Friday, December 10, 2010

The unemployed and their families

My husband has been out of work for a year. More than a year. It's strange how it starts out. He comes home early and tells you he is laid off. Not a complete surprise as they have laying people off for a couple of months. He was lucky to be one of the last and you are proud of him for that.

The company had never laid anyone off and had a record for once you are there you are a lifer. At first it's okay. He gets unemployment and when you don't have to pay out gas and all other things you are doing okay. And the company says things like "Hang on, we will get some contracts straightened out. We will be back on our feet." So you don't bust your butt looking for a job. You like your job and that job "security".

Then you hit the six month mark. Hmm...this is serious. Now with Bill you have to understand something. He had been working with some friends doing some side jobs. They hoped to have a company up and running. They consulted for other small businesses and did all kinds of jobs: designing, welding, building, etc. So this was Bill's time. The time to have unemployment while devoting yourself to a future dream. BUT guess what? Those same small businesses begin to fold. You watch all these people that you hoped to work for go out of business. And a certain fear and dread settle in.

My husband is 50. It isn't easy. It's damn tough. He has been a welder all his life. And his allergies have hit the roof. He coughs up crap, actually pukes...yeah, it's gross..but it matters. All of this makes for some scary job searching.

Now for the family. I am TRYING to be supportive. I hear some awful things come out of my mouth lately. {hanging head in shame} Is he really trying? Come on. There has to be a job somewhere. He is still putting a lot of time with his friends trying to get things going, looking for work and doing a lot of things around here. I think I see him less than when he had a job.

The stress in our house is high. Take this: "You KNOW your dad isn't working. We have to watch our money." This is in reply to a zillion scenarios involving our daughter. Really, Kriss? You think she has somehow managed to FORGET this? I don't think so.

This is besides all the scares with unemployment that you see on the news. Do I want the country to go further in debt? Hell, no. But I don't want to pay for stupid and unnecessary wars..or bailing out Haiti.

I want my husband to have a job. All I want for Christmas...

Sunday, September 19, 2010

It has been how long?

I know I don't have a lot of followers but still...shouldn't I feel guilty not keeping my blog running?

The thing is that I started it for contests. Occasionally I would get personal and I even got feedback. Yay! But only two friends know about it. Why? I don't know.

The reason I am back is that I have been blasting my personal life out there for my FB friends and family and well, let's just say we are not all on the same page. And I don't think I need to use my FB page to shove my views in their face. Any more. Well, not as much.

Bill and I watched "A Single Man" tonight. It was one of those things I do. Watch a movie, run over and put in all the movies from the previews into my library requests. Later on I sometimes look at the movie and think, "What the hell were you thinking?"

I don't choose enough movies like this one. I had read it was a great movie. I heard Colin Firth was stunning. Yes, that is a word I would use for his performance.

But I don't see my friends or family rushing out to rent it. Various reasons. Not funny. Not action packed. Not educating. Just a movie about a man in the early 60's dealing with the death of his lover. A man, by the way. So right away I am thinking it will be classified as a gay movie. Sigh..

Not so. Colin is a man who is in mourning, a deeply sad man. And this is a day in his life with flashbacks of his relationship. And it is moving. Julianne Moore is made for her role. Have you ever noticed how she can be so damn beautiful or really plain? But that she shines in whatever she does?

So my FB post would have been one thing that disturbs myself about watching the movie. I am still not totally comfortable with men kissing. Shoot me for my honesty. I believe in marriage for gays. I don't have a problem with the idea at all. I would just have to believe that having been raised in a small town, redneck as well, has somehow contributed to this.

That out and posted for the world to see, I would recommend this movie as one to watch. Just sit back and let it play before you. The visuals are incredible. The whole feel of the movie is wonderful.

Monday, January 25, 2010

The new neighbors

Guess how I met them? If you can call peeking out the spy hole actually meeting them. :) Well, I got woke up at 12:45 A.M. by people carrying a mattress upstairs. Okay, I am thinking maybe they just found one...were sleeping on the floor and we should all feel sorry for them. They will go into the bedroom, throw the mattress down and fall asleep exhausted.

Uh, no. An hour and a half goes by with constant walking (I suspect they wear army boots) and scraping. Yes, at 2 a.m. they are moving furniture.

My husband isn't home. Just my 14-year-old daughter, our dog and I. I think about doing something and then have visions of a meth head up there. He will shoot us all and that will be that. I call my husband.

He is working on building a business with some other guys and they are pulling an all-nighter to get a project ready for a presentation. I call him. He tells me he will come home immediately (an hr drive) and then go back to work.

Now I am feeling stupid. What happened to that young woman who lived alone? Before she moved in with anyone, before 1st marriage to THE JERK, before marriage to my Prince Charming.

So I do what any woman would do. I reach for a weapon.

Yes, a weapon.

The broom. I go into the dining area where above me they are playing hockey or something. And I tap 3 quick times. EVERYTHING stopped.

So maybe they are not meth heads. Maybe they won't kill me. And no, my husband does NOT need to come protect me. As long as I have my broom.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Lack of sleep

I have been fighting insomnia since I was eleven years old.

Lately I have been reading more and more about the side effects of
not sleeping well. Fatigue, weight problems, aching muscles,
memory lapses, and much more.

I suffer from many of those things. And I have one of the worst mattresses
ever. I posted before about this. These posts are to share not only my
sleep issues but to also try to solve them...by winning a new mattress!
It's the Sealy Posturepedic Innerspring Signature 11 Series innerspring
mattress! You can check out their mattresses here: http://www.sealy.com/

This mattress is available in : Twin, Full, Queen, Split Queen, King and CalKing.

Check out this information:

Distributes body weight away from the heavier parts of the body, relieving pressure from where it’s concentrated. Has a 7-zone pressure relief inlay with memory foam near your head and back of knees, and latex near your hips!

I actually bought a new mattress not that long ago. I went cheap. Sigh...When
will I learn? Some things are worth more money. Mattresses are one of those
items. So check out the contest here: http://www.bizziemommy.com/new-year-new-mattress-giveaway.html and maybe you can win!

I also have a button to the left to get to BizzieMommy.com's website where the
contest is.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

What would you choose?

So you have limited time left..and there are movies to watch...books to read...the computer...what do you do?

I had suggested my dad get a new computer. He doesn't have that much time left and why fight with an old piece of shit? Excuse my language but no one reads this anyways.

He said he got cinemax because it was 2.99 for life. and then wondered what he was doing...he would end up watching movies he didn't care for when there were more books and magazines than he would ever have time to read.

Not enough time...not enough time...

I can't tell you how it breaks my heart when he says things like that. And what am I supposed to say to that?

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Free movie or was it?

I won free movie passes to see The Lovely Bones. So there we were heading up to Seattle, no small feat, and it was pouring..Bill and I looked at each other..

WTH are we doing? Seriously. Free? Gas to Seattle? An hour drive? Lousy weather..traffic.

And it occurred to me. It isn't worth it. So we decide to have movie night. Wednesday nights 7 to 9. No getting up multiple times, blah blah blah...

And we test it out after we turn back from Seattle. WHAT A FREAKING DISASTER!

We arrive home and our teenage daughter is NOT happy to see us. Now there's a surprise. LOL So there is her attitude.

Then I notice the dishes we left, the carpet needs vacuuming..Bill goes to throw some snacks together. An hour later we are about ready. And we chose Reservation Road. We had this on our shelf for a YEAR and hadn't found the time to watch it.

It was a great movie..but this whole movie night needs to be reevaluated. Like next wk clean up before the movie, have snacks ready on time, etc.

And yes, I missed the whole getting to see the movie before it is in a theater, seeing a movie that looks good but we would not pay to see..like Lovely Bones..

I think we will do the Seattle thing sometimes...just to get out. BUT only when the weather is nice. :)

Monday, January 4, 2010

Winning a Sealy Posturepedic

AKA Dream a Little Dream for me

You know what's sad? I'll tell you what's sad. My mattress is only about two years old. Hey, don't cheer yet. It sucks. I know, how is this possible? I was cheap. And stupid. And clueless.

So here I am with this mattress and SOOOOOOOOOOOOO unhappy with it. It creaks. You KNOW...you don't want a creaking mattress. Your kids don't want you to have one. The neighbors don't want you to have one. Your...well, you get the drift.

It sags. One day my butt is going to hit the floor. Seriously. And my butt is dragging enough as it is.

It is uncomfortable. Hence the tangle of bedding I have to sort through every morning when I make the bed. Toss? Turn? Hey, I wrote the book. Ask my husband.

So here I am trying to blog about a contest. Let's be honest here. This is going to be quite a process. I don't know how to link. Add banners to my page? I am working on it. But for this it is worth it.

Sealy Posturepedic Innerspring Signature 11 Series. Doesn't that just SOUND like the kind of mattress you want? MommyMandy is giving one away. Isn't that cool?

ONE winner will win any size of the new Sealy Posturepedic Innerspring Signature 11 Series. This includes Twin, Full, Queen and King; except for CalKing. Winner will also be able to pick the model in firm, cushion firm, plush and ultra plush.

http://mommymandy.com/sealy-posturepedic-signature-series-giveaway/

http://www.sealy.com/