Things that Amuse Me

So, last night was the big open house at my oldest daughter's school. All went well and she has some really good teachers. But I do have one question...How do you have a class called Keyboarding when you don't have any keyboards and there are no plans to get any?

Yes, you read that correctly. She is in Keyboarding...which I thought was great because typing is no longer something that the "girls do". With computers, it is very important to know how to type. But this teacher started the "class" by saying that this is keyboarding class but we do not have keyboards. Therefore I am teaching business.

There is nothing wrong with teaching business. Why not just call it a Business Class? What happens if they get keyboards next year and they are not allowed to take the class because they have already had it?

It is just an example of how stupid our school board is. Why even offer a keyboarding class if they know that keyboards are not available?

American history is full of people that are eloquent dreamers. These men had real dreams...dreams of a country that would bring freedom to it's citizens. These people helped to build a great country.

Today, a lot of attention is going to Barack Obama and the Democratic Convention that starts this evening. I notice during this coverage that everyone seems to be gushing over Barack. I will admit that he is a good speaker...that his speeches appear to unite...and that he seems to have motivated his constituents. His "Yes, We Can" speeches, on the surface, layout a speech of what would seem to be a modern day dreamer.



CAUTION IS NEEDED when taking things at face value. I do not think that Barack is what he seems. I was listening to the amazing speech of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. yesterday on PBS and I noticed something interesting. Every speech that Barack gives have the same tone, tempo and resonance that Dr. King's speech had. Barack's "Yes, We Can" mantra has easily replaced, "I Have A Dream".

Please remember that some of the most remembered people in history were motivators as well. These people were able to convince others that their views were correct and get them to take actions to make the "dreams" come true. Among these people are such figures as Hitler, Bin Laden, Saddam Hussein...just to name a few! This should show that motivating, eloquent words do not mean that what they speak of is really what is best. Take Heed when someone offers only words and no substance.

My word of caution comes with a request that you dig deeper than the coverage on Fox News, MSNBC and CNN. Look deeper than the surface of the motivating speeches. Please realize that an eloquent speaker can easily manipulate the listener.

It has been a week since my life took such a drastic change. I can't help but look back and try to learn some lessons from it all.

Lesson 1: Don't take words at face value no matter how badly you want to believe what you are being told. People have their own agendas and will always put those ahead of anything that is important to you.

Lesson 2: A risk taken with great thought and consideration can be worth it.
I am not a risk taker and even though the decision was a tough one, it is already paying off.

Lesson 3: It is ok to accept help when you are trying to meet your goals. It is not a sign of weakness.

Lesson 4: All things happen for a reason. It is kind of funny how I didn't realize how unhappy I was at my job until I wasn't there anymore. Getting laid off may end up being one of the best things that has ever happened to me.

There is no turning back now...I am on a good track in my life. I am very proud of how I handled this huge transition in my life and think that life will only get better from here.

So, yesterday, I went to the college to finalize my class registration. I happened to finish just in time to actually take my first class! So, I started school yesterday.

I have a few observations about my class.

We had to do that stupid thing of going around the room and telling your name, why you took this class and what your major is. You should know that I am the oldest one in the class and all of the other students just graduated high school. So, every single student in the class (except me), answered it the exact same way. "I thought this class would be cool". NO JOKE! But what really got me was that none of them had majors that had anything to do with Photoshop!

I kind of laughed inside because I know that they thought this was going to be an easy class! HA! This class is going to be hard...with 7 assignments due every week! This ought to be interesting!

I start my Illustrator class on Monday and will be going to school on Monday and Wednesday afternoons.

A DREAM COME TRUE!

I have been really consumed with getting my life together over the past few days. I have gotten a lot done and I can start to settle into what is my new life. It is amazing how life can throw you a curve ball and your life instantly changes. It is scary and exciting at the same time. I have now reached the excited part of the whole thing.

I will be starting school Monday!!! I have to say that I have not let any grass grow under my feet since I accepted the lay off. I was given the choice last Friday...told them my decision on Monday...Signed up for my unemployment and for school on Tuesday!

That may not seem like an amazing thing to most of you but it is for me. You see, I have honestly never taken a real risk in my life. Let me explain why.

Where I grew up, taking a risk is only something that you do by planting 1 week earlier than the almanac tells you to...it is not something that you do in life. Your life is laid out by the status quo...you do not dare to dream. That is where I was totally different...I did try to dream. As a child, I wanted to be a news anchor, lawyer, teacher, artist, weather woman, etc. I dreamed....but each time I told anyone of my dreams they would just say that there was no way that I could get that. Over time, my dreams and my ability to dream went away.

Over the years, and after 2 marriages where I was held down and really taught that I wasn't worth much...it has taken some real time to get back to the point where I could dream.

So, here I am...36 years old, and I just now figuring out what my dreams are and I actually feel confident enough to go for them.

To say that today was a productive is a total understatement. I was busy from about 7:50 this morning until...well, I still really have not finished.

I started off this morning dreading my first trip to the unemployment office. It really wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. It took about an 1 1/2 hours though. I am really glad that is done. After that, I had some errands to run for my SO. So, I took the trip from Ridgeland to Hilton Head. Then I enjoyed lunch with my SO...which was a wonderful treat.

After that, I headed to the Technical College and registered for school. I also took my placement tests and picked my classes. I have a few things that I have to get worked out tomorrow such as getting the basic computer class waived because I definately do not need a basic computer class. I still have to work out how to pay for it...but as my SO says, "it is just money". LOL He just has this way about him...he just doesn't worry about such things. I am going to have to learn how he does that!

So, today was a success!

Well, I have entered the land of the unknown. I am unemployed and have a lot of i's to dot and t's to cross over the next few days.

This is all a risk...and anyone that knows me well, knows that I am not a risk taker. I am a planner. I think out and try to plan for every scenario and every possibility. I am scared but excited at the same time.

I really want to turn this into something that will take my life in a positive direction. I want to go to school and get the training in the computer programs that I need to get a more advanced graphic design job. I only need about 4 classes to make that happen. Suddenly, that seems like a small obstacle and a very realistic goal.

I do have a few very important things that I have to work out. The very first one is getting health insurance for my kids since that is court ordered. I have looked up some policies and have found one that I feel that I can afford. So, that one will be taken care of on Friday. I know that I can't afford COBRA...and what I have found is surprisingly affordable.

So, today, I am going to get some stuff done around the house. I am going to get the laundry caught up and work on getting a filing system set up for my SO.

So, last week, my boss told me that my job was safe...this was an unsolicited comment. In light of the recent layoffs, this made me feel much better. Well, today, I found out that couldn't have been further from the truth.

My position was eliminated and even though I was offered another position, it is for much less money and less hours. That job is also a position that does not utilize my talents and passions at all. It is a dead end job with no promise that I would get this job back if the market improved.

So, I will take that position so I can actually survive while I look for other work. I am beefing up my resume and getting it ready to send out all over the place.

I am angry because I was lied to for no reason except that it made her feel better to say it. I am disappointed because I was promoted to this position only a month ago and was really enjoying the fact that I was finally doing what I really wanted to do.

So, if anyone knows of anything out there that would be better than a horrible receptionist job, please email me and let me know.

It is going to rain all day. For some reason, I don't mind at all...it is kind of nice. It would be even better if I could have stayed in bed a little longer and even better still if it was Saturday and going to work wasn't something that I had to do.

Well, I found a cigarette yesterday in my car. I took one puff...it was nasty and put it out. That is the only time I have been really weak. I don't think I am doing too bad.

I stopped and got some grapes to keep at my desk today. That seems to have helped alot. Everytime I think about having a cigarette...I eat a couple of grapes. Not too bad...and tasty too.

Actually, I am very proud of myself.

So, this weekend was filled with getting the house ready to sell. I cleaned the carpet in the living room and hallway, deep cleaned the master bathroom, dining room and kitchen. My SO pressure washed the house! We were so tired that we just crashed into bed Saturday night and I think that we were instantly asleep! We continued working yesterday with someone coming over to trim the shrubbery and put down pinestraw. My muscles hurt. Not just one muscle...ALL OF THEM!





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To top it off...I have not had a cigarette since Saturday afternoon!!!! I have to quit...otherwise I will be wasting my time and money trying to keep from loosing my teeth. I might as well just pull them out and get dentures now because that is what my fate with be anyway. It hasn't been so bad...yet. All the cleaning kept me so busy that I did pretty well. Today may be another story.

Every year for the past 10 years, I have chosen someone to make a quilt for as a gift for Christmas. I usually choose that person in the month of August. Since I started it, my family has made a really big deal over figuring out who would be the recipient. The problem is that now everyone in my immediate family has a quilt. So, this year, I will start picking from other people that I know. The only requirement to be on my list is that I have to think that you would really be appreciative of such a gift.

So, on the way back from Jekyll Island on Saturday, I noticed something VERY strange about the gas prices. Gas was $3.39 a gallon for regular unleaded at the Jekyll Island exit off of I-95!!! As I drove North on I-95, I noticed that the prices went from that $3.39 to $3.69...that is until I got to Savannah and it was $3.89. One mile back, I could buy gas for almost $0.40 cents cheaper!

What happened in that mile? Why the huge difference? In my mind, if the gas companies are setting the prices and the gas stations have no control, there should not be such a dramatic change.

During this whole price hike situation, I have heard the plight of the gas station owners and I am starting to wonder.

I would love to start a conversation about this....so chime in.

Well, It is Friday again and I have been trying to think of something to do with my kids this weekend. There just are not that many choices that really appeals to me.


-I could take them to the beach but that is just a lot of work.

-We could go to Savannah and walk on River Street but it is way too hot and they will just want to spend money.

-I had thought of a day trip somewhere but again that is just more money and then it is not that easy to figure out where to go.