I Love a Woman in Heels

I was at work tonight when a former employee sent me a text asking for something to eat.  She said she would stop by on her way home from work.  Since leaving the fast food business she managed to land a job at a local car rental company.  She is actually one of the managers there.  I included this information because she has to dress professionally.  She arrived at the restaurant and I motioned for her to come to the back while I finished her order.  She came through the door and OMG!  She looked amazing.  She was wearing some heels with stockings, a knee-length skirt and a striped top.  Like I said in the title of this post, I love a woman in heels.  BUT it has to be the right heel on the right woman.  It has to be a heel that accentuates a well-toned leg.  Otherwise, it's just a pair of shoes.  Tonight's encounter made me think of another former co-worker from my other job.  She also always looked stunning in heels.  So stunning that I asked her to send me a pic of her just her legs in heels - that's how in love with that on her I was.  I must say it one more time.  I love a woman in heels.  

Know When to Throw in the Towel

I am a very determined person.  Some people call it being stubborn.  I like proving people wrong when they say I can't accomplish a goal that I know is well within my capabilities.  With that being said, I have been working on a situation for a friend.  The goal can be easily accomplished by my standards - it's just a matter of the friend agreeing to the situation.  Said friend refuses to do so.  Said friend wants to bend the rules of the agreement.  I have tried reluctantly to explain this is an all or nothing situation - the rules cannot be changed to achieve the desired goal.  At this point, after months of trying to help, I am ready to throw in the towel.  You can't help someone who does not want to be helped.

Inspiration

I'm usually a fairly self motivated person.  Anything I want/need to do usually gets done.  Recently, however I have drawn inspiration from people I work with.  A couple of guys I work with have been talking about going to the gym a lot recently.  One guy in particular goes almost daily.  He puts in anywhere from 5-8 hours at a fast food restaurant and then goes to the gym for about an hour.  Now I am not dedicated enough to my health to join a gym.  I am however aware that I need to tone up and build some endurance because working only one job for the last 2.5 months has made me lazy.  So I've decided to work out about 30 minutes per day at home.  I already had some dumbbells.  I purchased a pair of weighted gloves this weekend.  I have a few workout apps installed on my S4.  To top it all off I still have my 45 workout mix playlist with everything from Bon Jovi to Enimem to Drowning Pool.  I plan on sticking to working out properly this time no matter what.

Fairly Merry Christmas

Christmas 2013 went better than I anticipated.  My kids opened their gifts from me and the wife last Saturday (12/21/13).  I know 12/21 is technically not Christmas but I got tired of the wife and kids asking about gifts. Plus is you want to be religiously technical, Christmas is not about giving gifts. Anyway, on Christmas Day we drove to my mom's house so the girls could get their other gifts.  I spent the day setting up mom's tablet on her wireless network and installing games/antivirus on her laptop.  The kids were happy with their gifts which was the biggest thing.  No major calamities.  Guess I can say Christmas 2013 was a success.

Pay What You Owe

A friend of mine has really been there for me throughout all my latest financial woes.  She's the kind of person who is willing to lend me money knowing that she may never see it again.  Well after the loss of my job back in October, my running total was about $350.  Rather than stress over the money, she struck a deal for payback.  She was taking some online classes and really did not want to with writing the weekly essays and the term paper.  Solution - I wrote the essays and term paper in exchange for wiping out the debt I owed her.  Win-win situation because she ended up with an A in the class and I ended up paying what I owed.

Can Money Buy Happiness?

I've been asking myself this question a lot recently.  I guess it's because I still have not found a second job and things are getting really tight financially.  I opted to make sure my kids had a decent Christmas so now bills are showing up and I don't have the money to pay them all.  Ever since I lost my job I have been kind of blah about life.  At one point I thought to myself that money would answer my problems and cure my disposition.  Then I thought about the money situation more closely.  Money can't buy happiness.  It pays for contentment.  The richest people in the world (i'm thinking of celebrities and athletes) aren't always happy.  Even with all their money, ever move they make is analyzed and scrutinized.  I don't need that stress. I also thought about what makes me happy.  Things that make me happy like a hug/kiss from a loved one don't cost money.  So I guess I have the answer to my question.  Money can buy many things but happiness is priceless.

A Picture is Worth 1000 Words

We have all heard the expression "A picture is worth 1000 words."  We say this because so much can be captured in the moment a photo is snapped.  Whether it's the joy on a child's face opening a gift or the heartache of an athlete losing a match, pictures tell a story in every frame.  A friend of mine sent me a picture yesterday.  It was a picture of her new hairdo.  The fact that she took the time to send me the pic spoke volumes by itself.  Then there was everything about the picture.  She was smiling as only she can.  She was radiant and glowing as she showed off her new do.  She was happy.  And she chose to share that happiness with me.  The picture told me that she loved me enough to include me in her happy moment.  A picture is truly worth a 1000 words.  Especially when the first three words are "I Love You."

Crossing Paths part 2

Seems that the past couple of weeks have been filled with opportunities to cross paths with my former co-workers.  I ran across a former supervisor from the old job at my local Target.  He informed me that he was in charge of the one here and in another city.  Later that same day, I ran into a former agent at the local Lowe's.  She stated that another former supervisor was also employed there now.  Tuesday, when I had my last interview I ran into a former manager from the old job.  Amazing how life sees fit to let you cross paths with certain people at certain times. 

Crossing Paths

I always tell people that I don't burn bridges because you never know when you will need someone in the future.  Now I may not keep the bridge in tip-top shape but I keep it repairable at the least.  With that being said, I had a chance encounter this morning at the grocery store. I had just dropped my youngest off at daycare and decided to grab some items to make breakfast.  As I was walking into the store, I ran into one the ladies from the HR department at my old job.  Now I have lived in the same place for the last 5 years and this is the first time I have ever seen her in this store.  We spoke and she asked how I was doing. I told her I was doing ok.  She gave me the look of "You say you are ok and I want to tell you something but I will hold my tongue."  We wished each other happy holidays and went our separate ways.  Funny how fate chooses when are where chance encounters occur. 

WTF - You Busy?

In this day and age of social media and advanced technology, people have lost the art of general conversation.  Everything is text speak and acronyms as we hurry about our day.  I was at work the other day and I received a text message from the nephew.  As usual, I am going to give the exchange word for word so you can see the level of craziness I truly deal with.

Him:  U busy?
Me:  Yes. At work. What Up?
Him:  I'm in some shit unk
Me:  Now what?
Him:  I see my po on Tuesday In I dnt get payed tell Friday in what been going. On with this ppl up at the po office she wnt let me pay it later
Me:  I can't help you.  Struggling to pay my own bills as is
Him:  Even if u get it back on Friday
Me: No

(Ok.  For those of you reading who are not up on the legal system in our country, PO stands for parole officer.  He was asking for money to pay the PO the monthly fee.) 

WTF?  Are you serious?  Why would I lend you money when you have borrowed money from me SINCE you moved out of my house in July and not repaid?  Do I look like an ATM?  I usually don't wish ill will towards others but I truly feel jail may be the best place for this young man.

Ten Days Since Last Post

It's been a week and a half since my last post.  I have to say, I've been going through some things during the time. I went from battling the "common" cold if there is such a thing to trying to home medicate myself back from blood glucose levels off the meter.  I had to miss work twice last week due to my illness.  I'm better now though so hopefully things can get back to some level of normal. 

Feeling Under The Weather

The weather in my area has been flip-flopping for the last couple of weeks.  Yesterday it was 70 degrees and now it is damn near 30.  So of course, somehow i have managed to pick up a sore throat and a slightly runny nose.  I took some over the counter medicine prior to going to work.  I just took a night time dose upon returning home for the day.  It might not be advisable to chase this cold medicine with vodka but I need something to get this flavor out of my mouth.  I hope whatever is ailing me comes and goes quickly.  I can't afford to be sick. 

Breaking Point and an Ultimatum

Everybody reaches their breaking point at some time in their life.  There comes a situation where a person gets tired of being stepped on and decides to buck the system.  I reached my breaking point yesterday.  I returned home from a short time out with former co-workers.  Upon my return, I scanned my house and was instantly pissed off.  There was a plate of cut up cheese on the stove which had been sitting out so long it had turned hard.  The rest of the block of cheese was discovered in my oldest's room.  There were 4 cups in the living and a nice spill of the soda I had purchased earlier.  My four year old was standing next to the bed in the main bedroom watching some movie on Lifetime Movie Network while my wife was asleep. That was the last straw.  I talked to my wife today and told her exactly how I felt.  I told her I was tired of asking/begging/screaming at her to change but nothing happens.  I asked her if she had considered what she was going to do if her case does not go through and she does not receive benefits from her termination.  She just looked at me.  I explained to her that I would stay here until income tax time.  I reminded her that she did not work in 2013 so any refund we receive is technically mine.  I let her know that if she has not done a complete change by that time, I'm gone.  She didn't say anything.  She just gave me the same "whatever" look as always. 

Bah Humbug

I think the reduction in my income and the lack of interaction with co-workers has really gotten to me over the last few months.  October thru December is usually when I do some of my best work.  Whether I am planning an awesome Halloween Bash, coming up with a great gift for a November lady or decking the halls with laughter and presents for Christmas, the last 3 months of the year are usually when I excel.  This year has not been the case.  No Halloween Bash happened for a variety of reasons.  I have not accompanied my youngest on any of her field trips (I let the wife take over that duty).  Lack of funds led to me only giving out ecards for my November birthdays.  I took down the Christmas decorations for my wife and kids.  I chose not to decorate a tree and told the wife I would not be hanging lights this year.  I'm in a real nonchalant mood about the holidays.  My attitude has truly gone from Happy Holidays to Bah Humbug. 

Two months later

It's been 2 months since I lost my full time job.  Thank goodness for severance packages.  I've been able to maintain things at home for the most part but there were some sacrifices.  We had to pull my two youngest out of ballet because it was not in the budget.  They didn't really mind because between their mother not wanting to take them to practice and the girls not wanting to go to practice, sometimes it seemed like a waste of money anyway.  Now things are about to get crucial around here.  Everybody wants money and my income was cut by 66%.  I've been trying to find another job but nothing has come through yet.  At this point, 2 months later, I don't know how much longer we can survive like this.