Xmas Letter 2013

Merry Christmas to all my friends and family. The year started recovering from the after Christmas clearance shoppers at Kohl’s. Then I finished my training to be a tax preparer for H&R Block. Once started, I only worked Saturdays at Kohl’s. Cats celebrated their 7th birthdays. I walked in the St Patrick’s Day parade for H&R Block holding the banner listening to the downtown crowd scream “Beads! Beads! Beads!”. Then hopped it to Kohl’s in my holiday outfit and shamrock painted on my face. I had a few beads around my neck so gave those to kids coming through my line. Started a new job opportunity as Financial Advisor for Primerica with my friend Justin I knew during childhood. Got a license to sell life insurance. Had Easter dinner at my place complete with Easter egg hunt in the courtyard. Had an odd occurrence with my Christmas cactus, it bloomed right before Easter. The end of tax season came on schedule and I worked on interviewing at temp agencies for a desk job. I have to go where the money is. Managed to get an employment verification job after my very first drug test. After 15 minutes of calling people on the phone, my ears started to ring. Driving home, I couldn’t handle the noise of the radio. I quit the next day. On the plus side, I finished fairytale trilogy for my nieces after working on it for 10 years. My youngest niece Annika wasn’t even born yet when I started writing ideas into a notebook. This fall I started rewriting the first book and plan to get it published as an ebook online for free. Hopefully next year I’ll get the first book rewrote. Had a freak occurrence and got snow on May 2nd. Last time that happened my Mom was a child. Niece Alex graduated high school and got lots of scholarships for University of Nebraska-Kearney. She intends to be a high school math teacher. The next day was Mother’s Day so the family went out for lunch. Went to Alex’s last dance recital where she did an Irish jig. Took niece Annika and nephew Lukas to the zoo to see the new rhino and new seal pool. Took Aunt Mary and Mom to the art center and drove by the downtown sculpture park to view modern art. Took Annika to Living History Farms where she learned to sew and petted a calf. Saw the 4th of July parade with brother-in-law Lance and Lukas. Later after work, took my Mom and Lukas to see fireworks. Celebrated Lukas’s 9th birthday. Lost one of my Beta fish, Medusa, taking my number down to 10 fish. Had them a year now (they live 3-4 in good care). Next I got a new furbaby named Faramir (Fair-a-meer). He is a young adult in ferret years born in January and at one year will be fully grown. They live 5-7 years. Cats view the varmint as competition for my affection so I try to love them as much as the newbie. Faramir loves to chase the cats across the apartment and keeps a stash of stuffed animals in the bath tub. After months of interviewing, I got a new job as a document processor for Marsh and McLennan in Urbandale. I left Kohl’s behind and will not be working for H&R Block next season. I won the Halloween pumpkin decorating contest and got to squish a cream pie in my boss’s face. I was nice to her. I saw an ad for a photographer for a shelter down the street called Furry Friends and started volunteering there taking pictures of the new animals for their website. Then I lost Faramir out the door when carrying in bags of groceries. A neighbor believing he was a wild opossum let him outside. I made my first Lost poster to tape up around the apartments. Another neighbor had recognized Faramir as a ferret and took him to Furry Friends thinking he was someone’s pet. The staff thought he was sweet and in perfect health. After the neighbor called me to say where my baby was, I picked him up and got him microchipped so if he escapes again, his scan will guide the shelter to me. We had a stray kitty take shelter in the drain spouts taken down during construction around the apartments. Eventually it was captured and saw its photo on a shelter Facebook page. They called it a Munchkin breed and right away was adopted. Visited a fancy pumpkin patch with rides and gift shop. They had an fairytale area of Three Little Pigs, Billy Goats Gruff Bridge, and Alice in Wonderland Tea Party. Faramir experienced his first snow and walked around with his nose in the flakes looking like a snow plow. We celebrated Annika’s 10th birthday. Had Thanksgiving dinner at sister Sylvia’s house and next day took Annika shopping. Next day had sleepover with Annika, Lukas, and Sylvia after seeing Festival of Trees and Lights. Lost another fish, Daphne, taking my number down to 9. Against better judgment of others, I got another ferret cause Faramir was attacking poor Precious. He loves his baby sister Eowyn (Ay- Oh-Win) cutting her permanent teeth and pounces her daily. She instigates play with him and loves snow. I will be hosting Christmas Day dinner and then following Sunday Mom will host the extended family Christmas at her apartment activity room. My temp job at Marsh is up in the air so here’s hoping for the best next year. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Becky, Precious, Frodo, Faramir, and Eowyn

Ode to a friend

Found out a friend is having a birthday soon so I'll give him some prose. Once there was a boy who said hello Naturally I thought he was talking to someone else So I walked on by Once there was a boy who was set to do a project with me So this time I knew his hello was meant for me I wrote our cartoon and he drew the pictures Once there was a boy who hurt a girl who stole my jacks Who sat next to me at lunch and the bus And simply asked how I was doing Once there was a boy who was upset his Valentine box stereo fell apart And I spent a recess gluing the boxes and paper back together When I found half the class gave me Valentines, he shared his candy Once there was a boy teachers said to stay away from They were afraid I would become a troublemaker like him But how could I toss away my hero and friend who cared about me Once there was a boy who moved away and did not see for many years I put his name in my first novel and made him into a character Then I found him again and now wishing him a wonderful birthday Have a great birthday Justin!!!

Advice to future college students

1. Save your notes so you can sell them to your friends the next semester. 2. College advisors will keep you in college forever so form your own plan. 3. You have the right to change your mind and change majors. 4. Make sure to officially drop classes because some professors will not drop the course for you if you fail to show up, then later you find an F on your report card. 5. You are the one doing all the work and paying back student loans, so pick an occupation that makes you happy. You got your whole life to be disappointed so dream for as long as you can. 6. Get a job. You heard the one with the gold makes the rules, so earning your own keep puts you in a bargaining position with your parents when financial decisions on your college expenses are made. 7. College is not a 4 year vacation from your parents where you can do whatever you want and parents will pick up the tab for you. Eventually, parents won't be around to take care of you so a college degree is nice to have. 8. Don't put anything in your dorm room that you can't handle being stolen. Money, music, checks, leather jackets are most often stolen things. And some roommates steal from you too. 9. Many internships are not paid. Plus, they expect you to pay your own apartment rent and car expenses without a paycheck. If you are lucky, they will pay minimum wage. 10. Watch for credit card offers. If you put away your credit card bills in a drawer and never pay them, THEY DON'T GO AWAY. These credit card companies target students without income expecting their parents to pay these bills.

Happening May

After niece graduated high school, she has a dance recital and piano recital. Went to dance recital. Ballet, jazz, tap, Irish, hip hop dancing. Irish dancers had huge curly hair pieces bouncing as they hopped around. One girl's hair came loose and audience laughed every time she adjusted it. Poor girl. Had dinner with niece and sister and Mom. It got mentioned that sister will be coming over and few times this summer. One is for Memorial Day grave decorating and another for a test at a doctor. I emailed my siblings concerned about Mom's thought process being off and memory fuzzy. Most of the time she is fine, just once in a while I wonder if something is wrong. It's the little things. Hopefully Mom is healthy and we can go about lives as usual. Had a job interview today and it went well so I'm crossing my fingers. I need this job cause I can't keep asking Mom for money forever. It needs to end. I borrowed more than I can ever pay back now. Well nothing else to report.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers, stepmothers, pet mothers, and the whole village of women who help raise us. Had a lovely weekend with my family celebrating Niece #3's high school graduation. Left the day before cause my Mom is convinced I can't get up early enough or find my way to the high school the day of. Whatever. Left in mid afternoon to arrive early evening cause sister's family has activities and we want to be sure they are home ready to receive guests. Ate at McDonald's and Mom got her first slushy of frozen lemonade. Where ever Mom goes she has to have lemonade and this place had only had the frozen kind with strawberry juice mixed in. They made a non-strawberry lemonade just for her and clerk was confused how to do that. What Mom discovered that it is hard to drink right away until starts to melt. We slept on the sofa bed in the living room. Everybody noticed my hair is shorter. Next morning get ready for celebration and take off to help set up reception at a church. No wild keg parties for this family. Decorated tables and prepared food. Then left church for the ceremony. Met the family at the high school and sat on bleaches way up high. Videoed the entrance march and took photos of the rest. Both valedictorian and salutatorian mentioned by brother-in-law: social studies teacher, speech team, mock trial, softball team, etc. He is quite the character playing 70's rock to the students. Niece was in 4th place on the GPA ratings so didn't make a speech, but top 5 students get all the scholarships. Her 1st year is paid for, now my sister and brother-in-law have to pay room and board. Niece plans to be a middle school/high school math teacher. Funny, I never made it past Algebra II. She loves Dr Who like my brother. Then stood in line for the receiving line outside the school. Eventually I cut in line to take niece's picture and give her a hug. I don't need to shake all 32 hands. Went to reception. Told family about new job prospect and they were so excited I would be quitting my investment job. Actually, no, I'm not quitting my investments job. I think of that as extra money and work what I can since everybody but 3 people run away screaming "I don't want to buy anything". And for some reason people keep reminding me it is a commission job like it is a disease I caught. Yeah, I figured out this is a commission job the first day and done that type of work before. It is not working for free, it is unstable income. Funny nobody cried foul when my tax office job is 100% commission and a retail store job I had once was that way too. Jerks. So finish cleaning up the reception room and go to sister's house. Relax in front of TV and chat. Sister got our Dad's stuff asking if we wanted anything since I said once I wanted Dad's dog tags and couldn't find them. We went over his stripes, ribbons, pocket watches, etc. My Dad never wore a wrist watch, he had pocket watches. I got his dog tags and brother mentioned he found a flight log of Dad's along with the log he kept as a conductor on the railroad. Did Dad fly a plane in the Air National Guard? Mom can't remember, but then she can't remember anything anymore. Sister said that someone said our Grandma mentioned Dad flying planes and stopped when he got married. He would fly over their farm and tip his wings so they would know it was him. Never heard that story before. But then again, my family rarely tell stories. Next morning went out for lunch at a restaurant and waited nearly 2 hours for a table. That's Mother's Day for you. Had to sit by aunt who complained I wasn't talking much. I already declared my good news, nothing else for me to talk about. I know she doesn't want cat stories. I have no money to do fun things. She never comprehends how broke I really am (when I lost my job and almost homeless, she thought I should travel Europe and tell her all about it). She suggested we visit a living history museum in town. Yeah, ok, we can take my little niece #4 to see that again, I took niece there last year for a pioneer wedding. I'm sorry I don't share her enthusiasm viewing something I've seen a dozen times and volunteered 2 seasons there. So finish with cake. Niece #4 begins to cry and refuses to eat her cake because she didn't know where her mommy is. As someone gets up to check the rest room, here she comes wondering what my niece crying about. Isn't she allowed to use the rest room without her? Waiter then asks which man at the table wants the bill. My nephew says he wants to pay the bill. Waiter asks if he was sure cause it was $400. Nephew says he has no money. Waiter says he can work off the bill at a child labor camp. Nephew replies his mommy can pay the bill. So we separate our orders and pay our bill. Hugs and kisses done and drive home. Mom fell asleep half way home. Long 2 hour trip. I got home to pet the cats, fill food dish, change water, scoop the litter, and not a bad mess to clean up. Good cats.

More interviews

Tried a employment verification job to realize it is a call center job so I wear headphones and talk on phone. I can not handle headphones, they hurt my ears. Years ago the airport my car rental was located in put in new speakers because people complained they can't hear pages. New speakers were booming loud and made my ears ring so I couldn't hear my customers. I left the job stating I needed to leave before I go deaf. Worked at a retail store during the Christmas season and returned when heard they turned down the volume of the new speakers. SO came back to my old job. After working 1 day and training 1 and half day for the call center, I quit. After 15 minutes, ears hurt and after 1 hour, had trouble hearing people. Next 5 hours after lunch were hard, but made it through. Continue my retail store job and caught the eye of a customer. Usually I don't date customers since they usually want free things. You may love being used, abused, and tossed away, but I despise people like that. Guy was so impressed I was so nice at my cash register. Yeah, I call it MY JOB. Wonder what would he think of me when I am no longer paid to kiss his butt. Texted his cell phone he gave # to and we texted a couple hours. Met for pizza and he took me to a park I never been to. Very nice park. He got a little frisky saying good-bye and I wasn't ready to make out in the middle of a parking lot. Not much of an attraction so won't be contacting him again. Got first paycheck from financial advisor position for moving Mom's investments around. About time, it's been 2 months and forked out money to apply for all the licenses and set up website. Friend is changing their life insurance so hopefully in a couple months get another installment. I looked forward to my tax office job to give me a bonus to find there is no bonus for me. Bummer. Got another interview at temp agency #3. Agency #2 interview was hard cause she pointed out that I worked sales jobs since college and therefore, must really love sales. How does one explain that I work sales jobs simply because nobody will pay me to do anything else. I just said it made me money. This new gal offered what I was hoping for: loan processing. I will gladly sit in a cubicle typing, faxing, emailing, reading, sorting loan apps into different departments. Told interview gal I wanted to be self supporting, which is hard at $8 and 20 hours a week, and stop standing on my feet for 8 hours (which is hard the body). Making plans for niece's high school graduation the day before Mother's Day. Driving Mom over to the ceremony and having a Mother's Day lunch with the family at a restaurant. Extended family likes to get together. Nothing else to say.

Struggling along

Been struggling to get through life like everyone else. My retail store not releasing the end of tax season only worked me during the usual Saturdays I had fixed during tax season. So I wait for coworkers to give up days (took hours from 3 coworkers). I tried out for a temp agency to get work at a desk so I can quit my retail store job. I noticed all new people working so other coworkers must be finding better jobs. Why not me? Did manage an employment verification job and start tomorrow. I'm excited and nervous. What if I don't like it? What if they don't like me? The usual uncertainties. Also got a call from another temp agency and interview tomorrow. See if they can find something better. Even entry-level job want experience. And here I thought entry-level meant no experience, silly me. I did finish writing and editing my trilogy so happy about that. Been busy summarizing my closet and changing the sheets. I have too many clothes, but I keep changing jobs so don't want to toss anything I might need later. I have no money to keep buying clothes. Frodo had his 7th birthday today. He got tuna juice from the can while I made tuna and noodles. Well, nothing else to report.

End of tax season

Sorry I have not posted since Valentine's Day. Working 6 days a week makes my brain too tired to post. Busy working taxes all week and work in my retail store on Saturdays. Precious had his 7th birthday. Around St Patrick's Day started talking to a male coworker who visited my apartment a few times. Started falling for the guy. I was in the St Pat's Day parade representing my tax office and held the sign for it. Had a partner wanting to walk 2 feet from the float ahead of us. Manager and I explained to get back so people can read the sign. She refused to hear us so I struggled to hold a sign with only a bit of string to wrap around my finger. Very windy and very cold, my hands frozen and nose stuffy. The crowds cried for beads. I was surprised no one demanded candy. It was all Beads! Beads! beads! Then found a friend through a social media site who offers me a job. I need all the help I can get to get back on my feet and stop asking my Mom for money. This new job as financial advisor caused an uproar in my family and my sister determined to make me quit. She even looked up a hate site to see people's complaints about the company to convince me to quit. Even better, she announced that I failed to ask her permission to take this new job. My response was naturally to announce back that I don't need her permission for anything and for the hate site: Every company is going to have complainers. Every retail store I worked for has had angry customers. Forgive me, but I will make my our decisions concerning my life. If sister doesn't like that, then that is too bad. Easter came around and sister believed we were now divorced. Huh, what? Ok, so you don't like my finance job. What has that got to do with an Easter egg hunt for her children? Please don't make me eat all this candy by myself. My family is weird. So we have Easter dinner and egg hunt at my place. Had a great time. Sister even described her real problem with new job. She is worried it is pushy door to door salesmen job. No, I'm not selling vacuums or magazine subscriptions and then take off. Financial advisors go over their long term client's retirement, insurance, investments, to find them the best fit for their money. I do not sell a product and wave good bye to never be seen again. Hoping family has calmed down, I start working on plans for my niece's graduation and Dad's tombstone on Memorial Day. There is no recognition of his military service on his tombstone and I want to change that. Mom thinks because he wasn't in combat that he was not a "real" veteran. He was "real" enough to get a pension and she signed up for widow's benefits when he died. Now have to file paperwork that needs Mom's signature. Hope she cooperates. Otherwise have to wait until she passes to get Dad's military service recognition. Getting the silent treatment from my family now. Even worse Mr Wonderful got fired from his job and he stopped talking to me too. Oh well, it is nice while it lasted. Can't get ahold of my sister to return her tables and chairs to her that I borrowed for Easter. Oh well, eventually she's got to get over it and forget about it. I've been busy looking for extra income any way I can. Retail store is not giving out hours very willingly. Drake Relays is coming up so they will need people then. Oh well, what can I do? My life is same as usual.

Happy Valentine's Day

Have a great Valentine's Day Everybody. Been busy at the tax office and dealing with snow storms. Had interesting customers come in to the tax office ready to defraud the government, but I'm not willing to go to jail for them. My tax classes prepared me in tax law, but not how to deal with clients wanting to write their own rules. We had married people say they are single and single people saying they are still married to their ex. The most interesting is when a parent wants to claim adult children as dependents forever cause they always have claimed them. Then we have the people who cry about our prices, but then technically we are not holding them prisoner either. You want everything for free, then do it yourself. Naturally my favorite are the people who are happy their big refunds and I tell them not to spend it all in one place. On the home front, cats are doing well watching the birds and squirrels. Frodo lunged for a squirrel on the balcony and then came back inside hissing. Must been a mean squirrel. Precious keeps getting tangles in his fur and have top brush him regularly. My retail store is doing fine without me. The first week away from the store, I came back to forget my password and locker combo. Wrote it down so won't forget it again. Still working hard on my last novel. One more chapter and I'm done. Now what should be in the last chapter? So many tales spinning in my head. Well, nothing else to report.

1st tax return

Been doing practice tax returns out of a book for a couple weeks now. Today they let me do my 1st return, supervised of course. Lady had an unmarried couple so she took the girlfriend and I took the boyfriend. Boyfriend worked in several states so typed in his stuff to a point and then other Expert person would finish it. I was so excited to do my 1st return, until I shook his hand and then I was a deer in headlights. What do I say, What do I do? Got through it and turns out Expert needed more time to do all these states (my state does tax deductions if you pay income taxes in other states) so he would come back later to collect the paperwork and sign to file the return. Need to work on conversation. Very hard to practice conversation when reading problems in a book. Working up the ladder. In other news: Heard people working on the roof this month when it was warmer. The ceiling has not leaked yet so hopefully that has finally been fixed. Noise scared the cats so much they hid under the bed instead of eating their breakfast. Poor kitties. Cleaned 5 fish tanks in one day. I have remember not to get so fish next time. That is what I get for having a indecisive brain. Worked on my Valentine cards and ready to send out. Got to write a letter to 2 aunts, they don't have email. Well nothing else to talk about. Later.

1st official day

Had my 1st official day at work in the tax office. Got the grand tour of where things are. Got to work on practice returns. Took a lunch break to visit the gas station next door. I wonder if they let you refill your cup or make you buy a new one. The tax person I was practice my customer skills with was a talker so a 20 minute return took almost an hour. And then there was the skip this, skip that. How am I to learn what to say if we are skipping things. Then the receptionist announced she went to lunch. 2 hours later, tax person checks the schedule to find her shift was over. Why did she say lunch if she was going home and staying there? So didn't get much practice in since we were answering the phone every 2 minutes. Most callers wanted the secretary. Sorry, have to take a message. Another newbie came so we sat and did our practice returns. She said her 1st day, they left her completely alone. She struggled answering the phone and making appointments (unsure if she did them right). She didn't get any practice returns done. Even better, when time came for tax person to leave, relief didn't come. She calls the manager. Person not coming so this person had to work another 2 and half hours so we newbies were not alone. Her relief comes and I finish up to go home. I was ready to go home.

Les Miserables

Went to the theater to see The Hobbit cause a friend saw it the other day so knew it was still in the theaters (couldn't go during the Christmas season). I was an hour late for the last matinee so looked for something else to inspire me. It is my resolution to finish my damn novel (few chapters more and I'm done) and badly need a movie to turn the gears of my imagination. It always works. I saw Les Miserables opening Christmas day was still playing so check the times. Movie was starting in a minute. I saw the play in Chicago during a high school chorus trip and how could any teen forget the night in the balcony looking for Oprah, who friends saw by the stage. I can't recall if I saw here, but I look at 200 faraway faces trying to find her. Bought my ticket, hot dog, popcorn, and pop. I should not have bought food. Hour in and had to pee, but I didn't want to miss anything. This was good. I was surprised at the lack of opening credits, or maybe my brain just missed them. I recognized Russell Crowe off the bat though Hugh Jackson I had to stare at to recognize. Another bad guy role for Mr. Crowe. He harmonized his songs well though more spoken than sung without any passion. I didn't really believe him evil at first. At the end where he sings to himself about to commit suicide over doing a good thing, I finally saw the passion I was looking for and believed his character was so evil he couldn't handle giving compassion to a law breaker. Hugh Jackman was good as the hero of the tale and sang well. Like an opera this movie is all singing. Some people hate that, but I rather like it. Very passionate and sympathetic character. He is just a man trying to live a good life, but his criminal past won't allow that to happen. I cried when his character died. Anne Hathaway was amazing and sang like an opera diva (maybe dubbed, who knows). I loved her solo on dreams (how it suits my life) with so much passion I felt for her character. Her character was the victim of others and was only trying to survive to take care of her daughter. Though the story had a male as the one who fires her, it was a female in the book. She is the reason I made a note in my head when this movie came out. I'm only sorry I missed her in Batman as Catwoman. I cried when she died too. This is a very sad story and need a tissue to watch. Though I was rather confused at the prostitutes, they sang about pretty ladies when they looked like clowns with bad make- up and messy hair. Helen Bonham Carter was hilarious. Even as a villain I can't help but laugh (even as evil Bellatrix Lestrange). Her singing was more speaking than melody, but I was too busy enjoying her stealing from her customers (and her customers never figure this out?) to pay that close attention. I did notice sunglasses in 3 scenes and thought it out of place, but what movie is historical accurate. The infamous barricade scene was covered with handsome guys I look forward to seeing again in other movies. I'm a sucker for cute blonds even though they are too young for me. Very exciting to watch. I forget the king they were fighting against (history major who took a college course on history of France). Restoration put Louis XVI's brothers back on the throne, then Duke of Orleans as Louis-Phillipe, and then Napoleon III overthrew whoever to be Emperor, and was overthroned by the French and escaped to England under sanctuary of Queen Victoria. Then French Republic after that. Anyway, awesome to watch a biography of people in French history. I give it 5 stars. I like this better than the play in Chicago. In fact, I loved the name Cosette so much I wrote in my list of names I keep for story characters after viewing the play.

37 things about me

A friend wrote 38 facts about herself in honor of her birthday. My birthday was last September turning 37, so I give 37 things about me. 1 Angelina Jolie and Drew Barrymore were born the same year I was. 2 My favorite flavor is butterscotch. 3 My celebrity crush is Brad Pitt. 4 I was almost kidnapped twice, age 5 at a mall and age 11 in my backyard. 5 I like to sing to myself whether people or cats want to listen to it. 6 I have 2 cats and 11 fish. 7 I wanted a dog since I was a kid and held my aunts' dogs close to my heart. 8 I have had asthma since junior high. 9 I love ballet and skateboarding more than anything, and gave both up when I went to college. 10 I have a Bachelors of Science degree in Liberal Studies with a History Major. 11 My childhood hero is Madonna because she never apologized for being herself. 12 I met Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue when I hit him with a door when leaving a gift shop (my friend Ryan nearly fainted when I presented his autograph on a postcard for him). 13 I almost married a man trying to prove he wasn't gay and my sister talked me out of it (she said I didn't love him). 14 I never worked a job I truly loved and just did it for money (and nobody else would hire me). 15 My wildest dreams as a kid was to be an actress or astronaut. 16 My wildest dreams as an adult is to come home to a family living in a house. 17 I could not whistle until I wore a retainer at age 12-13. Now I can whistle 2 notes. 18 I could never be a vegan, I hate vegetables. 19 I have angels around my apartment to remind me that lost loved ones are not so far away. 20 I painted my own Christmas village. 21 I love the sound of a guitar because a grandma used to play one. 22 I once ate lunch by the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France and saved the Coke can printed in French. And if return, I want to see Versailles. 23 I save ticket stubs to movies, plays, concerts, etc. 24 I hum music from Georges Bizet's "Carmen" when I cook, put up decorations, etc. 25 I collect coins and oldest one is from 1908. 26 My favorite cartoon is Calvin and Hobbes cause I was a kid with a wild imagination. 27 I may claim to be an atheist, but refuse to give up candy canes and chocolate eggs. 28 I put vanilla, cinnamon, & powdered sugar in my French toast milk and eggs mixture. 29 I like wearing high heels to feel taller. 30 My favorite song of all time is Pour Sugar on Me by Def Leppard. 31 I talk to my cats and fish. They stare back at me. 32 I like to paint landscapes, but terrible at portraits. 33 I never learned to ride a bicycle. 34 I enjoy dressing up in costumes for Halloween. 35 If my jobs (or family) didn't forbid it: I would have pink hair. Or dark purple. 36 I let my cats eat people food off my plate. 37 I am the master of weird dreams.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year Everybody. My resolution this year is try to make more money. Wait, I've been doing that for 2 years since I lost my good job. Ok, new resolution will be to blog more often so I don't forget things when working on my end of the year Christmas letter. This blog comes in handy. Friends and family are amazed how detailed my letter is and how I remember ALL this stuff. I don't remember it all, I write it down as I go along. Start tax preparation this month for a good company. My work friends went here so I never knew there were other companies that did taxes for people. My training ends this week and then wait for the offices to open. They can't open until IRS says they can. Got business cards ordered and tax preparer number. I'm ready. Return week at my retail store has killed my back from bending over for sacks so much. A week after Christmas and crowds never waned. Lots of clearance shoppers. And yes, I love clearance shoppers cause we got to make room for incoming stuff. Spring is here with sherbet colors and Valentine candy too. So I will be spending my days off relaxing my poor back and attempt to finish trilogy for my nieces. A couple more chapters and I'm done. Couldn't work on it during the Christmas season. That is a good resolution, finish my damn novel. Well out of things to talk about. Have a great new year. Mine is good so far.