I'm in the middle of my 4th week at Office Max and have gotten my first paycheck last week. That came and went down the hole left by me being out of work for 3 months. Cameron is getting paid extra for playing music for some sort of special event hosted by the BMW dealership, but, that too is going towards filling in the holes. I even had to pull money from my business account to help out during that period.
I fear our timing for "starting over" was horribly ill-timed. Santa Fe is an expensive place to live in many ways and the wages seem high to an outsider but the cost to live hear is higher than we expected. With no alternative currently in sight, we keep trudging up the hill.
Through costly trial and error, I think I have a handle on how to do business here. I've tried pushing the online sales, but haven't had the time or energy to put all the items up on the website, and have only had 2 sales from it. I tried catalog sales, but as this is the land of tomorrow, the excited customers who took my catalogs home, never followed through and now those catalogs are lost. Now, I'm going with the party circuit. I've made some fairly good sales, but still not enough to recover from the past few months. I had to purchase items for demonstrations, some rather costly, as well as all the display related items. The parties seem to be a good way to go for now. I have a captive audience and the group drive to make a purchase seems to encourage the "tomorrow" people to buy now.
One cool thing about being in this industry as an independent retailer is that I'm not tied to any particular company, thus, I can order from any one I choose. For example, I've been working with a blanket company to create an indoor waterproof blanket. They have focused on outdoor ones for years and toyed with the idea of making an indoor one but hadn't made the move. Now they are and I give direct recommendations for feel and uses and they listen! They are based just outside of Seattle and all the blankets are US made. Very high quality. Another project in the works is with a local salon that makes gift baskets for their customers and they include products like mine. Unfortunately for them, a very pretty looking line caught their eyes some time ago, but the products are not especially good to use. Now they are trying to get rid of them and want something new to offer customers. One more thing in the works is a connection with a company who makes pasties. I already carry a beautiful line of them, but in order to re-use them, you must have the proper glue. While searching for a source for the glue, I stumbled upon this company that make them and even does custom ones. They have no problem with retailers putting their own brand name on them, either. I am expecting a sample package of their work any day now.
Future plans include the Gay Pride festival in June. A huge money maker, but stock is definitely needed, especially the impulse buy kind. A friend of mine does club nights at local bars and said I could set up a table there. Items $20 and under for quick purchases will be best for that. Unfortunately, he has stopped for the winter and won't be starting up again until late spring. A woman who is a hotel concierge at one of the local places in town, recommended that I make up gift baskets that they can keep on site. Most run about $75, but if mine were nice and only in the $35 range, they would be very popular. These all require stock on hand. A big investment. Now that I'm employed again, perhaps that is a possibility, yet.
As far as my job is concerned. It's OK, but the hours are killing me. I've never understood why they have to assign different hours each week. I never know what my hours will be until Saturday afternoon, when they post the schedule for the next week. It makes planning a nightmare and the business difficult to focus on. I'm keeping my eyes open for a job with regular hours so I can make greater headway on the business and not be so exhausted all the time. (Back to back shifts should be illegal. Closing the store at close to 10pm one day and opening at 8am the next is brutal.) It takes me awhile to unwind after closing so bedtime is usually about 11pm. Not much time for anything near a relaxing night. One really cool aspect of my job is that lots of artists come to the print center to make note cards of their work or some other item. I get to see the work of many local artists and usually I can get an autographed copy of whatever they brought in. I enjoy meeting all the different people, but I have to watch my visiting, though I find them fascinating.
Caffeine is a good friend of mine these days.
Cameron is doing pretty well. For someone who is not a people person, he does amazingly well with the customers and establishing a rapport with them. He had a lot of cleaning up to do when he first started as the prior service advisor had really done his part to lower the rating on this dealership, not to mention a bit of a paperwork fiasco that took months to fix. It's been hard on him much of the time, but he keeps plugging along. Now that they know his skills as a musician, he gets to play at several of the big promotional events that are held, two of them this week. Today he'll be in Albuquerque and since I have the day off, I'll get to go and be the photographer and general support person. It should be interesting. Yesterday they had the same event up here, at the Santa Fe dealership. It's funny, they're willing to pay him decently for doing musician work, but not for the job he currently does. It's a very weird way of doing things.
I'm very excited that Madeline, my daughter, and her fiance' are coming to visit at Christmas. It will be nice to have her around for brief time she is here, not to mention being able to meet my future son-in-law. I hope we get some snow for them. It's been a very dry winter, so far. Little rain and only a very light dusting of snow on a couple of occasions. Quite a lot of wind, though. A very big difference from last year and rather disappointing. There's still lots of possible snow days so we'll hope for some in the near future.
My car is in terrible need of repairs such as tires, brakes and an oil change. All of which are way overdue and out of any perceived budget. Cameron has worked out a deal with another mechanic and friend down in Albuquerque who has an older Toyota Tercel that he has gone through and serviced every thing. It has less mileage than mine does and he wants to trade it for the engine from the crashed bike. We've hauled that thing with us through every move and I am looking forward to getting rid of it. We'll probably keep the Saturn and gradually get it up to a safer level of care, and have it as a back up vehicle. One thing that is cheap here is vehicle registration. Just a flat $45 for each vehicle, no matter how old or new it is. Much better than California's which is based on vehicle value. What that has to do with wear and tear on the roads is beyond me. Santa Fe doesn't have any emissions checks, like Albuquerque does, which is also nice.
Well, this is enough for now. I wish my spirits were better and I try my best to look to the future, but like a little kid, the present keeps tugging on me for attention.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Muscle Strain, But That, Too, Shall Pass
I tend to get a little "preachy" when people talk about relationships being nothing but trouble, or the people involved seem to always have "bad luck" when it comes to marriages. I'm on my third, so I hope I've learned a thing or two along the way to this point in my life.
My first one was dead before it started. Neither one of us knew anything about what it took to have a working marriage. Let alone keeping any kind of relationship together. (Of course, it didn't help that he took his guidance from his over controlling father, but that's another story.)
My second was based on the "I can change him theory", long proven to be a bogus ploy created by people who like to torture each other.
These first experiences taught me several things, one important lesson was that it takes two people to have a relationship, more specifically, two people who want to put the sweat into it, working side by side to keep it alive and well. Relationships must be nurtured along and cared for. They can't take care of themselves, even when they are beyond their infancy they are unable to weather changing tides and blizzards without help. It sometimes takes work, that 4-lettered word that sends some people packing.
This leads me to my current, and final, marriage. This time I was lucky enough to stumble upon a man who had understood the need for constant nurturing for a marriage to last; taking classes and reading about all the different tools that can help in the maintenance of a relationship. Fortunately for me, apparently his prior mate had been lost in her own world and was unresponsive to his new-found knowledge.
A rare find, I have handled him with care because he is a gem, all by himself. No need for me to try polishing him to make him shiny or to hide him because I don't like what I see in my reflection when I'm with him. He knows the value of working on, maintaining, a relationship. We've been doing a little extra work lately. It's been a while since I've done this much work and my muscles are sore and stiff. But as with any hard work towards a common goal, the aches and pain will subside and the fruits of all this labor will shine nicely again.
There are times I really pity the woman who couldn't see the sparkle in front of her, but was distracted by other shiny things. But then, again, if she had seen it, I wouldn't be where I am today, and for that I am thankful.
My first one was dead before it started. Neither one of us knew anything about what it took to have a working marriage. Let alone keeping any kind of relationship together. (Of course, it didn't help that he took his guidance from his over controlling father, but that's another story.)
My second was based on the "I can change him theory", long proven to be a bogus ploy created by people who like to torture each other.
These first experiences taught me several things, one important lesson was that it takes two people to have a relationship, more specifically, two people who want to put the sweat into it, working side by side to keep it alive and well. Relationships must be nurtured along and cared for. They can't take care of themselves, even when they are beyond their infancy they are unable to weather changing tides and blizzards without help. It sometimes takes work, that 4-lettered word that sends some people packing.
This leads me to my current, and final, marriage. This time I was lucky enough to stumble upon a man who had understood the need for constant nurturing for a marriage to last; taking classes and reading about all the different tools that can help in the maintenance of a relationship. Fortunately for me, apparently his prior mate had been lost in her own world and was unresponsive to his new-found knowledge.
A rare find, I have handled him with care because he is a gem, all by himself. No need for me to try polishing him to make him shiny or to hide him because I don't like what I see in my reflection when I'm with him. He knows the value of working on, maintaining, a relationship. We've been doing a little extra work lately. It's been a while since I've done this much work and my muscles are sore and stiff. But as with any hard work towards a common goal, the aches and pain will subside and the fruits of all this labor will shine nicely again.
There are times I really pity the woman who couldn't see the sparkle in front of her, but was distracted by other shiny things. But then, again, if she had seen it, I wouldn't be where I am today, and for that I am thankful.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Alone and All Over the Place
Well, this is the first night of Cameron's visit with his family, in Tennessee. It's always the hardest. The apartment feels strangely empty, despite the 4-legged beasties that roam its rooms. I'm anxious and don't want to go the empty (OK, so the critters are there waiting for me) bed.
I'm not totally clear on this, but I think that "lone wolf" trip he was on when the accident happened, was the first time we had been apart. We even had a great time when we were stranded for a couple of weeks in northern California. We wrote and wrote together and never tired of each other's company. We've been an amazing team since we first met.
Maybe that's why it's so hard to be apart. That lack of his presence, the void created is more than just in the physical air around me. I guess we have this yin and yang thing going with us. We fulfill each other's needs without having to think about it.
Tomorrow night will be better, a little easier. The first night, though, is hard. It's like having to re-orient myself to temporarily losing use of a limb. Equilibrium is off at first and learning to move about without it takes some adjustments and confidence rebuilt.
I know this is all depressing and such, but it's the first night separation anxiety, if you need to give it a name. I know I will do better tomorrow and once asleep, I won't realize he's not there. It's taking that first step to going to sleep that's the hardest.
Well, I'll regret it if I don't turn in now. It's late and my sleep meds should make fast work of sending me off to dreamland.
Good Night!
I'm not totally clear on this, but I think that "lone wolf" trip he was on when the accident happened, was the first time we had been apart. We even had a great time when we were stranded for a couple of weeks in northern California. We wrote and wrote together and never tired of each other's company. We've been an amazing team since we first met.
Maybe that's why it's so hard to be apart. That lack of his presence, the void created is more than just in the physical air around me. I guess we have this yin and yang thing going with us. We fulfill each other's needs without having to think about it.
Tomorrow night will be better, a little easier. The first night, though, is hard. It's like having to re-orient myself to temporarily losing use of a limb. Equilibrium is off at first and learning to move about without it takes some adjustments and confidence rebuilt.
I know this is all depressing and such, but it's the first night separation anxiety, if you need to give it a name. I know I will do better tomorrow and once asleep, I won't realize he's not there. It's taking that first step to going to sleep that's the hardest.
Well, I'll regret it if I don't turn in now. It's late and my sleep meds should make fast work of sending me off to dreamland.
Good Night!
Thursday, November 18, 2010
A Day Off, From Work at Least
Well, my first 2 days are past and I have today off. It's a little overwhelming at times remembering the instructions given (I now have a pad to write everything down on). I've mostly been working in the back of the store in the printing department. I like it there as I meet so many interesting people and get to do to desktop publishing, which I really enjoy. This picture was given to me by an artist who was making note cards of his latest creation:
He was very interesting, as you might have guessed, and very thankful for my assistance. We get lots of artists who com in to do the same thing or to order them professionally done. I got a copy of a beautiful photo of a small suspension bridge, which I would add to this post, but my scanner can't scan that large of a photo. The bridge is over 80 years old and still in use, though I'd be hard-pressed to drive over the thing, let alone walk it!
I'm being cross-trained so I can be used in whatever department they want me in, but I've already gotten a following of several customers that ask for me by name, back in the print area.
Since today is my day off, I have tons of things to do, so should start into them. I'm excited about the gift of this picture, received yesterday, and just wanted to share it with you. Perhaps I'll write more later today.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Quest for Sleep and the Start of a New Day
I have terrible insomnia. Allergies don't exactly help it, when it comes to being able to breathe at night. So, lately, my pre-bedtime ritual includes my sleep medication, and a dose of allergy meds., and sometimes whatever else I can think of that might give me another hour or two of sleep. This has been going on for weeks, now.
We need to replace the air cleaner that we usually run in the bedroom at night, but that will need to wait until my first paycheck. The poor thing has given its all for me for almost 20 years. We've managed to limp it along for a few months, but it's time to let it be and not attempt to resuscitate it any more. In the meantime, I sneeze, cough, and attempt to breathe all night. There are many culprits to this condition. One is plain old dust. The other is my allergy to the cats. At first they slept at my feet and were mostly an annoyance when I wanted to shift position. Now, they are taking to sleeping right up near my head or beside my pillow. I suppose we could/should just lock the critters out of the bedroom at night, but they have grown up sleeping with Cameron, and now me, so that would be a very big issue to contend with. I don't have any problems with dog dander, so Tuesday's snuggling doesn't bother me.
On our list of pending expenditures is some furniture. Since we moved sooo much, we really trimmed down on what we have. Since, I believe, we'll be here for awhile, it's time to begin replacing some of the items left behind. Dressers for the bedroom, and a couch for the livingroom are top on the list. It's hard to dust clothes that are on shelves or open tubs. So, I think with some of these items obtained, my night time issues will be greatly reduced.
Ok, about the job. Let's see, I was hired over 2 weeks ago and set off for drug testing and a background check was to be done. Well, Friday, the manager finally called me and said everything was squared away and that I should come in today at 11:00. I'm not sure how long my shift will be or what kind of schedule I'll have, except that it's 25-30 hour a week. We'll be discussing that today. After I'm done writing this, I'm going to see if I can squeeze in a little nap, before I need to get ready. I've been awake since 3:00am and up since 4:00. More sleep would be really nice.
I have a great deal of interest being shown for having parties, but none have scheduled anything yet. So much for Santa Fe and the land of tomorrow! Once I have an idea of what my schedule will be, I'll be setting off to nail down some of those prospective party hosts to some sort of date and time. I need to get some items that really speak to the gay/lesbian crowd, as my prospective customers are of that community. I currently have a fair collection of sample items that are more generic. That's another thing to add to my list. My first party was kind of wimpy so hasn't given me much to work with, plus, I'm working with a company that makes blankets and is based in Washington. They make some incredibly soft fleece blankets that look/feel like some kind of thick, curly, lamb's wool, with one side covered in a soft, waterproof nylon. I'm considering adding those to my line of offerings-a sample is on its way. I especially like that they're US made and not by some third-world country. There is another distributor that sells a similar water-proof type blanket, but it's very much synthetic and with a somewhat tacky/porn look to it. Not to mention, they are the same price and I wouldn't be competing with my distributor over sales. It has some promise. I am continually on the look out for products that would appeal to my customers, but is different from what other, similar, businesses sell.
My podcast is doing well. I just uploaded my 8th show and the interview is with a national best-selling author, editor, speaker, and cupcake connoisseur. She's a lot of fun to talk with. One reason I do these podcasts is out of the joy of meeting new people and hearing their stories.
Well, looking at the time, I need to try to get a little more sleep before I have to start getting ready for work. I'll let you know how it goes.
We need to replace the air cleaner that we usually run in the bedroom at night, but that will need to wait until my first paycheck. The poor thing has given its all for me for almost 20 years. We've managed to limp it along for a few months, but it's time to let it be and not attempt to resuscitate it any more. In the meantime, I sneeze, cough, and attempt to breathe all night. There are many culprits to this condition. One is plain old dust. The other is my allergy to the cats. At first they slept at my feet and were mostly an annoyance when I wanted to shift position. Now, they are taking to sleeping right up near my head or beside my pillow. I suppose we could/should just lock the critters out of the bedroom at night, but they have grown up sleeping with Cameron, and now me, so that would be a very big issue to contend with. I don't have any problems with dog dander, so Tuesday's snuggling doesn't bother me.
On our list of pending expenditures is some furniture. Since we moved sooo much, we really trimmed down on what we have. Since, I believe, we'll be here for awhile, it's time to begin replacing some of the items left behind. Dressers for the bedroom, and a couch for the livingroom are top on the list. It's hard to dust clothes that are on shelves or open tubs. So, I think with some of these items obtained, my night time issues will be greatly reduced.
Ok, about the job. Let's see, I was hired over 2 weeks ago and set off for drug testing and a background check was to be done. Well, Friday, the manager finally called me and said everything was squared away and that I should come in today at 11:00. I'm not sure how long my shift will be or what kind of schedule I'll have, except that it's 25-30 hour a week. We'll be discussing that today. After I'm done writing this, I'm going to see if I can squeeze in a little nap, before I need to get ready. I've been awake since 3:00am and up since 4:00. More sleep would be really nice.
I have a great deal of interest being shown for having parties, but none have scheduled anything yet. So much for Santa Fe and the land of tomorrow! Once I have an idea of what my schedule will be, I'll be setting off to nail down some of those prospective party hosts to some sort of date and time. I need to get some items that really speak to the gay/lesbian crowd, as my prospective customers are of that community. I currently have a fair collection of sample items that are more generic. That's another thing to add to my list. My first party was kind of wimpy so hasn't given me much to work with, plus, I'm working with a company that makes blankets and is based in Washington. They make some incredibly soft fleece blankets that look/feel like some kind of thick, curly, lamb's wool, with one side covered in a soft, waterproof nylon. I'm considering adding those to my line of offerings-a sample is on its way. I especially like that they're US made and not by some third-world country. There is another distributor that sells a similar water-proof type blanket, but it's very much synthetic and with a somewhat tacky/porn look to it. Not to mention, they are the same price and I wouldn't be competing with my distributor over sales. It has some promise. I am continually on the look out for products that would appeal to my customers, but is different from what other, similar, businesses sell.
My podcast is doing well. I just uploaded my 8th show and the interview is with a national best-selling author, editor, speaker, and cupcake connoisseur. She's a lot of fun to talk with. One reason I do these podcasts is out of the joy of meeting new people and hearing their stories.
Well, looking at the time, I need to try to get a little more sleep before I have to start getting ready for work. I'll let you know how it goes.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
I Remember Why I, Now
I'm home and it's late, but at least I did make it home safely. My first Halloween party in 25 years has come and gone. I went as a veterinarian, bandaged stuffed kitty and all. At first it was fun meeting all the people, as I really didn't know anyone there. I had met a couple at a book group meeting several months ago, but it took some memory jogging on both sides. It was put on by a couple who are members of a couple of the local meet-up groups.
The costumes were the usual assortment. A couple of doctors, a ghost, a witch, a hooker, and the the hemlines went up from there. Alcohol was served and the more scantily clad bunch seemed to have had quite their share, and the volume level in the room grew exponentially each hour the evening continued. In fact they're probably still there. Drunks are irritating. There are several kinds: the sleepy ones, the angry/mean ones, the giggly ones, the sloppy ones who seem to find every surface slippery, and, of course, the loud ones. Tonight, we had a roomful of the loud ones.
My throat hurts from trying to carry on conversations with the more sober of the guests. I think this is why I haven't been to a party in all this time. They just aren't that much fun anymore. I went solo, and made quite a few business contacts, before the volume level of the room got too loud to carry on a conversation.
This was a solo event for me as Cameron is at a Navajo "Sweat Lodge" that he was invited to participate in tomorrow night. He went with a friend, by bike, and since it takes about 5-6 hours to get to Gallup from here, they opted for staying an extra night.
I'm exhausted, but I'm stalling going to bed. I'm like that when left alone. I should be dying to pour myself to that nice, soft, mattress. I spent the better part of today shopping for work clothes, specifically shoes. It's terribly hard for me to find comfortable shoes. I think I have a bone spur on the ball of one of my feet that really acts up with the wrong fit. So, anyway, I've been on my feet most of the day, then at the party. After I finish this, I should be unwound enough to get to sleep.
Oh, the work clothes are for my new job. I start sometime next week, have to wait for the drug test results and background check to be finished. I'll be working at Office Max, in the printing area. This, like that dental office job, is within walking distance. It's a little farther down the shopping center than the other, but will give me some much needed exercise.
Once I know my schedule at work, I'll need to make one for my own stuff. I've been so discombobulated from being depressed about the lack of a job. My desk is a mess, I have so much to do to prepare for my first Wild Orchid party, and have begun another potentially fun angle to my podcasts: small group discussion and interview with the author. I've found a lot of interest in this, but will have to gradually build to that. We will need to get headphones for each person (5, counting myself), a microphone holder for the one we currently have. It must have gotten lost in all the moves, and another electronic goody that I can't remember the name of. Cameron will handle the acquisition of these items. The most recent author I interviewed, which was last week, is a nationally acclaimed best selling author. So I asked her if she's ever been interviewed by a group before and she doesn't believe it's being done anywhere, at least not for a podcast. That adds some excitement to the project.
Well, I think I've wound down enough to make it off to bed. I will, of course, keep you posted. Good night!
The costumes were the usual assortment. A couple of doctors, a ghost, a witch, a hooker, and the the hemlines went up from there. Alcohol was served and the more scantily clad bunch seemed to have had quite their share, and the volume level in the room grew exponentially each hour the evening continued. In fact they're probably still there. Drunks are irritating. There are several kinds: the sleepy ones, the angry/mean ones, the giggly ones, the sloppy ones who seem to find every surface slippery, and, of course, the loud ones. Tonight, we had a roomful of the loud ones.
My throat hurts from trying to carry on conversations with the more sober of the guests. I think this is why I haven't been to a party in all this time. They just aren't that much fun anymore. I went solo, and made quite a few business contacts, before the volume level of the room got too loud to carry on a conversation.
This was a solo event for me as Cameron is at a Navajo "Sweat Lodge" that he was invited to participate in tomorrow night. He went with a friend, by bike, and since it takes about 5-6 hours to get to Gallup from here, they opted for staying an extra night.
I'm exhausted, but I'm stalling going to bed. I'm like that when left alone. I should be dying to pour myself to that nice, soft, mattress. I spent the better part of today shopping for work clothes, specifically shoes. It's terribly hard for me to find comfortable shoes. I think I have a bone spur on the ball of one of my feet that really acts up with the wrong fit. So, anyway, I've been on my feet most of the day, then at the party. After I finish this, I should be unwound enough to get to sleep.
Oh, the work clothes are for my new job. I start sometime next week, have to wait for the drug test results and background check to be finished. I'll be working at Office Max, in the printing area. This, like that dental office job, is within walking distance. It's a little farther down the shopping center than the other, but will give me some much needed exercise.
Once I know my schedule at work, I'll need to make one for my own stuff. I've been so discombobulated from being depressed about the lack of a job. My desk is a mess, I have so much to do to prepare for my first Wild Orchid party, and have begun another potentially fun angle to my podcasts: small group discussion and interview with the author. I've found a lot of interest in this, but will have to gradually build to that. We will need to get headphones for each person (5, counting myself), a microphone holder for the one we currently have. It must have gotten lost in all the moves, and another electronic goody that I can't remember the name of. Cameron will handle the acquisition of these items. The most recent author I interviewed, which was last week, is a nationally acclaimed best selling author. So I asked her if she's ever been interviewed by a group before and she doesn't believe it's being done anywhere, at least not for a podcast. That adds some excitement to the project.
Well, I think I've wound down enough to make it off to bed. I will, of course, keep you posted. Good night!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
A Busy Day and the Feeling of Empowerment
In contrast to this morning's post, I feel more myself than I have for awhile. I'm moving forward with the business plans, despite a great deal of fear and anxiety, and in turn this has strengthened my resolve to see it succeed. Each person spoken to, each business card handed out, is a small victory. Patience is something I'm going to have to partner with to make it happen. We don't always get along, so this may be a rocky alliance.
I'm not seeing as many "real" jobs posted. It seems the sharks have found Santa Fe to be a good hunting ground. It's frustrating to have to call them on their bogus attempts at reeling the desperate into their clutches. I wonder what they do with all the information they gather about people.
I've been lost in all the moves, and jobs, and different people to try to hang onto as friends. There was only survival and waiting for that date in the future when everything would change again.
Here, there is no date. The only change that will happen will be what we make happen. The longer we wait for that unforeseeable time the more we lose. So, now I take a stand, and claim this place to be our home. No one will be telling us to leave. We decide if and when we make such a change.
We're both slowly making friends. It's hard to do that when everything has been temporary for so long. I'm the one who talks to everyone, but has a hard time maintaining friendships. I've been like that, even when I lived in Bakersfield. I guess for some reason, I keep everyone at arm's length. So the friends thing is taking me longer than Cameron. He's found a couple of good, solid, friends. He can call them and talk with them when he's upset. I'm envious, but will push myself as I have had to, just to be able to speak up for myself, or make my wishes known. It's taken years to get this far from a wall flower in high school.
So with firm ground beneath me, I move myself beyond my comfort zones and step out into the high desert that is my home.
I'm not seeing as many "real" jobs posted. It seems the sharks have found Santa Fe to be a good hunting ground. It's frustrating to have to call them on their bogus attempts at reeling the desperate into their clutches. I wonder what they do with all the information they gather about people.
I've been lost in all the moves, and jobs, and different people to try to hang onto as friends. There was only survival and waiting for that date in the future when everything would change again.
Here, there is no date. The only change that will happen will be what we make happen. The longer we wait for that unforeseeable time the more we lose. So, now I take a stand, and claim this place to be our home. No one will be telling us to leave. We decide if and when we make such a change.
We're both slowly making friends. It's hard to do that when everything has been temporary for so long. I'm the one who talks to everyone, but has a hard time maintaining friendships. I've been like that, even when I lived in Bakersfield. I guess for some reason, I keep everyone at arm's length. So the friends thing is taking me longer than Cameron. He's found a couple of good, solid, friends. He can call them and talk with them when he's upset. I'm envious, but will push myself as I have had to, just to be able to speak up for myself, or make my wishes known. It's taken years to get this far from a wall flower in high school.
So with firm ground beneath me, I move myself beyond my comfort zones and step out into the high desert that is my home.
The Flatness of it All and the Toll That is Paid
It's been almost a year of job hunting. Yes, I did have that one at the mall, the one with the immature supervisor who had no positive things to say about those under her "supervision". But I was trying to jump that ship after a couple of months on it. (Strangely, the company still employs her after she took them for hundreds of dollars while doctoring her time sheets. She's been told "Don't do that again".)
Anyway, hundreds of resumes, applications, and interviews later, here I am. I feel like a lifeless drone, throwing papers to the electronic wind and hoping some of them stick to some processor on someone's desk. There's no face time, unless they call for an interview. 99% of potential employers request no phone calls or surprise visits, just email us your paperwork and we'll be calling whomever looks like the person we want. How do you encapsulate your years of experience and the wisdom gained from that experience, your personality, your enthusiasm for the position into a couple of sheets of paper? I've been in the top 5 more times than I want to think about, only to be told, "Sorry, we found someone with the exact qualifications we're looking for."
Being 49 doesn't help, either. There's a lot of us out roaming the want ads, in search of a piece of the meager salaried positions. Excitement over a request for an interview is curtailed. We show up and put on the face of excitement over the minimum wage pay and the anticipation of being supervised by someone our child's age. We want the job, any job, but cynicism's undercurrent flows on unhindered.
Life just moves on. Highs are flattened by the inevitable "thanks, but no thanks." I know care must be taken to avoid the "self fulfilling prophecy" from this doldrums I'm caught in. So I turn back to focus my energy on the business that has been on life support for the past few months. I got a big order from a friend of mine that gave me the extra cash to purchase the remaining items needed to begin the party circuit. I'm hosting the first one as I figured that would be a good place to hone my skills. I'm not having it at our apartment (for one thing, there's no seating and I've made an open invite to members of a women's group that I joined a while back, so don't really know them that well.) I'll be using the community room at the apartment complex. It's nice, with a little kitchen and comfortable seating.
Having only been here a year and with most of that hunkered down, trying to survive financially, I haven't made many friends. Now, I talk to everyone, but it's a passing thing that is rarely repeated. These are more superficial acquaintances. I have friends from the mall job, but they're in the same boat-barely living paycheck to paycheck. If I can just get a handful of customers, to "infect" with my wonderful products and winning personality, that will begin the viral marketing necessary to operate in Santa Fe. Word of mouth is the top marketing technique. It can make or break a business in a heartbeat.
I'm still keeping the website going, even added an educational page-something that is highly recommended on websites these days. The podcast is moving along and is a tool for my viral marketing. The book has been a recent casualty of all of this flurry. I'm desperately focusing on ways to help support us and haven't been writing the past few weeks. I miss it. I'm consumed with conjuring up new ideas to get the business off the ground on the last bit of shoestring that I have, without looking like it. It's got to be good from the start, and the idea petrifies me. I still push on, creating my own brand and talking to everyone who will listen. I'm carrying business cards and handing them out. Today, my palm pixie will earn its keep so as to record contact info and press for party dates from those excited individuals I run into.
So, I push back the depression, anxiety, desperation, and cynicism that have made their home inside me. Today I pick up the package that's waiting for me, unpack the final items that complete my sample collection, and then go out in search of potential customers.
November is my start month. It gives me time to acquaint myself with the products and create my party persona. There are items to be printed up, in small quantity on my home printer for starters. Photoshop is my friend these days and I've managed to get fairly proficient with it. The necessary wiping of my hard drive really set me back as I'm still trying to locate files that were saved on every memory card we have. Slowly that mess is getting cleaned up.
I think I'm starting to ramble so need to put one foot in front of the other and get to work. I'm hoping for a productive day.
Anyway, hundreds of resumes, applications, and interviews later, here I am. I feel like a lifeless drone, throwing papers to the electronic wind and hoping some of them stick to some processor on someone's desk. There's no face time, unless they call for an interview. 99% of potential employers request no phone calls or surprise visits, just email us your paperwork and we'll be calling whomever looks like the person we want. How do you encapsulate your years of experience and the wisdom gained from that experience, your personality, your enthusiasm for the position into a couple of sheets of paper? I've been in the top 5 more times than I want to think about, only to be told, "Sorry, we found someone with the exact qualifications we're looking for."
Being 49 doesn't help, either. There's a lot of us out roaming the want ads, in search of a piece of the meager salaried positions. Excitement over a request for an interview is curtailed. We show up and put on the face of excitement over the minimum wage pay and the anticipation of being supervised by someone our child's age. We want the job, any job, but cynicism's undercurrent flows on unhindered.
Life just moves on. Highs are flattened by the inevitable "thanks, but no thanks." I know care must be taken to avoid the "self fulfilling prophecy" from this doldrums I'm caught in. So I turn back to focus my energy on the business that has been on life support for the past few months. I got a big order from a friend of mine that gave me the extra cash to purchase the remaining items needed to begin the party circuit. I'm hosting the first one as I figured that would be a good place to hone my skills. I'm not having it at our apartment (for one thing, there's no seating and I've made an open invite to members of a women's group that I joined a while back, so don't really know them that well.) I'll be using the community room at the apartment complex. It's nice, with a little kitchen and comfortable seating.
Having only been here a year and with most of that hunkered down, trying to survive financially, I haven't made many friends. Now, I talk to everyone, but it's a passing thing that is rarely repeated. These are more superficial acquaintances. I have friends from the mall job, but they're in the same boat-barely living paycheck to paycheck. If I can just get a handful of customers, to "infect" with my wonderful products and winning personality, that will begin the viral marketing necessary to operate in Santa Fe. Word of mouth is the top marketing technique. It can make or break a business in a heartbeat.
I'm still keeping the website going, even added an educational page-something that is highly recommended on websites these days. The podcast is moving along and is a tool for my viral marketing. The book has been a recent casualty of all of this flurry. I'm desperately focusing on ways to help support us and haven't been writing the past few weeks. I miss it. I'm consumed with conjuring up new ideas to get the business off the ground on the last bit of shoestring that I have, without looking like it. It's got to be good from the start, and the idea petrifies me. I still push on, creating my own brand and talking to everyone who will listen. I'm carrying business cards and handing them out. Today, my palm pixie will earn its keep so as to record contact info and press for party dates from those excited individuals I run into.
So, I push back the depression, anxiety, desperation, and cynicism that have made their home inside me. Today I pick up the package that's waiting for me, unpack the final items that complete my sample collection, and then go out in search of potential customers.
November is my start month. It gives me time to acquaint myself with the products and create my party persona. There are items to be printed up, in small quantity on my home printer for starters. Photoshop is my friend these days and I've managed to get fairly proficient with it. The necessary wiping of my hard drive really set me back as I'm still trying to locate files that were saved on every memory card we have. Slowly that mess is getting cleaned up.
I think I'm starting to ramble so need to put one foot in front of the other and get to work. I'm hoping for a productive day.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
I Think I'm Making Headway...
I'm still in job search mode, but hopeful (again) that a job I interviewed for this morning will come through. The hours are good and there's great potential for future advancement.
I made a really good sale Saturday and think I just might be able to pull some parties together. It'll take a little ingenuity to pull off some of the display pieces I want. (It's amazing how good cardboard looks with satin over it!) I got an amazing buy on a folding table, that folds in the middle, and has wheels so I can pull it along to where ever I need to take it. A while back I got a little folding hand-truck like thing (teachers use them) at a very good clearance price. Now, to make a tablecloth for the table and wait for the ordered items to show up.
My website is filling out nicely and I've added some new pages and lots more items to it. I'm trying very hard to have the patience to wait for the word-of mouth, viral marketing, to work its magic. I hand out business cards everywhere I go and talk to lots of people. Last week I interviewed an author from Australia for my October 15th podcast. My listener numbers are slowly going up on that, as well. It's a non-paying project, but should send the curious to my website, and maybe the curious will buy something?
My book has been on hold for the past week as I was having a terrible time with my computer-no sound. 2 techs. and several on the phone later, couldn't figure out the problem, and eventually recommended wiping my hard drive as there seemed to be something viral or otherwise causing the problem. Well, I've spent several days reconstructing everything and loading my files back into it. My audio works great, which is good since I needed to edit the interview and make it podcast ready.
On this Sunday, I'm going to be helping out with a short independent film as one of many part-time production assistants. It's non paid, but could lead to future paid opportunities, if the director likes my work. He is planning a major film in the future. He is an actor/producer/director (his name is Michael John Gabriel), so who knows what that future holds.
Cameron is feeling more positive these days and has accepted Santa Fe as his home. He's got a group of friends that he rides with on Sunday mornings and on Halloween he has been invited to a special tribal event. I'm not sure what tribe the Shaman is from, who invited Cameron and his friend Scott. All I know is that it's a guy only thing and they'll be sleeping out in the desert. What he has to say when he returns should be interesting. I think Tuesday and I will hang out together and maybe watch some Netflix. (We don't get any trick or treaters here.) I'm very happy he's found some people with similar interests to hang out with.
I feel a change in the wind (or maybe it's just fall) and am hoping it is for the better for us. Being in limbo is difficult and, unfortunately, we're quite familiar with it.
Oh, here's some pictures of my current nemesis, called "Chamisa". Since Santa Fe encourages xeriscaping (not sure of the spelling), the town is covered in native plants. It's quite pretty as something is always blooming, but my allergies aren't too keen on it.
I made a really good sale Saturday and think I just might be able to pull some parties together. It'll take a little ingenuity to pull off some of the display pieces I want. (It's amazing how good cardboard looks with satin over it!) I got an amazing buy on a folding table, that folds in the middle, and has wheels so I can pull it along to where ever I need to take it. A while back I got a little folding hand-truck like thing (teachers use them) at a very good clearance price. Now, to make a tablecloth for the table and wait for the ordered items to show up.
My website is filling out nicely and I've added some new pages and lots more items to it. I'm trying very hard to have the patience to wait for the word-of mouth, viral marketing, to work its magic. I hand out business cards everywhere I go and talk to lots of people. Last week I interviewed an author from Australia for my October 15th podcast. My listener numbers are slowly going up on that, as well. It's a non-paying project, but should send the curious to my website, and maybe the curious will buy something?
My book has been on hold for the past week as I was having a terrible time with my computer-no sound. 2 techs. and several on the phone later, couldn't figure out the problem, and eventually recommended wiping my hard drive as there seemed to be something viral or otherwise causing the problem. Well, I've spent several days reconstructing everything and loading my files back into it. My audio works great, which is good since I needed to edit the interview and make it podcast ready.
On this Sunday, I'm going to be helping out with a short independent film as one of many part-time production assistants. It's non paid, but could lead to future paid opportunities, if the director likes my work. He is planning a major film in the future. He is an actor/producer/director (his name is Michael John Gabriel), so who knows what that future holds.
Cameron is feeling more positive these days and has accepted Santa Fe as his home. He's got a group of friends that he rides with on Sunday mornings and on Halloween he has been invited to a special tribal event. I'm not sure what tribe the Shaman is from, who invited Cameron and his friend Scott. All I know is that it's a guy only thing and they'll be sleeping out in the desert. What he has to say when he returns should be interesting. I think Tuesday and I will hang out together and maybe watch some Netflix. (We don't get any trick or treaters here.) I'm very happy he's found some people with similar interests to hang out with.
I feel a change in the wind (or maybe it's just fall) and am hoping it is for the better for us. Being in limbo is difficult and, unfortunately, we're quite familiar with it.
Oh, here's some pictures of my current nemesis, called "Chamisa". Since Santa Fe encourages xeriscaping (not sure of the spelling), the town is covered in native plants. It's quite pretty as something is always blooming, but my allergies aren't too keen on it.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Trying to Get a Handle On Everything
The last couple of days, I've been reading the book for my upcoming interview. I'm going to record the actual interview Sunday evening, giving me a couple of weeks to edit it and post it on the 15th. It's been a hard book to read and quite long. I'm still not sure what approach to take with the author when we discuss it.
In addition to the reading, I've submitted several resumes/applications this week and made some additions to my website. Yesterday, I went to an address to "apply in person" for a receptionist position. Not knowing what kind of business it was, I was surprised to find that it is a very trendy salon. Wishing I had put on a little more make up or spent a little more time on my hair, I went through the doors. It's a very cool place and everyone is very friendly. I was asked to wait for the business manager. Oh, joy! An on the spot interview! I definitely wished I'd known and did a little more sprucing up. Well, it turns out the manager is fantastic. We had a great talk and he is passing me on to have an interview with the other 2 partners. So, I impressed one, now I wait for the second stage interview. I'm crossing my fingers. He says he prefers to hire people from out of town, because they have a good work ethic. Locals, apparently, are not very dependable.
OK, so that's the situation on the job front. During those last 2 days, I haven't worked on the book very much, since the interview was coming up and the book for that had to be finished. But now, I'm back on it. Not so much writing, but doing what I probably should have done initially-gathering information. I've pulled all my blog entries and am going through the comments. There's too many gaps in my memory and my blog posts for me to be comfortable writing much at this time. Today's job is to finish going through every scrap of emails, blogs, comments, notes, that I can find and enter them into my time line. Since I didn't do this initially, I am going to be going back through my first 7 chapters and making some adjustments; probably beginning some new chapters, as well.
Oh, I'm going to be a non-paid production assistant for an indie film that is being filmed on the 16th and 17th. I met the producer/director on Facebook (Michael John Gabriel) and he asked me if I'd like to fill one of the positions that he still needs people for. He says this is like an audition for future paid work for everyone involved. Sounds like fun, and I did let him know that my schedule may suddenly change if I get a paying job requiring my presence those two days. The Sunday should be fine, it's the Saturday that I'm not sure of. He says there are 4 shifts and I can do one or all four or any combination. So it's pretty loose.
I'm taking on another project, that I hope I can get done fairly quickly and easily. I got burned on my last attempt at bartering website building, in exchange for some tattoo work (he ended up not holding up his end of the bargain and so I had to take it all down). I have made a similar agreement with a friend who does tattoos on the side. Since he has a day job, he does it more for fun, than anything and it has come in handy for him to barter with. He's been professionally doing them for 17 years, but prefers to be able to just do them, now, as he feels like it. He knows the guy that I first did a site for and understands my wariness, but this time, he's doing the work first, then he says I can do the website at my leisure. So, it's a matter of making arrangements and working out the artwork. His site should be quick and easy to put up, since I've already done one. The only aspect that I think is going to give me some trouble is his logo. It's really unusual. As long as he can get me the full artwork, it should be OK.
Oh, tomorrow is another BMW track day. Cameron and I are the official photographers for track day. We get to go hang out on a curve and take pictures of whomever rides by. It can get kind of hot, but we've been having nice weather. Of course, this is taking place a couple thousand feet lower in elevation, so we'll see. Hats and lots of sunscreen! Anyone, who can pay the track fees, can come and use the track that day and the event is sponsored by the BMW dealerships. Employees can ride for free. Cameron has gone on the track a couple of times, but I'm not sure if he'll do it tomorrow.
It's going to be a challenge getting down to Albuquerque and to the track. The annual balloon fiesta is this weekend and is a huge tourist attraction for the region. I'm hoping to be able to see some of them in the air from the track. I will definitely take pictures. I don't know the air patterns around here very well, so have no idea which way they'll go after launch.
Well, it looks like a couple of my emails I sent out asking for archived information from the time of the accident may have been answered. So, back to the timeline! I'll keep you posted about all the crazy stuff I'm doing.
In addition to the reading, I've submitted several resumes/applications this week and made some additions to my website. Yesterday, I went to an address to "apply in person" for a receptionist position. Not knowing what kind of business it was, I was surprised to find that it is a very trendy salon. Wishing I had put on a little more make up or spent a little more time on my hair, I went through the doors. It's a very cool place and everyone is very friendly. I was asked to wait for the business manager. Oh, joy! An on the spot interview! I definitely wished I'd known and did a little more sprucing up. Well, it turns out the manager is fantastic. We had a great talk and he is passing me on to have an interview with the other 2 partners. So, I impressed one, now I wait for the second stage interview. I'm crossing my fingers. He says he prefers to hire people from out of town, because they have a good work ethic. Locals, apparently, are not very dependable.
OK, so that's the situation on the job front. During those last 2 days, I haven't worked on the book very much, since the interview was coming up and the book for that had to be finished. But now, I'm back on it. Not so much writing, but doing what I probably should have done initially-gathering information. I've pulled all my blog entries and am going through the comments. There's too many gaps in my memory and my blog posts for me to be comfortable writing much at this time. Today's job is to finish going through every scrap of emails, blogs, comments, notes, that I can find and enter them into my time line. Since I didn't do this initially, I am going to be going back through my first 7 chapters and making some adjustments; probably beginning some new chapters, as well.
Oh, I'm going to be a non-paid production assistant for an indie film that is being filmed on the 16th and 17th. I met the producer/director on Facebook (Michael John Gabriel) and he asked me if I'd like to fill one of the positions that he still needs people for. He says this is like an audition for future paid work for everyone involved. Sounds like fun, and I did let him know that my schedule may suddenly change if I get a paying job requiring my presence those two days. The Sunday should be fine, it's the Saturday that I'm not sure of. He says there are 4 shifts and I can do one or all four or any combination. So it's pretty loose.
I'm taking on another project, that I hope I can get done fairly quickly and easily. I got burned on my last attempt at bartering website building, in exchange for some tattoo work (he ended up not holding up his end of the bargain and so I had to take it all down). I have made a similar agreement with a friend who does tattoos on the side. Since he has a day job, he does it more for fun, than anything and it has come in handy for him to barter with. He's been professionally doing them for 17 years, but prefers to be able to just do them, now, as he feels like it. He knows the guy that I first did a site for and understands my wariness, but this time, he's doing the work first, then he says I can do the website at my leisure. So, it's a matter of making arrangements and working out the artwork. His site should be quick and easy to put up, since I've already done one. The only aspect that I think is going to give me some trouble is his logo. It's really unusual. As long as he can get me the full artwork, it should be OK.
Oh, tomorrow is another BMW track day. Cameron and I are the official photographers for track day. We get to go hang out on a curve and take pictures of whomever rides by. It can get kind of hot, but we've been having nice weather. Of course, this is taking place a couple thousand feet lower in elevation, so we'll see. Hats and lots of sunscreen! Anyone, who can pay the track fees, can come and use the track that day and the event is sponsored by the BMW dealerships. Employees can ride for free. Cameron has gone on the track a couple of times, but I'm not sure if he'll do it tomorrow.
It's going to be a challenge getting down to Albuquerque and to the track. The annual balloon fiesta is this weekend and is a huge tourist attraction for the region. I'm hoping to be able to see some of them in the air from the track. I will definitely take pictures. I don't know the air patterns around here very well, so have no idea which way they'll go after launch.
Well, it looks like a couple of my emails I sent out asking for archived information from the time of the accident may have been answered. So, back to the timeline! I'll keep you posted about all the crazy stuff I'm doing.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
No News Is Definitely Not Good News!
Well, today is, for the most part, over and I have not received a call from the Humane Society, where I interviewed last week. They said the would not call unless I was chosen. So, here I am. The interview I had yesterday was for Head Start, which is funded by government money, so has to go through a 3 week process to make any sort of decision.
I know several of you were wondering about all of that, so there it is.
Today was the worst one for job leads. Not much posted that I could remotely qualify for, unless I'm big and burley, and can lift 50+ lbs on a regular basis, or have prior experience doing, which I didn't have for any of them. Another thing that's frustrating here is the "must be bilingual" criteria that is with about a third of all the job openings. I wish I could learn languages easily, but they just don't stick!
Well, in the meantime, I've got 7chapters under my belt and many still to go. Speaking of which, I do need to get back to that business at hand.
Have a good evening!
Patti
I know several of you were wondering about all of that, so there it is.
Today was the worst one for job leads. Not much posted that I could remotely qualify for, unless I'm big and burley, and can lift 50+ lbs on a regular basis, or have prior experience doing, which I didn't have for any of them. Another thing that's frustrating here is the "must be bilingual" criteria that is with about a third of all the job openings. I wish I could learn languages easily, but they just don't stick!
Well, in the meantime, I've got 7chapters under my belt and many still to go. Speaking of which, I do need to get back to that business at hand.
Have a good evening!
Patti
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Understanding More as I Go
Well, my interview seemed to go well, yesterday. The position is made for me, except for the hours. It's 3 8-hour days: Sat, Sun, Mon. Not bad, except Cameron's "weekend" is Sun/Mon. It could make for some drastic schedule changes at home. At this point, though, anything is good.
After the interview, I went to the mall to see some of the friends I left behind, especially the others still at the Pagoda. Unfortunately, the manager was there, and since I didn't give her any notice, I really didn't want to see her. Luckily, she disappeared from the kiosk for quite some time, as usual, so I was able to go into the Zales, which is next door, to chat with one of my friends in there. While I was talking with her, one of my other friends, he had been a regular customer at the kiosk, saw me and stopped to talk. He was in a hurry, so I told him I'd stop by the salon he works at in a little while.
Both of my friends want to place an order with me. We'll see if they follow through. The one at Zales gets paid next week and said she'd call me then. The other, is interested in more products than I have on my website so wants me to bring him a catalog next week. All it takes is word of mouth in this town. If I can get a handful of happy customers, they'll tell their friends, etc. Viral marketing is what I was told it takes to make a business, here. Several good experiences can create a success, but a bad one can destroy it. That's Santa Fe.
I've made progress on several other fronts. I'm slowly filling in my podcast guest schedule. I'm booked through November. I'm slowly making my way through the book for October's show. The publisher I frequently work with, is sending me about 6 books to choose from, that are by the author I'll be interviewing in November. She's fairly prolific and has a couple coming out then. I'm not sure about the others she's sending me, but free books are always welcome!
Then, speaking of books, I'm managing to get about a chapter written each day. Though I took yesterday off to just regenerate. I have 5 chapters and a prologue in final stages. Cameron is encouraging me to keep working on it, not wanting me to loose my momentum. He says it's riveting writing and the story line very intense. He's sure it will be a good book once I finish. I'm handling it one chapter at a time, with an outline to keep me on track. I don't know how many chapters there will be. Each one begins and ends on its own terms. Most prompt tears at some point in them. That makes them all the more tiring to write. I think this will turn out to be good therapy for me, once it's all done and all the memories are packed into a file outside of my brain.
With the thoughts from chapter 5 neatly tucked away in my laptop, I should be able to get some sleep. I have another interview on, I think Tuesday, so I'll let you know how that one goes. Good night!
After the interview, I went to the mall to see some of the friends I left behind, especially the others still at the Pagoda. Unfortunately, the manager was there, and since I didn't give her any notice, I really didn't want to see her. Luckily, she disappeared from the kiosk for quite some time, as usual, so I was able to go into the Zales, which is next door, to chat with one of my friends in there. While I was talking with her, one of my other friends, he had been a regular customer at the kiosk, saw me and stopped to talk. He was in a hurry, so I told him I'd stop by the salon he works at in a little while.
Both of my friends want to place an order with me. We'll see if they follow through. The one at Zales gets paid next week and said she'd call me then. The other, is interested in more products than I have on my website so wants me to bring him a catalog next week. All it takes is word of mouth in this town. If I can get a handful of happy customers, they'll tell their friends, etc. Viral marketing is what I was told it takes to make a business, here. Several good experiences can create a success, but a bad one can destroy it. That's Santa Fe.
I've made progress on several other fronts. I'm slowly filling in my podcast guest schedule. I'm booked through November. I'm slowly making my way through the book for October's show. The publisher I frequently work with, is sending me about 6 books to choose from, that are by the author I'll be interviewing in November. She's fairly prolific and has a couple coming out then. I'm not sure about the others she's sending me, but free books are always welcome!
Then, speaking of books, I'm managing to get about a chapter written each day. Though I took yesterday off to just regenerate. I have 5 chapters and a prologue in final stages. Cameron is encouraging me to keep working on it, not wanting me to loose my momentum. He says it's riveting writing and the story line very intense. He's sure it will be a good book once I finish. I'm handling it one chapter at a time, with an outline to keep me on track. I don't know how many chapters there will be. Each one begins and ends on its own terms. Most prompt tears at some point in them. That makes them all the more tiring to write. I think this will turn out to be good therapy for me, once it's all done and all the memories are packed into a file outside of my brain.
With the thoughts from chapter 5 neatly tucked away in my laptop, I should be able to get some sleep. I have another interview on, I think Tuesday, so I'll let you know how that one goes. Good night!
Monday, September 13, 2010
Fatigued, yet productive
There's still no new interviews or even potential interview contact. I've applied at several locations, both large and small companies. Since most of these applications were submitted on Friday or over the weekend, I don't anticipate hearing from any of them for another day or so.
Some good out of this? I'm getting a good amount of writing done. This is extremely difficult for me as it is dredging up memories that I had pushed down 3 years ago. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. Eventually, they start oozing back up and popping into your head. I've suffered from PTSD from Cameron's accident, but never dealt with it with a professional. Now I am, especially now that those memories aren't cooperating like they had for the past few years.
The writing is for a book. It's written from my perspective and begins the day I receive notice of the accident. I don't exactly know where it will stop, but I'm getting it all down on paper. Like throwing up that poisoned food that is only making you miserable while in your stomach, I'm regurgitating the minutes, hours, days , and weeks of a time that I felt more fear and helplessness than anyone should ever experience.
My therapist says it will be a healthy undertaking. I'm not sure I'm 100% with him on this, now that I'm into it. My anxiety levels have increased and I tear-up frequently, especially when I'm writing. I feel moodier and more exhausted than usual. I'm only 50 pages into it, with many more to go. One thing is good. Cameron is glad that I'm doing this. It might be because it helps him to understand what was going on while he was not himself or just happy that I am writing. He's always loved my writing and encouraged me to write. It was always hard to find the time, since I tend to get engulfed in my subject.
I may post some of it here and there, or may send hard copies to those who are interested. I don't know what I'll do with it when it's finished, so would rather not make it available to just anyone who happens upon my blog. That's to be worked out later, I guess. For now, it's been a long day. My allergies have made it difficult to sleep some nights. Last night was one of those, hopefully, tonight will bring me deep, restful, sleep.
Some good out of this? I'm getting a good amount of writing done. This is extremely difficult for me as it is dredging up memories that I had pushed down 3 years ago. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. Eventually, they start oozing back up and popping into your head. I've suffered from PTSD from Cameron's accident, but never dealt with it with a professional. Now I am, especially now that those memories aren't cooperating like they had for the past few years.
The writing is for a book. It's written from my perspective and begins the day I receive notice of the accident. I don't exactly know where it will stop, but I'm getting it all down on paper. Like throwing up that poisoned food that is only making you miserable while in your stomach, I'm regurgitating the minutes, hours, days , and weeks of a time that I felt more fear and helplessness than anyone should ever experience.
My therapist says it will be a healthy undertaking. I'm not sure I'm 100% with him on this, now that I'm into it. My anxiety levels have increased and I tear-up frequently, especially when I'm writing. I feel moodier and more exhausted than usual. I'm only 50 pages into it, with many more to go. One thing is good. Cameron is glad that I'm doing this. It might be because it helps him to understand what was going on while he was not himself or just happy that I am writing. He's always loved my writing and encouraged me to write. It was always hard to find the time, since I tend to get engulfed in my subject.
I may post some of it here and there, or may send hard copies to those who are interested. I don't know what I'll do with it when it's finished, so would rather not make it available to just anyone who happens upon my blog. That's to be worked out later, I guess. For now, it's been a long day. My allergies have made it difficult to sleep some nights. Last night was one of those, hopefully, tonight will bring me deep, restful, sleep.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Zozobra opens Fiestas de Santa Fe
The following is from the local paper. This is an annual tradition here and very popular. Unfortunately, they increased the cost to attend, and we really don't like crowds, so we were not present for the festivities. I thought you might be interested in the cultural aspect of it.
[Photo Gallery] Old Man Gloom meets fiery doom - The Santa Fe New Mexican
http://www.zozobra.com/history.html This link will take you to information on the history of Zozobra.
[Photo Gallery] Old Man Gloom meets fiery doom - The Santa Fe New Mexican
http://www.zozobra.com/history.html This link will take you to information on the history of Zozobra.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
It Just Keeps Going and Going
The first of September was both wrenching and mind-boggling.
That great job I got a few weeks ago, ended. It was decided that I just wasn't right for the position.
Our lease on our apartment is up at the end of the month and the great move-in special we got last year, ends then, as well. This means our rent will go up $200 on October first. If one month's notice is required to move, I had to decide whether we would be staying here or moving somewhere cheaper. Since I couldn't get a hold of Cameron, I gave notice, with the understanding that I could cancel it. This would be the only opportunity to do so.
I spent the next day checking out potential future homes, but the costs involved in moving would be hard to come by if I have difficulty finding employment. So, after discussing it, we decided to cancel our notice and take the lesser of the two evils. The management company is offering one month of free rent that can be credited to our account and used as needed. That helps a little since, if necessary, we can take what we can't afford to pay next month out of the credit allowance.
OK, so here I am, again, searching for a job.
Wednesday, I applied for a job with an organization that works with at-risk youth and their families. It's similar to another position I had several years ago and I had planned to apply there the same day I was hired for my former position.
Thursday, I got a phone call from that organization, requesting that I come in for an interview on Tuesday. That was fast! I've continued to apply for other jobs, but don't expect to hear from anyone until after the holiday.
This "break" is giving me the opportunity to take care of long-overdue cleaning projects. I also, have an hour long podcast interview to edit down to 20-25 minutes by the 15th, so am working on that as well. The interview is with Paul Krassner, the satirist. He's a very interesting person. I enjoyed talking with him, as is evident from the length of the discussion/interview. If you're interested in listening to it, it will be posted on iTunes sometime on the 15th of September, under the podcast name of "The WildO Network".
Cameron is doing well and getting a better handle on the stress of his job. There's been some personnel changes there, so that shakes up the "norm". I'm not sure how the winter will be handled this year as everyone on the service side of the dealership's pay is dependent on a constant influx of customers. That's something we saw greatly lacking our first winter here.
It's looking like we may have some rough months ahead, but we could, also, be pleasantly surprised. I'm feeling a little more positive at the moment and anticipate a surprise or two. Paul (Krassner) is going to be using part of the unused interview to glean some quotes from me, and will be calling me in the coming weeks for more information. It seems that he is working on an article that may put my business in a very visible position.
Like I said, there may be some surprises ahead.
That great job I got a few weeks ago, ended. It was decided that I just wasn't right for the position.
Our lease on our apartment is up at the end of the month and the great move-in special we got last year, ends then, as well. This means our rent will go up $200 on October first. If one month's notice is required to move, I had to decide whether we would be staying here or moving somewhere cheaper. Since I couldn't get a hold of Cameron, I gave notice, with the understanding that I could cancel it. This would be the only opportunity to do so.
I spent the next day checking out potential future homes, but the costs involved in moving would be hard to come by if I have difficulty finding employment. So, after discussing it, we decided to cancel our notice and take the lesser of the two evils. The management company is offering one month of free rent that can be credited to our account and used as needed. That helps a little since, if necessary, we can take what we can't afford to pay next month out of the credit allowance.
OK, so here I am, again, searching for a job.
Wednesday, I applied for a job with an organization that works with at-risk youth and their families. It's similar to another position I had several years ago and I had planned to apply there the same day I was hired for my former position.
Thursday, I got a phone call from that organization, requesting that I come in for an interview on Tuesday. That was fast! I've continued to apply for other jobs, but don't expect to hear from anyone until after the holiday.
This "break" is giving me the opportunity to take care of long-overdue cleaning projects. I also, have an hour long podcast interview to edit down to 20-25 minutes by the 15th, so am working on that as well. The interview is with Paul Krassner, the satirist. He's a very interesting person. I enjoyed talking with him, as is evident from the length of the discussion/interview. If you're interested in listening to it, it will be posted on iTunes sometime on the 15th of September, under the podcast name of "The WildO Network".
Cameron is doing well and getting a better handle on the stress of his job. There's been some personnel changes there, so that shakes up the "norm". I'm not sure how the winter will be handled this year as everyone on the service side of the dealership's pay is dependent on a constant influx of customers. That's something we saw greatly lacking our first winter here.
It's looking like we may have some rough months ahead, but we could, also, be pleasantly surprised. I'm feeling a little more positive at the moment and anticipate a surprise or two. Paul (Krassner) is going to be using part of the unused interview to glean some quotes from me, and will be calling me in the coming weeks for more information. It seems that he is working on an article that may put my business in a very visible position.
Like I said, there may be some surprises ahead.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Talk About a Steep Learning Curve!
Wow! Today was my second day at my new job and it was exhausting! There is soooo much to learn-names of instruments, cleaning methods for exam rooms, organization of all supply cabinets and drawers (there's lots!), the doctor's preferences in instrument arrangement, the color-coding of the schedule that is displayed on a monitor that tells everything about each exam and, thus, what items will be needed for it...
I'm so burned out at the end of the day, but still have "homework" to do-as in studying supply catalogs to get to know all the instruments, their uses and names, and all the other stuff that is used in exams and restorative procedures.
There's a big rush because the other person who works this position is going back to school on Tuesday. So that means I will be flying solo for 3-4 hours a day, while she's in class. Talk about a crash course in dental office work! I was supposed to have another day to learn, Monday, but a prior employee's funeral was then so they closed the office.
I only wish the person who is training me knew how to teach. The office manager keeps trying to offer suggestions to her, but she is so nervous about me learning everything in time that she is just throwing it all at me. (She really needs a lesson plan!) So all day I'm told to do this, then do another thing, before I've completed the first, then she complains that I do it too slow. This was day 2, I only got my feet wet yesterday. (Oh, she's terribly OCD, too)
So, I'll probably be spending the weekend studying photos I've taken of all the drawers and cabinets so I can memorize where everything is and how it's supposed to go. Thank goodness for digital cameras! I'm going to take some more tomorrow of the instrument cases and their layouts so I make sure I know where each one goes for the different exams.
As for other happenings in our lives, Cameron went to a jam session tonight. Apparently, there's some guys that heard some of his music and are wanting to get a new band together. So, they asked him to play with them tonight. I wish I could have gone with him, but this chaos of a job isn't going to kick my butt for too long. I know I'll get to know everything, then it will be like any other job and I'll have more energy when I get home.
A little later...
Tuesday and I just came back from a little walk. It's very nice out tonight and lots of other tenants were out, too. Unfortunately, so were the mosquitoes! They seem to find me quite tasty and they are rather small here, so it's hard to see them coming. Dastardly little blood-suckers!
I was just looking for the photos we took of our little prairie dog colony and realized I don't think I ever posted the pictures from our Las Vegas (NM) trip. So, here they are: Overnighter in Las Vegas
I need to get some studying done, then off to bed!
I'm so burned out at the end of the day, but still have "homework" to do-as in studying supply catalogs to get to know all the instruments, their uses and names, and all the other stuff that is used in exams and restorative procedures.
There's a big rush because the other person who works this position is going back to school on Tuesday. So that means I will be flying solo for 3-4 hours a day, while she's in class. Talk about a crash course in dental office work! I was supposed to have another day to learn, Monday, but a prior employee's funeral was then so they closed the office.
I only wish the person who is training me knew how to teach. The office manager keeps trying to offer suggestions to her, but she is so nervous about me learning everything in time that she is just throwing it all at me. (She really needs a lesson plan!) So all day I'm told to do this, then do another thing, before I've completed the first, then she complains that I do it too slow. This was day 2, I only got my feet wet yesterday. (Oh, she's terribly OCD, too)
So, I'll probably be spending the weekend studying photos I've taken of all the drawers and cabinets so I can memorize where everything is and how it's supposed to go. Thank goodness for digital cameras! I'm going to take some more tomorrow of the instrument cases and their layouts so I make sure I know where each one goes for the different exams.
As for other happenings in our lives, Cameron went to a jam session tonight. Apparently, there's some guys that heard some of his music and are wanting to get a new band together. So, they asked him to play with them tonight. I wish I could have gone with him, but this chaos of a job isn't going to kick my butt for too long. I know I'll get to know everything, then it will be like any other job and I'll have more energy when I get home.
A little later...
Tuesday and I just came back from a little walk. It's very nice out tonight and lots of other tenants were out, too. Unfortunately, so were the mosquitoes! They seem to find me quite tasty and they are rather small here, so it's hard to see them coming. Dastardly little blood-suckers!
I was just looking for the photos we took of our little prairie dog colony and realized I don't think I ever posted the pictures from our Las Vegas (NM) trip. So, here they are: Overnighter in Las Vegas
I need to get some studying done, then off to bed!
Friday, July 16, 2010
What a last couple of weeks!
We've been going through a lot of just plain stuff. A large part of that has been being sick, both of us.
When I finally got to my first psych. appt. (took 3 months for an opening), the doctor prescribed me a new medication and started my doses low and gradually, over 1 month's time, I got to the maintenance dose. Nothing like being a guinea pig! I didn't really realize that the crazy things that were happening with me were due to the meds. until I took my first full dose. I had noticed things like my memory getting worse, disorientation that worsened, and my typing got weird. I usually can type 50wpm-corrected as I go along, but I began typing very phonetically, then just random letters would show up in words. By the time I was at the full dose, I was seeing at least 2 letters randomly in each word, without my noticing until I looked up at my typing. My final awakening to this happening came when my manager (yes, the same manager) showed me some paperwork that I had completed during the previous week. All I can say is that it looked totally different when I was filling it out. I was getting alternate realities. That scared me ALOT! I called the dr. office and was told my doctor was on vacation for 3 weeks, but I could see the one on call next week. So I cut my dose in half and waited the 3 days to see him. Now I'm on a different medication, but was told it would take a week for the other to be out of my system. I guess I have another day or two, but don't feel anything near 100%. I guess time will tell. Too bad they don't have some sort of blood test that can determine what chemicals are off in your brain so they can concoct an appropriate medication and be done with it. For now, they try different ones until they find the one that does the trick. UGH! Also, during all that I came down with some sort of sinus bug that's been going around.
Now on to Cameron. He really needs to get a new office chair-while working at his desk, he reached back to get something behind him and when the chair tipped back, it didn't stop-it just kept going over. So, he landed on his back, hitting his head on his amplifier. He immediately got up and threw up. Like most guys, he refused to go to the doctor. He ended up being very ill for a few days, and then got my bug, which went into his chest and gave him bronchitis. He then got a stomach bug that's also going around. Finally giving in, he went to the doctor a couple of days ago and got some medication and is now doing much better.
Last Sunday/Monday we rode to historic Las Vegas, New Mexico. Yes, we were both sick, but I had made the reservations in advance and they weren't refundable. We got a little exploring done both days, but spent the majority of the time enjoying cable TV in our hotel room and trying to feel better. We took lots of pictures-I'll try to put them up soon.
I'm still job hunting. I have sent out far more resumes than I care to add up and gone on close to a dozen interviews. Competition is fierce and they are telling me that as soon as the ad goes up they get upwards of 60+ applicants. It's an insane process of elimination. I feel that I need the job even more, now as I think my mental condition over the past few weeks has strained my situation at my present job. I made far too many mistakes, and now I'm feeling unsure of my abilities and don't trust myself. I double check everything, which takes more time. It feels as if it's only a matter of days before they let me go, but I could, also, be a little paranoid after the weird things that happened before.
My business has been laying there, flopping on the floor like a dying fish, so to speak. Santa Fe is a weird place and none of the marketing techniques that would work in CA, work here. So, I'm crossing my fingers that the 5 people I've spoken to, that asked if I do parties, will host some. I figure, why not try that? I haven't had much luck any other way. So I've been in contact with my wonderful person at my distributors about what products would be good sellers. I have a list, now I just have to purchase sample items. (I'm having flashbacks to long ago Tupperware selling.) My timeline for getting that going is the end of August. I think I should be able to spread out my purchases and have them by then. I've purchase some of my own items in bulk and put together combinations that will carry a 400% mark-up and still be below other companies' retail prices for similar items.
My podcast is going really well. I find alot of my authors on Facebook and have gotten to know several of them pretty well. I just posted my 4th one and the interview for the 5th will be done in a couple of weeks. I have the following one already lined up, as well. It's interesting talking with these authors. They are writers of various genres. I enjoy conversing with them, both on Facebook and while I'm interviewing them. It's great fun to talk with them. I've learned to do my own editing, so Cameron doesn't have to do it for me. If interested, the podcasts are on iTunes under The WildO Network, or on my website http://www.thewildo.com/twn.html
Business has picked up considerably at the dealership Cameron works at. As soon as the warm weather stabilized, the bikers came out of the woodwork. This is good for the business as the winter was especially severe this year and kept most of them off the road the entire season. They cut back on personnel to survive winter and now are working with a skeleton crew. It gets stressful trying to get all the customers' bikes fixed within their time frame and the mechanics' without upsetting either side in the process. Cameron is getting better at dealing with this "dance" between service and customers, without getting himself pinched in the middle. Everyone wants it done NOW, but doesn't want to pay for the service. It's a terrible contradiction that he faces daily.
Santa Fe is gorgeous. Even when it's hot, it doesn't compare to the heat in Phoenix or Bakersfield. Hot, here, means upper 80's. Usually there's a breeze, though we have had a couple of days without it and it seems much hotter then. I guess it's because we're so high up that the sun's intensity is more pronounced. I keep the 90-100 spf sunscreen on as the UV ratings here are very high. It's 7000ft. higher here than where we lived before. You can definitely feel the difference. I found out (not from experience) that alcohol has twice the effect here. I was speaking with a promoter and he said he tries to warn bands, that come here to play, but they don't listen. They go out to have a couple of drinks and find themselves barely able to walk. Then he gets the job of trying to sober them up for the concert. It's amazing what happens to you once you go over 5500ft.
Well, I have a full day's work tomorrow, that I'm not looking forward to, so I'd better be off to bed. Cameron is still fighting all his ails so went to bed shortly after supper. I think I've been trying to stall the inevitable arrival of Saturday morning. I usually only work for a few hours in the afternoon so an 8 hour shift on a busy Saturday is not exactly my favorite thing to do. So, Good Night, until next time.
When I finally got to my first psych. appt. (took 3 months for an opening), the doctor prescribed me a new medication and started my doses low and gradually, over 1 month's time, I got to the maintenance dose. Nothing like being a guinea pig! I didn't really realize that the crazy things that were happening with me were due to the meds. until I took my first full dose. I had noticed things like my memory getting worse, disorientation that worsened, and my typing got weird. I usually can type 50wpm-corrected as I go along, but I began typing very phonetically, then just random letters would show up in words. By the time I was at the full dose, I was seeing at least 2 letters randomly in each word, without my noticing until I looked up at my typing. My final awakening to this happening came when my manager (yes, the same manager) showed me some paperwork that I had completed during the previous week. All I can say is that it looked totally different when I was filling it out. I was getting alternate realities. That scared me ALOT! I called the dr. office and was told my doctor was on vacation for 3 weeks, but I could see the one on call next week. So I cut my dose in half and waited the 3 days to see him. Now I'm on a different medication, but was told it would take a week for the other to be out of my system. I guess I have another day or two, but don't feel anything near 100%. I guess time will tell. Too bad they don't have some sort of blood test that can determine what chemicals are off in your brain so they can concoct an appropriate medication and be done with it. For now, they try different ones until they find the one that does the trick. UGH! Also, during all that I came down with some sort of sinus bug that's been going around.
Now on to Cameron. He really needs to get a new office chair-while working at his desk, he reached back to get something behind him and when the chair tipped back, it didn't stop-it just kept going over. So, he landed on his back, hitting his head on his amplifier. He immediately got up and threw up. Like most guys, he refused to go to the doctor. He ended up being very ill for a few days, and then got my bug, which went into his chest and gave him bronchitis. He then got a stomach bug that's also going around. Finally giving in, he went to the doctor a couple of days ago and got some medication and is now doing much better.
Last Sunday/Monday we rode to historic Las Vegas, New Mexico. Yes, we were both sick, but I had made the reservations in advance and they weren't refundable. We got a little exploring done both days, but spent the majority of the time enjoying cable TV in our hotel room and trying to feel better. We took lots of pictures-I'll try to put them up soon.
I'm still job hunting. I have sent out far more resumes than I care to add up and gone on close to a dozen interviews. Competition is fierce and they are telling me that as soon as the ad goes up they get upwards of 60+ applicants. It's an insane process of elimination. I feel that I need the job even more, now as I think my mental condition over the past few weeks has strained my situation at my present job. I made far too many mistakes, and now I'm feeling unsure of my abilities and don't trust myself. I double check everything, which takes more time. It feels as if it's only a matter of days before they let me go, but I could, also, be a little paranoid after the weird things that happened before.
My business has been laying there, flopping on the floor like a dying fish, so to speak. Santa Fe is a weird place and none of the marketing techniques that would work in CA, work here. So, I'm crossing my fingers that the 5 people I've spoken to, that asked if I do parties, will host some. I figure, why not try that? I haven't had much luck any other way. So I've been in contact with my wonderful person at my distributors about what products would be good sellers. I have a list, now I just have to purchase sample items. (I'm having flashbacks to long ago Tupperware selling.) My timeline for getting that going is the end of August. I think I should be able to spread out my purchases and have them by then. I've purchase some of my own items in bulk and put together combinations that will carry a 400% mark-up and still be below other companies' retail prices for similar items.
My podcast is going really well. I find alot of my authors on Facebook and have gotten to know several of them pretty well. I just posted my 4th one and the interview for the 5th will be done in a couple of weeks. I have the following one already lined up, as well. It's interesting talking with these authors. They are writers of various genres. I enjoy conversing with them, both on Facebook and while I'm interviewing them. It's great fun to talk with them. I've learned to do my own editing, so Cameron doesn't have to do it for me. If interested, the podcasts are on iTunes under The WildO Network, or on my website http://www.thewildo.com/twn.html
Business has picked up considerably at the dealership Cameron works at. As soon as the warm weather stabilized, the bikers came out of the woodwork. This is good for the business as the winter was especially severe this year and kept most of them off the road the entire season. They cut back on personnel to survive winter and now are working with a skeleton crew. It gets stressful trying to get all the customers' bikes fixed within their time frame and the mechanics' without upsetting either side in the process. Cameron is getting better at dealing with this "dance" between service and customers, without getting himself pinched in the middle. Everyone wants it done NOW, but doesn't want to pay for the service. It's a terrible contradiction that he faces daily.
Santa Fe is gorgeous. Even when it's hot, it doesn't compare to the heat in Phoenix or Bakersfield. Hot, here, means upper 80's. Usually there's a breeze, though we have had a couple of days without it and it seems much hotter then. I guess it's because we're so high up that the sun's intensity is more pronounced. I keep the 90-100 spf sunscreen on as the UV ratings here are very high. It's 7000ft. higher here than where we lived before. You can definitely feel the difference. I found out (not from experience) that alcohol has twice the effect here. I was speaking with a promoter and he said he tries to warn bands, that come here to play, but they don't listen. They go out to have a couple of drinks and find themselves barely able to walk. Then he gets the job of trying to sober them up for the concert. It's amazing what happens to you once you go over 5500ft.
Well, I have a full day's work tomorrow, that I'm not looking forward to, so I'd better be off to bed. Cameron is still fighting all his ails so went to bed shortly after supper. I think I've been trying to stall the inevitable arrival of Saturday morning. I usually only work for a few hours in the afternoon so an 8 hour shift on a busy Saturday is not exactly my favorite thing to do. So, Good Night, until next time.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Insomnia and Restless Legs
This is getting to be a habit. Watching the clock move slowly, hour by hour...doze for a bit...then more watching. Then, as if that weren't enough, the legs start up. Aching...moving...discomfort...moving...turn over...moving...
It's 4:00am and I can't stand fighting it anymore, so I get up. Ah, 6 hours "sleep", as usual. Hmm...no one's on Facebook. Could it be they're sleeping!?
And so the day begins.
It's Mother's Day, so happy Mother's Day to everyone who has little and grown kids. My baby is back in California, but one of our furry "children" has just joined me at my computer for some petting and cuddling. Hopefully, he won't get the desire to do a little blogging, himself. He's notorious for diving in and "helping" me write.
Today, Cameron is taking me for a ride into the Pecos Wilderness for a picnic in a wooded area north of Pecos. He went on a solo ride last weekend and found the place teeming with wildlife. It will be a very nice way to spend Mother's Day. I'm planning on taking lots of pictures.
Let's see, what have we been up to for the past couple of months? The job searching continues with several interviews under my belt, but no responses. It seems so rude, especially in this age of e-mail, that prospective employers don't inform everyone that interviews of their status. A simple, impersonal, mass e-mail would suffice and allow interviewees to briefly mourn their loss and move on to other possibilities.
Well, JarJar left and now I have the company of Tuesday. I figured she'd stay in the cozy bed with Cameron, but she's on the prowl to tease the kitties! The chair by my desk, comfy with fuzzy blanket on top, makes for a nice vantage point to watch for passing felines.
Back to what's been going on. We've joined a few social groups and will go to our first event in a couple of weeks. One of the members of the women's group is hosting a brunch at her house on the 23rd and spouses are invited. Then on the 25th, the first meeting of the newly formed book club will be meeting to discuss Robert Goolrick's "A Reliable Wife". (By the way, I'm not sure I would recommend the book. The writing is excellent, but the story is terribly tragic. It took a while to shake it off after I finished the book.) Cameron joined a sport touring motorcycle group, but he has not gone on any rides with them, yet, so I don't know what they are like. There is, also, a couples group, but so far, the events haven't been our cup of tea.
Trying to get my little business off the ground has been frustrating, at best. I've been given quite a few suggestions for marketing it, from local people I've spoken with. I,also, have an appointment with a counselor at the Santa Fe Business Development Center, located at the community college. I've heard great things about their program so hopefully they can get me up to speed with how to make it work in this "city different", as it is known. So far, there's a big event in June that I'm thinking about setting up a booth at. From what I've been told, it's a great way to double my investment and create a customer base as attendees are always anxious to buy from the vendors. I'm still researching it, though I am running out of time to make my final decision.
Ah, here comes my snuggly boy to "assist" me, again. Tuesday must have gone back to bed as she's nowhere in sight.
Cameron is learning a lot about the temperament of local BMW owners, as well as how to temper his temperament when they begin acting in character. Not all of them are proctological specimens. He has some very nice and friendly customers who break up the tide of other, less amicable ones. These are the joys of being the front line man-buffering the distance between the customer and the technician. It's a skill that is good to learn, though frustrating in the process. I have seen him grow and improve considerably over the past few months, so hats off to Cameron for his persistence and patience.
My podcast is slowly coming along. The first one was not to great, due largely to audio problems. The next one should be much better, though I didn't watch the time as well as I should have so the interview ran way over the target 20 minutes. That means I'm spending a lot of time editing it to bring it down to the right length. I'm learning quite a bit about doing audio production as I want to be able to do most of it myself, rather than have to rely on Cameron to pull my show together. He has his own projects that he's focusing on. Thankfully, he's a patient teacher.
My stomach has woken up and is growling fiercely. I think it's time to feed it. So, I will close this and try to keep you better informed, as there's going to be a lot happening in the coming weeks. Spring is in Santa Fe, finally, and the tourists are beginning to stream into the city. That means many events are scheduled and the drivers are getting crazier, trying to navigate the bizarre layout of the streets. So, have a great Mother's Day and watch out for the party-hardy drivers.
It's 4:00am and I can't stand fighting it anymore, so I get up. Ah, 6 hours "sleep", as usual. Hmm...no one's on Facebook. Could it be they're sleeping!?
And so the day begins.
It's Mother's Day, so happy Mother's Day to everyone who has little and grown kids. My baby is back in California, but one of our furry "children" has just joined me at my computer for some petting and cuddling. Hopefully, he won't get the desire to do a little blogging, himself. He's notorious for diving in and "helping" me write.
Today, Cameron is taking me for a ride into the Pecos Wilderness for a picnic in a wooded area north of Pecos. He went on a solo ride last weekend and found the place teeming with wildlife. It will be a very nice way to spend Mother's Day. I'm planning on taking lots of pictures.
Let's see, what have we been up to for the past couple of months? The job searching continues with several interviews under my belt, but no responses. It seems so rude, especially in this age of e-mail, that prospective employers don't inform everyone that interviews of their status. A simple, impersonal, mass e-mail would suffice and allow interviewees to briefly mourn their loss and move on to other possibilities.
Well, JarJar left and now I have the company of Tuesday. I figured she'd stay in the cozy bed with Cameron, but she's on the prowl to tease the kitties! The chair by my desk, comfy with fuzzy blanket on top, makes for a nice vantage point to watch for passing felines.
Back to what's been going on. We've joined a few social groups and will go to our first event in a couple of weeks. One of the members of the women's group is hosting a brunch at her house on the 23rd and spouses are invited. Then on the 25th, the first meeting of the newly formed book club will be meeting to discuss Robert Goolrick's "A Reliable Wife". (By the way, I'm not sure I would recommend the book. The writing is excellent, but the story is terribly tragic. It took a while to shake it off after I finished the book.) Cameron joined a sport touring motorcycle group, but he has not gone on any rides with them, yet, so I don't know what they are like. There is, also, a couples group, but so far, the events haven't been our cup of tea.
Trying to get my little business off the ground has been frustrating, at best. I've been given quite a few suggestions for marketing it, from local people I've spoken with. I,also, have an appointment with a counselor at the Santa Fe Business Development Center, located at the community college. I've heard great things about their program so hopefully they can get me up to speed with how to make it work in this "city different", as it is known. So far, there's a big event in June that I'm thinking about setting up a booth at. From what I've been told, it's a great way to double my investment and create a customer base as attendees are always anxious to buy from the vendors. I'm still researching it, though I am running out of time to make my final decision.
Ah, here comes my snuggly boy to "assist" me, again. Tuesday must have gone back to bed as she's nowhere in sight.
Cameron is learning a lot about the temperament of local BMW owners, as well as how to temper his temperament when they begin acting in character. Not all of them are proctological specimens. He has some very nice and friendly customers who break up the tide of other, less amicable ones. These are the joys of being the front line man-buffering the distance between the customer and the technician. It's a skill that is good to learn, though frustrating in the process. I have seen him grow and improve considerably over the past few months, so hats off to Cameron for his persistence and patience.
My podcast is slowly coming along. The first one was not to great, due largely to audio problems. The next one should be much better, though I didn't watch the time as well as I should have so the interview ran way over the target 20 minutes. That means I'm spending a lot of time editing it to bring it down to the right length. I'm learning quite a bit about doing audio production as I want to be able to do most of it myself, rather than have to rely on Cameron to pull my show together. He has his own projects that he's focusing on. Thankfully, he's a patient teacher.
My stomach has woken up and is growling fiercely. I think it's time to feed it. So, I will close this and try to keep you better informed, as there's going to be a lot happening in the coming weeks. Spring is in Santa Fe, finally, and the tourists are beginning to stream into the city. That means many events are scheduled and the drivers are getting crazier, trying to navigate the bizarre layout of the streets. So, have a great Mother's Day and watch out for the party-hardy drivers.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Very Busy Times
Let's see...
It's been quite a while since I last posted anything. I got my website up and running and have had numerous friends go through it for errors and consistency and I think everything is in good shape.
I am working on a podcast in which I interview authors and review books. Since books are so expensive, I've contacted at least 20 publishers to request review copies and already have 3 on the way and 2 authors scheduled for interviews. I should have my first podcast up by the end of April.
Work is so-so. I really don't like working at the mall. When it gets busy, it feels claustrophobic since the kiosk that I work at is right in the middle of the walkway at a busy intersection. I'm not much of a mall person, either.
Cameron and I are working on building a website for a local tattoo artist. It's a little slow going as he is very busy and is having a hard time going through his portfolio pictures and reducing them to a post-able number. I think he said he has over 500, and we have asked him to bring it down to 250 for both his tattoos and piercings. Cameron is, also, going to interview him for his podcast and we'll do a little biography to post on his Examiner page.
All this work, and our finances are not doing much better. The site for the tattoo artist is a paid job, but since we don't have as much experience with it, we are charging far less than a professional web designer would get. It's, also, a very simple site.
The podcasts and my website are not bringing in anything yet, so it's just a waiting game for now. It takes a while for search engines to find you, and that's what brings people in to look at it. Ah, that whole patience thing again. We should be experts at it by now.
The critters are very happy these days. Maintenance finally came and screened in our patio so they can go out and lay in the sun and watch the birds. We put the doggie door, we've been carrying around with us since moving from Bakersfield, in the sliding door and now they can go out whenever they want. JarJar loves to sit out there at night. I finally got Tuesday current on her shots so now we can do a little more exploring on our walks. So everyone is happy.
Cameron is doing great at his new job. He's happy to go to work, now, and his pain is managed. I'm glad he's found a place for himself.
I'm having some good troubles. I've lost a bunch of weight and am having troubles finding things to wear in my current wardrobe, that aren't baggy and/or need a belt to hold them up. I'm going to check out Goodwill for some clothes, today, as trying to get a new wardrobe is going to get expensive. I already found a pair of nice dress slacks for interviews, there, and you can't beat $6.50 at a department store!
JarJar has just joined me at my desk to "help" me with my writing. Unfortunately, he likes to walk across the keyboard. I need to get myself moving in the direction of running errands and such. Hope you have a nice week!
It's been quite a while since I last posted anything. I got my website up and running and have had numerous friends go through it for errors and consistency and I think everything is in good shape.
I am working on a podcast in which I interview authors and review books. Since books are so expensive, I've contacted at least 20 publishers to request review copies and already have 3 on the way and 2 authors scheduled for interviews. I should have my first podcast up by the end of April.
Work is so-so. I really don't like working at the mall. When it gets busy, it feels claustrophobic since the kiosk that I work at is right in the middle of the walkway at a busy intersection. I'm not much of a mall person, either.
Cameron and I are working on building a website for a local tattoo artist. It's a little slow going as he is very busy and is having a hard time going through his portfolio pictures and reducing them to a post-able number. I think he said he has over 500, and we have asked him to bring it down to 250 for both his tattoos and piercings. Cameron is, also, going to interview him for his podcast and we'll do a little biography to post on his Examiner page.
All this work, and our finances are not doing much better. The site for the tattoo artist is a paid job, but since we don't have as much experience with it, we are charging far less than a professional web designer would get. It's, also, a very simple site.
The podcasts and my website are not bringing in anything yet, so it's just a waiting game for now. It takes a while for search engines to find you, and that's what brings people in to look at it. Ah, that whole patience thing again. We should be experts at it by now.
The critters are very happy these days. Maintenance finally came and screened in our patio so they can go out and lay in the sun and watch the birds. We put the doggie door, we've been carrying around with us since moving from Bakersfield, in the sliding door and now they can go out whenever they want. JarJar loves to sit out there at night. I finally got Tuesday current on her shots so now we can do a little more exploring on our walks. So everyone is happy.
Cameron is doing great at his new job. He's happy to go to work, now, and his pain is managed. I'm glad he's found a place for himself.
I'm having some good troubles. I've lost a bunch of weight and am having troubles finding things to wear in my current wardrobe, that aren't baggy and/or need a belt to hold them up. I'm going to check out Goodwill for some clothes, today, as trying to get a new wardrobe is going to get expensive. I already found a pair of nice dress slacks for interviews, there, and you can't beat $6.50 at a department store!
JarJar has just joined me at my desk to "help" me with my writing. Unfortunately, he likes to walk across the keyboard. I need to get myself moving in the direction of running errands and such. Hope you have a nice week!
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Interesting Times Ahead
There's been alot of testing and uncertainty around our lives lately. Hmmm...I guess that is sort of what frequently exists for us.
Anyway, Cameron's leg has been bugging him ever since his accident and there has always been the issue of the MRSA lurking under one of his plates. Well, we're finally getting it taken care of in a couple of weeks. They'll remove the plate and clean out the infected tissue. He doesn't need the plate any more, anyway. It will be outpatient surgery and so he'll be home recuperating a little while (we haven't been given the post-surgery specifics yet).
His leg discomfort isn't going to go away with this procedure, but at least we won't have to worry about the infection anymore. Yeah!
His boss is thinking about moving him to a desk job some time soon. He's been reworking their website to supplement the cut in pay that was delivered in January. They have, also, been cross-training him to do service writing-basically being the go-between for the customer and the mechanic, writing up the cost estimates, etc. That may be what they have in mind for him, we'll see. Either way, it's a tight family-like company and they really want to keep him, so we're not worried about his future.
I'm still working at the mall part-time. Saturdays are very busy-we pierced a lot of ears yesterday! I don't like doing the little babies-they cry and it just pulls at my insides. Especially when they give me that look like "I'm going to remember you for the rest of my life!" Poor things, but they get over it quickly, and then I have to make them cry again when I do the other ear! Most of the babies are about 3 months old.
I'm going to be doing some sales for a local company that I like. I'll only make commission, but it's some additional income for us. That is keeping me busy alot of the time. I'll be meeting a lot of local people and that will be fun.
I'll keep you posted as to Cameron's recovery.
Anyway, Cameron's leg has been bugging him ever since his accident and there has always been the issue of the MRSA lurking under one of his plates. Well, we're finally getting it taken care of in a couple of weeks. They'll remove the plate and clean out the infected tissue. He doesn't need the plate any more, anyway. It will be outpatient surgery and so he'll be home recuperating a little while (we haven't been given the post-surgery specifics yet).
His leg discomfort isn't going to go away with this procedure, but at least we won't have to worry about the infection anymore. Yeah!
His boss is thinking about moving him to a desk job some time soon. He's been reworking their website to supplement the cut in pay that was delivered in January. They have, also, been cross-training him to do service writing-basically being the go-between for the customer and the mechanic, writing up the cost estimates, etc. That may be what they have in mind for him, we'll see. Either way, it's a tight family-like company and they really want to keep him, so we're not worried about his future.
I'm still working at the mall part-time. Saturdays are very busy-we pierced a lot of ears yesterday! I don't like doing the little babies-they cry and it just pulls at my insides. Especially when they give me that look like "I'm going to remember you for the rest of my life!" Poor things, but they get over it quickly, and then I have to make them cry again when I do the other ear! Most of the babies are about 3 months old.
I'm going to be doing some sales for a local company that I like. I'll only make commission, but it's some additional income for us. That is keeping me busy alot of the time. I'll be meeting a lot of local people and that will be fun.
I'll keep you posted as to Cameron's recovery.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
The Calm
First off, my doctor says the nodules (about 4 or 5) are too small to biopsy so she will continue to monitor them on a regular basis.
That bit of news out of the way, Madeline's visit was great! There's so much to see in the area that we only made a small dent in the list, but will continue on her next visit. It didn't really snow while she was here, so we drove up to Los Alamos and hiked around in some that was a foot deep or so. Even though it had been a few weeks since it came down, the snow was still pretty powdery so walking around in it didn't chill us down. The scenery was gorgeous and the company fun!
On another excursion, we went in search of the elusive Santa Fe dinosaurs that live on Dinosaur Ave. We see them everyday and knew they were on a frontage road, but it took a little bit of scenic driving to locate them so we could get up close and personal. It's amazing how creative people around here are.
Then it was a Turquoise Trail (Hwy 14) ride through Madrid for coffee, and on up to Sandia Peak. Sandia Peak is about 10,700 feet high and the view towards Albuquerque is awesome. Unfortunately, it was a bit hazy that day, but we could still see for miles and miles.
Between these little trips, we explored the old downtown area of Santa Fe, peeking in shops and talking with people we met.
It's been a fantastic week. It will satisfy my need for mother-daughter time for a little while. In the meantime, the phone calls will suffice. So for now, our apartment is a bit empty feeling (I should probably take down the Christmas decor I had left up for her visit), it's time to settle back into our chaotic norm.
That bit of news out of the way, Madeline's visit was great! There's so much to see in the area that we only made a small dent in the list, but will continue on her next visit. It didn't really snow while she was here, so we drove up to Los Alamos and hiked around in some that was a foot deep or so. Even though it had been a few weeks since it came down, the snow was still pretty powdery so walking around in it didn't chill us down. The scenery was gorgeous and the company fun!Between these little trips, we explored the old downtown area of Santa Fe, peeking in shops and talking with people we met.
It's been a fantastic week. It will satisfy my need for mother-daughter time for a little while. In the meantime, the phone calls will suffice. So for now, our apartment is a bit empty feeling (I should probably take down the Christmas decor I had left up for her visit), it's time to settle back into our chaotic norm.
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