Mental Stress and Kung Fu

As I write this, it is snowing lightly.  Really??! Umm.. Hey! Momma Nature, it's spring, didn't You know?  Please adjust accordingly, thanks!

Now that that's out of the way, I can continue writing about all the things going on in my life currently.  And boy howdy, there are a lot. 

I started a new job in December.  I work for an inventory service company as an inventory specialist.  That's a glorified way of saying that I count stuff for a living.  It pays crappy, and the hours are part time, but it was either that, or go nuts on the phones at the call center.  Oh yeah, that's right. I never blogged about my job there after I went back onto the phones.. lol..

To make a really long story short, I got promoted to the Senior level for their inaugural launch of the department.  I even got A.C.M.T. certified for this job on the company's dime.  (No, I will not fix your Mac) I struggled with the job for several weeks and finally got my stats where they should be and then some, but the mental strain was horrific.  The breaking point came when I got stuck on a three hour long phone call with a woman who called me every name in the book even after I went above and beyond to help her with her 17 email addresses.  (My job is to make sure that the mail program works, that's it.)  My supervisor had gotten on the phone to listen to this woman berate me time and time again.  I finally hung up on her after ten too many times of swearing at me.  Needless to say, I called off work the next day.  I went back the day after that, but the call just wouldn't go away.  It haunted me for another few weeks and I finally decided that my sanity was more important than the money I was making.  I worked at that company for three years and eight months in four different departments.  I was very proud of what I accomplished there, but it was time to move on.

So, my new job is mindless and I don't have to work with the public in any way, shape, or form unless it is to tell them that I don't work for the store we are counting.  I'm very polite and professional when it comes to that because I've been there before, the one asking where the laundry soap is to a merchandiser who doesn't work for the store.  No big deal.

Raven, my beautiful Raven.  Due to other circumstances, she has gone to live with a friend of mine and her family for a while.  She has been there since last June.  She is thriving and even made student of the month and student of the week in the school she is in.  She is in first grade now and still as smart as ever with the personality to match!  I miss her dearly, but for the time being, I know that she is in the place she needs to be to get the best care that she can get.  I am just grateful to have friends willing to help me out in the difficult time that I was and am still having.

I had to move out of my apartment due to financial reasons (this was before I quit my job at the call center) and I moved into a house with five other roommates.  Five??  Yeah. It's not the best living situation especially when you consider that there are two bathrooms, but only one working shower, so getting in when I need to isn't always easy, but I make due.  I did spend a short bit of time looking for a new place, but decided that I couldn't afford it at the present time, so for now I'm staying here. 

I mentioned in a previous blog that I joined a gym several months ago and I am proud to say that between working out and my new job, which is physically demanding, I have lost about fifteen pounds. I have another 15 or so go go before I reach my first goal and then another 20 after that to reach my target weight.  Honestly, I think I am doing really well, all things considered.

Guess who is back in school!  Yes, yours truly.  Ever since I quit the Business program at Kaplan I have been wanting to go back, but was putting it off and putting it off.  One of my friends encouraged me to go back so I did some research on majors.  I was so tired of seeing the same old crap....business, psychology, human resources, etc. I wanted to be in a field that was semi-different.  Yes, we all know how I like to be "different".  My top two majors have always been forestry and forensic science.  I did my research on forestry, which I could have taken, but I would have had to move to a town five hours away, and I really didn't want to do that.  While I was researching the colleges that provided online education (campus college just wasn't in the cards for me) I came across Criminal Justice with an emphasis on forensic science.  Sweet!  So, that's what I'm studying now.  My first class opened up today, but doesn't officially start until Monday.  I am nervous, excited, scared and enthused all at the same time.  So, in other words, I'm still in chaos..lol.. I don't think that will ever change.

In the words of Styx "I've got too much time on my hands.." was a mantra that was definitely the case before, but certainly not now.  My works hours are sporadic at best and never the same times of day, etc, so I have had to start relying on my not-so-smart smartphone and it's calendar to help me keep track of work times and such.  I've entered in all of my blocks of time that I have set aside for school, which I know will be a lot more than what I have put in, but it's a start.  I have also set aside blocks of personal time.  If I don't get that, I'll go nuts. 

I have also started the Hundred Hours Project to which I encourage everyone to join in on.  Yes, I will always put the link for the project in all of my blogs that pertain specifically to it because I believe that it is a worthy endeavor. My acquaintance that runs it is an awesome person and I appreciate her bring this project to light.  My project is going to be returning to Wing Chun Kung Fu.  Now I have the motivation to get it done, no excuses.  I have had to schedule that in along with school and other personal time, but now I don't have too much time on my hands... My first class back will be next Thursday as the days before are filled with work at the times the studio holds its classes. But, I will be starting!

Wow! I think that's it for now.  Really?  And, look at that!  It quit snowing.  I may actually get into the garden area once or twice again before the end of next week.  That's something I started up again the other day when the weather was really nice.  I love gardening, but those who have been following me for a while already know that.  Pics to come, of course.

So really, that is it for now.  Stay tuned for more updates and chaotic ramblings from the mind of one Onyx of DarkLite....