Wednesday, February 22, 2012

I AM EMPLOYED....FULLTIME

I was offered the job at the health department pending a negative drug test on yesterday. I"m excited. I got the call around 11am and I went to take my drug test. I don't do drugs, so everything was negative. I talked to HR around 4pm and I will be starting my new job on March 13!! I will be making over $31,000 a year!! YAY!! No, that's still less than what I was making two years ago, but I'll take it!! It's a stable job and I have benefits--health insurance!! I can't wait to go to the dentist. I'm assuming that my net pay would be about $2000 a month (sans taxes and retirement), so I will have plenty of money to pay my bills--car, student loan, insurance. Fortunately those are the only bills I have right now. I will be getting the internet because I NEED it. And I'm gonna get a new cell phone plan because the prepaid thing is killing my money. I need a plan that is around $50 a month. I don't need all the extra stuff. I just need to talk and text. Also, I want internet that is not more than $20 a month. I hope I can find it. I HAVE GOT TO PAY MY DEBTS!!!! I've gotta pay $3500 for back rent from the apartment that I was evicted from, about $1000 in hospital bills and about $3000 for my car. My goal is to pay all of this off THIS YEAR!!!! And I NEED TO GET A NEW VEHICLE!!! I did a budget and if I can save about $12,000. I can have all of this paid off and I can get me a new car. But, it's gonna take some serious saving, like $1000 a month. I believe I can do that!!!

Friday, February 17, 2012

So Close

BB has been calling my references. She's gotten ahold of all except one. She called me today and I was afraid to answer the phone. I didn't want to hear a rejection, so I let it go to vmail. I later checked and it was BB asking me to contact my last reference to have her call. But...... Maybe my reference doesn't want to give me a good reference. Maybe she can't speak well of me....Maybe, maybe, maybe....I've used her as a reference before and she spoke well, but maybe, maybe, maybe....

Friday, February 10, 2012

The Million Dollar Questions

I forgot about this question during the interview:

What would you do if you had a million dollars?

My first answer was, "I'd pay my student loans."  Then I said that I would give some money to my church, start a scholarship and give some money away and make sure that I'm set up for retirement.

I've thought about that a lot...."If only I had $50,000 or $100,000, what would I do...."

You think about money a lot when you are homeless and broke.  You think of playing the lottery and hitting it big, how your like will change and what you can do with all that money.  I understand how a person can get rich and then lose it all.  I understand how a celebrity or an athlete can have millions of dollars and end up penniless.  I understand it because you  have to be mature with money.  You can't just spend.  You have to be wise!!  You also have to be disciplined.  You can't just spend your money on everything!!!  I understand that now.  And it's easier said than done!!!  I've read how the Great Depression caused people to be very frugal and a lot of the older people who went through those times when they were younger learned discipline.  I'm wondering if our recession is doing that for people. I know it's helping me.  Yes, I still buy stuff, but I'm more conscience.  I still have not paid my car note, but that's only because I needed get my brakes fixed, but I'm conscious of my money. Anyway, my references were checked today. I'm happy!! I'm not sure if that's a good sign or not. My references were for the job at the university and I was not hired. So, I'm happy, but still cautious. THANK GOD!!

How did you prepare for this interview

I had my second interview at the MCHD on yesterday. Thank God my "interview suit" was fresh out of the cleaners, my nails were done and my hair was flat ironed and pulled to the back.

1. How did you feel about being asked to come in for a second interview? That was my first questions. I told them (BB and JA) I was excited, but I didn't feign too much excitement because I've been on quite a few interviews to no avail this last year or so.

2. How did you prepare for this interview? That was the second question. I told them that I didn't do any preparations as it relates to practicing interview questions because I used to do that when I was younger. However, I did tell her that I was thinking about all of the stuff that I could have said during the previous interview. Which of course I didn't not write down and had not remembered at that point.

3. Sell me this bottle. That's always a fun questions. She gave me a water bottle and told me to sell it to her. I stumbled a little over my words, but I think I sold it to her as a product that was good for the earth and it was stylish because it had a design on it and it had a clip that you could clip it to a backpack.

4. Sell me this pencil (it was broken). I sold that as a tool to keep my hair up. I said that at the gym the other day the rubber band on my hair popped, but if I had that handy pencil I would have used it to pin my hair up so it wouldn't be flopping all over my head in the gym. I then told them that since it was broken, it was really cheap.

The last part of the interview questions were related to scenarios. What would I do if a media person ask med about the rate of high blood pressure in the county? What would I say is there was a blizzard and I was asked how many people would b without power? What would I say to a person who stated that they don't have need to services of the health department? What would I say to a person who said they earned too much income to use the services at the health department? This stumped me. I had to think about what I would say and I ended up talking about the testing for lead paint and swimming pools.

After the questions, we were excused to finalize the interview with me proof reading a press release. There were a ton of grammatical errors, but there were also mistakes in the language used. For example, the press release was for assistance with breaking the habit of smoking. There was mention about distractor ideas, which sounded weird, and I found out that it should have been distractor methods. After proof reading the press release, I had to critique a video from the Illinois Department of Public Health. It was a "okay" video. It was a little cheesy, but it provided a solid message. There was a variety of people with different ages, but there were no minorities. It was a good interview for IDPH. It looked cheap, but I'm sure that was their budget.

To finalize everything I was asked to complete that application because they needed my signature to be able to check my references and past employers. Overall it was a good interview. I really do need the job because I found out that my unemployment would end in March.

Father God, I pray that your will be done and I pray that I find favor because I NEED TO PAY MY CAR OFF and I NEED TO BECOME MORE STABLE IN MY FINANCES!!!

Monday, February 6, 2012

This is only a test

I've decided to fast the first 7 days of each month this year. I need to move from my spiritual deadness. So, I started my fast on Feb 1. On yesterday I went to the gym and walked into the class to see Magicfingers. He's a guy that I dated about 5-6 years ago. Actually, we really didn't date, we just had an one night stand that lasted almost a year.

Well, I heard he was married, which didn't bother me, but sure enough he was in MY workout class with his wife. Well, I didn't know if she was his wife, I just suspected that she was. She was a pretty asian looking woman. I didn't want to stare too much, but I did want to see what she looked like, but I couldn't without him noticing. So, I ignored them during the class and finished my workout.

I was a little ....(I don't know the word) when I showed up to MY work out class today and I saw her again sans him the next day. I kind of got a look at her and noticed that we kind of favor with the exception that my skin is dark, but I kind of look like I have asian features. Especially since my hair is straightened.

Growing up, I used to get made fun of because my of my eyes and flat face. To keep myself from feeling bad I just told people that my dad was asian. I was lying, but it made me feel better about me. If my dad was asian I had an excuse to have "tight eyes" or "slanted eyes". People used to make fun by taking their fingers and drawing their eyes closed to mock me.

Well, anyway, I can see how he "dated" me and now married her. We even have similar body types with the exception of my boobies. I know it's crazy comparing myself to her, but all during class, I kept sneaking peeks at her. I want to see what she looked like. I wanted to see why he married her, but we rarely went out in public together. It really doesn't matter.

Is it awkward??

YES, I wish they would pick another gym because I WAS HERE FIRST, but it is what it is and I won't let it bother me. Sometimes I feel like speaking to him just to let him know that I'm not bothered, but I don't want her to have to ask him who I am. I guess it's just easier pretending that we don't know each other, despite the fact that we "know" each other very well or we "knew" each other very well......I guess this is my test to see if I'm over him and I AM. THANK GOD because if not, I'm not sure if I would have been able to be in the same room with him if I wan't.

BTW, Magicfingers is Coach's brother.  I KNOW!!!!  I'm pretty ashamed!!!  But, God has forgiven and I have forgiven myself!!!

Sunday, February 5, 2012

To My Mom: LOL

Billy Collins Reads from 'The Lanyard' from City Arts & Lectures on FORA.tv

Danger & Opportunity

The definition of "Crisis" in Chinese is two words, "Danger & Opportunity." 

Today I began to get sad. Actually, it started last night, but I decided that I wasn't gonna allow my emotions to overwhelm me. I was sad about failing at the project with the NP. I was sad about .... just life in general. What I've been through and the mistakes I've made....Well, there is no reason wallowing in the past, so I told myself that I HAD to KEEP MOVING FORWARD!!!

 I was thinking about Abraham Lincoln and some of the other great people who were "famous failures" and how they kept going and became great men and women. It was enough to keep me afloat, but then this morning after church I was sad again because it just feels like I'm not good enough. My hard work is not good enough. I've been floating in life going from one place to another and not being satisfied....So, I decided that to keep myself from going down the "valley of the shadow of death"--death of my dreams and death of my hopes, death of me. Not a physical death, but spiritual, emotional....So to keep myself from going that way, I decided to listen to Joel Osteen. He explained that the Bible says, "All things work TOGETHER for the good...." So that means that some things--our failures and disappointments--are working together. It's all gonna work our TOGETHER. It's not over yet until God says its over.

He gave the definition of "Crisis" as two words in Chinese, "Danger & Opportunity." It's dangerous when you go through a crisis and you allow it to hinder you, stifle you....It's opportunity when you can take that crisis and use it to propel you forward. I'm gonna use this--even though my heart is hurting--to propel me forward. GOD IS NOT FINISHED AND IT'S NOT OVER UNTIL IT'S OVER. Thank You God!!! 

**"That setback that was meant to destroy you is a setup for a comeback. That failure that's clouded your future is not the end." It's a new day, so rise up and move forward into the victory God has prepared for you!"--Joel Osteen Ministries.

Friday, February 3, 2012

2nd Interview

I was a little concerned earlier this week because I was ALMOST sure that I was gonna be called in for a 2nd interview, but as of Wednesday there was no call. Then in the midst of my furry to meet a deadline, I got a call, but wasn't able to answer. It was BB calling to tell me that she wanted to set up a 2nd interview. After my debacle with missing the deadline I called her back and left a message that I would call her in the AM around 9am. However, at 9am the next morning, I was so engrossed in work that I forgot to call her until around 9:45am.

AAAAGGGHHHHH!!!!!!

In addition to this I had no minutes on my phone so I couldn't call her anyway. But, I was gonna use the office phone to call her, but I forgot. Now, I was a .....(not sad, but uneasy) because I told her a time and I didn't meet that time. Dang car!!!! I blamed it on my car brakes. Actually, that was the blame because had I had my car, I would not be late for work and I would have started my day on time and I would have made the phone call. Well, I called her later in the day because I needed to buy minutes for my phone and I left her a message telling her about my car and how I was sidetracked and my phone wasn't working and I told her that I would call her around 9am on Friday morning. I called around 9am and now I have a 2nd interview for next Thursday at 12:00noon. Now I need to get my "interview suit" out of the cleaners and get my hair flat ironed.

I looked at my calendar and I thought I had an appt to get my hair done on Wednesday, but it says Thursday night. GRRRR. That's not gonna be good enough, so I will call again to see if I can come in on Wednesday night. I've got to be fresh. I'm also going to get my nails done and maybe a pedicure if I have the money. I kind of want to get some eyelashes too, but that may be too much for an interview. I just want to look good, not necessary attractive, but good. I want to look the part.

One questions asked in the 1st interview was how I felt about being a "public image?". I answered that I didn't like the way that I looked on television, but other than that, I am the spokesperson for the NP that I work for, so it's not foreign to me. So, I want to have an image of public health. I want to look like I can be put on a billboard. Thank God for my 2nd interview!!

The Lost Dr. Seuss Poem

BIll Collins "Litany"


Litany by Billy Collins

You are the bread and the knife, the crystal goblet and the wine.  You are the dew on the morning grass,
and the burning wheel of the sun.  You are the white apron of the baker and the marsh birds suddenly in flight.

However, you are not the wind in the orchard, the plums on the counter, or the house of cards.  And you are certainly not the pine-scented air. There is no way you are the pine-scented air.

It is possible you are the fish under the bridge, maybe even the pigeon on the general’s head, but you are not even close to being the field of cornflowers at dusk.

And a quick look in the mirror will show that you are neither the boots in the corner nor the boat asleep in the boathouse.

It might interest you to know, speaking of the plentiful imagery of the world, that I am the sound of the rain on the roof.

I also happen to be the shooting star, the evening paper blowing down an alley, and the basket of chestnuts on the wooden table.

I am also the moon in the trees and the blind woman’s teacup. But don’t worry, I am not the bread and the knife. You are still the bread and the knife. You will always be the bread and the knife, not to mention the crystal goblet and – somehow – the wine.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Not 230, but 450

Yep, that's what I was quoted to get my brakes fixed from the other guy.

I told my mechanic that $230 was a little steep for me to pay for my brakes and that I was looking at something like $160.  Well, on my way home walking from work, I notices an auto parts place that is across the street from where I live.  I went inside and asked him some prices of brakes.  He told me that my car requires ceramic brakes that range in price from $33 - $48 and the rotors run from $21 - $50 each.  So basically I was looking at about $150 for parts if I went on the high range but labor should not be $100 for brakes????

I asked him for a reference and he mentioned that there was a guy across the street.  Wow, I hadn't even noticed.  He also referenced my mechanic.  Well, I went to the guy across the street and he looked at me and his quote was $450.  WOW!!!! I simply told him that I could not pay that amount and that my mechanic was gonna charge me upwards of $250 and I would pay that before I paid $450.

So I will be dropping my car off at my mechanic tomorrow.  I NEED my car so I gotta pay it.  One other thing is that my mechanic was charging me for two sets of brakes so I hope he doesn't change his price because I found out that I need front and back brakes.  So that would add about $50 for a total of $200 for parts.


Down the Toilet

All that time....down the toilet.


I just spend over a month working on a millions dollar grant for the NP that I volunteer with.  And it was supposed to uploaded today at 4:30pm EST.  I didn't finish until 3:42pmCST.  I was 12 minutes too late to upload it.  WOW!!!!

I was upset at first, but thank GOD, I'm not gonna linger.  Yes, I spend hours and hours and hours and days and days and days, but it all came down to a technicality.

Actually, this reminded me of an incident around this time in January 2009 (I believe).  I don't understand.  What did I do wrong????

I was in this same position in January 2009.  I was working on a grant for $150,000 and my car had broken down and I spent all night with my team with the final touches and it was due in Springfield at 2:00pm.  I got stopped by trains and there was traffic and I got there at 2:20pm.  I don't understand the repeat.  I don't get it.  God help me understand this!!!! PLEASE!!!!!

Yes, I'm gonna move on because I HAVE TO!!!  But, what was the lesson in this???  I learned that I need another team to work with and I learned that I'm not the leader that I want to be and that .....I'm not sure what else I learned.  I guess maybe not to take a week off when you are supposed to be working......

I guess the good news of the day is that I was thinking...hmmm, I haven't been called in for a second interview. I guess the health department doesn't want me.  But sure enough at 3:26pm today (when I was tryna upload the grant) I got a call.  I checked my messages and it was BB calling to set up another interview.  I was happy, that made the sun shine a little in my life in the midst of the clouds.  So I'm gonna call her back tomorrow morning!!!

I'm exhausted.  All that hard work, for what, GOD????

How Does That Affect Your Values?

 I met this guy..... Oh boy..... We shall call him Dell. Dell and I met online on FB dating about a week before Christmas. During that time ...