Tuesday turmoil

I am completely unable to comprehend time recently, just so you know. It seems the less I have scheduled to do, the more I am running around consistently, but actually doing nothing. When on earth would I have the time to work right now, had I not quit my ever-so-irritating, too-many-chiefs-and-not-enough-Indians type of job? I cannot remember the last time that I just sat down. And watched tv, or read my book, or did nothing. Even praying has become a hit a miss thing with me...(sorry God).

Trav and I are having a great time together, but it has been such a whirlwind, we won't know it until she is back home.Yesterday, we ran from here to there, then back to there, then to the ICS, then home, and hell it was after ten pm when we got here. And we returned to a lovely MESS of the worst kind, as CrazyDog is having stomach issues and how great is that, when she cannot go out without a leash and a navigator? It was not fun, to say the least, but it might explain what we had previously chalked up to even more crazy than normal...well, that and the current full moon, which has always affected her.

I think I will be working for UGA. It is an insurance organization, one that I have high regard for, and a pay structure like no other. The position was offered to me yesterday, assuming that they find I am not a convicted serial killer, and since we all know I have NOT been convicted, there should be no problem...teehee. It is strictly sales, and I have been selling something most of my life, but it's a do or die kind of job. That does not worry me, but the financial is something to consider, since there can be little planning in the early stages. I will have to go back and get my Iowa life and health license (oh NO, more studying....), but I have had all of the state insurance licenses at one time or another, so that will not be a big deal. I still have my credit life and health license, as there had to be one licensed agent in the dealership to sell the various insurance products that we offered. The problem is, it will be about two weeks until I can begin their training, (thank heaven that I don't have to go out of town for that), and then it will be at least another week or two before the money starts coming in, so I just have to figure out how to keep going financially until then. But, where there's a will, there's a way. I like sales, I like making my own hours, I like most of the details about the job in general. It will require some hard work now, but in about ten years, holy crap - I might even get to retire early. I feel very lucky to have had it offered to me, and the division manager that did was highly complimentary, and I needed that right now...so, I have to let them know by today...and my answer will most likely be yes. In the meantime, I have signed back on for a bit of a gig at the ICS, so that I can help take a little pressure off of Craig, running that place will make you old waaaaay before your time.

Today, Trav and I make the trek back to our mom's town, another two hours in the car. Ugh. Then we are going to hurry home so that we can spend a little time wandering all the shops here, we haven't had a chance to do that yet. Unless you count Target, and my sister does love her some Target...

Happy Tuesday!!!!

Monday Monday

Yesterday turned out to be quite a day...

Steph, my youngest's gf, (often thought of as my own daughter), ended up in the hospital. She and Jordan had been at an outside music festival all weekend. They camped, as they do several times a year at this nearby affair, and it's something they look forward to each and every time it is held. On Friday night, she stepped on a thorn that really stuck in her foot, and it had to be pulled out. The entire festival area had been flooded within the past week, but the water had receded enough to hold the event, but the remaining mud was really bad. Because they were basically camping in a very wet area, the kids wore flip flops all weekend. By Sunday morning, her entire leg, from her toes to the very top of her thigh was swollen, red, hot. Yep, you guessed it, an infection from flood mud...and she is really quite ill. The doctors in the emergency room didn't hesitate, they stuck in an iv, and sent her to her room. I believe she is hoping to get out of there today, but I'd say after looking at her leg, it's going to be awhile...I am grateful that they had the sense to get her to the hospital quickly, as those kinds of infections can be really, really scary. Jordy said that he wanted to take her to the hospital on Saturday, but she wouldn't go, she was having too much fun. They had no idea it could be infection, they really thought she must have injured her leg somehow when it began to swell on Saturday. Damned kids, they will be the death of me. Janelle and I went and visited her last evening, and she looks good in spite of what ails her..I love that kid so much.

Poor Mark, he left about eight yesterday morning, and what should have taken him three hours to get to the Quad Cities to pick up Trav took nearly six...and he never did make it all the way there, Trav and her husband Jim, met him in some small town in Illinois...the flood water made it pretty impossible to get there. We knew that it was bad in some parts of the state, we just weren't aware that it was that bad. So he spent most all of his fathers day on the road, and he was such an un-happy camper by the time he got home.

I spent the day cleaning and cooking and taking CrazyDog out for a walk. She has been doing very well since we moved here, but yesterday was not a good day for her...by last evening, I was ready to pitch her off the balcony. Like everyone, she has good and bad days, but her craziness was a real issue yesterday. Janelle came over later in the day, and spent the evening here, with us. Her bf has been sitting in Iowa City since last Thursday, trying to protect some hugely expensive telecommunications equipment from flood water, so she has been alone all weekend. It was good to have her here with me.

Today, I am off to two interviews. One is for a job I think I would really like, the other ---- I'm not so sure. I had one on Friday at a bank that I forgot to tell you all went really well, and I feel like they will be calling today or tomorrow for a second interview. Just so you all know, I hate interviewing, the whole process is so stupid. They represent themselves in the best possible light, and I do the same. How helpful is that? But I'll keep playing the game until I find the right one.

This morning, Trav and I are going to get out and wander, well - as much an she can, she's wearing this most attractive boot thingy on her leg for a fracture in the top of her foot...this is the second time she has broken the small bones in her feet for no apparent reason. So, she is back to the orthopedic doctor on Friday...never a dull medical moment in this family...

Hope your Monday is wonderful. :)

Step right up

Today is the BIG sale, and it's freaking monsooning outside, lovely. Just lovely.

I have a lot to do this morning, and I will have to cut this short. I hope that you are all fine, I feel really, really bad that I haven't been visiting you all the way I should, I promise I will get that corrected soon. I have not had a minute this past week, or the one before, actually. I am still hopeful about the job, I went yesterday for a second interview, it certainly FEELS like mine, but that doesn't really mean anything. So, the waiting continues.

My poor sister has to be worn all the way out.

Have a wonderful Friday. :)

The ENERGIZER Sister

I think I might have done it, I think I have a job. Lord, I hate to use the word think, but for now that's all I can do. I also thought last week that I had a job, and I found out that I did not. However, this time I honestly believe it---let's wait until I know for sure before we mention it again, okay? I do have another interview today, with the same company but with a different person, mostly to affirm the one that I had yesterday. I won't know anything for sure until the first part of next week, and until then, I'm not saying any more so I don't jinx it. I realize these things take time, but the waiting is really difficult. Sigh...

My home is not mine anymore. I like the feeling - it is clear, not necessarily clean, but clear of things...the breezeway however, is another story. It has box after box of STUFF, priced and stacked on top of each other, ready for the sale. Seriously, for every box of junk that is out there, there have been two that have been thrown away. I am down to a closet and a half of my clothes, and some of them, if the truth were to be told, probably should be in those boxes as well. But for whatever reason, I find it impossible to let go of them, just yet. I have kept the most important things, and even those things are more than I wanted to keep, but I cannot be heartless. I keep worrying that someday I will probably lose my memory, hell-I'm not far from it now, and those things will be a reminder. But still, I feel like I have been very successful in my cleaning. It is amazing how much stuff had accumulated here.

Of course, the weather prediction for tomorrow is lousy. Storms, lots of rain and wind, just what is needed for a successful moving sale. However, in the ad that I put in the local paper, I wrote "rain or shine", so the show will go on. Saturday looks pretty good weather-wise.

My poor sister has worked her tail off, I'm certain that she is ready to get out of here, this has been a lot of work. She is such a trooper, though. After reading all of your comments, I am thinking about renting her out...she's easy to keep and only has a few funny idiosyncrasies...You pretty much just have to keep her in coffee, and half and half, she'll go forever. Honestly, she is the best.

Everyone have a great Thursday. I am planning to. :)

Royalty among us

I now have help, and by that, I mean the best help ever, the queen of the garage sale herself, my sister, Trav. Now things will get done and on schedule, too. She and our youngest' sis's oldest daughter, our niece, Alex,are here until the weekend, and they certainly liven up the house. It will be so much fun, and I'm serious when I say that Trav is the queen of the garage sale, she knows and loves these things. :)

I am off this morning to the city for an interview..,

I thank you all for the good wishes you left yesterday, now let's see how I can do.

Happy Humpday.

:)

Progress

My home no longer looks like mine, it looks sort of like a bachelor lives here, or maybe that someone that loved it, left. It is kind of disconcerting, but also it's very exciting. We haven't begun to pack yet, just GET RID OF unwanted (by me) items. It's really very interesting. I am streamlining like you wouldn't believe. This is the first time in almost thirty years that I have been able to do what I want with my living space, having no kids to consider or not being limited by my lack of funds....this time, it's going to be all about what I want, and also Mark, but he really isn't into what the place looks like, as long as he has a place to lay down at night. It's really very exciting. I cannot wait to find the perfect place and get moved in.

I have an exciting interview on Wednesday.

Have a great day. :)

Me, Me, ME.

And to think that I believed this whole out of work thing would be temporary. Fool. My ego is in literal pain, and I have no earthly idea why, WHY, I do not have a job yet. I am doing everything possible to find just the right one. It has now been five weeks, don't you all think that's long enough? I am beginning to question myself, my abilities, everything about me. Am I too brash, am I too tough, not tough enough, too smart, too stupid, too...shit, everything?

I did not get the job running the truck shop that I really, really wanted. It was by far the one I was THE most qualified for, the one that made me feel the most comfortable, and the money was decent. Or at least I was told it was. However, I do believe that money played a part in their decision, and I am wondering, am I expecting too much? I had agreed to their salary cap, their top amount, and that was still nearly twenty-thousand less than I had been making. I am aware that they do NOT care what I would have made this year had I stayed in my former position, but should it NOT play a part in what I do? At this point, I would pretty much take about anything, but the lower positions that I have applied for, I do NOT hear anything from. It makes me wonder if I should "dumb down" my resume for lower type jobs...not lower in the class sense, but lower in the area of responsibility and money...just so you know. In any event, SHIT.

I am beginning to question every damned thing about ME, and that's always been something I am sure of...ME. I know what I can do, I know what I can give, I know what I need and want. Why does no one want me? And this is pretty much rhetorical, because if any of you know why no one wants me, I don't think my bruised ego can take it right now, or at least be gentle. :)

But in other news:

So much happening, so little time.

Help.

:)

THE ego and THE force...

I am really late in posting, aren't I? About a day and a half late, I think. I have been running around like a chicken with no head, and today is not looking any better. And yes, I have seen the proverbial chicken running, my grandmother used to take off their heads on a stump with her foot when I was a tiny, tiny child...it was rather gross....

I had an awesome interview yesterday, and today I'm filled with fear that I won't be offered the position. Yesterday, I felt so positive but overnight I have begun to reason with myself why I wouldn't be their first call. Who knows? Job hunting is a real ego destroyer, and even when I have had no real rejection yet, it stings to think that I would. I suppose we protect ourselves this way, although I really do believe I am a little old to feel this insecure. See what I mean? The position in question was at a place where I could feel very much that I belong, and let me tell you, that's hard to find. So, in my head, that is the one. I do however, have another interview coming up next week that would also be a very fun place to work and the money would be doable. So I can only say, it beats the hell out of me, all of it.

Mark took a job on Wednesday. It is sales, something that he has had no real experience with, and it is a total sink or swim position. I support him completely, I do believe he has it in him to be wonderful at it.

It looks like we will be moving within the next three weeks or so, and how I am going to manage that is completely undecided. Oh yes, I have all the time in the world to pack up a three bedroom, two bath, three garage house, and move it. Just like that. No problem. We will go to an apartment in the city, and frankly, I cannot wait. I just don't want to have to actually DO it. UGH. Help!

Beyond all of this, I have no idea which project I will tackle first today, I have so many to accomplish. I should get myself in gear. The force be with you, or with me, whichever. :)

Sleepy...

I'm getting lazy in my old age, this morning, I'm up now, and oh-so-tired. I have been sleeping in until nearly seven each day, only being woke up by the phone - one kid or another or both or all, checking in. In the past, by seven am, I have been awake a minimum of three hours, sometimes more. I'm not sure which I like better, I have always enjoyed the quiet time of the beyond early morning, but recently, sleeping feels pretty wonderful.

I'm off to two interviews today, one is with a headhunter, and I think they will have some temporary work that I can do...should I not hear from one of the employers that I do believe will try to hire me this week. I know both of them want me, however the money is the issue. I do not come cheap, and I am well worth what I require. If you have me, you have a committed and dedicated, hard working employee. And that costs money. We will see.

Mark is going with me, I'm wondering if we can keep from killing one another in the car...could be interesting. It isn't really that bad, just tense and quiet. Not my thing. Ugh.

Happy day to each of you...:)

Grrr....

So today, I'm feeling pretty poopy. I am a nervous wreck and listening to CrazyDog bark at this moment (outside) is about to cause me to run away. However, last night was a normal night, everyone slept. And for that alone, you would think that I would feel better. But it's Monday morning once again, and I have no job to go to. I am seriously thinking that I am going to get an offer or two this week, I have had a couple of really good interviews and still have two to go, but the waiting is getting to me. IT IS GETTING TO ME. And to Mark. Because he and I pretty much hate one another at this juncture. Grrrrr...

But on to other things. I had the BEST day yesterday, with my kids. Janelle did make it here, and I was very happy to see her, however, I'm not so sure the feelings were returned, she was here for awhile, but clearly unhappy. I assume that meant unhappy to be here, but I guess you never know. I did try several times to talk with her, to no avail. But having Craig and Jordy and Steph was also wonderful, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Jordy and Steph were her until nine last night, they were doing their laundry...it was just an awesome day. All of us took a walk down memory lane, looking at old photos, and school papers and we all laughed alot...digging out old things really brings a family closer, you know? My mom was unable to be here, and that made me sad. She was having a really bad day. I worry.

So today, I'm here, doing what I do best, submitting resumes. And submitting the federal and state taxes, have I mentioned that I hate the IRS? And looking for xanax...good heavens. Out.

The wonder of it all

It's Friday, again. Holy crap, am I in a time warp? I wonder now how I had the time to work...it seems that my days are full and busy, and over so quickly. However, my main job right now is finding a job, and that does take a LOT of time.

Things in that department are looking up, I have had a couple of promising interviews, and I have a couple more next week. Any of them would be fine, I'll take whatever if I can live on the pay. I have realized that I am quite full of shit and can write a bullshit letter with the best of them; I applied for a job with the state, and somehow, SOMEHOW, I have made it through the first couple of hoops that are required to jump through. Now, this job that I am talking about would be a dream job, and frankly, there is no way I have any clue what the hell they are talking about when it comes to the actual job---I know nothing about overweight semi trucks or the intrastate commerce that comes from a whole pot of acronyms that the state of Iowa just loves to use, but I did receive a letter from them, wanting me to outline my understanding and experience with such....and I wrote a killer letter. Let me tell you, there is no way I am going to hear from them again, but I was proud of my success in writing it. I sounded like an intelligent woman, which in the middle of real life, you sort of forget you are. So, there goes two hours of my life, I will never see again....teehee.

Life in our house has settled into a routine, one of us goes to the Ice Cream Store, the other stays home and does the job search thing or Mark works on the house. We have put a for sale sign in the front yard, that makes me feel a little strange. I avoid looking at it, which is odd, I am the one who wants out of this town so badly, but the very idea of someone else living in my house is a bit hurtful.

The Ice Cream business has not been good, but hell - the weather this year is NOT conducive to eating frozen ANYTHING...will spring ever arrive? Yesterday we had tornadoes in the area, today it will snow....what a weird year for weather.

I will have to post a photo of CrazyDog, we had her shaved yesterday...and she looks so cute. She is NOT happy however, last night she protested, ALL NIGHT LONG. It is so much fun to live with a crazy animal, it certainly provides entertainment.

Hope you all have a great day---I will catch you later. :)

You take my life when you do take the means whereby I live. ~William Shakespeare

It's three-thirty in the morning, and I didn't want to get up at this hour, but there has been a bit of a mess here in the house of the unemployed..., already, at this early hour.

I woke to the sound of glass breaking....and it was right beside me. The glass of club soda that I keep beside me when I sleep, was in pieces, on the floor. Club soda was running every which way, and so was the kitty that caused it. I can't say that it would be the first time that club soda has been spilled there, but since club soda is used as the universal stain remover on all fabrics, I don't get too upset. The glass that was covering a good portion of the area was another matter, however, and still, even after all the cleaning up I have done, I am still concerned that Miesha has a shard or two in a paw or two.

And Good Morning to you all, too. What a wonderful way to wake up, eh? No real problem, these things don't get me down too much.

I have been very busy, mostly doing nothing. Or what feels like nothing. Looking for a job on the internet is an extremely time consuming job. I have applied for what feels like thousands of jobs, and still the phone isn't exactly ringing off the hook. I have been trying to figure out why that would be...and really I don't know. My resume is okay, short, and to the point...but that is how I am. It tells enough about my work history that if the reader were seriously looking for someone with my skills, they would know that they want to know more about me, and isn't that the point of a resume? My cover letters are positive, creative and informative. My work history and job skills are good and solid...my education is lacking, but there is nothing that can be done about that, or should I say, I am not willing to do anything about that. There isn't exactly an abundance of jobs out there to do exactly what I have done in the past, but I am applying for just about anything that even remotely sounds like something that I can do. All I can surmise is that it will happen. It's very disconcerting to realize how long it takes to find a job these days, it seems that from the time you send a resume until the interview phone call can be weeks. I have a couple of things in the works still and I feel certain that several that I have applied for in the past week will result in at least an interview. In the meantime, I am losing it. And I'm getting damned good at it, I might add. The bowling alley manager job that I applied for has been filled by someone else. I knew after that telephone interview that the company had an issue with the Ice Cream Store, to them-it was a conflict of interest. I found that rather strange as bowling alley's and ice cream shops have little in common, and never mind the fact that they are an hour apart, but the interviewer told me that right up front. The F and I sales position that I interviewed for last week won't be filled until late next week, for whatever reason, they were putting the decision off until then, apparently the regional manager was going to be on vacation. So, I keep doing my part, waiting for God to do his.

I am trying to be a productive, positive, likeable person...and that's really more of a challenge than it should be. I am a nervous wreck, and I know it. Mark and I are not exactly going along at peak performance...he is being a bit of a jerk and that's really unlike him. He is having the same issues that I am...the two of us together are a lethal combination.

So, it's a good thing that the Ice Cream Store is opening tomorrow. We were there all yesterday afternoon with Craig, (who is going to be the new manager this year), getting things ready to go. I think he will do a fine job, and I honestly think he is somewhat excited with his new role and title...and I intend to let him do it. He has to learn, and I will be around to help him with that, but the best lessons are the hardest ones sometimes, and I am going to let him handle it.

And so, another day begins. I have places to go, people to see...oh wait, that was my old life.

Have a good day.

Thursday and Friday take too long

And another day.

Here we are again, just you and me.

Another day, another dollar.

We meet again.

How many more cliche' greetings can I come up with, you ask? Sorry, I am not myself this morning. I have no idea why. It was a bad night, after an okay day.

I had two interviews yesterday, and I have no idea how either of them went. I hate the business of job hunting, I am not good at it. I have become way too direct in my life, no bullshit, tell it like it is. And we all know there is no room for that kind of thinking when you are looking for work. Finding suitable employment requires deception and dancing around the other person, and playing the f'ing game, none of which I want to do. I know how to play it, but seriously at my age, why in the hell should I have to? I ask the questions they are never ready to answer. I give the answers that I am certain they don't want to hear. I cannot change now. Or perhaps I am just unwilling. But either way, I am not so sure that any of what went on yesterday was in my favor. And I won't know, until I hear that I got one of them, which I think is unlikely. I don't necessarily want either job, one is managing a huge bowling alley/restaurant, which I think would be fun, and I feel certain that I am qualified, but the hours would be killer. The other is selling and Finance and Insurance products to car dealers, which I feel certain I could do, but I'm not certain I want to. In both cases, I would have to take a pretty hefty pay cut, but I expected that. There would be potential in both, for moving up with the company and in the area of pay. So, I have left it all to God. I will interview my little heart out, and try my best to say and do all the right things, and then He can do the rest.

Today, Mark and I have to tour a facility that we have both applied to manage, together. I think this job sounds interesting, but apparently there are many folks that have felt that way, only to find it isn't the sort of thing they were looking for, so this company insists that you tour before you interview. So, we will drive to the city again. Today. Ugh.

I haven't seen my mom since the weekend, and I got a rather ugly text message from her about it yesterday. Yes folks, my mother is the queen of the text message, at 73. In some ways that makes me laugh. It's amazing how easily she can be pissy, with so few words to work with, but I have to admit, she's damned good at it.

Hope each of you have the best Thursday possible. Later. :)