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Do you know why it’s fantastic, ladies and gentlemen? Because it is my second day of my new job.
Yes! I’m employed!
It took 13 months and 2 days for me to get back into the workforce, but I’m back with a vengeance and SO happy about it! I got the first call Tuesday morning, had my first interview Tuesday afternoon, my second interview Wednesday afternoon, an offer within an hour of me leaving the building, and my first day was less than 48 hours after getting that first call. It all went so fast, I think my head is still spinning! Although it’s been a long time since it’s been an issue, I’m still not going to do a whole lot of talking about my workplace on my blog. Suffice to say that I’m working 15 to 90 minutes from my house (dependent on traffic), and I’m working as a customer service rep for a company that makes stuff and things. Good luck figuring that out.
So yesterday was my first day, and I wanted to make a good impression. It’s a casual dress office (yay jeans to work!) but I wanted to look nice for my first day. I got up early, showered, did fancy things to my hair, and set off for work an hour before I needed to be there. It’s roughly 11 miles or so away, so I figured an hour should cover it.
Boy, was I wrong.
I had gone less than 5 miles in the first 65 minutes of me being in the car. I had to call my brand new boss and tell her I’d be late on my very first day. There was a huge accident involving a bus and several cars that shut down the freeway. Awesome. That’s how you make a first impression, folks. Show up 30 minutes late on your first day of work. It took me an hour and a half to go 11 miles. Thankfully, I have the greatest boss in the world, and she was completely kick back about it. Turns out, she had a similar problem the very first day at her new job years ago. I still felt awful, but no one there was the slightest bit upset about it. Fantastic!
I’m so excited to be working again. I think it’ll be challenging and fun, and way better than staying home feeling sorry for myself. I’d been pretty depressed as of late, and it wasn’t getting better. This job came out of the blue, and sounds perfect for me. I’m very happy to start this new journey!
Mia is a snuggler. She’s not usually a fan of lying down by herself, and when there’s no humans to put herself on, she’ll get a toy. She’s also a blanket thief. I’ll be lying on the couch under a blanket, and in no more than 2 minutes, she’s curled up with me. Even if I’m not around, or if I get up to get something, she’ll take over the entire blanket. It’s hard to be mad at that face!
Tonight I start bowling in a league for the first time in over two years. I’ve bowled once for fun since the last league ended, so I’m anticipating a lot of soreness in my arm and abs tomorrow. But I’m really looking forward to bowling again, especially since this is the league that I met Donald in. We’re bowling at a new center, but with the same crowd of people we bowled with two years ago. My team still consists of Donald, Pitter, and me, but since Jenn moved to Arizona we had to replace her with Vinne. It should be an interesting season!
My goal for this season is to let it go. Stop trying to be perfect all the time, and have fun. We will win games because of me, and we will lose games because of me. I need to remember that.
I also need to remember that my three teammates will likely be so drunk by the end of the night, they won’t even notice.
Have a good weekend, everyone!
I have such a hard time finding things to write about for this blog. No one wants to hear me go on about how hard it is to find a job. And since I’m not working, there’s not a lot of fun things happening in my life that I can write about. So I’m going to start answering prompts in an effort to write more often. Hopefully, it’ll also let you learn a little more about me, and get me back into the habit of writing more than once a month. (Also, if there’s something you want to know about me, ask! I’ll answer it along the way.)
Today’s question: How do you choose your friends?
I don’t think I’ve ever consciously gone out and thought “I’m going to be friends with THAT person.” I think it just comes with exposure and having things in common. One of my closest friends was a prior coworker. We went to lunch together, and discovered that we practically share a brain. I mean, to the extent that now she lives several states away, and I can think about her, and suddenly a text or e-mail appears. It’s a little freaky. I never intended to be this close to her. In fact, the first day I met her, I thought she was kinda ditzy since she couldn’t find the office and was standing practically in front of it. If you’d asked me then if I’d choose her as a friend, I’d have said no. And yet now, after being friends for 7 years, I can’t imagine not knowing her.
A lot of my friends now are people that Donald has been friends with for years. I didn’t choose them, per say, since they’d already known (or been related to) Donald for so long. But I can honestly say that I absolutely would have chosen to be friends with them, even if Donald hadn’t been our link. I’m just so lucky that they’ve all accepted me into their circle.
I tend to gravitate toward people who are smart or funny, or both. I have little patience for stupidity. I like to be able to have an intelligent conversation, and also kick back and have a good time. My friends always have a great sense of humor, and usually a strong sense of sarcasm. I don’t like people who whine or complain a lot (which is hypocritical, since I have a tendency to whine and complain a lot). I like people with strong personalities, who aren’t afraid to say what they’re thinking, and who don’t let people use them as a doormat. And if they like me in return, well that’s certainly a plus.
What about you? How do you choose (or find) your friends?
I often say that I have no regrets in life. If I regretted something it means I would have changed it, and if I’d done so, then I wouldn’t be where I am now, and I love it here. If I could do some things over again differently, I might (like finishing college the first time, instead of going back later), but most of those things aren’t that important. One thing I do regret, however, is dating Scott. If I could erase that period in my life, I would do so in a heartbeat.
I was 20 years old and had just broken up with my first real boyfriend of 2 years. I was still very much in love with him, but for various reasons, couldn’t continue to be with him. I picked up a night job at the coffee shop inside the bowling alley where I spent all my time, for both extra cash, and a distraction. Scott was a mechanic at the bowling alley and at the time, a generally likable person. We started dating a bit, mostly becoming a pair in the group of friends we shared. Then things turned ugly. I found out he was married. How did I find out, you ask? When a friend got a call saying that Scott’s wife was on the rampage and on her way to the Denny’s where a bunch of us were, to kick my ass. Awesome!
I was stupid back then, and didn’t dump him in that instant. Instead, I helped him file his divorce papers, and eventually let him move in with me. At the time, I saw nothing wrong with this plan. In hindsight, all I can say is Oy. We continued dating a few more months, and he got increasingly clingy, and I got increasingly annoyed. On my 21st birthday he forbid me to go out with my friends because he had to work. That was the final straw for me. No one tells me how to live my life or spend my time, least of all him. So I dumped him. Repeatedly. And he kept begging to come back. He refused to get his stuff from my apartment (I eventually had a mutual friend come remove it for him). He kept calling and telling me he loved me and that I was making a mistake.
And then he started stalking me.
The first time I noticed it I was home watching a movie with a friend. I saw a movement over near my window, and looked over. I thought maybe a cat was walking by and I was seeing the shadow. And then I saw Scott’s eyes looking at me in between some crooked vertical blinds. I screamed and he ran off. My friend ran out after him, but he took off in his car quickly. I was shaken. I was beyond shaken, I was terrified. I couldn’t stay in that apartment anymore. We left and hung out with some friends for a few hours before I could force myself to go back home. I brought reinforcements with me because I was entirely too scared to sleep there by myself. Feeling mildly safer with people sleeping on my couches, I tried to force myself to sleep. Sleep just would not come for me that night. Or many nights into the future.
A few nights later I was in that same Denny’s parking lot hanging out with a group of friends (when the bowling alley closed, we just congregated at the only all night place in the neighborhood. Denny’s). Someone pointed out a car in the parking lot across the street that looked like Scott’s. I froze. After careful investigation, we found out that Scott was watching me. I was freaked out. I didn’t know how to deal with this. I jumped in my car and sped home. Moments later, my friends all came over too. They wouldn’t let me be alone, thankfully. We turned on the tv and I tried to calm myself down. It was working until my friend Jeffy jumped up and said “Scott’s out there” and then went running outside. I cried. I crumpled like a dry leaf and just sobbed. I remember someone called the cops, but Scott was long gone before they got there. I don’t remember much else except obsessively checking the vertical blinds to make sure they were straight.
I called the cops the next day with the intention of filing a restraining order. I was informed that I couldn’t get a restraining order unless he threatened me or my property with harm. Which, sadly, he hadn’t. He just made me feel unsafe in my own home. Apparently, that’s not a crime. So there was nothing I could do. I spent a lot of time at a neighbor’s place, when none of my friends could be at my apartment with me. I never spent another night alone in that apartment. I guess he got the hint eventually, because he stopped following me around (though continued to badmouth me to anyone who’d stop to listen). He keyed “Bitch” into the hood of my beat up old car sometime after that. The thing was was such a piece of junk that it actually made me laugh that anyone would think keying it would be some sort of insult. A short while later I started dating Jason, my now ex-husband, and I think his size alone scared Scott into backing off.
I regret all that drama just because of the fear it brought me. For years I’ve had an issue with vertical blinds. Even after I moved out of that apartment, I’ve had a compulsion to make sure they’re all perfectly straight at all times. Even at other people’s houses, I’d casually adjust the blinds so they’d be straight and people couldn’t peek in the windows. It’s ridiculous, especially since I knew he wasn’t following me anymore, and I knew he didn’t know where I lived. There are still some occasions where I see the blinds slightly crooked, and I feel scared. I hate that. I hate that it still gets to me, especially when I’m home alone late at night. It’s been over 10 years. I should get past it by now.
I regret to inform you, I’m still scared of vertical blinds.
 Today is my sister’s birthday.
Happy Birthday, Jen!
Mia adores Donald. When he gets home from work, she runs in circles at his feet as he walks through the house. She won’t let him kiss me hello until he’s acknowledged her presence. Then she’ll wait for him to sit down on the couch before she runs to bring him a toy. The great thing is that he loves her just as much as she loves him. They’re very cute together.
When I was growing up, my mom’s parents took lots of trips with their friends. They always took thousands of pictures of the trip, and we were always subjected to looking at the entire photo album before being released to go do whatever it was we were waiting to do (usually go swimming, or just go upstairs to the “playroom” and not be around adults). It wasn’t until I got older and more appreciative of the vacations that I started asking questions about who they went with and why. Sometimes it was just the two of them, but often their trips included my grandma’s sister and her husband, or another couple that they were close friends with. I remember thinking as a teenager that I hoped to have friends like that someday.
Thankfully, I have them now.
Last year 6 of us went to Pittsburgh for 5 days and had an amazing time. We toured Heinz Field, drove into Canton to see the Football Hall of Fame, and capped off an amazing weekend with a Steelers vs. Vikings game (Steelers won, of course, and now I can say I’ve seen Brett Favre in action). It was the best vacation I’d ever been on, and the main reason was because of the people we went with. Since we got back we’ve been talking about doing another trip, and I’m SO happy to say we’ve got our destination.
Jamaica.
Next year is Jamey & Jeff’s 10th anniversary, and the 4 of us are going to Jamaica to celebrate. It’ll also be Donald’s birthday while we’re there, as well as the 3 year anniversary of us dating, so we’ll have loads to celebrate. I could not be more excited. The reservation was made this morning, and now there’s no turning back!
303 days!
For the last two years I’ve been participating in Step Out: Walk to Fight Diabetes put on by the American Diabetes Association, and for the last two years, you’ve all been amazing when it comes to supporting me. I’m hoping that this year you’ll do the same. This year I’m getting my donation page up a little earlier since this year I have a bigger goal to reach. Not only did I bump up my monetary goal (and my goal to get more donations than Donald), but this year I made a new personal goal of running or jogging throughout the entire course.
Yes, you read that correctly. I’m not walking this year, I’m running/jogging. I’ve been working on the Couch to 5K program for the last few weeks, and by October 16, I’ll be fully able to run an entire 5K. Since the route we use has a lot of hills, and my practice route has exactly none, I decided I’d be safer to give myself some wiggle room when it comes to running the entire thing. I will run as much as I can and jog the rest if I need to. The downside to this plan is that I’ll be doing it on my own. My friends will all be walking the route while I run. I’m hoping that with enough training, I can run through the entire 5K, and then catch up to my friends and walk the rest of it with them. Since it’s July, and the event is in October, I won’t make any promises just yet. But that’s my ultimate goal.
So here’s where you guys come in. I need support. Monetarily and emotionally. If you can come and walk or run with us, that’d be great! I could use a partner or two to come run with me. If you can’t be there in person, I hope you can support us with a small donation. Every dollar counts, and if you can only spare a dollar, it’ll mean just as much to me as if you can spare $100. Last year our team raised the 4th largest amount at the event, and this year we want to do better. This year my unofficial niece, Kyla (a sister of my unofficial nephew, Jaxson) is representing the American Diabetes Association as the 2010 Step Out Youth Ambassador! Kyla is the main reason we all participate every year, and I’m so proud of her for taking on this leadership role!
The link to donate is on that big button up there on the right sidebar, or you can click the link below. I appreciate anything you can donate, whether it be money, time, or just your good wishes. Here’s to hoping that we find a cure!
Donate or Sign Up here:
http://main.diabetes.org/goto/denora
Despite the floundering economy and important issues that need to be attended to, some cities across the nation are tackling the REALLY important issues:
The city council in Elmhurst, Illinois has asked the City Attorney to look into the possibility of making eye-rolling illegal. Yes, you read that right. Apparently a woman at the city council meeting was seen rolling her eyes and sighing at something a council member said, and was then ejected from the room. Holy sensitivity Batman! She dared to roll her eyes? and SIGH? Perhaps they would have preferred that she jump up and interrupt the statement while gesticulating wildly? Now the city council would like to create a disorderly conduct violation, and get eye-rolling included in it. I cannot even fathom the level of stupidity needed to come up with that idea.
Sullivan’s Island in South Carolina has passed an ordinance that adds hooting, singing, whistling, and hollering to the list of noise disturbances that you can be fined for. I can understand this particular ordinance if it was strictly in a residential area between 11pm and 7am. Sadly, it’s not. The ordinance is in effect 24 hours a day and especially at night. If you are near a home or office during the day and are singing and someone feels you are annoying them, you can be fined. Really? There’s nothing more important to be worried about than if someone is singing as they walk down the street?
I know there are ridiculous laws on the books already, otherwise sites like dumblaws.com and stupidlaws.com would not exist. I just figured those were old laws that never got removed (my favorite being the one where it is illegal to bring a live fish on a bus without any water). I never figured people were STILL making completely stupid laws…
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