Sunday, May 15, 2011

Humboldt Rudeness

Had a couple things happen over the last month I thought were rude:

First, Last month I received a notice from the welfare office it was time for me to renew my application for CMSP- MediCal for those of you working people. It said I had to reapply by the first week of May. I was somewhat confused as I'd received a notice late last year saying someone in the household only had to apply once a year now due to his or her age. They didn't specify who but the wife already only needs to apply once a year so I was guessing it meant me.

Regardless, I waited a week and then called the social worker and left a message on the answering machine asking to send me the reapplication forms unless the last notice was a mistake and I didn't need to reapply but to let me know my status. I didn't receive a reply.

I called the last Friday of last month and again left the same message. Again, no reply by phone and nothing in the mail.

The beginning of this month I broke down and sent the worker a letter with the same message, again asking to let me know if I only had to apply annually. I suggested just calling and leaving a message on my phone if that was the case. As of yet, no reply. How rude!

Day to day it doesn't make any difference as I have to pay all my medical expenses out of pocket, anyway, but if I have a heart attack it would be a drag to have them tell me I didn't reapply so didn't qualify for CMSP. Not sure what to do now.
*******
Then yesterday I was going through the Craigslist Farm & Garden classifieds. Saw an ad by someone that included a picture of a rose in her yard. She was asking for help in identifying the rose.

I called Connie in since she's into that. She got one of her books out and found a rose that looked to be the one in question. I e-mailed whoever it was telling her what rose it might be including a link to a picture of the rose.

As of yet no reply. How rude! Then again, it hasn't been very long and I have to realize most people don't live at their computer as I do. But, if she doesn't acknowledge our e-mail, that will be rude, indeed!

8 Comments:

At 12:34 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Not everyone checks their e-mail every day.

 
At 3:16 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why is it rude if she does not reply? She asked a question, you answered it. End of story. If anything, its a little creepy that your making contact with women on craigslist, using your wife to facilitate a conversation you know nothing about, and then getting upset when this woman shows no interest in you or you knowledge of roses. (really your wife's knowledge)

 
At 4:18 PM, Blogger Fred Mangels said...

If anything, its a little creepy that your making contact with women on craigslist,....

Your comment is creepy, not my post. I have to wonder about anyone who places a sexual context on a contact made involving the naming of a rose.

 
At 8:12 PM, Blogger Rogier said...

Rudeness is way on the rise. I can't tell you how many times I've done favors for people over the last five or ten years without the recipient even acknowledging the gesture. Used to be different. Big bugaboo of mine. It's almost enough to make me stop myself from going out of my way for anyone at all, but I'm foolish enough to keep doing it. Even when someone requests a heap of information and I send it, it'd be nice to receive a cursory "thank you," which takes all of five seconds to compose. I recently sent the mother of a client a custom-printed photo album, a $300 value, with a nice hand-written card. Not a syllable in response. Urgh.

 
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At 9:09 AM, Anonymous Damiana said...

Anonymous, please examine why you made that statement and get some help.

Rogier, don't stop giving. You, and the rest of us who give of ourselves, have a higher purpose on earth and that is being an example of love in action.

I have been reflecting this weekend about two incidences where I recently gave a lot of my time joyfully volunteering, only to be criticized by the volunteer organizer. My conclusion is I will take my time and talents to more interesting venues where they will be better received.

I am grateful Fred that you broached this subject and began a discussion. We are supposed to be a community of higher conciousness and sometimes it feels like a heavy lift. Glad I'm not alone.

As for social services, if you are able, take your MOU letter and go to Koster Street (mornings are less busy) and firmly request a response. The worker listed on you MOU has a supervisor. Escalate your case upward.

 
At 7:25 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

It's almost to the point where I am pleasantly surprised when I DO get some kind of an acknowledgment or response... and it isn't just Humboldt, it's the whole planet from what I can see.

Robert Heinlein said "Happiness is functioning the way a being is organized to function." Our savage and coercive societies do the exact opposite -- instead of functioning as thinking, sentient beings many of us wind up with a more or less robotic existence. Simple courtesies are drowned out by the static and noise.

But today is supposed to be the day it all ends! Maybe whatever comes next will do a better job than we humans have!

 
At 2:33 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Maybe the people we blame for being rude do not have the unlimited resources we sometimes assume they have. For example, not every worker at Koster Street has a caseload small enough that it can be handled effectively even when several workers there are not out sick with whatever's been going around lately. Some of the people who don't perform up to our expectations already have insupportable burdens to bear. We then have the choice to treat them respectfully as we encourage them to do what we need them to do, instead of treating them with a harsh attitude that will make their difficulties even more difficult to bear.

 

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