Anger Management. . . I Need To Learn (State Workers)

     I can't believe I am still upset over an exchange I had with a parade-goer in March during the St. Patrick's Day parade.  I drove my Xterra in the parade with my local 4X4 club.  I love participating in this event.  This year it was rainy and mid 40's.  Maybe that was the reason for the bad attitudes vocalized by the small crowd.  So, today I am dragging out my double-high soapbox.  Please excuse the typos.


     I work for the State of New York.  I have a NYS sticker on the driver's side of my truck.  I pay NYS taxes, same as many middle class NYS residents and workers.  Recently, written opinions in my region have been very negative toward State employees.  Given New York's current economic status I understand that sentiment. 
     During a pause in the parade's movement, a woman asked me if I knew that I had a nice truck.  I told her that I knew that and then I thanked her.  She asked if I take my "very nice truck" out with the club.  I replied in the affirmative (only once so far and that was long ago).  She looked at my vehicle and asked where I work.  Becuase I have a sticker announcing my employer I said, "The State."  Her reply?  Her reply made me very angry.  She said "Nice to see what my tax dollars are buying."  @#$%$%^&;*@##Q$*@


Why do people think that only civil servants fall into this category?


 = I drink Coke a Cola.  Don't I contribute to the salaries of its employees?
 = I am composing this blog on a Dell computer.  I paid a part of someone's salary at Dell.
 = NYS purchases products from manufacturers all over the state.  Following this logic, one should conclude that tax payer dollars are paying UAW salaries when the State buys Ford or GM automobiles.  Should the State save money and purchase cars from Toyota, Honda, and Nissan instead?  (pardon the tangent)


We all contribute to each others' incomes when we purchase products or services.  Singling out civil servants is not fair to anyone.  There are lazy employees in all fields just as there are amazing individuals doing the work of three people with the resources for one in every organization.  The stereotypes that are applied to civil servants are also applicable to the private sector.

My job was not handed to me.  I had to have a college degree and score very high on an exam to qualify for the job.  If I want to advance within my organization I have to complete graduate school and take another exam.  To be considered for a job, an applicant must have one of the top three scores for his or her exam. 

Which brings us to today's websites:
SeeThroughNY: http://www.seethroughny.net/  This website provides "a clearer view of how ... state and local tax dollars are spent."  New Yorkers can view contracts, payrolls, and expenditures.  The "other data" portion of the website provides regional information, such as city payrolls, and federal payrolls in New York.


New York State Civil Service: http://www.cs.state.ny.us/ Are you looking for a civil service job in New York?  Start at this website.  Sign up for e-mail notification of exam announcements.  Some study guides are available through the website.  Also, take a trip to your local public library.  You will find civil service study books on the shelves.  Ask the individual at the reference desk if you need help.


NYS Unified Court System careers page: http://www.nycourts.gov/careers/index.shtml Bilingual?  Interested in law enforcement?  The courts are continuously looking for interpreters and court officers.  The court system hires attorneys, librarians, secretaries, court monitors, network specialists, and more.  Check this website regularly for job postings and exam announcements. All applications and instructions are on the website.


Happy Dyngus Day!
'Night, 
Katie

Parades, Rentals, and Recalls

Parades:  The Xterra is ready for the parade in Rochester on Saturday.  New stickers, coat of wax, and touch-up paint.  During the detail job I noticed damage that was not taken care of during the week at the collision shop.  The X is going back.  A brand new BFG AT KO has a couple slices in the side wall.  I am more upset about that than I am about the damage to the rocker panel.  So, those of you in Rochester, New York, feel free to shout out during the parade.  See you there!


Rentals:  I have had several negative experiences with Allstate Insurance.  For this accident I had my company take care of everything and then they will get reimbursed from Allstate.  The one positive thing about Allstate is that they will pay for the cost of a rental that is equal to the damaged X.  Cool.


Recalls:  You're cruising down the road and pass a Toyota car.  Then you pull in front of the Toyota and hang out there.  Why would anyone want to put themselves in front of a vehicle that is recalled for unintentional acceleration? I'm the owner of one of those cars.  So is my husband.  I commute from Rochester to Buffalo.  I do not understand other drivers.




Legal Stuff:
At work today I had to answer a few unique questions for patrons.  I work in a law library in Buffalo.  I have two shifts/weeks at the reference desk.  I love my job.  My most recent post noted the NYCRR.  For historical searches of the NYCRR one has to keep in mind that the publication changed publishers and was reissued in 1994/1995.  During today's quest I reached the road block when the I could not locate the pages that were removed in the 1/1/95 updating process.  That is when my supervisor showed me the set that was replaced at that time.


In Western New York a person can complete a historical research trail of the NYCRR at the Supreme Court Library at Buffalo (http://www.nycourts.gov/library/buffalo/index.shtml) and at the Appellate Division Fourth Department Law Library in Rochester (http://www.nycourts.gov/library/ad4/index.shtml).   The Buffalo collection is filed by date of supplement and the Rochester collection is filed by historical note.


Laptop battery needs power and I need sleep.
Be well.
Katie

Xterra is HOME!!

Yes, I know.  I am a dork about my truck.  I get it.  You do not have to tell me this one little fact.  Good news:  I am in the St. Patrick's Day parade in Rochester this Saturday.  My X is one of ten vehicles representing Team Mudnuts 4X4.

Brief entry tonight.   Camry recall appointment in the morning.

Tonight's websites:

Team Mudnuts 4X4, Inc.,  http://www.mudnuts.org/ , is my Rochester area off-road club.  In May there is a 101 event at Whispering Pines. 

New York State Department of State website has information for EVERYONE.  I highly recommend spending some time to surf this site.  
The New York Codes, Rules, and Regulations are posted for public access, at no charge!  Go to http://www.dos.state.ny.us/info/nycrr.html to view the contents of the NYCRR.  The NYCRR contains information to all individuals in New York State, including visitors.  This publication contains the administrative rules that govern corrections, the courts, troopers, drivers, social services, etc.  Court forms and highway signs, location of vehicle stickers and bumper height, and other regulations that govern our everyday activities are included.
Please note that there is a disclaimer stating that this is the unofficial version.  The books receive updates six months after the fact.  My colleagues have noted that this version of the NYCRR appears to be more current.  If you need the official and current version call your local law library.

Good night. 

2010 Dodge Dakota Pick-up

My Xterra is in the shop, a result of last Thursday's snow and ice.  Meanwhile, I am driving a Dakota truck.  Love the pick-up, hate the driver's compartment/space.  The side of the center consol blocks the gas pedal, the shifter blocks the stereo controls, and (for a truck costing $30K this is not good) there are NO stereo controls on the steering wheel! 

It drives and handles like a car.  The ride is smooth.  I love the lack of blind spots.  By the time I return it to Enterprise (who put the NY Registration sticker in the line of sight) I will be used to the longer-than-my-X wheelbase. 

This has created two questions for me.  1.  Will I consider trading the Corolla for a pick-up (YES!), and 2.  Will I buy a Dakota (NO!  Too uncomfortable for me to drive). 

I will look at Frontiers, Tacomas, and any other small truck with a full size back seat.

You may be wondering why it has taken me so long to create a post.  Several reasons:
1.  DH was deployed in early January.
2.  My son is my focus.
3.  Two recalled vehicles ='s a few trips to the dealership.
4.  One lifted Xterra = many trips to the shop, Advance Auto, Thruway Spring
5.  Icy road and a small collision (no injuries, Xterra was parked) = more trips to auto shops.
6.  Everytime I open the laptop my son wants to go to PBS Kids and play.
7.  Took my boy on our first Mother-son road trip.
           We drove to South Carolina during all the storms on the East Coast.  I managed to avoid the actual storms.  State of Maryland, PLEASE contact the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse to learn about snow removal during and after the storm!  Unannounced lane closings in a 70mph zone are DANGEROUS!  Virgina, you did a good job on the I95.  Thank you!

Time to start my work day.  I am at the reference desk this morning.

Today's websites are for the military families and families where a member is absent for any reason.

PBS Kids (http://pbskids.org/) is a wonderful resource.  Kids can make stories and e-mail them to an absent family member.  There are several parent resources, too.  Sesame Street has videos about deployment that are meant to be viewed by children and parents.

Military One Source (http://www.militaryonesource.com/) is for military personnel and their loved ones.  This is not limited to spouse and children.  Parents of deployed individuals, friends, etc., should surf this website.  It covers everything from TAXES & scholarships for spouses to the adjustments after deployment.

Papers, Tires, and Student Access

Today I have set up a workstation at the study cafe located in the Golisano Library, Robert Wesleyan College campus.  I am fortunate that my Roberts student status is in effect until the end of the semester.  I prefer the Golisano library over Lockwood at U.B.  Thanksgiving weekend, only three people in the library.  Students have access to the cafe and tech room 24/7.


The Xterra is getting an oil change and centerlink inspection on Monday.  She needs new AT's, too.  That can wait until after the muffler job.


December 1 = HUGE paper due AND my boy turns 4!  I have been excused from class so that I can celebrate my boy's birthday w/DH and boy.  DH came home on T-Day from a 39-day training in California.  His deployment begins on 12/30.  That is only if he is within the weight limits.  


My first semester of grad school is almost done.  I am down to two classes (one an excused absence) and two papers.  


Oddity =  The wifi at Roberts is blocking Facebook but not My Space.  Mmmmmm.


Now to prove that public law libraries can help make court functions more efficient by helping self-represented litigants learn court rules and providing access to forms and information needed to interact with the courts.


Be well!

Life's Minor Frustrations

So far this week I have experienced the following:
1.  Tech overtorqued my wheel studs.  He also gouged my new wheels.  Told the manager to figure out the options and call me next week.
2.  Downtown Buffalo windgusts stole one of my Hockey Night in Canada ball caps.  I love these hats!  They fit me perfectly and look good.  Hard to replace.
3.  I am working on another research paper.  The thesis is due on Tuesday.  More on this later.
4.  DH is leaving on the 19th for five weeks of pre-deployment training.  Two weeks after his return he leaves for a 13 day trip to Disney.  No, he won't go anywhere else in Orlando.
5.  DH reports to the Navy on 12/30 to begin final preps for his deployment on January 3, 2010.
6.  Did I mention that I am in grad school and have a few papers due?
7.  I have misplaced a couple important items.  The Cars DVD being the most important thing I have to find.
8.  I have a burnt out license plate light.
9.  My middle brake light is covered by my spare tire.
10.  All the office PC's are so out of date that the Lexis website is surpassing the 'puters capabilities.  Staff and patrons are frustrated.

Later I will present my current idea for a paper.  I need help writing the thesis.

Bumpers, Friends, and Mondays.

Not only is my new bumper and tire carrier in my possession, it is ON THE TRUCK!!  And this would not have been possible without a fellow Mudnut.  Mr. Dave and I work well together.  The bumper project is the most recent proof of this.  Mr. Dave should be a master bolt extractor by now.


The hardest part of this project was removing the old bumper.  Tough because the stock bolts have seven years of exposure to salt and snow covered by a layer of paint.  I busted one bolt and Dave another.  I had a lot of fun working on my truck.  Time flew as we completed this project.


Installing the Shrock bumper was easy.  My truck looks GREAT!!  Yes, I know, "Where are the pictures, Katie!"  They are coming!  I have limited time available for leisure on-line activities.  I am researching another library issue for another paper.


All that remains for the bumper are a new tire cover for the spare and new bolt plates.  Bumper is not a tow point until I replace those bolt plates.  This is for my own comfort.  OH!  I forgot, I need to replace the bulb for my license plate.  NYS inspection requires one light shining on the license plate.  My bulb burnt out, I hope.  Wiring is beyond me.  Way beyond me.


Today I am at a tire store.  My wheels need to be balanced.  Before the ball joints were replaced I did not drive the truck; therefore, I did not notice the odd vibration right away.  It became more noticeable after Drew and John worked on the articulating shackles.  So I wait.  I avoid homework, blog, and drink my Tims.  I wonder if someone will deliver breakfast to me?  A stud snapped as the tech was tightening them.  I forgot to tell him that this truck gets hand torqued.  Damn.  Now I am here for another hour.  


Dang dang dang.  I really need to work out.  I have a limited time and a ton of "to do's" and now I am going to stress for a minute, sip my coffee, sigh, and think about how lucky I am.  I have a kick-a$$ truck, friends who help me work on my truck, AND a daily driver.


So, I will take care of electronic correspondence, finalize the weekend's travel plans (Ontario, Canada), and read for pleasure while I wait for the stud to be replaced on the front of my truck.  In fact, I am going to have him replace all of the studs.  I have them.  


I may be back today, depends on the sources I find on-line.  Until then, I have one place to recommend for tires in the Western NY/PA area, .


link removed because I am not happy with the service I am receiving at this establishment.




I don't know why people hate Monday's.  Sunday's are the end of the weekend, so they are always hectic, crammed with that-which-needs-to-be-done-before-Monday.  Now, Monday mornings are the best.  Fresh week.  Fresh start.  Nothing irritating has occurred yet.  Whatever was left on the desk Friday evening is not even a memory.  For me, Monday mornings are wonderful.  I enjoy them immensely.  


Enjoy yours.