I do believe that I'm just going to blow it away, as it seems to be the one thing that I don't check often, so I never know how long its been that way.

I would also like to say to the joker that has done this... get your own damn site! stop picking on mine.

I now return you to your regularly scheduled day...

I've been fairly busy this month with work. I recieved an offer to do on-site training for a vendor who is based in Houston. They need someone who can teach the software I've been certified to teach that can go anywhere in the country... pretty much at a moments notice. I spent 4 days in Dallas doing this.

My hotel room looked out over the West End of Dallas. Right in front of the hotel was the Book Depository. Yup, I was that close to the actual spot of the most infamous shooting of a prominent person... But since I was working every day while I was there, I wasn't able to do any sightseeing...maybe next time.

I've also been contacted about doing additional training with another vendor, but that was 2 weeks ago and I haven't heard back from them...I get the feeling that I won't. I don't really see the need for me to track them down to find out what happened. I mean they contacted me, right? Why should I call them...I told them what I needed from them to be able to do this training, and its nothing that I shouldn't be able to ask for...if they feel the need to not work with the restrictions I've placed...well then, its their loss of income, not mine.

However, I have been contacted again about a 9-5 job in DC for a law firm...one of the top 3 firms in the US. There are actually 2 positions there that this recruiter wants to submit me for...one is for training and one is for an administrator...I can do either.

So, I'm sitting here trying to decide if I want to give up the Independent life and go back to a 9-5 job...

I'm really starting to lean toward the 9-5 thing. I love being able to do what I want and when I want to...but I would rather do it when I don't have people screaming at me about bills I shouldn't have had to pay in the first place...but that's another rant for another time. Maybe, as my wonderful husband put it, I can do the 9-5 thing for a year or so and then re-evaluate things.

In other news... we get to game today! Its only been a month since we've gotten together, but it feels like sooo much longer. We are getting ready to start a new RPG, and I've got my ideas ready to roll...easy background too.

Anyway, its time to poke the husband to see if he's ready to start working on moving stuff around.

TTYL!!!

Now, most of you would think Jeep = Wrangler or Grand Cherokee...not my husband...his is a CJ7. That's Scrambler to those out there that don't know. God knows I didn't before I met my husband.

Anyway, these Jeeps are like collectible cards in the hands of little kids..."Ill trade you two of these for one of those" kinda thing.

When we had the other Jeep, we would come out of {insert random place like home, mall, restaraunt here} only to find that someone had left their name, number and the price they were willing to pay for this classic machine...

It hasn't happened in a while, and until today, not with this Jeep...that's changed now...some kind person actually printed (with a printer) a message and put it in one of those clear plastic slip covers...and then stuck it on the Jeep.

I think its cute... I wonder if these people realize how much they would really need to fork over to get him to sell...

I haven't heard of this kind of thing happening with any other vehicle model out there...must really be a Jeep Thing!

He's seriously thinking about opening a Jeep Museum...silly boy!

Oh well, I love him anyway...

Things have been busy. The independent consulting has been going well, and I'm more relaxed than I have been in years.

I put in an application at Barnes & Noble, just for evening work for a while and for the security that comes with a steady paycheck...I just heard back from them today to set up an interview for this weekend...wish me luck!

I also had a call from a recruiter...offering me a possible position in DC paying that 6 figure salary...now all I need are the dancing men

It might not pan out, but I think I'm going to be hopeful...now all I have to do is decide what to do about the B&N job.

I had a new job, one that I thought was going fairly well, until they decided that we just weren't a good fit (me and the company). So, I'm on my own again employment-wise.

Thing is... I've gotten two different offers that fit with the independent consultant hat I've taken back up

I've just gotten one proposal signed, and as for the other...I just need to show them that I can actually teach the classes. I would get to travel, meet new people, and do it on my schedule...which means that I can spend time at home with the hubby, and go back to school if I want.

Life is to short to spend 20 hours a day on the job...especially when it doesn't pay a 6 figure salary and come with dancing men!

I do wish the company well. As you can see from the calls coming in, I have no reason to be vindictive or nasty. At some point I might even consider doing contract work for them.

Well, its getting late, and I'm getting tired...so I think its off to bed with me.

'Nite!

I tried leaving the messages and trackbacks open again...I got hit with those #$#@ poker sites again.

This time I sent a request to the site's admin asking for help. I'm hoping that it will help, but I'm willing to bet my next paycheck that I will end up on 6 million (or so) new email address spam lists. I hope not, and I really hope the admin for the site helps to stop it.

Yargh!!!!

That being said, How's the rest of the world???

Category 1: Artists you wish would stop trippin and come wit' anotha album, soon! Hard to say, I agree with Daphne about NickleBack, but I recently heard that all of the original members of Duran Duran are getting back together... (I was a big fan when they were originally together, and was sad when they split)

Category 2: Artists who need to just "stop trippin". Oh, let's see... Britanny Spears, and the rest of that crew.

Category 3: Artists who have "gone on" that you wish would stay "Gone"! KISS, Motley Crue, Culture Club...sensing a trend yet??

Category 4: "New Artist" who, when you hear em', U swear, sound like somebody you already know! Not any specific bands, but many of the songs on the radio today remind me of stuff I used to listen to years ago.

Category 5: Artists you wish you would've "Tried before you Pryed" open that jewel case! There was one a couple of years ago, but after I copied the songs from the CD I wanted I gave the CD to someone else. Its been a while since I've bought any new artist CDs.

I'll be kind and not tag Daphne, but I am going to tag...Len, Chuck, and Simon :) Never say it doesn't pay to be my friend

Have Fun!

Here I thought that closing my Comments off would be enough to deter the joker who kept posting stupid links to poker sites.

My mistake.

He/She/IT found that my trackbacks were open. So they proceeded to use those.

So now, the trackback pings are closed.

(fair warning...long rant and one sided argument ahead)

Its the middle of January already. Hard to believe, isn't it? What makes it worse is the bloody weather around here...Thursday was warm enough to wear short sleeves, and today its 12 degrees. They are calling for tomorrow. No wonder people get sick in the winter... its not the cold, but the changing from warm to cold every other day.

This year I decided not to do the "official" Resolution list... I never follow them anyway. We, my hubby & I, have decided what we need to do this year..., you know...the basics:

1. Clean up the Credit Report
2. Organize the files
3. Organize our lives
4. Get in shape
5. Quit smoking

Now for any of you that have actually tried to do any of the things listed above, you know they are huge undertakings. So Rafe decided to try a different approach to this. Break everything up into really small steps. Presumably, by December 30, 2005, all of the steps will be covered and we will be able to put cool things on our resolution list for 2006 (like a trip overseas), not the same things from this year.

Other things going on right now is the job hunt for Rafe, and my crazy hours. That would be the biggest disadvantage to working for a brand-new start up company. I'm really not complaining I do love my new job. I love not having to drive into DC every day, I love not having to deal with stupid people every day (both on the road and in the office). I love being able to work from home most days of the week, and when I need to head into the office, its not in DC so it doesn't take me 3 hours to get there (ok, so its an exaggeration of the time, but not by much). I like my boss, and the other 2 employees in the company.

Yes, I didn't mistype. There are only 4 people on the payroll. I love it, everyone knows what they need to do, and they do it. There are no slackers in this joint.

Anyway, I need to run...before the laptop blue screens again!

On top of that, there is the holiday season. Which we always try to do something for. This year, I was able to afford a plane ticket for my brother (who's stationed in Kentucky ) to fly out for Christmas. We had been unable, due to Rafe's work schedule, to make it down to Mom's for Thanksgiving to see him. And with the threat of him being shipped of to God only knows where next, I wanted to be able to spend more than a few hours with him.

So I get my little brother for Christmas. Mom isn't able to make it up due to a recent knee surgery, and Dad and his new wife (Linda) are snowbound up near Ohio. So its just going to be the three of us! I'm soo happy. Not about them being snowbound, but getting to spend time with my brother

Its been a long time since I was able to put presents under the tree, and still be able to shell out the funds for a plane ticket, and decorate the house, and still have money in the bank. Its about damn time!

There have been bad/sad things that have happened around us this month...
Rafe is getting laid-off at the end of the year (looong story, and fairly boring to those who don't know us)
A friend was just diagnosed with late stage 1 cervical cancer (We are praying for you! )
Another friend just lost her grandfather and one of her cats. Yes, to some people loosing a pet doesn't compare, but to some people (myself included) a pet can be, and is, a family member and it hurts just as much. Love and hugs to you guys from both of us.

Anyway... I have to go make sure that everything is ready (cleaned up around here) before I leave to pick my brother up from the airport.

I will try to post again tomorrow

Happy Holidays to you (whichever holiday it might be! )

Its supposed to be a time of remembering what you are thankful for, not for early Christmas sales!

The thought for the day: Never get cigarete ash in another man's turkey

We live in an apartment complex (I've probalby mentioned this before), and we are on the top floor. I went out of the balcony this morning and noticed that the family on the first floor decided to deepfry their turkey this year... the contraption is setup on thesidewalk behind the building. Now, given the number of injuries that are sustained each year by these contraptions, I'm seeing this thing and thinking that we could potentially have a turkey rocket for our entertainment this year

Well, my prepartions need to be started so we can have dinner this evening... one day out of the year where I start cooking dinner before I have lunch... Although, I'm going to be doing this again for Christmas.

Well, Happy turkey day to everyone. Remember your blessings, and forget your sorrows for the day...they will still be there later and today is one for fun.

From the last post you could tell that I quit my job, and life has been busy ever since

Suffice it to say that things have been up and down in the last 7 months, and with me trying to work most of the hours that were put in a day, I haven't really had a chance to do anything fun for me.

Unfortunately, I'm forced to leave the comments section closed. Some smart ass has been using my site to pimp their website for poker. I don't play poker, and I don't want to be used as FREE advertising for it. You want to pay me serious money to put something up on the site, then we can talk...but I don't think you can afford my prices

Anyway, those of you who know me, know how to get in thouch... that hasn't changed... yet.

Well, I did it. I turned in my two weeks notice at work! I have to say its very freeing. Turns out they want me to stay an extra week, which I can live with, especially since they agreed to let me work at least one or two days from home! And we are in negotiations to have me work contract for them. This means I will be working from home, and getting a pretty paycheck!

And if this doesn't work out, there are other positions out there, and I have a headhunter submitting my resume to most of them

So, wish me well! I'm entering the land of the self-employed.

Hugs!

I'm about to hand in my two weeks "kiss my @##" letter. The new director decided to put someone in the management position above me that I've had to train to do simple searches in the database & image viewing software we use...A manager should at least have a rudimentary understanding of the #$%^ software the department uses, don't you think?

But, the reason for coming out of hiding is this... some lovely (can you feel the scarcasm?) person has decided to use my blog comments to post links to his (I'm assuming a male, but it could be female) site of GARBAGE! There isn't any information on that site, just the same junk he's been posting.

Be warned! I do have your IP address and I'm not afraid of submitting it as something that belongs to a spammer.

Anyway, now that I'm out of hiding I might just start posting again...

Love to my friends!

Its what happens when everything goes BOOM!

School, work, life...and most of it soo boring that I really didn't think that subjecting the rest of the world to it would be a good thing...

After several months of looking, the hubby found a position. YEA!!! It started out as a temp assignment, but the company running the project really wants him to work for them. I knew he was good, but...

He's currently in St. Augustine, Fl. He will be there until Friday. At least he's having a good Florida experience...which will pave the way for a vacation later. I miss him, but I will have him on weekends for the next few weeks, so I have to be content.

From the last post you know that I was not quite ankle deep in water...well, they finally did something about it...I'm now in an office on the top floor...with windows!!! For those of you who have never worked in a law office, windows are for attorneys and no one else...No! I'm not going over to that side of the fence...Dad would hurt me Its a temporary move until they figure out what to do with my office and the lab... (laugh it up, furball!!!)

But...I've gotta run! too many things to do at work...

TTYL