Life Crisis Part 2

Have you ever woke up and looked in the mirror and said OH GOD I look like one of those people from the "What Not to Wear" show.
We are staying at a camping site, and it's been pouring rain so my hair is frizzed up, my gray hairs are sticking straight out and I'm still in my warm pajamas. I'm sitting in an internet cafe typing this on my 18" laptop with my blackberry sitting next to me. I'm sure people are looking at me like I'm a homeless person that ripped off the right car. Or on the show were the boss dresses down and goes undercover but still keeps his cool car, watch and gadgets.

So last I left you it was April and I had a month to get out of my foreclosed home. My oldest son had just left for Texas and I was a stressed out mess.  SOOO much has happened since then.
The first week of May our family friends from Alaska came down to help me pack up and move stuff to storage. Yvonne and Gary, Yvonne is my moms friend from high school, she has been like an Aunt or a God Mother to me my whole life. Her son Gary who is six years older than me, I didn't really know, we had never had any conversations and I hadn't seen him since I was 7 years old. I picked them up at the airport and showed them the house. They were overwhelmed by the amount of stuff we had (not hoarder status) but enough. I took Yvonne to my Mom's house and Gary and I got started. We cleared a room out and started stacking furniture in it from the up stairs. We said that he wouldn't help me pack cause I needed to deal with the stuff but that he would move the furniture. He has really big muscles so it was fun to watch him move stuff ; ).

We moved most of the furniture from the house to storage. Bunk beds, bed frame, dresser, 2 desks, book shelfs, night stand, fridge, microwave, washer drier, credenza and hutch, conference table and chairs, reception desk, roll top desk, entertainment center, 14 boxes of Tupperware, and the rest was stuff I had to pack. As soon as we were done moving to storage Yvonne and Gary went back to Alaska. I                                                                                                                             packed boxes one by one but we did leave 75% of it there. Anything we wouldn't cry over got left behind. I think that there is still stuff in storage that could go to goodwill. So we were out of the house my May 14th, we went to stay with my Mom but she is such a nag we couldn't take it. She would criticize the kids for EVERYTHING and then me, she didn't want the kids making noise, she was crazy about the TV, and the kitchen closed at 9pm. We left every chance we could get... TO BE CONTINUED.

Country Strong 2010

This movie is Rated PG-13. A drama centered on a rising country-music songwriter (Hedlund) who sparks with a fallen star (Paltrow). Together, they mount his ascent and her comeback, which leads to romantic complications involving her husband/manager (McGraw) and a beauty queen-turned-singer (Meester).

I watched this movie last night and I cried through most of it. It was frustrating and sad. I would never want my kids to watch this one even if they were 13. This should only be shown in rehab facilities to show what would happen if you leave before your healed.

I gave this movie 2 stars.

Public Posting

I feel like I've had to hold back since I've been using facebook. Thinking that I shouldn't post my opinions because someone might take them the wrong way. Then I remembered I could come home to my blog and vent my heart out. So much has happened:
Thanksgiving week last year my cousin died. He overdosed on pain killers, he was only 24 years old. My family all took it as a surprise but none was hurt more than I. I am the oldest of this generation and the only one that got to know the cousins, and that new the grandparents. I wish that we all had gotten a chance to know him better.
In December ( Merry Christmas) I got the foreclosure papers and guess what still no job.
By February things looked like they were getting better. I had been on a few job interviews and had some really good prospects lined up. Then nothing. Aunt Skip died of cancer.
By March I told the kids that maybe we could move to Anaheim where there was more opportunities for jobs and we would be closer to the action, if that doesn't work out then maybe Eureka. (We visited Eureka because of the TV show.)(We loved it, they had great summer programs for the kids, but we were there in February for Valentines weekend. I ended up writing a 3 part novel that is based in Eureka.) So I contacted my brothers Aunt and Uncle and asked if they had any units available on there property. They did, so I went a couple of weeks later and someone had already put a deposit on it the night before. Strike One
I had a couple of really good interviews. and a prospect for a job teaching. So I told the kids OK if I get this job then we'll move to Chino and if I don't then Eureka. 4 interviews later I didn't get the job. Strike 2.
So the kids and I put some papers in a hat 1 - Texas, 1 - Idaho, 1 - Alaska, 1 - Eureka, 1 - Arizona. We pulled Eureka so off we go. We have decided to go for the summer and then decide if we want to stay before the kids have to start school. But one of the things the kids love the most is the school program that they offer there. I'm just scared of running out money when we get there. Other than that I have always wanted to live where the beach meets the ocean, and snows at the ocean. They have great beaches, nice people, cool weather, inexpensive housing, co-op groceries, fantabulous programs for the kids in school and out. Lots of cool rocks and shells. and hopefully good jobs that there are fewer people to fight over them. Anyways were going - I really need this.
I told Jon that we were going and that I couldn't take him with us. I asked him if he wanted to go spend time with his Dad and half sister in Texas for a bit before he joined the Army. He said yes but he didn't think his Dad would want him to visit. So I contacted his Dad and his step Mom and they both said they would love to have him. So I bought him a one-way ticket to Texas and drove him to the airport. When he first got there it was OK. I expected him to be busy doing stuff with his Dad. After a week and a half of not hearing anything I was concerned. After him mentioning that they went to garage sales to get stuff for his step son and not mentioning anything about his son, I was pissed. Finally a posting, a picture and a proud comment. I know from experience that it is hard enough not being in your fathers life but when they boast about the other kids, it's like a stab to the heart. So after Jon went to Texas then I realized that I had to pack this 5 bedroom house all by myself. Screw it, I'm just going to pack what we want and leave the rest. I'm tired of dragging all of this crap around with us where ever we go.
This really nice lady from the rock shop died. I had just talked to her 5 days prior.
The plumbing burst in the hallway bathroom, all of the hot water is pouring out.
Time is running out - to much to do to little time.
The stress builds and i try to keep my eye on the light at the end of the tunnel but it gets harder each day!

R.I.P. Ann Teuscher

Ann Teuscher was killed today, this sunny Wednesday. It happened October 13th, 2010 when she went to the local DMV. She was told that she no longer could be Ann Teuscher. That after 10 years she would have to change her name back to Ann Mansfield. It was a long hard year for Ann, having lost her job, her house and now her identity. She will be missed but she is looking forward to the new year and new things to come.

Unemployment in the News

Reports trim fears the economy might slide back into recession

Data on jobless, trade gap offer some hope
This morning (2 am on Friday the 17th) I turned on my computer and loaded the Internet. The above titled article was the first thing I saw on my msn.com link. I read the article and immediately had to comment on the msnbc.com website. Following is what I posted.
 
This is the most ridiculous report. I'm so sick of employed people reporting on how the job market is going, if they really want to know then why don't they ask the unemployed people. I had been working for a Property Management /Construction Company for 4 years. When Construction took a turn for the worse the Property Management Company couldn't take the expense and the entire company went under. I was laid off in February of this year and finding another job has been hard. There are so many companies out there that now have the choice to only hire people at minimum wage. You have the high school graduates, the people that have run out of unemployment all together and are desperate and the newly unemployed, you offer any of them $10 hr or below and the high school graduate and the unemployment veteran are going to snag that job in a heartbeat. The truly qualified middle-class American or above is screwed. I would have to take 3 jobs at $10 hr or less, just to make the mortgage, car payment, and feed my kids.


My unemployment ran out in August and I just got the letter saying that it will be continued due to the Federal extension. Can you just imagine how many people out there that have run out of unemployment and don't qualify for the extension. Are we comparing the unemployment rate falling with the welfare rate?

You also have the companies that are eliminating positions while they are posting jobs. I have had 14 responses from employers. Thank you for submitting your resume however we have decided to go in a different direction with this position. The next thing you know that position has been eliminated.

If the job market is doing so well then why is my brother getting laid off at the end of October because his employer decided to replace employee's with automated machines. My Aunt's law firm is down sizing and they are letting people go at the end of the year. My Uncle works for a private school and they are planning on closing by next school year. This is not good news people. The other day I was trying to think of someone I knew that had a job (not many).

Job Hunting

You know the scene in Pretty Women where Julia Roberts comes back from Rodeo Drive and the Hotel Manager pulls her into the office and tells her that she should dress more appropriately if she wants to be seen in the hotel. Then she pulls out all the cash from her pockets and starts crying.

HM: I would also encourage you to dress a little more appropriately; that will be all.

JR: No, that's not all. That's what I was trying to do. I tried to go get a dress on Rodeo Drive today, and the women wouldn't help me and I have all this money now and no dress! Not that I expect you to help me, but I have all of this, okay? I have to buy a dress for dinner tonight and nobody will help me.

That is exactly how I feel. I have all this experience and know one will hire me. When I express my stressed feelings about not having any income, people say well just get a job. I HAVE BEEN TRYING!!! I have applied at every place I can think of. I am overqualified for fast food, and retail stores. I tried not turning in my resume to one employer and just listing the basics on my application but they said I tested to high for the position, come back when they have a supervisory position open.

How about a I have to feed my three kids position - do they have any of those. The doom of a career these days is making to much money. When the economy crashes then companies can't afford to hire you. At this point I will work 2 $10 an hour jobs just to put food on the table and keep the lights on.

Hitting Bottom = No Income, No mate, 3 hungry kids, utilities being shut off, and family that can't help.

Faith = hitting bottom and still believing that everything will be OK.

Crazy = hitting bottom and still believing that everything will be OK.

Slumdog Millionaire

I watched this movie yesterday for the first time. When it came out they kept showing previews of these kids dancing next to trains, so I thought oh great it's a Bali version of high school musical. I immediately wrote it on my do not want to watch list.

Yesterday it was on TV and I just happened to see it. NOTHING like they advertised. It is not a FEEL-GOOD movie. In fact I think I cried through most of it. It is a movie about all the crap this kid went through and how it just happened to be that because of his life experiences he was able to answer most of the questions on Who Wants to be a Millionaire show. Then when he is doing really good they beat him because they think he is cheating. During the entire movie he is searching for the love of his life that he met when he was like 6 yrs old. Every time he finds her something bad happens. It was a good movie about the perspective other countries have on game shows.