Things I've Learned...

Things I've Learned Since Losing My Job Nine Months Ago:


Cheap vodka tastes as good as expensive vodka (especially when mixed with Diet Sprite).

Big K Diet Lemon Lime Soda tastes as good as Diet Sprite (especially when mixed with cheap vodka).

There are ALWAYS coupons for batteries.

Netflix can be more fun than the movie theater since you can wear sweatpants and rub your dogs' heads while watching (and you don't have to deal with annoying cell phone usage by people around you.)

If you keep touching it up with the same color, you can make a professional pedicure last seven months (and counting).

Eating at home is cheap.

Eating carbs at home is even cheaper.

Take nothing for granted.

Time spent coupon-ing and studying the sale papers, is time well spent.

Embrace generic brands.

There are ALWAYS coupons for liquid shower soaps.

Don't underestimate what Walgreens coupons can do for you.

Time spent by the neighborhood pool is not nearly as quiet as time spent at a child-free Jamaican beach resort.

Having a loving husband is more valuable than any job.

Finding $20 in a bag now feels like winning the lottery.

Libraries!

You are never too old to have hot dogs for dinner.

You will survive if you adjust your thermostat by one degree.

Clicking "wish list" on Amazon instead of "add to cart" is almost as satisfying and not nearly as expensive.

Chasing your dreams is more of a marathon--no, a triathalon--than a sprint.

Money isn't everything, but it sure helps.

Losing your job is still painful--even nine months later.

Wondering....

If I've already become "friends" with a lot of people from my high school graduating class on Facebook--and I'm even communicating now with people I didn't even know before, is it REALLY necessary for me to attend my 20 year class reunion?

No One Ever Said It Would Be Easy

There's a part of me that thinks...no wait...knows that if I had any concept what was ahead of me in the "let's start our own business" idea, I would have probably run off screaming and hidden under a rock somewhere.

It's almost June and in the past 5 months (holy cow, five months!) there have been ups and downs, struggles, fear, frustration, elation, laughter and tears just name a few things. Wait--that might have just been the first week!

The bad news is, none of us are even close to making the money we were making at our old jobs. The good news is, that in a less than perfect economy, business is building, we have kept our team in tact, we are having fun, learning a lot and experiencing new challenges. We've had a lot of successful small jobs come in and we might have even just scored our first "big" client.

It's an exciting process and with each week and with each additional invoice that goes out this whole thing is starting to feel more and more real.

However, the stress of trying to do this is unbelievable. I find myself grinding my teeth from the stress to the point where my jaw hurts. The lack of money is tough (especially when we had a water pipe burst in our house and are having to do repairs and remodeling--some above and beyond what insurance is covering). I am still trying to learn to play bass, pay our bills, keep us on budget, exercise, grocery shop and some days, it just feels like too much. And yet, somehow, it all feels like it is worth the fight--like somehow, I'll be stronger from all of it and come out on the other side a better person.

So, I am just flying by the seat of my pants, praying a lot and hoping that one day I can look back and say how happy I am that I lost my job because it gave us the opportunity to do something amazing with our lives that we never would have had the chance to do any other way.

I think that sometimes we forget (or at least I do) that when you hear about people achieving something great, you don't always identify with the struggles they went through to get there, but I think the great struggle is always "chapter one" in any great success story.

I'm just thrilled that whether we succeed or fail--at least we had the guts to start writing the first page.

Now, if I could just get my jaw to stop aching...

Never a Dull Moment

Wow, what a crazy couple of weeks it has been!

First, I worked a temp job at a gun shoot for four days. I fired a 12 gauge rifle for the first time in my life and hit a moving target in the sky on my first try! (It also scared the crap out of me, but it was fun!).



It was also exhausting, physical work and it only got worse when it started to downpour and then we had to tear everything down for four hours in the mud. It was a rough way to earn some cash, but it made me appreciate getting back to my desk job.

Speaking of my desk job, my new business has moved into their new offices and it felt SO good to be able to go to the office every day this week. It felt like we got a lot accomplished and every day we are closer to really having some great success. I pray every day that we will be able to make this business work. If we can, it will be one of the smartest risks I have ever taken. I can't wait to go back tomorrow. We are also going to be featured as a new business in the Nashville Business Journal sometime soon, so we had even a publicity photo taken. Good things are a'happenin'!

Third, I've still been practicing my bass playing whenever I can and my husband felt I deserved an upgrade, so he is selling my old bass and he just bought me this one (should be coming to me this week):




I'm going to be playing a Fender--I'm so excited! It's a better bass and neck is a little smaller so it will be easier on my small hands. I can't wait to give it a try!

Okay, back to practicing...A flat, F, D flat, E flat...

Facebook Fascination

I am fascinated with Facebook and all of the things that go along with it. It's relationships, communication, voyeurism, narcissism and networking all rolled into one big, crazy, internet ball.

I have some really close friends on Facebook, my husband, work colleagues, people I see on a regular basis, even my hairdresser. I love that.

Now, I don't know if your Facebook friends are anything like mine, but I also have Facebook friends who are people I worked with thirteen years ago. I have Facebook friends who are people I went to high school with and never spoke with in the four years that I attended that institution. I have Facebook friends who are people I met--once. I am Facebook friends with the girl who sat behind me in 9th grade General Business class and that is probably the only time we ever spoke.

Through Facebook, I have developed these strange relationships with that latter group, that can only really be described as "Facebook Relationships".

I'm fascinated by the fact that I have this dialog, this random communication, with people I probably wouldn't recognize if I passed on the street because their Facebook profile picture is of their kids, their favorite Family Guy character, their pet or they just look so darn different I simply wouldn't recognize them--and mind you, some I never knew all that well to begin with.

However, it is with this group that I find communication the most fascinating. They know details about me. I know details about them. One girl knew I was starting a business and sent me a message to tell me she would keep us in her prayers. Another guy found out I was trying to learn bass and he sent me an adorable picture of his 2 year old daughter "playing" his bass. I discovered I had this kinship with someone else over Police music and someone else with Beatles music. Another girl thinks we should hang out because we both like wine, cute hats (I almost bought another cute hat a Target today, but I digress), pickles and the same TV shows.

There is also that strange cross-section of comments that you might get on your status. I could mention that I am on my way to a particular location or doing a particular thing and I could get a comment from my best friend, from someone I never actually spoke to in person before, from someone I used to work with in another state and my husband. And somehow, this seems normal.

Another cool thing about these Facebook relationships is that people start to feel comfortable with you--which can work to your advantage. They know when you shop for groceries. They know what restaurants you eat at. They know where you just went on vacation. Just as you know these very same things about them.

So, when our new business officially opens it's doors and I update my status to promote this fact, I am hoping that I have a little bit more of a "foot in the door" with some of these people than I would have had if we weren't Facebook friends. When I lost my job, and my Facebook status reflected that, I had some great information and leads sent my way. It seems to be a networking heaven.

So I say, let's embrace Facebook and these strange Facebook relationships. Communicate with that person you were introduced to at lunch that one time. Find out what their top 5 Favorite CDs are. Find out which Beatle they are most like. Find out what their score was on Seinfeld trivia. Read their "25 Random Things About Me". It's such a small world and you just never know when your paths may cross again and they could be in a position to hire you for your dream job. Luckily, you'll have the Facebook edge over the other candidates since during the interview you were able to cleverly discuss your shared interest in chocolate milk, comedians with moustaches and jelly beans.

Being a Woman in 2009

Above - I think I may have a similar toaster, but I have never been that excited about it.

I'm really thrilled to have been born when I was. I think that being a woman in this day and age is probably a lot more fun than it used to be. It imagine it allows you to be more multifaceted.

For example:


I love a good ballad, but a powerful rock song makes my pulse race.



I like pretty jewelry, but I've also been known to enjoy an occasional, good cigar with the boys.



I like a girly, pink cosmopolitan, but I also like to drink beer and shoot whisky.



I love trying new makeup, but I also love playing bass.




I don't mind the callouses I am getting on my fingers from playing bass, but I do like to keep my nails pretty.



I'm terrified of spiders, but can't wait to speed down a mountain on skis even after a life-changing skiing accident and injury.



I'll tear up at a sweet proposal on TV, but I don't cry from physical pain.




I'm a sucker for a great chick flick, but also love a good (or cheesy) horror or science fiction movie.





I prefer comfortable shoes, but I love dressing up and wearing heels sometimes too.

I don't think I'll ever be completely "girly", but I'm okay with that. I'll take my Manolo's with a side of rock and roll any day.

Satisfaction

I know it's not nice and I know that deep down, it's probably downright wrong.

However, I feel a strange sense of satisfaction that the woman who came into my former company and told us all we were losing our jobs has now lost her job.

On December 1st, she brought the 18 of us into a room together, told us we were losing our jobs and told us that the company would be "better" without us.

I really hope someone had the courtesy to give her the same speech that she gave us.