In the beginning...

I'm not at all sure how this works. My "coach" told me that I needed to start blogging in order to generate business for my business. He told me to write about a hobby or some such thing. I can't really think of anything right off the top of my head so as an experiment I am creating my own personal blog. Here I will tell the story of me and how I got to this place in my life. It has been an interesting journey to say the least. I have no regrets only good memories and lessons learned. I believe that everything happens for a reason and as such, everything that has happened in my life has lead up to this very moment.

So, here I am. I am a 43 year old widow. I know tragic, right. No worries, I am currently in a relationship with the love of my life. No seriously, I have never felt this much love from any one person. Mike is my universe.

Ok, dirty secrets time. I am bipolar. That is important to remember if you choose to follow this blog, as is the fact that I'm ADHD, as if you haven't noticed. I rapidly cycle between mania and depression when I am not on a boat load of meds. I take my meds everyday. It's best for everyone around me and well, best for me.

I am currently under employed. I would say unemployed; however I have a part time gig as a "customer service representative". I put that in quotations because that's what I tell people that I do and I do offer customer service just not in a way you would ever imagine. My job is both interesting and entertaining. There are some serious freaks in this world. Maybe after I get to know you better I will tell you some stories. My job is a study in sociology. I say that I am underemployed because I have a bachelor’s degree that makes me both under and over qualified for most jobs out there.

I grew up in Western Massachusetts on a car lot owned by my super awesome parents. They are the best. They gave the most open minded childhood that you can imagine. Everything was an adventure with them. I loved every minute of it except of course when I was depressed. My mom says she would change some things if she could, but to change one little thing is to change the outcome that is me. I like me the way I am. Off on a tangent again. Oops. So, I spent 31 years living in Western MA. I now live in Florida. I have lived here since February 1, 2004 (you do the math). I moved here because my husband was cold. No seriously, he came home from his construction job one day and said, “Get on a plane and go buy us a house in Florida.” I did. I landed at 11:00 am and bought a house at 4:00 pm. How’s that for crazy. I think I was a little manic during that period. Who does that? Just get on a plane, fly to Florida, buy a house, quit my job and took only what a pickup truck and a blazer could hold and move. With no job prospects, mind you. We landed here without a bed. We sat on lawn furniture for a month before our furniture was delivered. Another adventure. So, I don’t really like Florida, but Mike is here so this is where I will stay unless he moves, then I’m going with him. I would much rather live in the Pacific Northwest or better yet British Columbia, Canada.

I spent a lot of time in British Columbia during my last job as a Quality Assurance Auditor for an airline. That area of Canada is heavy into helicopters and as such, there are tons of vendors to visit there. I love the people and I love the land. I also got to spend time in Afghanistan as Auditor. I wouldn’t want to live there, but the experience of being in a war zone in a third world country is unforgettable. It gave me a new appreciation for our military.

I lost my auditor gig after I had my foot operated on.  The doctor that removed my bunion also broke my foot during the surgery. It took a lot longer to heal than we thought. I was in a boot for over three months. Well, if you can’t walk, you can’t audit. My company decided to let me go using the bullshit excuse of a minor policy violation. Because I was let go, I can’t collect unemployment benefits, hence the “customer service” job and why I am really poor. Poverty teaches some very valuable lessons. The first lesson being that only the people in your life matter. Possessions are nothing. It is true that all you need is love.

I hope you choose to follow me. I will entertain you with both happy and sad stories. I will delight you with the smorgasbord that is my life. We will laugh, we will cry but we will always see things as just another piece of the puzzle.