Working Girl

Well, it's been just over a year and a half since I quit my part time job.  At the time it was what I needed.  I was sick of it.  I had things to tend to at home and with family.  I just needed the break. 

Over the past few months, maybe longer, I've been contemplating going back to work part time again.  I want to keep it part time because I still want to put some time into photography in my smugmug gallery and my online store at zazzle.  But I feel I need something to keep active and get out of the house once in awhile.  Something to bring in a little extra spending money and to just feel like I'm contributing something around here.

I know, I know being a stay at home mom is a job in itself but it doesn't pay for my lunch with an old friend or a trip to the casino with my gambling buddies (don't worry I go maybe once a year!).  I know I shouldn't feel guilty, but I do.  My husband was and still is OK with the decision I had made to quit.  But it's time to get back into the working world.

I've applied for a few jobs over the past few months.  I've been being kind of picky because I want something that fits in with my kids schedule and I do not want retail again.  I've gone on a couple interviews and been completely disappointed when two of the jobs I thought would be perfect for me didn't work out. 

I guess those two just weren't meant to be because today I was offered the job I applied for at our local library.  It's perfect.  Only a few minutes from home, a couple hours a day, no weekends and best of all NO RETAIL. 

I start tomorrow.

I can't wait!

I Quit

I did it.  After months of debating with myself over what to do, I finally decided to just do it.  I quit my part time job and plan to focus more on my photography.

Ya, I know, most people say "Don't quit your day job until you have money coming in from it."  But that just wasn't working for me.  I think the fact that I had a job and knew I was making regular money (little that it was) was keeping me from focusing.  That combined with how great I am at procrastinating!

I also think the fact that I didn't like the job so much was working against me too.  To most people that would be an incentive to work harder to get out. To me it just caused me stress, coming home in a bad mood time after time, taking it out on my family, dreading having to go get up early and go in on days my whole family was home.......I focused too much on that and wasn't able to get other things done.

I'm nervous and scared about doing this and how things will go.  But I'm also looking forward to it, having the summer to spend with my kids and more time to do the things I want to do.

Hubby has been super about supporting my decision and encouraging me to take that leap.  I know I couldn't do this without his support!

Back to work and November blogging

Today is my last of 9 days off in a row and I'm not happy about it! It went by too fast. I just starting getting into a groove and getting things crossed off my list and working on some projects around here. Now this going back to work is gonna mess things all up! I know, I know, I should be thankful I even have a job. I am, but I'm sure you know how it goes.

I feel kinda bad......my hubby was planning some stuff for me for my 40th without me knowing about it (ya hard to believe isn't it?).....anyway, I've found out about a couple things accidentally and by way of him having to tell me because of something I was going to do! Poor guy. He finally tries to surprise me with something and he has to reveal it anyway. I will tell you all about it next month after the big day!

I've decided to do nablopomo (National Blog Posting Month) for November. They actually do it every month usually with a different theme. I've done once in the past and since November is the "official" month I thought I'd give it another shot. Who's with me?

I'm debating whether I should also do it on my photoblog too. What do you think?

Better safe than sorry

There never seems to be a lack of excitement at work. This morning I was back in the deli area baking and a coworker came back asking me what I was burning. Nothing of course!

I walked out in the main area of the store and could smell what he was taking about. There was also a haze around the ceiling. A few customers also mentioned they smelled something burning. We walked around the entire store but couldn't find the source. Another coworker who was back in the office came out shortly to ask us if we smelled anything.

We figured it was probably something in the heating/cooling system but decided to play it safe and call the fire department just to be sure. They had us evacuate the building. Within a couple minutes the police showed up and blocked the entrances to the parking lot. As we were leaving the building I did one last check to see that everyone had exited and found that there was still a guy in the men's room. I let the male cop who was in the building deal with him!

The fire dept showed up shortly after, did a once over of the building and came out to ask us what happened. The assistant manager went inside with them to explain what happened and within a total of no more that 15 minutes they were giving us the all clear to go back in. Huh? What? That was quick. No checking the duct work to see if there was anything? No climbing up on the roof? I expected to be waiting for quite some time. I guess they know what they are doing.

We called they guy to come check the cooling system. Turns out there there was a bad part that caused a belt to get stuck and burn out and that is what we smelled.

Never a dull moment!

{Insert catchy title here}

We went to see the new Harry Potter movie on Sunday. Skowt finally finished reading it on Saturday so we all decided to go see it on Sunday. Loved it! I think it's probably my favorite so far. But that could just be because it's fresh and new. I also liked that there was a bit more humor in this one and a little hint at romance too! I don't want to say too much and spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it yet.............but what are you waiting for if you haven't?

We aren't really taking any type of family vacation this summer, just doing some day trips here and there. Though with my hubby working overtime we haven't done much of that either. We are planning a trip down to Six Flags Great America in IL on Saturday. We haven't been there in forever. I can't wait. Gotta get some roller coaster time in! Hope the weather cooperates.

I've decided I don't want August to arrive just yet. I was looking over all the stuff for the kids school registration and figured out that it is going to cost us about $900 just to get them going and registered for school. That's rental for 2 saxophones, 5th grade fees for Tiger, Freshman fees and the athletic fee for Skowt. Then on top of that don't forget school supplies and new clothes!

And that coincides perfectly with the fact that as of next week hubby will no longer be working his second part time job with the post office! So much for putting in all those years working toward a full time route and being at the top of the list as far as seniority goes for the next opening. First they closed a nearby office and brought two carriers over who bumped him back to 3rd in line. Now they are getting rid of the route he subs for and combining it with another route so they really don't have a position for him anymore. It bothers me but he seems to be OK with it. He's been debating lately which job he was going to stick with permanently and this kind of helped with the decision. Plus he has problems with his shoulders and casing the mail all morning makes it worse some days so in the long run I guess it will be a good thing.

Writer's Workshop: Career path

First I want to say thanks for the suggestions for blog topics on my last post! They are much appreciated.

Amy suggested I head over to Mama' Losin' It and choose one of her weekly prompts to write about. I had been considering it because I've seen Amy do them before so I decided to give it a shot this week.

4.) If you could change career paths now and be anything you wanted to be...what would you be and why?

This one is a no brainer for me. I thought I'd start with an easy one!
My current job is so far from being a "career". I work part time in a convenience store/gas station. Not glamorous at all. But most of the time it works for us. They have always been very flexible about my schedule and working around my kids. So for now, this is where I am.

But what I have always really wanted to be is a photographer. I used to tell my mom I was going to be famous some day. I think the being famous part is out! Right now I think I'd just like do some portraits, I'd love to get involved in doing high school seniors.

Around my junior/senior year in high school when they start talking with you about your future I had told my parents I didn't want to go right to college. I was undecided and wanted to take a year, decide if photography was what I really wanted and look into where I could go to school for it.

Well, my dad would not hear of it! He insisted that if I did not attend college right after high school I'd most likely never go back and insisted I go. If I remember correctly he even said they would not help financially if I did not go right away. I had no clue what to go for. All the those career path tests they have you take suggested I go for engineering. Not interested. So he said I should go for business because it was a broad choice and I could get any number of jobs.

So I picked a school close to home and majored in Business Administration. When the end started nearing my advisor suggested I go on for my master's in finance........he was the finance professor so of course he would suggest that. This time I held my ground and said no. I didn't even want to go to college (at least for this) why would I go for a master's degree.

I graduated, had a service create a resume for me and started sending them out. Nothing. I quickly learned that Business Administration was too broad of a major and I did not have enough experience or knowledge in any aspect of it to get a decent job. Great. So I eventually gave up and just took on a full time, higher paying position at Kmart where I worked at the time.

I eventually got fed up with that job and decided it was time to go take some photography classes. I quit and got a part time job at a bank and enrolled in a couple classes at a technical college. I loved it. I took a 35mm film course and developed and printed my own photos. I also took a view camera course. You know those big ones with the drape over the back that you stand under. The kind that Ansel Adams used. That was fun too. I was all set to take another the next semester when I found out I was pregnant with Skowt. Since those things weigh a ton I decided to hold off for a bit because I didn't want to be lugging them around while pregnant.

Well, you know how that goes. Life gets in the way, a second baby and I never went back. Now all these years later and I'm about to turn 40 this year and I am wishing I would have done things differently. Regretting decisions I made and the fact that I took my father's "advice" about going to school.

My hubby has been encouraging me to stop looking back at the past and look forward toward what could be. What's done is done and it's time to forget it, start a new plan, set some goals and start over.

As much as I'd love to listen to him, it is super tough for me. I had some issues growing up during my teen years and I have always been a "glass is half empty" kind of gal. No matter how great something is I can find the negative in it or think of what it could have been.

I really want to get past that, but when you've been doing it your whole life it's kind of who you are. You can't just flip a switch and things will be different. So I promised him I'd work on it and take some classes. Try to improve my skills and gain a little more confidence in myself and hopefully within a few years I'll be that photographer I've always wanted to be.

BTW, if you'd like to see some of the photos I've taken recently check out my photoblog here.

Blog neglect and a free haircut

Blog neglect is what happens when you work twice as many hours as you're used to. Which is what I did this past week. I was too tired and otherwise preoccupied to think about what I wanted to blog about. Never mind having the time to post it!

I know some of you may laugh at the 33 hours I worked last week, but when you're used to no more than about 15, it's a lot. Especially when you still have all the household stuff to take care of and kids to deal with and cart all over town for various activities and appointments. I worked full time before I had kids and a little while my first was young but quit to be home with the kids and I don't think I could do it again.

I always feel guilty not working more and contributing more to the family finances since hubby works two jobs and tons of hours. But this is what we decided for our family and he's great about it and doesn't mind it. We'd much rather have me around when the kids get home and be able to get them to activities than the alternative of day care. Though my oldest is getting to the point where she is Ok alone and ready to babysit, but she still can't drive and what good are volleyball practices and tennis lessons if you can't get there?

So I have the day off today and have way more I want to get done than the hours available, but what's new? First on my list was a haircut. I've been trying to grow it out for Locks of Love but my hair is super fine and the longer it gets the more unruly it is. It's been driving me crazy but I didn't want to give up just yet. I still had a few inches to go to be able to cut the 10 they require and still have a decent length left. So I went in not sure what I was going to do and mentioned this to the stylist and she measured my hair and told me about another organization they donate to called Wigs for Kids that doesn't have the length requirement. I was able to cut off 7 inches and still have shoulder length hair, donate to kids who need it and on top of that get the haircut for free! I had forgotten about that part.

Not a bad start to a dreary Monday morning with a chance of ............. do I dare say it?.............flurries. Nooooooooooooo!

Doesn't it just figure

That...
1. Because I have to get up early today to work, the one day in the past two weeks, I couldn't sleep last night? Thunderstorms, snoring husband and whiny kid!

and
2. Because I KNOW I have to pull my hair back for work (preparing food) that it's a good hair day and it actually looks fairly decent down. That doesn't happen much at all!!

So better get going to work!
Later~