Greeters For September: Fill & Download for Free

Leading Edge Baby Boomer here: Many of us can’t afford to retire. While we’ve been "sucking up all the resources" so the younger generation has to go without, we got a few surprises along the way that most of you are unaware of. Our fathers stayed with a single job until age 60, got a gold watch, a nice pension, and a pat on the back as they walked out the door into the golden years of retirement.But, around age 40–50, many of us Boomers found out that the pensions we were promised when we were hired, were being eliminated. Those older than us and nearing retirement got grandfathered in, but the more junior employees saw our pensions go away. Instead, they came out with something called a 401k Plan. This was in the late 1980’s to early 1990’s. At first, the companies told us they would match our contributions to the plans dollar for dollar. It wasn’t long, however, before they cut it to 50 cents on the dollar - then less; a classic case of "bait and switch". Of course, there was a cap on percentage of income one could contribute, as well as a cap on how much the company would contribute, as well.At first, if you took another job with another company, you had to cash out your 401k contribution which was taxable, but the company’s contribution stayed with them. Rules quickly changed so that if you rolled your 401k over fast enough, within 60 days, you wouldn’t have to pay taxes on it. All of this was going on shortly after I divorced at age 40 so, as a stay at home mom, I had nothing put aside for retirement. I also now had a child to support and a new career to start, so my contribution was minimal, to say the least.Long story short, my ex husband, who was born in 1936 and went to work for IBM in 1962, retired with a Rolex watch and full retirement pay at age 55. Meanwhile, I was a single mom who hadn’t worked in 14 years, and was starting over at square one. I eventually went back to college in the early 1990s after being "downsized" in an economic downturn and, after starting yet another career, I managed to retire recently at age 72. Frankly, that was a dream I didn’t think I’d ever be able to realize, expecting to work until they removed me from my desk in a body bag.I have several friends who were pilots or mechanics with the airlines. Thanks to a greedy union, in 1991, a strike for unreasonable salary demands put Eastern Airlines out of business, leaving several friends unemployed and without a retirement plan, after 20 years working for them. Some went with Delta who, in 2005, in order to avoid going out of business, cut salaries and eliminated their retirement program. Termination of the pension plan meant Delta pilots could collect half of their existing pension benefits in a lump sum, retiring effective immediately, or get nothing when they retired in the future. It was a “take half or nothing”, one-time offer which drove hundreds of pilots to retire with less than half of what they’d been promised, many of them early, before Delta filed for bankruptcy in September of that year.Prior to this time, back in the 1970’s and 80s, Pan Am, National, and Northeast Airlines were all swallowed up by Delta as well. Pilots used to be required to retire at age 60, but it has since changed to 65. In any case, it left most of them without much time to rebuild their nest eggs. Those of us at the leading edge of the Baby Boom got hit the hardest, as these changes came about when we thought our retirement plans were well established, and our kids were starting to think about college. The timing really sucked.So, like me, many Boomers have worked much longer than we believed we would have to or wanted to. Many have taken jobs in retirement to supplement their Social Security checks. Remember that next time you see a Wal-Mart greeter. Now I hear they’re eliminating those jobs, too. Seems we just can’t catch a break, even though the millennials think that, as a generation, we’ve had it made. Hahahahaha!

September, 2018: Even More Newly Revised and UpdatedThanks for the A2A, Stephen.Yes, cats do have jobs. A cat's first duty is to kill vermin. Beyond that, a cat's occupation seems to be a function of catsonal inclination and the unique requirements of its household.While walking in Manhattan, I saw a cat hard at work in a store where beds were sold. This cat was very conscientiously demonstrating the superior comfort of mattresses sold there. As the cat was performing his duties in a sunny window, I am certain he was a very effective salescat.The United Kingdom has a long and respected history of employing cats at the highest levels of government. Probably the most notable of these is the position of Chief Mouser to the Cabinet, a position created by Cardinal Wolsey in 1515. This link 10 Downing Street contains a description of the duties of the Chief Mouser. These duties include greeting guests, inspecting defenses, and evaluating the nap potential of the prime minister's furniture.This is Larry, current Chief Mouser to the Cabinet:Update: it is announced from Number 10 that notwithstanding Brexit fears, Larry's position is secure.New! Meet Palmerston, Chief Mouser to the United Kingdom’s Foreign Office:Palmerston is on Twitter @DiploMog.Cats have also served the people and parliament of Canada. From 1924 to 2013, a colony of cats diligently and effectively defended the Canadian government from persistent attacks by vermin. After 2013, Canada provided its feline employees with honorable retirement. This cleared the field of battle so that chemical weapons could be deployed against the enemy without fear of casualties by “friendly fire.” Parliament Hill Cat Sanctuary ClosesHere we see Canadians showing their appreciation to the Parliamentary cats outside their barracks.Cats also work in the Winter Palace in St Petersburg. After the fall of the Romanovs, the Hermitage Museum expanded into the now-vacant former tsarist palace. Cats patrol the museum nightly, defending some of the world's most exquisite works of art. The Museum cats also encourage young artists by posing for portraits. Learn more at Day of the Hermitage Cat 2016.Here a hard-working cat poses on the internationally acclaimed Jordan Staircase in the Winter Palace.Cats have also served in the navies, coast guards, and merchant marines of many nations. You can learn more about their noble service here: Cats in the Sea Services and Ship's cat - Wikipedia.Wockle displays the deep pride and ferocity of the United States Navy:Below, we see Prime Minister Winston Churchill greeting Blackie, official ship's cat of HMS Prince of Wales.Simon, ship's cat to HMS Amethyst, was decorated for his conspicuous gallantry during the Yangtze Incident. Despite shrapnel wounds, Simon remained at his post and continued to defend his ship against vermin and raise morale while under heavy fire. He was awarded the “Animal's Victoria Cross” the Dickin Medal in 1949. PDSA Dickin MedalSimonTama was the stationmaster at Kishi Station, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.Rusik was a Russian police officer who helped suppress the illegal trade in sturgeon and caviar in Stavropol. Sadly, he died in the line of duty. It was a retaliatory hit: there is no truth in the rumor that he was murdered by a disgruntled former canine officer who was replaced owing to Rusik's superior sturgeon sniffing abilities.New! Pál Dánielsdóttir is Mousekeeper at Fosshótel at Hellnum, Iceland. Pál has proven so successful in her duties that Fosshótel is considering employing cats in similar situations in their other properties. Congratulations, Pál!You can read more about Pál here: Pál Daníelsdóttir and on Instagram as Pál.the.mousekeeper.Throughout the United States shelters are helping unemployed and homeless cats get off welfare and find homes and rewarding work in the natural environmental services industry. Just Google “working cats” and you will finds links to numerous city programs and success stories.And the latest addition to the annals of working cats: I have the honor to present Leon Advogato. Leon is a employee of the Ordo dos Advogados do Bràsil. He is now a lawyer and official greeter of his nation's bar association. His is an an inspiring tale of a cat pulling himself up from misery through his own hard work and talent. Fleeing his life of vagrancy and crime on rainy day, Leon dashed into the OAB. He quickly determined the office had failed the fill The all-important position of greeter, and immediately went to work. After only a week of this unpaid informal internship, Leon was hired by the organization and supplied with food, clothing, a health care membership, and toys. Everyone has come to welcome to welcome Leon, even the few human-supremacists on staff. (Some People Started Filing Complaints About A Stray Kitty Roaming This Law Firm So They Hired Him)Bravo, Leon! You're an example to us all!

I'm fighting for a diagnosis now…. I've been sick since September, took a really bad turn in October. First the back story, I was misdiagnosed as at sixteen with chronic bronchitis. Fast forward several years, late 30's and I can't breathe, feels like an elephant is sitting on my chest. ER says walking pneumonia and sends me home. For over a month I had these symptoms, finally a doctor ordered a chest x-ray. My right lung was collapsed, had been the WHOLE dammed time. Two weeks lost spent in CCU, ICU and I only remember tiny fragments. When I saw a pulmonologist he said I had asthma, not chronic bronchitis. They have no clue why my lung collapsed and to be aware it could easily happen again now. This was in ‘99. Barely any asthma attacks after that, but even then nothing the emergency inhaler couldn't handle. I had my life and health back again.September 2019 I'm working at my job at Walmart, door greeter/security. McDonald's in the store does a remodel. First asthma attack happened the day (9/13) they jack hammered the floor tiles out and kicked dust into my work space. Er trip, 3 albuterol treatments, better. I stayed on the opposite side of the store after that for my health's sake. Then a few days later contractors came in and started pulling up all the skylights, using some solvent to clean the old glue off and re-gluing them. That stuff made my lungs burn, and as hard as I tried I could not get away from it, even in our very large store. I had 4 more er visits, lots of albuterol and I would get some relief but barely. October 13th my personnel director ordered me to the hospital after I had been working a couple of hours… I was trying to push through and just get through the day since I was the only person scheduled until 1. I haven't been back since, I'm on short term disability through work because I am still fighting for every breath. If I'm sitting still it's a little better but any exertion, even talking, takes my breath away. The x-rays show hyperinflated lungs and severe lobe damage in my upper right lung. Back to feeling like there is a constant pressure on my right chest, pulmonary function test shows within normal range according to the pulmonologist, but the lady doing the test was freaking out over how bad the test was going. I alway show a pulsometer blood oxygen reading of between 94 & 98%. But they can clearly see me struggling for breath. One doctor kept insisting that I'm anxious. Why would I be? Fulltime job that pays the bills, 2 good kids, kicked the man who stressed me out well over a year prior, working car, groceries, the kids and I did whatever we wanted ttogether. Life was good, not anxious. Well, not then… since the breathing issues started I've seen several doctors, specialists, PA's. Undergone numerous tests, am on eleven different meds just to keep my breathing stable and they can't find a cause. I miss my job, I miss my co-workers, I've basically become a shut in except for doctor appointments and med pickups. I want my life back, but they can't find the issue. And yes, I've heard both in my head and drug seeker. I hate taking meds and if this is all in my head, how can they see the obvious distress I'm in. Even the pulmonologists keep trying to send me back to the ER. October to February, over 14K in medical bills….I am not faking. I need an accurate diagnosis!