Job Justification

I am amazed at what the state comes up with for rules when it comes to MY unemployment. That's right, I said it, it is MY unemployment, I worked and I earned it and when I am on it, I am out looking for jobs. I do not need someone to tell me how to look for work!

The unemployment office is supposed to help us find work, however in the last year or so, they really haven't done anything to help me. They have told me repeatedly they do not get jobs in for people with Bachelors let alone Masters degrees. One even told me I should apply for work in the unemployment office, I am more qualified than she was to have that job. Huh, what??

Out of boredom and the hopes that I would learn something new, I took a class for 4 days on how to fill out a job application, how to rewrite my resume, how to dress and how to interview. The class was so B O R I N G as the instructor felt her way was the only way and one poor retired CEO tried to explain resumes aren't looked at most of the time....she chewed him out! But I took the class!

I even took a Microsoft Excel on line class they were offering to brush up on my skills. Still, the only agencies that have called me for employment are law enforcement agencies looking for my dispatch experience and that is okay, except now dun dun duh....I have hearing issues!

Not only do I have hearing issues, but I was terminated due to these issues and according to unemployment my past employer is not stating I was discharged due to my ears (for which I hold a letter stating such) but for unsatisfactory performance. Wow! Now I am a 55 year old has been! As in 'has been employed!'

So yesterday thanks to the federal paperwork reduction act, I receive not one but 2 notices in the mail from (you guessed it) unemployment. The first one tells me if I would like to consider starting self employment they can help me under a program called SEAP. They will train me to be able to run my own business.

Sadly, I couldn't see ice to an Eskimo, so being my own boss wouldn't fit here. I wish I could however, I attempted to start up two businesses in the last year and neither one took off. One was reading tutor for which I am qualified and received 1 paying student whose parents paid and never called or came back. Others called and inquired, but even at $15 for 30 minutes time, people said they couldn't afford it.

Then the disgusting thing is I decided to be a de-louser....that's right, a person who washes and combs out other peoples hair with lice. Eeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwww, I don't like the job, no one does, but dealing with it last year in our own home, I learned what worked and what didn't. I made up business cards, worked with a salon that would allow me to use a sink they had. Not one call.

So, opening my own business isn't a good idea or at least from my perspective I do not believe it is.

I am a human resources person and I know how our unemployment office works, it is no big secret, they don't have jobs to offer, employers have jobs to offer. As an employer I would post a job through the unemployment web-site a day or two later someone from the office would contact me via Email and ask us to list our job at no cost with them, they in turn would screen applicants.

That's it folks, there are NO magic jobs out there, the unemployment office wants you to believe they have these jobs, but they contact employers and that is how it is done. With this in mind, I am not sure what they hope to accomplish, but I will play the game.

So, yesterday I am looking for work as I do everyday, spending hours on the internet and I find a local job and darn, my printer won't print. So, knowing my unemployment office very well keeps applications for employers in our area, I go down to pick one up. Nope, they don't have it, but someone should. They send a lady in search.

In the meantime, she delegates to someone else so she can come and tell me how to apply. You can't send an application in, you fill it out on line and Email it. No, you can't because they do not have Adobe set up to do that and they say to mail it. Well, you can't mail it, you have to come here and talk to a counselor first. No, I don't because your web-site sends me to their web-site which tells me to mail it in.

In the meantime, I am rescued by a lady who finds and copies me the application. What I want to know is this:
1- It is one of the largest employers in our area, why don't they keep copies of there application on hand?
2- How many state workers does it take to copy an application? Three! One to tell you at the counter they don't have it and good luck with the job you are applying for, the last person quit under pressure. One to spend less than 2 minutes locating the application and another to copy it because it wasn't the ladies job who found it to make copies.

Yes and they are going to help me find employment. Well, then again, they have jobs and I don't.
Something just isn't right!

ABC Mug Rug

The youngest grand purchased or won a mug for her teacher over the week-end and today she asked me if I could make her teacher a mug rug...well, she asked me to make something so her cup doesn't burn her desk.

Voila! Apples and ABC's for the teacher and in about an hour.

Having Blog Issues, Give Google A FB Blast

After leaving several comments in blogger's dead help area, I have become frustrated over their lack of caring about those of us who blog with them. Try getting any help, it is the biggest joke around. They send you to an area that has problems from other bloggers but rarely if anytime is there someone for Google to let us know what is being done to change or fix the issue and NEVER can you leave a message that can actually get you some answers.

Over the week-end, I twittere about the issue I and others are having with not being able to manage our blogs or following. We constantly get an error that reads bX-c9rh3l. Anyone else besides the 14 of us that have complained having issues right now with this?

So, I twittered over the week-end on Google Apps and Google and received not one response back.

So today, I went to facebook and left 2 messages on their FB page and we will see if they respond.

If you are having similar issues and becoming frustrated like I am that Google doesn' t seem to care, I highly recommend you head over to their FB page and leave them a post.

Cabinet Refreshing

Up front and truth be told here, I am NOT receiving any type of compensation from Dutch Boy or anyone else for talking about this product. I have never used this product, but will be soon. However, to those of you that own old dusty and musty homes, I want you to know this might be of some help.

My home was built in 1926 and it has a funky smell to it. We have tried everything from ripping all the old bushes and Ivy out around it, to using electric smellies, Glade solids, opening the windows, etc. NOTHING works, it smells.

It isn't an offensive stinky smell, but it is a smell none the less and I can't stand it. I once asked a contractor what it was and he told me all the old homes in this area smell that way. He said it is just the old materials they used breaking down and probably years and years of cooking locked into the walls, old lead paint and dead bugs. Eeeewwww!!

Well, I posted I wanted some ideas for the cabinet in my kitchen, colors would be great! Someone wrote and told me about this product and you can bet, I am going to try it out.

I figured I would first scrub the inside of the cabinet with Mr. Clean or Spic and Span, then I will prime it and then paint and leave the cabinet open until it dries.

It doesn't say it eliminates odors altogether, but it reduces odors. When it is done, I am removing the old doors and they are going outside and I am removing the old paint. Yes, I know it is a nasty, stinky difficult job, but I want to see what it underneath all those years of layers. If I dont' like it, I will repaint over it.

Here is what the doors look like now and the interior of the said stinky cabinet. I have discovered through pinterest that I can take the old hinges off, place them in a crock pot of hot soapy water and let them sit and it should soften the layers of paint enough that I can take them off and see what is underneath.

If it doesn't work, I can actually purchase the exact hinges thru Rejuvenation, some glass knobs with a backplate and either chicken wire or cabinet wire behind the glass .

Similar to this picture I located on pinterest. Now that I have been able to really look at just using chicken wire, I think it is pretty nifty or maybe I will just take the doors down to my local glass shop and see what type of specialty glass they can put in.

I may even have hubby take out the old wooden shelves and put new laminate in to see if that helps keep the odor down.

Shoot me any ideas, I would love to hear from you!

Be Kind To All

My pastor has been preaching on giving and forgiving the past few weeks and yesterday it all came full circle as I witnessed the most agonizing scene this Christmas season. Now,I am not saying I am perfect and those who know me know I can get on my high horse of judging just as much as anyone, but awhile back we had an amazing encounter retreat and I have tried to change.

Judging someone else or their circumstances is judging and God tells us He will dole out our judgement they way we do to others and frankly, over the years I really don't want it coming back to me. Can I get an Amen?

When we judge as anyone knows, we are being critical and condemning or sentencing a person to our form of judgement and we really deep down are hoping something bad happens to them because after all, don't we think we are better than that person is? Isn't that what judging is, saying oh year, un huh I am above you, better than you and I am so superior I don't think you should breathe the air I breathe? Well maybe it is harsh, but I have heard people say someone is a true waste of skin.

I am not working, have no unemployment coming in, no job lined up or interview lined up & what we have for groceries and bills for this month right now is it. Papa can only work so much overtime and doing his best to keep a roof over our head!

I am pumping gas yesterday and a young man approaches me from his vehicle an older truck. He tells me he drove out to Ocean Shores for a job (maybe he did and maybe he didn't, not my call) and it didn't work out, he needs to get home and is broke, do I have some change. He didn't ask for $1 or $5 or $10. While he is asking the young lady in his vehicle is checking for change.
She was very clean and neat neither had meth bumps, rotting teeth, etc.

I told him I had no extra money and I don't or didn't until God stepped in. I am pumping gas and notice his truck has current tags on it, his shoes weren't new, his clothes were clean and he was respectful.

The lady in the brand new Ford Super Duty 4 door truck doesn't just tell him know, she begins berating him, telling him to get a job (he says that is why he is where he is now, he went to look and it didn't pan out) she goes on and on before she turns away from him and begins shouting to someone inside the truck...'this scum is the reason my insurance rates are so high, he can't afford gas, I know he doesn't have f'ing insurance, low life Piece of s*&^.

Now, I don't know what was being said from inside or who was saying it, but she turned on them, if you don't like it, get out and walk, on and on. This young man just sat in his truck and never said a word back...that told me a lot.

I finish pumping my gas, get in my car and you guessed it, God said, I know you have $5 show both of them what compassion is. I grabbed my $5 got out and approached the drivers side of the door, excuse me I said...the lady next door is climbing in her car and watching me.

I handed him the $5, I don't know you, don't know what your circumstances are, but I know you don't deserve what she just did. I just lost my job, the 2nd one of this year and I know that I really don't have any extra money to give, but I also know someday I could be the one sitting here and I would hope someone would have compassion towards me.

They both said thank you and I watched him walk into the store and come out and begin pumping gas into this truck, I waved good-bye.

My husband who knows our struggles was not happy with me, he said I was feeling guilty because of the other person. No, I don't believe I was because if that was the case, I would have just driven off. I felt this young couple needed compassion at that moment, that they need to know God was the provider, not me.

If we are quiet and listen, He will speak to our hearts! What is He telling you today?

Peets Coffee Giveaway..Head Over To Coffe with the Mrs

If you love coffee and really while I know there are many that don't, there are so many that do.
Head over to Coffee with the Mrs. for a chance to win a wonderful Peets coffee gift.
http://www.coffeewiththemrs.com/2011/12/give-peetscoffee-holiday-blend-this.html
and tell her the Quiltingranny sent you!

Craftsman Home Dining Hutch...Needs Help

Even if you do not own a Craftsman home, you can help me in several ways with my old stinky dish cabinet.

This is a built in in the dining room of our old house and it needs a make over big time!

I hate the white on white it is ugly and not appealing at all. I am looking for some suggestions to make this cabinet 'POP,' and shine!

I will let you know I am planning on placing chicken wire behind the glass (or maybe I am) to give it a more country look and replacing the knobs to something more of that era. While I believe the shelves are a bit newer, I am thinking of stripping all the 85 years of paint layers off the doors and 2 drawers underneath to see what the wood is like. However, hubby feels that is going to be bigger mess than it is worth.

I know many of you are amazing decorators and have some excellent ideas, perhaps you can fix up some Pinterest pictures for me or show me some of the things you have done. I am excited to try to fix this up.

The walls are currently 2 toned green, but I am planning on changing that if we are allowed to remain in our home to a rich buttery yellow with some blue trim to match a country plaid fabric I have to recover my dining chairs.

Here is another picture of the interior. I am open to any and all suggestions.

It also has a very old funky disgusting smell to it. I am not sure if it is years of old layers of lead paint or if it is because it sits right over the stair well, but I can get the smell to vacate awhile if I leave the doors open for awhile, but a few hours later it is back.

I tried stick ups one time and my dishes and cups smelled like air freshener.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Scouting in The Cold

I can't say I know to many adults (actually there weren't many) that are willing to spend a Saturday morning in 34 degree weather in the fog to stand outside and wave and smile to people to help local food banks.

However, these 2 little ones were awakened by me at 7:00 this morning and asked, if they would like to go volunteer and help out and they were warned it was exceedingly cold!

Without a glitch or a moan, they hopped out of bed, got dressed and without breakfast, we were off and they were out and smiling and freezing their little toes off. Not one complaint about how cold they were, how boring it was or how it was Saturday.

Look at this smile, wouldn't you want to donate food to her for being such a happy little Girl Scout? Don't you just love her hat? It is recycled plastic garbage bags purchased from a missionary to Sierra Leone that sells them to help women in need.

It is always easier in my eyes to show children how to be givers and not just takers. How many children I see and adults that feel they should only take.

Really? I have seen families pull up to the welfare office wearing Tommy Hilfiger, layers of gold jewelry in a Cadillac Escalade and receive benefits while hard working families who just lost their jobs and are struggling get turned down because they made $15 to much.

How can we not look around us and see their is a need to help others and shame on those who are only takers and do not understand giving!

Lucky Winners Are...

Several people won prizes during the giveaway period randomly and those prizes are already on their way. However, it is time to let the giveaway winners know who you are, so without further ado:

Winner of this beautiful fabric is Gwen over at Pokeydot Quilting. Gwen was chosen after Craig and his wife generously turned their win down because they are not quilters. Congrats Pokey!

Our second prize winner and winner of the 2 quilting books is Kathy over at Kathy's Quilting blog...hmmm, I just noticed she is also from Ohio, I see a pattern here & I believe Kathy won something randomly earlier this week...how cool is that since she is new to quilting!

Third prize winner of the 2 gift bags is none other than Nannette G over at Stay and Home Grandma. I know she will find a use for these adorable gift bags.

Carrie over at the Farming on Faith blog won the Design a sweat shirt pattern and I think she will make something amazing with this.

But wait, that isn't all, the following randomly chosen winners will get the following listed in no particular order:

Stray Stiches wins a pattern of my choice for sending the most new followers over to visit and them giving her mention. Thank you for your support!

Busy As Can Be wins a fat quarter of my choosing

Catskill Quilter receives a fat quarter as well.

Lastly, WVHummingbird is the winner of a Christmas door panel.

Thank you one and all for your participation and being members of this blog, I look forward to hearing from you all within the next 24 hours.

This giveaway went well with only 3 Anonymous posters that didn't leave a way to contact them. Anonymous posting are deleted immediately so always remember to make sure you leave an Email addy or way to contact you.

Winners are being notified now!