One of the really big things I want to do on my bucket list is something out of the ordinary, something totally out of character for me, something so different that others actually notice it.
But what? I can't sell my life--the life I had is gone and the life I have now isn't worth a plug nickel (at least I wouldn't pay one red cent for it, aside from my kids and our critters).
So, what to do? I have rent, bills, the works to pay. No special talents. No money in the bank or anything worth selling to raise cash to do anything noteworthy. I'd have to win the lottery to come up with the cash I'd need to change things up and do something quite out of the ordinary.
So, I'm thinking, thinking, thinking....what is it can I do? Don't worry if I don't blog in the next few days, I'm thinking. Of course, I also reserve the right to blog again in 5 minutes. I *am* a woman, afterall. ;)
Nite to all of my followers! (all one of them....me...and its bedtime)! :)
Jeny
Monday, May 31, 2010
So, about that Bucket List
Some things for my Bucket List (by no means is this list all inclusive, it can be expanded at will).
1. Live through the next 3 school years with minimal eh...eh...um, disagreement with my beautiful dear daughter.
2. Help my kids graduate high school and head into adulthood, happy, healthy and with goals in mind, a road map for where they'd like to head.
3. Move away from Atlanta....somewhere warm, with a small town atmosphere, the ability to make a decent living and put down roots for the balance of my life. I'm thinking somewhere in Texas at the moment, but like a good woman reserve the right to change my mind.
4. Find, fall in love with and marry the man I will grow old with.
5. Become a Grandmother (in all due time) and to spoil my grandchildren (mine, his, ours, whomever they belong to) rotten, then hand 'em back over to their parents when I'm ready for some of Granny's peace and quiet.
6. Visit Australia--for an extended period. At least a month, maybe two or three.
7. Lose the weight that found me the last 5 years or so.
8. Watch the sun rise from a mountain.
9. Watch the sun set in San Diego at the Sunset Cliffs/La Jolla.
10. Visit Galveston, TX
11. Visit Colorado during Snow season.
12. Visit Falls Creek Australia in July.
13. Get my Novice, then Amateur, then Advance Ham Radio license.
14. Finish college (?)
15. Buy a winning lottery ticket--over $100
16. See my first love one more time.
17. Buy the car of my dreams (which at present is anything that drives...lol)
18. Learn to trust
19. Learn to control what I say, how I say it and to whom I say it
20. Live well, forgive often, laugh hard, and love much....
21. Reunite all the estranged or lost bits and pieces of my family...even one lost sheep is one too many.
22. Visit the town in N. Ireland that my family hails from - Enniskillen, Fermanagh, N. Ireland and try to locate as many direct relatives as possible. Which should be about as difficult a task as could be, because the link between Enniskillen and Boston, MASS, USA is broken. I have no clue who in our family was brave enough to leave N. Ireland to come to the shores of Boston and start the American side of the family. No names. No dates. No connection. I would say this is one of my more important bucket list items. God willing, I have enough time and the ability to make this one happen.
That's just off the top of my head. I'm still in a bit of a funk, so I don't know, I may edit, delete, add, subtract or whatever to this list.
Anyone reading? Anyone have Bucket Lists? Suggestions for mine? Hello? Am I talking to myself? (I probably am, and that's OK, because I have 15 year old twins. I'm used to talking to myself or a wall!). ;)
Jeny
1. Live through the next 3 school years with minimal eh...eh...um, disagreement with my beautiful dear daughter.
2. Help my kids graduate high school and head into adulthood, happy, healthy and with goals in mind, a road map for where they'd like to head.
3. Move away from Atlanta....somewhere warm, with a small town atmosphere, the ability to make a decent living and put down roots for the balance of my life. I'm thinking somewhere in Texas at the moment, but like a good woman reserve the right to change my mind.
4. Find, fall in love with and marry the man I will grow old with.
5. Become a Grandmother (in all due time) and to spoil my grandchildren (mine, his, ours, whomever they belong to) rotten, then hand 'em back over to their parents when I'm ready for some of Granny's peace and quiet.
6. Visit Australia--for an extended period. At least a month, maybe two or three.
7. Lose the weight that found me the last 5 years or so.
8. Watch the sun rise from a mountain.
9. Watch the sun set in San Diego at the Sunset Cliffs/La Jolla.
10. Visit Galveston, TX
11. Visit Colorado during Snow season.
12. Visit Falls Creek Australia in July.
13. Get my Novice, then Amateur, then Advance Ham Radio license.
14. Finish college (?)
15. Buy a winning lottery ticket--over $100
16. See my first love one more time.
17. Buy the car of my dreams (which at present is anything that drives...lol)
18. Learn to trust
19. Learn to control what I say, how I say it and to whom I say it
20. Live well, forgive often, laugh hard, and love much....
21. Reunite all the estranged or lost bits and pieces of my family...even one lost sheep is one too many.
22. Visit the town in N. Ireland that my family hails from - Enniskillen, Fermanagh, N. Ireland and try to locate as many direct relatives as possible. Which should be about as difficult a task as could be, because the link between Enniskillen and Boston, MASS, USA is broken. I have no clue who in our family was brave enough to leave N. Ireland to come to the shores of Boston and start the American side of the family. No names. No dates. No connection. I would say this is one of my more important bucket list items. God willing, I have enough time and the ability to make this one happen.
That's just off the top of my head. I'm still in a bit of a funk, so I don't know, I may edit, delete, add, subtract or whatever to this list.
Anyone reading? Anyone have Bucket Lists? Suggestions for mine? Hello? Am I talking to myself? (I probably am, and that's OK, because I have 15 year old twins. I'm used to talking to myself or a wall!). ;)
Jeny
Ever felt like selling your life?
Sooo....Dad picked up the kids, and believe it or not, Dad and I buried the hatchet (not between each other's eyes either). We'll see how long that lasts.
I told him I just wanted peace and no problems and he could bring the kids back Thursday or Friday, that since it's summer I'm pretty loosey-goosey about letting them hang with him. Then....I watched three very important people in my life drive away and leave me in this apartment alone. I came in, locked the door and cried my eyeballs out. And now I feel better.
So, I've been reading about this Australian guy who had marital problems (will not elaborate and who cares anyway?), and decided to sell his life on eBay. And he did it. He sold his house, car, belongings....even his job. Yes! The whole kit-n-kaboodle. This was back in 2008. June 29, 2008 to be exact.
You can check out that project here: www.alife4sale.com
So, what has he done since the day he walked out of his house with his wallet and passport? Read up here: http://www.100goals100weeks.com/index.php
Interesting. If I didn't have kids, I might be tempted to auction my life off too--not that it's worth much these days. I've seen a huge decrease in net-worth during Obama's reign of terror. This time last year I owned a 3bd/2ba home, 2 cars, had a great job and money in the bank. None of those things are listed on my balance sheet today. None. Not one.
Who would pay for my life? Nobody. Im in my 40's, single parent of two great kids, live in a large, older (40 years plus), 3bd/2ba apartment in suburban Atlanta. We killed our 15 year old car in an accident in April. Carried liablity only insurance, as full coverage/collision would have cost more than the car was worth or what I would have been paid by insurance upon a total write off. So....no wheels since April 1, 2009.
So, today, I feel like selling my life. Maybe tomrrow I won't feel that way. The good thing is probably I don't have much worth selling....so that plan's not so feasibile anyway.
Next thing I want to talk about is my Bucket List. Ever since the movie, everyone has one. I've always had one, I just didn't have a name for it other than "Stuff I Want to do Before I Die". I think I like "Bucket List" better. Don't you?
I'll get to that later on...I'm not in a very cheery mood at the moment. I always go through a funk when the kids leave with their Dad. And I'm in a funk!
Here's to talking "Bucket Lists" later. You think about yours while I ponder mine...then lets get busy talking about all the things we'd like to do before we die.
Oh, did I mention I gave the ex a container of "Chock Full o Nuts Coffee" when he left with the kids? I kinda liked that symbolism....though it was lost on his pointy (bald) head. LOL. Probably for the best.
Jeny
I told him I just wanted peace and no problems and he could bring the kids back Thursday or Friday, that since it's summer I'm pretty loosey-goosey about letting them hang with him. Then....I watched three very important people in my life drive away and leave me in this apartment alone. I came in, locked the door and cried my eyeballs out. And now I feel better.
So, I've been reading about this Australian guy who had marital problems (will not elaborate and who cares anyway?), and decided to sell his life on eBay. And he did it. He sold his house, car, belongings....even his job. Yes! The whole kit-n-kaboodle. This was back in 2008. June 29, 2008 to be exact.
You can check out that project here: www.alife4sale.com
So, what has he done since the day he walked out of his house with his wallet and passport? Read up here: http://www.100goals100weeks.com/index.php
Interesting. If I didn't have kids, I might be tempted to auction my life off too--not that it's worth much these days. I've seen a huge decrease in net-worth during Obama's reign of terror. This time last year I owned a 3bd/2ba home, 2 cars, had a great job and money in the bank. None of those things are listed on my balance sheet today. None. Not one.
Who would pay for my life? Nobody. Im in my 40's, single parent of two great kids, live in a large, older (40 years plus), 3bd/2ba apartment in suburban Atlanta. We killed our 15 year old car in an accident in April. Carried liablity only insurance, as full coverage/collision would have cost more than the car was worth or what I would have been paid by insurance upon a total write off. So....no wheels since April 1, 2009.
So, today, I feel like selling my life. Maybe tomrrow I won't feel that way. The good thing is probably I don't have much worth selling....so that plan's not so feasibile anyway.
Next thing I want to talk about is my Bucket List. Ever since the movie, everyone has one. I've always had one, I just didn't have a name for it other than "Stuff I Want to do Before I Die". I think I like "Bucket List" better. Don't you?
I'll get to that later on...I'm not in a very cheery mood at the moment. I always go through a funk when the kids leave with their Dad. And I'm in a funk!
Here's to talking "Bucket Lists" later. You think about yours while I ponder mine...then lets get busy talking about all the things we'd like to do before we die.
Oh, did I mention I gave the ex a container of "Chock Full o Nuts Coffee" when he left with the kids? I kinda liked that symbolism....though it was lost on his pointy (bald) head. LOL. Probably for the best.
Jeny
Ho hum ho hum
Well, its Monday and Memorial Day. Nothing special planned. Hanging around the house, getting kids ready to go spend Tuesday through Thursday or Friday with their Dad (daughter has wrestling camp, Dad has a car, I do not, so he gets 'em by default). Otherwise, I would be doing all the driving.
Although I have Sole Custody of the kids, lately I feel like a visitor in their lives. To put it kindly, their father has never gotten over his anger at me for leaving, and he freely shares his feelings with the kids. Their attitude toward me has changed so much since they began spending a lot of time with thier Dad. I used to write it off to their age (15), but when I pay careful attention to the words of contempt they sometimes use towards me, I hear their father coming out of their mouth. I can't tell you how it breaks my heart, but it does.
For 15 years, I have made sure not to bad mouth their father--no matter how badly he deserved it. I have gone out of my way to foster a relationship between the three. I've never asked for an increase in child support, I've never done anything except take a really sucky situation and try to make the best of it.
And the thanks I get? He trashes me and maligns me to our children, buys them things I couldn't possibly buy for them and holds the whole "I have a car, your Mom doesn't" over their heads....a carrot. "You like me better than your Mom".
This....after *I* have done all the hard work. Took care of them when they were preemie infants, made sure they had the surgeries and medical care they needed, walked the floors with sick kids, paid their bills, kissed their boo-boos, taught them to read, to ride a bike, and basically gave up having a life of my own so that I'd be available to them.
And now....I feel like yesterday's garbage. I get to wash clothes today, and pack for them, and send them off to Disney Daddy. Where he gets all the credit for being wonderful. Where there are no rules. Where it's OK to talk trash about their Mom. Heck, I even get to pay for the phones they use to send unflattering messages about me back and forth. Last time that happened I forwarded a copy to my phone and let Dad know it was unacceptable. That I wasn't going to pay for these phones so he could use them to undermine me with the kids. If he wants to buy and pay for their phones, be my guest, but I'd better not catch that nonsense happening again. So far...it hasn't, but it's only been a couple of weeks.
So...what's he do? He shorted our last child support check by $80. Nice job. That's grocery money for your kids, you doofus! You think you hurt me with that nonsense (and you do), but you HURT THE KIDS WORSE. Just had to tell our son "no money" when he wanted to order a pizza (because the shelves are getting bare). Coulda (and had planned to) buy groceries with that $80. Oh well...now Disney Daddy can spend it on these two bottomless pit teenagers when he picks them up!
I know I'm not the first (or the last) Mom to go through this, but dadgum this stuff hurts. And I'm tired of it.
See, told ya I'm not always funny! :)) My sense of humor will return, though. I promise. Today's just a rough day....
Jeny
Although I have Sole Custody of the kids, lately I feel like a visitor in their lives. To put it kindly, their father has never gotten over his anger at me for leaving, and he freely shares his feelings with the kids. Their attitude toward me has changed so much since they began spending a lot of time with thier Dad. I used to write it off to their age (15), but when I pay careful attention to the words of contempt they sometimes use towards me, I hear their father coming out of their mouth. I can't tell you how it breaks my heart, but it does.
For 15 years, I have made sure not to bad mouth their father--no matter how badly he deserved it. I have gone out of my way to foster a relationship between the three. I've never asked for an increase in child support, I've never done anything except take a really sucky situation and try to make the best of it.
And the thanks I get? He trashes me and maligns me to our children, buys them things I couldn't possibly buy for them and holds the whole "I have a car, your Mom doesn't" over their heads....a carrot. "You like me better than your Mom".
This....after *I* have done all the hard work. Took care of them when they were preemie infants, made sure they had the surgeries and medical care they needed, walked the floors with sick kids, paid their bills, kissed their boo-boos, taught them to read, to ride a bike, and basically gave up having a life of my own so that I'd be available to them.
And now....I feel like yesterday's garbage. I get to wash clothes today, and pack for them, and send them off to Disney Daddy. Where he gets all the credit for being wonderful. Where there are no rules. Where it's OK to talk trash about their Mom. Heck, I even get to pay for the phones they use to send unflattering messages about me back and forth. Last time that happened I forwarded a copy to my phone and let Dad know it was unacceptable. That I wasn't going to pay for these phones so he could use them to undermine me with the kids. If he wants to buy and pay for their phones, be my guest, but I'd better not catch that nonsense happening again. So far...it hasn't, but it's only been a couple of weeks.
So...what's he do? He shorted our last child support check by $80. Nice job. That's grocery money for your kids, you doofus! You think you hurt me with that nonsense (and you do), but you HURT THE KIDS WORSE. Just had to tell our son "no money" when he wanted to order a pizza (because the shelves are getting bare). Coulda (and had planned to) buy groceries with that $80. Oh well...now Disney Daddy can spend it on these two bottomless pit teenagers when he picks them up!
I know I'm not the first (or the last) Mom to go through this, but dadgum this stuff hurts. And I'm tired of it.
See, told ya I'm not always funny! :)) My sense of humor will return, though. I promise. Today's just a rough day....
Jeny
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Does anyone know where my daughter's tweezers are?
Well, I was headed to bed and all, but raise the red flag and sound the alarm! My 15 year old daughter's tweezers are missing and her (already way overplucked eyebrows) just can't wait to be groomed.
So...if you are a borrower (remember that story, "The Borrowers"?) or you've lifted her tweezers for no apprent reason, please return them so that I can go to bed. Mom's tired. Her eyebrows need grooming and she's not in the mood to turn the house upside down so that her mini-me can sit in front of the make up mirror and remove the last few hairs from her eyebrows on a Saturday night.
Whatever happened to coloring books and crayons? When I was 15 and dateless, I spent the night with my best friend and her Mom bought us coloring books and crayons to (annoy us badly) and keep us out of her hair. Funny, though, we actually had a good time coloring and talking! LOL.
Ok. Nite all. Sleep tight....I need my followers (actually I only have 1, me) to be well rested! I'm sure the tweezers will be returned!
Right Saint Anthony? :))
Jeny
So...if you are a borrower (remember that story, "The Borrowers"?) or you've lifted her tweezers for no apprent reason, please return them so that I can go to bed. Mom's tired. Her eyebrows need grooming and she's not in the mood to turn the house upside down so that her mini-me can sit in front of the make up mirror and remove the last few hairs from her eyebrows on a Saturday night.
Whatever happened to coloring books and crayons? When I was 15 and dateless, I spent the night with my best friend and her Mom bought us coloring books and crayons to (annoy us badly) and keep us out of her hair. Funny, though, we actually had a good time coloring and talking! LOL.
Ok. Nite all. Sleep tight....I need my followers (actually I only have 1, me) to be well rested! I'm sure the tweezers will be returned!
Right Saint Anthony? :))
Jeny
No Hot Water!
So yesterday about 3 pm, I decided to heat up something to eat before my twins got home from their Dads (they were with him all week). Click, click....the burner on the gas stove didn't come on. Hmmm. No note on the door saying I'd been disconnected for non-payment. Went out to the meter and sure enough there was a nasty bolt locking my meter up, preventing me from heating water, cooking food, washing clothes....and (GASP) taking a shower (anyone who has teenagers know that this would be the END of the world). So, I call the Gas people to find out what the heck is going on. The CS agent tells me she can find no account for service at my address (huh??). She politely asks me to hold on and of course I say I will.
After an interminable wait and the CS agent calling three different departments with two different companies (Atlanta Gas Light and Gas South), she comes back and tells me that my account had been disconnected and transferred into another person's name with a different provider. (Huh? I never requested this).
So, this being the Memorial Day weekend, and FRIDAY and it's 4:00 pm by this time, I'm growing concerned at the prospect of spending a whole weekend without gas. No cooking, no showers, no laundry (that part would be OK, but not the rest). Gas South has a terrible record of sending technicians out to reconnect service--it usually takes a week to get an "appointment", and that's IF they show up at the "appointment time". *sigh*
Eventually, she tells me there will be someone there by 8pm and to call back by 8pm if nobody shows up. Meantime, she needs to discuss with me the fact that I will now be receiving TWO bills from Gas South. One for my current service and one for service from January through May (you know, since they decided to close my account but leave service turned on). Lovely. Fortunately, it is summer and we don't use a lot of natural gas at thsi time of year, but I am going to have one heck of a humdinger of a gas bill for January through May of this year. Sheesh. Only me.
At any rate, the guy showed up pretty darned quick, turned the gas on. Lit the pilot light on my stove...and then informed me he couldn't light the hot water heater because its not up to code. Lovely.
Ever tried getting a maintenance man at an apartment complex at 4pm on Friday before a holiday weekend? Let me just say I wasn't looking forward to it. So, I trot over to the management office and tell them my tale of woe (which is only one of many tales of woe I am currently managing, but I won't hit you with them all at once, I'm trying to gain readers, not run 'em off).
I will say this....Lynd Property Management have the right attitude....they came right over, fixed things up and had the hot water heater going before my teenagers ever arrived home!
Courtesy of a LOT of nice people, my teens had their nice hot showers and they were none the wiser to the fact their showers were imperiled! Lucky them!
And....there ya go....more junk from my life! He he....wait till I tell you about today. Today...its a doozy. I can't go there yet. Not in writing, at least.
No, I think now its time to take my blood pressure medicine, a benadryl, brush my teeth and head to bed. I've had a nice hot shower already too!
Nite again (to my one and only follower: Me!)
Jeny
After an interminable wait and the CS agent calling three different departments with two different companies (Atlanta Gas Light and Gas South), she comes back and tells me that my account had been disconnected and transferred into another person's name with a different provider. (Huh? I never requested this).
So, this being the Memorial Day weekend, and FRIDAY and it's 4:00 pm by this time, I'm growing concerned at the prospect of spending a whole weekend without gas. No cooking, no showers, no laundry (that part would be OK, but not the rest). Gas South has a terrible record of sending technicians out to reconnect service--it usually takes a week to get an "appointment", and that's IF they show up at the "appointment time". *sigh*
Eventually, she tells me there will be someone there by 8pm and to call back by 8pm if nobody shows up. Meantime, she needs to discuss with me the fact that I will now be receiving TWO bills from Gas South. One for my current service and one for service from January through May (you know, since they decided to close my account but leave service turned on). Lovely. Fortunately, it is summer and we don't use a lot of natural gas at thsi time of year, but I am going to have one heck of a humdinger of a gas bill for January through May of this year. Sheesh. Only me.
At any rate, the guy showed up pretty darned quick, turned the gas on. Lit the pilot light on my stove...and then informed me he couldn't light the hot water heater because its not up to code. Lovely.
Ever tried getting a maintenance man at an apartment complex at 4pm on Friday before a holiday weekend? Let me just say I wasn't looking forward to it. So, I trot over to the management office and tell them my tale of woe (which is only one of many tales of woe I am currently managing, but I won't hit you with them all at once, I'm trying to gain readers, not run 'em off).
I will say this....Lynd Property Management have the right attitude....they came right over, fixed things up and had the hot water heater going before my teenagers ever arrived home!
Courtesy of a LOT of nice people, my teens had their nice hot showers and they were none the wiser to the fact their showers were imperiled! Lucky them!
And....there ya go....more junk from my life! He he....wait till I tell you about today. Today...its a doozy. I can't go there yet. Not in writing, at least.
No, I think now its time to take my blood pressure medicine, a benadryl, brush my teeth and head to bed. I've had a nice hot shower already too!
Nite again (to my one and only follower: Me!)
Jeny
My first post
Not sure if I am doing this right, as I am new to blogging. Got the idea to start a blog from Julie/Julia. I figured if she could do it, so could I! Don't worry, I won't try to cook all of Julia Child's French Cuisine in a year and tell you about it.
Make no mistake, the movie was excellent and Meryl Streep positively channeled Julia Child. The movie was great. The idea was genius. It's just that I have neither the time nor the budget to cook all of Julia's fine food and blog about it over the course of a year. Not sure how Julie afforded it, but I'm sure it didn't hurt she had the help of a husband's paycheck to help with the bills.
Unfortunately (or fortunately, however one happens to look at it), I don't have one of those critters hanging around my house waiting for me to cook his meals, pick up his dirty laundry, wash his clothes and....boink him from time to time. So htere's no extra paycheck to pay for the Duck a l'Orange. :)
Alrighty, so this is my inaugural post. I'm sure I'll return with some witty repartee and other various fun and assorted stories to tell. Night to my one reader and follower: Me! :))
Btw: Did I mention that Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag are one of my 4 followers on Twitter? He he he....they are. The REAL Heidi and Spencer. Funny isnt it?
Make no mistake, the movie was excellent and Meryl Streep positively channeled Julia Child. The movie was great. The idea was genius. It's just that I have neither the time nor the budget to cook all of Julia's fine food and blog about it over the course of a year. Not sure how Julie afforded it, but I'm sure it didn't hurt she had the help of a husband's paycheck to help with the bills.
Unfortunately (or fortunately, however one happens to look at it), I don't have one of those critters hanging around my house waiting for me to cook his meals, pick up his dirty laundry, wash his clothes and....boink him from time to time. So htere's no extra paycheck to pay for the Duck a l'Orange. :)
Alrighty, so this is my inaugural post. I'm sure I'll return with some witty repartee and other various fun and assorted stories to tell. Night to my one reader and follower: Me! :))
Btw: Did I mention that Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag are one of my 4 followers on Twitter? He he he....they are. The REAL Heidi and Spencer. Funny isnt it?
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