Monday, February 25, 2008

Your NOSE is Showing!

 
Someone told the landlady that I am working! OMGG @ the questions just keep coming... Where are you working? What are your hours? What's your number at work? I heard you take off early and don't get home until after 6... The questions just don't stop...
 
EXCUSE ME... Your NOSE is showing!!!!
 
Whenever someone comes looking for an apartment, they want one with a balcony... They always ask about your apartment but I tell them you have been there forever... and they ask who lives there, because they never see anyone in that apartment... and I tell them the blonde girl with the curly hair... That's how they know you, by your hair...
 
What gives?! Why is the landlady so nosey?! And what right does she have to tell anyone where I live?! Isn't that a breach of privacy?!!#
 
 
What is a movie star? A movie star is many things. They can be tall, short, thin, or skinny. They can be democrats...or skinny.
~ Steve Martin
 
...............
 
First... the Bad News: Hillary's anxiety continues to show big-time... She continues to fight a dirty campaign in Texas. 
 
Now the GOOD news:  The way my clothes fit makes me feel as if I have either lost a few pounds or I have at least lost a few inches. (smiling, smiling, smiling!) I may still have a long way to go, but the little changes I have made are giving me a little bit of encouragement to keep trying...

Saturday, February 23, 2008

The Dark Side

               
 
Love this tag... I think it came out pretty good... maybe good enough to share?!#
 
I must admit that my worries continue to show up in my eating habits... or are my eating habits showing up in my worries?! Hummm... makes sense either way!
 
No exercise for moi this week... I know... I know...
 
WINIVERE found GUILTY OF NOT EXERCISING HER BOD.
 
In order to achieve Good Health, the body needs movement! But sometimes, my body just wants to chill...
 
The FULL MOON showed up on Wednesday and I almost missed it... I had planned to do a fast on the 20th, but I completely forgot that the full moon was scheduled to arrive this week... I must try to pay more attention to the things that are important to moi...
 
The night of the 20th, the sky was so cloudy... The moon would peek through the clouds every now and then, but it was such a small moon... I wonder why... I went outside and sat down on the sidewalk as the wind blew through my hair... I gazed at the moon and recited my evening prayers before I went inside to go to bed... It felt almost as good as when I used to sit on the roof and gaze at the stars and talk to God in my childhood...      
 
BUT... My EATing habits do continue to be a challenge... I am doing better with Breakfast and Lunch... but when I get home, I swallow my food whole, and then, I look around to see where it went... and because my food did a mysterious disappearing act, I keep on swallowing food whole until about 7:30 p.m.
 
I am NOT an ANIMAL!!
 
OMGGG... Well, at least I have developed a cut-off time to stop EATING, but HOW to tame the savage BEAST within moi?!#
 
    
 
FOOD MYSTERIOUSLY DISAPPEARING...
WINIVERE WORSE THAN HANNIBAL LESTER
ARRESTED FOR SEVERAL COUNTS OF SWALLOWING HER FOOD WHOLE.
FOUND GUILTY AS CHARGED!
God is GREAT
and
God is GOOD...
God will help me
to be
VICTORIOUS over FOOD.
 
Blessed are the FLEXIBLE
For they SHALL NOT
Be BENT out of SHAPE.
 
Hillary showed up twice in the Valley but Obama didn't show up until Friday... Daniel said that when she showed up at the University campus in Corpus Christi, she was wearing the same yellow suit she wore the last time she was there, but the kids were not paying attention to her speech, because they occupied themselves texting each other instead. (lol)... I think Daniel is tired of her yellow suit... I was also surprised to hear him say that she has a big butt...
                     
 
So naturally, I was anxious to see how the people of the Valley would react to the candidates, especially since all I have been hearing on the news and in the newspapers is that Hillary is a friend of the Valley and that everyone should vote for her... Hello, people... We have a CHOICE!
 
I even got a phone call at work from the Hillary campaign. Eowwww! I told her that I was not voting for Hillary and the girl seemed speechless... It took her a good while to hang up as if she was in shock or something... 
 
I was surprised to hear that over 5,000 people showed up at the local University campus to hear Obama's speech on Friday... especially after that horrible "debate" that Hillary tried to control on Thursday... Hillary is so hateful, so bitter, and so controlling... Thank God that Obama was a gentleman in his responses and that it was his efforts that kept the "debate" civil...
 
P.S... As per READER's comment... I cannot say if I am enjoying my job yet or not... My job is still in the beginning stages... setting up for when the cases start coming in... I have been worried because I signed a contract that they can get rid of moi anytime they want (which is typical of most jobs but after taking so long to find this one, it is a bit scary). Also, there has been a problem with communication with the Boss. She is in SA and I have been all alone at the job these past two weeks... I do not know if she will be there on Monday but I don't think she will be back until March. I think I am trying too hard to do a good job and in the process, I am messing up... I don't want to mess up...
 
Another problem is money troubles. I only got paid for a few days, because I was hired in the middle of the pay period. Unfortunately, I bought groceries and the medium-priced toilet paper and a new wand of mascara... 
 
A total stranger tried to help me out by sending me a check but her check bounced. I am worried for this stranger who tried to do a kindness out of the goodness of her heart and I am worried for the extra charges that it will entail in both of our accounts... I hope the checks I made will not bounce, too.

Monday, February 18, 2008

President's Day 2008


This is funny but I hope Hillary does not win Texas because it is my home state. Just say NO to Hillary! (lol)

Tags:

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Counting My Pennies

                      

The quote I wrote yesterday made me think about my finances... (here is the quote I wrote in previous entry)

Being without money for so long is like being on a starvation diet. When it starts coming in, it's as if something inside you goes off and you want to eat/spend everything in sight. (lol)

I have never liked to be like some people who have no problem living from paycheck to paycheck... Even though I live by modest means, I like to be comfortable with my money and that often means being more in control of where I want my money to go... And so... the gears within my brain cells go round and round... Because I am a visual person, it will go something like this...

Get a notebook and section it off into eight different sections with the use of sheets with tabs... More than likely, I will get creative here with fancy art or stickers or something to make it less scary. (lol) Insert notebook paper for each different section or make my own Accounts Receivable/ Accounts Payable sheets and print them out to insert in each section. Also insert a large envelope in each section to hold receipts. Viola! Instant Financial Planner...

Because in the bank it will show my money as altogether, it will be very important to keep track of where my money will be going in this notebook...

Each separate Make Believe account will be calculated as such...

10% = Charity Money (Church, Etc)
10% = Savings & Advancement
10% = Debt
30% = Household Bills & Expenses (Rent, Electricity, Phone, Water, Supplies, Etc)
20% = Health & Nutrition (Food, Vitamins, Medications, Dr Visits)
10% = Transportation (Insurance, Registration, Inspection, Gas, Oil, Repairs)
05% = Body Image (Clothing, Shoes, Cosmetics, Grooming, Laundry)
05% = Miscellaneous Expense (In Case I go Over, Etc)

Every pay period, the percentage allowed for each account will be calculated as income for that account. The plan is not to go over... That way, there is always more money to work from... If the actual expense amount is less than the percentage allowed, it will stay in the pot of each individual account...

* Charity and Debt will always pull the complete 10% percentage expense per pay period until Debt is paid off. Once Debt is paid off it will free an additional 10% to work with... Savings will also be at 10% every pay period, but the rule for savings is that it cannot be touched until I have accumulated at least six months of minimum living expenses... All the other accounts will work towards something...

* If the Household expense is less than the percentage allowed, the remainder of the percentage will stay in the account towards getting my things out of storage and moving into a bigger place.

* If the Health/Nutrition expense is less, the remainder of the percentage will stay in the account towards getting new eye glasses, contacts, exercise shoes, and possible lazer eye surgery or liposuction or lifting this or that in the future (ha!)

* If the Transporation expense is less, the remainder of the percentage will stay in the account towards the purchase of another car in the future. I wish this one could be more, but for now, it will need to remain at 10%. 

* Although 5% for Body Image is very modest for a career girl and most of it will probably go towards laundry, the remainder of the percentage will stay in the account towards the purchase of nicer clothes or shoes, an occasional pedicure,  or a special occasion dress, etc.

* If the Miscellaneous expense is less, the remainder of the percentage will stay in the account towards a mini-break or vacation.

"Spending money on whatever you want it to" is what gets people in trouble and causes people to live from paycheck to paycheck. The trick is to live below your means. Where would I have been if I had not saved my money?!! It will take a good while to recuperate the money that I have lost because I didn't have a job...

One thing I did not allot for is if a man should walk into my life... I guess the only way I will be able to allow him to remain in my world is if he doesn't cost me a cent. (lol)

TGB Review

                 

Three more days until the Full Moon... I know I am running behind in my entries and in my rituals... Here it is the 17th day of the month already, and I have yet to review where I am at on my 2008's resolutions... 

1. To always have everything I need.

2. A successful career, doing what I love. I started a new job on February 4th. It really is too early to say how I feel about the job, but I am the only person in the Valley doing this and I will be covering four counties all by myself. I do not know yet how much travel that will require... The job is in the beginning stages so it is too early to tell...

The first week, my boss talked her head off explaining all the legal stuff and what I will be doing... The information is in three books full... It is a lot of information to learn... I really need to review it again, because I already forgot some important stuff...

The second week, my boss went back to San Antonio and I was left all alone. She didn't bother to contact me until the end of the week, and I think it was probably because I called her... I hope I will know what to do soon...

She said she was going to leave instructions for me, but she didn't leave any instructions at all... I took it upon myself to find the names and addresses for local businesses... I had about 100 when she said she wanted 200, so I had to spend another day trying to find them... I made copies of the flyers to announce the opening of our new office in the Valley... I made return labels and put stamps on the envelopes, and stuffed the envelopes with the flyer... When I talked to her on Thursday, she said she would be sending me pamphlets and business cards that she wanted me to put into the envelopes and that she will need to review the social services I found to see if those would be the ones we would be using or if she would need to change them... Ughhh.... after all that work of looking for them on the internet?! So... even though I had hoped to complete the letters by Friday, I have to wait because she has not told me if she has approved them... I hope I can send them off before the Full Moon...

3. To never have to worry about money.

4. To be healthy and fit and at my ideal weight. This has to be the next biggest thing to worry about... I feel like a stuffed tamale in my clothes... Also, I had no idea how very worn my black pants are! I went to Fashion Bug to see if they had any sales. They had a bubble thing that you walk into all by yourself, put your bare feet where it is marked and the computer takes your measurements with you just being inside of the bubble and standing still. I was not a happy camper when I saw my actual measurements. :::Shocking::: And then I tried on some pants because the bubble does not tell you what your size is. I was heartbroken that I had to find a bigger size than the size that I took into the dressing room... No, I didn't buy a new pair of pants... I was just trying to figure out what my size is... 

She's such a cute girl... too bad she's got that huge tire around her middle!

Last week, I started to do body shaping with weights in the mornings. I will need to stop eating after 7:30 p.m. ~ that one will be the hardest. I wishmy legs and my hip were strong enough for me to start walking again... In the meantime, I will do stretches in the evenings...

                       

5. To have a bigger place to live with room enough for company and where I can have all of my things in one place.

6. New eyeglasses and contacts. I will have to wait on getting an eye exam, etc, because my insurance will not kick in until I am three months on the job... I was felt scared when I read that they can get rid of me at any time... I hope I will do so well at my job that they will want to keep me...

7.To fix my car and save for a better one.

8. To rebuild my savings.

9. To replace my worn-out clothes, purse, and shoes with nicer ones.

10. A new romance with a single man who loves me and whom I can love and admire. I never called the coach (the guy I met on the last day of 2007). I met an older man on Friday who said he found a dove. He said he would give me the dove if I called him... (LOL) God if I stay fat, I may have to end up with a man who looks like that... OMGGG... I do so want to have better choices...

11. To spend more time with family and friends.  I had hoped to enjoy my three-day weekend, but the Pest Control people are coming again on Tuesday. What's up with that? Weren't they just here last week?! Ihaven't done much cleaning today. I only cleaned the bathtub, the toilet, and the sink... I hate having these people come into my apartment all the time... Do I have to allow them to come in?! I will need to review info on tenant's rights...

My youngest daughter called today to see how the new job is going... I spoke with my grand-daughter and she sang some songs for me and told me she loves me...

  She says: When are you coming, Nana? And I tell her: Nana doesn't have money to go see you yet, but maybe by my birthday... So she turns to her mommy and she tells her: Let's go buy some money at the store for Nana so she can come to see me. =.)

12. To win the pending case with the man who is suing me. I wrote my rebuttal, but they have not responded... I am hoping they will withdraw this demand for $3000+ for the damages he is claiming that my little car did to his big vehicle... I leave it in God's hands...

 

13. More bubble baths, manicures and pedicures. None so far this year?! OMGGG! How can it be?! There is NO bubble bath in my apartment. Must put it on my grocery list or I will continue to forget...

    

14. To go toYouth Leadership camp this summer.

15. To get in the ocean this year. It has been so hot, but it has also been so windy this week... I thought it was funny when I was standing in line with a few ladies, waiting for Fashion Bug to open, because the sign on the door said 'Winter Hours.' One of the girls asked: Is it still winter? LOL @ it is always Summer in the Valley...

I could have gone to the Island today, but I had to go buy toilet paper and groceries and I have to try to clean this apartment within the next two days. I was so exhausting from cleaning the bathtub, the toilet and the sink that I had to rest... After I went to get groceries, I was exhausted from bringing them up the stairs... I only brought the things that go into the refrigerator first... I had to take a nap before I went back down to bring up the rest of the groceries... It's not as if I bring up a lot of groceries... It's just that I can't carry too much at one time... I still have to go back down to throw out the trash, but I think I will wait to do that tomorrow... I know my legs and my back will not allow to me clean as perfectly as I would like, but I hope I can at least clean up enough to make it look decent... I hate that they check all your apartment as if it was their own. I think it is an invasion of my privacy and I would rather that they didn't have to come in when I am not here.

16. A dresser to put my clothes in.

17. A table and chairs where my family can all sit down to eat together at Thanksgiving.

18. New pots and pans, a toaster, and a crock pot. I can hardly wait to get some money in my pocket... I have been dreaming of all the things that I can buy, but of course, I know that when it starts coming in, I will have to continue to be modest with my money until I can get it built up again...

                   

Being without money for so long is like being on a starvation diet. When it starts coming in, it's as if something inside you goes off and you want to eat everything in sight. (lol)

19. To be free from pain.

20. For my legs to be strong enough to dance...

Well, one thing that happened this week was that Hilary Clinton showed up and did a drive by speech... I hope she does not get TEXAS!!!!!! Obama is supposed to show up this week and it looks as if Clinton will be back this week. Why is she coming back? Ughhh... The biggest Spanish station is telling the Hispanics to vote for her, that she is the only one who will give them what they want ~ to allow them to be illegal and stay here, etc. I hope she doesn't get TEXAS! Did I say that already?! Well... I hope she doesn't get Texas!

As for my review, it looks as if one of the main things has been accomplished... and that is for me to find a job... I am still waiting to see if I will love it... but hopefully, everything will fall into place, because I am expecting great things from 2008!

Great moments... come from... great opportunities... Be prepared... to be... at the right place... at the right time... to make them happen!

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

Love,

Friday, February 1, 2008

T.G.I.F.

      
I have been waking up in the middle of the night for about two weeks now... Last night, I woke up in the middle of the night again... but this time, it was because the Lord spoke to me about what to write on the Thank You note...
 
    I was half asleep as I was writing down the words that He was dictating to me... As usual, I had problems with the cheap ink of my bic... but it was on scratch paper, so I didn't worry about it... and then, I crashed...
 
I woke up early and took a shower... I rewrote what I was going to write on the Thank You card... I was pleased with the words... I looked for the resume that I had on parchment paper and I laid both of them aside so they would be easy to find...
 
I made some toast and I ate it with a cup of hot chocolate... and then, I got dressed... I was going to wear the jacket that goes to my skirt, but then, I thought that it would be easier to be inconspicuous if I put the rock in my pocket and that jacket does not have pockets, so I pulled out an old cotton jacket instead. My pants were torn in a very bad place, so I had to mend them. Thank God the jacket was long enough to cover the tear... I pressed the jacket and put it on and walked out the door... Thank You card and resume in hand...
 
I drove to the round building with the glass doors...  Before I opened the door, I took the rock out from my pocket, and I touched the door with the rock, claiming the job as mine... I walked through the glass door and asked if Sandra was there... The receptionist told me to go ahead to her office...
Before I knocked on the door, I put the rock on the door and prayed over the door... Then I knocked... Sandra was not in... I was a bit relieved, because I had not called ahead...
 
I went around the building to the front and told the receptionist that she was not in. I asked her if it would be alright if I slipped something under her door... The receptionist said that would be fine... so I went back to the door and I slipped the Thank You card and my resume under the door...
 
I returned to the front of the building... I thanked the receptionist, told her to have a great day... and I walked out the glass doors...
 
After that, I went to church... We had a good service, and I stayed to ask for a blessing...
 
I had talked with Mari yesterday. I told her that I would come by the employment office today, but she said that she would not be coming in until the afternoon, so I went home to grab something to eat...
 
It was 1:00 and Mari was still not in... so I left my number and I waited...
 
The phone rang... It was Roxanne... She was having trouble verifying my employment and my references... She said she had talked to one of my personal references, but she needed to speak with at least two supervisors...
 
I called Lulu and asked her if she had my ex-supervisor's cell number... She has always chased him, so I was sure that she would... I got the phone number from Lulu and I called Roxanne to leave her his number, but Roxanne was not available, so I left a message...
 
I called Larry (my ex-supervisor) to tell him that someone might be calling him to ask him about the job when he was my supervisor... and I told him that it might be today... He said that he would give me a good reference...
 
Then Mari called... I told her that I would have to wait until Monday to come to the employment office, because it looked as if they were checking my references and I wanted to stick around in case they needed more info... Mari said she would be available on Monday...
 
I was hoping they would not call my previous employer because he always talks off his mouth without thinking... I looked through an old phone and address book and found the number of another supervisor, but I think he is deceased... I had his parents' phone number, so I tried to call them, but there was no answer... I left a message...
 
Then, I called Santana to see if they had called him. It was already about 4:30 p.m... He said that they had left a message on his voice mail, but he didn't have my phone number and he wanted to talk to me first...  I have known him for at least 15 years, probably 20, so he said he would give me a good reference and he would call them right away...
 
So all this time, I keep praying over my phone... I am sure that I prayed all the day long.... It was almost 5:00... and the only sounds I hear is the tic toc of the clock...
 
Finally, the phone rang... I thought it might be Santana calling me back... but NO... It was Sandra... I was so afraid that she would say: Thank you so much for applying but we are going with someone else... But NO... 
 
She said that she wanted to formally ask me if I wanted to work for them... or something like that... I was so excited that I don't remember what she said... but I do remember that she said that she was very impressed with our interview... When she said I was hired, I didn't even let her finish her sentence! 
 
So what do you think I told her? Guess... I know you can guess... 
 
I told her YES!!!!
 
Oh... so happy! I start Monday... 
 
First of all, I thanked God for this wonderful miracle... I got on the phone and I called all my friends and my daughter, too... and now I am on the Internet to thank all of you for praying for me and for claiming this job for me... May the good Lord richly reward you for your kindness and for sticking by me when the chips were down...