What Does the Asterisk Mean?

I spent the morning working myself up to make the call about how wonderful I am, only to leave a voice mail.   So, now I have to stay pumped up until she calls back :0)  Getting clean sheets today.  Made rounds at the thrift stores, to get cookie making equipment, yesterday. 

Andy at RV-Adventure bound has suggested us WannaBe full time RVers should put an "*" by our title until we actually make it on the road.  I don't see any reason not to..  So, that's what I did.  Any problems, let me know. 

Hope all is well out there is blogland.  Be gentle with each other. 

• Netflix and TV for free entertainment in my broke state
• Only $25 for mixer, bowls, and cookie sheets to make Christmas presents. 
• Inspirational music to get me pumped to sell myself. 
• Good friends and family to soothe my anxious soul
• Warm house

So, Here's The Plan

Famous last words!!  I need to do something!  I've resorted to sorting mismatched socks. 

Thanksgiving went fine, excellent food and good company.  I love how supportive my family is.  I could tell them my plan was to paint myself purple & live naked.  They'd nod & smile.  Never were to sure what to do with me.  As long as I am supporting myself, staying out of jail, and not hurting anyone they are all good :0)  In my time off.....  I've cleaned & sorted every stich of clothing I own.  Cleaned off my desk,  Sorted & stacked the shoes in the entry closet, and made a good attempt at picking up my unfinished basement.  I've quit smoking, and lost 10 pounds.  Best of all, the box of mismatched socks that sits on top of my dryer has been sorted :0)  This is the pile of socks that still have no mates.  Still one of the great mysteries of life.  I am single, don't travel much, and I do all my own laundry.  How could I have this many single socks?  Where do they go.  They don't leave the house unless they are on my feet.  I'd blame it on the dogs, but they don't eat socks.  Here is the silliest thing.  After I matched up what I could, I put the singles back in the box!  Why not the trash?? 

It has become obvious that I need to do something.  Spending this much thought on mismatched socks.....  it's got to be a sign.    Monday, or probably Tuesday, I'm calling a real live person at the local teaching hospital.  I am going to explain to this person what a fabulous nurse and employee I am.  I am going to review with him/her that I have awesome nursing experience and that I am brilliant!  I am going to tell him/her that I will work as a new graduate nurse, same pay, same requirements, but I will be a mature nurse with lots to offer.  If he/she does not find a way to take me up on this win/win offer...  I will decide they are idiots and move on with my life :0)  I will take my nurse refresher course, sign up with nursing agencies and be on the road by this summer.  I will work contracts for 3 month and be off for 3 months.  That way I will still have consistent income and still get to play. 

That's my plan!!  Written in jello/smoke and I may or may not be sticking to it.  I'll keep you posted.

• Nursing license
• Goofy dogs that love me unconditionally and even 'get' me a little
• Music that gives my joy
• Warm house
• Enough money in savings to give me options.   

I hear the Christmas Music Coming!

Saving money is good for the waist line.  I'm sticking with corn, beans & brown rice.  But it's getting old.  I, had no doubt I would be working by Thanksgiving.  Best laid plans..  right?  The good thing is that I can now make it to Thanksgiving dinner with family.  REAL FOOD!  Good for the budget too...  I won't be paying.  This time I don't even have to clean up.   Family has decided to go out for Thanksgiving dinner.  I'm using my 'not smoking' money to buy myself treats.  I got this new computer game called "Plants vs. Zombies" fun and FUNNY!!  If I've got to be unemployed, not a bad way to spend my time.   Not very financially responsible to be spending money on fun, when I'm not bringing money in, Oh Well!! 

It's quit snowing but it's still cold here. 

Spending time figuring out what to do about Christmas gifts.  I told everyone, last year, that I was pinching all my pennies in my plan to full-time RV.  Last year I gave everyone fudge!!  It was yummy.  What to do, on the cheap, this year.  I'm leaning towards choc chip cookies.  Who doesn't love choc chip cookies?  I just have to find some sort of mixer to buy/borrow and a way to get cheap cookie sheets/cooling racks.  I'll work on it. 

Hope all is well in Blogland.   Take care and be gentle with each other. 

• Blogland to keep me feeling connected
• RV full-time dream to keep me focused
• Crazy dogs that keep me grounded. 
• Hot chocolate on sale, to put in my morning coffee
• Warm house

Yep, The Phone Still Works

Just realized, from Kelly's comment, that I updated my 'Big Departure Checklist' but forgot to update my profile.  I'll get that done as soon as I finish this.  Snowing for the third time here.  Nothing sticking though.    I'm beginning to realize that this job adventure is a good thing.  I always thought, that with my RN, there is no way I would go more than a month without a job.  I'm finding it a little harder to get back in to direct patient care than I originally thought.  Seems the employers are looking for recent (within the last year) hands on experience with patients.   Good thing I'm finding this out now.  Direct patient care was going to be my fall back (when living in the RV), to make money, if medical transcription did not bring in enough $$.   Would have been pretty scary if I was living on the road, running out of money, and ran into this trouble.  This weekend I started putting in apps for temp & part time RN jobs.  I'm just not getting calls back.  It's weird, not being able to put in applications face to face.  It feels like I'm throwing applications & letters into the wind.  Even checked the phone today, to make sure it was still working :0)  We're o.k. financially for about another month.  Back up plan is that I can start back at the call center after Jan 23rd.  I could work, part time, at the call center and start an RN refresher course that will take $2,000 and 2+ months.    There is always phone sex worker...... 0.30 cents a minute.  I'm just not sure I could do it with a straight face :0)   HMMM  which is worse.....  Phone sex or back to the Call Center??  Now there's a question I just don't even want to contemplate right now (insert big eye roll here) LOL

So, on crazy dogs.  I believe that dogs can be trained, to a point, but sometimes I just have to give up and train myself.  There is a sliding glass door in my bedroom.  One dog loves to get his head in the curtains and stare out the window.  That would be fine, except he goes bats*(* whenever anyone walks by.  My first step was to sew the curtain panels together.  So he found a way under the curtains :0)  This has been going on for a couple of years.  Remember, I've previously said that I make changes and decisions slowly :0)

I've been trying to keep myself busy, while not smoking (there are only so many showers I can take Merikay lol).  I've been cleaning up my unfinished basement.  I found these folding, plastic, spikey mats, that I had evidentally purchased sometime in the past.  THEY WORK AWESOME!!  Crazy dog is a little peaved with me, but he's staying out of the curtains!  Today, I'm putting one on the bed.  The other crazy dog likes to pull down the bedspread and sleep on my pillows, ARGH!!  I'm o.k. with her on the bed, I just want her to stay off my clean sheets!!  I'll keep you posted. 

In summary...  I'm unemployed but not broke yet.  Loosing weight and not smoking.  Keeping my house picked up and my laundry clean.  Just need to find a job that doesn't make me want to smoke and eat!!  Should be a doable goal. 

Hope all is well out there.  Take care and be gentle with each other. 

(so back to counting stuff I'm thankful for)

• Training myself to save money when I was still employed.  
• Crazy dogs are ongoing, live-in entertainment
• Warm place to sleep/stay when it's cold and yucky outside
• Family that has offerred to pay for the RN refresher course if I need it
• Internet access so I can feel in touch with the rest of the world :0)

P.S.

In the mindset of keeping my eye on the prize!!  I updated my BIG DEPARTURE CHECKLIST.  I got to check off quite a few things!!  BIG SMILES!!!

Dreamin' Dreamin'

When I get a little down or I need to find some cajones, I watch my 2 favorite underdog movies.  "G.I. Jane" and "Rudy".  These movies always get my heart racing and give me a smile.    Demi Moore,  in GI Jane, plays a woman that gains respect against all odds then moves on to fight the political machine so she can finish her job.

Rudy is a fictionalized account of a true story.  A guy who's got no business trying to play football or go to Notre Dame, does both of them. 
He has moments of feeling sorry for himself, but overcomes it with the help of angels (so to speak).  Both of the movies are campy and even a little hokey but I LOVE them.  Happy endings are my thing :0)

When I get really desperate, I watch "Finding Nemo"  :0) always good for a smile and a few giggles. 


So, the other thing I do to keep my spirits up is search for RV's I could purchase now & take off.  You know, those $6,000, 20 year old class A's that pop up on craigslist.    There is a pink (interior and exterior) 34 foot, Pace Arrow, that fits the bill right now.  WOW, I'm sure that would be an adventure  LOL.  Especially this time of year.  But it is fun to think about.

Changes, changing, changed

How I have gotten complacent.  Not challenging myself.  Not physically or emotionally.  My job was great but I was stagnant.  This job hunt is challenging.  I'm having to relocate & rev up my brain and my confidence.  Convincing people that I am a good nurse, a strong nurse, and an excellent employee is new.  Reminding myself to stop & listen.  Listen & learn.  Find my humility.  These are good lessons no matter what.  Lessons that I want to hang on to and keep for my RV adventure.  I think I will be much more fun to hang out with once I have done this :0)  I'm excited about the challenges that await me.  I'm also a little scared for the change.  Excitement is starting to trump scared :0)  I've only made it to phone interview so far.  Hopefully, I'm getting better at convincing them of my skills.  I'll keep you posted. 

3 weeks is my limit

Sitting on my butt tolerance = 3 weeks.  I am recovered and ready to move on.  Still waiting for some lab results so I can go sign up with the nursing agencies.  All is well here. 

"Life is a long lesson in humility" - James Matthew Barrie

I love Merikay's comment - Breathe Deep. Walk the dogs. Dream of the future!  I did that.  Went to my happy place, the planet of happy dogs, at the dog park.   We have the best dog park EVER here at Cherry Creek State park.  I hadn't been there in some time.  All the plants and trees are shutting down for the winter.  I'm sorry that I forgot my camera, no pictures :0(   Happy dogs make me smile and laugh.  For me, laughing fixes just about anything.  I also got to talk to some other people enjoying happy dogs.  It was a good time, I will go back soon and get you some pictures.   

The title of this post is a quote I found while I was looking for inspiration.  I am so excited (and scared) about moving on to try something new.  I find myself saying things that I regret.  My mouth has always gotten me into trouble, I thought it was improving as I got older.   I catch myself saying sentences that end "... but that was eleven years ago"  That statement is not helpful to anyone and makes me look like a fool.  I'm going in search of my humility.  Breathing deep and reminding myself that I am no longer in a senior role.  I am here to listen and be receptive.  My purpose is to study and learn and carefully progress.  No more teaching or advising for now :0)

$600 Mistake

Oops, not a good thing to do when I'm unemployed.  For some reason, I had it in my little brain that I had work health insurance for 30 days after I left.  Not so much!  Just found out that my insurance stopped on October 31st.   So I spent yesterday figuring out if the lab work I need for agency nursing will cost more than COBRA health insurance.  The answer is, about the same.  What a different world it is without health insurance.  COBRA health insurance is not the most financially fiscal way to go, if I had thought to double check, I would have planned ahead and saved a few hundred bucks.  At least I'm not spending money on cigarettes. 

On stress.  What is it with me???  I know I have enough money to get by for now.  I know I will be able to earn more money soon.  I know everything will be fine.  Why does my brain insist on being stressed out??  I just don't get it.  I want to be able to enjoy this adventure.  Not sure what to do.  For now, I'm going to go fix my mistake and keep putting one foot in front of the other.  Hope all is well.  Take care and be gentle with each other.