As predictable as it sounds, I have been inspired by the movie, "Julie and Julia" to write a blog. Anyone who has seen the film and who likes to write will know what I mean. I am somewhere between being a blogging virgin and slut, and figured it was time to end my period of mourning over the closing of Yahoo!'s "360" blogging site and move on...which brings me here. Lucky you.
While I was still watching the movie I was already wondering what I could possibly blog about. There is nothing earthshaking going on in my life and yet, if "they" are going to give me an opportunity to write until my fingers fall off or the Grim Reaper remembers me (whichever comes first) for FREE, then my unemployed self is going to take it.
Yes, I am looking for work...I have cold-called and otherwise contacted about 300 companies so far (not kidding!) and nothing. If it sounds frustrating, that's because it is. I have a positive attitude, it's just rather subdued at this point. I no longer get my hopes up. Who can blame me? So, enough rambling and now to the rewind: this is the part where I catch you up on how I got here and where I hope to go from here. Don't worry, it won't take long. I don't like complication any more than you do. Here you go:
1. A product of a very unexpected pregnancy, I was adopted by a very nice couple who lived in a cute little house on the outskirts of a quiet country town.
2. My childhood was mostly terrible, due to horrible daily experiences at school that no adult was willing to do anything about (this remains a mystery to me). My only good memories are from summer and school vacation days.
3. I married in 1997 a man who claimed to be a Christian (nothing against Christians, this one just happened to be a wolf in sheep's clothing). Lucky me...about 10 more years of abuse was my lot, and when I had enough money to get out and physical abuse was clearly coming next, I hit the road.
I will never regret this decision.
4. I have been happily divorced for oh, about 2 years now or so, and while I don't condone divorce I think it's crazy to ask a person to stay in an abusive marriage of any kind (as was my previous pastor's suggestion, who then went home to his loving, non-abusive wife).
5. After working for five years as a writer for a media information company, I found myself laid off over a year ago (along with my entire department) and have been looking for work high, low, and everywhere in-between.
One bright spot has been making my eBay store to help me get by financially. I've really enjoyed it and my customers have, too. I've also helped my boyfriend by selling some non-religious items of his.
6. Which brings us to now, today, when I am waiting for the plumber to come and fix my slowly leaking toilet (the water quietly spreads itself out on my bathroom floor and reappears if I mop it up with dirty towels). I dread the plumbing bill, though...alms for the poor (and wet)?
7. By this time next year: I hope to have everything that is totally unpredictable and out of control under some semblance of normalcy. It would be very nice. But I don't count on it because the fact is, my life has never been normal...so, I guess that's what I'll write about...
Oh yes, I should have a niche, one thing to write about that makes me stand out among the rest, I know...but since no one else is living my life but me, I guess that's what makes this blog unique. This is about me, no longer procrastinating about things that matter to me and or living in the ominous shadow of "What If". I have a life to finally live, and I'm going to live it if it kills me.
No more excuses.
