New Beginnings

Originally I was going to call this “end of an era” but decided that this isn’t an end. Endings can be sad. This is good, so … it’s a beginning. A fresh start to my life. A very welcome change to the last half a decade or so.

As most of you know, I’ve been back in college for a long time now. I’ll finally be graduating in May with that associates degree that has was 32 years in the making.

But that’s over. No more. By gawd I did it!!

I may even consider taking a few additional classes that I had wanted to take (more management classes, a business class or two, a few more jewelry classes, etc). I may even decide to go to the  university to get my bachelors. Notice I said MAY. I’m taking time off before I commit to that! LOL. And then it wouldn’t be full time like I’m doing now.

I admit this last year has been hard for me. I’m burning out. I need a break. Honestly had it not been for my dad pushing me and rooting me on, I don’t know that I’d have not taken a year off (and we know how that goes, take time off and it never gets done). I’m grateful, too, that Dad’s health hasn’t given out totally and he’ll be able to attend commencements.

So, what next? Well that’s funny. I am a business management major. I should be going into the business management field, right?

Nope.

I was offered a job as a security officer. You bet your sweet a$$ I took it, too! Michigan’s job market isn’t such that one should pass up any opportunity that comes your way. And what an opportunity this is. Okay, so it’s not my chosen field. I can live with that. Really. I start April 5. I’m geeked.

I’ve survived on child support, government food benefits and occasional earnings from Elsie’s Attic for too long. That’s under $500 a month (not including EA income) for food, bills, meds, gasoline and anything else I may need. Lots and lots of sacrifices, but I never had to sacrifice my internet. LOL! I’ve gotten real good at squeezing a penny until Ol’ Abe cries out in pain!

To now go to a job that, in less than a week will pay what I used to get in a month, is actually a little on the overwhelming side for me. What will I do with all that money? LOL … besides pay bills, not a damned thing. Save. Save. Save. Yeah, there’s things I want. But not that bad that they can’t stay on my wish list a while longer.

I’ve lived below the federal poverty level for too long. I’ve cried myself to sleep too many nights worrying if I’ll have money by the end of the month to keep the lights on or be able to buy groceries when the cupboards were bare. I’ve lived five months with NO gas to heat my home (or the water). I won’t ever experience that again.

And  yes, I’ll keep Elsie’s Attic going. The thought of extra income is always welcome. I’ll be graduating finally from catalog sales to eBay. And I’ll have time, too, to really work on Elsie’s Attic. The security job will afford me a lot of free time (at work no less) to pursue other interests, too. Gotta love a job that allows you – encourages you – to bring other activities with you while you’re on the clock.

Who knows, maybe I can even get in some Multiply blog time? LOL … “Blogs From the Field” as I’m guarding whatever they assign me to guard. Talk about excitement, eh? Could ya all handle so much excitement? LOL.

So … what else is going on in Lisa’s world these days besides that soon to be associates degree and a killer (not literally) new job?

Let’s see … the kids and grands are doing well. Grandson and Butterball are both growing way too fast. Grandson will be 5 in May and will be starting kindergarten in the fall. My goodness! Where has that time gone? Butterball is already seventeen pounds – at three months old. Butterball was the right name for that boy, I tell ya!

My folks are okay. We’ve been having issues with my dad and congestive heart failure. He just had a stint put in his left ventricle earlier this week. He’s home from the hospital. I babysat Dad yesterday so Mom could run some errands. He’s looking so much better than he has in the past few months. What a way for Mom to spend her 80^th birthday, running errands. LOL. She even brought carry-out dinner home. Mac and cheese from a local restaurant, a tub of the Colonial’s fried chicken, and a few other goodies. Yum!

My brother stopped by their condo early yesterday morning and left Mom a beautiful bouquet and a box of chocolates for her birthday. Mom made me promise to eat them all by the time she got home from her errands – save her from the evil chocolates. Geesh. There wasn’t much damage I could do to the pound and a half box Brother Deere left there.

I just realized … next year I’ll be able to actually afford to be able to do something special for Mom for her birthday … and for Daddy’s birthday this July. And holidays … damn, it’s been a long time since I’ve been able to actually spend money on my family for a holiday.

And a vacation … a real vacation. That’s definitely on my must-do list!! I wonder where I’ll go?

Yup, new beginnings. Ain’t they great?