Roller coaster called "Life"

So, this is roller coaster ride that we call life... it has been quite jerky lately.

My job position changed several times since my last post. Thank God, that I still have a job, and the job changes before have proven to be quite useful. Again, thank God because it blows my mind just thinking about how His hand has been all of this.

I finally replaced my tires. My rear passenger side tire has been leaking air for ages. It was the one I had replaced last summer. Then yesterday morning, I noticed the rear driver side tire was low. As I was putting air in that, I noticed that there was a nail in my very balding tire! Time to replace my tires, something I had hoped to put off till tax time. No can do. On top that, even though I just got paid, I have no idea how I'm going to make my $500 payment at the end of the month, due to needing to get new tires. This also throws out going to the Dodgers' Open House and buying any mini plan of any sort. Sorry Edward.

And almost exactly to the date a year later, my dad is talking about moving to North Carolina... again. I'm hoping this too will pass.

It just seems like when trouble comes, it comes in packs. And it just keeps on coming.

I just gotta keep telling myself:

God is good, all the time.

All the time, God is good.

God is in control.

God will make a way.

And that's not even scratching some of the personal stuff that has come up and has me breaking out my journal and pen again. I wrote THREE entries in 2011. I wrote like 4 or 5 in the last two weeks.

Just gotta take a deep (deep) breath and take it one step at a time.

Things are supposed to get better

Right?

Tuesday I picked up my car and went to work. No sooner than I had gotten settled in that I overheard a conversation about me. It was easy enough to overhear and boy did I feel rotten. Just when I thought I was doing fine ... I get a bomb dropped on me and find out I'm not. On the bright side, at least now that I know what I'm doing wrong I can fix it. Still, not a good feeling, you know?

THEN today, I felt so bad during the first part of my shift. It felt almost like I was starting all over again. The day went pretty smoothly. On the bright side, I didn't have to handle the difficult stuff on my own. I had assistance. I just hate having to have someone walk me through the stuff that I should already have down.

On my way home, I had just left work and turned onto the main street to go home when I noticed my car sounded funny. I pulled into the nearest gas station and got out to check it out. The tire I just had replaced .... was FLAT! I got out the stuff to try and change it ... and the bolts wouldn't come off. It took me half an hour before I finally gave up. I backed my car to the air thing and see if I just needed to reinflate my tire. The tire inflated and I prayed that it was all I needed to do. I hit the highway, stayed in the slow lane, and kept a moderate speed. I was worried about blowing out my tire or getting a flat on the highway.

As soon as I got off the 105 and onto the 110, I pulled off the freeway to check my tire. So far so good. I made it all the way the Nina's house without an incident, going at a snail's pace. Let's pray the tire holds up tomorrow morning.

It can only get better

Right?

Today started off earlier than usual for a Monday morning. I got out of the house so I could go down to the Talbots in Pasadena to shop for some jeans. It was good to see some familiar faces, though it took me a while to remember some names. By the time I left, I didn't find any new jeans. They had some jeans on sale for $25. And if you know Talbots jeans, that's a great deal! Well, no jeans. But I did get like three new tops. They were on sale and an additional 25% off.

On my way out, one of the girls told me my former manager worked near by. I wanted to stop by and see if she was working so I could say hi. Well, I was going down the street and I saw that I was going to miss the drive way for the parking lot. I guess I wasn't going to miss it because when I turned to go in, I hit the curb. I mean, I really HIT the curb. When I parked, my tire was flat. I busted my tire! I tried to change it myself and then freaked out. Turns out I didn't jack it up high enough and I could've changed it.

So, I called work and my boss is very nice and cheery when he answers the phone. He's like, "how are you doing?" I'm like, you don't want to know. So I tell him I have a flat tire and I'm going to be late to work. He says to call if I'm going to be more than an hour late. 45 minutes later, the tow truck finally shows up. He tows me to a body show my friend recommended. I pay the tow truck guy. My friend's friend said I just need a new tire and rim. He changes the spare for me. I drive down the street to get a new tire. The tire guy is like, where's your rim? I'm like what rim? The one I bent? He's like, oh, if it's bent then you do need a new one because it'll just break.

Finally, almost two hours late I show up to work. Fortunately, my brother dropped me off. Since I didn't have time to get lunch and I didn't have a car to go get lunch, I was going to see if I could catch a ride with some of my coworkers who go out to eat. Naturally, they went to lunch before I could ask them and I was on the phone so I couldn't stop them on their way out. On my lunch, I started to walk one direct, changed my mind, went the other way. Then I realized I forgot to sign out of something, went back and signed out. Started walking again, then changed my mind. Went back to work and had ice cream for dinner.

About ten minutes before I got off work, my brother texted me if he could leave the house. We live about 25 minutes away.

Fortunately, the next day I got my car back and it only cost me $50 for the new tire and rim... but I can tell you know (since I'm finishing this post up on Wednesday) ... things haven't gotten much better ... or much worse I suppose ... but it sure has been a rough three days.

New camera

So, yes, I finally gave in today and went shopping for a new digital camera before work. I found a great deal at Office Depot... and wouldn't you know it... they were all sold out! She said all the stores in the area were sold out. I asked her if that included L.A. because I am actually in the L.A./Glendale/Burbank area. She didn't go back to check. She just said it was sold out.

There was a Best Buy down the street so I went there and found a cheapie one for about $65. Now I'm having buyer's remorse. I have the receipt and haven't opened it. Maybe I'll return it tomorrow if I find a better deal else. I haven't opened it yet. I can still return it, right?

Why am I looking for a digital camera now? I finished that disposable camera and the photo guy at CVS said the photos may not come out well since the film is old (2008). Well, the photos came out but yeah, the quality is just ... not great. I couldn't even scan the negatives because the scanner wouldn't accept the negative. I might place an order at work and have the negatives scanned there. I definitely want to retake at least one of the photos with the players that I took using the disposable camera. The other two players were sent down already and Rubby... I'll think about it. If I have the opportunity, I might retake it. I still need to retake the photo with Marcus Thames. That was the last photo I took with my digital camera before I lost it. I never had an opportunity to download that one.

I did find some really nice ones at Office Depot, but they were about 79.99, which was about 20 above what I paid for at Best Buy. I really liked the Office Depot ones though :( I forget what the model was. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

Man I wish I had a digital camera

Today, I got three photos taken with three different players: Rubby De La Rosa, Josh Lindblom, and Javvy Guerra. I would love to see what the photos look like ... but I used a disposable camera. I'm still adjusting to using one. I keep forgetting to wind it. I wish it was wound up when Javvy leaned in to take a picture with me. He leaned so close I felt the brim of his cap! And the camera wasn't wound! So the actual photo doesn't show how close he got the first time. BUMMER!!!

Looking forward to Wednesday

Yes, I know technically it is Wednesday. If I ever get to bed, I have to be up in about 7 hours or so.

Why?

I'm going to a Dodger game!!!

In the middle of day? Yup. This year, the Dodgers have 6 mid-week afternoon games. I lost count, but I believe this is game 3 of 6. Game 4 is next Wednesday against the Tigers, Game 5 is in August against the Phillies, and I believe there is one more. So far in these 6 games, we are 1 - 1. The first one we won in Walk Off fashion against the Braves. The second one we lost huge to the Cubs. Who wants to guess how we do this Game 3? Don't forget... the Reds are looking to sweep the Dodgers at home... when was that last time that happened??? We lost last years home series to them, but we weren't swept... fortunately.

Hopefully tomorrow will be a good day at work too. Today was much better than yesterday. I felt bad tonight because I kept accidentally hanging up on a customer. The first time, it wasn't my fault. Somehow our call got dropped or disconnected. The next two times were completely my fault. I kept pushing the wrong button. By then, I wrote their number down so I could call them back.

One of my coworkers almost dropped a box on my head. That's okay. It was light and hardly anything was in it. I've already dropped a box of DVD cases on me. No worries. It missed my head and got me in the back instead. He was nice enough to bring me a box of DVDs today. It was a nice thought. I usually have to go down and grab two boxes on my own. I ended up doing it anyway because I ran out. I found an order that needed to go out and when I couldn't figure out where to put it, I asked him where should I put it so it could go out right away. He said here and held out his hand.

Hopefully tomorrow there won't be such a huge divider between me and my other coworker. We're the only two out in the main reception area. I couldn't see her at all today and she couldn't see me. I couldn't even see the sun! I had to turn on the lights because it was so shadowy in my corner.

Time for bed! I can't wait to go to tomorrow's game. I get to see Trent for the first time since the exhibition games... same goes for Dee. I have yet to meet Javy Guerra and Rubby DeLaRosa. Am I missing anyone?

Law of Mondays

Is there some rule that all Mondays have to be Manic Mondays?

No kidding. Today was crazy busy. Then again, maybe because it's the first day after a weekend and we have to catch up from people calling and e-mailing over the weekend and our office isn't open then. The funny part is when people accuse us of not having our office hours listed when it IS listed on our website.

Tomorrow is going to be interesting. I need to get my ticket for Wednesday game still. And Billy is taking my car in the morning to take his last final. Lucky for him, the gas light came on while I was driving home from work. I didn't want to drive to the 76 on Glendale Blvd so I pulled off on Manchester right off the 110. It's not exactly the neighborhood I'd like to be in at 1 AM but when you have to get gas ... I could've gassed up closer to work but it was 4.11 out by work. It was 3.95 at the one I went to. There was on person there when I pulled up by the time I got out, she was gone. The clerk was locked inside her little room and there was a bum asking if he could pump my gas for me. I had already pumped my gas and was just getting a copy of my receipt from the clerk.

Yes, I know. Pumping gas at 1 AM is a very bad idea in most areas. Even the well lit ones. There was no way Billy was going to put gas in my. Since we've been sharing my car, he's only put about $12 in towards gas... and he wanted me to pay him back for it!

He just got a new car (well, a used car but a new car to him) on Saturday. He has to get the paperwork taken care of at the DMV and then add it to our insurance policy. We just had our insurance policy changed so I told him to wait till after the 18th to change our policy again. My mom wants him to wait till my dad gets back from Cambodia. He can just drive the Wagovan around for a month. Though, he might not want to. He really likes having a cup holder in his car.