I mentioned the other day that I was finally going to actually apply for unemployment benefits. I registered with the Texas Workforce Commission back in May, but I've never applied for benefits ($369/week) because until recently I was not actively seeking employment. I anticipated that navigating the TWC wouldn't be a picnic, and unfortunately my assumption has now proven correct.
The last time I was unemployed - for nine months back in 1995 - the TWC (then called the Texas Employment Commission) was a fully non-automated process. In order to do anything - and I mean anything - you had to go to one of their offices. Upon arrival you would find a line to stand in and then stand in it, often for hours. On occasion this experience - although excruciating - could be interesting, because you were surrounded by people from all walks of life who were out of work. One day you might be standing between a CEO and an IRS agent, the next day maybe a short-order cook and a phone solicitor. Upon reaching the front of any line there was a 97% likelihood that you would be told to go stand in another line. If you managed to stave off starvation and collapse after standing in multiple lines for several hours you would finally reach the desk of a TEC employee, who was most likely competing in a contest with his fellow employees for the coveted title of "Most Apathetic and Unhelpful Employee of the Century." A visit to the TEC was almost always an all-day affair.
But the new and improved TWC is nothing like the old TEC. Everything is now done online. As far as I can see, the human element - and I use that term loosely in this case - has been all but eliminated, which based on my experience is a good thing. Unfortunately, while the automated process has eliminated the need to stand in endless lines for endless hours, it has not improved the efficiency of the overall experience.
Here's my story (so far). On Monday afternoon I pulled out my TWC file, located my login, my password and my security question. I then logged on to the TWC site, foolishly anticipating that something good was about to happen. After logging in and navigating to the appropriate page I saw a message that said: "It has been three or more weeks since you last requested benefit payments. In order to request benefits please call either of the telephone numbers listed below." I called the local number first and listened to the following recorded message: "We are unable to serve you at this number, please log on to www.twc.goodluckchump/lol for assistance. CLICK." I then tried the toll-free number (silly me) and listened to exactly the same message, followed by exactly the same CLICK. So the TWC has come up with an ingenious way to continue to waste your time and frustrate you to death, but without the convenience of having to stand in long lines. I'm continuing to look, but as of now I can find no way to even contact the TWC. I'll keep looking. Maybe I'll even go down to their office and get into one of those wonderful old lines.
On a more exciting note, I learned this week that banks (at least Bank of America) don't want you to roll your coins before you take them in and exchange them for real money. Vicki has a large Tupperware container into which we have been tossing our spare change for a couple of years. We're planning to use the money to visit someplace, someday. Being that the container was almost full we decided it was time to cash in our coin collection. Assuming that I'd need a bunch of those paper coin sleeve thingees, I asked for a supply when I went to the bank last week. However, instead of the coin thingees I was given a large, heavy-gauge plastic bag that looks like something they give the bank robbers to haul out the money they steal. The new process is to put your coins in the bag and return it to the bank with your account information. The bank then "sends it downtown" where it is counted and credited to your account. Yeah for automation. Are you listening TWC?
Vicki and I came to a very important understanding earlier this week. It's something we've had several earnest discussions about recently and I'm glad we finally both got our feelings out in the open and came to a decision. After much soul-searching we've decided to dress as dominoes for our first family Halloween party. Vicki wants to be the double six. I'm partial to a non-double, maybe the five and the three. I'm looking forward to starting this tomorrow.
For those of you who are not Houston area residents, I'll bring you up to speed on our recent whether. Without much effort you'll recall that we had a fairly serious drought and heat wave here this past summer. It honestly didn't rain at our house for over three months and the temperatures were over 100 degrees on more days than we could stand. Well, things have changed - sort of. With the advent of fall it has rained almost every day for the last three weeks, which is good. However, with the exception of a few cool days that were obviously sent by the devil to get our hopes up, it has remained hot. The high yesterday was 93 and the high today is supposed to hit at least that. It has also been off-the-charts humid, and to top that off the night time lows have been in the low 80's. We're looking forward to those brisk winter days when the temperature dips into the 60's.
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