Today I am thankful that I talk to strangers.
My life has changed quite a bit in the past seven days.
I don't know exactly how it happened.
I do know that someone must have overheard me saying (or perhaps writing) great things about a health care company I used to sell for. Two days after writing about their awesomeness, a recruiter called me in for an interview.
I started last Monday. They found me a location just two miles from home.
It isn't a full time job. I'm just in training. I will be the working at the main switchboard for a health care company.
My ultimate goal is to get a position where I am working the behavioral health advice line (given that I have a master's in psychology). That would be a nice change of pace that would help me make the most of my previous training.
They said that they would help me with the expense of taking all of the CAC classes again so that I could obtain licensure. That would be a wonderful perk!
Being involved in this company again has helped me get back to being more of who I am. I exercise now. I stopped the anxiety meds. I'm sleeping better.
I'm juicing.
It's nice.
******
A few months ago, I shattered glass on my face and cut up the skin around my left eye.
Shortly after that, I caught my reflection in the door of the freezer section at Target and found myself holding back tears.
A lovely woman came by and offered advice.
I'm taking her advice.
I'm glad I did.
The scars have faded so much that I have actually left the house without make-up!
I met a young make-up artist at the mall.
He sold me inexpensive cosmetics and taught me how to use them to hide the scars.
That was a little over a month ago.
I didn't think it was possible for the scars to fade.
Right now, I wear clunky nerdy glasses to hide the scars.
I may not have to do that much longer.
If I can get my face back, maybe I can go back into sales and make some real money.
I let these people share their expertise and it has benefited me in numerous ways.
I need to give back a little bit.
******
I have an exterminator who charges me $35 per month. He takes care of the mice and the wasps.
He even tolerates the crazy gun toting neighbor and his wife. They like to scream at him when he's servicing our property.
I wonder if his boss would let me gift him some Bluetooth headphones to block the sound of the screaming idiots next door.
I do fear the young lady next door is being abused by her husband. He's incredibly nasty and threatening. He's short and has a Napoléon complex. He actually had to stand on his tippy toes to threaten me! His poor wife probably has to try to control us to keep him from hitting her.
I don't call the authorities because I know they will be fined for the dog crying all the time and the trash in their front yard. I know she and the kids will get the brunt of it.
I tolerate her yelling.
I tolerate her glaring.
No, I haven't thrown hot foot powder in her path......yet.
I could.....well....there is one ritual I could do. Some things I don't feel comfortable sharing in an open forum.
At most, the ritual could be dangerous in the wrong hands.
In the least, if they catch me performing it, they may shy away from screaming at me or threatening me again.
One of the trees on the property line is dying. I don't have the heart to tell them it needs cut down. The husband doesn't have a job and drives for Uber. I'm working on getting a loan to help me repair the property and cut down that tree without their help.
I do fear for that woman and her three children.
She's nasty. One has to ask.....why?
She looks terrified.
*****
I have an office that I sublet. I've been there several years. I stopped working there on a daily basis when my ex-husband's family started harassing me.
I only go there when I have hypnosis clients. I did Groupon for awhile and made about $15 an hour.
It was fun. I barely broke even.
My landlord has decided to raise my rent by only $25 per month in 2018.
I feel spoiled. Commercial rents are rapidly rising in Colorado.
I need to rebuild my business.
I haven't been there in about four months due to the temp jobs I'm working. I'm trying to get in with a company full time so I can provide health insurance for the kids. My ex was supposed to do that -but- he's found a loophole.
Depressed and alcoholic people are free from paying child support in Colorado.
Alrighty then.....I just wish Child Support Services would have told me that before I spent nearly $4,000 on a lawyer. They asked for information and I gave it. Then they refused to talk to me until I hired an attorney.
I don't understand how that isn't a violation of protocol. Whatever......I think Child Support Enforcement bends to the whims of the person who contacts them first. My ex is their client.
The children and I mean nothing to the State of Colorado.
That's okay.
I'm probably in this situation because the universe expects me to do something about it.
It will be done.....when I figure out what needs to happen and who I need to speak with.
I never saw myself running for the house on a third party ticket. I may need to do that to get the conversation started.
I'll try my current legislators first.
If we don't change the laws that enable manipulative deadbeats to avoid supporting their kids, how will women like my neighbor get away? She's a homemaker like I was. I'd hate to have her put in the situation that I find myself in.
I wish the Department of Human Services actually hired people with a background in social science and psychology.
Since I stopped buying Kombucha, my blood pressure has shot up. I can't figure out how to make it well. If I steep it too long, it tastes like vinegar.
At the International Market, I met someone who told me how to make Tepache. I don't use the recipe linked here. I prefer cloves to cinnamon and piloncillo to honey. I also buy frozen ginger slices at a Market that specializes in Asian food (for about $1.00 a pound).
It's cheap.
It's easier to brew and has the same health benefits. I found recipes that cheat (they tell you to add beer to the mix....don't do that....the yeast in the pineapple skin will do the same thing.)
It only takes three days to brew. I like how it makes me feel, espcially since I don't have to pay Aurora's sugar sin tax. Yeah.....they tax Kombucha as a soda. It drives me crazy.
Kombucha the one thing that causes my blood pressure to drop (and makes me less testy and mean.....yet they tax it....we've got some crazy peeps on the city council).
*****
In bad times.....
remember that there are more honest and caring people than asshats in the world.
The problem is that the asshats get all of the attention.
I will try to express my appreciation for the kinder people more often.
That said....I did find a way to promote one of my favorite authors. He's 86.
He wrote a book which speaks very highly of the company that just hired me.
I do a heck of a lot of networking. A few months ago, I set the intention that if I ever had a chance to share the book with a contact at the company, I would in the hopes it would generate sales for this gentleman.
At the time, I didn't think they'd ever hire me directly.
They did. I had my chance last week. I gave a copy to the head of their corporate training department.
I'm hoping this spurs some sales for my favorite author or, maybe, they'll help him get some much needed publicity.
It's always nice to have the opportunity to pay it forward.
I hope it continues.
Paying it forward is like reaching out of the darkness and seeing a path due to the generation of your light for the benefit of others.
It's okay to choose to shine brightly. It's not selfish. Your light can lead others out of the darkness.
Love ya,
S.