GoddessDiane's Divine Doodlings

Well, my job doing data entry is going okay.  Still lots of questions but usually they are questions my supervisor can't answer very quickly either!  It's hard on my back and my eyes so it's good it's only a temporary job.

Latest news... I'm going to be a grandma!  My daughter is getting married in June and expecting in November.  I am still kind of in shock.  My youngest sister just found out and she is "dying" for me (sick about it).  I am trying to take it in stride.  She says I should strongly encourage her to give it up for adoption.  But Amy has several friends with babies or are pregnant and they have ALL kept their babies.  It's unfortunately almost "common place" nowadays.  I guess I always kind of figured it would happen and am actually grateful she at least graduated before she got pregnant... AND she didn't get PG with her LAST BF!!!!!

I am still adament about selling my house and moving to the cities.  I feel (eventually) there will be better and more job opportunities (if this darn economy ever picks up!) and more of a chance to meet people and find a relationship.  I am so tired of being alone....

So I did get an estimate how much it would cost to finish off my basement... A LOT more than I anticipated and doesn't include materials or electrical!  Sigh....  So... do I spend my savings to fix up my basement or do I hold onto my savings in case I need it when I get laid off this fall?????

I need to find me a RICH BF!!!!  LOL!  Just kidding!!!!

(Or am I??)

 

Well, my profession of being a para professional was short lived.  Upon my 90 day review, I was called to the office and was told it "wasn't a fit".  No warning.  No training.  Wasn't told what to do or what NOT to do.  I was let go just like that!

Fortunately, my unemployment was short lived.  This morning I started a new job at the County Assessors office doing data entry.  Good news... it is full time.  Bad news... it is through a temp agency and only supposed to last 6 - 8 months.  But at least that will give me "time" for the economy to hopefully start to get a little better.

My long term goals are to finish my basement, sell my house and move to the cities.  Once in the cities, I am hoping I have better opportunities to me in the way of jobs and dating.  So... that is what I am striving for!

I do have someone that will fix my 3 broken doors (I was gone ONE night and my daughter had some friends over... a third uninvited guest came over and went nuts and did some damage to my house!).  Now to make an appointment for him to come over and waiting to get check from the insurance company.  Always something....

Otherwise, life continues to go on. 

Looking forward to spring!  I am SOOOOO not a winter person!

I had a belated St. Patrick's day party for my singles group this past weekend.  Had like 15 people and a good time was had by all.  Now I am planning on having ANOTHER party... this time a luau!!!  And a little WILDER!!!!  Maybe a garbage can party?  Been awhile since I have done that....

Have been trying to make some new friends. I truly believe in networking!

Well, until next time.... CIAO!!!

 

Happy new year everyone! 

So far it has been very good.  I have 2 kindergartner at work now instead of a couple 4th graders.  They are SOOOO much easier!  And all kindergartners do all day basically is PLAY PLAY PLAY!!!  Still a bit of a challenge at times, but it is better!

Christmas went well.  Spent a lot of time at my mom's with my family:  eating food, playing board and card games and visiting.  Fun!

New Years Eve I went to a dance in the cities with a date.  Had fun dancing, drinking and flirting with cute guys!  Afterwards went to some parties in the motel rooms and met a REALLY NICE GUY!  He came to see me this past weekend and we had SOOOOO much fun and we are really hitting it off!!!!!

 So......life is pretty good at this point!!!

 

 

I have been working as a Para Professional for 2 days now (more on that in another blog).  Today as I was supervising the indoor recess period, a girl came up to me and asked if I would help her with her buttons on her sweater.  And then she asked me "Are you a doctor?"  LOL!!!!  I said I was an aide.

Sooooo.... Just call me Dr. Diane.......

 

I know it's been a long time since I have blogged.  But sometimes life just happens!

I shouldn't even be blogging right now as I am working but my elderly lady is sleeping peacefully in her wheelchair next to me.... so what difference does it make if we are at the library with her sleeping or in her living room with her sleeping?

Besides, I gave my two weeks notice today.  My last day here will be December 8th and then on December 9th I will start my new job. 

But let me back up a bit.  I have been doing this live-in health care since the first part of November (although it seems much longer!).  The other aide and I are pretty disgusted with the whole thing though.  Our client is much more confused than we were given to believe and very dependent on us as opposed to being so independent.  Also, we are basically doing 3 shifts and only getting paid for 1 1/2.  So it's very unfair.

It is kind of accidental how I got this new job.... way back in the summer months, I had applied for a substitute Para Professional job from the paper through one of the temp agencies (in Pillager) test online and once I have worked for this school system for awhile, they usually hired someone who has passed this test.

So a series of phone calls later and I finally was able to take the test in Wadena (an hour away) that lasted 1 1/2 hours and cost $45.  I did get called to work in Pillager once but was unable to as I was working (and I really didn't know how I was going to be able to work there with my varied work schedule). 

My Carefree job in Brainerd kind of came to an end.... they aren't willing to work around my live-in aide schedule so the last schedule they didn't even have a single day for me and the previous schedule they only had me on for 3 days (including the weekend... can you say I was used???).

So I have started to go to Job Service again and applying to jobs.  I saw this ad online for a Para Professional position in Crosby that wanted 2 years experienced or having passed the PP test.  I thought what the heck... I will try it!

So I applied and got an interview!  But they were only interviewing on Friday... which I was doing my live-in job.  So I called my supervisor and asked for a back-up person for an "important appointment" I couldn't miss.

Well, she got there late and I had to discuss things with her, so I was 15 minutes late for the interview.  I almost turned around... what's the use?  But I went and came breezing into the office, apologizing all over the place and all flustered!  So the receptionist tells me to compose myself and that the people are waiting for me.  I walk into the office... 3 people!  I thought the interview went badly...

Then I had to take a written test that was timed for 30 minutes.  I skipped over the math stuff (no calculater allowed) but thought I did well on the grammar and spelling part but didn't finish the math.

Left feeling dejected....

Went back to my live-in job and continued my day.

Came home the next day.  Listened to the messages on my machine and I was OFFERED THE JOB!!!!  I was floored!

So it is in the Crosby school elementary school working with kindergartners.  Yay!  No more working weekends, holidays or nights!  Normal day hours!  AND a week off in December!

Anyways, my lady just woke up so I guess I better take her home.... later, gators!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Firsts...

Jul 30, '08 9:54 PM for everyone

I am still not very good at this!!!  But I am wondering where people get all those cute graphics to add to a person's guestbook?  Can someone help me?  Also, when you right click on a person's profile and it says "personal message", it IS personal, isn't it?  It just goes to that person for his or her eyes only and isn't public reading?  Thanks for your help, friends!!! 

One was at Kelly's Temp Service for various positions for the new JC Penney opening in August.  It was a "mass hiring" and no appointment needed.  I was surprised there weren't more people and I was concerned about the wait and waiting room availability.  So I almost didn't even go. 

So I put on my red sweater and black suit, wore nylons and my dress shoes and put my hair up in a clip.  The first thing a person has to do when they got there was apply online.  So I was lead into a room with a bunch of laptops and people and was told what to do.  I got to a certain point and the stupid computer messed up!  So I had to start all over again.  It was a really weird keyboard and very slow so it was kind of frustrating. 

I was surprised, though.  A guy who came there was wearing dress pants, a silver dress shirt and I am assuming a tie (I just saw his back).  But the women were coming in there wearing flip flops, jean shorts and t-shirts.  Huh?  So I am hoping my dress attire gave me extra brownie points!

So I had the interview and it went well and I really didn't have to wait at all.  So I am glad I went.  (but.... I don't have retail experience)

Oh, and before I went there, I stopped at another place that was hiring a PT receptionist and the ad said to stop in.  Darn... they just hired someone earlier that day!  That is my lousy luck... I couldn't get there any sooner....

The second interview was in Crosby.  It's for a new home care company that is just starting up.  Another (young) gal joined me and we filled out a bunch of paperwork.  Got the impression we were both automatically hired.  So they are getting a bunch of employees and then will need to get a bunch of clients and then match the two up.  It would be a minimum of 2 hours or live-in home care, no meds or personal cares.  Yay!  No personal cares!  (changing adult diapers are the WORST thing!!!!)  So we shall see how that goes.....

Kristine called me this a.m. and said she had replaced me for the weekend so "enjoy your weekend off".  So I am missing 4 days of work!    (good thing I have been getting Amanda's extra hours at Carefree)  I also got my Discipline letter in the mail today.  They are alleging I fell asleep twice... this is news to me!!!!  I really need to get a new job.....

But I am working at the library tomorrow for a few hours.  I haven't worked there for several weeks, so this is good news! 

But I certainly have options!!!!  I just gotta keep plugging away!

Oh, and P.S.  The other gal at the second interview, she had never done home care before and she was just looking for extra income.  She already HAS a full time "office staff " job in Brainerd.... and she was really young...I know I shouldn't, but I was jealous.  Why can't I find a FT office job??????????

So before I went to bed at midnight last nite, I thought I would call for Midnight one last time.  I had left my garage door (attached garage) open so if he wanted to come in the garage, he could.  So I barely got the second "kitty kitty kitty" out of my mouth and he came SHOOTING to the door from inside the garage.  I also saw the calico cat run out of the garage!!!

It's funny.... I was telling some residents at work that my boy cat had escaped and he said "maybe he found a girlfriend" and I said "well, there IS a calico cat that lives in the house behind us."  So... he was right!!!

I was so happy to see him.  And when I awoke this morning, things were back to normal with both kitties in my bed.  And right now, Middy is sleeping contentedly on my lap... kinda makes it hard to type as he likes to lay his neck across my right wrist.  But he is a happy boy!!!!!!  YAY!

Middy is missing. 

As I was watching TV last night, he was sleeping on the back of the couch most of the night and Kelly was sleeping on "her" chair.

I went to bed around midnight.  I said goodnight to Amy first and said her friends had to go home.  (a gal from out of town who spent the night and two guys).

I called for Kelly to come to bed but figured I fell asleep before she came. 

When the phone rang at 8:30 a.m. I knew something was wrong... I was alone in my bed.... no kitties!  So I went out to the kitchen and called them.  I checked the front door and it was closed.  I looked out on the deck and there was Kelly!  But no sign of Middy....

The kitties must have escaped when the guys left, and spent the night outside.  It is now 10:45 and still no sign of Middy.  Kelly is sleeping peacefully in her chair next to me. 

I just wish my boy would come home.... Think I will go try call him one more time.....

Nope... no luck....

My LF supervisor (main) called me this a.m. and said I was back on the work schedule and to give Kristine a call.  He said he would be sending me a second written warning regarding falling asleep on the job.  He said any further disciplinary actions would result in termination.

So I called Kristine and I am back on the schedule.  I discussed the warnings with her and read to her what I had written on the reply (but am waiting to send with the second warning).  The first warning states that I "am reluctant to do housekeeping and does not do personal cares."  That is SO untrue and SO unfair!  Besides, who is whining to the top dog instead of going to Kristine and complaining?  So theoretically, I could be terminated for CONTINUING to do what I have been doing.... which is what I am SUPPOSED to be doing!  Kristine reiterated that since I was not a CNA, that I was not expected to do Patsy's cares, that Mike was referring to Mark's cares.  (huh?)  She also said that Mark just needs to be prompted and that we strive to keep his independence by him brushing his own teeth and washing his face himself.  I said that is EXACTLY what I have been doing!  See where my concern is?  I STILL don't know why I got the first warning!  I guess I need to fight it.  I need to have it removed from my personnel file.  It is sooooooo wrong.  And it doesn't give me any breathing room to make any mistakes.... or in this case, continue to do what I have been doing and risk getting fired because of it!  Geez.... I sure hope my eye doesn't start twitching again... this is SOOOO BS!!!!!

Yay!  Not even sure when THAT happened! 

I have not written very faithfully for some time.  I did just get through reading a bunch of blogs.  Most of them sound so positive and full of energy!  So I guess the old saying "if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."

But here goes.....

For my birthday, Judy and I went to Applebees for desserts and then to "Sex and the City" (the movie!  geez!!!  What were you thinking????) (I am a TOTAL SATC fan!), and of course, the previous Sunday was a birthday party at my mom's where we had lasagna, cake, etc.  So it was a good birthday!

News:  my supervisor at my Brainerd job got into an argument with the manager (not sure of details) and he and the maintenance man walked out!  So Linda has been the temporary supervisor and now she has recently been promoted to Dietary Supervisor.  She has been trying really hard to be level headed, fair and not blow up at things.  She keeps saying "I want this to be a happy kitchen!".  She even said the other day that Mark stressed her out and don't you think things are calmer now?  One time she TOLD me to do something (instead of politely ASKING me to do it) and I was a snot right back at her and said "I thought I was supposed to do MY work first and THEN help the other aide if I had time!  Besides, I work a lot better if I am "asked" nicely instead of "told" what to do!"  She says "You're absolutely right.  I need to do the dishes, not you." as she proceeded to BANG the dishes around.  So then I thought oh great, now I am in trouble and she's in a mood.  I continued to do my chores and she went to a manager's meeting.  When she came back, she kind of "apologized" and had tears in her eyes and we hugged!  She said she still needs to work on her managerial skills and if she starts acting like that again, to give her a kick in the butt!  So... so far, things have been pretty good.  Yay!

Amy continues to think the summer is just for playing and doesn't seem to be real interested in getting a job.  It's stressing me out.  My child support has ended.  I get so tired of nagging on her.  And tired of her friends calling at all hours, thinking nothing of it to call at 11:00 p.m.!!!!

At my Little Falls job, don't really want to go into details but I seemed to have dozed off at work for about 20 minutes while watching TV.  I have also received a "written warning" that I am "reluctant to do housecleaning" and that I have "not been doing personal cares".  My supervisor's supervisor  Mike (out of the main office) had called me ahead of time and told me of the written warning.  I denied it, saying I was always helping with housecleaning and that Kristine (my supervisor) had SAID I was not to do the personal cares, that the kitchen was my business.  Mike said that was part of the HST's job and that he would send me a job description.  (I never received the job description).  I also said well, what about the guys?  They don't do personal cares and I am like one of the guys.   After I received the letter in the mail, I waited for Kristine to get back from her vacay and then I called her.  A few hours later she returned my call.  We discussed the warning letter, the allegation of falling asleep and discussing the resident who went garage saling without permission and we didn't follow her.  Anyways, she said she had to take me off the schedule pending further investigation (that wasn't the word she used, because when I called her a few days later after finding out the other HST was still working and I wasn't, she said it wasn't an investigation and I wasn't being "charged" with anything).  So far I have only missed one day (as it was my weekend off).  Now tonight as I was watching a movie with Mom (and was anxious to get it watched before it got dark as she doesn't like driving in the dark), Mike called and left a message on my machine, something about the schedule and things that have been happening in the house and to call him tomorrow at my earliest convenience.  So that is hopeful... he would not say anything about "the schedule" if he was going to terminate me, would he?  So I have been stressing about that....

I do have an interview for a home health aide position in Crosby for the elderly.... it's a new place that's opening up and my friend Judy had met these people at the Trade and Commerce show and gave them my phone number.  I also got a phone call for an interview in Rice.... alas, it is full time, could be/would be more money than my other jobs, M - F, NO Saturdays *(yay!) and every other Sunday, set hours differentiating every other week.  Only thing is, Rice is 20 minutes past Little Falls!  Right now, I figure I am spending $6 a day to go to LF so Rice would be worse... and with these rising gas costs.... it's not going to work for me.  Besides, even the lady I spoke with had reservations of having someone come from Brainerd so why would she hire ME over a local?

I really hate home health aide work.... but I keep getting into it deeper and deeper, getting further and further away from clerical work!!!!!!  Damn!

Anyhows....

My faucet in my kitchen has been broken for weeks.  Thought it just needed a new gasket or something?  Also, my toilet wouldn't flush... just thought it needed a new chain?  All these things that are hard to take care of as a single homeowner!  I wasn't sure what I was going to do, so I let it ride.

Long story short... my friend Carnel (whom I hadn't seen for months) stopped by and spent a few days with me.  I was whining and crying about stuff, my life, disrepairs around the house.  So he did my "honey dew" things around the house for me... turns out I needed a new faucet and a new thingie for the toilet.  I was also complaining that Amy was supposed to have mowed the back yard (I always do the front) and as I slept, he mowed the ENTIRE yard.  BUT... I had this beautiful variagated ornamental (perennials) grasses that were about 3 1/2 feet long.  I couldn't died.... he TRIMMED my grasses!  Kinda like a short stubby shrub, about 20 inches long now!!!  OMG!!!  Like... what was he thinking????  Sigh...At least, like I said it is a perennial so next year it will come back nice and long again.  sigh....

For mother's day, all 4 of us girls (just missing my oldest sister in CA) met at Landsburg and helped mom pick out flowers (as her gift.... my suggestion to the other girls via emails!).  She wasn't aware we were paying for it.  I had collected the money so I did the tallying up for her.  We kept on and on, getting more and more flowers!  We get up to the register to pay for it and the gal (a former co-worker of my brother's) gave her a 20% discount!  She said the whole FAMILY gets a lifetime discount!  So I gave my mom the leftover money.  My sister-in-law also showed us the corner they are creating for a memorial for my brother, with a couple of the trees he loved most and a stone plaque.  It was a bittersweet moment....

As my mom was leaving to go out the door tonight, I pointed out a couple new pictures I put up on my "wall of fame" (pictures of my family).  One was Amy's new graduation picture and the other was a picture I downloaded off my sister's camera of my brother and his wife.... before he got sick.  She was standing behind him with her arms around his neck.  You could just see the love.  My mom said the picture made her sad.  I said it was a good picture of him, when he was still well.  She said it still made her sad.....

I still have my moments about my brother.  It still seems so unreal.  I was watching "Army Wives" the other nite and it was the episode where Claudia Joy's daughter is killed so they talked about that.  And I just bawled and bawled.  I grieved for my brother all over again.... it's just not fair.......

Recently Judy and I went out for lunch and I recognized the waitress.  She was really thin!  So I complimented her on losing weight and she said she had lost 100 pounds since January!  She had had the gastric bypass.  So I mentioned it to Diane and she said the Lap-Band is better and quicker recovery time.  So I did some research on that and I plan to attend a seminar in July in Crosby.  I see my doctor the end of this month and I will mention it to him.  I truly believe my life would really be improved if I were a lot thinner.... I could possibly eliminate some of my meds, get rid of diabetes, have more energy, live longer, higher self esteem, get a better job (more marketable) and be more "datable" (find a good guy).  I have yo-yo dieted for years.  I want it to be gone for good!  I still need to do more research.  But my long term goals are:  lose all the weight by my 50th birthday, finish my basement and put my house up for sale, move to the cities, get a good job and a good boyfriend.  But Amy's schooling is for another year so that gives me a year to do all this.  At least I have a goal. 

Well, it is getting late.  At least I get to "sleep in" tomorrow as I work noon to 7:00 p.m. (so that makes for a long day!)  There.... I am caught up for the time being! 

P.S.  One last rant.... I recently finally signed up for Tagged.  I had been deleting invites for a long time.  I just don't have the time or energy for all these blogs and groups and stuff.  I started out with just Yahoo 360, then to Multiply, and then to Engage and now to Tagged.  It's hard to keep up!  And the creeps that have emailed me!!!  A bunch of damn foreigners!  They can't spell and they don't know English and they say "hi there sexy" and crap like that.  I finally am writing them and saying I am not interested in pen pals or foreigners that don't know English.  One guy wrote back "fuck you Americans".  Like I ASKED for this crap?????  Argh....

I put an ad in Craigslist (I know, I know... I won't learn, will I?) and it was well versed, saying I wanted attractive, intelligent men.  I get these ugly men that can't spell!!!!!  Am a snob or what?????  Why can't I have a nice, professional man who is at least my equal?  One guy I tried to just blow off and ignore him (sorry... I was doing the guy thing) but he just wouldn't go away.  And I KNOW his long letters were painstakingly typed (with poor grammar, spelling and punctuation).  He finally writes "Did I say somethin wrong?  Why haven't I herd from you?  i felt we had conection" or something to the sort.  I finally wrote "Sorry, not interested"  What a snob I am.....

 

 

 

I recently chose a new primary care physician.
After two visits and exhaustive lab tests, he said I was doing 'fairly well' for my age.

A little concerned about that comment, I couldn't resist asking him, 'Do you think I'll live to be 80?'

He asked, 'Do you smoke tobacco or drink alcoholic beverages?'
'No,' I replied. 'I don't do drugs, either.'

Then he asked, 'Do you eat rib-eye steaks and barbecued ribs?'
I said, 'No, my other doctor said that all red meat is unhealthy!'

'Do you spend a lot of time in the sun, like playing golf, boating, fishing or relaxing on the beach?'
'No, I don't,' I said.

He asked, 'Do you gamble, drive fast cars, or have a lot of sex?'
'No, ' I said. 'I don't do any of those things.'

Then he looked at me and asked, 'Then why do you give a shit?'

My baby girl graduated!!!  I am so proud of her!    Seems only yesterday that I held a tiny baby in my arms....

It was so "iffy" if she would graduate or not (missing school, filing appeals, meetings with teachers), so now THAT stress is over!  Now maybe my eye that has been twitching for 8 days (stress related?) will stop twitching?  We got her registered for Brainerd college ("CLC") this fall.

This is a picture of her dad and I with our beautiful daughter.  He was so excited!

 

 

I have a couple of burning questions that I am wondering if anyone out there has the answer to?  The first one is:

There is a commercial on TV.  Can't remember what company it is advertising but it shows a guy in a gorilla suit in like a sporting goods store.  Another guy comes along and says "It's not THAT kind of tent event."  and points to some camping tents.  It is advertising a tent event sale.  I just don't get it.  What kind of "tent event" sale did the gorilla think it was?

Another thing:  A lot of gas stations, on the sign it will say BP.  I always thought BP meant Blood Pressure.  So what does BP mean?

I know, I know... some people have TOO MUCH TIME on their hands?

 

Had quite the night Thursday .... worked at my Little Falls job until 10:00 p.m. and tried to come home but didn't make it. The roads were slippery and I was only able to go 5 - 20 miles an hour, trying to keep my eyes on other cars' road tracks. It was blinding/white out conditions and a few times I actually stopped until the whiteout cleared a bit. So when I came to the Brainerd Welcome Center (about halfway between LF and Brainerd – a little closer to Brainerd I guess) I pulled into there and parked for the night. There were a few semis parked there also. I hunted in my purse for my cell phone but it wasn't there (to call my daughter and my supervisor).

So I trudged through the snow to one of the semis and knocked on the door. A half naked guy answered the door. I asked if he had a cell phone I could borrow and he said there was a phone up at the center. Fine.* So I went back to my car.... I didn't have any change and I wasn't going to trudge up through the snow to the center. (I was parked in the semi parking lot) so I wasn't able to call home.

Luckily I was able to get into my trunk (which it usually doesn't open with a key) and found a thin blanket in there. I figured by morning the plows would be out in the parking lot and the Center would be open. So I laid back the passenger seat and tried to doze on and off, occasionally turning on the car for warmth. (went through half a tank of gas!)

Around 8:00 a.m. I took a peek outside... the Center still wasn't open and the trucks were gone and no sign of a snow plow. I listened to the radio and even the CLINIC was closed, so I figured the whole TOWN of Brainerd was closed! So I trudged through the snow to the driver's side and tried to move my car but the snow was so wet and deep and me without a shovel. So I found a shirt in the back seat (that Amy was going to take to consignment) and put that on my head and trudged over to the one semi's tracks and walked out to the road and flagged down a truck that brought me to my front door (what a sight, huh???). They were a couple of married guys in a company truck (coming from St. Cloud) so they looked “safe”. We saw quite a few cars in the ditch and I would say “That could have been ME last night!” Good thing I didn't have to work at Carefree that day! I was supposed to work in LF that night but found a replacement. I ended up walking to CF the next a.m. at 6:00 (I work at 6:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.).

I did have my friend Judy take me to the Center the next day and I was shovelling myself out (the snowplow had gone around me and left a big mound of snow around my car) and she said “There's a guy... he can help us!” and I said “I can do this myself.” So I COULD have gotten myself out but he did help by rocking and pushing instead of my having to shovel totally out.

So that was quite the ordeal!

*When I told this story to a resident at work, she said the guy probably thought I was a HOOKER! She had some relatives that are truckers and she said that's what happens to them... they are parked and hookers come knocking on their doors!!!! Who knows... maybe he ALREADY was “occupied”!!!!