Christmas letter 2014

Merry Christmas to my dearest friends and family. My new year started badly losing my job to India. Then, Beta fish Aphrodite died. Next my new ferret Eowyn went missing for a week. Losing hope she would come back, I got another girl ferret named Arwyn for my boy Faramir who had stopped eating. The very next day, I got Eowyn back from the shelter down the street. The three amigos adored each other and pounced each other. Baby Arwyn loved to play with squeaky toys. Soon Disney came out with a new movie “Frozen” based off the Snow Queen and I took niece and nephew to it. Niece became addicted to the movie to drive nephew crazy every time she played it or sang the songs. Faramir celebrated his 1st Birthday. With snow drifting on my balcony, Faramir dug tunnels for the girls. They were quite sad when the tunnels melted. Lost more fish: Calliope, Posiedon, Demeter, and Zeus in rapid succession. My fish reached their old age about the same. I had them about four years. Then lost new baby ferret Arwyn and to date never found her. Cats Precious and Frodo celebrated their 8th Birthdays. Now I have a couple of middle aged men living with me. They still play, but not as much as they used to. Got a job at the local mall at the Easter Bunny studio and Train Station. I took photos and ran the train. A few days I played the Easter Bunny. Had Easter dinner at sister’s house. Later in the month, I got a job at the local amusement park in the cash control area. Met lots of retirees and interns. Attended a niece’s college graduation with a Bachelor’s in Psychology. She began her Master’s studies this Fall. Had Mother’s Day lunch at my aunt’s house with my Mom and my sister’s family. Then had dinner with Mom at my other sister’s house. Brother introduced his new girlfriend to us this summer. They visited my amusement park and had a good time. Took Mom and sister to the cemeteries on Memorial Day. Watch my nephew play in a Little League game. He got the game ball by hustling in the last inning. Took sister’s family to my amusement park twice this summer. First time it rained half the time so we had to have a do-over. Second time was very windy and cold. Too much rain this year cooling off the temperatures. Weird, last year we had a drought and this year we have floods. At least I didn’t have to run the A/C as much, animals love fresh air. The family had the annual family reunion at my Mom’s retirement place. We celebrated my Mom’s and Aunt’s birthday. Attended my 20th High School Reunion. Had a good time listening to a band and chatting with fellow classmates. Saw a 4th of July parade in town and watched fireworks at my amusement park. Having no answer when asked, “What will you do when the amusement park closes for the season?” that I researched possible office occupations. I decided to return to college to get an associate degree in accounting. Got an A in high school accounting class so it is something I'm capable of. Using my coursework from last time I was in college, I will simply take my accounting classes and finish in a year. I set up an internship with my amusement park manager and look forward to completing my studies. Hopefully with taking classes as I work, I can earn enough credits to take the CPA exam so I can get a job anywhere. Wouldn’t that be awesome? Lost more fish: Persephone, Thalia, and Hermes after a few months with me. On the plus side, niece got engaged to plan a wedding for 2016. Went to the State Fair and finished the day with a Styx/Foreigner concert in the evening. Nephew loves Styx so only right it be his first concert. Started my college classes and celebrated my birthday with Mom and sister’s family at a fancy restaurant. Went out to a pumpkin patch and corn maze with sister’s family. Niece and nephew were ready for me to buy the biggest pumpkin around. I told them if they could carry it to the car, then I would buy it. Started a work study job as an office assistant to an economics professor. Learning lots from him that will be useful in the future. He loves my creative side full of history knowledge to aid in his online course presentations. Celebrated ferret Eowyn's 1st birthday and missed ferret Arwyn on her 1st birthday. Took niece and nephew out for Beggar’s Night as Frozen’s “Elsa” and the Grim Reaper. Niece had a “Frozen” theme birthday at my Mom’s retirement place and wore her Halloween costume. Started working at the mall with their Santa photo studio and run the train ride again. Meeting lots of people. Spent Thanksgiving at sister’s house. Finally got my Aunt from Omaha over here for a holiday. I have been inviting her years saying she is always welcome and so happy when she took me up on the standing invitation. Extended Family Christmas will be at my Mom’s retirement place. Family loves these conference rooms with a kitchenette. Next year start jury duty before returning for my 2nd semester in college continuing my work study job. I have signed up to volunteer to do taxes for students on campus. I'm actually good at taxes. Then my summer internship starts and finally graduation in August. Hopefully I can find a good job with my growing experience. So I will wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Love always, Jordan Harvey Cats-Precious, Frodo Ferrets-Faramir, Eowyn, (Arwyn-MIA) Fish-Apollo, Dionysis, Canace, Selene, Artemis

Autumn update

Celebrated my nephew's 10th birthday in August. In honor of his birthday, he, my brother-in-law, and I saw a Styx concert since he fell in love with the band. It was at the State Fair so after walking around and enjoying rides, we finished the day with the concert. Began my college classes to learn to be an accountant. I celebrated my birthday with my Mom and sister's family in a fancy restaurant. Sister insists on having a party next year to celebrate my 40th birthday. I'm not that old already, am I? One class had a charity project connected to it so helped raise funds for the Ronald McDonald House. I got put in charge of social media and marketing. I'm full of ideas. Went out for Trick or Treating with niece and nephew as Princess Elsa from Frozen and the Grim Reaper. Started a work study job with a professor of economics as his assistant. I'm learning lots from him and he is grateful he picked a creative genius who is an avid researcher. Christmas will soon be upon us and the local mall Santa Station is up and I'm working for the mall again. Will be spending Thanksgiving with family and putting up my Christmas decorations.

Summer update

Not much happening this summer to write about. Took sister and mother to cemeteries on Memorial Day. Went to Dad's grave on Father's Day. Took sister's family to my amusement park where I work this summer to wait out 2 rain storms to shut down new ride. Sister says we will go again in hope new ride will be open next time. New ride was open next time and they got in line. Nephew was too short so I took him elsewhere. When returned to the new ride asking how it was, niece cries how they shut it down due to high winds while they were in line. Have to wait next year. It was so windy that day I bought a jacket from being cold. We visited the water park half and I mostly sun bathed. Niece and nephew played in the water to return shaking from cold. Had a our family reunion and got a heavy cold shoulder. I wrote on a social site how it was good to know how people really feel hearing it from other people to include that when these people loose everything then they may criticize me for borrowing money from mother. I told mother I will gladly move into a tent and live on my grandpa's farm that she owns if it made everybody happy. She rejected the idea immediately. I'm sorry that I cannot force employers to hire me and pay me well. What do they expect me to do for money, start robbing banks? I don't think I would be any good at that and have no desire to go to jail. Attended my 20th High School Reunion. Guy had it has his farm and a band sang in the garage. Had to leave early to get to work in the morning. Got introduce to a prestigious whiskey and liked it a lot. People had to grab the bottle away from me before I puked. I have to share ya know. Took brother and new girlfriend to amusement park. She is full of allergies and phobias. I never seen my brother so happy before it is refreshing. Hope it works out. Worked on the 4th of July so saw parade with sister's family and saw fireworks at my amusement park. They do a good job and we took turns looking out the door for a few minutes to return to working. We all seen fireworks before. Unsure what I am going to do when the amusement park closes for the season, I got to researching office work I could do. I decided to go into accounting and get an associate degree. Hopefully I finish next year (with student loan) and get a job that pays enough to live off of. I told mother I don't need to rich to be happy, just paying my own bills without begging for money would make me happy. Besides, they give me 10 years at low interest to pay it back and student loan interest gives me a tax deduction so boo hoo for me. I hope for the best for me. Still have a ferret MIA and don't think the one who has her is going to turn her in to her microchip can be scanned and facility contacts me to pick her up. It's been 6 1/2 months. All for now.

The Graduate and Mother's Day

Niece #2 has graduated from college with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and prepared to start working on her Master's. As usual I escorted my mother and stayed at a nearby hotel. Hotel I picked had a pool and way too fancy setting for my cheap mother to handle. We sat at an outdoor stage area named after the trees surrounding it. Who would have guessed an area named for trees would have no trees to provide shade. They were cut down being old and falling apart to cause a safety concern. They were replaced with tiny trees. 2 hour ceremony in the bright sun caused everyone an bad sunburn. A couple people in our party got blisters. The relative we stayed with had never heard of Aloe Vera. It's been around for years and in every lotion sold in stores. We stayed overnight with a relative and called my sister coming the day for Mother's Day lunch to bring some aloe vera for our sunburns. Had a good chat over the afternoon. My relative showed me all their photos and special decorations from her husband's mother's house. Then we had to leave to meet my other sister's family who didn't come to the ceremony. We went out to eat with sister's family. Brother-in-law was at a race earlier in the day and had just returned home. Children love playing tic-tac-toe, when they win. Nephew hid his crayons and had to use niece's. We later found one of his on the floor while looking for something else. Apparently, even then, he refused to use it preferring my niece's crayon colors. Then the bill came and we left. Had dessert at sister's house. I bought a large sugar cookie for Mother Day dinners. I came home with none so it was a hit. Animals were happy to see me come home. Food/water bowls empty. Litter box full. Fed everybody and got ready for bed. Had a full day of activity and lots of driving.

Advice for College Graduates

Ah, this will be harder than advice to high school graduates. I spent 15 years after college graduation bouncing job to job and never run into a good man to marry so no kids in my lifetime. What would a broke crazy cat lady have to say to a college graduate? I'll give it my best shot. 1. Pay back your student loans as quickly as you can. It will save you on interest to pay the principal part (the loan amount) down faster than on schedule. 2. Surprise! You are going working for the same amount of pay as a high school student and have a long way to get to the middle. Yes, a degree will help get to the middle class jobs after experience builds on your resume, but at first, you will be at the bottom of hierarchy. 3. Remember Freedom of Expression you are so comfortable with is now over with. You will conform to your occupation dress code and manners, or you will be unemployed a lot. As they say: Shape up or ship out. 4. Pay your bills on time. A credit score may not mean much until you start applying for jobs, apartments, car loans, mortgage loans, and you got it, credit cards. As my father always said, If you can't afford something, then you don't buy it. Remember, Christmas is a good time to ask for things you can't afford. 5. Save as much as you can. Rainy days will happen. Your income will be fluid moving up and down as time goes on. Life is not a success only journey. And vacations are nice. 6. Remember it took your parents 20 years of hard work to get where they are now. It will take you just as long so don't believe you have to have everything your parents have right away. They struggled too long before they had you. 7. Get use to crash courses and take notes. Every job I've had is a crash course of training and then they leave you alone ready or not. 8. Most jobs are dealing with computers that record everything you do on them and dealing with cash jobs will have cameras. No surfing the internet when forbidden and no stealing cause management will figure it out and you will be fired. BTW, embezzlement is a crime that can send you to jail if your employer prosecutes. 9. When quitting a job, don't tell off the manager when you leave. That person will be the one future employers contact for a reference. In addition, you might need that manager to re-hire you later. 10. Don't think you are done learning. Many occupations require adults to return to college like: mechanics, teachers, office workers, etc. Technology changes, training styles change, and laws change. Job loss is another reason to return to college.

New job and then new interview

Oh why do these things have to happen to me? Start new job after a phone interview as merchandiser. In training I find I mostly clean shelves and relabel them cause most store owners don't care if items are arranged to "THE PLAN" the merchandising company created. It is once a month, five stores, so very part-time, but it's a job. I sign up to work for the local amusement park that is far away and pays little money, but it's a job and wouldn't interfere with the merchandising. Strike that, new amusement park job will interfere with merchandising job so have to let go of it after buying cleaning supplies to do it. Oh well, I can use cleaning supplies at home. So complete interview with amusement park job and temp agency calls me trying to fill in a new position at a bank. I must be at the bottom of their applicant list. Great job opportunity with perfect timing. Get through phone interview and listen to bank person talk about being investigated, wants this project of hers over with asap which would leave me out of a job, and do video meetings because lady is in another state. After considering my options, I decide to go with the amusement park. I know when this job ends and hope will lead to better opportunities when it is over. If not, just go on unemployment again. Now that my Cobra insurance is about to end, I have to find some on my own. Find out I'm finally poor enough for Medicaid courtesy of the cut off being raised from Obamacare. Before I was too rich for public assistance or had a job that provided health insurance and according to Obamacare, I had to accept it. Often I hated employer minimum health insurance because it, more often than not, don't cover name brand prescriptions, like the inhaler I need for asthma. This always lead to fights with every pharmacist for the past 15 years how expensive my inhaler is, questions if I still want it, and I need better insurance to get it at a better price. Talk about worst customer service imaginable and I get it at every pharmacy I've visited. Hope Medicaid covers it. And finally, the icing on the cake. I got an email asking for a administrative assistant position interview. Great timing again. I explained my other job so will see if this one interviews me at all. They are interviewing so many people you know, aka I scared the employer off. So what's the next curve ball that will be thrown at me, I win the lottery in the middle of my temp job?

Happy Easter

Went to sister's house for Easter. Grocery store doesn't make Bunny cakes anymore so made Easter basket cookies from recipe I found on internet. We had an egg hunt and niece was the winner to pick out a movie gift. 2nd place nephew picked a movie 2nd and pouted in his room. Watched niece's movie as adults talked. Then sister was ready to rearrange house for future viewing from potential buyers so the men rearranged the furniture in the bedrooms. When people started to leave I took Mom home. Forgot to take pictures and I remembered to bring my camera. Oh well.

New job

Month started badly with Beta fish Posidian, Demeter, and Zeus die in one weekend. Down to 4 fish. Plus Arwyn the ferret went MIA and still missing 3 weeks later. Dear God where is she, she had not any visitor experience in the 2 months I had her. Still bit me constantly so wonder if is still with the people who found her. I want my baby back. Had to go to the unemployment office on St Patrick's Day to prove I am looking for employment and got plenty of help for education and resume suggestions. Afterwards, walked down to see the parade. I stood for an hour and walked away. I could not handle standing anymore. Stopped at a fast food place to eat, grocery shopped, and went home. No parties for me, I'm broke and unemployed so nobody wants to buy me drinks. Got a new job at the Easter bunny set up at the mall. I run the train and take orders for Bunny photos. A professional photographer takes the pictures. She has her private business. A coworker is trying to get her to advertise her business on Facebook. X fingers for a permanent job coming my way and Arwyn gets turned in to have her microchip scanned so I can bring her home. The others miss her too and hardly play anymore.

Another day of unemployment

Had a good Valentine's Day watching romance movies. The Young Victoria is a favorite. I also got to take out my niece ands nephew so my sick sister could get more rest. Took them to IHOP and shared a hot fudge sundae. Got to pick up the kids from school another day and babysat until sister came home form parent-teacher conferences (she teachers computers to kids and runs the library). Got my tax refunds in the mail. Have to save that to pay rent. Ferrets sadly watched the snow melt and said good-bye to the snow tunnels. We got some ice, then some snow, but not enough to make a snow tunnel. Poor babies. We are over normal snow fall so hopefully that alleviates the drought we had the past summer. Watched the Olympics religiously. Snowboarding and ice skating are my favorites. Half-pipe and slopestyle with skis was interesting to watch. My nose is still stuffy, but getting better. Managed to fish my 7 fish alive. Been working on editing and rewriting my novels. Explored another Laundromat since my apartment machines keep breaking down. That cost twice as much so won't be doing that again. Got to read a book while I waited. Faramir has been climbing my clothes every day to get to the counters and sinks. He once played in the bathroom sinck and knocked all objects into the sink bowl. I had block his future excursions on the sink. Curious as cats. No more interviews and haven't heard from the 3 temp people I've spoken to for a while so I'm starting to wonder. Well nothing else to say. PS. RIP Posiedon. One of my first fish. A beautiful blue crown tail with red fins. Quite the Romeo with the lady fish. Got the bloat eye like Calliope and died. Buried in the grass plant.

Happy Groundhog Day

Having a good February. One week after Eowyn went missing the shelter called and I went to pick her up the next day. She gets along with Arwyn very well. When they met, sniffed each other tushy and started playing. After all the snow melted, it snow again and got a nice 18" drift on the balcony. Faramir has dug out 2 snow tunnels. The ferrets love snow and love jumping around in it. Had a job interview, but met rejection. I tried to be friendly and assertive that employers say they want. What they really want is a paradox. They want someone who won't talk to their coworkers, but still be an assertive team player. Excuse me, you can't have it both ways. Watched Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet and Kitten Bowl on Hallmark Channel while revamping my novel. What does it take to write a masterpiece someone will read? Lost another fish, down to 7 Beta fish. RIP Calliope. Got her as a baby and had her for almost 2 years. A little aggressive so kept in her own tank. Then her eye go bloated and internet said it was a liver disease. Recommended antibiotic in the water so did that, she died anyway. Put her in the grass plant. Since unemployed for a month now, I made my Valentines this year and promptly mailed them. Everybody loves them. I'm so creative. Too bad my creativity and patience can't get me a job that pays enough to live off of. Got my taxes done online and getting a nice refund. Got a ticket to see the last Motley Crue concert in Des Moines. I've seen them before and look forward to it this summer. Got my reservation set for my impending Niece's graduation this spring. Well, nothing else to report.

Happy New Year

My new year started with going to see Frozen and Desolation of Smaug at the movie theater. Shortly after, I lost my temp job with 1 day notice. Temp agency guy was looking at positions that ended on my original end date of the temp job. Tried to get me in to interview right away, but time slots filled up before he got my name in. Pooh. But, 2 weeks later he got me in to interview with someone at the end of the month. Keeping fingers crossed. My Beta female fish Aphrodite died. Found her at the bottom of the tank bloated and turning blackish, with fins missing. Now down to 8 fish. My ferret Eowyn went missing for a week. Looked around, put up Lost poster, and contacted shelters/missing pet lists. No word at all from my neighbors making me wonder if they killed her thinking she was a rat, let her outside and she froze to death, or if neighbor thought of her as a free pet deciding to keep. If that was the case, I prayed she was bite them, poop on the carpet, or start to stink from bath time event was due so neighbors would give her back. I lost all hope the neighbors would call and took down the Lost posters and cried believing I would never see Eowyn again. Poor Faramir stopped eating, stopped playing, and would look around every time I said Eowyn's name. I broke down and got him a playmate named Arwyn. She is settling in and started eating the cat food so I had to move that. Faramir is much happier playing with the new baby. Today Arwyn jumped on him and joined him in the bath tub stuffed animal collection Picked up Niece and Nephew from school. Brought some movies, but after 1 Valentine special they got on the computers and never came off, until I forced them to get off to eat supper. Poor sister was sick as a dog so she rested. Sister begged to stay to put kids to bed, but I had to go home and take my antibiotic (I've been sick with a cold and then sinus infection since Christmas) since it has to be taken with a meal or I get an upset stomach. Coming home I get a call about a found ferret at a shelter. Will see if it is her today. Crossing fingers. Had phone conversations with Mom who started a new exercise program where they sit in chairs and move their arms and legs around. Aunt from Omaha wanted to know all about my niece's impending college graduation celebration. Had to buy a new microwave cause Faramir knocked over a glass of Kool-Aid that spilled into the time dial that quit moving. New microwave has push buttons.