Comments (6)

By kilax, November 25, 2009 5:28 am

First of all, can you believe Thanksgiving is tomorrow? It feels like just yesterday I was looking for friends at the Chicago Marathon. The holiday really snuck up on me – probably because we aren’t doing much of anything tomorrow! Well, we’re running a 5K, maybe volunteering to box canned goods (if we aren’t all sweaty), checking in on Diane’s babies (cats) and picking up my sister at the O’Hare (returning from Cancun), but we’re not actually having the big meal until Friday, when we can celebrate with my sister and her friend.

What are your Thanksgiving plans? Traveling to see family/friends? Hosting? Sleeping in and lazing around all day?

On to Facebook. I’m sure you heard the story about the Canadian woman who says she lost her benefits (she was on long-term leave for depression) after her insurance agency found photos of her having fun on Facebook (story here).

According to the woman, Nathalie Blanchard, her insurance agent found photos on Facebook of her on holiday, at Chippendales, and at a birthday party, and that was evidence that she was well enough to go back to work. They cut off her sick-leave benefits this fall.

Blanchard says her doctor recommended she go on holiday to cheer up, and that she went when she was feeling particularly low.

The insurance agent said they would never deny a claim based on a website like Facebook. Blanchard’s case is going before the Quebec Superior Court next month.

What is your opinion on this story?

A few thoughts come to my mind. My cynical side can definitely imagine someone milking sick-leave benefits for all they are worth. Some people are just lazy and abusive of privileges like that – you know it.

On the other hand, I’ve been up and down in moods myself, and I know that going on a holiday is a good change of pace and way to cheer myself up.

Either way, it’s strange to think that photos you publish online could have this power. Of course, the insurance agent is saying they didn’t base it on that, and we can’t really know, but we do know that online photos have prevented people from getting jobs (and maybe dates, ha ha). Stories like this always cause me to stop and think about my internet persona. Right now, I don’t think I put anything risky or harmful (to my image) out there, but you never know how things can be interpreted!

Comments (19)

By kilax, August 18, 2009 5:06 am

Data’s been a bit of a sh*tbox lately. He normally likes to “hide” behind things in the evening, and jump up at our legs playfully when we walk by, then run away. But lately, his attacks have been vicious. On Sunday morning, he jumped up on me and bit me in the thigh. When I was standing up! He left a mark.

I think he is stressed because he hasn’t had enough alone/free-time (hey, that is why I’ve been in a funk too!). But seriously, he needs to get over it (and so do I).

On Sunday, on our way to run some errands, we stopped at the animal shelter near our house. I had never been to the shelter before, but thought playing with some nice, grateful, cats for awhile would cheer me up!

Surprisingly, seeing all of the cats (over 300!) didn’t make me feel bad. They were all playing together, and a lot of people were there playing with them. What made me feel sad was seeing the dogs, alone in their kennels, begging for attention.

Anyway, one of the small tiger cats really liked me. She kept trying to crawl onto me, and play with me, and steal all of my attention.

My new friend.

Some of her fur was still on me when I got home, and I think someone noticed. Maybe Data was a bit jealous… but he was really well behaved for the rest of the day! That is, until nighttime came and he wanted to jump up on me again.

So, all I need to do to get a little lovin’ from him is spend time at the shelter everyday. Riiiiiiiiiiiiight.

Just for fun, here are some photos of the sh*tbox from this summer:

6/26 – Thinking “what have they done?!?!”

6/26 – “Who the hell is this guy?!”

6/28 – Sharpening his “claws.”

6/26 – Scandalous!

7/11 – Think he’s comfortable?

7/11 – Vacuum Kitty!

7/12 – Showing us a new way to lay on the couch.

7/15 – Sleeping on a large pile of dirty laundry (we had 6 men stay over!).

7/17 – Data is not a big fan of Rock Band.

7/21 – Playing with a ribbon from Gina.

8/9 – Steven holds Data back from bothering me so I can sleep awhile longer.

8/14 – Relaxing in the sun.