Monday, January 28, 2019
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Three words that will save your life
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Sunday, January 15, 2012
2012 new start
Reviewing work from home opportunities in the next 60 days:
-Becoming a pay per call expert with money bandit
-Buying Gold
-Forex pair trading. So far the forex trading using a tradency account is bringing in 8% per month minimum.
-Judgement liens
Still working hard on rental property management, architectural consulting, stock market trading.
Teaching 2 classes per quarter, too.
It has been an interesting ride since going out on my own without having a BOSS.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
catch up
It is hard to believe that I have been a year without Bijou. I had thought about getting a new dog in the spring, even went to the pet shelter to look. I decide that this would not be a good time because of the expense. I still think about him a lot. For the past few months, I have been doing pet sitting to make some extra income. I would catch myself calling the dogs Bijou or other pet names I used with him.
Let me tell you what has been going on for the past 6 months since my last post. I have been on the fence about career opportunities. The Lord works in mysterious ways. He has provided for my needs. I found CEO Fellowship a local group that is training business leaders to think of their business as a mission field. It has me thinking that my next opportunity could be having my own consulting firm. I have been taking workshops with SBA and score to learn more about starting a business.
My unemployment runs out this week. A few weeks ago, I was trying to figure out what I should do to replace this income. I started to make a list of local colleges and tech schools to contact about teaching. The first call I made was to ITT. They had just posted the day before a position for an adjunct instructor for drafting and design. For my interview, I had to make a 5 minute presentation to the Dean, Department Chair and a couple of other folks. I made my presentation the week after applying for the position and was immediately hired for 3 courses. Thank you Lord. Each course meets once a week. So for 1.5 days a week for 11 weeks plus prep for classes I am getting a 1k more than what unemployment paid for 3 months. That will pay my monthly main expenses. Now I need to put something together to cover yearly expenses. Praying nothing major medical, transportation or house maintenance issues occur.
I was wondering why my path was leading to being at home instead of working full time for someone else. Mother has been having a real bad time with back pain. We have been spending a lot of our days at Doctors, testing and in the hospital. 4 epidurals, hearing aids, a stint in the hospital for what they thought was pneumonia. The epidurals removed the initial back pain, but another area flared up and so far nothing has relieved this pain which seems to be worse than all the others. Now, she has a hard time standing or walking for more than 5 minutes. Otherwise, she is in good health, but spirits are down and indicates she does not know what she is going to do if she can't get some relief. This weekend We had the talk regarding alternative living arrangements. She has just been trying to make it to her 83rd birthday. Her family history is 82nd year is a expiration date.
Last week, the mastermind group showed a DVD complied by Dents Research Foundation. Very scary material presented indicating that there is a 80 year cycle for an a major economic depression. The research indicates that this cycle is about to come to pass as all the individual cycles are peaking and coinciding for a perfect storm. To expect development by 2010 and to last 13-15 years. McMasions are dead and if you are looking to sell to sell before the end of 2009. The DVD was make at the end of 2007. The things they said to look for in 2008 have been on target.
I started thinking about what we have to do in the event that this were to be true. Basically my Mother and I would probably combine households like her family did in the Great Depression that occurred when she was a growing up. So I presented to her this info and along with her present disablilities asked her to consider moving to my house for me to take better care of her daily needs, since I probably going to be working from home with my own consulting business. We could batten down the hatches for the potential depression. She did not say no and she did not say yes, yet. When we have previously discussed this she would say no pretty quickly.
The house is pretty good shape for her to be better off here. My house is one level, and big rooms to have a sitting area for her separate from the areas that I have been using. The shower I put in a few years ago would be better than her using her tub at her house and my one level is better than having two levels to deal with at her house. She could do as much daily acitivies as she wanted and as I do things for myself I can do her things.
We do need to consider things to do to make it easier to get into the house so she is not so house bound. She still drives and I had already been thinking about doing something in the future with putting in a turnaround drive off the front of the house and bring the drive to the back drive way where the carport is. The back porch will need to be raised and add a ramp to allow her easy access to the back door which is used the most. She likes to sit out on the porch in nice weather. The hearing aids has made it easier for us to communicate, but she is struggling with accepting she needs to wear them.
In the meantime, I am praying for direction as to what I am suppose to be doing for God's Plan for me and now for Mother. Right now I have a peace that I am to be flexible and in preparation for the next part of the plan and that he will provide for our needs.
I have been doing job interviews. There has been great interest then financial package is presented and we are not on the same page. This is suppose to the time in my career to be making the most and to negotiate for less than max potential will be setting up for not meeting the end if career income needed for retirement.
Well it is late and need to put this to bed. This posting was not on my to-do list for the long weekend. I have a closet full of clothes that I need to get ready to take to Ladies of Charities consignment. All these clothes are too big for me now. Yeah. Over past 3 years, I have dropped somewhere in the vicinity of 75 pounds. Now, I am on this side of what some might call average. I would like to drop another 25, to get to lower body fat and that would probably get me to the far side of a 9/10. 8 is the smallest I recall being for a few months. I had given up on that along time ago. Today, I did get into a 11/12 party dress that I do not recall being in for 15 years.
Let me tell you what has been going on for the past 6 months since my last post. I have been on the fence about career opportunities. The Lord works in mysterious ways. He has provided for my needs. I found CEO Fellowship a local group that is training business leaders to think of their business as a mission field. It has me thinking that my next opportunity could be having my own consulting firm. I have been taking workshops with SBA and score to learn more about starting a business.
My unemployment runs out this week. A few weeks ago, I was trying to figure out what I should do to replace this income. I started to make a list of local colleges and tech schools to contact about teaching. The first call I made was to ITT. They had just posted the day before a position for an adjunct instructor for drafting and design. For my interview, I had to make a 5 minute presentation to the Dean, Department Chair and a couple of other folks. I made my presentation the week after applying for the position and was immediately hired for 3 courses. Thank you Lord. Each course meets once a week. So for 1.5 days a week for 11 weeks plus prep for classes I am getting a 1k more than what unemployment paid for 3 months. That will pay my monthly main expenses. Now I need to put something together to cover yearly expenses. Praying nothing major medical, transportation or house maintenance issues occur.
I was wondering why my path was leading to being at home instead of working full time for someone else. Mother has been having a real bad time with back pain. We have been spending a lot of our days at Doctors, testing and in the hospital. 4 epidurals, hearing aids, a stint in the hospital for what they thought was pneumonia. The epidurals removed the initial back pain, but another area flared up and so far nothing has relieved this pain which seems to be worse than all the others. Now, she has a hard time standing or walking for more than 5 minutes. Otherwise, she is in good health, but spirits are down and indicates she does not know what she is going to do if she can't get some relief. This weekend We had the talk regarding alternative living arrangements. She has just been trying to make it to her 83rd birthday. Her family history is 82nd year is a expiration date.
Last week, the mastermind group showed a DVD complied by Dents Research Foundation. Very scary material presented indicating that there is a 80 year cycle for an a major economic depression. The research indicates that this cycle is about to come to pass as all the individual cycles are peaking and coinciding for a perfect storm. To expect development by 2010 and to last 13-15 years. McMasions are dead and if you are looking to sell to sell before the end of 2009. The DVD was make at the end of 2007. The things they said to look for in 2008 have been on target.
I started thinking about what we have to do in the event that this were to be true. Basically my Mother and I would probably combine households like her family did in the Great Depression that occurred when she was a growing up. So I presented to her this info and along with her present disablilities asked her to consider moving to my house for me to take better care of her daily needs, since I probably going to be working from home with my own consulting business. We could batten down the hatches for the potential depression. She did not say no and she did not say yes, yet. When we have previously discussed this she would say no pretty quickly.
The house is pretty good shape for her to be better off here. My house is one level, and big rooms to have a sitting area for her separate from the areas that I have been using. The shower I put in a few years ago would be better than her using her tub at her house and my one level is better than having two levels to deal with at her house. She could do as much daily acitivies as she wanted and as I do things for myself I can do her things.
We do need to consider things to do to make it easier to get into the house so she is not so house bound. She still drives and I had already been thinking about doing something in the future with putting in a turnaround drive off the front of the house and bring the drive to the back drive way where the carport is. The back porch will need to be raised and add a ramp to allow her easy access to the back door which is used the most. She likes to sit out on the porch in nice weather. The hearing aids has made it easier for us to communicate, but she is struggling with accepting she needs to wear them.
In the meantime, I am praying for direction as to what I am suppose to be doing for God's Plan for me and now for Mother. Right now I have a peace that I am to be flexible and in preparation for the next part of the plan and that he will provide for our needs.
I have been doing job interviews. There has been great interest then financial package is presented and we are not on the same page. This is suppose to the time in my career to be making the most and to negotiate for less than max potential will be setting up for not meeting the end if career income needed for retirement.
Well it is late and need to put this to bed. This posting was not on my to-do list for the long weekend. I have a closet full of clothes that I need to get ready to take to Ladies of Charities consignment. All these clothes are too big for me now. Yeah. Over past 3 years, I have dropped somewhere in the vicinity of 75 pounds. Now, I am on this side of what some might call average. I would like to drop another 25, to get to lower body fat and that would probably get me to the far side of a 9/10. 8 is the smallest I recall being for a few months. I had given up on that along time ago. Today, I did get into a 11/12 party dress that I do not recall being in for 15 years.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
hollywood bubble bath
Just got out of a great long bubble bath reminiscent of a Hollywood movie where the girl in the tub is covered with bubbles. Actually the bubbles were out of control and about to go over the top of the tub. This was a treat after a long couple of weeks of deadlines, travel and long hours. My training for the country music half marathon started a couple of weeks ago. I did about 9 miles this morning, followed by driving over to Cumberland Transit for a bike trainer block, then headed to JC for weigh in and food for 10 days and then over to Krogers to get fruit. I had lost a couple of pounds and then I sabotage the diet by getting a couple of scoops of chocolate pralines. Then Home again to put away the food before heading to Mothers for the afternoon.
I was looking forward to getting home for my long soaking bath. It helps my back. I have had my air bath for about a year. I never really took bubble baths before, but since getting the air bath it is like a spa treatment every time I take the time to soak. Of course I have to have the lavender candles lit for the aromatherapy and ambience. I throw some Epsom salts in the bath to help with soreness. I am usually stingy with the bubbles, but I was at the bottom of the bottle that I had had for probably 10 years. The sticker on the bottom says body works and I paid $7.50. When was the last time you could get a bottle of bubble bath for less than $20. I have looked for months for some good bubble bath and finally gave into spending the money for the bubbles. Anyway the $7.50 bottle did not have much left after I dispensed my usual amount, so I decided to put the rest in the bath and wash out the bottle in the water to get the last few drops left in the bottle. That was my miscalculation. Once I started the air bath, the bubbles just kept building and building.
My morning started out in 27 degree temp for my CMM training. I had dressed in layers and slowly was peeling things off as I approached my final miles. By the time I got back in the car it was 45. By late afternoon it was 54 and I took the time to pick up some limbs in the yard. I thought there was not much to pick up but I kept seeing more every time I moved forward to pick up more limbs that were in my eyesight. After about three arm loads full carried to the curb, I was ready to call it quits.
With the temps warmer outside it allowed me to take a longer bath as the air that runs thru the pump in the crawl space did not cool off as much as it would have if it was freezing outside. The air bath runs for 20 minutes then shuts off. I ran it at least twice. While I was in the bath I treated my feet to a mini pedicure using the stone pumice. I always take a shower afterwards to wash my hair. Needless to say after about an hour in the bath and then a long shower, I was looking like a prune when I got done. My skin has been dry so I rubbed down with some body lotion. To put the final touches on my spa afternoon, I pulled out my foot lotion and white socks to complete the pedicure by rubbing my feet down with the lotion and putting the white socks on to keep my feet benefiting from the lotion.
I smell so good after the bubble bath, lavender aromatherapy, body lotion, and shampoo. It is too bad that I do not have anywhere to go this Saturday night. But it is probably a good thing as I am about to fall a sleep. I am procrastinating on all the things that are my to-do list. Top of the list pay bills. It is the first weekend of the month and that is bill paying weekend and collecting rent time. I’m still looking for my studio renter to show up with his cash.
Back to the bath it was so good to have hot water. Last week my hot water went out three times and I had to replace the gas hot water heater. Last Friday, the repair guy said I would be lucky to get another shower out of it before it went out again. I tried to do my spa thing last weekend and did get one round of tub full of hot water, then I went to take my shower and it was cold water. No shower Sunday or no washing done. Water heater was schedule to be replaced on Monday.
Monday morning I went over to get ready at one of my empty units that is being renovated. You know some times things happen for a reason. While I was drying off I realized that the installer who had re-glazed the tubs had just put paper down over the floor at the edge of the tub. This I discovered allowed overspray to get on the rest of the bathroom floor. I went to the other bathroom and discovered it had also happened to the other bathroom, too. They are scheduled to come on this Monday to clean up the damage. I also discovered that the kitchen cabinet installers may have broken a lamp that was hanging over the kitchen sink. It is always something. The electrician still is not finished after what seems like 3 weeks. The countertops should be in maybe Monday. Joe is trying to finish up behind everyone with plastering and painting.
Last weekend I had 2 groups look at the apartment. They did not pan out. I had a new caller yesterday expressing interest, and hopefully this one works out. 1000a has been empty since the first week in Dec. I’m trying to make up grades to get young professionals interested in renting and staying for awhile. This is just not the right time to have a listing. I will be lucky to have someone in March. There are a lot of listings. I have only been listing on Craigslist and have not put out the yard signs. I was waiting to get the renovations done before making a push on advertising.
I was looking forward to getting home for my long soaking bath. It helps my back. I have had my air bath for about a year. I never really took bubble baths before, but since getting the air bath it is like a spa treatment every time I take the time to soak. Of course I have to have the lavender candles lit for the aromatherapy and ambience. I throw some Epsom salts in the bath to help with soreness. I am usually stingy with the bubbles, but I was at the bottom of the bottle that I had had for probably 10 years. The sticker on the bottom says body works and I paid $7.50. When was the last time you could get a bottle of bubble bath for less than $20. I have looked for months for some good bubble bath and finally gave into spending the money for the bubbles. Anyway the $7.50 bottle did not have much left after I dispensed my usual amount, so I decided to put the rest in the bath and wash out the bottle in the water to get the last few drops left in the bottle. That was my miscalculation. Once I started the air bath, the bubbles just kept building and building.
My morning started out in 27 degree temp for my CMM training. I had dressed in layers and slowly was peeling things off as I approached my final miles. By the time I got back in the car it was 45. By late afternoon it was 54 and I took the time to pick up some limbs in the yard. I thought there was not much to pick up but I kept seeing more every time I moved forward to pick up more limbs that were in my eyesight. After about three arm loads full carried to the curb, I was ready to call it quits.
With the temps warmer outside it allowed me to take a longer bath as the air that runs thru the pump in the crawl space did not cool off as much as it would have if it was freezing outside. The air bath runs for 20 minutes then shuts off. I ran it at least twice. While I was in the bath I treated my feet to a mini pedicure using the stone pumice. I always take a shower afterwards to wash my hair. Needless to say after about an hour in the bath and then a long shower, I was looking like a prune when I got done. My skin has been dry so I rubbed down with some body lotion. To put the final touches on my spa afternoon, I pulled out my foot lotion and white socks to complete the pedicure by rubbing my feet down with the lotion and putting the white socks on to keep my feet benefiting from the lotion.
I smell so good after the bubble bath, lavender aromatherapy, body lotion, and shampoo. It is too bad that I do not have anywhere to go this Saturday night. But it is probably a good thing as I am about to fall a sleep. I am procrastinating on all the things that are my to-do list. Top of the list pay bills. It is the first weekend of the month and that is bill paying weekend and collecting rent time. I’m still looking for my studio renter to show up with his cash.
Back to the bath it was so good to have hot water. Last week my hot water went out three times and I had to replace the gas hot water heater. Last Friday, the repair guy said I would be lucky to get another shower out of it before it went out again. I tried to do my spa thing last weekend and did get one round of tub full of hot water, then I went to take my shower and it was cold water. No shower Sunday or no washing done. Water heater was schedule to be replaced on Monday.
Monday morning I went over to get ready at one of my empty units that is being renovated. You know some times things happen for a reason. While I was drying off I realized that the installer who had re-glazed the tubs had just put paper down over the floor at the edge of the tub. This I discovered allowed overspray to get on the rest of the bathroom floor. I went to the other bathroom and discovered it had also happened to the other bathroom, too. They are scheduled to come on this Monday to clean up the damage. I also discovered that the kitchen cabinet installers may have broken a lamp that was hanging over the kitchen sink. It is always something. The electrician still is not finished after what seems like 3 weeks. The countertops should be in maybe Monday. Joe is trying to finish up behind everyone with plastering and painting.
Last weekend I had 2 groups look at the apartment. They did not pan out. I had a new caller yesterday expressing interest, and hopefully this one works out. 1000a has been empty since the first week in Dec. I’m trying to make up grades to get young professionals interested in renting and staying for awhile. This is just not the right time to have a listing. I will be lucky to have someone in March. There are a lot of listings. I have only been listing on Craigslist and have not put out the yard signs. I was waiting to get the renovations done before making a push on advertising.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
how things work
I would like to share a thought about how God worked something out in the best interest for my family. It is something that I have been struggling with for over a year now and he has helped me work through it. It is one of those things where you know there is a plan, but you are not sure how or why you are suppose to handle the situation.
About a year ago, My Mother stated that she was feeling like she was following backwards, but not falling. Several test and Doctors later they said it was early stage Parkinson’s Disease. About the same time I was receiving phone calls from a head hunter regarding employment opportunities and I told her I could not think about doing anything until after the first of the year (2007). April 2007 I got another call and the timing and offer was something I could not refuse.
Summer 2007, my Mother started indicating that she might be ready to move out of her house because she was having a hard time doing some things around the house. She seemed to be getting exhausted easily. I tried to get her to go to the Doctor but she kept saying that she had an appointment soon and we would discuss it then.
October 2007 about 10 days before her scheduled Doctors appointment, my Mother informed me that she had gotten up one morning and started feeling that everything was spinning and that it kept happening everyday sometimes all day long. Within those 10 days before her scheduled doctor’s appointment, she had fallen a number of times because she was feeling dizzy or unsteady. Her scheduled doctor’s appointment finally arrives and it is on one of her bad days. She was sent for more rounds of seeing specialists and having more tests performed. After all tests were completed, they could not find anything wrong and said it was not heart, eyes, or inner ear related. They told her she should not be driving until they figure out what is wrong.
Here is where God comes into play: A few days after all this testing, I was in the break room at the new office and there was a thank you note posted on the refrigerator. CFP (my new employer) had donated some money to a Golf Tournament for one of our clients in California. Right there in that letter it said your funds will assist in purchasing VGN equipment that assists in determining the cause of dizziness or unsteadiness. I have been doing medical designs and designing around medical equipment for quite awhile and had never heard of this piece of equipment. I immediately called her Doctor and asked if he could refer us to whomever had this equipment to have this test completed on my mother. Finally, we are getting somewhere…there is hope. The primary Doctor sets my mother up with a specialist who is supposed to get her to the Vanderbilt Clinic where they locally do the VGN test. The specialist did not order the VGN, but at least we were able to make an appointment to get into the Vanderbilt Balance Disorders Clinic. I was reading the brochure about the tests and I read where they can do an assessment for risk of falling. I talked to the Doctor at the clinic and the first test indicated she did need further evaluation and agreed that it be recommended to get her back in and do a risk of falling assessment which would include a VGN test.
Guess what they find with the rest of the assessment? She has an inner ear problem and probably not Parkinson’s Disease. Now we are on a quest for good therapy to resolve the inner ear issues.
So here is how the plan worked out so far and how people do small things not knowing how big of a difference it might make in someone’s life.
I receive a call and get a new job at CFP Group; CEO at new job donates money; someone sends thank you note; CEO posts note on refrigerator at CFP; I read the thank you note and put two and two together and make calls; quality of life is improved for my mother and she gets some of her independence back. Now I am sending this to you because I feel the need to thank those who had a part in the plan without even knowing, and something tells me that I need to also send this because someone needs to know that God has a plan for their lives even if that person doesn’t know what it is. Just like I had to read a thank you note to have my plan worked out, who knows you might be a part of another plan where you need to forward this to someone who needs to know about the testing.
What I have to figure out now is why we spent 2 months trying to make assisted living arrangements to just be stopped in our tracks because insurance is acting like they will not pay. I know there is a lesson to be learned in this insurance situation. I just haven’t had time to follow up on finding someone to be an advocate for my family to work on the insurance issues. It will happen though. God has a plan.
About a year ago, My Mother stated that she was feeling like she was following backwards, but not falling. Several test and Doctors later they said it was early stage Parkinson’s Disease. About the same time I was receiving phone calls from a head hunter regarding employment opportunities and I told her I could not think about doing anything until after the first of the year (2007). April 2007 I got another call and the timing and offer was something I could not refuse.
Summer 2007, my Mother started indicating that she might be ready to move out of her house because she was having a hard time doing some things around the house. She seemed to be getting exhausted easily. I tried to get her to go to the Doctor but she kept saying that she had an appointment soon and we would discuss it then.
October 2007 about 10 days before her scheduled Doctors appointment, my Mother informed me that she had gotten up one morning and started feeling that everything was spinning and that it kept happening everyday sometimes all day long. Within those 10 days before her scheduled doctor’s appointment, she had fallen a number of times because she was feeling dizzy or unsteady. Her scheduled doctor’s appointment finally arrives and it is on one of her bad days. She was sent for more rounds of seeing specialists and having more tests performed. After all tests were completed, they could not find anything wrong and said it was not heart, eyes, or inner ear related. They told her she should not be driving until they figure out what is wrong.
Here is where God comes into play: A few days after all this testing, I was in the break room at the new office and there was a thank you note posted on the refrigerator. CFP (my new employer) had donated some money to a Golf Tournament for one of our clients in California. Right there in that letter it said your funds will assist in purchasing VGN equipment that assists in determining the cause of dizziness or unsteadiness. I have been doing medical designs and designing around medical equipment for quite awhile and had never heard of this piece of equipment. I immediately called her Doctor and asked if he could refer us to whomever had this equipment to have this test completed on my mother. Finally, we are getting somewhere…there is hope. The primary Doctor sets my mother up with a specialist who is supposed to get her to the Vanderbilt Clinic where they locally do the VGN test. The specialist did not order the VGN, but at least we were able to make an appointment to get into the Vanderbilt Balance Disorders Clinic. I was reading the brochure about the tests and I read where they can do an assessment for risk of falling. I talked to the Doctor at the clinic and the first test indicated she did need further evaluation and agreed that it be recommended to get her back in and do a risk of falling assessment which would include a VGN test.
Guess what they find with the rest of the assessment? She has an inner ear problem and probably not Parkinson’s Disease. Now we are on a quest for good therapy to resolve the inner ear issues.
So here is how the plan worked out so far and how people do small things not knowing how big of a difference it might make in someone’s life.
I receive a call and get a new job at CFP Group; CEO at new job donates money; someone sends thank you note; CEO posts note on refrigerator at CFP; I read the thank you note and put two and two together and make calls; quality of life is improved for my mother and she gets some of her independence back. Now I am sending this to you because I feel the need to thank those who had a part in the plan without even knowing, and something tells me that I need to also send this because someone needs to know that God has a plan for their lives even if that person doesn’t know what it is. Just like I had to read a thank you note to have my plan worked out, who knows you might be a part of another plan where you need to forward this to someone who needs to know about the testing.
What I have to figure out now is why we spent 2 months trying to make assisted living arrangements to just be stopped in our tracks because insurance is acting like they will not pay. I know there is a lesson to be learned in this insurance situation. I just haven’t had time to follow up on finding someone to be an advocate for my family to work on the insurance issues. It will happen though. God has a plan.
Monday, December 31, 2007
end of a good year 2007
2007 has been an interesting year of changes.
2007 started out with enjoying the results of several months of renovations to the whole house except for the kitchen. Long baths in my new airbath were a luxury that I enjoyed after training days for my second 1/2 marathon that would be in April. I also reconnected with some long last friends that decided to train with me to also do the 1/2 marathon that would raise money for Love Helps. I am President of that local non-profit.
I had been feeling like I was hitting the glass ceiling at HFR where I had been working for 14 years and was an associate. About 5 years ago, the partners decided to change up the teams and the way they were managed. Since then, I had been feeling like I was stagnating. I had felt like I had been passed over for advancement in the firm and the pay was not keeping up with what other firms were paying for a person with my experience. The stress caused me to put on some pounds. In 2006, I had lost about 35 pounds so I was feeling better about myself. I had lost the weight having in mind to look better for pursuing dating and possible a job change. Early in January, a headhunter called me for a new position at a firm here in Nashville.
In February CFP, offered me a Senior Management position that I could not refuse. The money was great, people seemed nice and I would pretty much be doing the same work for more money. I would have to give up my 3 weeks vacation and go back to only 2 weeks per year. It is a small firm of 25 with plans to grow to 50. I took a week off and took care of some errands that I had put off and did a day at trumps. At Trumps, I had a massage, mani/pedi, makeup makeover, color and cut. I started working at CFP March 15.
My commute to HFR was not a long one, but CFP was even closer. I cut my commute in half to 4 miles.
Around my birthday, I dropped a chunk of change to become a member of the Oxford club chairman's circle.
End of April, I did the Country Music 1/2 Marathon in a time better than I did last year. I felt much better at the end of the race than I did last year. It was much easier doing it with friends and we were distracted by our talk. At about mile 11, I realized that we might be able to beat my time last year.
First of May, I was asked if I wanted to attend the National AIA convention in San Antonio. After 25 years as an architect, it was my first time to attend one. The theme of the convention was sustainable design, and Al Gore was the closing speaker since he has been doing so much on the subject of needing to be aware of what we are doing to our planet. I suffered thru his talk. I was lucky to find a seat in the convention hall.
In May, I was appointed by the mayor and council to be on the metro stormwater committee to review variance requests and make rulings for approval or deny. Dec 06, the property behind be was sold subdivided and sold off for development. It is in the 100 yr flood plane and it will be difficult to develop without variances. This summer the developer applied for variances for floor level, over 100 cf of fill and another item that I don't recall. They were all denied after a neighbor brought a petition requesting denial of the fill request. Be interesting to see what they do with the property now. They did clean up some of the scrub brush before the hearing. But it will grow back in the next few years if nothing is done.
After a month of working at CFP, I got a promotion to team leader and have 6 to supervise with varying abilities. For the first time in a long time, I really feel like I am being listened to and making a difference where I work. Suggestions for improvements are being considered. I'm trying to not rock the boat, too much.
In July, I decided I needed to find something to change up my exercise as I have not been losing any weight, just maintaining and I needed to get 40 more pounds off. Maintaining in and of itself is a feat because the stress of changing jobs usually causes me to emotionally eat for stress relief.
I was asked to do a mystery shop at a bike shop. The salesman was persuasive and I ended up buying a bike. I justified it by thinking I could ride my bike the 4 miles to work and back getting an extra 1 hour a day of exercise. I only rode my bike a couple of times, but never as a commute. I never got the side saddles to carry everything I needed to work. It is pretty easy to get an hour of exercise on the bike, if I can get my butt used to the seat. We also had a insufferably hot summer and drought so I thought I would wait to it was cooler to try the commute.
In August, Mother makes overtures that she is interested in moving. I suggested she look around and see if she liked any of the assisted living or independent living communities in the area. I thought it would not go much further than that suggestion. I had been worried about her having to go up and down the stairs and possibly falling and no one being there to help her. It seems doing most anything exhausts her now. A few weeks later, she indicated she had done some looking and wanted me to look into them to help her make a decision. Her long term insurance would need to kick in for the move to happen and would only pay for assisted or skilled care facility.
We settled on Brighton Gardens, and got her Doctor to write a report that indicated she needed the assistance. The first contact with insurance indicated that the review of the Doctor's report would indicate that the insurance would pay. We were within a week of moving her and a new person with the insurance got involved and indicated that insurance may not pay and she would have to be in the facility and then evaluated before she may or may not be approved. Mother did not want to move then have to move back if not approved. Things had been bought and we called it all off and I returned everything but the HDTV. I got busy at work with deadlines and have put off trying to find an advocate for us to work out things with the insurance. That is on my to-do list for early 2008.
Sometime in August, I received an email from Woodmont's choir director requesting I consider returning to the choir for the fall. I saw it as a sign and started attending rehearsals and doing better about getting to Church on Sunday to sing in the choir.
August was also a sad time for me. Soon after the back pedaling on Mother's move, Bijou started having bad episodes of walking the floor with pain in his back. After several visits to the vet and emergency clinic where several types of meds were tried, it became apparent that his pain could not be managed and a few days before Labor Day weekend he was put to rest so he would not suffer.
In September, I saw an article indicating the David Lipscomb was inviting the community to join the community choir. I went and it is an acapella choir with a great director who directs the DLHS choir. I will get a lot of great voice lessons if I continue. They meet a couple nights a month during the school year.
In October, Mother started complaining of dizziness. Rounds of Doctors and test found she had an inner ear imbalance. I had to insist on getting her to Vanderbilt for further testing and finally had a risk of falling assessment done.
Beth, Katrina and I have been keeping up our walking of 6-8 miles on the Saturdays that we can get together. The couple of hours are our therapy time to discuss kids, relationships, dating, etc. We plan to do the CMM again in 2008 and then do a trip to Destin to use a week of my timeshare usage.
The Love Helps board has been getting together in special Saturday sessions to review the strategic plan. It is taking to long to complete.
In November, I was asked to fill a slot in the Woodmont handbells. I have always played instruments or sung in the treble clef and now they have placed me out of my box in the bass clef bells of G and A. It seems so foreign, and they only have a few rehearsals before I have to play these bells for a special music program. I muddle thru the performance and play most of the notes at the right time I am suppose to ring.
Beth asked me to join her and Greg's table at the Arthritis Tribute Black tie optional event. I went shopping and got a red party dress and did three free tanning sessions so I would not look so pale in it. I thought I might get good use out of the dress at three events that were happening in the next three weeks. The tribute, fawn's daughter's wedding and the CFP Christmas party.
Making more money allowed me to feel like I could do a table at the annual Holiday Luncheon. Dean asked me to speak at the Holiday Luncheon. I agreed and I manage to get thru it.
My family managed to get thru the holidays without a major life event. I have come to dread the holidays because many of the past ones have been marred with tragedies. Death of a Great Uncle, Grandfather and Father come to mind. There were also the years where my Uncle's house burned and a cousin committed suicide. Then there was my big crash of Dec 1995 which left me in rehab for a couple of months. So you see I am so glad to report that 2007 was an exception. Since 1995, I have really not stressed about trying to do all the busy part that some do with all the traditions of decorating, sending cards and entertaining. 2006 was busy with trying to get the house finished so did not find time to decorate and 2007 holiday season was busy with deadlines.
I gave all my friends pray boxes this year for Christmas. I do pray that we all find 2008 a healthy and prosperous year.
2007 started out with enjoying the results of several months of renovations to the whole house except for the kitchen. Long baths in my new airbath were a luxury that I enjoyed after training days for my second 1/2 marathon that would be in April. I also reconnected with some long last friends that decided to train with me to also do the 1/2 marathon that would raise money for Love Helps. I am President of that local non-profit.
I had been feeling like I was hitting the glass ceiling at HFR where I had been working for 14 years and was an associate. About 5 years ago, the partners decided to change up the teams and the way they were managed. Since then, I had been feeling like I was stagnating. I had felt like I had been passed over for advancement in the firm and the pay was not keeping up with what other firms were paying for a person with my experience. The stress caused me to put on some pounds. In 2006, I had lost about 35 pounds so I was feeling better about myself. I had lost the weight having in mind to look better for pursuing dating and possible a job change. Early in January, a headhunter called me for a new position at a firm here in Nashville.
In February CFP, offered me a Senior Management position that I could not refuse. The money was great, people seemed nice and I would pretty much be doing the same work for more money. I would have to give up my 3 weeks vacation and go back to only 2 weeks per year. It is a small firm of 25 with plans to grow to 50. I took a week off and took care of some errands that I had put off and did a day at trumps. At Trumps, I had a massage, mani/pedi, makeup makeover, color and cut. I started working at CFP March 15.
My commute to HFR was not a long one, but CFP was even closer. I cut my commute in half to 4 miles.
Around my birthday, I dropped a chunk of change to become a member of the Oxford club chairman's circle.
End of April, I did the Country Music 1/2 Marathon in a time better than I did last year. I felt much better at the end of the race than I did last year. It was much easier doing it with friends and we were distracted by our talk. At about mile 11, I realized that we might be able to beat my time last year.
First of May, I was asked if I wanted to attend the National AIA convention in San Antonio. After 25 years as an architect, it was my first time to attend one. The theme of the convention was sustainable design, and Al Gore was the closing speaker since he has been doing so much on the subject of needing to be aware of what we are doing to our planet. I suffered thru his talk. I was lucky to find a seat in the convention hall.
In May, I was appointed by the mayor and council to be on the metro stormwater committee to review variance requests and make rulings for approval or deny. Dec 06, the property behind be was sold subdivided and sold off for development. It is in the 100 yr flood plane and it will be difficult to develop without variances. This summer the developer applied for variances for floor level, over 100 cf of fill and another item that I don't recall. They were all denied after a neighbor brought a petition requesting denial of the fill request. Be interesting to see what they do with the property now. They did clean up some of the scrub brush before the hearing. But it will grow back in the next few years if nothing is done.
After a month of working at CFP, I got a promotion to team leader and have 6 to supervise with varying abilities. For the first time in a long time, I really feel like I am being listened to and making a difference where I work. Suggestions for improvements are being considered. I'm trying to not rock the boat, too much.
In July, I decided I needed to find something to change up my exercise as I have not been losing any weight, just maintaining and I needed to get 40 more pounds off. Maintaining in and of itself is a feat because the stress of changing jobs usually causes me to emotionally eat for stress relief.
I was asked to do a mystery shop at a bike shop. The salesman was persuasive and I ended up buying a bike. I justified it by thinking I could ride my bike the 4 miles to work and back getting an extra 1 hour a day of exercise. I only rode my bike a couple of times, but never as a commute. I never got the side saddles to carry everything I needed to work. It is pretty easy to get an hour of exercise on the bike, if I can get my butt used to the seat. We also had a insufferably hot summer and drought so I thought I would wait to it was cooler to try the commute.
In August, Mother makes overtures that she is interested in moving. I suggested she look around and see if she liked any of the assisted living or independent living communities in the area. I thought it would not go much further than that suggestion. I had been worried about her having to go up and down the stairs and possibly falling and no one being there to help her. It seems doing most anything exhausts her now. A few weeks later, she indicated she had done some looking and wanted me to look into them to help her make a decision. Her long term insurance would need to kick in for the move to happen and would only pay for assisted or skilled care facility.
We settled on Brighton Gardens, and got her Doctor to write a report that indicated she needed the assistance. The first contact with insurance indicated that the review of the Doctor's report would indicate that the insurance would pay. We were within a week of moving her and a new person with the insurance got involved and indicated that insurance may not pay and she would have to be in the facility and then evaluated before she may or may not be approved. Mother did not want to move then have to move back if not approved. Things had been bought and we called it all off and I returned everything but the HDTV. I got busy at work with deadlines and have put off trying to find an advocate for us to work out things with the insurance. That is on my to-do list for early 2008.
Sometime in August, I received an email from Woodmont's choir director requesting I consider returning to the choir for the fall. I saw it as a sign and started attending rehearsals and doing better about getting to Church on Sunday to sing in the choir.
August was also a sad time for me. Soon after the back pedaling on Mother's move, Bijou started having bad episodes of walking the floor with pain in his back. After several visits to the vet and emergency clinic where several types of meds were tried, it became apparent that his pain could not be managed and a few days before Labor Day weekend he was put to rest so he would not suffer.
In September, I saw an article indicating the David Lipscomb was inviting the community to join the community choir. I went and it is an acapella choir with a great director who directs the DLHS choir. I will get a lot of great voice lessons if I continue. They meet a couple nights a month during the school year.
In October, Mother started complaining of dizziness. Rounds of Doctors and test found she had an inner ear imbalance. I had to insist on getting her to Vanderbilt for further testing and finally had a risk of falling assessment done.
Beth, Katrina and I have been keeping up our walking of 6-8 miles on the Saturdays that we can get together. The couple of hours are our therapy time to discuss kids, relationships, dating, etc. We plan to do the CMM again in 2008 and then do a trip to Destin to use a week of my timeshare usage.
The Love Helps board has been getting together in special Saturday sessions to review the strategic plan. It is taking to long to complete.
In November, I was asked to fill a slot in the Woodmont handbells. I have always played instruments or sung in the treble clef and now they have placed me out of my box in the bass clef bells of G and A. It seems so foreign, and they only have a few rehearsals before I have to play these bells for a special music program. I muddle thru the performance and play most of the notes at the right time I am suppose to ring.
Beth asked me to join her and Greg's table at the Arthritis Tribute Black tie optional event. I went shopping and got a red party dress and did three free tanning sessions so I would not look so pale in it. I thought I might get good use out of the dress at three events that were happening in the next three weeks. The tribute, fawn's daughter's wedding and the CFP Christmas party.
Making more money allowed me to feel like I could do a table at the annual Holiday Luncheon. Dean asked me to speak at the Holiday Luncheon. I agreed and I manage to get thru it.
My family managed to get thru the holidays without a major life event. I have come to dread the holidays because many of the past ones have been marred with tragedies. Death of a Great Uncle, Grandfather and Father come to mind. There were also the years where my Uncle's house burned and a cousin committed suicide. Then there was my big crash of Dec 1995 which left me in rehab for a couple of months. So you see I am so glad to report that 2007 was an exception. Since 1995, I have really not stressed about trying to do all the busy part that some do with all the traditions of decorating, sending cards and entertaining. 2006 was busy with trying to get the house finished so did not find time to decorate and 2007 holiday season was busy with deadlines.
I gave all my friends pray boxes this year for Christmas. I do pray that we all find 2008 a healthy and prosperous year.
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