WOW! 2014 is almost over and 2015 is just mere hours away. Well, if those hours are can also be counted in 24 hour increments to count days.... I have a few days until I need to constantly remind myself of the year change on anything that requires having a date written, that is. So, with that in mind.... I would like to share with you what has happened in the past 12 months....
Obviously, I have returned to my original blogger site. There was a moment that this site made some changes and would not allow me to share on any social media site except Google +, and I rarely ever utilize that site. Most likely because this "old dog" needs time to learn new tricks. Sure, I have a Google + page, but not all the cool kids hang there (wink, wink). Luckily, in my computer addled mind, I figured out how to share where I want to and I am quite happy about that. With that accomplishment achieved.... I just need to find that darn Windows template for my grocery list and get that back on my computer and my life will be complete. How pathetic is that?
Well, lets see.... what has happened to my over these past 12 months..... Hmmm....
Not all that much has been happening. I only have a few highlights to share and then I am off to do way too much with very little time to accomplish it all.
I have been the wormiest of a bookworm lately and still hooked on women's fiction. I am totally hooked on authors like Kristan Higgans, Jill Shalvis, and Kathleen Brooks, but I am also a fan of Melanie Shawn. With roughly over 200 books read so far.... you think I would hit a rut and change genres, but I am hooked on quirky characters, mild angst, and happily ever afters. Who knew? Not me, but here I am.... looking for more to read of that romantic garbage that I loathed in my younger years. Darn shame Janet Evanovich tapped out when it came to good books to read. She was quite good, but luckily an up and comer named Elise Sax is taking her place. Heck, I became actual Facebook friends with the author and that alone is pretty cool! Never personally met the woman, but I sure do love her slant of humor in her books. I only have one more author to mention in my list of go-to authors of this year and she does not write romance.... Jen Lancaster is an absolute HOOT and her memoirs are of legend! In fact, I did meet her once at a book signing at the local library. I even got to meet her husband Fletch and had a few laughs.
If I am not reading my way through life, I am also learning various bead weaving patterns. Mostly in the making of jewelry. I went from nameless customer to friend to hairdresser of the owner of the bead store I was visiting so frequently... people thought I worked there. Everyone that has seen what I have made keep asking me to sell my stuff, but once I tell them how much I would have to sell it in order to make a small profit from it..... people just admire it and walk away. What I spend in beads, along with the time I spend making stuff.... Lets just say.... I cannot compete with chain stores like Charming Charlies and Claires. Art is expensive and what I make is art. Or so as I have been told. Maybe, someday, I will get the drive to set up an Etsy account or participate in a craft fair, but for now..... I am just enjoying the task at hand.
On a more personal note, I have had some changes.... My marriage hit a real rough patch and there was talk of a split. DH was not happy and neither was I for a while there. After a HUGE blow-up of epic proportions, we had to come to an agreement. Of course, it took me to point out all of the deep thought I had going on to have him see that marriage is not easy and it takes effort of both to make it work. Sadly, I informed him that I have put far too much effort on my own and handed the baton to him to realize he needs to put in more effort. The moment I did that..... there is a calming of the storm, so to speak. Sure, I see there are times he is about to blow up over some minuscule thing, but I give him time and space to figure out a solution before it gets out of hand. Of course, since his little announcement of wanting to split and with me not caving in (I actually got really mad), our family is detached, but attached. We are all in the same house, but in different parts to give each other some space to get our heads on straight. DH takes the living room, I take the family room, and DD prefers the comfort of her bedroom. Once all of us have a little down time... we come together and talk it out like rational people. No more are the days of confronting the problem right away. We take the time to think things through and see things from another's point of view. Chances are.... things will blow up again, but for now.... things are good.
On the career front.... I drew the line in the sand and changed jobs when the line was crossed. I was working one day a week for several years with hopes of increasing the number of days and hours to something more than where I started. Sure, I could have just added more days, but other factors were holding me back. I needed to have clients (a reason for being there) to increase and with the drama, mistakes-a-plenty in the appointment book, and the lack of actual space for me to actually be there... I was losing clients. I will not point the finger at anyone for that, but something was going on that did not rub me the right way and I knew I had to go. I loved where I worked, I loved the people I worked with, but I felt like the proverbial whipping child and it was wearing me down to the point where I was not liking my job all that much. I witnessed too many walk-outs to count, there has only been a handful of people that weathered these storms and half of the staff changed so frequently.... I never really got to know any of them. It was feeling more like a factory or pit stop for some of those people. Teamwork was at an all time low and there was so much animosity that a person can actually feel it in the air. With that in mind.... I left without a new place secured. I was frantic, but I knew what I wanted and found a place that is willing to meet mt needs and I couldn't be happier. Sure, it is going to be hard to rebuild what I lost in the move from one salon to another, but I have faith that it will get better over time. It did not hurt that my move happened during the holiday season. I got the new walk-in clients and started building from the start. Of course, with dealing with a holiday rush.... the next two months will be painfully slow and my paychecks will definitely suffer. But with the additional days of being available to clients, a work space of my very own, an appreciative boss, and a support staff that put the word support in support staff.... I have faith that things will be just fine in time. As with any new person in a salon environment, there will be some animosity and drama, but that will also blow over in time once they realize that what they see in me is what they get. I am the real deal and I am there to work. My smile is genuine and I am a nice person. If my new co-workers don't like it... I am not worried. I have at least seven more years before I lose my cool. I am patient like that.
Other than that.... lets see.... DD is doing GREAT in school (all A's and a few B's), and is looking to go to summer school so she is guaranteed her AP class in science next year. Her career path is lookig like it will be science-based and she is currently interested in the field of CSI (crime scene investigating). Not all that confident that is her perfect fit of a career, but I support her choices. She needs to be happy with what she does. She is competing in speech club and doing well in the field she was placed in (humorous interpretation), and she joined a few other clubs in school. Just so proud of her that she is so active in school and manages to keep up those good grades. DH is doing well. He has not had any heart issues over the past three (going on to four) years since his health scare back in 2011. He is eating healthier (my doing), and he enjoys his daily walks for activity. He quit smoking shortly after his health scare and is happier with how he feels... so proud of that. Sadly, these holidays are taking a toll on our waistlines and with Christmas finally past us... we can get back on track with better food choices. I just hope we can get exited over salads again because I definitely need to dig deep to find the love for lettuce again (blech).
Well, I am off to get a part for the garage door opener today. Darn thing broke last night and I had to park in the driveway. Apparently, a gear in the thing turned into dust from years of use (it was plastic, of all things). Just glad it did not crush anyone because it went up a little before crashing down. Con't complain about getting this thing fixed. Found the replacement part in stock at Sears and it was only $24.99 (before tax), and that is a bigger savings compared to what the cost of a new one is. Oh, and having a partner in life that insists on fixing everything. Heck, he has fixed these old appliances in my home for so long that they are now back in style. While I would love something new in this house.... I am just happy with functioning stuff. Yep, one year of nothing much has me appreciating even more the less of life.
Wishing you all only the best to come in 2015..... Thanks for reading!
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