Tuesday, June 30, 2009

See what I mean?

I am referring to the whole 3 thing. First, Ed McMahon, then Farrah Fawcett, then Michael Jackson. All within a couple of days. Now on Sunday, Billy Mays, the guy who does the infomercials on OXI stuff. Ok, so that is 4. I rest my case.

I wonder if Nintendo has been sued yet. The other night, I was playing Wii Sports. I was doing the one for Baseball where you have to hit home runs out of 10 pitches. I kept getting 8 or 9. I wasn't quitting until I had 10 out of 10. Well, 2 hours later, i finally got it. Now as of yesterday and today, I have minimal movement from my right arm. I can't even flex the muscles in my right arm. It is difficult to try to drink a beverage when I lift my arm and it does not go to my mouth. I try to carry my dinner plate to the table and I can't set it down. And driving is difficult to. Hopefully I will get my arm back in use in the next day or two.

I am now in week 2 of my new job and everything is smooth sailing. Not as hectic as it was when I first started, but things are finally getting done. I have a lot of travelling coming up as well. I leave in August for 2 weeks in Germany, 2 weeks to Massachusetts in September, and 2 weeks back to Germany in December. I'm trying to get it all done so I don't have to go anywhere next year as I am trying to go back to school to get a degree. We'll see how that goes.

Other than all that, nothing else is new. I have a little bit of money coming in tomorrow that I will be using for gas and taking the family to Schnepf Farms for 4th of July. Maybe I'll have a little left to get some movies since I have missed a lot in the last few months. Till next time.

Friday, June 26, 2009

It comes in 3's

That's right. Earlier this week we lost an iconic legend as Ed McMahon passed away. A man who is remembered as Johnny Carson's sidekick on the Tonight Show. A man that hosted Star Search where some famous people got their start such as Sawyer Brown. A man that became the face of Publishers Clearance House Sweepstakes.

Yesterday, we lost another legend. A person that made teens scream whether you were male or female. A person that was known in many teen hearts and stuck with them as they grew older. Yes, sadly, we lost an Angel...A Charlie's Angel as Farrah Fawcett passed away yesterday.

Oh yeah, Michael Jackson passed away too.

Anyways, it always seems to come in three's. I remember hearing Tim and Willy on KMLE country always do the dying in 3's, but they no longer do it. I'm glad because usually when it happens it is usually one well known person and two people I have never heard of. No, I don't believe the whole "it comes in 3's" thing. Some people believe it and try to validate it, but there are times I see 4 in one week. So what do you do, extend it until the next two happen and say it was double 3's? Ah, stuff just happens when it happens and if it is linked in any way, it is just coincidental.

Enough blabbing about nothing. Yesterday I signed up for medical, dental, and vision plans through my new job. I did it before my first check so I won't see a drastic change and I will have darn good coverage. I have figured out approximately how much my checks will be every two weeks minus taxes and deductions, and although it is every two weeks, it is more than I made at Staples.

Finished watching the first I'M A CELEBRITY: GET ME OUT OF HERE reality show. It lasted four weeks, Mon-Thurs on NBC. Kind of a mix between SURVIVOR and FEAR FACTOR with B-List Celebrities. I was happy Wednesday night on the final show when the one I was rooting for won. LOU DIAMOND PHILLIPS won and was crowned King of the Jungle. You know, he is the guy that is most known for playing Chavez in YOUNG GUNS I & II and also the guy from LABAMBA.

Well, that's all I have for today.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Week 1 of new job

Well, this week has been like all the other times I have come in to work. The difference is now I get paid for it. Can't wait for my first check so I know what I will be making. I have also been looking into the benefits that I need to enroll in like health, dental, and vision. It doesn't look too bad. It looks like it will all cost me abot $2-300 a month, but the coverage is better than I had when I worked for Staples. I need the vision since my oldest wears glasses and we don't know if the other two might need them. Plus my wife used to wear glasses until she had laser eye surgery before we were married, but of course now she is saying her vision sucks right now.

I am excited about actually being hired now because it means a lot of things. Like when I say something it gets done. I have and continue to meet my deadlines and the higher ups know it. So now when I say this needs to be done or I need this, they know it needs to happen for me to do my job. I have seen people in the past in this position use it to their advantage and sit on things and only take care of themselves. That or hold it over other Soldiers head to get them to do something. Me, I'm not like that. If I don't like you, it is on a personal side, but as long as you are a Soldier that belongs to me, I will take care of you. The way I see it, the quicker I get it done, the less I have to do later. If you put it off until later, the deadline approaches quickly and you fall behind.

Anyways, I am enjoying myself with this new job. Still waiting for that paycheck to catch up on bills and start getting ahead. I may even have a little extra money for when I go back to Indiana for the Family Reunion the end of July. I'll just have to wait and see. I haven't been to Indiana since Dec 2005 after I came back from Iraq, so it will be nice to go back and see everyone I didn't see then. Until next time.

Friday, June 19, 2009

The Wait Is FINALLY Over

That's right, I received the call on Wednesday with my start/hire date. I start on Monday and will receive my bonus and first check around July 10th. This is great because I thought it was more like July 23rd and was able to hold off my landlord, creditors, and utilities until the end of July. You know what worked for me? I'll tell you, but it is a secret. I was honest. Yup, honesty does go a long way. This past month I explained that I have been out of work since Sep, I've been struggling to pay them all the way up until this point, I am expecting a job and be paid the end of July, my sister had helped me several times over and I can't keep asking family, etc. Just by being honest, they extended my payment with no extra charges, my cell was turned back on, and things finally came through.

But, don't let me forget the #1 reason: GOD. That's right, mom, I am publicly saying it. I have had many people pray for me and this job to include family, friends, church (yes, I do go to church), and myself. I honestly do believe God had a hand in this and possibly stretched it this long to see what I could do.

These past few weeks I really haven't done much since I don't have money and stuff. I have been watching this reality show called "I'm a celebrity: Get me out of here". Next week is the final week. It is awesome. You can go to NBC website and watch the episodes. I am rooting for either Lou Diamond Phillips, Patti B.(that chicago politician's wife), or Sanjaya to win. I would love for Stephen Baldwin to win, but I don't think he'll make it. Anyways, I can't wait to start getting paid so I can catch up on movies. I think I'll start with GRAN TORINO and the FRIDAY THE 13TH remake. I'll see once I start getting paid.

Well, that is it for now. Everyone should be caught up on my miserable life.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

What a week

As you can see from my previous post, things are starting to look a lot better. I finally got my fingerprint card in the mail on Friday and will e going in tomorrow to do my fingerprints and mail everything out. So hopefully I will get a hire date within the next week or two. As far as all my bills, my landlord is working with me, my auto loans are working with me, and my cell service is working with me. As long as I get that start date for June 21st, everything will finally fall into place.

I am still hoping that I may be able to make it back to Indy for the family reunion, but I will not know for a few days. I really want to go as I fear my grandparents are at that age where it may be the last time I will see them. I don't think they will be coming out here again.

Today is a birthday party for one of my friends kids, so we are going to a public swimming place later this evening. My Mother-in-law has asked to watch my boys from Tuesday thru Saturday, so we will just have my daughter this week. Still trying to make plans on what to do for my 10th Anniversary in August. Main thing is getting caught up on bills, and have enough to take my wife out. That's all going on right now.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Good news and Bad news

Well, the good news is I got the call I have been waiting on. The bad news is evrything that follows. They first e-mailed me yesterday to accept or decline the position. I accepted it. They called today to accept or decline it. I accepted it. The problem, my rent was due 2 days ago. I have only paid a third of it so far. I have a thick stack of paperwork I have to fill out and mail back to them before June 17 and will start the week of June 21st as long as all the paperwork is turned in. Since they pay every two weeks, it would take 4 weeks to actually receive my first check, which would be around July 23rd. I also was told there is a sign in bonus. They were not sure if that would be paid before or with the first check. The problem...I still need to pay rent for this month as well as for July. In the meantime, my higher ups are trying to find a way to pay me to hold me over until I start the job.

The other good news is I called the two places I owe money for on my vehicles. They are willing to wipe out the past due on one vehicle and restart payments at the end of July without penalty. The other place is willing to accept half of the past due in July and te remainder in August to be caught up. So as of this time, they will not be coming after me. The other bad news....I haven't had insurance the last 6 months and both plates are suspended. They are my only means of transportation, so I have to be extremely careful.

I was wanting to go back to Indiana for the family reunion in July, but now it looks like I will not be able to. The only travel I have planned right now is two weeks to Germany in a couple of months. Other than all this, not much going on. Have all this paperwork to do.