I did it!

Today was the day. It wasn't planned, it just happened. I told the loon I think he should find someone else.

I am not going to go into gory details, because quite frankly it's just not worth it. But I will say that today was the last day of being talked down to, treated like a child, blamed for all wrong-doing, lied to, disrespected, and last but not least, made to be felt like a failure.

Wow - does it feel good!! No, I don't have a job, but I don't care. Any human with any ounce of respect for themselves and their sanity would have done the same thing.

So. Now again I will say: I am going on vacation tomorrow and I am going to have a great time!!!

Is insanity a true defense?

In my book it is. I am claiming I must have been insane taking this job in the first place. This morning I opened up a book that my friend Tom wrote. I bought it a few months ago at his book opening party at one of our local hot spots. He even signed the inside jacket for me. Anyway, as I am reading it, this sentance just popped out and hit me in the head:

"Insanity is defined as doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results."

~Tom Becka

I have often wondered how I could have known that this place would turn out to be just a big circus with the ring leader being a giant loon? Now I am thinking, how could I have NOT known? It's the same industry, same hot-headed owner-type, and the same complaining or tattletale employees. (Ok, not all of them are, but I am just saying....) Why would this job end up any different than the last? I used to think that it might just be me, I didn't try hard enough, my heart wasn't in it, or I just wasn't cut out for this type of job.

That is truly not the case. The only thing I did wrong here is that I put too much faith in the same scenario thinking it would produce exceptional results. Instead, it proved to be much worse than the first go around.

Now I look at it this way: It's time to say goodbye to the bearded lady, the mole, the muppet, and last but not least, the loon. What is that saying about looking back at the past, but not staring? It's pretty hard not to when it's the circus, because believe me they know how to capture an audience. They just don't know how to keep them watching.

Me and my sanity are packing our bags and going on vacation tomorrow. 5 days without the circus will be a great preview to the next chapter of my life - and my book!

My mind is buzzing...

I have so much positive energy going right now!! I just got home from the second official meeting for the non-profit startup I am involved in. All things start from a great idea, and my friend Joey has an awesome one. I will fill you in on the details later, but I think this is going to be one of the life altering experiences that I will forever be thankful for.

I may just have a great opportunity ahead of me too on the part time gig. My old boss was more than happy to hear from me, and I think this might just be exactly what I am looking for. I can work part time, go to school, AND be involved in the non-profit. Now THAT is what I am talkin about!!

New life, here I come!!!

Back on track

Today I checked a few things off my list of to-do's for my new adventure. I emailed my landlord to make sure it is ok that I get a roommate without having to redo the lease, and I also emailed my old boss from the software company I used to work for to see if I could work part-time from home. Hey, it's a long shot, but doesn't hurt to ask!

I figured I could work as an independant contractor for 15-20 hours per week, of course at a rate that would cover all my major expenses. Then I can go to school full time and also live where ever my little heart decides to go. For now, I am going to sit tight right here, but you never know what opportunities may come up elsewhere. I am going to start classes at the local community college, but I am thinking in a few years I will transfer to a larger university. Hey, if you are going to do something like this, you better do it all the way!!

So, I am looking for suggestions on schools that have good art programs. Actually, GREAT art programs would be more like it. I have done some research, but I have found that many recommendations are better by word of mouth.

Wish me luck. If this doesn't pan out, that's ok, I am still planning on reworking some of my finances so I can apply for the museum job. Whatever it takes, I will be out of that Circus soon!!

Hello?? Anybody reading this?

Tonight was "resume" night for me. For some reason, I am having a tough time writing up my job description. Writers block on a resume, now that is odd for me. Ever since I had my resume professionally written and recieved some great tips several years ago, I have been able to write up a pretty impressive resume. I have even written some for friends or helped tweak them a bit.

I am pretty sure I know what it is though. It's the circus. How can I write something professional about that place? Wow. Let's see... I am a babysitter to several adult children, I have to watch what I say so "the mole" doesn't hear me, and I never know what direction The Loon is going to spin me on an hour by hour basis. Not to mention, along with the title of Director, I somehow have landed the much intriguing title of "Office Manager". Seriously.

I have to send out emails to everyone about taking their garbage out, no personal phone calls, don't take too long of breaks, no texting, clean out the fridge, wipe your butt, etc. I think you get the picture. Last time I checked - these things have NOTHING to do with Accounting. Not to mention I am sending these things out to grown adults. Ok, let me rethink that. These people are the biggest babies I have ever met in my entire life. I should bring in diapers and similac tomorrow. Better yet, I am going to bring some Zweiback crackers to our next food day.

If anyone has any tips for resume writers block, post them on a comment, I would be very greatful for any kind of tips! (Yes, even the witty sarcastic ones I know your just waiting to give me)

Oh yea, and about the title...... I added some Google Analytics for my Adsense, so I know how many visitors I get. :) Which reminds me, if anyone knows how to add a subscribe by email feature - I need some help with that too.

Why you should not go shopping with me...

And especially not for jeans. (I am sure my sister can attest to this)

So, I go to Old Navy with a friend of mine today - because they have jeans on sale for $12.99 today. I normally do not shop at Old Navy, in fact I can't stand it there. But one of my friends had been blogging about all this great stuff she bought there, so I thought I would check it out.

I walk in and immediately recognize that the clothes the carry have hardly changed since they opened their doors. When was that - 90 something? Same button down tops I wore in 99, same khakis, and seriously - same cheap quality. I wonder if they still carry those scarfs I used to wear? I am pretty sure Pinky Tuscadero was my nickname for a while there.

Anyway, I decide to scoot on over to the clearance rack, my little world of bargains, and start browsing around. I find some bathing suits - I am in desperate need of a new one - and find a super cute top that us well-endowed women can actually pull off. I was excited and started looking for bottoms that would at least blend with the top. We all know that when suits are sold separately, you have to get a little creative. Nothing. No Large bottoms. What is this? You think Barbie has this much trouble? No, because she has boobs, a small waist, and practically no ass. She would have had a field day on that rack.

Pouting, I go over to the clearance clothes to see what oddball top I can find that I will actually wear more than once. After dodging a few screaming kids, I actually ended up finding several cute tops and thought to myself, "Hey, maybe it's not so bad here." Then I headed over to the jeans.

The jeans section gives you three choices, similar to the three bears story: High waisted, low waisted and mid-rise. I figure I better stick with the mid-rise these days, I think I am getting a little too old for the low-rise. For the life of me, I cannot find a size 10 anywhere. Oh, except for the gray pair. I haven't worn colored jeans since the 80s, and I don't plan to anytime soon. So, my friend that was with me convinced me just to try on the low-waisted, "They're really not that low," she says. Ok, I figured I would give it the old college try.

Into the dressing room I venture, where some zit-faced kid with a headset shows me to a room. I think he even called me ma'am. Ugh. I hang up the shirts and go for the jeans first, might as well get those out of the way. After struggling to get them up my thighs, I get them buttoned and turn around. EEEWWWW!!! My ass looks like it was disfigured in a bad sledding accident, the back of the jeans gaped enough to hold a 2 liter, and my gut hung over like a plumber. To make matters worse, I am peeling off the jeans and hear the following in 2 different high-pitched whiney voices: "These are a 2, look how big they are!" and "I don't think they have a size 0 in these!". Seriously? Did I really need to hear that?

Lesson learned. I think I will stick to buying my DKNY Soho jeans on ebay in the privacy of my own home. I don't care if they make my ass the size of Texas, at least they look proportionate and the waist hits my gut in all the right places. My advice to any woman size 10 and over: STEER CLEAR of that place, it's not good for morale.

However, amidst the tragedy of the "Old Navy shopping experience", I did end up with 4 tank tops and a cute dog toy for 30 bucks.

Thank you!!

I just have to say, I have some outstanding friends!! I have never felt such awesome encouragement and support as I have in the last few months.

I am going to re-work my resume this weekend and send it in to the museum. With all the suggestions I have recieved in the past few days, I think there may be a way to pull this off. Not to mention there is yet another job posting there, and I could do either of them with my hands tied behind my back. Plus, you never know what may come up there in the next few months.

I am not naming names, because you ladies know who you are - not to mention, don't you want to wait for the book dedication?

BUT, here is a

HUGE THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

Good News/Bad News

Is it good news comes first or bad news? I can't remember which way, but the good news is I found a really cool job I would love to apply for (it is at the local art museum) .....BUT (there is always a but) the salary is less than half of what I make now. Hm. Thinking, thinking, how could I pull that off?

I would have to get 2 roommates instead of 1...... or I could take up one of the few offers from some of my AWESOME friends who have said I could live with them. :)

See, here is the major obstacle I need to hurdle in this whole mess. I am pretty much a statistic when it comes to credit card debt. I pay a hefty amount each month on a payment program (which I have been doing for 3 yrs now) and that raises my monthly expenses quite a bit. If it were not for that "little" issue, I am thinking the salary wouldn't be that bad.

I am wondering if I write a letter to my credit card companies and tell them my plans they would dismiss my balances.....yea, probably not. But seriously, I think it would be funny if I tried that!! Who does that?

To Whom It May Concern:

I would like for you to dismiss my balance with you because I am about to cut my salary in half and go back to art school. It really would be like donating to the arts, it could even be a tax write off if you knew a creative accountant. Not to mention I have probably sold all the stuff I bought with your credit card on ebay anyway, so what do you think? Deal?

Seriously, could you imagine the laughter in the collections office the day they get that letter? It might even be worth it just to see what their reply would be.

Ok, calling it a night. My dog is giving me "the eye" that says he is ready for bed, and he rules my world these days.

It's a Blue Moon...

Blue Moon Tuesday, anyway. So tonight, after getting home from the circus and surfing the internet for two hours (unsuccessfully searching for a legit work-from-home job), I decided to meet a couple of my friends up at our local watering hole. As you might have guessed, Blue Moon is the special on Tuesdays. You get your first one for $4 (get to keep the glass) and refills are $3. Good deals, good times. I just happened to get the last glass, ok it was a half glass, of Blue Moon - so our awesome bartender Mike informs me that our drinks are on the house, courtesy of the owner. Rock on!

Now THAT was within my budget! So I ended up using the $4 to play Keno and didn't make a dime. Last week I bet $3 and won 25 cents, so I felt lucky. But now, I am thinking being a professional gambler is out of the question. I have a horrible poker face anyway, and I think my years of cheating at Euchre in college are coming back to haunt me.

Another part of my "adventure" (as I refer to it, you may call it some kind of crisis - I say tomato you say tomaato) is going back to college for a degree in Fine Art and Photography. I have been looking into scholarships for the past few months, and I tell ya, there are scholarships for EVERYTHING! Single moms, high school students, non-traditional students, Italians, Polish, children of veterans, children of alcoholics, and I am pretty sure I saw one for children of the corn. But I certainly have not found one for "thirty-something women who have decided to give up their career in business to get an art degree to make less money". If you happen to run across such a scholarship, feel free to pass it along-I may qualify for that one!

If all else fails, there is still the dog poo job to look forward to!

Is it wrong....

To find that a job cleaning up dog poo seems more intriguing than what you are doing? I suppose it is, but the fact that I actually considered it doesn't even phase me.

I am keeping my mind open to virtually everything. It feels great to liberate yourself and realize you actually have no limitations. I have sifted through hundreds of jobs in the last two days: retail management, sales, marketing, virtual assistant, oh and yes - the lovely dog poo job.

I can't tell you how many scams I have run across in my search, now that is one thing I will not do. I am not looking to "get rich quick", I am not into pyramid companies, and NO I will not become a stripper. (Thanks for the suggestion, sis, really appreciate the compliment!)

Anyway, I actually do have to start getting ready for the circus. (I am not the bearded lady by any means, but that is the closest analogy I can come up with for my current workplace.)

Here goes nothing.....

When you got it, you got it - and when you don't??? You don't. But hey, you can't blame a girl for trying, can you?

So, I have decided to completely throw away my professional career of over 10 years and 4 years of college I am still paying for, to do something I really love to do. Well, actually, to do several things. I thought I would start out with writing, so I created this new blog. If no one reads my blog, then who is going to read my book when it's finished?

Exactly my point.

I haven't yet broke the news to my boss, which, by the way, I believe is completely insane. A lunatic, for a lack of a better word. I won't bore you with the I Hate My Boss Dialogue, because we have all heard it before. But I will say this: Next time you give advice, you might want to take it yourself. Once of my biggest pet peeves is people who complain about their jobs. One of my many motto's (yes, I have several) has been "If you don't like it, change it". So, as much as I have dished out this glorious advice, I have decided to take it. Because being your own pet peeve is kind of...well...annoying.

Trust me, I will let you know when I break the big news to the Loon - and also keep you posted on what I might be doing for a living. (Don't be surprised if you run into me at your local Pet Co.) And, since publishers don't come knocking at your door, I figured I should at least finish a few chapters before I start begging at theirs. I don't suppose a Preface counts as a chapter?