Disclaimer

Anybody that has bothered to read this blog (Ha!) knows my days are "filled" with a fairly narrow range of so-called activities. These so-called activities consist almost entirely of: work, paying bills, home chores (cleaning, doing dishes, doing laundry, etc. -for those unfamiliar with the term), cooking (with Sam), going on walks (with Sam), going grocery shopping (with Sam), filling out paperwork (usually for Sam), trying to stay awake until bedtime - and maybe one or two other things I'm too numb to think of. But all kidding aside, I really think that's about it.

Because of this severely limited range of experiences, I find (and you probably do, too) that there's a lot of repetition on this blog - so much so, that I'm pretty sure the above paragraph, maybe in different words, appears elsewhere around here somewhere. In fact, it probably appears in several "somewheres" around here.

Take out all the complaining, mostly about SSI (currently) and IEPs (formerly) and people in general (pretty much always), and you're left with a small handful of posts, usually having to do with cooking (with Sam) or going on walks (with Sam).

I'm not sure why I bother. In fact, lately, I haven't. I have an arm's length of fireworks photos that I haven't posted - because I've posted them all before (well, not these actual photos, but they may as well be) and commented on them before. And I have a similar amount of photos taken on our walks - which again, have all been seen before. I have videos I wanted to link to, but I've already watched them. Why should you?

I'm not sure what to do about this - or if I do anything about this. Maybe this is just a shot over the bow that if you don't hear from me, it's only because it's the same old/same old and I have nothing to add. And If you do hear from me, I'm well aware (for better or worse) that we've both heard it all before or seen it all before.

At least, that's how I'm feeling today. Tomorrow might be completely different.

In the News

Many months ago, I wrote a post about about Van Morrison and his ("what many people are saying") neanderthal-like views toward the pandemic and in particular, toward the lock down. 

I never published the post and in fact, deleted it. I've since done my best to ignore him and pretend that this new/old guy is literally not the same person who's (older) music I still enjoy. But it gets harder. This new/old guy won't go away. Not only that, but now Eric Clapton is riding that same train.

I don't care much one way or the other about Eric Clapton, but I still find it sad. If and when I choose to watch "The Concert for George", I'll have to pretend that the guy up on stage is someone I'm completely unfamiliar with - which I guess, at some level, is true.

Anyway, I am unfortunately reminded of all of this because articles about one or both of these two guys periodically pop up in my Non-Facebook-Because-I-Don't-Have-An-Account news feed. When one does, I find it irritating and yet, much like passing roadkill on the highway, I still glace at it - and then regret it. 

Today, an article once again popped up in my feed and for whatever reason, I not only opened it, I read it. The entire article is pretty good and I agree with pretty much all of it, but if you don't have the time or aren't so inclined, I'll post this one small quote:

"It’s strange that a 76-year-old who spent decades off his wanger on whatever untrialled drugs were shoved under his hooter is taking a righteous stand against something scientifically designed to minimise the chances of catching a virus that has been a factor in the deaths of four million people worldwide."

If you are so inclined, you can read the entire article here - but be warned, there's a video by this New Van Morrison embedded in there. The title is "No More Lockdown", which I'm assuming is not about driving along the coastline of Ireland on an autumn afternoon. 

Fortunately, you have to actively click on video to get it to play - which I did not. There's road kill - and then there's Road Kill.

A (Kind of) Brief Follow-up

So the phone call with SSI regarding Sam's benefits, is over . How did it go? Like so many of these things, the answer is, "Who knows?".

The fact we even managed to connect was in itself a not-so-minor success. As I previously mentioned, my cell phone died and according to the SSI letter I received, my cell phone number was the number they would be reaching me at. But also on the letter was a number to "please call" if you can't keep the appointment (or presumably, if your cell phone has died).

The problem with this number is, when you call it, you get a prerecorded long spiel about how they're doing their part in fighting COVID (by having no office hours) and how, if you so desire, you can press "1" to learn about fraud. And once you finally get through this long spiel, you get to the menu where you are only given the options of pressing a button to: a) reach your party's extension (Ha!) or b) hearing about the office hours (which, as I mentioned, are none).

This number is completely useless. In all of the many, many times I've left messages "at my party's extension", I believe it's completely accurate to say that I have received exactly ZERO callbacks. 

I called this useless number anyway and left what I knew would be an un-listened-to message at my party's extension.

Fortunately, in my "Sam Binder", I long ago wrote down what is apparently a super-secret phone number for the "local" SSI office. I have no idea where I got this number from. I can't seem to find it online - but regardless, I've learned this super-secret number is the only way to (maybe, MAYBE) get through to someone. 

When you dial this super-secret number, you get the exact same spiel and you get the exact same options as you do with the other number - EXCEPT at the very end of this prerecorded message, you're given an option to press "0" and hold for the next available operator. (Pressing "0" at the end of the previous number doesn't work. The recording claims not to recognized that option.)

We can talk about pressing "0" and possibly being on hold for an eternity, only to end up getting cut off (and I'm pretty sure I might have mentioned something along these lines, maybe once or twice) but for now, what matters is I got a hold of a real live person, and I gave this real, live person my home phone number, and miraculously, the message made it to the elusive "Mr. Maxwell". 

Mr. Maxwell was kind enough to call in the morning, rather than have me sweat it out to the end of the day. For that, at least, I'm grateful.

The meeting itself went fine. I found Mr. Maxwell to be semi-friendly and polite, which has been true for most of the people I've spoken to in that office (we won't get into a critique of the people in their other office).

Mr. Maxwell had no real comment on Sam's still on-going medical review. When he mentioned that this meeting wasn't about a medical review, I mentioned that Sam is undergoing one right now - and has been since February. Mr. Maxwell's only response was, "Yeah. Those things can take a while." Then it was on to other subjects. Thanks for clearing that up, Mr. Maxwell. Now I can continue to not relax.

Other than that, the meeting moved along fine. I answered all the questions, Mr. Maxwell really didn't answer mine. But we got through it - but like I said, who knows? I won't really know this went until the paperwork arrives, sometime the coming weeks. Until then, it's wait and wait and wait and see.

Maybe by then I'll be dealing with the medical review. Although, I'm told, those things can take a while.

Today's Brief Update

 

Tomorrow is the phone meeting with SSI, regarding Sam's benefits. This is not to be confused with Sam's Medical Reevaluation - which is still ongoing. We're in the beginning/middle/end of that one - multiple choice, you decide. (Hint: every answer is wrong.)

Anyway, SSI is scheduled to call my cell phone tomorrow, sometime between 10:00 - 2:00.

Today, my cell phone died.

Looking Forward to 1:00 AM on Friday

Ok, first of all, this post is once again dealing with my/Sam's ongoing dealings with SSI. If you want to leave now, I fully understand. As a matter of fact, I would like to leave now - except I can't.

Second of all, I know this stuff is boring to you. If anybody else were writing about it, I would have closed the window after the first sentence and moved on to more interesting subjects.

And third of all, while this subject is understandably boring to you, it is an anxiety-filled torment for me. So if you're merely bored by this, I envy you. I envy your life. Count yourself lucky and go out enjoy this "life" you have, while I sit here and resent you for it.

That said, in the ongoing SSI medical re-evaluation/review for Sam, which started back in February (in case you needed a reminder. Go back and look. I'm not going to link to it again), I received this letter today...

First, I would like to note that every time I receive one of these mailings, it seems like they always show up on a Friday. This was particularity a problem when I was working away from home. 

When I was working "at the office", I would often return from work at the end of the day to be greeted by a letter like this. And since, by then, it would have been after business hours, there would have been no one I could contact until, at best, Monday. Thus, this bomb would be left ticking in my brain all weekend long.

And note I say "possibly" Monday because, according to SSI, the most difficult time to reach someone at the SSI office is at the beginning of the week. (Which implies that it is somehow easier to reach someone as the week progresses.) The SSI recommendation was to call their offices later in the week.

The problem with calling later in the week is, under "normal" conditions, SSI is only open a half day on Wednesdays. So by this logic, this leaves only two days, Thursdays or Fridays, to try to get through to someone in the office.

But that's under "normal" conditions. 

As you can see at the top of this letter, SSI has helpfully posted their current office hours, which are (in case you're too lazy to click): Monday through Thursday: "CLOSED". They are, however, open on Fridays - from 1:00 AM to 2:00 AM.   

So set your alarm. You'll want to make sure you get in that queue early since everyone else will be trying to get in there during this golden customer service hour.

The other thing about these current business hours is, if, as I mention above, I were still working at the office, I wouldn't even see a letter like this until I got home from work. If that were the case, I would be left with the ticking bomb, not only for the weekend, but for an entire week - at least until the following Friday at 1:00 AM when I could easily call. So, I guess in that regard, I'm pretty lucky I was home.

And since I'm so lucky to have been here when this letter arrived, I went ahead and called Mr. Maxwell (even though it's not 1:00 AM). Unsurprisingly, I got Mr. Maxwell's voicemail. Maybe he'll call me back next Friday at 1:00 AM. 

Anyway, my question for Mr. Maxwell was on page 1, where it says at the bottom, "please try to have all of the items shown below from May 1, 2019 to the present." My problem with this is, they're not showing me any items "below". What are they looking for?

To make matters worse (I think), they make it clear that these "non-items" need to be original or certified copies, not photocopies. Why this is necessary for a phone call, I'm not sure. But regardless, I'm sure when they call and ask me about these original or certified non-items, there will be plenty of time to rectify any potential misunderstandings.

One last thing I'd like to point out. On page 2, the first paragraph is circled (I'm not sure if by Mr. Maxwell or someone else). I appreciate them bringing this paragraph to my attention. Otherwise, I might have passed over it - especially since my anxiety attack began back on page 1. But the thing is, for whomever wrote this, it should be "hear", not "here". And also, while we're on the subject, it's not "you SSI claim", it's "your SSI claim". 

Maybe I'll point this out to Mr. Maxwell, when he calls me back next Friday at 1:00 AM. I'm sure he'll appreciate my attention to detail and thus do everything in his power to swiftly re-approve Sam's claim. At least for another three years.

The Life

Nothing beats sitting on the porch on a cold and rainy afternoon - a nice, warm blanket on your lap, listening to the tapping of the rain as it falls through the leaves, while you're reading your comic books.