and they can only say "I don't know I'm not told anything". So I start assuming he will be in not me as I'm not going to be put in the position of turning up the same day as him and have to be the one to tell him. FFS these nuts couldn't organise the proverbial fuck in a bloody brothel.

So yesterday the dept head finally come to me and say hello and that. So I ask him then, "mate like the guy hasn't been told anything, um, WTF is the story for next Tuesday?" His reply, "I don't give a fuck about _______". At which time I detect hostility there. It seems management is onto this guy doing fuck all on a shift that costs them about $400 a pop. And for what, 2 or three fuckin pallets? The minimum required is at least 5. They got the other bloke in last night who did just that, along with me today with my day shift effort. The guy has hung himself, big time. He's back Monday, and I was promised he'd be told of the new arrangements with me. I was thinking to do the right thing by him with a couple of weeks notice, just because it's the right thing to do no matter how useless he is. Management seems to think otherwise. 

Still very upset about puss. Have never been so close to a cat as her.  

"Getup" responds to gay hate add

Refer the post below re the bizzarre homophobe add airing up in Queensland by the Bob Katter Australia Party. Katter's half brother is gay, and the one who's in the add:

The add is not going to air unless Getup gets the money to do it. If you so desire darlings you can put money to air this add in Queensland here:

link

One of the most homophobic ads to hit Australian television screens is airing right now in Queensland. Stand against bigotry and discrimination – help counter the Katter’s Australia Party ad with this important message from Bob Katter’s half-brother Carl.

The more we all chip in today, the more we'll be able to put this ad on air and ensure that every young gay and lesbian Australian who saw Bob Katter's homophobic message sees Carl Katter's message of hope and equality.

We will buy all the ad spots we can get in Queensland over the coming two weeks, starting with prime time spots on A Current Affair and Sunday Night News across Brisbane. Ad spots are limited, so if we can't spend all the money donated, we will email you back as soon as possible and offer to return your contribution.

I love Getup. 

*Update:

Carl Katter has joined the Labor party. 

FEDERAL MP Bob Katter's gay half-brother has joined the Labor Party and has not ruled out running for preselection at the next state election. 

Carl Katter, who is a vocal gay marriage advocate, said he joined the Fitzroy branch of the Labor Party because he wanted to ''get involved at a grassroots level''.

''I look back on my life and all my rights, all the luxuries I have in contemporary society have come from the Labor Party, so it's a no-brainer for me,'' he said.

Rumours were swirling among ALP insiders that Carl Katter was running for preselection for the 2014 state election. But the Labor Party member said seeking preselection was not something he had seriously considered yet - although he had not ruled it out.

Carl Katter is a board member of Australian Marriage Equality. Read more

Death in the family

Bye puss

I'm thinking maybe I should have trusted my farm judgement and had her put down at the vets the other day. But by the body language she died very peacefully and happy in familiar surroundings. I myself know how terrible it is to be sick in a horrible hospital setting where all you want to do is go home. She was home and died happily, lying on her side with her front paws folded. She looked completely relaxed. 

Of course both of us are upset. She had started eating and drinking on her own this morning when we both left for work so we thought this meant she was going to make it. But that's how it works with both humans and animals; they get better and seem OK before they die. We got home about the same time and my daughter noticed blood on the floor. I couldn't remember if it was from the other day or not. She was under the lounge as I looked just a bit earlier and thought she was asleep. After the blood sighting I pulled the lounge back to have a look, she looked happy. I gave her a pat on the head and instantly felt rigor mortise. Said "I've got some bad news"..... 

In hindsight you always think of something better you could have done. But I did my best eh. In the end I'm glad she died at home and not in a pet hospital. She knew she was loved until the end.

Wrapped the body up in a towel and put it in a bag, took it to the vet and they will dispose of the body in the appropriate manner. 

 

Escaped the needle of death

Picture from the brink:

Took this this morning. Hard to tell if she's improving as I've been so close to the situation. She's still very weak and all. Managed to get some wet food into her, just sort of opened her mouth and put it in. She chewed it and swallowed but looked pretty pissed off with me holding her mouth open to get it in there. Still not eating or drinking on her own. 

Came very close to the needle of death yesterday. I told the vet straight out when I went there that she was obviously very unhappy and extremely ill, and that I'd rather have her euthanised than see her suffering like that. Felt terrible for her yesterday when she spewed badly, she was sitting there on the chair with her tongue going in and out, as the spew was all over her face and neck as well as down the chair and floor. Poor thing. Looked at a total loss. It was only that the vet talked me out of it and came up with other possibilities that I held back. 

I can't believe now I'm giving her prescription pills. It's pretty hard, have never given cats a pill before. I have to as she's not eating and I can't crush it into her food. Vet showed me how to open her mouth and put it far down as I can for her to swallow it. Good grief, a cat with a bloody prescription FFS! *Sheesh* Never a dull moment around here. If it's not me it's her.

Anyway will see how these pills work. The appetite one is Prednisole, which I had last year when I was sick. Made me quite hungry all the time, and put back on the 10 kilos I lost pretty quickly. Can't believe now I'm giving it to the cat. Would've never happened on the farm when I was young. I dunno, these city cats have a pampered life don't they?

Hope it does all work of course. She's been with me through thick and thin. Was the only one there with me at home when I nearly topped myself in 2009. Cats seem to have a sixth sense, she knows when I'm upset.  

Australia's very own gay hate add :s

Just when I thought it was safe to look at the news online, behold we have an anti-gay add in our very own Australia. It's nothing like that Kirk Cameron American nutter though (who holds gays responsible for threatening the very fabric of civilisation darlings) but it is from the very fringes of politics here. Alas, we just can't do gay hatred like America can. Everything's always much bigger over there you know...

Bob Katter is some nut who used to be in the conservative NP (National Party) but was so far right wing became an Independent in parliament. He has since formed his own party, The Australian Party, which advocates all sorts of simplistic cliche type things. With Queensland in the throws of a state election, he has criticised the leader of the conservative party (currently in opposition) as being a hypocryte for supporting gay marriage when his party doesn't, and is broadcasting this ad on the telly up there:

 

Although it's a bit tame by Kirk Cameron standards, there's a huge backlash over it:

But instead of achieving its goal, the ad has sparked outrage among Queensland's gay and lesbian community and support groups.
Equal rights campaigner Phil Browne on Monday lodged a complaint with the Advertising Standards Bureau, labelling the ad as "vile".
"The ad uses fear and hate to target homosexuals, an oppressed minority group," Mr Browne said in his complaint.
"This is vile and unacceptable.
"It would be totally unacceptable to use another minority group to promote the same message."
Mr Newman told reporters in Brisbane it was "immaterial" that he supported gay marriage but his party didn't.
He said the priority should be on looking after "normal Queensland families who need their cost of living pressures reduced right down".
But when asked what a "normal family" was, Mr Newman did not exclude same-sex couples from his response.
"(They are) families who are trying to pay their mortgages, trying to make ends meet, who need low vehicle registration costs frozen," he said.

 What a nut.

In other news, the cat lives another day. They are trying different antibiotics and a pill for appetite. The blood results weren't back but I went there at 3pm as she was so bad I thought. However her enemia is at the same levels as yesterday with no worsening. I was really surprised, but they said she likely was weak as she was from not eating or drinking for over a day. They think it could be a blood parasite from the fleas devouring her white blood cells.

Looks bad

Was chucking out the rubbish this morning and noticed some junk mail in the old letterbox out the front (the mail is supposed to go in the new one other side of the driveway). It looked like an envelope so I picked it up. It wasn't an envelope but a printed DL piece of cardboard, with a fridge magnet stuck to it:

That's really good news. That's the medical centre almost across the road from here that stopped bulk billing a while back and charging $40 on top of the Medicare schedule fee. They've now gone back to bulk billing (free) so it will be much easier to see a doctor around here locally. My HIV doctor is a bus trip away and it's not always OK to see him on the day I ring, which is a big hassle if I'm just wanting a doctors cert for work or some other simple prescription. Makes life a lot easier.

Puss is still massively sick. She got through the night OK sleeping in the little enclosed balcony/"sun room", and I put her in my reading chair in there this morning. She looked very comfortable, but when I got up and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth I came back and she'd spewed massively. Felt so sorry for the poor thing. Had to clean up her face with a wipe, and bucket and water for the rest. Was all down the chair and on the floor. Looked like it'd been in her a while. 

She's no better now. Didn't touch any food or water. Just waiting for the vet to ring this afternoon with the blood results. Not looking good at all though, she's obviously sore and unhappy, poor thing suffering. Almost want to take her for the injection right now but at least want to find out what the blood says.   

May have to put down puss

Daughter was busy so had to take puss round to the vet by foot. Wasn't so bad, just sort of leaned the carrier into my leg. Is more awkward than heavy. Vet got me in just after 5. Spent about 15 minutes examining her but couldn't find anything specifically wrong with her, but did want to hospitalize her. Way too much money, was gonna be about $500 altogether for overnight and all. On top of what it cost me today, $380 (there goes the overtime). I had to put the lid on the cost somewhere. She asked me if I had pet insurance, I nearly laughed. "No, I don't even have human insurance." Jokingly asked if I could put the cat on my Medicare card and get it bulk billed.

So they took some blood (a big part of today's cost) to get tests done. Will ring me tomorrow afternoon with the results. They have to send it out and of course there's no pickup on Sundays. Gave her a slow release antibiotic in case of infection, although she had no temp. Plus something for pain in case she was sore. Told me to keep a close eye on her overnight.

They rang just after I got home and they'd done a preliminary blood test on the vet premises already, and she's very anemic. Dangerously so in fact. Said again she'd want to admit it, but I just said that this was the best I could do. Most people around here are well off so I guess it's surprising for them to come across someone like me short on money like that. Said again to keep a very close eye on her overnight, and bring her in in the morning if she went downhill.

If it's going to be any sort of major procedure or operation involved I'll have no choice but to put her down. She's been a wonderful pet for the time we've had her, but I just haven't got the money to keep her going if it's going to be big bucks. It's upsetting but well that's just life isn't it. Growing up on a farm you get to know about animals and death. Daughter is a bit upset but she does understand.  

Cat alert

The cat is really sick today. She wasn't well yesterday but seemed much better this morning. Through the day though she'd gotten progressively worse. A few drops of blood came out of her mouth before. I freaked out. She's also very weak and sleepy, not at all herself.

The vet I take her to is open this afternoon 4-6pm so I'll take her around there then. Getting a lift with one of daughters friends, as it's a few blocks to there and she gets very heavy to carry. 

I'm wondering if she's maybe eaten a bit of rat poison or something when she's outside. If that is the case I'm going to have a bit to say about it, as there are young kids that play out there as well. 

Working 4 days a week

Talked with the dept head yesterday about what exactly he wanted re me working Tuesdays. He'd said nothing to my supervisor about it, so I said I thought he needed to clarify it all. Had a short discussion with both the dept head and supervisor together, and he wants me to start week after next doing 4 days. Officially it will still be a 3 day week, and the Tuesdays will be extra time. He said to try that for a couple of months to see how I went.

I'm quite pleased about it. I actually never thought I'd end up increasing my hours again, being consigned to poverty forever more. But with the asshole factory manager being fired there's a friendlier atmosphere about the place, and I mentioned that I hoped the new regime (whatever it'll end up being) will be much more reasonable to deal with. 

Personally I suspect the asshole factory manager was being discriminatory to me as I had HIV, but of course I can't prove it. That whole episode with him going bananas about my absenteeism last year was very dark and stressful. I came very close to telling him to stick his fuckin job, but I'm glad I didn't now. Hah! He got fired. Good fuckin job. I won. Or more exactly, we won; us workers united in the union and stood up to the idiot. What an incompetent fool he was. No idea how to deal with people. Just a bullshit artist and a Capitalist thug. 

So now it looks like life will be a lot easier with day to day survival with money. I certainly won't be rich, but the extra days pay will really help. The agency bloke has hung himself pretty much. Coming in on afternoon shift and doing about half of what he should have. This bloke is getting about $5 an hour more than me, and fuck knows what the agency is charging the company for him. It'd have to be about $50 an hour, flat rate. 

   

Simon

Um, it rained like mad this morning in Sydney.

Luckily it wasn't windy early in the morning when I went to work, so my umbrella saved me. The sun was up, but it was still dark when I got there.

Went into work and surprisingly the agency bloke had actually done a shifts worth of work last night. I changed the knife on the guillotine as it was blunt after doing 3 shifts worth, and proceeded to carry on with it.

Being as I've somehow ended up being unwittingly involved in an evil plot to bring down civilisation by gayness, I thought I would send Simon a text as he's back in Lightning Ridge now. There was something different about his visit this time, and I wanted to tell him so. I texted:

Missed holding you last night. Feeling your back and bum, having your legs on me....xxx

He loved it. Said it was poetic. Didn't think so myself, but I wanted to say how much I felt for him this time. Beyond the sex, I really cared for him and felt strongly for him. A bit later I texted:

Just to have you there to hold was really special.

Think I'm falling for this guy big time. Scared though, of being hurt and putting my feeling where they're vulnerable. I'm pleased where this is going, but I'm still going to take it slowly.

Invaded by hate

Simon left this morning. We both had a bit of a disturbed night. I think we both were unhappy about him going. We said goodbye early this morning as he went and got the bus to Central Station. Hugged. He's back in a couple of months, for a month, looking after his friends place again opposite Botany Bay. We got on so well this time. I know I'm going to miss him a lot now. Just having him there next to me in the night was something very special. Even just holding each other I could feel the electricity between us. We would sleep together connected like that.

Went to work today and we actually seem to be making headway into the build up in Print. The dept head I sent him an email yesterday about working Tuesdays, saying that it was fine with me. He came and had a chat this afternoon and will let me know what the story is each week. 

I appear to be over the diarrhea, but also had to take an extra half a tablet or two today at work of Endone. Think I may try just taking Panadol and see how that works. Am leaving out the Lyrica for tonight to see how I am in the morning. These pain pills are convenient, but I don't want to end up relying on that convenience in everyday life.

Was a very nice meal in the cafeteria today (*faints*). Lovely chicken things with a lemon sauce and vegetables. Enjoyed it a lot. Don't mind paying $7 or so when the food is good. 

Sat and watched the telly there as I ate. "The View" was on, from America. Was disgusted when I saw them refer to that Kirk Cameron and his recent appearance on some show. He was asked about gays, and fuckin may the universe help any of his kids if they end up being gay. I get so angry when I see this. People aren't given the airtime here to preach hatred like this. Yet there I sat, and from the other side of the world I had to cop this shit, after working hard all morning, whilst I ate my lunch:

Words cannot describe how I feel watching that. There are so many emotions. So many thoughts. How the fuck can someone even suggest that gay marriage threatens the foundations of civilization FFS? How can someone feel so threatened by people who are so non-threatening? 

Personally my opinion is that he's gay himself, and is reacting to his feelings inside. He gives a big insight into this when he talks about feeling a certain way doesn't mean you should act on it. I'd suggest he may have some secret guy on the side, like many evangelical American preachers before him.

Pill perils

Today I have diarrhea. I'd not say it was anything I ate. Probably as I've been taking much less of the Endone. I had only half a tablet this morning, and none last night at all. I did notice an ache in my sciatic nerve this morning, left side of my pelvis and butt, but it was localised to just that area and not at all painful like it had been in the recent past. I took the half an Endone for it (plus 2 Panadol) along with the Lyrica that I'm still taking morning and night. 

Must say I'm still feeling pretty vacant. Sort of buzzing and slightly out of it. I might start just taking one Lyrica in the mornings and see how I go. It has worked really well with the Shingles/sciatic pain, but I'm sure that's the pill that's making me feel so vacant for some reason. I noticed as soon as I started taking it the other week. I think it's because it's on top of the antidepressant Efexor; 300mg day. I usually feel a bit out of it in the mornings just from the high Efexor dose (even though I've been taking it for ages) so I guess the Lyrica is having some added effect but which is being magnified. I dunno. 

Fuck, imagine if I was taking HIV pills as well! 

Last box of Endone?

 It's time for me to end the Endone. *sigh*

Have had to be a honest about it. It was good to have this as it took away all the aches and pains, including the Shingles pain. But as it's prescribed solely for the Shingles pain my continuing to take it relies on the Shingles pain still being present.

Alas the Shingles pain has vastly subsided.

The last 7 tablets left I've broken in half, as suggested by my GP. They in fact had a line across the middle and were easy to break exactly in half. I do know with morphine also it works better when taken with a couple of Panadol. Dunno why. Someone told me it gets your system going better.

 

Four day week?

Feeling tired again today. Worked my fuckin ass off yesterday at work. Friday night the agency bloke did fuck all, probably only about a third of what you'd expect. I'm wondering if he was given other work to do, as what was done on my machine was so little. So anyway I'd expected three more pallets to be cut than there was, and so had to do them on Sat myself. And then get into what I was supposed to be doing on Sat. 

I'm really starting to think that working Tuesdays again, as was put to me last week, is a good thing. At the moment it seems like I've got no control over the work area as I'm only there 3 days. This other guy is just fucking around while the work builds up more and more to impossible levels. A forth day would help a lot to alleviate that situation. 

Also he factory manager (the one that gave me all that trouble last year over days off and put me through hell over it) has been fired. He was a big reason for the 3 day week in the first place to address the conflict over my days off after I was out of hospital, to see various doctors. Now that he's gone, the way seems open to a more flexible working environment. Without the angst if I do need to have time off. It's almost to the point now that it's more stressful to work only 3 days as the work build up itself is getting so bad. 

Pictures from New Zealand

Some interesting pictures Simon has bought back from his brief trip over to Christchurch, New Zealand. 

Christchurch was severely damaged in the earthquake last year. Much of the city centre is fenced off and many big buildings are waiting to be torn down as the foundations are no good now.

These are what they're doing as a temporary thing for the city centre. Made out of empty containers. Is quite well done I thought.

They went on a trip out to a little town Akaroa, east of Christchurch. A coastal town in a large sea inlet. The scenery around there is stunning. Australia is beautiful in a stark sort of way, New Zealand is beautiful with the luscious greenery that comes from volcanic soil.

 In the above you can see the rushing water as the tide goes out. The inlet is narrow and a lot of water moves with the changing tides.