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No utilities w/no warning is a health boundary that bites.
They shut of my lights (and heat) with no warning...
Here's the thing, PNM was threatening me all the time, anyway, and the
stress was taking a toll on my health. For some reason when I paid my
electric bill with Bill Pay through Wells Fargo,
PNM maintained it was not paid into the right
account, that Wells Fargo was making an error.
But it went into an old account of mine with a
balance, so I feel sure PNM was directing where
the money went.
I had sent in money to pay everything, but
PNM put the money into "deposits" and kept
threatening me as if I had not sent in the money.
Every month I'd go through the same thing and
end up screaming into the phone. My feeling is
that they don't try to be accurate because they rely on depriving people of
heat and light to make them do things.
Anyway... on San Isidro Day, patron saint of agriculture, PNM came and
shut me off with no warning. None. They wouldn't even give me two days
to transfer money to pay. It was an instant end to my lights, computer,
heat, electric kettle, and telephone (because of the answering machine
component).
Even when I had a medical certificate PNM threatened me every month
with disconnection, even though they aren't supposed to shut off utilities
for people with medical certificates.
So every month I'd be so stressed.
When I got some money from selling my rental, I called them, got the total
amount they said I owed and I sent it in, but the threats did not stop.
That's when it turned out that they took my money and labeled it as
deposits, and wanted me to pay the same amount again.
I think that was tacky. Plus, I think they should have told me what they
were going to do before I sent in the money.
So, on April 4, 2007 when PNM came and threatened to shut off my
power unless I paid $298, I was feeling anxious to start with (because of
PNM's habitual behavior and because court things have been major
stressful).
I had over $200 in my bank account because I'd thought they were going
to ask for $189. (I would have sent the money in except court things were
so stressful I got confused on what part of the month it was. Using Bill Pay
through my bank had not been working so that was extremely stressful,
rather than helpful.)
I asked the PNM fellow to give me a two days to transfer money so I'd
have enough to pay the $298, but no.
For a week or more I thought he'd said he'd come back next day. I kept
thinking he shut me off in retaliation after he was so unrelenting with the
pressure and I said, "You fucker!"
But yesterday when I looked at the tag he filled out before I said, "You
fucker!" I saw that it was filled out as a disconnect and he wasn't going to
give me a day.
Because of my mental disability I get confused, especially when there's
stress.
So, no lights or gas. But I wasn't using the gas anyway, even though I was
paying a $10 monthly access fee. (My furnace broke a couple years ago.)
The first thing I did was write to PNM. Senator Bingaman, and Adult
Protective Services. Writing the letters made me feel less isolated. (I
couldn't call anyone.)
It was so odd not to be able to watch the news, or to know what time it
was. But without
telly, I read The
Status Syndrome
by Michael
Marmot by
flashlight.
That's sure the
perfect book for
the situation.
It discusses how the less status you have, the earlier you are likely to die.
Marmot theorizes this happens because people with less status have less
control over their lives.
I would say that's like PNM threatening when you can't pay and have a
medical certificate, and threatening when you've paid but they've put the
money into deposits so that they can go right on threatening. (So
irritating!!!)
Without a phone there was nothing I could do. I was having a lot of trouble
with my feet and did not want to endanger myself by trying to get to a
neighbor's.
On Friday afternoon, which was Good Friday, I found a cheap, old phone
that I had used before I got my answering machine. The phone was a bit
broken, so I thought I might have thrown it out, and it was also hard to find
with no light in the walk in closet.
Here's the thing, PNM was threatening me all the time, anyway, and the
stress was taking a toll on my health. For some reason when I paid my
electric bill with Bill Pay through Wells Fargo,
PNM maintained it was not paid into the right
account, that Wells Fargo was making an error.
But it went into an old account of mine with a
balance, so I feel sure PNM was directing where
the money went.
I had sent in money to pay everything, but
PNM put the money into "deposits" and kept
threatening me as if I had not sent in the money.
Every month I'd go through the same thing and
end up screaming into the phone. My feeling is
that they don't try to be accurate because they rely on depriving people of
heat and light to make them do things.
Anyway... on San Isidro Day, patron saint of agriculture, PNM came and
shut me off with no warning. None. They wouldn't even give me two days
to transfer money to pay. It was an instant end to my lights, computer,
heat, electric kettle, and telephone (because of the answering machine
component).
Even when I had a medical certificate PNM threatened me every month
with disconnection, even though they aren't supposed to shut off utilities
for people with medical certificates.
So every month I'd be so stressed.
When I got some money from selling my rental, I called them, got the total
amount they said I owed and I sent it in, but the threats did not stop.
That's when it turned out that they took my money and labeled it as
deposits, and wanted me to pay the same amount again.
I think that was tacky. Plus, I think they should have told me what they
were going to do before I sent in the money.
So, on April 4, 2007 when PNM came and threatened to shut off my
power unless I paid $298, I was feeling anxious to start with (because of
PNM's habitual behavior and because court things have been major
stressful).
I had over $200 in my bank account because I'd thought they were going
to ask for $189. (I would have sent the money in except court things were
so stressful I got confused on what part of the month it was. Using Bill Pay
through my bank had not been working so that was extremely stressful,
rather than helpful.)
I asked the PNM fellow to give me a two days to transfer money so I'd
have enough to pay the $298, but no.
For a week or more I thought he'd said he'd come back next day. I kept
thinking he shut me off in retaliation after he was so unrelenting with the
pressure and I said, "You fucker!"
But yesterday when I looked at the tag he filled out before I said, "You
fucker!" I saw that it was filled out as a disconnect and he wasn't going to
give me a day.
Because of my mental disability I get confused, especially when there's
stress.
So, no lights or gas. But I wasn't using the gas anyway, even though I was
paying a $10 monthly access fee. (My furnace broke a couple years ago.)
The first thing I did was write to PNM. Senator Bingaman, and Adult
Protective Services. Writing the letters made me feel less isolated. (I
couldn't call anyone.)
It was so odd not to be able to watch the news, or to know what time it
was. But without
telly, I read The
Status Syndrome
by Michael
Marmot by
flashlight.
That's sure the
perfect book for
the situation.
It discusses how the less status you have, the earlier you are likely to die.
Marmot theorizes this happens because people with less status have less
control over their lives.
I would say that's like PNM threatening when you can't pay and have a
medical certificate, and threatening when you've paid but they've put the
money into deposits so that they can go right on threatening. (So
irritating!!!)
Without a phone there was nothing I could do. I was having a lot of trouble
with my feet and did not want to endanger myself by trying to get to a
neighbor's.
On Friday afternoon, which was Good Friday, I found a cheap, old phone
that I had used before I got my answering machine. The phone was a bit
broken, so I thought I might have thrown it out, and it was also hard to find
with no light in the walk in closet.
But of course no one was working on Good
Friday afternoon.
(And, there wasn't a lot of sunlight so I couldn't
even make tepid coffee the way I had the first
day. I had hoped that my blue, glass container
would allow the sun to heat water more than
clear glass. Maybe it did, but it didn't heat it very
much.
My beans, also shown in the picture, are in a pot
with a clear glass lid. They were tepid, also.)
Friday afternoon.
(And, there wasn't a lot of sunlight so I couldn't
even make tepid coffee the way I had the first
day. I had hoped that my blue, glass container
would allow the sun to heat water more than
clear glass. Maybe it did, but it didn't heat it very
much.
My beans, also shown in the picture, are in a pot
with a clear glass lid. They were tepid, also.)
Life without coffee was a bleak prospect. If my little fig, in the big pot in the
picture of the coffee and beans, were to grow and do figs, what fun would
eating them be without coffee?
Which got me to thinking. I wondered if a candle would do it... And, what
could I put over the candle to set the water container on?
a small sauce pan that fit perfectly.
Happiness.With this success behind me, I tried to heat my bedroom with
candles... which wasn't quite as successful, but at least it made me feel as if
I was doing something.
inside than the weather outside. I want to say, this is turning out to be such
a blessing. Now I can see why this happened on San Isidro Day: because so
much good was going to grow out of it, like using an indoor tent for warmth.
(I have a special sense of closeness to San Isidro because my father and
maternal grandfather were born on San Isidro Day. In addition to which my
paternal grandfather was president of the American Farm Bureau Federation.
But... I've been reading Secrets of the Soil, which talks about the huge harm
mass fertilization and pesticide use does and I think, sadly, that my
grandfather was instrumental in the prominence they took in agriculture.
I know he thought he was helping to feed the world... and I know he went
to countries like India, England... when I was watching the Olympic games
in Yugoslavia with him, he said he spent a day with Tito.
But in reality, I think mass produced food is not good for us. I know I have
always thought that my Polish (maternal) grandfather lived to nearly a
hundred because he ate out of his garden.)
When I get more solar I want to write more about what I've discovered in
my garden. It's some pretty amazing stuff. : )
5/20/07 - I wish I'd had one of these solar lights (its solar panel is sitting on
the base of the 15 watt "DayLight" lamp) from the
beginning. It is a superb little light. I attach it
to my old halogen lamp, below, then I can
adjust it up or down. It's perfect. : )
It's on sale for half what I paid...
And here's the other thing (a lantern) that is
totally, perfectly useful:
picture of the coffee and beans, were to grow and do figs, what fun would
eating them be without coffee?
Which got me to thinking. I wondered if a candle would do it... And, what
could I put over the candle to set the water container on?
a small sauce pan that fit perfectly.
Happiness.With this success behind me, I tried to heat my bedroom with
candles... which wasn't quite as successful, but at least it made me feel as if
I was doing something.
inside than the weather outside. I want to say, this is turning out to be such
a blessing. Now I can see why this happened on San Isidro Day: because so
much good was going to grow out of it, like using an indoor tent for warmth.
(I have a special sense of closeness to San Isidro because my father and
maternal grandfather were born on San Isidro Day. In addition to which my
paternal grandfather was president of the American Farm Bureau Federation.
But... I've been reading Secrets of the Soil, which talks about the huge harm
mass fertilization and pesticide use does and I think, sadly, that my
grandfather was instrumental in the prominence they took in agriculture.
I know he thought he was helping to feed the world... and I know he went
to countries like India, England... when I was watching the Olympic games
in Yugoslavia with him, he said he spent a day with Tito.
But in reality, I think mass produced food is not good for us. I know I have
always thought that my Polish (maternal) grandfather lived to nearly a
hundred because he ate out of his garden.)
When I get more solar I want to write more about what I've discovered in
my garden. It's some pretty amazing stuff. : )
5/20/07 - I wish I'd had one of these solar lights (its solar panel is sitting on
the base of the 15 watt "DayLight" lamp) from the
beginning. It is a superb little light. I attach it
to my old halogen lamp, below, then I can
adjust it up or down. It's perfect. : )
It's on sale for half what I paid...
And here's the other thing (a lantern) that is
totally, perfectly useful:
It operates on a little magnetic generator. All
you have to do is crank it for 30 seconds to
get an hour's light. It's pretty nifty. :
you have to do is crank it for 30 seconds to
get an hour's light. It's pretty nifty. :
My first
thought was to
use the
fireplace
grate... and
luckily I had a
little stainless
steel bowl.
This picture
was taken
before I found
a glass cover to
thought was to
use the
fireplace
grate... and
luckily I had a
little stainless
steel bowl.
This picture
was taken
before I found
a glass cover to
The water
would boil and
there was heat,
but this wasn't
a match for the
29 degree
weather
outside.
Interestingly, I
learned that my
house is 20
degrees
warmer on the
would boil and
there was heat,
but this wasn't
a match for the
29 degree
weather
outside.
Interestingly, I
learned that my
house is 20
degrees
warmer on the
http://www.health-boundaries-bite.com
Your fingernails reflect your health --
Learn some warning signs --
Karen Kline
Your fingernails reflect your health --
Learn some warning signs --
Karen Kline
The pictures are from my
Solar page. 7/16/07
Solar page. 7/16/07
Few things have ever smelled as good cooking as this, my first candle cooked
meal. The candles were a gift from a lady who works in a store where the
policy didn't prohibit me using my credit card over the phone, but all their
candles in stock were scented. When I told her I wanted to use them for
boiling water and cooking, she said she didn't want me to have to use scented
candles, and she brought me several candles she had at home, and wouldn't
let me pay her. One green one lasted so magically long that when it finally
died I felt as if I should have a funeral for it.
meal. The candles were a gift from a lady who works in a store where the
policy didn't prohibit me using my credit card over the phone, but all their
candles in stock were scented. When I told her I wanted to use them for
boiling water and cooking, she said she didn't want me to have to use scented
candles, and she brought me several candles she had at home, and wouldn't
let me pay her. One green one lasted so magically long that when it finally
died I felt as if I should have a funeral for it.
This is a picture of all the lovely fruit in my freezer. Kitchen Angels sends
fruit many days a week, and I had decided that I would freeze it to have in
the summer when it's hot.
Each time I put a container of fruit into my freezer I had anticipated the
summer and how dynamite it would be to have these frozen, healthy treats.
It reminded me of when I first moved here from my condo and found that
the apricot tree around the corner made tons of apricots that were falling to
the sidewalk with no indication that anyone was picking any to eat.
I took a cardboard box and went round and picked so many that I was able
to fill a large part of my freezer. At the time I was thinking it would be great
for winter because at that time I didn't have money and was worried about
food.
I'd asked my brother in Pennsylvania to send me $10 but he'd refused. (Too
funny, actually. I used to buy him all different things that I thought would
make him happy. He's seven years younger than me so I still thought of him
as I did when I used to take care of him while mom worked (Dad had
deserted). I got him a nice typewriter back when typewriters were the thing,
I got him all different Indian art and jewelry pieces when I moved here to
New Mexico.)
Then, while I was in London and so lonely he wrote me once, exactly once
in nine years. But when I came back he wrote me asking me to please list
the value of the Indian things I'd sent him because he'd been broken into and
all of the things had been stolen and he wanted to collect the insurance.
I wrote back in quite unladylike terms, basically telling him to get stuffed.
So, overall I wasn't surprised when he said he would not send me $10. (I'm
glad he lives in Mechanicsburg, not Philadelphia, otherwise the City of
Brotherly Love would be ruined to me forever.)
fruit many days a week, and I had decided that I would freeze it to have in
the summer when it's hot.
Each time I put a container of fruit into my freezer I had anticipated the
summer and how dynamite it would be to have these frozen, healthy treats.
It reminded me of when I first moved here from my condo and found that
the apricot tree around the corner made tons of apricots that were falling to
the sidewalk with no indication that anyone was picking any to eat.
I took a cardboard box and went round and picked so many that I was able
to fill a large part of my freezer. At the time I was thinking it would be great
for winter because at that time I didn't have money and was worried about
food.
I'd asked my brother in Pennsylvania to send me $10 but he'd refused. (Too
funny, actually. I used to buy him all different things that I thought would
make him happy. He's seven years younger than me so I still thought of him
as I did when I used to take care of him while mom worked (Dad had
deserted). I got him a nice typewriter back when typewriters were the thing,
I got him all different Indian art and jewelry pieces when I moved here to
New Mexico.)
Then, while I was in London and so lonely he wrote me once, exactly once
in nine years. But when I came back he wrote me asking me to please list
the value of the Indian things I'd sent him because he'd been broken into and
all of the things had been stolen and he wanted to collect the insurance.
I wrote back in quite unladylike terms, basically telling him to get stuffed.
So, overall I wasn't surprised when he said he would not send me $10. (I'm
glad he lives in Mechanicsburg, not Philadelphia, otherwise the City of
Brotherly Love would be ruined to me forever.)
It was heart wrenching to see all my lovely fruit go bad. Some of it looked
so good, but there was mold throughout and the smell of rotting replaced
the fond hopes I'd had of enjoying this fruit in the summer.
I had so looked forward to eating this fruit. What a waste! What a complete
waste because PNM refused to give me two days to tranfer the money to
pay them.
If what PNM did was about the money, they would have let me pay them
in two days. But they wouldn't, so to me, what they did was about exerting
their power and hurting me to show me exactly how powerful they are.
How despicable. No one should respect a company that behaves like this
and treats people like this. People should scorn this kind of abuse.
And, I'm not even mentioning how I had several stocks that I was going to
sell for a profit that afternoon, after 1:00 p.m. I lost about $2,000 overall
from that and not being able to do anything with my stocks.
For shame. For shame, PNM. How very unAmerican! I can see what the
world sees when the world sees our unAmerican behavior in Iraq: a
complete disregard for life, a complete lack of respect for life.
And, if you are thinking of voting for Bill Richardson, think about how this
happened in his state, New Mexico, and how he has done all but nothing to
ensure the rights of people with disabilities, which by virtue of reason
extends to all people.
If I didn't have a disability I wouldn't have been confused about the dates
and most likely I wouldn't have experienced this. But I am disabled and I
did experience it. I now know all too well how the disabled are treated
when their rights are not protected.
so good, but there was mold throughout and the smell of rotting replaced
the fond hopes I'd had of enjoying this fruit in the summer.
I had so looked forward to eating this fruit. What a waste! What a complete
waste because PNM refused to give me two days to tranfer the money to
pay them.
If what PNM did was about the money, they would have let me pay them
in two days. But they wouldn't, so to me, what they did was about exerting
their power and hurting me to show me exactly how powerful they are.
How despicable. No one should respect a company that behaves like this
and treats people like this. People should scorn this kind of abuse.
And, I'm not even mentioning how I had several stocks that I was going to
sell for a profit that afternoon, after 1:00 p.m. I lost about $2,000 overall
from that and not being able to do anything with my stocks.
For shame. For shame, PNM. How very unAmerican! I can see what the
world sees when the world sees our unAmerican behavior in Iraq: a
complete disregard for life, a complete lack of respect for life.
And, if you are thinking of voting for Bill Richardson, think about how this
happened in his state, New Mexico, and how he has done all but nothing to
ensure the rights of people with disabilities, which by virtue of reason
extends to all people.
If I didn't have a disability I wouldn't have been confused about the dates
and most likely I wouldn't have experienced this. But I am disabled and I
did experience it. I now know all too well how the disabled are treated
when their rights are not protected.
4/4/08 - It's the one
year anniversary of
PNM shutting off
my heat and lights
and inspiring me to
get solar.
I credit my solar
with a lot of the
healing I've had
this year.
Without the threats
my nerves have
healed and I'm
healthier than I've
been in a long time.
Moral: things I
depended on in the
past turned out to
be the wrong things.
year anniversary of
PNM shutting off
my heat and lights
and inspiring me to
get solar.
I credit my solar
with a lot of the
healing I've had
this year.
Without the threats
my nerves have
healed and I'm
healthier than I've
been in a long time.
Moral: things I
depended on in the
past turned out to
be the wrong things.
Cooking over a
candle continues to
work great, though in
2008 the wicks in
many candles were
smaller. I think
manufacturers wanted
to get the same burn
time using less wax.
When the candles
weren't hot enough to
cook I learned to
make candles using
soy wax. Soy is great
for candle heating
(with tile floors and
away from fabric).
But for cooking
paraffin burns hotter
and works better so I
make 15 hour votives
with good sized wicks.
candle continues to
work great, though in
2008 the wicks in
many candles were
smaller. I think
manufacturers wanted
to get the same burn
time using less wax.
When the candles
weren't hot enough to
cook I learned to
make candles using
soy wax. Soy is great
for candle heating
(with tile floors and
away from fabric).
But for cooking
paraffin burns hotter
and works better so I
make 15 hour votives
with good sized wicks.