I lived on the outskirts of town...
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| Sat, 07-28-2007 - 9:16am |
in an eight room farmhouse, baby. When my brothers and friends were around there was always something doin'. Had me a couple of real nice girlfriends, stopped by to see me every once in a while. When I think back about those days, all I can do is sit and smile...
Holy potato, have things gotten nuts on me lately!
So I was offered a promotion at work yesterday. The company has a new GM, who's been with us for about two years now. He's instituting a lot of changes, and they all just came together recently.
Anyhow, I applied for and received a dispatching position, which is a lot more money, and also a lot more responsibility. I temped for that department when one of their disptachers was out on sick leave for a few months, and I know I did a great job in there- I still get comments from drivers about how much they miss me in there. So, beginning in September, I'll be over there full time permanently.
I'm excited about the job, this promotion is so much more than just several thousand dollars more a year, but also a huge step in the right direction for the career path I want to be on. I'm still very young, and to have the company take this leap shows me that I've done a great job the last three years showing them how reliable, responsible, and knowledgeable an employee I am.
I didn't end up getting the house I wanted so much, which was a HUGE disappointment at the time. I wanted that house so badly, and really felt like I was meant to get it. I didn't, and now see that it was probably for the best. It was a decent school, but not one of the two I'd rather my kids be in, and the house itself did need a lot of cosmetic work. While I love doing that type of thing, between the payment, the bills, and the general upkeep, I wouldn't have been able to put much money into it, which would have been frustrating for me.
Today I go to look at several houses, and basically take my pick. They're all in the same neighborhood- it's a strange story, but there was a rash of repossessions, one finance company ended up with all of them, and now they're selling them again one at a time. This works out well for me, since right now the community is mostly empty, and I'll have my pick of the lot, come to agreeable terms, and be in by the beginning of next month, provided I find one I can live with.
While I find that mildly exciting, I also know better now than to get my hopes up too high about any of this. House hunting is worse than dating, I think! I'm an impatient person, so just the fact that everything takes so much time kills me, and then once I get my mind set on something, it's an incredible let down if it doesn't work out. This is something I'm actively trying to work on, but so far the only real coping mechanism I've found is to simply not get excited and happy about it until the ink is dry. That and blame my parents for spoiling me rotten as a child! ;-)
The kids are doing well, enjoying the summer. We took them to an amusement park a few weeks ago, have been to the zoo, chuck E Cheese, and a couple of local fairs. They're mostly just swimming a lot and staying up too late eating s'mores and warding off mosquitoes. Exactly what children should be doing in the summer, I think!
My parents are also doing okay. It's hard to judge overall- there are good days and bad ones, and I just try to spend as much time with them as possible, enjoying the good days and hopefully helping to endure the bad ones.
funnyguy is also still doing well. This house thing and the job thing for me has really shown him my true colors, and he's a great sport about it. While we're planning on moving forward, I also take a HUGE amount of comfort in knowing if I do buy a house I'll be the one deciding on it, and I know I can afford it completely on my own, even without the raise.
I always said I would never be financially dependent on anyone again, and I meant it. That lesson was a HARD one, but luckily I learned it young enough, and thoroughly enough to never repaet those mistakes. My ex husband ruined my credit, and I let him unknowingly. Now that I've worked so hard for so long, sometimes at three jobs simultaneously, I know better. I also know that I have such a sense of inner peace about all of this.
I've truly felt like I was blooming where I was planted. House hunting has shown me that I need to be patient, and interviewing for a job I really wanted internally has also shown me what I'm capable of handling. I know what I need to do, and it's as if suddenly, I can see how to do it.
The next month will be crazy busy for me if all goes well. I'll be wrapping up projects in my old position and helping to fill it, prepping for the start of the new one, getting ready for a move, and enrolling my children in a new school before the start of the year. It's a lot of new things and changes, which for me is huge, since I don't deal well with change.
I'll still be posting when I can, and will at least read your posts to keep up to date, so if you don't hear from me know that I'm still thinking of you all!
Moody, who needs to get moving (hahaha) this morning

Lots of well wishes your way. You give me hope for a better future(which I desperately
need right now).
Please keep in touch, I have always enjoyed your postings. Many a times they made me laugh and took my bored doldrums away.
I love this post - because it is about you doing stuff for you - working hard, getting a better job and looking for a house. BRAVO! When you take care of you, your future and your kids the rest all falls into place.
Keep us posted on the house search - I know that is a pain for sure. It is always a balance of what we want, what is available and what we have to spend. May you find one that will serve you and the kids well for a long time.
Way to go, Moody!
Congratulations on the promotion. That is great. All the hard work seems to be really paying off for you.
As for the house, the right one will come along. Good luck with the search and enjoy it. I love house hunting.
Priscilla
OMGOSH MOODY!!! Congrat's, congrat's! Sooo HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!
That is just awesome news. Now I've heard something about repossessed houses, etc. I think you need to be careful with those types of neighborhoods, they might start trying to sell at low prices getting ANYONE in and if they have been repossessed a few times then the value of the house goes down, as well as the neighborhood. Be careful of that! Big time!
LOVE YA, So HAPPY FOR YOU!!
- Cat.
Thanks to ALL of you for your well wishes! The promotion is exciting, but I also know I deserve it. I have worked really hard for the last three years, and I KNOW I've earned this! I'm just glad the company sees it, too, since I was getting ready to start looking elsewhere.
As for the house- Cat, you're right about the repo's, and I have been reconsidering the neighborhood simply because I don't know how well I'd deal with it. It is a great school district, and we'll see, but I'm learning not to count my chickens before they're hatched.
I've seen three that would be adequate, but nothing that blew me away. This week I'm supposed to see two or three more, and I did a drive by of two I'd like to see. Basically, I have no money- surprise!- and can't afford to be too choosy, at least not before I start banking some of this extra money I'll be earning.
Luckily, now that I know I'm going to be making more, my financial future doesn't seem so bleak. I will have a hard time not spending what I make especially at first when my paychecks are doubled, but with planning I know I'll be set for a bright future.
Too bad budgeting and savings have never been my strong point!
Moody, reading up on financial info
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Good for you!!!! I would say that you should spend some and have some fun, enjoy your new salary. BUT when you get that first check decide on an amount that will go directly into a savings account before spending a dime. Not the total amount of the raise but maybe 1/2 or 1/3 of it. You won't miss is since you aren't used to having it but if you don't start saving pretty quickly, you will get too used to the extra money and find it much harder to save any of it.
Just a little unsolicited advice.
Priscilla
That's great advice! I do have a specific amount sent to my savings now, and I plan to double it. The problem for me is that a budget on paper with my current salary appears not to work. Somehow I make it work- I think by skipping things I need and being completely conscious of every penny- but I'm looking forward to having a budget that works on paper and in life.
I think the phone company won't know what to do when I pay the bill BEFORE I get the disconnect notice! I'm not sure I'll know what to do when I am not constanty fretting about every cent I spend.
I have been cutting small things out for the last three years- no extra coffees from the coffeeshop, no lunches out, no entertainment, and those little things I'm looking forward to indulging in again.
I think I may even get a professional pedicure or the first time in months- I used to love getting them about once a month, but have been getting them only for my birthday lately.
Moody, waking up and thinking hard
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Sounds a little like how my budget has been. Things improved for me recently too but I'm still catching up on what I was behind on and haven't been able to save yet. I also want my kids to be able to participate in extra curriculars that I could do before. Youngest will be doing gymnastics and he is so excited. So I maybe should take my own advice.
Congratulations on the promotion.
Priscilla