Ending the month with a bang!

I suppose promising myself I'd blog something every day wasn't the best idea.  Best laid plans and all that...  But I do try to blog when there is something on my mind or something important to me.  Today is one of those days.

As most of my close friends know I've been actively looking for work since the end of February/beginning of March.  Nothing has really panned out except a temp agency specializing in medical practices, and they haven't had any positions available.  I did go on another interview after that for a receptionist position in a pediatric dentistry practice and when I left I didn't have a good feeling.  I'm not really surprised I never heard from them.  Then the beginning of last week I had a message regarding one of the resumes I'd sent out.  I called and spoke to the gentleman and set up an interview for last Thursday.  Interview #1 went well, and I learned that the company does a 3-part interview system to make sure they have the right people for the jobs.  Friday was set to be a telephone interview but due to an emergency it was postponed until Monday.  Today was my final interview, and I went into it very positive and expecting the best.  I was offered the position!  *happy dance*

I begin training May 10th, but before then I need to finish a licensing class and pass the state exam so I can sell life and health insurance.  No problem.  Everyone says the property and casualty classes and exam are harder and I passed that one just fine.  I will be working for Insphere Insurance Solutions as an independent contractor, which means although they pay me I am basically my own boss.  I like that.  Once licensed and trained I will be selling life, health, long-term care and retirement plans - oh, and they provide all the leads with no cost to me.  Needless to say I'm excited about this new step my career is taking!

Also, as of this morning I have hit the 69.8 lbs mark - just 13 weeks out of surgery!  I'm well on my way to reaching my goal - although running out of clothes that fit is a bit frustrating.  LOL

I'm also trying to get all my plants re-potted so they can enjoy the Spring weather.  I've bought larger pots for the two rose trees and have two miniature roses on their way to be put in the existing pots.  I planted some strawberry plants for Gloria, and I have a lovely purple daisy and a lavender plant to transplant.  Goodness knows it will keep me busy!

For tonight, however I think I will relax.

Just one of those days...

It's been a long day for me, and the heat didn't make it any more bearable.  I had a job interview at 9:30 which I had high hopes for but left feeling a bit empty.  The position is for a receptionist in a pediatric dental practice, which is just fine by me.  I love kids and I do well in positions where I interact with people (I was more a less a glorified receptionist at Allstate for most of my years there).  However, some of the questions in the interview baffled me and left me with an uncomfortable feeling:  am I married and do I have children.  I didn't think to ask what it mattered, but in hindsight wish I had.  It might help relieve this unpleasant feeling I have regarding the entire 15 minutes I spent with him.

From the interview I went to have my taxes prepared.  I'm a bit behind this year with only 8 days left to file.  The news there was not even remotely good.  Apparently having income solely from accounts I was beneficiary of does bad things to your tax percentage and such.  So between the Federal and State returns I owe somewhere around $5000.  This takes me way out of my comfort zone.

Quite honestly all sorts of worse case scenarios popped into my head after the interview and finding out I owe on my taxes.  I had images of not finding a job, losing my car and my house.  Certainly not the best of feelings, or the way I had planned to spend my day.  By this time it was early afternoon and about 90° outside... I was miserable.  I went home to change into more comfortable (aka non-interview) clothes and have a bite to eat.  The kitties both looked like they had wilted onto the floor they were so warm, and I didn't feel a whole lot better myself.

I met up with Gena around 3:00 and we had pedicures.  Something about having a bad day just makes me want to have someone pamper me, and I enjoyed it.  My toenails are now a lovely shade of metallic green/teal.  From there we went to Kohl's to check out clearance racks.  I found a couple things for the kids to give them for their birthdays (the boys turned 1 on March 20 and Laila turned 3 today, but their party isn't until the 17th), and a couple shirts dirt cheap to put aside for myself.

The highlight of my day came as dinner was coming to an end.  We met up with everyone (Amanda, Dani, Heather and the kids) at Ryan's and I got to sit between Laila and Bryce.  Laila received a musical Ariel card that has Ariel singing a bit of "Part of Your World" - which she loved.  She was showing everyone her card and Heather told her to show it to Aunt Sarah, so my little angel handed it to me.  I opened it up so the music started playing and sang along with Ariel.  The look in that little girl's eyes as she watched and listened to me sing touched me beyond words.  It was just the sweetest thing and I nearly cried.  That made all the crap earlier in the day worthwhile.

Now I'm home and relaxing, and trying not to stress over things.  I'm trying to remain positive and remind myself that everything happens for a reason.  I will continue to pray that a job is offered to me, and I hope that you will add me to your prayers as well (or even just keep me in your thoughts).

Let me thwak you with my not-so-subtle stick.

Tonight I’ve been chatting online with my good friends, Ashlee and we’ve been trying to determine what is and isn’t too subtle.  It raised the point that apparently women and men have different ideas about the subtlety threshold.  Why, you may be asking yourself, would two fairly sane women be having such a conversation at 1:00a?  The answer is simple really:  I’ve been too subtle with the things I’ve been saying.  Well, at least with the things I’ve been saying to one person in particular.  Who happens to be male.  Is it starting to become a bit clearer now?

For some time now (perhaps months) I’ve been dropping little clues to this friend, and just when I think he’s got it – nope, I was wrong.  In reviewing a recent message I sent him it became clear to me that what I thought was a not-so-subtle hint in my eyes was probably draped completely in camouflage to him.

Can someone please enlighten me as to what this “fine line” regarding subtle and not-so-subtle is?  I believe for women it is a fine line and at any time we risk going over it, but on the flip side for men that fine line is more like the Grand Canyon.  So how is a woman to determine was is too much when being subtle with a man?  Is there some point where we go, “Whoa!  That’s not subtle any longer!” and stop?  And again, just because we as women feel it isn’t subtle, does that mean a man would feel the same way?  It’s like the age old question of which came first the chicken or the egg.

I think tomorrow night I’ll ponder the meaning of life…