New Roads. Changing Attitudes.

My part time job has turned into a full time position. Starting last week I'm full time working 3:30pm-Midnight. I'm still working in our family business as well. My husband and son make most of our signs and I do the finishing work.

Getting back to working in an office has been interesting. I'd dreaded the office drama that always seems to be going on. It doesn't matter if you work for the best company in the world, there is always at least one, and usually more, person that just can't help but cause a little drama.

I've heard the typical "Just between you and me..." statements. I'm pretty good at tuning those out. I like to know who I can trust and who is trouble, but I want to find that out for myself. I don't like gossip and won't believe anything until I see it for myself.

When I was younger I always got betrayed or used because I trusted everyone much too quickly. That is one great thing that aging does for you; if you pay attention you can learn to read people and prevent a lot of personal disappointment.

But sometimes you just don't see it coming. Sometimes the people are so good at it that you would never believe that they would ever take a swipe at you.

Sigh...maybe I'm not as good at reading people as I thought I was.

To my credit, I did kind of have a suspicion, but I didn't want to believe it. Today I found out. During a meeting a lady who has treated me wonderfully since I have been here hit me with a left jab. I had forgotten to do something that I am supposed to do. Something that is important, but not earth shaking. But even so, I should have remembered.

She had seen it a few days ago but waited until she got in the meeting with our supervisor until she bothered to point it out. I guess to make herself look good to our supervisor. I think it is because our supervisor was praising some of my ideas earlier this week and I think it may have made her feel a little threatened. I don't know.

Twenty years ago I would have been very upset by it all. I'm surprised by the fact that all I feel is sorry for her. I'm sorry that she has so much fear that she would find comfort at another's expense and such a need to build her own self up.

I have to examine my own work, not in respect to what she has to say, or even my supervisor, but how I feel about it. The only person that I can blame is myself if things don't meet the standards that I set for myself. No one can make me a failure. Only I can do that.

Tennessee road nighttime and in the rain

The Times, They Are A Changing.

This week I went on my first job interview since 1984. I got the job! It is a part time job as a receptionist and doing paperwork for an Senior citizen home care provider/assisted living facility.

It feels good to get back out into the "real" working world again. I've worked for myself for the past 25 years, and will continue to work in our business during the week.

The biggest challenge right now is to find a frugal way to build a professional wardrobe. Working at home and doing the type of work we do, my wardrobe consist of mainly blue jeans and tee shirts.

I've managed to find quite a few items on clearance at stores like Catos and have enough to get started with a basic mix and match black based wardrobe.

I haven't been around here much because we have been busy with so many things. My daughter has been here for 2 months. She leaves tomorrow.

My son was injured (dislocated knee, torn ligaments) while moving out of state and it has been very stressful for us to figure out how we can best help him. He is over 14 hours driving time from here and flying back and forth is out of the question. He is an adult and capable of handling most of the details himself but needs help getting around and finishing his move. I'm waiting for the details about his surgery to be finalized.

One thing is for certain: Life is always going to be a challenge. Sometimes it is very difficult to find something to be grateful for in the middle of the chaos. But it truly makes all the difference between living life or just merely existing and enduring to the end.

Pic: Roses in a small bowl. Special effects done in Photoscape.