Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone! What are you thankful for this year?! The number one reason why I am grateful this year is that friends are God's way of apologizing for family. Thank you for being my friends. You have no idea how much that helps to cope with all the drama I have had to survive this year! May the Lord continue to bless you... always.

I Count You Twice

It is so nice and cool that there is no need for the air conditioner this weekend! Chick-a-boom, chick-a-boom... Don't you just love it?! 

They were not kidding about the rain in Corpus Christi on Friday and Saturday. It was pouring. I have to say that I was very disappointed in the interview, mainly: (1) because of the low salary and (2) because I would be just another "at will" employee, which means that they can fire you any time without warning. Also, towards the end, I had questions to ask, but the interviewer seemed anxious to end the interview, which to me means that she had not scheduled enough time for the interview, she did not expect me to ask questions, or she was not that much into me. Ouch! Maybe she is just a bad interviewer?

The trip makes me wonder what I need to do in order to relocate. For one thing, to rent an apartment, you have to make at least three times the rental quote., plus you have to have enough money for deposits and/or first and last month's rent. Also, you have to be working at your job for at least six months. Plus, there is the problem of moving your stuff from one location to the other. What would Martha Stewart do? LOL

Today is the Day

Today is the day of my interview in Corpus Christi...  I hope they will like me! There is a flood warning, so I hope I won't have any problems driving up there! Too bad my Blackmobile will not turn into a boat! ha ha... The news reported that they had to close the schools in Rockport because there was eight inches of rain. OMG! Wish me luck!

Winivere

Count Your Blessings

Looking at my last post, I am wondering why I made the poor choice of being a career girl instead of a porn star. LOL @ at least I would have gotten some sex out of it. OMG... Did I say that?!#

As previously mentioned, I was put on three days suspension without pay, because I told someone that I bought all of my own office supplies, which my boss said was unprofessional... so I went in the Sunday before to submit eight cases for approval. Why should the kids have to suffer because I was suspended without pay?! So get this... only four of the cases have been approved and that was at almost 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Good grief at am I working too fast for them? And that was with two different set of people reviewing the cases! Well, luckily, I was able to contact the families to request the airfare money for the kids, so hopefully, the money will arrive in time for at least four of the kids to be released to their families before Thanksgiving. Aww, that's so cool!

The bad thing is that they are limiting the hours we can work after 5 p.m. and on the weekend. I am on salary. What's the big deal if they are getting FREE work from me anyway? They are so tight-assed that you can freeze ice from their butts... OMG @ so sorry if that offends, but there is no other way to describe their stupid ways of thinking... I hate control freaks who only want you to do as they say and keep your mouth shut. Grrr...

I have an 8-hour day coming that I haven't taken yet. I am using it to go to an interview in Corpus Christi next Friday. God help me to get the job, even though it means I will finally have to pack to get out of the Valley! It is my dream to get out of here anyway... Sure, I came here to help my family, but all I have done to myself is to totally isolate myself from any kind of resources or assistance. When my car breaks down, I can't even call them to help, because they never answer the phone, and my brother has been without transportation for over a year with no intentions of resolving his transportation problem. My brother is and will always be the favorite, which is fine with me, except that they only contact me when they want to come over to eat at Thanksgiving or if Mother wants me to drive her up to San Antonio. It is too hard to count your Blessings when you live in the Valley, especially if you are alone in the world. I never should have left Corpus Christi.

I hope next week is a better week!

XOXO,
Winivere

P.S. It was so much easier to follow people's blogs before. What is google friend connect?!#

Legal Question

So yesterday I felt as if I was called into the Principal's office. I will be on Suspension without pay on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday because I told someone from an outside agency that I have paid for all of my own office supplies. My employer said this comment makes the agency look bad. I am on salary and Veteran's Day is a holiday. Am I protected under the law? Do these laws also apply to a non-profit organization? Anyone out there with some legal savvy? Sandra?

When other little girls were busy playing with dolls, I was dreaming of a career. Too bad reality cannot be as perfect and wonderful as the dreams you make up in your imagination. In spite of the obstacles and difficulties of my job, I like my job, but I continue to ask myself the same question: Will I be able to keep my sanity until I am able to reach retirement? And when I finally reach retirement, will I be able to survive on the little amount I will receive?!

It's not oVeR!

OMG @ I can't believe my favorite holiday is over and I didn't add any of my Halloween creations to my blog! Don'tcha just hate it when WORK becomes your entire life?! Grrr... Well, at least Daylight Savings time finally got here! I am all for an extra hour of being younger, although I was two hours younger on Friday! LOL @ I was in California dropping off a child to Foster Care. The Social Worker who met us at the airport was so HOT. OMG @ why couldn't I have been a few YEARS younger instead of only a few HOURS? OMG at his dimples are still fresh on my mind! LOL

OK... So HALLOWEEN is oVeR... but in the Latin culture, there is still All Souls Day and the Day of the Dead... Yep... the celebration continues for two more days. All Souls Day is when people pray for the people who were dear to us who have gone before us. Many people will be visiting the graves of their loved ones today... The Day of the Dead is based on the belief that the dead are allowed to return to earth on this day to be with their loved ones. For this reason, elaborate altars are created in people's homes, and everything is prepared as if they are actually coming to visit. The guest room is prepared for them or extra blankets and linen are laid out for them. An extra plate is set on the table. Their favorite meals and drinks are prepared. There are carnivals and celebrations in the streets with people dressed up like skeletons. Little three dimensional shadow box pictures with skeleton people doing everyday things are created to hang on the wall. The marigold is the flower of the dead, so there are marigolds everywhere, including the altars. Although I am Latin, I had never heard of this celebration until I came to the Valley, but I think it is a cool belief that our loved ones are allowed to visit us on this day and at how creative these people are even though their incomes are limited.

Autumn Cool Breeze

Well, would you believe I was a redhead for only a week?! LOL @ my hair went back to blonde. I think it is funny, because when I dyed it brown, it went back to blonde. LOL @ am I just supposed to leave it alone?! Shakira! LOL

Anyways, last Wednesday, I had to meet a minor at 5 a.m. at the airport. I flew to Boston, MA, to reunite him with his papi. Too bad I didn't run into any Kennedys, but I did wear my lucky black shirt. LOL... Did you know they stopped giving food on the airplane? Now they charge you for your food! Imagine four dollars for a little bit of cheese and a few crackers! GRRR... I was also disappointed in the huge souvenir magnets they had to choose from, because only one would have taken up all of the space on my refrigerator! OMG @ I decided to get a pair of silver earrings instead. They are long and they are made of tiny little chains. Awesome! I also found an aluminum flaming heart with wings to put on the wall when I was at the Dallas airport and some jumping beans. The beans are so fun. =.) The bad part is that my day did not end until 10:45 p.m. and The Boss From Hell Who Can't Spell only gave me four hours of compensation. That's not right; is it?

Last week, I turned in seven investigations. Four were approved and three kids have already reunited. On Monday I turned in another one, so now I have four cases pending approval.

I have more cases to complete this week. God give me the strength to keep up with my paperwork! It is so much work to get all of the evidence completed, but the best part of my job is when the families are reunited. It's like going through hard labor, and then, giving birth. The struggles are tough, but the rewards are great. God help me to hold on to my job and to survive the She-Devils so I can continue to help these kids.

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OVER THE TOP award

I am a little late with this, but Sandra nominated me for an Over the Top award.
So, the rules of this award are as follows:

~Answer the questions below using only one word
Like Sandra, I'll use as many words as it takes...........
~Thank the blogger who gave it to you: Gracias, Senorita Sandra.
~Pass it on to 4 of your favorite bloggers
so on with the questions:

1. Where is your cell phone? In an animal print mini-box

2.Your hair? Curly, Fluffy, Sexy

3. Your mother? Widow

4. Your father? MSgt. U.S. Army. Korean War Veteran. Died of Leukemia when I was 3.

5. Your favorite food? Seafood, Avocado, Chinese

6. Your dream last night? Too exhausted to dream lately

7. Your favorite drink? Margarita, Ice Mocha with whip cream, chocolate chips, cinnamon, nutmeg

8. Your dream/goal? To get BEYOND survival

9. What room are you in? Living Room

10. Your hobby? Almost Non-Existent since I started this job: Art, Cooking, Designing, Making Clothes, PSP

11. Your fear? FALLing in Love

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Retired by the sea

13. Where were you last night? Working GRRR

14. Something you aren't? Bitchy

15. Muffins? are boring

16. Wish list item? Happy-ness =.)

17. Where did you grow up? Texas

18. Last thing you did? Made a Bacon, Lettuce, & Tomato sandwich. YUMMM and watched a movie

19. What are you wearing? Smile

20. Your TV? Too much Spanish GRRRR

21. Your pets? Tidbit died this year. She was a cockatiel. I miss her.

22. Your friends? Belle & Daniel are my best friends. They live in the same town but they don't know each other. LOL =.)

23. Your life? Too much work DRAMA ~ STRESSful to work with She-Devils

24. Your mood? Happy NOT to be at work today

25. Missing someone? Not really... I enjoy my time alone, just kicking back. Ahhhhhh

26. Vehicle? THE BLACK KNIGHT

27. Something you're not wearing? Clothes =.)

28. Your favorite store? Paper Bear in San Marcos, TX

29. Your favorite color? Deep Royal Purple... although lately, I am drawn to browns, teal, olive green

30. When was the last time you laughed? When I was talking to Angel on the phone

31. Last time you cried? Don’t remember… They say Big Girls Don’t Cry… Am I finally a Big Girl? LOL… or maybe I am just overdue to cry... Lord knows I have plenty of reason to cry, but I haven't!

32. Your best friend? My BFF Belle. We have been friends for almost 20 years.

33. One place that I go over and over? To buy gasoline for my carro. GRRR

34. One person who emails me regularly? Belle

35. Favorite place to eat? The Boiling Pot, Crab’s Inn, or Red Lobster

My nominations are:
1.) http://kath-mysimplerhymes2.blogspot.com/
2.) http://jimsulliv3.blogspot.com
3.) http://coelhathoughts.blogspot.com/
4.) http://wouldyoulikesomeheartwiththat.blogspot.com/

I tried to put this award on my sidebar but it won't add. GRRR... I'll try later.........

Prayers Needed Please

OK... Well, my last entry was a THOUGHT!... OMG @ why is LIFE always such a hard struggle for me? What can I do to make my life easier?! GRRR...

My primary problems are at work. It is hard to work with people who don't like you, especially because if they don't like you, they try their best to get you FIRED. Yes, my "New Boss from Hell who Can't Spell" is using her new found power to find anything and everything she can to get me fired. She wrote me up for being behind in my work while I was out three days sick, so I went in to work yesterday (Saturday)from 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., and I didn't finish what she wants me to present to her boss, so I am having to return to work today (Sunday). Mind you that I live an hour away from work, so that takes an extra two hours away from my day. This means that I will not get a day off to rest this week. I work on salary which means the sick days were taken away from me, but the time I have been at work this weekend to make up the work is not credited, because I do not get paid by the hour... Plus, I missed a training and will have to study it by myself to get quizzed next week. Paperwork SUX. Now, I have to give her my work everyday for two months.

Grr... Also, the She-Devils at work collaborated with each other to get red shirts. Mine is the only one that is black. I love it because I think it looks more professional than theirs, but it just goes to prove that I am not part of their clique.

I hate working with women. This is probably part of retaliation for my writing up my previous boss who is now a trainer. I need to keep more notes on My Boss from Hell Who Can't Spell.




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Redheads Are Cool

The traffic lights that take the longest to change are the ones that are closest to my apartment. What was different about today’s lights was that when I got to the light, I kept telling it to change… change… change… When are you going to change?!

Waiting for a light to change may seem like a lifetime, but it was very clear that it is the question that I should be asking myself! Autumn is all about change. In the Valley, we have tropical weather all year 'round, so we don't get to see all the pretty changing seasons... If we did, would we change with the season? Staying the same is safe, but staying the same is standing still, and standing still is not going forward, and not going forward means you are only existing, and if you are only existing, that means you are not living...

The first change I have made this season is to go red. I just got tired of the blonde, so I decided to go back to my natural haircolor. It took a lot of courage to change my hair color, but I have noticed that it has turned some heads and it will give my hair a rest to look healthier again. Plan 2 is to pick up after myself so that I don't end up spending a lifetime cleaning house. Plan 3 is to develop a better way to organize my work so I can get more things done in less time. Plan 4 is to change my eating habits. Plan 5 is to put myself on my own agenda! These are all short-term goals that I can start right now, changes that I should already be doing but keep putting on "ignore," because there always seems to be other things that are "more important" to fill my days.

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