My current situation

Information modified on Friday, September 02, 2005. And still not properly employed, on this day, unless it states otherwise.

July 2004: From now I am on a pension; the wondrous monthly sum of almost CA$320. How on earth am I to pay for everything I owe in debt or running cost form? Stay tuned.

During 2003 and forward into 2004 I was injured whilst working as a driver/furniture installer for Doucet's Moving and Storage.

Had a job, late March, early April, 2002 at AE Micronet, Bank and Somerset for about seven shifts, for which see the relevant heading on Time Line 2002 and I thought I had another in July. Dreams only, since the putative employer was himself misinformed, and unfortunately was extremely ill with Crohn's Disease.

The origins of my situation:

	Have never recovered from losing my job, in 1995, at Coast Foundation Society, in Vancouver. Long and horrid story related to corrupt union local officials.
	Subsequent to that I found a job with Nova, a courier service (at that time a company owned by a friend, fellow soccer player, Ken Johnston, who is now one of the Liberal MLAs that took over from the NDP in BC), moving hazardous goods between hospitals in Vancouver. This was fine, until Michelle had her baby, which necessitated a change in my circumstances to suit her job/baby needs. We decided never to farm Katharine out to day care. So, I became an ordinary courier. Horrid: car crash, and a separate accident incurring bodily malfunction caused loss of income. I never made ends meet, for over eighteen months.
	To attempt an escape from this spiral, I discovered, and eventually took, an MCSE full time course at BCIT/North West Digital. Major loans, and a grant from the government of BC, financed that whole year of training. I had not finished with my exams, although I am an MCP in NT, and an A+, when my mother convinced my father to leave Vancouver. This resulted in Michelle deciding that she would not stay in Vancouver, because "there would be no family left". Later, I realised that, firstly, my mother was already demented, not a difficult diagnosis, and secondly, that Michelle was enabling a situation where she could leave me. My bouts of depression were taking their toll. The trip I took across Canada. in December 1998, towing Michelle's car with a very poor quality, heavily laden truck from U-Haul, was harrowing.
	Could not find a job for a year in Ottawa. Eventually, through a lead from Renée, one of Michelle's sisters, I joined Taima, an ISP technical support company, at the end of 1999. Poorly paid, with nasty work schedules. I did progress there, becoming Call Centre Trainer among other things. However, I lost that job because I was totally frustrated with my situation, which saga has been lost to the ages. But, it will arise once more, like the phoenix, when I have access to one of my stored machines.

This is my current social situation:

	Separated, August 2000, from my wife, Michelle, and daughter, Katharine, directly as a result of my chronic, diagnosed, double depression. See here.
	We had been living in a town house on Shillington Avenue, where I stayed until July of 2001. Had to leave because not employed, and ineligible for UI or Welfare. Could not pay the rent or the operating costs.
	Nowadays, I am living at my parents' apartment. This wouldn't have been so bad, if it were not for the fact that my mother was seriously ill. My mother died on December 7th., 2002 and the story can be found on a family page on this site.
	Out of work. Firstly, I left Convergys, March 2001, as a result of a major argument with my spineless supervisor. Utterly disgraceful, since I had done so well in the first Call Centre, prior to the general demise of free Internet access which occurred late 2000.
	Out of work, yet again, after about four weeks work July/August, 2001. Here is some information about my experiences with VidNet et al: which, as you may notice, was sent to the police. Apparently, MacKinnon, is on record with them for other, similar offences. It was a waste of time reporting this assault. I may visit a JP, as was recommended, if, for example, he commits further acts against others at TCC. I don't doubt he has not had any professional help of late. At the time my mother died, I met him at TCC and in an adjoining street: he apologised for his actions, which was appreciated.
	I used to search for work from a little cell, loaned to me by Steve at TCC Canada, but it was eventually rented out to the government. That was where I had worked for VidNet, and then spent three months, subsequently, looking for work and helping out TCC's techies at times.
	(Relevant prior to my mother's death only: Winter has been around again: nowhere to go if I don't find a job. I cannot, absolutely cannot, rest myself at "home". Not with my mother's mental state. How does one walk around, having no money to spend in warm spots, in twenty to thirty below? Oh, Paul, stop your bloody whining!)
	I have, at times, had money from my father for food, but I am trying to pay off bills, as well as eat: sometimes constantly hungry.
	Could not afford my medication costs. Ceased taking it, and now what? Feel better, actually, especially since my physical side effects have dissipated.
	Could not afford to buy the reading glasses I need. Then, money fell off a tree, and I am now fully glazed.
	Cannot afford to receive really necessary dental work. Teeth that were filled have cracked and chipped. Keep on brushing!
	At least, for the time being, I have been allowed to pay via MO for the three mattoid domain accounts. That may fall away, if I cannot obtain the minimum necessary each month.
	One good thing about keeping my domains was the ability to maintain a diary regarding my mother's slow descent into dementia. Also, since not all of my computers are available, I can use one domain to archive my e-mail. What a job that will be, when I can update my sites. I still owe a considerable amount of money to Computer Supply House, for computers, monitors and other allied goods.

This is my financial hell:

	Owe money to Bell Telephone, Ottawa Hydro, Enbridge (Gas), Rogers' Cable, AT&T (Cell phones).
	Owe money to friends: Doug, Ken, Tony, and others.
	Owe money to my father: a huge amount.
	Owe money to my estranged wife: interest she's paying on a CIBC CC. Mind you, she must recall the large amount she was given by Dad at times, especially to fix her old car.
	Owe money to TD Bank: an account balance and two CCs.
	Owe money to CIBC: a CC.
	Owe money to whichever company looks after Student Grants these days: it was taken from CIBC's control, I believe.
	Owe money to Revenue Canada.
	Owe money to Computer Supply House, who know of my situation, yet freely offered me computers to take and use to train myself, and to pay for them later. Wonderful people.
	Perhaps, because I am in no mood to stomach fools at any time, I won't, but if I had enough money, perhaps I would buy better computer equipment for the BCSA. But only if several of the incompetents there were banned for good. Fat chance.
	I have no insurance, no savings, no belongings worth selling. That all went when we lived in Vancouver, and I was on the MCSE course. As mentioned, I had previously worked for Ken Johnston, and never made ends meet, not as a courier. Horrible job for a person like me, that provided no time to search for other employment. Nova has since been bought out and subsequently subsided from view.
	I cannot afford clothes, shoes, socks, indeed cannot handle any necessary replacements.
	Necessary payments that I can manage limit my diet, although I do eat two free meals a week, accompanying my father as we try to accommodate my mother's behaviour. Trying, indeed and still appropriate.
	I obviously have no car, and have to walk nearly everywhere. I do use a bus pass, when I can afford the monthly cost. Good exercise, but. . . .

This is my perpetual trial for re-employment:

	Trying to learn more, to keep au courant with matters computing. Trying to keep a clear mind, consistently, discarding all other critical matters, is somewhat difficult. Hence, it has become hard to study. Especially with my library stored away.
	The .COM revolution, not, with the multitude of failing ISPs fiasco and the consequent meltdown, in association with the September 11th atrocity have not helped anyone, let alone me, find work. Wired has reported that, at the beginning of February, 2003, there are still more applicants than jobs in the IT field.
	Besides all that, in March, 2004, I became 62. I don't look it. I don't feel it. I could still run and play decent football prior to my industrial injury. And, my grey matter works. Nevertheless, ageism has struck: grey hair, don't you know. My mental health is admittedly fragile: this is a really stressful time, and I shall be stronger if I can come out the other end. Reductio ad absurdum, should I ever gain an interview, I cannot afford fresh clothes to look decent. Although, searching through my storage locker, I found some decent shirts and socks!!
	I will try to become a teacher, if I can. I have discovered that, given my maturity, I am not afraid to behave foolishly when required. Above all, I am an avowed information junkie, and this asset strengthens educative juices.
	Have had leads, but nothing has yet come of them. Some people have been known to crawl out of the woodwork, and maybe, just maybe, I can join with the tax payers soon.
	Sadly, since I had nowhere to read and work on Windows 2000 (and now .NET and XP), including Active Directory, I had no chance of taking 70-240, the Accelerated Exam, for which I had a free voucher, by the deadline of December 31st., 2001. Reminds me of the old blues song, by B B King, and also sung by Cream, "if it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all!"
	In fact, I gained employment in 2003 as an office furniture installer. But, became injured: some of my vertebrae went on strike and the one that took all the work collapsed. Probable cause of my sciatica. Not constant employment, some weeks I have made nothing, or very close. C'est la bleeding vie, hein? See top of page.

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