Furlough Fun

[Tracy Lee]

Well, since I am a U.S. civil servant I am closing out my third furlough day. Trying to relax a bit, get exercise and rest. Been taking photos along the way. Thought I would share.

Under the Cocoa Beach Pier is the first one.

What happens when you fall asleep on a beach in the morning after a bender . . . Apparently. We did make sure he was okay, it was just that creepy.

Some Ibis crossing the street.

Some . . . Other big birds . . .

The beach.

Hibiscus in our front yard.


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[cwent2]

I do like the scenery. Nice pictures, thanks for sharing.

[writingrav]

Very nice. If only you got paid for it, it beats working. Sorry you are caught up in this shameful situation.

[jar]

The "Other big birds" are Florida Sandhill Cranes.

[Bogon07]

Nice pictures. Those pigeons seem a little too friendly. If you have to be on a furlough you have a good place to be.

[Mags]

I thought most US Departments had full supply of cash on April 1st I do hope they let you get paid soon especially if you are dedicated and in to work next week.


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[Tracy Lee]

I thought most US Departments had full supply of cash on April 1st I do hope they let you get paid soon especially if you are dedicated and in to work next week.


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The US government fiscal year ends at midnight Sept 30. If congress doesn't authorize funding into the next fiscal year, full or partial, you have a shutdown which is what happened here. Congress has to pass a bill to pay us retroactively, which they say they are voting on today in the affirmative, but we'll see. Still, none of us expect to be back to work before the 17th or so, the deadline for them resolving the bigger issues. I expect the shutdown to stay in place. Even if they don't pay us retroactively for the furlough days, once they call us back to work with full or partial budget, we will be in a pay status. That is just how it works generally. Budget that an agency has in April won't help you once the fiscal year closes. And that door this year, well, it slammed shut.

Retroactive pay only happens once they reopen the government and usually as part of a normal pay cycle. So, while it is comforting to know it will happen (if they vote to make it happen) it is little consolation for those that rely on their paychecks to survive week to week. Getting it all later just means you have used credit cards or defaulted on things in the meantime, which just adds to stress and creates work to correct on the backside. Back in 1995 we were out something like 28 days total. Two of those weeks over Christmas. You can file for unemployment but if we get retroactive pay, you owe that money back to the state. A lot of banks are offering no interest loans payable with your first retroactive payment, but until you know that is coming, that is a slippery slope. With no retroactive pay, they change the interest rate to something else until you pay it back - some as high as 15.99%. Talk about making things worse.

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[Mags]

Tracy

Thank you for framing this for me to better understand. The simple fact the US operates on sept 30 th fiscal year end versus a Mar 31 fiscal year end like in Canada put this all in context.

I do hope those of you in the civil service are reassured officially of the retro pay for coming in daily to serve the public. I think it is quite difficult on all of you to manage with loans as you await your pay. I hope this anomaly runs its course quickly. This also reminds me why I insist on always trying to have 2 weeks pay saved up in my savings account and another 6 weeks of pay in short term savings I can get too in a pickle. Cross my fingers I never need to use the savings.


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[Tracy Lee]

Exactly, and that is why we will thankfully be just fine for even a couple if months without any extraordinary measures. You are welcome, I am glad that all made sense. All governments manage money do differently.

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[Tracy Lee]

Okay, so furlough means cleaning. I have dumped and rinsed out some old levenger ink bottles, all are heavy glass. One small plastic Visconti bottle also. Still need a scrub, not sure if the little plastic "well" insert inside of the levenger bottles will stay, and the bottles have the color name in gold on the bottle, but they might be good as spare bottles. Anyone have a need for one? I'll keep a couple but probably not all so shoot me a message if you want to save one from the recycle bin. I'll ship.


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[Tracy Lee]

I have also realized I have Stylus Magazines from 2006 or so until they went under after Katrina. Do I really need them all? And Pen World back to 2004. Huge stacks of them. Guess I go through and keep certain ones and recycle others? Anyone have any suggestions?

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[Tracy Lee]

Sick of me yet? Boxes and boxes of cartridges I won't use, but should still be good. Some Diamine Blue Black and royal blue, Levenger in red, purple, blue, cocoa, emerald green (those last three are large cartridges), Pelikan in green, turquoise, and blue black. Waterford in black. All are partial boxes, message me and I will tell you what I have precisely. Going in the trash if no one wants them, so message me if you want and I'll put them in an envelope to ya.


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[WilsonCQB1911]

I feel your pain my friend. I'm furloughed, but still working. Seems to be the worst of all worlds. Working for free. Unfortunately, at this point it looks like we are in for the long haul. I don't think this will get resolved soon.

I miss Florida! I grew up there. Looks lovely. I don't miss the humidity though and the mold and mildew that came with it.

[Tracy Lee]

I feel your pain my friend. I'm furloughed, but still working. Seems to be the worst of all worlds. Working for free. Unfortunately, at this point it looks like we are in for the long haul. I don't think this will get resolved soon.

I miss Florida! I grew up there. Looks lovely. I don't miss the humidity though and the mold and mildew that came with it.

I would say you have it worse then, for sure. I think it's a long haul too, we are betting well after the 17th at a minimum. Florida sure does have its pluses and minuses, you nailed it on the minuses. But we can ride motorcycles year round and when fall comes, it is just gorgeous. But not here yet by any stretch. Makes me miss Oregon right about now when I am totally over the heat.

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[Tracy Lee]

Well, on it goes with more rejected bills at the Senate and Monday a holiday. So, thanks to all of you super cool people and your creativity (to which I try to pay attention, I am not crafty), when I was organizing I found this that I bought about 12 years ago:



And the paper is super sturdy without being card stock and the perfect size for making these:


So watch your mailbox for some crazy envelopes. I am not a creative person, but I can manage this. And WritingRav has great envelopes that open on the small side, so I'll be deconstructing one of those, too.

Keeps my nerves steady watching the Oregon Washington football game. Come ON Ducks!!!"

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[Tracy Lee]

I almost forgot - my walk early this week took us to Manatee Cove ( county run park so it was open) where about 8 or 10 Manatee were happily eating and frolicking and enjoying our beautiful weather. Hard to photograph, but you can kind of see them!


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[Tracy Lee]

Here are the longer, open at the small end ones. I'll think of them as "stonevelopes". :-)


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[tiffanyhenschel]

Those look like fun!

[tannie]

I almost forgot - my walk early this week took us to Manatee Cove ( county run park so it was open) where about 8 or 10 Manatee were happily eating and frolicking and enjoying our beautiful weather. Hard to photograph, but you can kind of see them!


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Oh, I love manatees! I've never seen one in the wild, though. Maybe I should put that on my bucketlist...

[subramaniyam]

I wish I was in the US. Would have offloaded you entire stack of pen world and stylus to read. I have one copy of Stylus and it already gave me a wealth of information ! :-)

Regards,
Sub