This Geek

My brother filed an I-130 petition for me (and my wife and kids) to emigrate to the US. After doing a bit of research, it seems that the US immigrations processes are so far behind that it looks like it’s going to be at least 6-7 years before they process the petition. The California department that is processing the forms is currently processing forms submitted in 2001(!). And then there’s the time one will have to spend waiting for an immigration number. Since siblings are fourth preference on the waiting list, this can take another 10-15 years before a number comes available. So we’re talking maybe 20 years waiting to emigrate (IF the petition gets approved). I’m 32 years old now. I’m quite prepared to emigrate to an entirely new place and start over. Do I really want to do that when I’m 52? Also considering by then, my kids will be in their 20’s. It makes no sense. The only other option is the diversity visa lottery. Both my wife and I have entered 5 times now.

It just seems like a lost cause. I need to consider other options, especially considering that I’m getting so sick of the routine. 5 days a week I go to a job I have begun to hate. There has to be something else I can do, but I must admit that I’m at a bit of a loss right now.

I don’t know who or what I’ve pissed off lately, but things have just not been going my way. I’m so tired of problems. I don’t know if I can take much more of this.

I’m not sure exactly where things started to go wrong, but the break-in a few months ago tends to stand out in my mind. Fortunately the insurance came through for me (if a bit on the slow side), and they paid out a bit more than entirely necessary.

Then the 6 day power failure, which was rather horrendous when it came to my OSA. And then some twit goes and drives through my front wall. The insurance company dropped the ball on that one, because they believed the company that they assigned to repair the problem, when they said that the slabs that make up my precast wall are no longer available. So the insurance company paid out some cash, and left me to my own devices. Fuck. So I phoned the walling company that the other company said they had spoken to. They came out, and said, sure we can fix your wall. The slabs that are needed are some of their most popular, so they always have stock. My wall was fixed the next day.

Then the drains blocked. So I called the insurance company’s help line for a referral for a decent plumber. They give me a number, and I nearly swallowed the phone when I spoke to them and found out how much they charge. Fortunately while I was choking, my other phone rang, and it was the insurance company - they said that they had taken a look at my file, and the blocked drain was covered, so I could get the problem fixed for free. Luck.

And this afternoon, my kids somehow managed to block their toilet. ARGH! I just can’t win.

At least all the current problems are fixed now - and fortunately I’ve had some luck with getting stuff fixed - but I can really do without this added stress, what with the things going on at work. - Oh - and according to our HR department, myself and my remaining colleage are officially in our notice periods. By 1 August, we will be outsourced and transferred to another company. Lovely.

All the while our boss keeps telling us that it’s only a possibility, and it may not happen. I just wish all this shit would get resolved now.

Anyway, I apologise for any incoherence in my post. I’m too tired to be doing this really. :-p

Looking back at my last post, not much has changed. The guy is still pissing me off, though I’ve had a chat with him and let him know exactly how badly he had pissed me off. I think we’re seeing somewhat eye to eye now anyway. I’ll leave things alone for now and see how it goes with him. If he doesn’t improve, then I’ll take things further.

Aside from that, the power sub-station that powers our neighborhood mysteriously blew up a few weeks ago. We were without power for 6 days. That really sucked. I couldn’t have cpap therapy due to not having any power, so I didn’t sleep well for those 6 days, and I couldn’t go to work either, because of no hot water for me to bath, and I didn’t want to leave my house without any kind of security (having been broken in to a few months ago).