Those Cheeks!

The past couple of weeks I have been working six days a week at three different jobs. It has left little time or energy for blogging. Sorry to those who check in regularly. I am still getting a lot of training at the main job. I enjoy it but it is a drain on my mental reserves, such as they are.

I love the new job and find I seem to have an aptitude for selling. Who knew? I always thought this would be something I wouldn't be good at.

I have had no trouble promoting good ideas, causes, or candidates. It was a little surprising I could do the same with merchandise. I think it is because I believe in what I am selling. I 'm really selling a way to simplify lives. This is something near and dear to my heart.

I was able to spend some time last week with my favorite little girls in town. Even though they were sick and tired we had a grand time. I gave each a blob of dough and a rolling pin. It eventually became pizza for lunch but in the interim it was a fun artistic endeavor.

I will try to do better with keeping in touch. Those of you who have been e-mailing to find out if I have died can rest easy.(and stop the flood of messages, you are filling up my inbox)

Wow!

See what happens when you don't get to blog every day.  Last night I had no voice or data service at the house.  The night before blogger was updating so I could do all this neat new stuff.  I'll need time to figure it all out.
 
The situation on the job is the same.  I'll need time to sort it all out too.  The people are great.  The schedule is not so great.  I'm going to wait it out and see if things take a turn for the better.

Too tired

Well, today was my third day on the new job. I still don't know if it is going to work out. Will need to see about scheduling. Had hoped this could be a full time job to support myself but only one in six of the staff can do so.

Right now I am just too tired to go into any detail but will try to update you on Wednesday.

Beginnings

Spent my first hour at my new job yesterday. Filled in all the paperwork, walked the store and then headed over to the lab to pee in a cup. I hadn't done that for a job in years, not since I worked in Detox.

Tomorrow is officially my first day. I am excited and a little apprehensive. This job is a new thing for me. My people skills are fairly solid thanks to spending a childhood always being the new kid on the block. At least I'll have no worries about that.

I'll be working in a place I have been shopping in for over a decade, so it is familiar territory. Will let you know later how it all turned out.

Answered prayer

Today was a doozy. I went to my temp job and ended up working a little late. On the way home I got stuck in traffic. My phone began to ring from the bottom of my purse. At this point I usually ignore it but decided not to today.

The call was from The Container Store. Tony asked if I still wanted to work with them. I said I was looking forward to it. He then offered me a part-time position three days a week with better pay than I had been told to expect.

I go in tomorrow to begin the paperwork to become their newest employee. I will still be able to work part-time at my temp job too. This is good news for the budget.

I first applied with this company seven months ago. I don't know what the usual timeline is for processing their employees, but I am certain God had a hand in this situation.

Had I gotten a job right away I wouldn't have had the opportunity to see first hand just how much He cares for me. I wouldn't have had the time spent in prayer, or the love and encouragement from so many. I did so many things this year I would not have been able to do had I been tied down with a steady job.

So...........I am very happy to be on the way to being gainfully employed and am grateful for the lessons learned along the way.

America the Beautiful

Sometimes taking a new look at an old familiar friend can make it seem like you are seeing him for the first time. Just recently I happened upon the complete America the Beautiful. I had never read the entire piece. It is long but I think you will be glad you have read the whole thing through.

America the Beautiful - 1913

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern, impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife.
Who more than self the country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for halcyon skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!

O beautiful for pilgrims feet,
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America ! America !
God shed his grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through
wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!

O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife
When once and twice,
for man's avail
Men lavished precious life !
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!

Katharine Lee Bates wrote the original version in 1893. She wrote the 2nd version in 1904. Her final version was written in 1913.

It Means What?

The Rev. Kim Nelson, of San Jose, CA, pointed out that the Health Issues Committee was closely divided on the issue after heated debate. Even if emergency contraception were to become available without prescription, he said, it would still be “behind-the-counter” and require a pharmacist's counsel. “This is not about terminating a pregnancy,” he said, “but a decision to support effective contraception.”

I was going to follow this quote with the definition of contraception. I went to several websites for a link and got a huge surprise. The definition for contraception has been changed. I don't know when it happened.

In 1976 American Heritage Dictionary defined contraception as follows:

Contraception: The prevention of conception.

It is this year defined as:

The prevention of conception or impregnation

Now it's no longer history that falls under the revisionist's agenda, but words themselves. As a long time lover of words this makes my heart heavy. Sure words have had eras where they can take on new meaning, but the original still remained.

That we have allowed this to occur makes me ill. I'll forego what I had planned to write and instead mourn the loss.

My head hurts

Spent time with my niece tonight chatting IM style. I really enjoy getting to keep in touch with her that way. I don't get to see her often and it helps to keep us connected. Of course my bizarre thinking and equally weird typing can lead to some pretty interesting conversations

Still.... the goal is to communicate and have fun. That we do in abundance.