It's been awhile

I haven't written in more than a year. But, there is a good reason. I worked all of 2010. I'm not going to go into all the details about my job, but suffice it to say that my job hunt is over... (lay that one to rest!) Today is Super Bowl Sunday. I am not that into it this year. I enjoy it more when a team from the West Coast is playing. I do love the game and I love a good football game but.. well it's still just sitting in front of a TV... Now that I am back at work in a job that is fulfilling and is good for my career, I can begin to plan for what's next. What is next? I can't predict the future but I can plan. I discovered a new passion finally. (I had been searching for quite a few years for something I could get excited about in the same way I always loved sewing and learning spanish). "Playing fiddle." So, I plan to continue learning and playing fiddle and my goal is to be good enough to "jam" with other music enthusiasts. Also, I have decided that 2011 is my "year of the girlfriend". It started with spending New Year's Day with Cathie Childers, a friend that I hadn't seen in more than 20 years. So I plan to continue connecting with girlfriends and nurturing my friendships. Pursuing friendships and the fiddle will be easy compared to my next endeavor. I need to decide where to live. I have been in the Central Valley for almost four years and it has been a very healing experience but I am not sure if I should stay here long term. Dating prospects are slim. Need I say more on that subject. I shall close for now. I do hope that this year brings happiness and prosperity to all of my dear friends and family.

Another Way to View Unemployment

This is really weird! Okay, I've been out of work for more than a year. Lately, I've been getting sick of thinking of myself as unemployed. A couple of weeks ago, I was out around town and talking to people. I thought came to me...what if I'm in pre-retirement?! Yeah,, that's it. I'm not unemployed. I'm just having a small piece of retirement...NOW! Then, today when I was on Yahoo, I came across this article (it was staring me in the face) titled "The Power of Time Off". Yeah! Now there is something! In short, this New York City graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister takes a one year sabbatical every seven years. And he breaks it down and takes it away from the future. Well, if you want to know more I have included the video here. I thinks it's brilliant.


Stefan Sagmeister

Inspirations - Hobbies

Not to be confused with religious inspirations, these are the things that I enjoy. Most of my life since early childhood I have been very busy pursuing multiple interests. I had often felt that there were not enough hours in a day--days in a week to do everything I wanted to do. The cat has 9 lives and I have wished for 12. In recent years, my interests and desires changed...waned...and I found myself reaching but finding only air. Where did my interests go? What happened? I spent too much time thinking and worrying about why I was losing interest. Like worrying about a lost scarf!... Where did it go? Who cares, just replace it. Hmm.. well, I have stopped worrying and wondering. The lost interests have reappeared and some new ones have come along. Here's my latest list.

Music - more specifically Karaoke and classic rock-n-roll
Dancing - see above
Crocheting - still love it
Paper arts and crafts - hope to explore this in 2010
Blogging and writing - obvious
Medicine and health care - volunteering, studying
The U.S. Constitution, Democracy and Liberty - my thoughts

Update

It's been four months since I've written. Hopefully I will be more consistent in 2010. Perhaps a once a month commitment to blogging would be a good New Year's Resolution. I have many topics upon which to write, but then I find myself needing to give an update on my life. In short, no job yet...Ally just got hired at Whole Foods and her orientation starts tomorrow...I got approved for unemployment but not expecting to get the extensions...Ashley doing well with new boyfriend...my friends continue to be a wonderful support groups...no boyfriend but dating a bit...Okay, now it's time to start writing about things on my mind...new posts to come...

I Get By....

It's Thursday, July 30th. I haven't written in a while... The George Harrison song, "I Get By with a Little Help from my Friends" has been my life theme lately and I keep singing it in my head. Over the last few weeks I had three job interviews with no callbacks.....my friends have been there for me. Though I haven't been whining much, they have blessed me either knowingly or unknowingly. Annie checks in on me regularly. She asked me to go with her to her meeting which always makes me feel needed. Sam invited me to go with him and his kids to the shooting range and also to listen to music at Grizzly Rock. Billy let me stay at his house while I visited my daughters and granddaughter (whom I live for). Jewel invited me over to her new place to watch a movie and I showed her some crochet tips. Tony took me to Black Oak Casino, bought me breakfast and insisted that I keep $40 of his winnings. These are my life savers these days. These people may not know it, but they are my guardian angels.

Today

Job hunting..


Today is Tuesday and once again I am back to job hunting. It's very difficult to stay positive but I must. Cliche phrases run through my mind..."There are many others worse off than me"... "At least I've got my health. (do I?)"... "I've got friends and family which is all I need".. All these things are true but still the fear remains that I might become a burden... I am kicking myself now for quitting McAfee. I always thought that my skills were in demand and I could find a somewhat less stressful position so I could be a better friend to my friends and a better mother to my daughters. So much for that.





Okay enough pouting..

Over the 4th, I went to Hull Creek in the Stanislaus National Forest, about 10 miles north of Twain Harte off Hwy 108. I went with my friend Sam and some of his co-workers and I learned to ride a dirt bike. I am very thankful that Sam invited me and taught me how to ride. Yes, I liked it, I guess I'm always going to be a tomboy. Had a really fun time and I even got to swim.

Me, Sam



Me, Darlene, Blake, David

Yesterday

Yesterday was Friday. The date was June 19th. Yesterday was the first day that I have worked as an employee in 10 months. It's a short term contract, only about a week but it's something. Robert Half Technology in Stockton, CA is the only recruiting firm that I have dealt with in the last two years, that actually seems to care about me. They seem to understand that this is a partnership and I appreciate it. Times are tough. My career has been hi-jacked by non-citizen guest workers. It's no secret. Though I get very down and discouraged, I'm not giving up.



As you can see, I have a lot to live for.....



Akira, Ally, Ashley