I suppose...

...that I should post something. It's been a couple of days since I've done anything over here. Truth is, there isn't a heck of a lot to write about. I've been doing the usual, perusing the want ads, hoping one of them will pan out. Monday I went out and about doing the whole application thing at some of the stores nearby. Did a couple online since gas prices are so stupid still (and those stores were more of a drive). Today we've had a whole string of thunderstorms. It's been pretty noisy. But it's so nice to hear the thunder and see the lightning again! I can't believe I managed three years without experiencing it. Let's see, last night was tv night. Yep, I'm glued to the tube (tuned to A&E) on Tuesdays. I admit it, I'm a "Dog the Bounty Hunter" junkie. And I've already admitted that I'm madly in lust with Criss Angel. So, Tuesdays are the night I watch tv. Yep. That's what my life is like. And Mafia Wife wonders why I don't post more often. I suppose if I did, a few more insomniacs would get some rest. Maybe I'll try it sometime. Laterz.

Saturday (also entitled "Why I like banging my head against the wall"

An update on the brewing kid/drug controversy:
Hehe, yeah, I wanted that to sound like a news intro, but it didn't so who cares? Any way, here's the latest. Tim is over talking to Justin about the latest crap that he's getting himself into. JoAnn decided that she wasn't going to toss Justin out, yet. And apparently the underlying problem is that Justin goes to public schools.

Okay, so that's the basics. You didn't think you'd get away without my editorial comments now, did you? Public schools are the problem. That was what Tim told me last night. If not the big problem, they aren't helping. Funny, there are a lot of kids that go to public schools, but not all of them are in trouble, doing drugs, dropping out, etc. If the schools are the problem, shouldn't it affect a lot more kids? Don't get me wrong, the public school systems could use some serious work. And some hefty budget increases. But hasn't that always been the case? I really don't believe that the schools are causing Justin to smoke marijuana. I think that the blame here lies with the kid. He made the choice, but he's not willing to accept the responsibility for that choice. Why? Because his parents made some really bad decisions when they were raising him. No, they weren't/aren't bad parents, but I really question a lot of their choices. This practice (and yes, since it happens all the time, I consider it a "practice" if not a mode of operation) of doling out a punishment and they rescinding it, is not helping. And they wonder why Justin doesn't listen to them or follow the rules. Maybe because he figured out eons ago that if he breaks the rules there aren't going to be any consequences? Huh, whodathunkit? I'm really afraid for Justin. He's got a lot of issues that he is unwilling, or maybe unable, to address. He's overweight and it bothers him badly. His solution: watch tv and eat more junk food. Then get high and get the munchies. He is getting bad grades in school and is now taking summer school classes. Why? Because the class doesn't interest him. He doesn't think that English/Literature classes are important because he wants to go to a fine arts school to do drama and scene building type of stuff. What? How on earth can you perform a play if you don't have a clue about literature? Doesn't make sense to me. I mean, wasn't Shakespeare a playwright?

What it all boils down to is that he's a typical teenager who knows it all, however he wasn't given the tools to deal with it. He doesn't know any self-discipline because the rules that he grew up with were never enforced, so he doesn't feel like there will ever be any consequences. He's argumentative and can be downright nasty to his parents, mainly because he's never learned to respect them. Why respect someone who you know will bend to your every whim? Frankly, this kid could have used a serious spanking. Or boot camp. Or a few days in jail. Harsh? Yeah, it is. But at this stage, I don't think taking his tv away or grounding him for a week is going to make any difference whatsoever. GAH! I'm so frustrated and furious right now. Okay, that's enough. Time to hop in the shower to cool off.

Second Post in one day!

Basically, just a "job update". Not good news, unfortunately. They decided to "go another direction". I've been hearing that phrase entirely too much. Alas, guess I get to go out to all of the stores and hope that I can find something. I just hope that I don't get stuck with some third shift kind of job. I've done that before, and I really don't think I can do it again. It was hard when I was younger, I really don't know if I could manage staying awake and adjusting my life to that shift again. Oh well, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it, and if that's all that I can do, then at least it'd be a job. *Sigh* to have fallen so far so fast...Grr, I can't think that way! I just have to do what needs to be done and suck it up. It's not the end of the world, heck, I wouldn't even have to stay in that kind of position for very long--just until something else popped up. Meantime, I could get the bills paid and hopefully stash a couple of bucks away. Yep, just gotta suck it up and deal with it. Okay, going to take a nap because my allergies are kicking my butt.

Some mornings...

...just aren't worth getting out of bed for. The ol' man's ex called with yet another crisis this morning. This one is critical, but normally, they're just a bunch of hooey. Any way, this morning she calls him and tells him that she's kicking their oldest (16 year old, who will now be called "Justin") out of the house. It seems that Wednesday morning she thought he looked stoned, so she relentlessly questioned him until he confessed that he's been smoking marijuana. To top it off, he had a stash in his bedroom and claimed to have been smoking in the ex's (let's call her "JoAnn") house. Now, JoAnn runs a daycare out of her house as her only source of income. She does pretty well, but obviously if Justin's actions became known, she'd be in a world of hurt. Not to mention the effects, if any, on having the other kids around. I can't help but have a lot of questions about all of this. Of course, I can't really ask any of them of the ol' man (still need a name for him...how about if I call him Tim, as in Tim Allen of Home Improvement since my ol' man is a contractor). SO, I ask you all, since you know about as much of what is going on in my life as I do. First, why did it take two days for JoAnn to tell Tim about Justin's screw up? Second, why did it take JoAnn two days to punish Justin for breaking the rules? None of that makes any sense to me. But I can't help but wonder as to whether tossing Justin out on his ear is really the best form of punishment for this situation. Apparently, he's getting his marijuana from his friend and his friend's Dad. *Cringe* talk about a parent of the year... And now that he's been thrown out, guess where he's going to stay. No really, guess. Yep, with this friend and his Dad. So, by throwing him out, isn't that kind of like condoning it? They (Tim and JoAnn) claim that they won't help to support him at all, but I really don't believe it. JoAnn is not a disciplinarian in the least, and to date, has never followed through with any punishment. And Tim still feels guilty about what divorcing JoAnn has done to the kids, so I can see him caving relatively quickly. This is such a weird situation. And though finding out your kids have experimented with drugs and alcohol isn't really all that weird, it is a really difficult situation. I don't feel as if I can offer any valid opinions on this at all. I mean, sure, I've done some naughty things in my day, but most of them were "calculated risks". You know, getting drunk when I was staying the night at Mafia Wife's place, kind of thing. Where it was at least somewhat safe (unless you're falling off of bunk beds). And not having kids of my own, I never feel like my advice is even remotely valid. I just don't think that tossing Justin out of the house is a good idea. I think it'll cause more harm to him in the long run then any lessons that he might learn. And I'm afraid that it will destroy the already tenuous relationships that he has with his parents. Of course, this is just an opinion. I can't say that I really know this kid very well since he refuses to acknowledge that I exist. I'm just thinking about myself at that age and what all of this would have done to me.

Any way, I've reached a mental block on this, at least for the moment. If any of you have any opinions, advice, anything, I'd greatly appreciate it. I know I don't have any say in the children's disciplinary regimen, but sometimes it's nice to know that I've got some advice to offer to Tim when I'm listening and trying to support him. And who knows, maybe I'll even give you guys credit! Just kidding, of course I would.

Thursday

Well, it's Thursday. And still no word on the job. Tomorrow will mark one week since my second interview. I think that doesn't bode well for my chances. I haven't heard from my friend who recommended me for the job either. I'd probably give it another week, but this is a position in a store, and they usually need their stuff filled and trained as soon as possible. *Sigh* I guess Monday is going to be "get cleaned up and looking presentable so I can fill out applications again" day. I know the rejections aren't personal. These folks are in business and they have to choose the person who is right for the position. But after more than a year, it's feeling more and more like I'm some sort of reject. I just wish I knew what it was that I was doing wrong, or what it is that I'm doing right so that I could improve myself. Blech, I really don't wanna pound pavement any more. It's becoming too frustrating. Where, oh where, is my filthy rich, incredibly old, future husband? Yeah yeah, keep dreaming!

Mid Week

It's Wednesday, and I still haven't heard anything about the job at Gander Mountain. I'm trying to decide what my "deadline" is for hearing from them before I start sending out stuff again. I'd really hate to get into a position where I've got to decide between two jobs. Especially after not being able to get one for so damned long! Needless to say, I'm getting discouraged. Ah well, if I don't get this one, that just means there's a better one out there somewhere. Because, you know, I've done so freaking well finding one so far...

Don't mind me, I'm tired for some reason, so I'm crabby. I'm going to blame the Kitty of Doom since he's been super snuggly. And when that Purr factory starts going, I'm helpless. It's a lot better then how he wakes me up though (toe pouncing can be painful!). Gawds, I'm just bored and crabby and they're feeding off of each other. Oh yeah, and hungry too. I wish that I had a relationship where I could sit down with the one that I love and have dinner at a normal hour. You know, the same time period every day, kind of thing. I know, I'm demanding. Though if I were smart, and I've never said that I was, I'd stop trying to fit in and/or live my life around someone else's. I used to use the excuse that I was in training to be a parent, but at 36 without kids, the chances are getting slimmer and slimmer that that will be the case. So, either I need to find some backbone or a better excuse. Or better yet, I should just run away with Criss Angel and have a brood of his babies. Yeah, that's a good plan. Okay MW, shall we head off to Vegas so I can kidnap my future husband/baby daddy? And do you think I should let him know first, or after?

whoops, forgot to update

So I forgot to update on Friday after my interview. I think things went pretty well for a second interview. I interviewed with the store operations manager and then with the current store manager (he's leaving soon, so-as he told me-he's not going to make the final decision, he'll leave it up to those who would be stuck with the person they hire). We shared some laughs, and the usual interview type discussions. They both seemed to be on the same page as I am about how you treat your co-workers, confidentiality, organization, and desire to learn. I felt like the conversations were just that, conversations. Not the "I ask questions-you answer-I nod" kind of situation. Any way, hopefully I'll hear something soon. Fingers crossed!

This was my weekend of exile again. It was so weird to go and hang out at the mob family's place without all of them there! Actually, it was kind of boring. Even though I hate the situation that forces me to leave my "home" every other weekend, I really do look forward to seeing my favorite second family. Their house was so damned quiet without the boys though! I tried to make the best of it by grabbing some soda and some munchies and splurging on a Criss Angel DVD collection. Saturday evening I had a "drool fest" while watching the dvds. I've already told Mafia Wife that we're going to have to plan a trip to Vegas so that I can meet my future husband (aka Criss Angel, if you weren't following...). If he balks at the whole "marriage" thing, I'd settle for him being my baby's daddy. Or at least trying for that! Yep, I'm a perv. Yep, it's a high school type obsession. I'm 36 years old and have a crush! Oy vey, who'da thunk it?

So the Mafia bunch arrived home Sunday morning very early (I was pretty groggy, but it must have been around 5 am or 6 am). The Boss Man was whipped and crashed pretty hard for a few hours, though not nearly enough. MW stayed up for a while with the boys, since they got to sleep for a while on the drive. I think she did that mainly so they'd stay quiet while I slept. The dork really should have just woke me up so she could get some sleep. But you know her, gotta make sure everyone else is okay first. After I got up, she managed to get a little bit of a nap in, mainly because the boys fell asleep watching tv. So I manned the phones and watched Sponge Bob with the kids. I've never been a big fan of chatting on the phone, but this weekend I had a really nice surprise when Mar called to check on the gang and I was lucky enough to answer the phone. Needless to say, I had a really enjoyable conversation with her, though I was bugging her to come up to Michigan to visit. It was nice to put a voice to the stories that MW has been telling me, and to the pictures that I got to see from the vacation. I think she thinks that we're all kidding when we tell her that she's welcome to come visit at any time. Which is just silly, because I know the Mafia clan wouldn't invite without being serious about it. She just has to remember that the couch is mine to sleep on! Any way, I just hope that I do get to meet her sometime soon.

I've been rambling for a while now, and my coffee cup is empty. That's not good. On that note, I'm out of here so that I can get a refill!

Not much going on

There hasn't been anything really exciting going on this week, so I haven't bothered to post anything. I have a second interview on Friday, so hopefully that will go well. I should probably look at working up a budget of some sort so that I know how much I absolutely must make in order to get my life in order. I keep putting it off, which is just silly. If I keep putting everything off, I'm never going to get anywhere. Now granted, I don't plan on becoming the next "Richest Woman of the World" or anything as grand as that, but I want to start stashing money away as soon as I start working. I'd like a nice bit of padding in the bank account for emergencies, and I'd like to start saving up a decent down payment for a house. There are a lot of things I'd really like to have, but those are my big two at this time. I'm planning to work towards getting all those pretty little gadgets and doodads, but I want the big two more than anything. Though I'll probably have to break down and buy a tv when/if I get my own place. I've become thoroughly addicted to Criss Angel's show on A&E. Though, in truth, I think I'm just obsessed with him. I mean, jeesh, what a sexy devil! Ah well, perhaps someday I'll get to see him perform live, and then just sweep him off of his feet with my...um, what can I sweep him off his feet with? Hrrrmmmm, I have to have some talent! Hehe, just kidding of course. Just another harmless obsession and a cute guy whose pictures I can drool over. Blech, it's time to do laundry, so I guess that's enough for today. Besides, who really wants to hear about my latest obsession?

Back from Vacation

It's really nice to be home. I had a great time in Florida visiting my family, but no matter how much fun you have somewhere, it always feels so good coming home. We really didn't do a whole lot of stuff, but it was just nice seeing everyone. My Dad made me lots and lots of his Bar-B-Que Chicken, so I'm even fatter then ever! I don't know what he does to his chicken, but it's sooooo much better then anyone else's that I've ever had. Must be because he's making it. My folks took me to a really lovely place called Bok Sanctuary that's in Lake Wales. It's a great big beautiful garden that has evolved into a bird sanctuary. There's an amazing tower that houses a 60 bell carillon that just sounds so pretty. It's just a really pretty area that is nice to go to to just sit and relax and enjoy the beauty that surrounds you. Luckily, my parents got me a birthday present early, so I got to take pictures of it! Yep, finally got my own digital camera. Though nothing as impressive as Mafia Wife's set up, I'm also not as good of a photographer as she is! No wonder she always makes me hold her diffuser...Well, I've got to finish unpacking, doing laundry, and making sure that there's food in the cupboards, so I'll leave you all with a picture of Bok Tower. If you're interested in more info about this lovely place (and even though I'd never heard of it, I'm really glad that I got to go) they have a website at www.boksanctuary.org. Enjoy!