wishes

Being is Believing

Just for Fun

So… 2017. What can we say about it?

There were some definite, not-great things about the year that was that I will not be sad to see go. Like completely losing focus on anything and everything side-business-related. Then there was the hurricane that came barreling towards us in September. Or the massive breast abscess that took almost 2 months to heal only to go for a mammogram and find out I had a lump in the other breast that required a biopsy. Or that my insurance coverage barely covered 10% of all of the above.

Not fun.

But there were a lot more really awesome things that happened this year that easily overshadow the negatives.

The hurricane swerved. Thank goodness (though it still did a lot of damage elsewhere, which is still not good).

And I don’t have cancer. Halle-freaking-lujah. And I have some really good doctors here in town because of it, including a surgeon that called me, himself, between patients at the hospital, to make sure I new the lump was benign before Thanksgiving instead of making me wait until my appointment the following Monday. And since he missed me the first time he called my office, he called back later to make sure he got me.

Then there are the amazing people I’ve met this year: some in person, others online, and can count some true friends and loved ones among them. And speaking of loved ones, Todd and I reached the 10-year mark in our relationship this fall and that’s a pretty major thing! Yeah!

And lest I forget: I got a new job this year! Sure, training my replacement at the old place was stressful as all get out (I was actually training two people, plus filling in some gaps on a third recent hire, while the facility prepped for a big name visitor that was then rescheduled due to the hurricane), but the momentary stress was worth it as I now have all of a 5 minute commute to the office and what will be a fabulous, fulfilling position once the slow transition is complete sometime in the coming year.

I also did a lot of reflection and self-discovery this year, too. It’s pretty much what I did instead of business-building. Some would say that’s just as valuable or maybe even more so. I could go either way on the subject.

So what about 2018, what are my hopes for it?

A lot of the usual: get a better handle on my finances, feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of next year, yadda yadda yadda… But mostly I want to just be.

Be what? Ahh, that’s the thing, now isn’t it.

There are lots of ways to be, and sometimes just the act of being–existing–is all you can accomplish in a day. Some days are like that. I had several of them over the last 10 months or so.

But on the days where I can be more, this is what I’d like to be…

Be Okay
with whatever happens, how it happens, and even why it happens; fight less, accept more

Be Understanding
of people, events, strangers and friends alike, and of myself; don’t beat myself up for simple mistakes, or even big mistakes, they’re gonna happen but it doesn’t have to feel like the end of the world

Be Happy
appreciate what happens, the happy accidents and the unexpected adventures alike; find joy in little things and look on the bright side as much as possible

Be Brave
step out of my comfort zone a bit and try new things, or maybe retry old things that didn’t work out the first time–maybe I’ve learned something that can change the outcome this time

Be Open
to success and failure, to friendship and love, to beginnings and endings, to whatever the universe has in store; judge less, learn more

Be Unapologetic
stop apologizing for things I don’t need to be sorry for, especially those things that have to be done and aren’t wrong in the doing, but the little things, too; find better words for those other times when sorry isn’t the right thing to say but we just don’t have a better idea

Be Enough
know that I am who and what I need to be, not for anyone else but for myself, know that I don’t have to have the answers for someone else’s life, or even always for my own

Be Myself
good, bad, or indifferent I can only be who I am, I cannot keep changing myself to fit the molds and expectations of others; let people see the real me and the ones that don’t like it, I don’t need

Here’s to a happy and fulfilling 2018, whatever that ends up meaning 🙂

I Got My Wishbone Wish!

Everyday Adventures

I think the last time I won a wishbone break was when I was 5 or 6 and I wished we could go to Disney World. Little did I know that they’d already planned a family trip for us. So I’m not 100% sure that it counts.

At any rate, a couple weeks back, when I’d picked up a rotisserie chicken for part of that week’s menu, I saved the wishbone on a whim and won the break against Todd. What did I wish for?

A new job, of course.

That weekend I got responses back from two of the jobs I’d applied for, both of which scheduled interviews with me for Tuesday, the 5th; one at 10am and one at 3pm.

Strictly based on the job listings and the brief conversations involved in setting up the interviews, I was leaning towards wanting the 10am job more than the 3pm. But time was getting short so I wasn’t go to be too precious about it: of the 3pm interview led to an offer and the wage was high enough to offset the hour commute (to Valdosta instead of Tallahassee), I would consider it.

The first interview of the day went very well, I thought, and I was shocked when I got back to the car and realized it was 11:30!

I went back to the office and worked for a bit on some paperwork that had come in, planning to leave around 1:15 to give myself plenty of time to get up to Valdosta for 3.

Just as I was getting ready to leave my phone rang, it was the 10am interview offering me the job! I accepted with absolutely no hesitation, then I agreed to start the very next day.

So I went from having a very loose, very flexible schedule to back to full time in the blink of an eye.

The transition has been pretty good, so far, but learning a new job (I’m still bookkeeping, but in a medical setting instead of printing) with new procedures and new programs to learn is exhausting! I’ve come home ready to drop each night. My supervisor assures me that after a week, maybe two, I’ll have adjusted and it won’t be like that anymore. I certainly don’t mind learning new things, but it’s very different to be in a situation where I don’t know what’s going on and can’t be as helpful as I’d like. Again, something that will change in time, I just have to tough it out.

My commute is now only 30 minutes, which is nice, and involved no city traffic at all since I’m working in the boonies now, instead of going into Tallahassee proper. If we were still living in Tallahassee that wouldn’t be as much of a perk, but coming from Thomasville it’s a dream.

For now I’m still working at Graphateria, too, going in on Saturdays to catch up on the physical paperwork (though I’ve brought a few things home so that I can make phone calls on my lunch break during the week).So that’s a jump from working 8-3, 4 days a week, to 8:30-5:30, 5 days a week, plus 4 hours or so on Saturdays.

The change, on top of the heat and humidity, have put me on a rather short fuse this week. Not anger-wise but tear-wise. I’ve burst into tears several times over the last few days for the oddest things and I know it’s the stress (even though it’s good-stress) of all the changes going on right now. I’m really looking forward to things settling down.

While that last bit sounds more like the ‘be careful what you wish for’ sort of thing, it’s really not that. I’m so happy to have a new job, and thrilled that there’s some overlap between the two because it means my finances won’t suffer too much (if at all) due to the change.

12 Days of Blogmas: Holiday Wishes

Just for Fun

We’ve made it! It’s Christmas Eve and this is the final post of Blogmas 2015.

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And here are my 12 wishes this Christmas:

  1. Peace… this time of year can be so hectic and draining, I wish for peace and quiet to reign supreme. And not just for me and my family and friends, but for the country and world, too. I don’t want to get all political, but I will say that I think the answer isn’t restricting one thing or another, but getting to the root of why people are so fearful and angry, the reason why they lash out at friends and strangers, and maybe then the news won’t be so full of what despicable thing one person did to another.
  2. Harmony… we’ll head to Mom’s tonight for the family get together and I’m hoping that everyone is cheerful and gets along. We usually do but, like any family, there are times and topics of contention; I hope those stay away.
  3. A clean house… I suppose this one falls on me. Getting ready for Christmas has left little messes here and there, so between now and New Year’s Day I want to tidy up so we can start fresh for 2016.
  4. Good health… this time last year a lot of people we knew were going through some serious health crises, either themselves or their loved ones. Right now I have a friend recovering from brain surgery and I hope her recovery continues to go well and she can be back to herself for the new year.
  5. Low gas prices… even though that’s not exactly helpful for friends who work for Chevron, etc. Still, running the roads like I do makes me appreciate each penny the sign drops.
  6. A new job in 2016… not that there’s anything wrong with my current job, but after 20 years I’m more than ready for a change. I’ve put in an application with a company closer to home, now I’m just waiting on an interview.
  7. Productivity… I get a lot done, true, but I know I could be doing more, or at least do what I do more efficiently, so I’ll be working on that this coming year.
  8. Creativity… you knew this would be in here, right? I want people to be open to creative opportunities, to not deny themselves their innate creativity, and to express and explore that creativity a little bit every day. I think it makes life better.
  9. Champagne moments… a business friend revels in even small celebrations, calling them Champagne moments; I really like that idea and want more Champagne moments for us all (even if you’re more of the sparkling grape juice type).
  10. More happy mail than bills or junk… I have two penpals these days and I love getting letters from them. It’s such a throw-back to have to wait for a reply to your message and it’s been fun getting to know these women.
  11. Enough… and the sense to recognize it. Sure, I’m like anyone else, there are things I want that I don’t have (and there are the credit card balances to show that my impulse control for many of those wants isn’t what it needs to be), but I really have a lot, more than enough, and I need to remember that going forward. We all do.
  12. Finally, that next year be more ‘fuck yeah’ than ‘fuck this’. I saw this on tumblr and it’s probably the best summation of this whole list and what I want for myself as well as my family and friends.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

The 12 Days of Blogmas is a link-up hosted by The Coastie Couple and The Petite Mrs. Check out either of their blogs to see what everyone else has to say on today’s topic!

The 12 Days of Blogmas is a link-up hosted by The Coastie Couple and The Petite Mrs. Check out either of their blogs to see what everyone else has to say on today’s topic!