I smashed my fingers...

Literally. Of all the times to smash my fingers, especially when I will probably have to take more typing tests...good lord.

I guess I can't complain too much about it, because I smashed my fingers cleaning my apartment. But hey, guess what guys? IT'S DONE! If I have to put up with some smashed up mamma-jamma's for a few days while I sit in my new house not worrying about my god awful apartment, so be it.

Well, Gram's came up for the weekend so that Greg and I could move our crap this weekend. Me and the mother patriarch usually butt heads a lot of time, but when you need to use your grandma for free babysitting and food while you're cleaning your apartment, then that's what you gotta do. Anyways, it was a good visit, of course, Greg and I weren't really around much. I think the most memorable part of the whole weekend was me telling her to "Shit or get off the pot" about her wanting to move up into town....again. She took it well honestly, and said she appreciated me always being blunt with her.

So, Greg and I rented a U-haul for 2 days this weekend, and moved all our crap out of our apartment, and plus about a BILLION bags of trash from all the stuff we got rid of. We realized now that we never want to own any more meaningless crap to haul around with us, ever again! I saved Battlecat though, I told Greg he wasn't allowed to throw Cringer away. Anyways, we had to hire movers for Greg's big ass HDTV, so we basically did all the moving ourselves until we both said "fuck it" and left boxes and some leftover furniture for the movers to finish up with. Greg had to go back to work on Monday, and left me with the fun part of scrub and sweat with the apartment. But hey, that's cool, he's making the moolah right now. Anyways, well I took me and the kid's over to the apartment at around 11:00, and I was folding up our black lab's x-large heavy dog crate when SNAP! there go my fingers caught in the dog crate - both hands. I seriously don't know what I would have done if my daughter hadn't been there to lift the crate so my fingers could get free. I'm guessing either pinched off, or dead from no circulation, because with both of my hands caught in a huge crate that I couldn't lift or move, I would have been toast. I think I scared my kids half to death because I started crying from the pain, and once my hands were free, I couldn't stop crying. Poor Candice started crying and hugging me. Katie ran and brought me a towel with ice. So this all happened at about 11:30, which meant, I had to continue cleaning and scrubbing with fingers that have no feeling in them because they are smooshed. In fact, I still have no feeling in my left pointer finger. I hope that comes back.

I did work despite me being a retarded clutzoid, and it finally paid off. I picked up Greg at 5:00, borrowed my Aunt's truck for a few hours to haul some more trash and miscellaneous items, and by 11:30PM, we are finally done and never have to step foot in that god awful place ever again. WEWT.

So, if you've been wondering where we have been lately, our backs our sore, Greg can hardly walk, my fingers are smooshy and deformed, and I'm drinking a beer typing out this text finding it odd that I can't feel some of my fingers hit the keys.

Take heart however, because we're back and we now can start relaxing.

Taking tests...

So, I had my testing today with the Washington State Attorney General's Office, which by the way, I passed with flying colors! Woot for me! I was pretty nervous about taking a test because for one thing, I haven't been in school for about 12 years, and am kind out of date as far as on-the-job experience testing goes.

So, for one thing, I couldn't find the damn AG's office today. It took me forever to figure out where this friggin' hidden basement was. Here I am wiggin' that I'm late for a testing appointment, and I figured out the best way to soothe myself when I'm lost, no joke! So, I call the HR department, and explain that I'm late, and I'm driving around in circles, trying to find this hidden closet of a street to turn on, when I suddenly see the street and literally exclaimed out loud: "BRB, going to Narnia!" Thanks Kenny, for an anology that I will probably use the rest of my life now.

Thankfully, it turns out the testing room was overbooked and the HR department was really glad I was late, because it worked out for them.

So I was a given a base scoreline for the test I was taking. Below I have listed the scores I had to acheive in order to move forward in the selection process for the positon:

Keyboarding: 40 wpm
Data Entry: 6,800 hkm
Filing: 70%
Proofreeding: 70%

Here is how I tested:

Keyboarding: 85 wpm
Data Entry: 12, 500 hkm
Filing: 90%
Proofreading: 83%

So, I pretty much kicked ass on Keyboarding and Data Entry. This is due to many, many diplomatic multi-tasking conversations as a guild master in World of Warcraft. I think all my fast typing skills finally paid off, thanks for the numerous hours typing out why Stewiegryphon couldn't be an officer, multiple times....

Proofreading was definitely my worst subject. I was wishing I had a "Pocket Matt Ford" at that moment to help me be an immaculate English speaking and spelling guru, but alas, I managed to pass. I'm happy I at least didn't abbreviate: brb, lrn2play, omgwookies, newbalert, usuckabigfat1, ih8proofreadinglettersbyidiotsomgwutawasteoftimewutever...

All in all, I was told that I should hear back for the next step of our wonderful state government's processing system within the next 1-2 weeks. I did get the "wink" by the HR department that I didn't suck, and my scores were awesome compared to others, so I have nothing to complain about, oh, and I almost forgot, some dude liked my shoes when I was waiting for my test... maybe he was omgiwantbuttsecksgay?... but, can't blame him, my high-heels are amazing.

Finally!

The interviews start rolling in...

Well, here are my prospects so far:

I've got a testing and interview on Friday with the Washington State Attorney General's office, as an office assistant. The salary is "meh", but the benefits are outstanding. I'd be starting over career wise, but working for the AG's office definitely looks good on your resume, and gives you a starting point to move over to other positions as they open. Anything that gets me through the door, is a good thing.

I have an interview next Thursday for the Washington State Unemployment Commissioner's Review Office. This job is not only state, but union as well. That is a definite plus, plus, plus in my book. I would be responsible for working with Administrative Review Judges for employees being denied unemployment benefits. Acknowledging appeals/petitions, drafting Notices of Decisions, etc. Lots of responsibility, but salary comparable. This is one of my top choices.

I received an email from the Washington State Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals for a Legal Secretary position for the Industrial Appeal Judges. The HR department wanted me to send in my resume and references for the current opening they have before it closed, and I'm pretty confident I'll get an interview for this one, being that I have experience in Worker's Compensation Law. This is also another top choice.

On the non-careerish path wise, I applied for a job as a Liquor Control Board License Investigator. I was informed today that I've been selected to move forward, and shoud be receiving notice of further proceedings soon, which means, "yaay, more interviews!" This would be a fun job. It's high client contact, and reporting, and pretty much gets to be the person who decides who gets to sell alcohol in our area. Wow, FUN! NO RUM FOR YOU!

Anyways, things are looking up this week, I'm excited about my job prospects. I guess applying for about a dozen state jobs so far is finally starting to pay off as some of these openings close. I'll keep you posted!

Special Thanks to Heath McGinnis

Heath and I had a great MSN conversation before the application decided to hate my computer on Friday, and today I received a special care package in the mail from him.

Thank you so much Heath for your support, your advice and the books! I've already started reading.

You truly are someone I admire and respect and I appreciate you consistently lending an ear. Good friends are hard to come by, but truly great friends are a rarity.

Another Monday, another week.

Well, it's Monday again. I feel sorry for everyone that had to get up and go to work today after their nice weekends at home, but then again, I'm a little sad I don't have anywhere to get up and go to. So far, out of all the job applications I've put in, I have one potential interview coming up, but haven't yet gotten a call for an interview. I'm guessing the state works a little slow in processing applications maybe, and that is my hope. I had about 6 jobs close out this weekend, so I'm pretty much watching my phone and waiting. Knowing my luck, I'll end up taking just "some job" to get by with, and get called the next day to come interview with the Attorney General's office. I'm kicking myself that I turned down an offer to come work for them 2 years ago. What was I thinking? Greg totally deserves to give me the "I told you so," speech for that.

As far as weekends go, mine was actually pretty good. Greg and I had a big heart to heart on Friday, because I basically went into "meltdown" mode from stress and frustration, and we came out of it a bit stronger I think, which is always good. Sometimes I just need a reality check or a nap.

I spent some time leveling my horde druid in World of Warcraft on Saturday, which was a nice distraction, but also unproductive. I think the only reason I still play this game is so that I can hang out and talk to Kenny and Matt. Heath, learn2play WoW again.

Our new neighbor came over to introduce herself this weekend, because our kids have been playing together A LOT lately, and what would be a better introduction than getting her really drunk, right? Mission accomplished! Actually, it was a lot of fun, we talked until about 1 o'clock in the morning getting to know each other and just shooting the breeze until her husband started shooting off fireworks as a message to get back home. Greg and I had a great time until I started "tossing the cookies" from the overly large boxed wine we guzzled. Thank goodness I waited until after our guest left.

Sunday turned out to be a recovery day from the Wine Box Monster, and I think I found the new cure for hangovers. Eggrolls. Seriously. From now on, I vow to have my freezer stocked with frozen eggrolls to heat up for my drinking indescretions.

I did learn another thing this weekend. I'm getting too old to get that drunk.

Insecurities, Doubts and Worry, oh my!

Considering that I am trying to replace my actual Journal that I frequently write in (Yes, I'm not kidding) into something more unique and out-of-the-box for me, like this Blog, I thought I would attempt to get a little more serious with myself, real, and just release some emotions and thoughts that basically need to be released.

First off, I've decided that relationships are complicated. I should know this by now, being that I'm on Marriage #2, and should have learned things that I wanted to improve on the second go-around, but like all things, I learn a little something new everyday and maybe that's why I'm feeling a little confused at the moment. Maybe some of my insecurities go back to being married so young, and having a lot of pressure and responsibility thrust upon me at a young age. But, that is another topic in itself completely that would require a lot of psychological counseling and insight, but for now, bear with me.

Let me try to skim this down to the basics to give you the gist of why I'm feeling a little "weird about it" tonight. I was raised in an extremely religious household, the kind where dating is not approved unless you are chaperoned, you aren't allowed to associate with other people or read materials not associated to your religion, and all the normal moral stuff like no sleeping between the sheets, sharing the spit, looking under the "family bush" was accepted. Dating was pretty much impossible, and all you really had to entertain yourself until you were 18 and able to get married so you could wake the neighbors with loud, obnoxious, awkward sex magic. You never really got a chance to know or invest time with someone because your hormones were so raging that you could not wait to have some dude "pop the question" so you could do the mattress mambo. Okay, enough sexual analogies. You get the point. Well, those of you who know me, know that I never really followed those kind of rules really well, and started dating my first husband at age 17. Now, had I known about contraception, sexual responsibility, and spermicide, I probably wouldn't have ended up pregnant at 18. Having a child was something I have never regretted, but marrying a guy I barely knew because "it was the right thing to do" and finding out he was a drug addict, alcoholic and wife beater, is something I do. Now, I should have seen it coming right? Oh, let's add pathological liar to that list too. Marry a christian boy from your congregation and you end up with one super fantastic, spiritual, and successful family right?

Anyways, back on track... despite the hardship of living with an abusive, drug addicted fanatic, I tried my best to make it work, because that's what I was raised to believe and that's what I felt I had to do. In the end, I finally gave up. I finally threw in the towel around age 23, and realized after being split up, separated, and scared for my life at times, it just wasn't worth the witness relocation program costs.

Come down to modern day, I have a great, loving husband, no doubt. Greg is absolutely everything to me. The problem is that, sometimes I feel that if we aren't connecting, don't really talk to each other, whether from lack of tiredness, stress, frustration, whatever, I feel like I'm tromping through the forest of bleakness. I don't think I'm an emotionally needy person, but no one really likes to admit that they are, so maybe I'm just being ignorant. Considering our family is really going through a lot right now, namely, change of home, change of jobs, financial concern, I can see where this puts a big strain on couples. Greg's always been a really quiet person and doesn't become emotional or speak his mind about things often, in fact, he kind of gets repelled with those "deep relationship, let's get back on the same page, are you okay" conversations that I feel are extremely necessary for me to remain sane. Honestly, sometimes, I just don't understand. I've been told by every male that I've been in a relationship with that what I want is fictional and unrealistic. Maybe that's just me living in my own little Lisa world, but I am still stubborn enough to hang onto what I want, and I don't think anyone can blame me for it. But, I am also readily able to admit when I'm wrong. Perhaps next blog we'll dive into the "fictional and unrealistic world" of Lisa, for now, I am signing off.

Flashbacks.

So I was going through some video's today, remembering how I used to sit in my room when I was about 8, trying to figure out what kind of music I liked. My friends are going to laugh so hard when they find out what my favorite kind of music was back then. But hey, I'm a good D.J. now right?...right?

No wonder my Dad threw out this cassette from the car driving me to school:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx64_N4AA04

And another favorite of mine. I used to seriously turn the lights off in my room and sit in my window being "emo". These guys totally moved me, I don't care if they aren't real.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSqV3rWM4iQ

And finally, another video to show my developing interest in music, what good times! My parents also destroyed this cassette.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9li1w2sMyE

Pork Chops and Applesauce...

Was kind of close to tonight's dinner. There were pork chops, with homemade mash potatoes, gravy and some greens. Why should you care what our stomach's are digesting right now? Well, not only is my stomach churnin' "burnin' love", I feel it's important because I'm slowly turning back into a role that I strive for, and that my friends, is a wife and mom.

I have such good memories of coming home from school to my mom making fresh bread, cookies, the good ole' stew, you name it, my house growing up, always smelled good. Of course, 28 years ago it was pretty common for a young kid's mom to be home, and now a day, it's pretty rare. I of course, have stepped into a financial supportive role with the rest of the herd in order to pay homage to the almight dollar. For the last year, I got a taste of the part-time work force life, and now, well, I'm pretty much unemployed until I can find another job. It's good in some ways, bad in others. For one thing, my paycheck is my daughters' dirty socks and constant bickering, on the other hand, I'm saving money with no daycare, and being creative with dinner. I have time to get our apartment taken care of without rushing to get out by August 1st, which would be a relief if I wasn't a procrastinator.

All in all, I feel pretty good right now. I can't complain too much about financial worries because hey, we have our house, we have water, we have power, we got some food, and I'm not sleeping next to the back-pack totin' dreadlock-headed weirdo that was peeing in the alley yesterday when I cleaned out my desk.

I've got a potential interview coming up with our State's unemployment office as a Judge's Clerk which I'm pretty excited about. I also have about 20 other applications in to different state agencies and so I've definitely got some prospects for a new job here soon, and that is a good thing. I'm also pretty stoked that Greg can come home to dinner on the table, a clean house and fresh laundry every day. He hasn't said so yet, but I know he appreciates that things around our house have changed.

Thanks Matt!

So tonight I had a discussion with one of my best virtual reality friends, Matt Ford. If you're interested in a good read, go to www.intemperatechristian.blogspot.com. I honestly respect his opinion towards Christianity, and spiritual matters, because he's given me a lot to think about.

Thanks Matt for letting me vent, and letting me get things out about past stuff. Perhaps someday I'll open the floodgates of drama related stuff that is Christendom, and what I was raised to believe, but for now, I'll give you something light and fluffy....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qTFqnDpuvE

What's Karma?

3329 Woodard Green Drive, and what a name it is. Greg and I have finally arrived in our new home. After 5 weary years in the Black "Sludge" Lake Apartments, I finally got the "go-ahead" to find ourselves a suitable place to establish our nest, and couldn't be happier. We've got the standard typical suburban house that comes with the 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 1 cat, 1 dog, plus fence establishment. On the condiment side of housing, we are well equipped with 70's porno hot tub of cheesiness, well equipped with strobing color changing light, stocked Koi pond and smores-making fire pit of doom. What more could you ask for?

With all these changes of good karma, undoubtedly something's gotta go wrong in the universe. yes? We'll don't be disappointed! Greg's car is officially a pile of junkyard decor, while my steady law office income just became the same amount it costs me to play World of Warcraft for the month. That's right folks, just when things are looking up, we are now looking at replacing a car engine, and my income can barely buy those trendy flip-flops the hippies are wearin' in downtown Olympia.

All in all, I've decided to be positive with the flaming ball of lard soaked crap we've been given despite our good fortune as of late. For starters, I've got a blog, which means that my emo-retarded self can vent to a virtual reality world of nothingness instead of wasting time writing in my tear-stained, chardonnay soaked journal which is in dire need of transcription. All in all, I've got a lot to be thankful for, things could be worse, and drama-filled details will have to be saved for another blog entry. That's how it works, right?

I am a blog...

And hopefully I will keep you entertained.