English class done!!

That is the last time I take an online class!!  I just posted my final essay (just under 1500 words) and if I get a C for this class I will be a happy woman!!  Hopefully, I won't have to take it again but if I do I will take a class where I can see my teacher face to face at least once a week.

I start work at Kmart tomorrow morning, HOORAY!!!  Yes, it's a part time, minimum wage job and it's about 20 miles from my house and I don't care.  Right now, because I haven't worked in 4 years, it's so much more important to have recent work history under my belt, the money isn't the most important.  I can only do this because I have a small income, but even if I didn't I would still get a bus pass so I wouldn't have to worry about gas.  I know that I'm a good worker and once they realize it they will give me more hours.  I can't get anyone to understand how important it is to just take the job, what ever it is, get your foot in the door.  If you don't move up at least you have a recent job.  I plan on staying there until 1) I find a better job closer to home or 2) I graduate; probably number 2.

Besides, I haven't worked in 4 years, I need to get used to working again.  Going to class everyday is helping me get used to being around people again; I'm getting better, although I did have a couple of nervous moments.  I knew that if I stuck it out I would be ok in the long run, and I am getting better!

No matter what, I can't quit!! Things are moving in just the right direction and I know that if I keep going I will only get better at this and I will be able to do what I want in the long run.  For now, I have my 2 youngest grandson's for the day so after thier movie I will try to turn on my Playstation 3 and perhaps learn how to play a video game today (HA!!).  Wish me luck :)

Busy little momma

I started school last week and I have still been out looking for a job on my off time.  School is fun but I don't think I'll be taking anymore online classes.  I just don't know what she wants and I have to keep emailing the teacher.  My math class is rather interesting; imagine Archie Bunker teaching college math.  Yeah, good times, hahahaha!!  He's a character and I'm not sure we are learning anything but at least my $100 math book has a CD tutorial, it helps a lot.

I had my second and third interview today for Kmart and I believe I got the job (I find out for sure tomorrow).  HOORAY!!!  I felt so good coming home today.  I can only work on Friday's, Saturday's and Sunday's while I'm in school but they are more than happy to work with me on that.  I should go in on Monday to sign all the paperwork and take my drug test and as soon as the test and my background check comes back I'll get my schedule.  I think she liked the fact that I was very honest with her, but I stayed away from the fact that I haven't worked this whole time because of a workplace injury.  I didn't lie, though, I told her I had an accident and while I was out my position was phased out and it was during the same time when the rest of America was getting laid off and even Walgreen's at the time were cutting back on cashier hours.  Not one lie.

I'll be working in the housewares department, which will be a lot of folding towels and such.  I don't plan on staying there forever and I have zero plans on ever working full time and I did tell her I couldn't unload the truck.  There are men who work in the stock room who can handle the furniture so I will never have to do that.  I just feel like a big fat load has been taken off my shoulders.  I can breath again.

I went to a chiropractor yesterday and he took an x-ray of my neck before he got started.  Then he showed something to me.  It's 2 vertebrae at the bottom of my neck and he showed me how they have grown oddly around each other.  He told me he see's a lot of this type of injury (yes, injury) in boxers, and let me know there's nothing that can be done about it now, it's been a very long time.  Yeah, it's been a very long time since a man has hit me.  But the damage has been done and as I had already guessed, the damage is still causing me problems (he said this is why I have so many headaches and he believes it's why I have no feeling in the last 2 fingers of my left hand and I will probably never get the feeling back because there is nothing that can be done now).  It made me realize how happy I am that I am single, as sad as that is to say.  Well,  I never thought I would make it out of this life without a couple of scars, I made it this far and I still plan on going farther.  I'm certainly not going to let this get me down, I'm just too damn happy today :)

Shop my AVON store!

Shop my AVON store!: Here's a sneak peak at some of the latest products available at Avon. Be sure to click

Shop my AVON store!

Shop my AVON store!: Here's a sneak peak at some of the latest products available at Avon. Be sure to click

HOORAY!! I can type again!

I was bit by something, a spider more than likely, on my right wrist and it became infected badly.  My entire hand was swollen and it felt as though it was on fire.  In fact, it looks like I was burned; I have a spot on my hand now that is brand new tender skin, just like after a burn.  I will have a nasty scar, too, but I am past the worst of it (I can see my knuckles for the first time in weeks!).  It doesn't hurt anymore but oh my does it itch!! There were a couple of days I was worried I might actually lose my hand.  I have never had an infection that bad and hope I never get one again.  I did go to the doctor and she put me on some heavy duty antibiotics, which I just took the last of last night.  She didn't know what could have bit me but she did say it was a staph infection.  It was the grossest, nastiest thing my body has ever created, I'll say that much!!

Did I mention I have 2 new roommates?  We are a funny 21st century Three's Company, for sure, but we have fun together.  At first I wasn't sure it would work out but it does.  John is 26, I'm 48 (I just had a birthday a couple of weeks ago, took my grandson's to see The Avengers, very awesome movie!) and Pat is 68.  We look out for each other and take care of each other and somehow it works.

Yes, I had a birthday.  It's hard to believe I'm actually 48.....what an impossible number, it seems.   I remember  before I bought my home, I had a goal that I would own my own home by the time I was 42.  It was a goal I made but couldn't hang onto.  And it wasn't totally my fault but I do have to take some responsibility for how things turned out.  My goal for age 50 is different, I want to have a degree by the time I'm 50.  That's something I can hang onto no matter what.

And I am on my way.  I begin classes in 2 weeks; my tuition isn't paid for yet but will be and I have all my books.  I'm a bit excited, it will be good for me to be able to have a routine that takes me out of the house every day.  That's something I have craved for a very long time.  I've been afraid that I might not be able to do that (I never thought I would be scared to leave my home but sometimes I am; it's something I realize I have to overcome if I'm going to be healthy) but I think that this will help me get used to getting out more often, I will be able to get used to it and build on that.  Having John and Pat around helps me, too.  For too long I was alone and I never realized how easy it is to get used to being alone.  My original plan was for my kids to live with me but I think this is better in the long run.  I've been living with them for most of my life, it's time for me to spread my wings, so to speak.

Now that my hand is healed I can begin looking for work again.  I finally got my drivers license for Nevada and while I was there I picked up my driving record.  I was thinking at the very least I can deliver pizza's on weekends (I won't be in school on Friday's, Saturday's & Sunday's) or something along those lines.  Also, there is a convenience store being built around the corner from my house so I will apply there.  I don't want to rush anything but I do need to work.  I have a couple of Avon customers but not enough to help yet, although I'm trying.  It's the getting out and meeting new people thing that holds me back.  I have to come out of my shell more, I suppose.  And I will; it just wont happen overnight and I know that.  But I am excited more than I am scared and I guess that's a good sign.  

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Good news, better news and GREAT news

My electrician was telling me about this elderly woman he knew that was in a terrible place.   She was renting a room from a lady who's son also lived in the same house.  Well, he and his friends are junkies and apparently these people were robbing this woman blind.  She couldn't even go to the bathroom without them stealing her wallet and even though she would put her medication (she has terrible arthritis and has to use a walker and she takes pain medication) in her pajama pockets she would wake up in the middle of the night with someone trying to take her medication OUT OF HER PAJAMA POCKETS.   I just couldn't stomach that so I moved her into my house.  The first thing she did was lay on her bed and sleep for about 14 hours.  When she woke up she looked so much better, it made me feel good that I was able to make such a difference that she would feel so comfortable in my home she could actually sleep.

Now I have 3 adults who are helping me with the bills.  It's a bit tight (four adults in a three bedroom house) but we will work it out.  My daughter was supposed to move out at the end of the month but she can't get into her new apartment for some time (she's on a waiting list) so I told her if she wanted to stay here she had to pay me rent and she agreed.  So getting help with the bills is the good news.

The better news is that I have been approved to receive a scholarship!!  I don't know yet how much the scholarship will pay but anything is going to be welcome!!  I just enrolled for my first classes that begin in June and I'm a bit excited about going back to school.  It is a little overwhelming because the school is huge and it's not like it was in WA, where everyone I was going to school with were my age and even older.  I will truly be one of the oldest students in my classes this time but I'm not going to let that get to me.  I will try to use it to my advantage.

And the GREAT news is that I will get to see the First Lady next week!  I have been volunteering for President Obama and the lady I have been working with just called me to let me know she got me a ticket to go see Mrs. Obama.  I'm very excited....well, I don't know if I will get to meet her face to face (and me without a camera, darn it!!) but I will at least be able to see her speak in person and that is just as good to me.   I have been volunteering with Women for Obama here in Las Vegas since I moved here.  It keeps me busy but it also is important to me to re-elect the President (even more important now that we know who the GOP running against him is, don't get me started, HA!).  I have never done anything like this before but I do enjoy it. Volunteering, at the very least, gets me out of the house once in awhile and boy, I NEED that sometimes!

No, I still don't have a job but now that I have enrolled in school I know what my schedule will be like and I am trying to get a job at the school (I've given them my resume, plus I'm on a waiting list for the work study program).  I am still, however, going on interviews and putting my resume out there.  I really think the fact that I was a Manager in my last job, that may be what is holding me back.  So today I am going to redo my resume and just put that I was a cashier.  It wouldn't be a lie, the only problem is when they ask me how much I made should I down play that too??  I think I should, then again, I think I should get some advice from someone first.  Well, that's what I'm doing today.  That and waiting for the AC man to come get my AC working, it's gonna be needed this weekend.

Shop my AVON store!

Shop my AVON store!: Here's a sneak peak at some of the latest products available at Avon. Be sure to click

Shop my AVON store!

Shop my AVON store!: Here's a sneak peak at some of the latest products available at Avon. Be sure to click

Things are starting to come together

The first couple of weeks in our new home were very frustrating.  The electricity didn't work at all and the electrician was dumbfounded as to the problem.  We couldn't run two electronic things at the same time, if we turned one thing on, like the dryer or the computer, it would suck all the juice out of whatever was already turned on.  If we started the washing machine or the dish washer ever light in the house would turn into a strobe light.  My daughter and even my neighbor made jokes about the house being haunted, and I was starting to believe.  We finally found out that is wasn't in the house at all, but the wiring coming in from the city.  Once they came out and fixed it everything works wonderful now!

We didn't have any furniture at first and we were piggy backing off of someone else's Internet, until they didn't pay their bill I'm guessing because the Internet was down for a few days right when we were getting information on job interviews.  So I broke down and turned on cable; with Internet and phone.  It was actually cheaper in the long run if I got all three (under $100 for the first 6 months, then I can cancel if I'm not working yet).  I got a great deal on some furniture.  I wasn't able to do the "Made in America" plan I had hoped to do,  I got 2 recliners and a sectional for less than $100 (with and that includes the truck rental to get the furniture home!).  Now we can sit down in the living room.  It was almost strange at first, sitting in my own living room.  I sat on the couch and just looked around for awhile, to just enjoy that small victory.

I have an appointment tomorrow for a grant with Vocational Rehabilitation, I have signed up for school and took (and passed) my placement tests, and next week I have an orientation at school for the Health Information Tech classes I will be taking.  I will have to be approved for these classes ahead of time and I have some pre-recs I have to take before they will allow me in but I have no doubt I will be approved.  Classes begin June 4 and I plan on having all my ducks in a row long before that.

I have been sending my resume out to everyone and going to many interviews.  My daughter has a job now, so we have to share the car.  Which means we are putting a lot of gas in the car.  The two of us have filled the tank (at about 50 bucks a pop) about 4 or 5  times since we moved into this house.  I would get a bus pass but we are both broke right now, I am considering getting a scooter for myself.  Or two....

I signed up to sell Avon.  I am really not expecting to make millions, but if I can make a little extra on the side I would be happy.  At any rate, I will get a big discount on my own make up!!  I spend about an hour a day on that, the rest of my time is spent on job sites.  I'm actually getting sick of my computer.  Every job I apply to I have to go through the questionnaires, and that takes about an hour (or two, sometimes).  It's frustrating because I am answering the same questions over and over again.  There really should be one site where I could go to and just fill out the information once and then send that to each employer.  But I am getting a lot of calls back and going to a lot of interviews and I am bound to get a job somewhere.

I'm afraid that my past job being a manager is what is holding me back.  I really need to sit down with a job counselor, and I will be able to once I have put in all that fun paperwork for Voc Rehab.  At this point, I'm almost ready to hold a sign for a tax company.  But I'm not going to give up just yet.  I just got here and I knew before I ever left WA the jobs wouldn't be dropping in my lap, that it would take some work.  At least I have a bit of an income right now, which is more than a lot of Americans in my position can say!!  So I am thankful for what I have and I am thankful for this opportunity to make the most of my situation!!

Busy busy busy

I found a beautiful home and moved in about a week and a half ago.  The rooms are huge and the back yard is huge and I love it but there are some problems.  It was a foreclosed home and I guess it's been empty for a long time (it's owned by a bank, which tells me a lot).  Every drain leaked and right now I'm waiting for the electrician, I think when they built the home they didn't wire it right because my washing machine shuts everything off and the lights flicker so bad it's a good thing I'm not epileptic!!

Mostly, I can't wait to get a couch!!  I am unpacked (for the most part) but I wont hang any pictures until I do get furniture.  I'm considering rent to own, unless I can find used that's in good shape.  I really don't want to do rent to own, in my opinion it's a waste of money but I just don't have enough money right now.  Since it took a bit longer to get into the home I had to pay for a motel room for longer than I had hoped, which also means it cost more to eat than I had planned.  It's okay, though, even if that's the way I have to go because I do need to work on building my credit back up (thanks to my ex husband)  so I do have to do something.  I haven't been  here long enough for my bank to get to know me for a loan, all they would have to go on is the past few years and I don't even want to know what that looks like!

I (and my daughter and her boyfriend) have begun looking for work.  I have updated my resume and uploaded it everywhere. Monster, Indeed, Jobs  to Careers, Career builders, Linked In, the State of Nevada jobs board, everyone.  Right away I started getting phone calls from insurance companies to go to school with them.  There has to be some kind of scam with that I'm thinking and I just don't trust it at all!!  But I check for jobs everyday and give everyone my resume anyway.

But the most important thing I've done was begin the registration process for school yesterday.  I also got the ball rolling for Vocational Rehab, for help going to school.  The next semester begins on June 4 so I have plenty of time but I like having my ducks all in a row.  I've already put in my FAFSA, too.  Right now I can't do anything until my application goes through and I get a student ID number, and after that I have to go back  and take a placement test and talk to a counselor.  I have been checking things out and if I take Health Information Tech (which is along the lines of what I have already started school for in WA) I will end up with and Associates degree, plus 4 certificates, and it would be the least amount of time.  I'm not making any decisions until I sit down with the counselor, I'm just checking my options right now.  But I'm very excited, I can finally begin my life!!!

One thing I should mention, I can't afford to go to Starbucks right now and I'm piggy backing off of someone else's internet which isn't very reliable so for anyone who doesn't hear from me too often just please be patient!  I will be back online soon!

VEGAS BAYBEE!!!

We got in just last night and so far so good!!  Don't have a home yet, but I meet with someone tomorrow (she has classes all day today or we would do this today) and we already have a list of homes to go thru.  I only hope I'm approved fast, the truck has to be turned in on Wednesday.

Speaking of truck, we didn't get out of WA on Friday morning because when I was backing the truck into my back yard the gate blew over and caught the passenger side view and shattered the passenger window.  So I had to drive to Portland, OR for another truck.  The good news is that was the only hiccup in the whole trip. 

I was ready to drive through the snow (and I did end up pulling my car on a trailer, a personal first.  I guess it really isn't too late to learn new things in life) and for a minute I thought I would.  My daughter was my navigator and she took us through the Shasta mountains, which was beautiful but we were truly the only people on that road and at one point it started snowing and even sticking on the road but it never got bad enough to have to put chains on the tires and it only lasted for about a half an hour.

All in all, it was a smooth trip.  We had fun, even tho we were a little cramped with 2 dogs and 3 people in the cab of the truck, and bucket seats, but we did alright.  So the plan now is to find a home and get moved in.  I'm not even looking any farther than that right now, however strong the temptation.  I can only do this one step at a time.  First step, get here.  Second step, move into a home and get situated (change my address for insurance/get renters insurance, register my car & get a NV license, stuff like that).  Next step, start looking for a job and get signed up for school.  I think I will sit down with a career specialist and talk about my options before I make any real decisions as far as school is concerned.

But I'm not even worrying about that right now.  I want to be in a home by the end of the week and that is my  only goal in front of me right now.

Had to fall a bit farther before I could pick myself up

I think I just needed to be a little more humbled before I could actually get started.  I am writing this in a Starbucks because I have no more Internet.  Or electricity.  Or water.

But I saw it coming and I knew that I would be okay.  I made whatever plans I needed to make to be able to get through this, saved candles and wood and emptied the big totes I have Christmas decorations stored in and now I have over 200 gallons of water.  I tacked up blankets over the doors so any heat can't leave a room (and I have a lot of blankets!)

And back when I bought my computer I also bought a lap top so I am not completely out of touch with the outside world.  I can only spend so much time in a Starbucks, tho, so I have been spending my time looking for a home.  And I think I might have one.  If not that one, then another, I have sent out about 20 emails and am in contact now with several people in Las Vegas and should have a home before I leave here.

Oh!!  I didn't mention that, did I?  Workman's comp finally closed my case and I just received my award.  I should have known that it would all come through AFTER everything got shut off.  I haven't received a paycheck in over 3 months and yes, I have been applying everywhere.  I have even been applying for jobs in Portland OR even tho a minimum wage job that far away would only pay for my gas.  I wasn't kidding when I said there are no jobs here.  There is a month long waiting list to get help with utilities and you can't ask until you have a shut off date.  That's how bad it is here.  There are 3 other families on my street alone without power.  It's like an infection, but I am one more step to making everything right.

I have a truck ordered, I pick it up first thing Thursday morning.  I will be on the road Friday morning, and should be in Las Vegas by Sunday or Monday at the latest.  I have tire chains for both the car and the truck and my daughter and her friend are driving my car behind me so I don't have to pull a trailer.  I did the math and it wont cost any more to gas the car than it will to rent a trailer to tow it so I'm not going to be out of any more money.

So all I have to do now is pack whatever needs to be packed, tie up just a few loose ends and I can finally start my life again.  I am so excited!!

The funny thing is, all this time all I have been able to do is think about how I'm going to do something but I haven't been able to act.  Now that I can actually do something I don't know where to begin.  But I am determined to do this smart.  I did spend $100 on a room for 2 nights thinking I needed the wi-fi and phone and thankfully I didn't spend more than that.  I have learned a valuable lesson, not all wi-fi is created equal and I really spoiled myself on my own wi-fi.  So even tho I got to sleep in a warm room and took the hottest shower I could handle I still feel that I wasted that money since I couldn't do all I had hoped to do.

Now I have a Boost mobile cell phone and I bought a Starbucks gift card so I can limit what I spend and I leave my bank card at home!  I can always boil water on my BBQ if I need to and my kitchen is like a walk in freezer right now so we are eating sandwiches and nothing is going bad.  I feel bad for the critters, they keep walking up to the wall heaters and looking at them with those sad eyes puppies get but then we all bundle up together and we do just fine.

So my adventure finally begins.  I have been looking at what jobs are available in Vegas and there are many more than there are here.  I might change my mind about school as there are so many openings right now for a pharmacy tech that can work in a compounding pharmacy, mixing drugs and IV's, it seems that's where the medical jobs are right now.  But I know that can change so for the minute (and I have a couple of months to make my education plans) I am keeping my options open.  Things change so fast these days but I'm pretty flexible!!

So hang tight, this has been a pretty bumpy ride lately and I'm not done yet!!