Roll with the Punches

I think I'm a pretty laid back person in general...
But there is that one breaking point when I just fly off the chain:


It was a rough year in 2013, but 2014 doesn't seem to be starting off to such a good start either.
So last year everyone knows I got a divorce. He had sold my baby, the Jeep, just months before, so we were down to just his Toyota Matrix and an old work truck that was a POS. He let me have the Matrix, (money still owed), out of the goodness of his heart. I mostly didn't want to have to buy a car right out of the bag. In Early November I had a low tire at work, thus starting my car fiascos.
I took it to Walmart since its about 3 miles away and they said they couldn't do a repair of course, so I bought 1 tire (they were out of the type of tire I require so I could only get 1 instead of replacing the set). December rolls around and I have another flat. Like really flat. I decide I'm not going to bother with Walmart and take it to a reputable shop here in town. I tell him I've had a few flats lately, and one other looks fishy, but one is just fine (this is odd wearing at different paces.) Sure enough, he calls me that day and says I need new shocks & struts. Plus a buy 3 get one free tire deal, and he throws in an oil change. Goodbye $1300.00. Nice knowing you.
After that things were going fine until we had a really long cold spell, and several of the mornings when we were in the single digits temperature wise I noticed that right after I started my car at the first few stops it acted as though it was wanting to die on me. Sure enough yesterday I was stopped waiting on traffic on a busy street getting ready to pull out and my car dies.
Takes me a full minute with traffic surrounding me to start it again and get going.
This morning one of the tiny cracks that appeared from being behind a semi after they sanded the streets for the icy/snow storms cracked all the way across my windshield just from my putting on the defrost.

At this point, I'm one more malfunction away from becoming a monster.
I am actually considering just having a bunch of friends over so we can destroy the car and get some type of satisfaction and benefit from having the damn thing.
Who wants to come?


\m/

Surveyors Delight

I have a weakness for doing surveys.

Back in my poor college years I worked at the OU Poll for a while as one of my side jobs. I did work-study at the Library and the Poll. We would call random people for surveys. They could be about pretty much anything. Once there was a big, high profile, controversial court case taking place in Cleveland County. The OU Poll office was contracted to take a survey on whether people thought the defendant would get a fair trial because it was so publicized and we're a conservative state. Some of the questions I had to ask people would make you cringe (Personal, racist, ridiculous)! But you wouldn't believe some of the responses I received.

It was a very trying job, considering most people do not take part in surveys and this one was a doozy, and very long....

Sadly I was paid minimum wage, so the small incentive on completions was a big deal. Surveyors are people too, and the information is actually very beneficial. How do you think they get those statistics you find so interesting on the political campaign, and how do you think they build the TV schedule you enjoy/don't enjoy?

Now I can't help but feel bad for the person on the other side of the phone, and fill out the TV surveys, etc, that come in the mail. I know those people. They were just like me. Most likely a poor college student just trying to get by.

Why yes, I do have a moment to complete your survey...

\m/

Maternal Instincts

Its been a while since I've written. Mostly there has just been a lot of things going on in my life lately. My family has grown considerably since December. My sister had the triplets on January 13th, I have one new neice and two new nephews. CoraLena Annabelle was first at 3lbs 8oz, then Jesse Champion and Josey Wade at 4.4 and 4.10.

They are still in the NICU but they should get to go home soon. My nephew Jeremiah is still the apple of my eye.
I love getting to babysit and having him crawl all over me like a jungle gym. He also likes to point out my tattoos and piercings when we are playing the "Where is Melody's nose, where is Jeremiah's nose, etc" game. I like to make a point and tell him he can get one when he's 18 in front of my sister. She's not amused. With the new babies here, and seeing all the new babies on facebook, I realize just how different my life is than what I thought it would be. Now I realize that maybe motherhood is not in the cards for me, especially after my sister's struggle initially with fertility. I guess it was never my plan, but God's plan. I hope I just didn't let anyone down with all the winding/off-roading I've done on my path. \m/