Ta-Da!!! I have a job!!

Last Friday afternoon I received a phone call asking me to come in on Tuesday for an interview at 1pm.

I had applied for the position earlier in the week...

So, yesterday I got all cleaned up, put my smiley face on and went for the interview.

When I got there they handed me an application to fill out and a test or two to take. A personality test...

ohjeez...

But, I answered their questions, did the little math test and found the mistakes in the typed communications.

I then interviewed with the Safety Director and the Human Resources Manager. We talked for at least an hour. I thanked them for their time when I left and the HR Mgr stated they would be in touch in a few days.

The phone rang this morning at 10am....and she offered me a job.

Yea! Whoopee!!! Hot Damn even!!!

I start this coming Monday. The pay isn't quite what I was making at the last job but its not a lot less - and I am told I will get a pay increase in 90 days. The hours are phenomenal - 7:30 - 4!!! I love it love it! And...........

I get to wear JEANS to work ALL THE TIME! It's very casual as I will be spending a lot of time in the plant.

So...this ole lady, after 3-1/2 months of being out of work, has a job. A steady paycheck...insurance...and hopefully - stability.

In Memory - A Tribute to a Veteran

There stood, in 1941, a young man. Handsome in his army uniform, standing about 5'11, 185 lbs, as he married his sweetheart of 3 months, not knowing that in 2 yrs he would be off to Europe, fighting a war unlike any known before. And he did, leaving a wife and young son to go to war. He was a Sergeant, in charge of a group of men all younger than he yet they all were prepared to fight for their lives, their country, their families. their freedom.

The horrors he saw were the same as those before him had seen, and those soldiers that would someday follow. He and his group of men rescued a woman and her daughters from the enemy, who were terrifying their lives attempting to rape them, and remove any innocence left in their souls. The woman being so grateful, gave the Sergeant her silver wedding band as a token of gratitude. He watched young men be wounded, some die. He held them as they took their last breaths. He saw young men lose their sanity, shooting at anything that moved..and cared for them until medics arrived.

The war continued for this soldier until Dec 28th of 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge...when one of the men in his troop, while marching behind him stepped onto a land mine, it exploded..killing the young private and seriously wounding the Sergeant. He awoke a few weeks later in a hospital in France. It was March of 1945 before he was able to go home.

He found upon his return that he no longer had a job, the plant would not hire him back, as they considered him disabled. He took a job with a drugstore, and worked hard and long hours to take care of his family. He also took with him memento's of the war, schrapnel still was in his body..with the threat that if it moved, it could kill him.

He worked hard, raised his family and grew older. He spent 3 days in 1972 at a veterans hospital going thru one test after another in an attempt to have his disability rating increased, so one of his daughters could go to college. Nurses commented to him, questioning to find out if he was aware that he had metal in his body, he laughed. They increased his rating to 85%, not enough. He was so discouraged, but the daughter wasn't. She knew this was done with love, and it meant more to her than any medical school could have.

This man would sit and watch movies that would bring back the past, wringing his hands and smoking a million cigarettes as the memories over took him, yet this man who fought the enemy and had killed could touch a human with the softness of angels.

In 1989 he was hospitalized, at a veterans hospital. His wife and some of his children would visit every day, and listen to the stories told by the vets who were there with him. One of his daughters learned about life from these men, and learned of their courage, and how to find her own. The old Sergeant took a turn for the worse, and was placed in intensive care, and on Feb 24, 1989 they took him from there to a private room, so his family could spend his last few hours alone with him.

His wife of 48 years, and one of his daughters, spent that time with him, leaving only to fight with nurses to get him water, or storming a doctors quarters to get pain medication for a man who had given everything he had for his country, his home. Fighting to give this man his chance to die with dignity, as he had lived. The battle was won, they gave the soldier his medicine, and at 4:50 that afternoon the nurse called to his wife and daughter...saying "he needs you". His wife held him in her arms, his daughter at his side holding his hand, they said goodbye.

His widow has his flag, placed on the shelf beside his picture, and an old silver wedding band lays in the jewelry box. His purple heart is now a special possession of one of his daughters. He lies in a cemetery, with his son and an infant daughter, his grave marker bearing his name...

His soul is free, the war is over.

Dedicated to all Veterans past, present and future.
In Loving Memory of my Father
Sgt. Charles Joseph Horner, US Army
75th Division, 289th Infantry
Anti Tank Corps.

(Side note: I wrote this in 1998. It was published in a local newspaper for Veterans Day 1999 as the lead entry of a tribute to all veterans. I posted it here in my blog previously. I wanted to run it again. I miss you Pop.)

My neighbors probably think I am nuts...

Ok ok...they may be right.

At least I am not dangerous.

Except to the weeds in the yard.

Why do they think I am nuts you ask?

Well...it's 9:30 in the morning and I've already been outside taking pictures of the flowers I've planted. And I've taken pictures of other things in the yard. The fountain, birds, ducks....

This is my newest pic - taken this morning...



Isn't it pretty??

Ok, ok...so maybe taking pictures of flowers isn't so nutso. But do you have pictures like this?



It's the fountain in the front yard...

Ohhh I don't claim to be a great photographer. Heck, I don't even claim to be good at it. But I do enjoy it. And I will take pictures of just about anything...

Or anyone....

Nuts? No, not really.

Not yet anyway.

Snap - Crackle - Pop......Ouch...

If you are familiar with my blog, you might be aware that I quit smoking last July after approximately 30 years of smoking. I stopped the day of my first of two back surgeries last summer.

And..yes..I have gained a few pounds...

arrrgghh....

But, I am continuing on my quest to lose those few pounds.

I've written before about my treadmill, and my exercise bike. They are still being used. But now...well....

I bought an exercise DVD.

And I think that woman is out to kill me.

I've been doing the 10 minute cardio workout 2 or 3 times a day most days this past week.

That woman wants me to do jumping jacks for one solid minute. Non stop.

"You can do it!", she says...

Snap! Pop! Crunch...grindddddddddd.... ouch....

No sweetheart, I can't.

I try. I honestly and truly do try. I start out with the marching in place, pumping my arms like she says. I kick my leg out in front of me - pushing my arms out as I go. I do the squat and reach thing - not a problem! I can even run in place - getting my knees up like she asks me too...

But those damned jumping jacks will be the death of me.

Last night I was giving it the good old college try and was actually about 20 seconds into the minute when the bedroom door opens - the roomie is standing there and says, "What in the hell are you doing?"

"What in the hell does it look like I'm doing?" I huffed and puffed out...

He just looked at me with that "I am just too stupid to live" look of his and said, "She should be wearing a bikini".

I stopped mid jack....

I guess the look I gave him said all it needed to say as he stepped out of the room and shut the door.

By then the jumping jack session of the cardio workout was over and we were moving on to something else.

And my bones were still squeeking out an ouchie here and there...

If you hear loud popping and grinding noises tonight, ignore them.

It's just me...trying again.

Maybe tonight, just maybe...I'll get to 30 seconds :)

Ok, ok...so I'm nice...

Geesh...

Today is the roomies birthday.

So I decided to be nice and do some things for him.

(Hey! It's not THAT unusual!)

It started a couple of weeks ago when I decided I would do a "birthday bag" for him. And, I would fill it (and did) with all kinds of things that he would like...

I think....

There is a very nice polo shirt, complete with pocket for his cigarettes (I quit last year..not him), a $25 I-Tunes card (he downloads all types of music, radio shows etc etc), a set of 100 old science fiction and horror movies (you know the kind - the old "B" flicks they used to show at the drive in), a new mouse pad that looks like a soccer ball (he loves the sport now...after years of telling me its a sissy sport), a hat from his favorite soccer team - Chelsea, a remote for his camera (yea, the one I told you about in a previous post...see, I am nice!) and his very special gift...

A Speed Racer car with action figure!

And...I baked him 24 cupcakes.

(yes yes...there is a reason I made cupcakes instead of a cake...he can take the things to work so I won't eat them!!)

I am making enchilada's for dinner. He likes the way I make them. So we will have those, re-fried beans, spanish rice and chips and salsa.

Not bad for a guy that bought me a "combo christmas/birthday" gift...and never uttered the words "happy birthday" on my day.

But that's ok...sniffsniff...I am nice. I can rise above it all and be nice. (stop coughing!)

Anyway...its his birthday. I think he will be happy.

If not....Speed Racer gets sold on eBay....

7.0 out of 10...

I am sitting here tonight going through blogs…

Other peoples blogs.

It’s amazing to me what people write about. Little french bulldogs, the life of a vet school student, busy mommas, e.coli, travels, etc etc etc.

Even me…I am writing about other peoples blogs!

I guess it started because I have signed up for a few blog groups. Trying to get more people to read my blog I guess (ohgoodlord…now why in the hell do I want that???) - and in doing so, one site I joined actually has “experts” who will review your blog and rate it.

I am happy to say that I received a 7.0 out of 10 (ok ok…I have room for improvement! Geesh!) and its rated as “very good”

Yea me!

(Thank you, thank you…curtsy inserted here)

So, I decided to see what types of ratings other blogs received.

There were a lot of 9.5’s and 9.0’s. Really good and well written blogs. I need to read these to see what I can do to make mine better (besides paying off the reviewers…I am unemployed after all!). But, I noticed some lower scores also…

The lowest being 0.2.

I do believe I feel really bad for that person!

They didn't even make a 1.0 (poor).

I did have to giggle at a couple blogs that did score a 1.0 (poor)

Personal development, motivation and making money at home, online money ventures, franchising…

They are going to motivate you and tell you how to own and run a business when they get a poor rating on the writing of a blog??

Oh…and then there was one on muff diving.

Yes, muff diving.

And it got a poor rating.

I think I’ll just leave that one alone….

So anyway (ahem…ahem…) I will bask in the joy of knowing I ranked a “very good”..for now…it could always change tomorrow.

Mom...

Your smile brings joy and happiness to my heart.

And your laughter fills me with love.

The hugs you give are enough to warm us from the coldest of winters.

You always made time for others, even when it caused you hardship.

You say you've been blessed with the gift of children.

I think its the other way around - your children were blessed with you.

You are my friend, my confidant, my partner in crime.

You are my Mother. And I love you.

WoooHooo! I feel SO stimulated!!

ok ok...at least $600 worth of stimulation.

I got my money from our Government.

And I will not spend it all in one place. Trust me.

This money will be saved in case I need it to survive.

I am unemployed after all.

Sorry Pres. Bush, but with the economy the way it is, and the job market the way it is - I just don't feel free to go out and spend this and stimulate the economy the way you want it done.

After all...gas is now $3.79/gal so that will buy 158-1/3 gallons of gas or approximately 9 tanks....

Doesn't seem like a lot of money when you figure it that way now does it?

And, since I normally spend at least $100/week at the grocery - well, that's only about 6 weeks worth.

Ohhhhh I'm not complaining mind you. With being out of work right now that is 6 weeks or groceries that I don't have to worry about paying for - or 9 tanks of gas that I don't have to worry about either...

But $600 only goes so far with the economy the way it is. You all know that.

I just wish our Government knew it - or at least acknowledged the hard times that an awful lot of people are having.

Higher grocery prices, gas prices through the roof while oil companies are reporting RECORD PROFITS, unemployment at record highs, foreclosure rates at record highs...

Well...I'll get off my soapbox now.

But you all get out there now and stimulate the economy!!! Spread it around!! I'm counting on you.

:)

So now I cry...

I'm still unemployed.

The lady called - her voice sounded odd - not so upbeat. She said, and I quote, "I really pulled for you. But corporate wouldn't listen."

She said she will keep my resume on her desk. "Things don't always work out." She said.

I thanked her.

And now I cry.

The job search continues...

Still breathing...

Ok, so the interview went well.

So well in fact they want a second one tomorrow morning.

eeeekkk...

From what I understand, its now between me and two others for the position.

I am supposed to go in there and make them want me. I am supposed to go in there and sell myself.

ohgoodlord...

I am who I am. I can do anything they throw at me. I give 110% to a job - even when they show no loyalty to their employees.

And I have no one here to share my feelings with or talk to period.

The roomie? ohIdon'tthinkso... Talk to me about feelings? I think he'd rather pull his teeth out.

Ohwait...too late....he had that done last year. They are probably in a little plastic container as I type this.

Anyway...tomorrow will be the last interview. If I get the job I will start this week - at least that's what she said Friday.

So, I am still breathing. Not turning blue. I am still crossing my fingers, toes, legs and eyes (it's hell typing like this ya know).

Maybe, just maybe, by tomorrow evening I'll be employed.

Then I can really breathe again.

Breathe...Breathe....

I can not hold my breath.

I can not get my hopes up.

But I had an interview this afternoon....

And I think it went well.

ohgod...there I go....getting hopeful.

It seems like a decent company. Not too big, not too small. They said my resume had everything on it that they are looking for.

The interviewer didn't even flinch at the pay I had requested (granted I didn't put down quite as much as I was making - but close).

So...I will not hold my breath.

I will not turn blue.

I will just politely cross my fingers, toes, legs and eyes...

And try to think positive thoughts.

Ohhh now I've done it...

Ok, I entered a photo contest.

Do not ask me why. I can not answer that!

Ohhh I have entered other contests before, but never for photography.

And here is where I need help.

I need your vote!!

So, please help an ole lady out and vote for my picture.

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/650778

It's my sisters dog. His name is Useless, but he is wonderful. He gives love so he actually isn't useless at all.

Any help you can give will be greatly appreciated!!!