Job Update

I was going to post right after the New Year, but I got busy being unemployed. Don't know how it happened, But I was too busy doing pretty much nothing to post. So here is my update for January.


While looking for jobs online I finally gave up on bookkeeping positions and applied at the new Allstate Call Center. I interviewed on January 9, and January 11 was tentatively offered a job. I had to consent to a background check, and schedule a drug screening. Last Friday, January 20, I was officially offered the job, once I logged on and confirmed the information from my application. Unfortunately, there was a problem with the link. 8 emails and 8 different links later, I finally was able to log in and confirm my information. Next email I received had a link to the W-4, Direct Deposit, and all other new hire info. That's it folks, I am employed!


Down side. i will be working second shift. 2-11 pm Sunday - Friday with Wednesday and Saturday off. No real weekend. And it will be tough with Kat. I will turn into "that lady who drives Kat to school." Upside. I will have Saturdays off so I can watch Kat bowl. And Wednesdays I can run errands and take a nap.


Fast forward to last night. I am surfing the Department of Labor's site for jobs, and the temp agency posted a job for a full charge bookkeeper. And the position is temp to perm. Contacted the temp agency about it, and my resume will be sent over. The CPA firm wants a self motivated worker with lots of accounting knowledge. That's me! Hoping to hear for sure about it before I start at Allstate next Friday. I don't want to disappoint the people who hired me at Allstate, but would love the opportunity to work 8-5, Monday - Friday, and make more money. No, it is not all about the money, but c'mon! I should at least be paid what I am worth. JH Kelly did, and I kind of liked it. So prayers would be appreciated this week that whatever job God wants me to have will be shown to me next week. 


In other news, last weekend was the City youth bowling tournament. Kat took  9th over all for the weekend. Such a proud mama! This weekend is the High School Invitational. High schools from all over the state will convene on Pocatello for a preview of regional and state. I will video some of the tourney. It is very interesting to watch. on Saturday I will post again Saturday with results and an explanation of how high school bowling is played.


So, that is it for now. Remember, pray early, pray often. 

I Just Gotta Rant!!!

So there have been so many annoying things that have happened in my town this week that it is time for an Andrea rant.

So this week has been the week for auto collisions. On Wednesday there was a school bus vs. Dodge neon accident. First off, no kids on the bus at the time of the accident. But, how do you miss a ginormous yellow school bus when leaving a stop sign? Are you really in that much of a hurry that you think you can beat a school bus through the intersection? Also on Wednesday was a semi vs. train accident in Shelley, a town about 45 minutes from here. I really don’t know much about this one, but, if a train is coming, STOP!!!! The final incident on Wednesday was an intoxicated driver who took out 3 parked cars. Again, call a cab! One good thing, Sammee vowed to me again that she will NEVER drink and drive.

Yesterday, a pedestrian in a wheelchair was hit by a car crossing the street by the University. Then, right in front of the high school downtown, a truck was turning left and hit a car going straight through the intersection. A fender bender was bad enough, but the driver of the car jumped out with a baseball bat, smashed the passenger’s window of the truck and then chased the driver of the truck with the bat. This happened just after school got out. So the driver was cited for failure to yield and the wacko was arrested for assault. My question is….when in the hell did we become so angry and so quick to fight, sue, etc? What has happened to our society?

Today, as I was driving to pick up Kat from school, again, by the University, I stopped for a pedestrian at a crosswalk. She was almost hit not by one but by two cars zipping by in the left lane after I had stopped. One even changed lanes when he got to the stopped cars. Are we really in that much of a hurry that we can’t slow down for 12 seconds while someone crosses the street? And one person was yakking away on her phone! For God’s sake people, hang up and drive! Then, on the way home, again by the University, we almost witnessed an accident because of someone stopping for a pedestrian. Again!

As a society, we have become selfish, hurried people with no regard for others. We park in handicap parking spaces because they are open, and, we will only be a couple of minutes. We jump into the only open parking space at Wal-Mart ahead of the young mother with 3 small children so she has to walk from the North 40 with her brood. We gripe when the elderly couple in front of us at the checkout is moving slowly. We honk at the car in front of us if they don’t jump the second the light turns green. Very few people say please and thank you anymore. We don’t tip our waiters, waitresses, pizza delivery drivers or hairdressers.

And, it doesn’t stop in the outside world. We bring it into our work places, homes, and even our places of worship. We back stab co-workers to get ahead, and gossip about them to make ourselves look better. We treat our family like dirt. And, if the pastor/bishop/rabbi, etc., says something to tick us off, we hold our tithe out of spite. Or if we have a conflict with someone at the church, whether leadership or another member, we leave in a huff and talk to everyone but the person who wronged us about how hurt we are. Or we gossip about the family who is struggling with something so we feel better about our shortcomings.

This society is going to Hell in a handbasket! We need to do something NOW to fix this! I for one will stop at crosswalks, be more patient in lines and red lights, think before I talk about someone behind their backs, and mind my manners. I will be doing my part. What will you do?

2011, The Year That I'd Like To Forget

I know, it's not New Year's yet, but I know what next week will be like, so here it goes.


My year was pretty uneventful until summer hit. First, the company I work for finished a major part of the construction project. So, the Project Manager I had been working under for almost a year went back to Washington, and a new person took his place. So I had just gotten used to one management style, and the new Project Manager was the total opposite. Then we moved trailers. Then, slowly, the customer started putting restrictions on who could drive where, who could park where, etc. Things got a lot more tense between my company and the customer. 


Then another Project Manager came onsite. Yep, you guessed it. Totally different management style. But, everyone had to juggle both styles at once. Two projects running simultaneously. 


In September, I took my baby girl to Portland and left her there to go to college. As you know from past posts, she loves the city, loves college, and finally got a job! And, she is home right now, so all is right with the world. i think it will be easier to send her back in 2 weeks. 


In October, I had to go to court about my Child Support order. I ended up losing the case, but it all worked out for good. Sammee and Tori have slowly started a relationship with their dad, stepmother, and brothers. Tori even went to Denver for Thanksgiving. My income went down, but we dealt with it.


In November, our project started completion, so all overtime was stopped. Income went down again. But we dealt with it. I wasn't sure if I could tighten my belt anymore, but I added some holes to the old belt and tightened away. 


This month, as you all know, I was temporarily laid off. I have freak out moments, but they are really not that often. Like I keep saying, God will take care of it. He's done it before, and He will do it again. 


Next week I get to earn some money. I will clean empty apartments in a student housing complex. Not glamorous work, but it will help pay the bills. What can I say, I like to work.


So that is my year. A little boring, some adventures, lots of trials, smiles, laughter, and tears. So here's to 2012. May it bring prosperity, joy, and success to all of my friends!

I Am Running Out Of Titles!

So tomorrow starts week 2. I will know within a day or 2 how this whole direct deposit of unemployment insurance works. According to the Department of Labor's website, the funds will be DDed within 3 business days of my weekly claim update. I can do the update anytime after midnight on Sunday. This is totally new territory, and I hope to not utilize it for long. 


T'was the week before Christmas and all through the fam, we are happy and chatty and ready for some family time this weekend. For us, however, family time not only consists of going up to Mom and Dad's for dinner and presents, but the Christmas Eve services at church. We don't just attend, we participate. And this year is no exception. Our Worship Pastor, Karl, is trying to get drama back into worship services, and guess who gets to lead it. So that whole "time to step down as treasurer" thing was so I would have time to revamp the Drama Ministry. That is really where my heart is anyway. 


So, Saturday night, Sammee, Tori and I will do a skit called "Three Trees." Very powerful skit. Doing it as a Reader's Theatre, so less blocking. And, yes, my girls got wrangled into this, but they love it. I will have someone video it and will post on You Tube next weekend. 


I have a couple of job opportunities and will be papering Pocatello with resumes tomorrow. I hope I can find something besides jeans and hoodies in my wardrobe to wear out to drop off resumes. I will dig until I find some khakis and a nice button down blouse. 


I will keep y'all posted on these jobs. Who knows, I may end up with 4 10 hour a week jobs. I have a friend who did that for years and loved it!


So Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and a prosperous 2012 to all!

Week One

So week one of unemployment has proved to be the week that I am never home. Trips to Health and Welfare, Unemployment, taking Kat to school, picking her up, running Tori to work, etc., church, bowling, yada, yada, yada. Next week will probably be quieter.


My unemployment was approved, but I am disqualified from Food Stamps until January. Thank God for the FBC Food Pantry. I will actually utilize their generosity and food box of love. 


I have applied for a couple of jobs. I am looking for something to get me by until the jobsite reopens in mid February or so. I am not going to just sit around and wait for February. It's not in my nature. I love working and providing for my family regardless of what the wage is. I am a social person, and I make the best of whatever job I happen to have at the time.


In the summer of 2010 I was unemployed for 4 months. During that time, the temp agency kept me in small jobs almost continuously. And I did a number of things. I served at a graduation dinner at the University. I did concessions at the football stadium. I worked for an auction house part time for a few weeks updating the website. I sat outside an all day seminar doing registration, checking to make sure drinks were available, keeping the schedule flowing, etc. I even ran around the area changing out advertisements on top of gas pumps. I have never had someone I have worked for have an issue with attitude or anything. I think I am just so happy to be working that I have fun at whatever I am doing.


So here I am, positive and happy. And, it's time to go get Tori to take her to work. She won't drive until she gets her wallet from Kirk. She left it in his car in Boise. 


More updates later. 

Merry Christmas Break!

I got my Christmas present yesterday. TORI IS HOME!!!!!!!!!!! I did have to drive  to Boise and pick her up. For those of you not from Idaho, Boise is about a 3 1/2 to 4 hour drive from Pocatello. I tried to leave so we would arrive in Boise at the same time, but I ended up waiting for an hour. I had a book, so it was okay. Met up with Tori and Kirk, loaded the car, grabbed mom more coffee (too much coffee yesterday), got in the car, went one exit over, met Kirk, got Tori's presents for her family, and hit the road. Ended up getting home around 9:30. Stopped at Fred Meyer to get Tori a phone charger (her's is in Portland), took her to her car, went home and rested my weary tushy. I am still sore, mostly down my left leg, but my left lower back has chronic problems, so it will ping and twinge for a couple of days. I'll be fine. 


So I have definitely ruled out long haul truck driver as a possible career change. Because that would be a perfect fit for me (sarcasm, sarcasm). Tomorrow will be a pretty full day for me for not having to work. Health and Welfare to apply for food stamps, Dept of Labor to check on my unemployment claim, gotta shut off the cable, stop off at the school district to sign Kat up for free lunch, take Tori to work, go watch Kat a bowling practice, pick up Tori from work. Gosh, I think I will put in a full day's work tomorrow. Oops, I forgot about taking Kat to school. That would be the first errand. I should probably allow an hour or so for job hunting. 


I do have some skills that are marketable in the here and now. So if you're in the Pocatello area and need some help with bookkeeping, payroll, or computer or network help, give me a holler. I have reasonable rates, and I am good at what I do.


Until next time.

It Will Get Better

So I am now unemployed. Temporarily. The thing is, I am not devastated, I am not stunned. I am okay. I am okay because of a few factors.


First, I work with an amazing group of people. I use the present tense because I will go back there and work with them again. All day I got hugs. As someone would leave for the last time, a hug. As I was getting ready to leave, more hugs. Big, strong, macho construction guys hugging me like an old friend. Not that I'm old. 


Second, they take care of me. I have had offers of making sure I have a full tank of gas. One coworker gave me a microwave and a box full of food and kitchen stuff. Also laundry soap and TP. Why? Because. This is the same person who paid for my radiator. Why? Because. One coworker gave me Christmas gifts for me and all 3 girls. I'm sure more will come my way. Why? Because construction workers take care of each other. 


Third, I have made an impression on these people. Both here in Pocatello, and at the home office in Longview, WA. The head of payroll said that if they start back up without me, she will have words with the President of the company. Who also likes me, by the way. 


So, I have no job for now. I am not sure how the bills will be paid. I hope that my unemployment claim will be approved and I will start receiving it soon. But, I know that God has my back. He won't let me and the girls starve, freeze, or be stranded. I have faith. 


On an up note, I get to drive to Boise tomorrow to pick up Tori. She is driving home with her boyfriend, Kirk, for Christmas break. But, Kirk is stopping to visit his mom in Boise for a few days. So Tori needs a ride to Poky. Since I am not worried about gas for Jeepers right now, I will drive the 4 hours to get her and come back home. I'm excited! And I actually don't think that I will have much time to talk on the way home, but the car will be full of chatter. 


So, in a nutshell, I am unemployed at Christmas time, Tori is coming home tomorrow, and life is good. And, God is good. The rest are just details. 


Peace.