Family holiday plans (sm)

I just had to post this as it reminds me so much of a lady who posted about her family, saying that they were ungrateful.

I was going to take the Amtrak train to visit my family on Thanksgiving, it's only about an hour on the Amtrak, and about $80.00 for the ticket!  My stepmother says to me that it would be way to much trouble for them to drive the 15 minutes to the station to pick me up, they are having company that day.  My father would spend his whole Thanksgiving day going back and forth to the train station.  But I was welcome to come the day before Thanksgiving and stay until the day after Thanksgiving, that way they could drop me off at the train station when they didn't have company.  Company meaning her children, who have always come first.  So I am supposed to go to their house at an alloted time?  I'll be darned if I'm going to do that.

Now I'll be darned if I am going to pay $80.00 for a train ticket to spend a day with a family with this attitude.  I told them I won't be coming, I haven't had the time to spend 3 days there and have to work, and they said it would be too much trouble to pick me up at the train station on Thanksgiving.  Am I right or wrong in not going on Thanksgiving?  Any opinions?

• Family holiday plans (sm) - Read this one ~
  • I know your pain - me
  • I'm not going to visit my family either. - you can come to our house!
    • Not worth the trouble - skip it - Jaded MT
  • Does your dad have a spine? He can't spare a hour in the car to take you - to and from the station 2 x? - sm
  • Well you're sure making some assumptions here - sm
  • Can you rent a car for about the same amount? sm - barbv
  • It sounds like you have underlying issues other than that posted. sm - Mommy
    • Maybe I sound that way, but didn't know (sm) - OP
      • How much would a taxi cost from the train to their house? - my advice
  • What about if you came the evening before and Thanksgiving day later in the evening? sm - AzMT
    • Tried that (sm) - OP
      • GO FOR THANKSGIVING! - Gussie
        • I ditto Gussie, GO! - Nanna23
          • Unfortunately, I sprained my ankle and cannot drive (sm) - OP
            • GET a TAXI, LOVE YOUR DAD! - don't let them get you.
            • Your ankle won't be healed in 3 weeks?? I have sprained my ankle before and usually a week tops - is the healing time- sm
            • DO THIS FOR THE BEST REWARD - !! EVER !!
              • excellen idea from reward yourself - MQ'r
              • That is a good idea (sm) - OP
                • Can't you just spring for the cab, to be with your dad on TG? I think I would SM - Becky

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It's so hot, I may just work instead. 

were the same plans that were specified by the Department of Homeland Security when they did a simulation of this disaster in the 4 years prior?  When FEMA was absorbed by the DHS, they did simulations of events like hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.  In their simulation called Hurricane Pam, which was only simulated as a category 3, they said that the only place available as a shelter in this type of storm was the Superdome.  They studied this for years.  The mayor followed their recommendations.

As far as buses being available, the mayor made the public transportation system available for free but that was only inside the city of N.O.  He can't make private sector transportation services provide free transportation OUT of the city and then, again, he could have used the public transportation and the school bus system to transport them out of the city, but to where?  These people had no money - where were they going to go?  The only option the mayor had was to use the recommendations of the DHS and house them in the Superdome.  What other city was available in Louisiana that would have housed hundreds of thousands of people in shelters designed to withstand a category 4 (possibly 5) storm?  There was none. 

There was an article published yesterday in which many administration officials described how FEMA would work since it was absorbed into the Department of Homeland Security and what the responsibilities would be if the president declared any disaster an incident of national significance.  It was an excellent article and very eye-opening.   FEMA isn't the FEMA we knew from years ago that could act independently and at a quicker pace.

Can anyone suggest a long distance carrier that provides unlimited long distance at a reasonable rate for transcription purposes?  I have been told that I have to have a business plan because it is against government regulations to use your home phone line to surf the internet, etc.  I have to dial into a long distance number to get my work through a Lanier.  I have statellite internet so I do not think I can have Vonage or anything like that where it goes through your PC.  I currently pay over $100 a month with taxes and surcharges to have unlimited long distance on one phone line.  Is there anything better out there? 

Although these doctors pay pretty well they are a pain in the neck.  I am about ready to give this up altogether.

I have tried other services and they only pay about half of what these guys do.  What next?  See items on E-Bay?

We have an unlimited longdistace plan with AT&T for only $35 monthly I know there are a few other companies that also offer these type of plans. I would definitlly check into them if I had to pay longdistance charges.

for where it will live after you pass.  I thought about getting a parrot, but I decided that it was too much of a responsibility considering how long they live and how much attention they need.  If they don't get attention, they WILL have a tantrum like a 2 year old, so make absolutely sure this is what you really want.  Also, parrots are LOUD, really LOUD.

I ended up getting female zebra finches and love them dearly.  They are not loud and because I have a cage with the seed catch, they aren't too messy.  Note: Boy zebra finches are loud, so avoid them if you can't handle the noise.  Girls warble, boys squawk.

They do make it easy for you -- meals and snacks all ready, but when I did it 10 years ago, it averaged $80-100 per week, PLUS you still have to buy your milk and fresh fruits and veggies.  Still, it was a good plan for me.  I walked every day too, and managed to lose 50 pounds.  One of the things they taught me is true, though:  Your decision to quit exercising is your decision to gain back the weight.  Sure enough ... gradually, the exercise dwindled ... the eating habits slipped .. and the weight started creeping back. 

The other poster who mentioned Healthy Choice and Lean Cuisine dinners is right -- you can supplement with them for a lot less $$. 

Good luck with whatever you choose! 

I am starting a part-time job in addition to my full-time job, and they both have 401k plans with matching, so if I could have both, I could get a little extra on both sides.  Somehow, though, I am thinking that probably is not allowed. 

Thanks for your input.

either offer 1-800 numbers or internet transcription if they want to keep hiring us all over the US....that's it!!  Maybe we could all share the cost of a 1-800 number or something, and for goodness sake, with all the technology out there, everything needs to go to digital dictation anyway.  Bottom line is MT is NOT allowed for ULD.  I even asked about some sort of special ULD transcription package through SBC & ATT and they wouldn't even consider it.  So, MTSOs, please listen up...the ULD is going to be a thing of the past real soon.  It's a wonderful option to you and it broadens the MT's working capabilities, but without ULD, nobody can rake out that kind of money!  We should all put our heads together (MTSOs and MTs) and try to get something going here.  We can no longer overlook this situation. 

Good luck everyone...I will be holding my breath for us all!

servicing my area soon, after March sometime.   My suggestion would be to bug whichever companies supply DSL or broadband in your area.  Be relentless.  This is 2006.  There is no reason to settle for dialup!! 

I feel your pain. 

at my company we don't get paid for holidays either...guess that is the price of being able to work at home....sucks...we can get paid by taking PTO time but I usually just work extra when I know a holiday is coming up, but frankly who wants to work during x-mas time with the hustle and bustle....

I recently began working for a service who only pays for a holiday IF you work that day (compensation of 10 cpl).  However, if you don't work that day, you don't get paid.  I am full time with all full-time benefits.  I realize production pay is entirely different than hourly, but is this common for most transcription companies?  I'm an old transcriptionist, but new to the ways of production pay.  Thanks for any input!

It it a little hard for me to payfor holidays when the accounts don't pay the owner for holidays.  Wish I could for my help but just can't afford it.  I sympathize with you truly.  Guess I could pay a cheaper line rate to them year round and then be about to do it, but that does not seem fair.   It is hard in this business to offer many benefits as we do not get paid unless the work is done,  just like truck drivers, hair stylists, manicurists, etc.

I guess I should have stated that my gals are I/C's and they get 75 to 80% of what I get from the docs on a gross line.  If I charge more to the docs, they will go elsewhere.  They just type and I do all the pick up, delivery, invoicing, etc.  I  also just got hit by the city for my business license which just went up to 3.3% of GROSS receipts BEFORE any expenses.   If your business makes less than $25K you dont have to pay for a business license but if you make $1 over the 25K you have to pay on the entire amount.   So I have to pay this even on the amount that the gals make.  Am not sure I can stay in this for long.  The city is saying that all IC's that make over $25K should pay for a license. 

The orthodox Jewish community celebrates Succoth - harvest feast 5 days after Yom Kippur

http://www.sallys-place.com/food/columns/fiszer/succoth.htm

Anybody out there working today, LABOR DAY? Expected to work the holiday, and guess what, no work! And then when it trickles in, of course the crummy junk bottom of the bucket type which add up to no lines, and getting lots of comments from QA (who is looking for something to do, no doubt).

How about we don't work a holiday, and everyone comes to work Tuesday with stuff to type, everyone makes money?

Bad idea of course, we have to remember the TATs.

Sorry to be so crabby, but thanks for listening to he vent.

Just checked with my Jewish S/O and he said maybe Purim