Today, I feel a litle tired. I got inat 10:30 PM last night after returning to my group from the summer. It was good to see the men yet I still felt disconnected. Compassion for myself that it takes me time to feel re-connected would be useful.
- posted by Unknown @ 6:28 AM

 
Yesterday I wound up in the hospital because of a high fever (almost 105) and a persistant cough. Got out a midnight after finding that I was dehydrated, have either bronchitis or pneumonia. I had left work early not feeling well (after ignoring the cough), was home by 2 napped deeply until 4 when Sharon heard me moaning in my sleep (which may have had to do with a dream).

She gave me two Advil, got me to my doctor and got Jack there, too. Got her folks to take Jack from the hospital home and then got her sister to replace them when the hour got late. Home 8 and a half hours later from the emergency room feeling much better.

And that was after a morning mediation of "I could die today."


- posted by Unknown @ 7:02 AM

 
U.S. jobless claims climb higher
Four-week average moves to six-week high at 407,250

By Rex Nutting, CBS.MarketWatch.com
Last Update: 10:33 AM ET Sept. 11, 2003

WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- U.S. unemployment lines grew longer in the past couple weeks, according to Labor Department data released Thursday.

The average number of first-time applications for state unemployment benefits over the past four weeks rose by 4,500 to 407,250, the highest level in six weeks.

The number of new claims in the week ended Sept. 6 rose by 3,000 to 422,000, the most in two months. Initial claims had fallen throughout July and early August before turning higher.

Economists prefer to watch the four-week average, as it smoothes out such one-time events as holidays, weather and isolated plant closings.

"This is very disappointing but also very hard to square with all the other evidence about the current state of the economy," said Ian Shepherdson, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics.

"The continuing high pace of layoff activity creates a serious risk to the economic recovery," said Sophia Koropeckyj, an economist at Economy.com. "Indeed, the economic recovery could be derailed if the labor market does not turn up by the end of the year."

Financial markets largely brushed off the news. U.S. stocks were higher by about 0.4 percent. See Market Snapshot. Bonds sold off, driving the yield on the 10-year note up to 4.32 percent after Wednesday's rally took it to 4.27 percent. See Bond Report.

New claims represent fresh layoffs. Unemployment checks can only be claimed by those who lose their jobs through no fault of their own.

It's also taking longer for those without jobs to find new employment. The average number of workers collecting state unemployment checks rose by 11,000 to 3.64 million, a three-week high.

The continuing claims figures don't include some 830,000 workers receiving federal benefits, which are available to those who exhaust their state benefits before finding work, typically after 26 weeks.

While about 4.5 million people were collecting some jobless benefits, an equal number were out of work with no assistance. In August, the government says, 8.9 million were classified as unemployed, including 1.9 million who had been out of work for more than six months.

An additional 5 million people want a job but are not classified as unemployed because they aren't actively searching.

Half empty or half full?

The slow pace of hiring has kept consumer confidence under wraps, but it doesn't seem to have slowed consumer spending much as retail sales have jumped in the past two months. And business investment has turned around after a two-year slump.

Optimists say the strong recovery in spending and investment will ultimately lead to more jobs for Americans, even with strong productivity gains that allow companies to do more with fewer workers.

Conversely, pessimists worry that consumer spending will fade before significant hiring takes place, as the beneficial effects of tax cuts and rebates wane and as higher interest rates constrain a debt-strapped consumer.

The Federal Open Market Committee meets next Tuesday to consider changes in monetary policy. Analysts expect no change in interest rates or in the Federal Reserve's caution that the recovery remains fragile and that deflation is the major worry.

"The disappointing pickup in the pace of layoffs reinforces the likelihood that the FOMC will continue to emphasize the large amount of slack in the economy and downside risks with respect to inflation," said Jade Zelnik, chief economist at RBS Greenwich Capital Markets.

"This report can't give the Alan Greenspan and the Fed much confidence," said Oscar Gonzalez, an economist at John Hancock Financial. "Jobs drive demand and, most important, higher demand heads off deflation. It looks more and more like another rate cut will be under consideration at the next meeting."



- posted by Unknown @ 4:37 PM

 
Sharon went to Jack's school last night and I played with him until she got home. We drove in the car (Jack sitting behind the wheel, pretending to drive) until she left, pretending to go to Grandma's house while playing eye-spy along the way. And watched a Little Bear video and played Candyland. But Jack was too revved up to go to sleep/ S fr the first time in a long while, I failed at getting him down and Sharon did it whenshe came home.

I had a dream that got me up early. An anxiety dream where Sharon wasn't in my life and I was being evicted from an apartment. I was aware of needing to find a place to care for Jack but he wasn't living with me in the dream. I needed to move tomorrow but had no prospects of where to move to.
- posted by Unknown @ 4:00 AM

 
A nice weekend, although the affects of hives are annoying me. I have to take Zyrtec which is not supposed to make me feel drowsy but does and it has been coloring my days.

Last night, we went to a meditation class that really felt quite good. Done in a Buddhist meditaion center, it is something that Sharon has become involved with and seems interesting.

And we came come and Jack was still up at 10:00, hugged each of us and went upstairs to bed. I gave him my special kiss goodnight that includes a kiss on his pacifier. Shaon tells me how he keeps asking for me.

It's really touching to me.
- posted by Unknown @ 6:15 AM