Tooo many sodas

Finally the year is drawing to a close and a new one is on the horizon. Can't wait to see what surprises it will bring me.

I've been so caught up with other stuff that, I hadn't realized that I've not blogged here since Feb. Instead I've been posting up on FB which, I really need to stop doing so much and put my main blogs here. Bad Oildalian. Bad!

What's been going on?

Well; Winnie moved her stuff out and I'm pretty sure that Adam is heading in that direction as well. He knows that I want him to complete his education (he dropped out). You can stay here as long as your in school and doing well. But if you drop then; it's good bye. Your 18. Had a job (which he quit). Kid is in depression in the worst of ways. His father has turned into a maryjane user; stating that it's only for medical purposes. Yea right. It doesn't give you a reason to go off and try to strike him. I regret now not reporting him to Child Welfare for kicking him out at the age of 16.


Health... my back is about the same; nothing has changed. I'm still in large amounts of pain but learn to grin and bare it and, at the same time say that my back is fine when others ask. I'm lying about it. It sooo hurts. But what can I do? Nothing. Deal with it. Bare and grin it.
Tried massage and found that was wonderful.... ahhhh. Costco had one of those contraptions for sale that, you set on your chair and it massages you. Ok so I broke down and got one for myself. Works pretty good. Saves money from going in and having someone beat on your back for 20 minutes. :) Ok. It's confirmed. I have Glaucoma and there's a few spots at the back of my retinas that indicate that I might have diabetes. I have a follow up appointment to start some more tests and begin treatments to see if we can prolong the loss-age of the eyesight. Suppose to schedule appointment with MD (will have to look for one) and get some blood work done. Diffidently takes over my mom who is a diabetic and has glaucoma, who also, lost her vision as well.


Work.

Our office is moving. Thanks to the state budget and the loss of our own budget in the department (thanks to KCCD), we'll be relocating to the main counseling office. That will be taking place here in the next few weeks. Packing and cleaning has already begun. Look forward to the new location where new adventures will unfold.

So many things left unsaid

I hadn't realized that it's been months, since my last blog. So much has been going on. From getting struck by a car and not knowing if one will be able to walk again to, state budget crisis; in this wonderful state that we live in.

Niece Winnie was struck by a car this last year (early June) on Edison Hwy and California Ave. She was lucky to be alive. Both her AND her youngest who, was in the stroller. Thankfully she managed to push the stroller out of harms way, taking full hit from the car (which sped off). The accident left her with a broken leg (which KMC never sat!) pins in the ankle and foot (foot did a 90 degree turn). She was wheelchair bound for few months and was finally allowed to stand with the aid of a walker which helped a great deal. THEN (months later) to have her divorce go through and move in with me. Think she's ready to go back to the otherside of town, now that she's been over there for close to a month (ex has been ill). Had hoped that she was ready to move on with her life but, she's not ready. Emotional or mentally.

Summer finally ended with the college budget being our main concern. Getting called into HR for a mtg with boss woman, along with others from our department and not knowing from one day to the next, if we'd still have a job. In-fact; we're still at that point to this day.

With Fall came pain. What kind of pain? My back. At the beginning it was the nerve which led down my leg, therefore not allowing me to be mobile which SUCKED bigtime. After having Adam, Sharrie and Ray help me for 5 days, I had enough! Fingers did the walking in the phone book and after talking with Lindsay, I managed to go in and met with a Chiropractor. Mind you, my oldest brother had been going to one when he was diagnosed with Cancer so, it set me a bit on edge, having to go to one and be told that there was something seriously wrong.

L1-5 is majorly fuckered up. So much so, that L1-3 is disk on disk which there is nothing that can be done but to have the whole area fused. So; instead of having my back fused (and being off work for upto 11 months), I've chosen to do therapy instead which, has been working so far. And I know that there's only so much that he (the doctor) can do before I'm sent onto an Ortho Surgeon for MRI and injections.

So there you have it. Up todate. :) I go in for physical therapy twice a week (cut down from 3 times) and dealing with pressures at work (possible job elimination) since our dept is funded by state (DSPS).

Eliminate job positions

Yep. That's what I was afraid of. Chancellor Serrano sits on her ass all smug with the possible elimination of my department, while she rejoices on the fact that she is getting fat on her 20,000 a yr raise (her salary is a quarter Million a yr, not to mention what her husband; a judge, makes). What pisses us off (entire college staff) is that ALL of the Administrators gave themselves a raise, knowing full well that hard times were coming in just WEEKS with hiring freezes and CUTS looming over our heads. Here's a copy of the email that we got today.

---

From: BC All On Behalf Of Sandra Serrano
Sent: Wednesday, July 29, 2009 4:30 PM
To:
Subject: 2009-10 Budget Status

For the last year we have all listened with deep concern to the workings of Sacramento ’s budget process. The latest news from the state capitol remains dreadful, and it will result in a 9% reduction to the fiscal year 2009-10 KCCD budget. The most severe allocation cut was to categorical programs, which were cut overall by 40.6 %. We will offset some of these reductions with KCCD reserve contributions; but, regrettably, the magnitude of the mandated reductions to categorical programs will require that we eliminate job positions throughout our district.

We want employees to know where we are with the tentative budget and the disproportionate cut to categorical programs. As we prepare the final budget, we are now looking at layoffs to categorical programs that will impact general fund positions based on seniority.

You should also know that we are moving through our planning process, which includes hiring new faculty to maintain our educational programs and comply with the 50% Law. As we face the challenges and opportunities of fiscal year 2009-2010, o ur commitment to you is that we will do all we can to limit the impact of the state budget reductions on our students, community, and employees.

What is the state’s budget cut impact on KCCD’s budget?
According to state projections, our district can expect a $10.5 million cut in the 2009-10 state revenues. This is the equivalent to closing the doors of our entire district for one month. We had expected those cuts to be spread across all budget lines, and we began by asking you to help us reduce our budget through deferrals and reductions of expenditures. Now, because the state is drastically reducing categorical program funding—budgets of specially-funded programs like Extended Opportunity Program Services (EOPS), Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS), Basic Skills, and Matriculation will be reorganized and scaled down.

Why not completely eliminate a few categorical programs instead of cutting them all?
Eliminating some categorical programs is not an option. Some services for the disabled, such as providing sign language interpreters for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, are required by state and federal law. To make large reductions in a small budget area, therefore, will require restructuring categorical programs to offer services required by law, consolidating work responsibilities, and eliminating job positions. The impact will be felt across the district because bumping rights will be in force for employees whose positions are reduced or eliminated.

The impact will also be felt in the way KCCD complies with the 50% Law—the state law that requires us to spend a minimum of 50% of our budget to directly support classroom instruction. Because of reduced instructional costs combined with the effect of reserve contributions to transition categorical programs to lower state budget levels, KCCD’s 2009-10 tentative budget is out of compliance with the 50% Law. The 50% Law compliance test on the tentative budget yielded 46.7%; however, Bakersfield College is correcting coding errors that are expected to improve compliance and each college was authorized to hire one full-time temporary faculty for the 2009-10 academic year.

Why not use the district reserves to fill in budget gaps?
Our reserves cannot sustain protecting such large ongoing cuts from Sacramento over several years. Up to this point, through a combination of careful planning and operational efficiencies, we have avoided the drastic measures taken by some community colleges. We anticipate continued funding declines for three years--through the 2011-12 fiscal year. The fiscal year 2010-11 is expected to be worse than this budget year, and 2011-12 is expected to be the worst budget year of the three. There will come a point when we cannot cut personnel and continue to educate our community with general education, basic skills and career technical training—our core mission. At that time, we will need our reserves to preserve our core mission and the employees essential to providing education.

When will district budget cuts take effect?
There is potential for some one-time monies from the federal stimulus plan being infused in California Community Colleges, and this may help us briefly put off--but not avoid--position eliminations. The earliest position eliminations may take place as soon as mid-November, but we hope to delay implementation of job cuts until as late as January 2010.

Sacramento budget analysts tell us that community colleges will see themselves returned to the low funding levels of the 2006-07 budget year. As a result, KCCD will educate as many as 3,700 fewer students, offer fewer services, and employ fewer people. Moreover, we expect a mid-year round of funding cuts from Sacramento that will require us to further reduce our budget in spring 2010 and again in the 2010-11 school year.

The coming months.
We are preparing our final budget to present to the KCCD trustees in September. Our budget planning includes identifying affected positions to be reduced and presented to KCCD trustees at the September board meeting. Human Resources will be working on the impact of an expected reduction to our classified workforce, including classified management. Meanwhile, as colleges prepare for mid-year and ongoing state budget cuts, college presidents will provide preliminary lists of educational administrators and faculty who may receive March 15 notices of possible change in or elimination of assignment. The college presidents will seek your assistance in developing careful plans with a long-term focus.

This budget news, especially the uncertainty of the impact on our workforce, is very difficult for all of us. Thank you for your continued support and encouragement of one another as we work through this time together.

Where's Cheryl?

Thanks to my long-time buddy Trevor, for snapping the image and catching me in it.

Wrestling

WWF was recently here in town. My bestfriend won tickets and gave em to her hubby. She doesn't care for wrestling so they invited me. Heck yea!!! It'll be televised this week (ECW, Superstars and SmackDown). I'll be the one that's jumping up and down.

Playing in the

WATER! What better way to stay cool when it's 105+ outside?
I swear the heat gets worse every summer. Or is it that I'm getting older?
Nevermind.