And Now for a Word....

Well, the obligatory first sentence of this post is that I have failed at keeping a daily blog, and I apologize for that.

My second sentence will be to state I'm not going to do this every day. Writing is not a passion for me--it's highly enjoyable and I frequently take the chance to do so when the opportunity presents itself, but it's not my passion. So I suppose this is my disclaimer saying I'm just going to update when I can.

The last time I wrote on this blog was nearly two months ago. At that point I was a rather miserable person, even though I had the blessings of a doting husband, wonderful friends and family, and loving God. Why was I miserable? Because I absolutely hated going to work. It takes a very special individual to work in a complaint center for any length of time. I'd go to work and spend 7.5 hours chained to a desk, listening to people whine and complain and call me derogatory terms, and then go home and be in a rotten mood until about 10 o'clock, when we'd start thinking about getting some sleep.

Finally, Sam sat me down at the beginning of October, and we decided that I should go ahead and quit my job. We had enough in the bank that with what Sam brings in we could at least get through the next couple of months. So I turned in my two weeks notice, and I went to work for the last time on 10/13/2009.

That was a very happy day.

I gave myself permission to relax for the following week, since I was using up vacation time. The week after that, Sam and I got the H1N1, and so we didn't do anything for about a week. And then came the great job hunt.

I began looking for work non-stop. Those first couple of weeks I was looking, I must have applied to 20-25 places. I heard back from one place--a vet clinic looking for a receptionist--and thought I had the job, only to receive and email saying that they'd filled the position. (This has become something of a theme--rejection emails that is.)

Finally, about 10 days ago, I decided that I would only Job Hunt for an hour to an hour and a half a day. The rest of the day I would spend taking care of the apartment, cooking, and working on Christmas presents for people. Then, when Sam got home for the day I'd spend the evening with him, and still feel as though I'd accomplished something.

Which, strangely enough, has led me to being happier than I've been in a really long time, even if we are tight on the dollar right now. I guess a part of me enjoys channeling my Grandma Nena.

Anyway, later this afternoon I have my 2nd interview of the week, this time with the Science Museum of Oklahoma (formally known as the Omniplex) to work part time in their reservations department. Here's hoping I get some luck!



"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

--Matthew 6:28-34

Day Thirty -- What Month is It?

Occasionally someone will call in at work that I just cannot help but feel sorry for. Typically because I've been in that person's shoes. Sometimes it is because they're going through a loss in the family, they've lost their job, their house was broken into, etc.

And then there was today's call.

Not long before I was to go home for the night, this lady calls in to tell me that we "need to give her more time to pay her bill and to waive the late fees, because she just got her bill today and her bill was due on the 29th!"

"Ma'am," I say, "today is the 15th. The 29th is still two weeks away."

There's a few moments of silence, and then the woman starts laughing.

"It's been that sort of a month. I saw the due date and had it in my head it was October already."

Admit it, folks. We've all been there.


"Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so."
--Douglas Adams

Day Twenty-Eight -- Tales from the Front Lines, Part Two

So this should have has us completely back up to date. Sorry everybody!

Here are some examples of people/situations I've ran into at work this week.

--I had to deal with a person's psychiatrist over the phone because he suffered from an anxiety disorder and his bill was giving him a panic-attack.

--There was also a woman who spoke with a very thick Russian accent who refused to pay her bill because of her service wouldn't work, even though we had documented proof she'd been using it.

--An old man called in because their old equipment (not what they're currently using, but what they used before) was "stolen" by that "shady teen" next door and he needed the serial number from the old equipment and the original retail price. Forty-five minutes later after I'd finally tracked down all the information, he asked me to keep the info handy, and if he needed it for the police report he would call back for it.

--A lady called in and wanted to know why she had to pay a deductible to replace her equipment when she'd been paying for insurance for years. After explaining that just like with insurance for your house or your car, you pay a monthly premium and then if something happens you pay a small deductible instead of the full price to replace everything, she then said she was very disillusioned with us and would call back later to cancel her service.

Don't you wish you had my job?


"Yes ma'am, Hawaii is considered part of the United States."
--Me