Random – Life In General
Still Waiting In Line… The Unemployment Line
March 19, 2013 | 
Author Unemployment is like a natural disaster. It’s always something you read or hear about and think “I’m safe from that.” Nowadays you hear about it more than ever. Your heart goes out to those effected by it and you offer your help but then you go about your day and say “good thing I’m not in danger of that happening.”
But then one day, like a blizzard without warning – BAM! You get told you’re parting ways. At first you don’t hear right – your first thought is “what? it sounds like I’m getting fired.” Laid off, budget cuts, economic downturn – doesn’t matter what you call it, I still have nowhere to go tomorrow. I still have no idea what I’m going to do every day after I drop the kids off.
At first you might even believe something better is out there. Something will come along pretty soon. You try to stay positive. You even start to believe yourself when you tell people you’re fine.
But, then 3 weeks later after all the contacts in your network have been contacted, follow-ups have led nowhere, return calls are few and far between, and you’ve applied for every job possible it gets easier to justify sitting back and catching up with the Abbotts or life in Salem.
It gets easier to lose hope. Hope that there is something better out there. Hope that you might finally catch that break you’ve been hoping for.
Posted in Random - Life In General, Technical Writing | 
Tags: job security, unemployment | 
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Ignorance Is Not Always Bliss
When I first moved to Florida and people found out I was from NJ they immediately went to the only frame of reference most people had of NJ back in the early 2000′s -
the Sopranos
People
- would ask ignorant questions about my knowing Tony Soprano.
- asked me if I knew all of those places in the show’s opening.
- would realize my last name ended in a vowel and make certain assumptions. Aren’t all Italians from NJ part of the mob? Isn’t everyone in NJ Italian and part of the mob?
- also asked me if I missed the pizza and bagels from up north too.
But mostly about the Sopranos.
People are ignorant.
I spent a lot of my time unnecessarily explaining to people that NJ was more than mob wives and long-standing family vendettas. Even after the show ended that perception lingered for a few years. Then it seemed to ease up….
just in time for Jersey Shore to become the next big tv reality show. That’s been fun (insert sarcastic voice here).
I found it more trouble than it’s worth to try to convince people here that what they see on tv is not an accurate depiction of what life in NJ is like. It’s very difficult to get Southerners to abandon the thoughts in their head. Once they have a certain idea in their head they are pretty much stuck there. It makes for both frustrating and interesting conversations. And contrary to the saying…
ignorance is not always bliss.
The Tide Is High
7 years ago when Ryan and I made the difficult decision to give up our current life in NJ and relocate to Florida, we looked at it as an exciting new beginning to our already blessed life. I didn’t look at it as giving something up. I didn’t fear the unknown.
The decision seemed like an obvious one to make. My mom needed to be a priority. Having her in Florida was the best thing for her. Having her family here with her was the best thing for all of us.
I still remember the last time I walked out of our house in NJ, on my way to the airport. I shut the light off, closed the door behind me and got in the car as if I was going out to dinner. I’m not sure how I managed to do that but I remember the feeling inside me. I think it was hopeful and a little bit of denial.
Looking back, it’s hard to tell if I believed myself or was more in denial than I wanted to admit. And tonight, I still haven’t figured it out.
Posted in Random - Life In General | Tags: alzheimer's, life changes, taking chances | No Comments »
Jump Back On That Horse
Apparently, blogging is not like riding a bike. When you stop for a while it isn’t so easy to jump right back in like you never stopped. So, I guess, since I never learned how to ride a bike (and I fully expect that to be your only take away here), that for me it is like riding a bike. Now I feel better.
I’ve been so mentally drained from all the writing I’ve been doing the last 3 months at work that I’m not even sure where to begin some days when I tell myself I need to get back to blogging.
Is it possible to be completely out of ideas on what to write about? This blog is becoming just like the Seinfeld pilot pitch - a blog about nothing. I don’t want to get political (although I’m so tired of everyone claiming they know better than all the people who were voted into political office by majority vote). I don’t want to get religious (although I feel like people are using religion these days as an excuse to further their personal causes as opposed to how they live their life). My kids are funny and cute. My life is a regular reality show but, as I’m finding out more and more lately, most of the people in it are a little touchy when they hear the truth that they asked for but weren’t expecting.
What does that leave?
movies? my advice is to steer clear of Paranormal unless you need a nap.
shopping? I don’t have enough time to properly approach that topic. But let me tell you – when you spend an hour putting 27 things in your shopping cart and your cart appears to be saved, you aint seen aggravated until you watch your cart suddenly be declared EMPTY and have to start all over.
I’ll have to figure it out. In the meantime I’ll leave you with this….
When you buy a new car in Fl and it comes with both heated and air-conditioned seats, don’t laugh. I’ve already used the heated seats and I have not had to use the air-conditioned seats yet. And now I’m paranoid that when my kids spill milk or water on the seat while I’m driving, I could be electrocuted.
Top 9 Things To Be Afraid Of
It seems all of my fears are irrational, according to an article I was reading today. My fears, as well as the fear of sharks, are all minor compared to the top killers in the US.
The top 9 things that we should be afraid of are:
1. Trampolines – 1.1 death/year. How exactly does .1 person die? So much for my olympic aspirations.
2. Roller Coasters - 1.15 death/year. The only thing I’m surprised about is that this number is not higher. The bolts and nuts that hold those things together are really small. And of course, there’s always that little thing called gravity.
3. Free-standing kitchen ranges – 1.31 death/year. Exactly how does a 150 pound square appliance bordered on 3 sides by a wall and cabinets just happen to tip over? I call user error!
4. Vending machines 2.06 deaths/year. I see a workman’s comp claim in this one somewhere. But who can resist that dangling Snicker’s bar in D4 just begging to be set free.
5. Riding lawnmowers – 5.22 deaths/year. They should probably require a license and test before allowing people to drive these.
6. Fireworks – 6.6 deaths/year. Well, Duh!
7. Dogs- 16 deaths/year. Seems man’s best friend isn’t so friendly after all. Personally, I still believe cats are more dangerous.
8. Skydiving – 21.2 deaths/year. Maybe that .2 is all they could find of #22. Personally, I think anyone who finds enjoyment out of jumping from an airplane and hoping a piece of material put together by a 10-year-old for 12 hours/day on an assembly line in some 4th world country really shouldn’t complain about quality of workmanship.
9. Furniture and tvs – 26.64 deaths/year. I thought we had an obesity problem in this country? Maybe more people should just sit on the couch and watch tv. According to a recent Colbert Report, my night stand is a bigger threat to me than terrorism.
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