In my quest to be a better… the best me I can be, I have started seeing a “counselor.” She is helping me work some things out. I found that when my grandmother passed away, that things were getting increasingly difficult for me to handle.
I am learning to that my personal “packages” don’t have to be so neat all the time.
For those who haven’t heard yet, I lost my job yesterday. My former bank just wasn’t making enough deals. I had been getting a full forty (40) hours, while I watched the other temps get a day here and there, some even every other week. I knew I had been lucky.
My immediate response was to update my résumé, but I didn’t have focus to do so. I will get it done at some point this weekend, so that I can get a jump on the week. I can’t afford to take a break. I just was not prepared for this.
Time to dust off my old contacts. Missed a great networking opportunity, being asked to speak at an event which I forgot to RSVP for. I will hit the next one. Hopefully, I will be invited to speak again. I think it will be good for my personal growth as well.
I think the worst part of all of this will be telling my son that I am out of work again. I was looking forward to Christmas this year and spoiling him a bit more than usual. He deserves it! I will have to postpone it.
I would like to toast the future. Whatever it may be, I am looking towards it.
My best friend could be considered someone I have positively influenced. She is doing so well for herself. While she may wish to give me credit, I feel she did all of the heavy lifting.
Her mother who always told her she was going to ruin her life and that she would never pay for her to go away to school is now telling people how proud she is of her… hypocrite.
She got a full scholarship from the school and several others. I am so proud of her.
I just bought this a little over a month ago. I think I got a good deal, since it was bundled with a telephoto lens in addition to the kit lens. I love it. I still use my S80 from time to time, but it just doesn’t match my XSi.
I am still learning how to use it. I can’t take a shot without IS to save my life, not yet anyway. I want to take pictures as a hobby, so I am open to learning. Any photographers want to give me advice? I am very open to it.
Check out my Photostream and leave some comments, criticism… when you get a chance.
I have at least that daily. I carry a 1.5 liter bottle of Smart Water to work with me everyday. Sometimes I refill it, sometimes I might go with something sweet. I can say that I drink water more than anything else and I prefer water to any other beverage.
...About going back to school.
Is this really the time? I think it is. I have been putting it off for so long. So much is going on in the world. The market is in a downward spiral, things are getting more competitive… I don’t want to be caught out there when things pick up.
I feel there is going to be a renaissance of sorts when the economy bounces back… or at least I hope for a period of deeper appreciation for what we have and the opportunities before us. I just feel I should get a jump on it either way.
More immediately, this would be me turning a negative into a positive. While my credit is shot and I am paying it back, it’s difficult for me to get an apartment. I can put whatever extra funds I can muster towards getting a degree. I can move when my personal economic conditions are more acceptable.
Benefits: What exactly are the benefits? Well as far as I can tell, a sense of accomplishment, a degree would make me more marketable and my son will see me doing even more positive things. I am trying to teach him to keep reaching.
As of now, I am still unsure what I want to go back for. I don’t even know what school or schools I want to attend. I am going to walk into an admissions office soon. Has to be long before the holiday. I want to get the ball rolling for Winter / Spring term.
I am praying for guidance. Pray for me, please. Wish me luck!
Not too long ago I stated that I would no longer be living check to check come September. I guess it depends on how you define the month. Is it from the first pay check of the month? Is it from the first of the month?
I have decided that it should be from the first of the month. While, in my view, I have fallen short of this, I will make some preparations this week to make sure I can take full advantage of my pay check on Friday. I know some of this is going to be really hard, but if I don’t do it myself, it might just happen anyway.
I think I can make it. I am starting out the week with just over $100. After grocery shopping, I should have just enough for lunch at work this week. This is going to be interesting, I think… If I get in a bind, there is always my meager savings.
I am trying really hard not to dip into my savings. Right now, I am in the process of setting up a plan to pay myself back for not saving in June and July. I have to make adjustments to the amount I need to pay back to reflect 20% rounded up to the nearest $5 of my weekly pay.
In all, things are going pretty good. Making regular payments. I need to find out exactly how deep I am in though. I glanced at some of my older entries and I don’t think I am making the best financial choices I can be, otherwise, I wouldn’t be living check to check. I will make better choices in the future. I just need to come up with a better plan.
...jkl; Yeah, I realize that while I may be able to type pretty quickly now, for short bursts, to suit my own purposes anyway, I still need the practice.
I am still not good with the numbers on the keyboard, hell I would like to learn to use the keypad. Worst of all, I seem to freak and my speed takes a huge hit when it counts… like Friday night at work.
I would like to get back to this as soon as possible. Start doing regular drills, start testing myself. No matter how good we might be at anything, practice still keeps us sharp or in this case… on key.
I am lapsed! Lapsed in faith, in judgment, in love… Most of all I have forgotten who I am and become a little of something else.
Today, I show myself… Renewed faith, renewed concern for the details that once defined me and set me apart from others, a new view of who I am, the people around me and the world in general.
I think I have spent my life hiding, from the world and much worse from myself. It’s time to just live, love, and be all that I can be… Me!
See this goal was supposed to be a way to empower myself and not show all my cards. This year, I fell for someone… Well, I fell for several people… Each one harder than the last. The last one seemed as into me as I was her, but for some reason upon closer inspection I was not all that she thought me to be.
I realize that when it came to her. I did contradict who I am a lot. I was, am confused. I shook me to my foundation. As I am just regaining my footing, I realize… I am scared, I am not as strong, I am not prepared for that connection I so desperately desire.
LOL, Keyshia Cole f. Anthony Hamilton – “Losing you” just started playing in iTunes…
For some time anyway… About six or seven months. It didn’t happen all at once, but after I cut down my payments last year, I was doing good… I think! Then I lost my unemployment benefits too and then had to make calls to let them know there was no way I could make that month’s payment. This would be about December. I was immediately placed in collections.
I spent the next six months avoiding calls. Then things started to happen. I had a promising lead, so I started returning the calls to see where I was. One debt had approximately $3,500 added to it.
Long story, short… I set up payments for the next four to six months which I may need to adjust and reschedule for other expenses.
I am hoping to be out of debt by December 31 of 2009. I have to do some more figuring, budgeting and scheduling to get a more definite ballpark date. Still, I am on my way and I am happy to be back.
Most of my friends and readers of my blog already know that I have found a job. It’s even better than my last. I get a bit overwhelmed sometimes but it is working out pretty well.
I am working in another major wealth management/investment firms and while I am not particularly fond of my shift. The people I come in contact with are great.
In all I am happy and proud to be employed again. It expands my possibilities greatly and I just missed being able to spend and not have to worry about my next meal.
That being said, I wish you all, who are still looking, the best of luck. Anyone who might like to exchange staffing agency info in New York City feel free to send me a message.
The other day I said no news could be good news, but when it is prolonged it most likely is bad news. I did not get the job. Time to make this happen. I am not sure what direction I am going in, but I need to get stuff going. Maybe it’s time to take another direction.
I sent out ecards to the recruiters and headhunters I had mad contact with at the agencies for Christmas and New Years. Thanking them, wishing them well and letting them know I am looking forward to working with them in the new year. I even sent one to the recruiter at my previous agency, who knows if I will ever cross paths with him again.
The day after Xmas I had an interview for a word processor position which seemed to go very well. I am waiting on feedback. The hiring manager is on vacation. She should be back on Monday. I guess in this case no news is good news. I am still looking though. Who knows something better may turn up.
My repayment plans have stalled. I have been stuck for about a month. I spent the day calling my bill collectors. Due to my inability to pay, one more account slipped into collections. One account is in collections due to an error on Macy*s part. We are trying to resolve this now.
I am hoping I can make my long term goal of being debt free by December 31 of this year. Not the way I wanted to start of 2008, but all hope is not gone.
This has been something that has escaped me for some time. I can’t believe I have managed to procrastinate for two years. It is one of my original goal.
I intend to be familiar with at least the fundamentals of JavaScript, by the end of the month and to figure out a way to use it regularly enough not to forget everything.
I have a fairly recent tutorial that I intend to start with. All the while attempting to find new applications for it.
I used to drink a half gallon daily. Now I don’t even think I get a cup. I need to get back to water like NOW.
I have been out of work for about 6 months now. I did not apply for unemployment right away, not until about 2 months in. I depleted my savings.
Recently, they cut off my unemployment. They are saying I lied on the application and they want me to pay the unemployment I did collect back. Hmmm, you know I am going to appeal this right?
I did get to work two days last week and I have an interview tomorrow morning. Things will get better, they couldn’t get any worse or could they?
I haven’t tried a typing test in some time. I know that I type quite a bit faster than I used to. I don’t have access to Mavis Beacon at the moment, not sure I need it though. I type how it feels natural to me. I still have a bit of trouble with the number keys but I am sure I will work that out soon as well.
I have been looking for a new job since I lost my last one at the end of June. I was a Presentation Specialist/Graphics Operator. I have been up for several positions that were either in line or parallel to my objective, but they all seemed to fall through. With the current hiring freeze in the industry I have few options. I can shoot below, take a job for now that isn’t going to get me anywhere, I can sit and wait or I can either shoot for something above and fill in the blanks as I go, which I am sure I can.
I think sharpening my lesser promoted skills over the next few weeks and maybe putting together a simple portfolio of stuff that simply shows that I have the ability might work nicely for me. Time to start leveraging my hidden talents.
