I'm making myself crazy

This is how I feel!

I took my state test and the waiting for the results is making me crazy. The testers were very nice people and my actor was a very sweet lady, but they couldn't tell me how I did. I just have to wait for my pass/fail to be posted online. It's been a couple of days, and I was told that it would probably be posted on Wednesday, but I'm going nuts. I've been trying to keep busy varnishing a board for the basket we got for Sylvia and writing and riding and other stuff, but it's not working.
Basically distracting myself is a waste of time, but there's nothing else to do.
I had been using a cute little basket we got at Fry's on clearance, but the welds kept breaking. I can't wait for the new on to be done and on her. She looks snazzy with a basket.

$2 basket that is soon to be replaced.

This morning on my little jaunt I was chased by this tiny dog and I swear it's yap was saying pass, pass, pass, fail. I had to make an emergency stop because the dog was a fast little thing and ran around the front of me. I almost squished it! Thank you husband for the brakes that actually work! As soon as I stopped the monster hopped back through the fence it had come out of. I'm glad I didn't kill it and took a different route home.
My mind is just going a million miles a minute and jump around is now it's theme song. (It's stuck in my head now too!) So this is just a brief update on what's going on in my world.
Have fun!

I have a crazy plan!

I didn't get the job I really wanted. He said they would be re-posting it though and I really should try again. They went with someone who had more qualifications. I was a bit crushed, but I think I'm over it now and will try again. I'm a glutton for the pain.
I've only had 2 other interviews so far besides that one. I walked out of one before the interview even started because the place was filthy and smelled like a frat house, so I'm not sure I should even count that one. I'm still waiting to hear back from the other one. It will probably be a month or so.
My lack of formal training in most of the things I'm good at is really killing me so I've come up with a plan to fix that.

Bombs away!

I want to help people and have a job I love to do. That is the end goal and I have been doing a lot of thinking about it.
The most satisfying job I've ever had was when I was a CNA. I quit because I was young.  I loved helping them and talking to them and it was great. Sadly, often I would get to work and be excited to see my residents and walk into the room to find them lying there gone. It was heartbreaking and I was also fed up with the way some people treated the patients. After about a year I left; I still think about the residents sometimes though. That place was shut down so long ago that I don't even list it on my resume.
The best paying and longest lasting (10 years) job I ever had was at the hospital and I left it to become a cosmetologist. I don't regret it, but I learned fast that I like cutting hair and helping people look and feel better, but I have little interest in fashion and healthy people kind of suck.
So, my plan is to go back to school and get my CNA license. I always regretted not staying with it, but I have no goals to be a nurse and when I left it I jumped right to the hospital without thinking. I'm a bit odd that way. With my CNA I can get a good job at the hospital that will actually help people and be well paid. Or I could go with a nursing home and soak up all their stories while helping them to be happier. It's a win win win!
Now I just have to get the $900 it takes to do the course and they don't offer financial aid because it's so short. I have faith that we can make it happen though. We are already looking to see how we can get it for the March 10th start date. We get to go tour the campus tomorrow. Wish me luck!

It's an eagle.

I'm Published!

I finally got my short story published on CreateSpace! Thanks to the generosity of my brother and my in-laws I was able to get it done before the end of the year! I couldn't have done it without them and my wonderful husband! I'm so excited!!!! This is the best Christmas present ever!
It's a short story that is an intro to the world of Whyrde. A medieval world where literally anything is possible.

My first!

Now I'm just waiting for kindle to finish it's review and I'll be published there also! The cover photo is one my dear husband took and it looks great! I'm really happy with how it turned out! Yipee!!!!! It's real!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm ordering a copy so I can start my shelf as soon as I get off work! 

This is the best feeling in the entire world. My dream is a reality! This is such a high! 

Thank you all for all the kind words and encouragement! You all rock!

I'm off to do a happy dance!

 

A New Chapter Begins

I was laid off from Helix House yesterday. The timing really sucks and the worst part is that on Monday's conference call everything was normal. It was a real, go get them team, pep talk to push toward the end of the year. Then yesterday afternoon it was "Sorry, we are restructuring and changing things up. All the 1099 employees are gone." As a severance they will be paying us regularly through December. That's nice of them.

I have to admit, I'm pissed about it. I had a feeling something was going to change soon, but it still stunned me when it happened. It was a slap in the face. It's nothing personal, just business; but in reality it is personal. It affects me and all the others in the company very personally.

I don't blame my immediate supervisor. It's not his fault, he was just following orders and I know it hurt him to do it. He was the best boss I could ever hope for and I wish him and the one remaining Tucson employee the best.

The company is just doing what it thinks is best for itself by seriously downsizing, but could their timing suck any harder? They let go of all of Albuquerque, most of Phoenix, and all agents in Tucson. "Happy Holidays! We have to let you go because we are going in a new direction now." Heaven forbid we should be invited along!

 It was a fun job and I met some really great people who I will miss. I made friends that will hopefully last me forever. Sadly, now the family there is gone. I'm worried about my clients and former coworkers. I was asked not to call my clients until after the holiday weekend. That way Helix House can contact them first. I will be calling them on Monday though. I owe them that. 

What's funny is that I just got a part time job at PetSmart to cover the health insurance we signed up for. Now I need another second job for the same reason. At least PetSmart is fun, I've done 2 shifts so far and I love it. All the cute animals and I get to help take care of them! The people there are great and really nice. I'm super excited about it, but now I need to find a full time job. I hope I can find one fast and that I can keep my part time one as well. It's funny how life happens sometimes.
Wish me luck!

I'm thankful I have my family, my friends, and for getting a new experience. I'd never been laid off before.

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and that we all eat well!

Have fun!

More Interview Adventures

Since the lady for the salon job, who didn't show, hadn't called me back to reschedule I took another interview yesterday. This one was for a pure commission phone sales job. The man who interviewed me was surprised I'd even applied due to my resume being all hair and photos, but he was willing to meet with me. I didn't have the nerve to tell him I'd applied because I liked the cute videos on the company website.
Getting to the interview was a real adventure. It was in a part of town I thought I knew well, but due to construction I couldn't figure out how to get into the proper parking lot. After driving around side streets for awhile I pulled into a Denny's about 2 blocks away and walked. I found the right building, but I had written the suite number wrong so I got to wander around there for a while until I found it. I'm glad I left early because I arrived right on time.
Right after hello and a handshake he offered me water, I know my face was all red and sweaty from the walk, but I hadn't had time to scout for a bathroom to tidy up once I found the place. I was very grateful for the water and probably shocked him when I chugged it down. He was polite though and didn't stare.
I really liked him right off the bat, and the interview went well on my side.
The job will involve cold-calling businesses and selling them SEO, website building, and other assorted useful things. It's not something I'd ever thought of doing, but it sounds interesting and I could learn a new skill set. The hours are flexible and I can work from home most days if I want (although he did say he'd never heard of anyone having success doing it) or I'll have a little cubicle of my own there. I hope I can decorate it.
The more clients I get and services I sell the more I get paid. Sounds like what I do now plus I can keep doing what I'm doing now. I can even take this job on vacation with me if I want. I start training on Monday and it's a week long course, no pay but there is free pizza. I hope I pass the training portion!
An added bonus is the dress code is business casual with no color restrictions! I'll be able to wear something other than black, grey or white (the colors allowed at the salon I applied for). I can actually wear whatever I want, but if I have to meet clients I want to look professionalish. That is a big plus in my book, I love color!
Not bad for a rebound interview. Wish me luck!

I Hate The Waiting!

"I used Grammarly to grammar check this post, because I'm tired of auto-correct making me into a dirty mouth and my cat can't read!


Some time soon I'll know if any of the short stories I've sent out have been accepted and the waiting is driving me nuts! I keep seeing all these contests I could submit them to, but I can't until I know if they've been chosen or not. I can't write new stories for the contests because my proof reader is riding me for a chapter a week from my novel or else. I will admit that he was very patient while I was writing the shorts so I owe it to him. I'm just going arrrrg!
I know I'd have more writing time if I wasn't out taking so many photos and making a pest of myself at the local shelters. I could try not sleeping, but that would only free up about 5 hrs a day and them I'd really go insane.
On the plus side my photography is really taking off! I got some great shots of wonderful animals at the Humane Society of Southern Arizona on Friday, Thank you Sara! I'm going to become a full volunteer so I can take pics anytime and the husband is doing it with me!

Sweet dog smile!

She wants a good home!

He's a real looker!

Look at that grin!

Toothless and lovable!

The sweetest dog I've ever met!

I wanted to take her home so badly!

I'm lined up to take pics for a few more shelters at Petsmart on Saturday! I have a gallery that likes my animal shots and wants 6 by the middle of next month! And to top it all off crazy me I put an ad up on Craigslist to get people to pay me to do what I love!
I also made a strap for my ukulele finally to top things off. You'd think I would be too busy to stress about my story submissions, but it's always in the back of my mind and it rams to the fore when I send a chapter off.
I hope all of you are doing great. Sorry I suck at keeping up on the blogs, I will find a balance and hopefully soon!