WOW IT'S BEEN ALMOST TWO YEARS

Last December my life blew up - KABLOOEY! Lost my job, my husband left and I got put on academic probation.  Now this all sounds like the end of the world, but truly it was a case of everything blowing up so good things could fall together.

I was unemployed until late June of this year (2013); but the job I have is in my field (Project Management) and has a career path for me to move up!  I like the people I'm working with and they like me.

My husband, Robert, left in December of 2012, moved in with his girlfriend. I made him file for divorce since he had never done that in all of his previous marriages (and yes I COMPLETELY ignored that red flag thank you!). And I we got divorced. Again sounds like a bad thing, but really it was the best thing that ever happened. I am no longer investing time, energy or emotion in his disease (alcoholism and denial are a deadly combo) - and no he's not an alcoholic, he's a drunk! Alcoholics go to meetings and want to change.

Having no job in Spring semester allowed me to focus most of my attention on my school work, that led to getting off Academic Probation and being able to do a lot of work on a project that one of my classmates dropped out of (long story, and suffice it to say, that one is a disgrace to my chosen profession!)

At the end of the Spring Semester, two things happened that made my life MUCH better. I reconnected with two people from my junior high and high school years.  One is easily the best friend I've had in a long time - we have a similar sense of humor, and make each other giggle at the mere mention of trash bags or bread (no  I'm not explaining either!).

The other person is someone I have had chemistry with since I was 12 years old. We never went out on a date in all those years, but 30 years after we first met, he asked me out - I, of course said yes, but wasn't really certain it was a date date - maybe just old friends catching up. Then he kissed me - who knew chemistry could last that long! We are still dating and figuring things out, but it's going pretty well all things considered.

I'll finish grad school in December of next year (2014) and I still have moments when I wonder why in the world I thought grad school was a good idea. Mostly though, I am gaining confidence that I have the skills to be a Project Manager, and I'm going to be great at it!

The only sad part of my year was that my two kitties (Dharma and Karma) no longer live with me - I miss them terribly!  I do have two more dogs in my life (my guy's pups are living with me) and still have Jax, Buddha and RheaLynn.

So the lesson from this year, is when life goes KABLOOEY! hang on, things are about to get better!

Life gets in the way

So I made it half the year with posting every month! Celebrate the little things! Try again next year.

It's been a crazy year. I can't believe all the people I need to catch up with! Sheesh!

I still like my job, and really like my boss (the one I got because me former boss - now my boss's boss - is crazy busy after her promotion) I liked the former boss too, but this one is almost better (when he has time!)

I have been given more responsibilities, and a new title (Project Coordinator) not a promotion and not really a raise (got a little one because this year is rough on the company, and there was actually a wage freeze on when I got it, so YAY!)

Went to McKinney for the day in September (managed to pass along the bug I had at the time - thought it was food poisoning!). But got to see lots of family and spend time with Mom. Actually been spending lots of time with Mom lately.

Robert dislocated his shoulder and got new teeth in the space of a week, so he's a little sore still, but his smile is AWESOME to behold! Finally after three years he shows me his teeth when he smiles :-)

We still have three cats, and I am investigating grad school - trying to way the benefits of an MBA with a concentration in Project Management versus a Masters of Science in Project Management. Just what I needed, more to do! YAY!

OOPS

Guess I haven't quite made the every 30 days, but I'll try to be better the rest of the year.

I have been very busy, got a new (to me) car (LOVE IT). Getting all kinds of new projects at work. Hubby is working fairly steadily. Life is good.

The latest thing I am obsessed with, is Sonoma Chicken Salad (sold at Costco). It has cranberries, pecans, celery and of course chicken, in some sort of to die for sauce. I could eat this 2-3 times per day with tortilla chips or crackers.

The cats are healthy (and lazy), we are missing having a dog, that gets worse everytime we see a pretty dog. We have done some travelling in the area since we got the new vehicle, I actually got in the water at Buchanan Dam (ladies it's like having an all over body scrub - divine!). The sand there is granite sand, comfortable while it's scrubbing your tootsies. Can't wait to go back when the lake is up a little more!

Well that's it for now ....

May, Almost June

It's the end of May and I can't beleive this year is moving on down the road so quickly. Oh well, better keep up!

My hubs is back in touch with some of his family - I guess that's a yay. He seems to have a hard time dealing with them - harder than I have with mine ... Maybe they'll be mellower now that they are all older. One can always hope.

The cats are entertaining us, Buddha, has developed a serious lovebug habit - he is always on one of us, then again maybe he's just following Dharma's example. And of course, Karma is only a love bug when you visit her domain (aka our bed) which she rules over benevolently.

Our efforts at gardening are being beat up by the wind and the tree off our balcony. But we do have some basil, and might get a bell pepper or two. The rest of the plants are fine, just our edibles seem to get whacked off to die on the rocks below.

Have decide to celebrate at least one Odd Holiday per month - did you know there is at least one holiday for every day of the year? In May I celebrated Eat what you want day (May 11) and seriously considering End of the Middle Ages day (May 29) ...

The candidates for June are National Rocky Road Day (June 2); Donald Duck Day (June 9) but don't think I can talk like him all day; National Yo Yo Day (June 10) and willl be celebrating on June 5 but not for Festival of Popular Delusions Day.

Well here's to another flying month ...

Shady Business Practices - and not so bright people

Several weeks ago, I received a call from Conn's stating that I was a reference for "Melissa Morris", when I said I didn't know anyone by that name than began spelling my ex-husband's last name (it's of German origin and not easily pronounced). I explained that I was not related to her, that I had been married to and divorced from her ex-husband, and the I would NEVER be a reference for her. The lady apologized and we hung up. I called Conn's asking how Melissa had gotten my number and they told me they would check into it - they never did.

Today, April 21, I received a series of calls, I ignored the first call because I was at work and did not recognize the number. They immediately called back, I again ignored the call, and they called right back. I called the number back, and spoke to Monica - she asked for my number, stated that there was nothing in the system for my number (good thing - I don't have a Conn's account!) During this call, there was a voicemail left on my phone. I called the 800 number for the "Corporate Office" and was asked if I knew Melissa "former married name" - I explained how we came to have the same former married name. I then asked how the hell Melissa got my phone number - I was then told the most disturbing thing.

Conn's skip-trace department checked her "associates" and because I have the same former married name and we are similar in age they "assumed" we were sisters. This is disturbing for several reasons:

1. No public records connect she and I - the only records for me with that name are in conjunction with my ex-husband (including the divorce).
2. I have no accounts with that married name on them.
3. My current phone number is in no way linked with that name, in fact it has been in my current married name for over a year, and has never been in my maiden name or my former married name.
4. Who in the hell is Conn's to be looking up my information when I have no account with them, and never have, nor will I ever (especially now).

I was assured that Melissa doesn't have my information. I asked to be taken off their list - the lady I was speaking to told me to that I was not on a list, that this was generated and not stored. I proceeded to tell her that I had already explained my quasi-relationship to Melissa to one of their operators and that I do not want to receive another call regarding Melissa. She "apologized for the inconvenience" but was not really apologetic.

I am now on my second marriage. I have not been married to my first husband for almost 4 years. I have not had contact with him for almost 3 years. I have not had contact with his first wife (I was the second) since 2002, and that was not a pleasant run-in.

I never gave Conn's permission to access my personal information. If they are checking associates of people, shouldn't they at least have the brains to determine that a) that's not her maiden name, and b) it's not my maiden name either. This is incredibly shady and if they call me one more time - harassment. One more call and they get reported to the Attorney General's office, the Better Business Bureau and anyone else I can think of, including the local TV stations.

I don't normally make a public issue of things, but please boycott Conn's, especially their credit programs. They are at best participating in shady business practices

Dang It!

I missed a month, and entire month, here on the blog. Guess it's been a little crazier than even I realized. Last month, I got hit, got an insurance check for the "repair" to my POS car. Hubby worked and started getting more than he can do on his own (YAY!). I worked, and worked, and worked, then took a day off and then worked some more. We didn't really have any adventures in March, although we did get hooked on two cable series (thank you Austin Public Library for having them on DVD). We like Rome and The Tudors. I know most people have learned about these "historical" times but seeing them come to life helps cement them in my mind. My problem with history have never been remembering, but more contextualizing it. Who was alive at the same time? I guess getting the big picture is rather hard to do when you are staring at the intricate details of one time period or another. Now that weekends are nice again, we went out to Lakeway (Lake Travis) on Saturday and wandered around - must recommend the Hudson Bend Meat Market, they make and smoke their own bacon (YUM!) and sell great longhorn cheese. And we wandered around the Lower Colorado river and it's environs (that water is COLD, we got our toes wet, but not much more). Hopefully, I will blog more this month and get some new photos posted!

February

COLD. That pretty much covers the month so far. Snow, ice, frigid temps and winds that threaten to knock my car off the road. The best part about all of this, is that since I live in Texas, I am guaranteed to wish it would come back (usually sometime around July or August, we will all be wishing for colder weather.)

Work is busy. Life is getting more so. Our cats are happy (spoiled rotten too). They refuse to go outside unless one of us goes out on the balcony (guess they figure if it's warm enough for us, it's warm enough for them.) Since we have by necessity been inside more, they have had their favorite pillows to sleep on (Robert and I!).

Mom got a job - YAY! Now for Robert to get a steady one.

That's about it - Happy Hallmark Holiday (aka Valentine's day).