Money and I are not friends.  For some reason, money seems to be afraid of me because it never stays around long enough for us to develop a deep, lasting relationship.  It takes a while to get here, then it leaves very quickly.  Do not get me wrong, I am not complaining.  I have had much and I have had little.  Because of having both, I have learned money’s true meaning.  Do not make it your god.  It is fleeting and even in times of plenty, it can leave you empty.

During those “in want” times, you sometimes have to do a little extra.  I used to read article after article about how to get rich.  It came down to spend less and save more.  Great advice when you are not $70,000 in debt (plus a mortgage).  So I have spend much of my time working odd jobs.  Looking back on them, it is no wonder I am a little weird today.

I worked for a gracious company for almost 20 years but while I was there I had several second jobs.  I restocked books at a local grocery store.  I, at different times, also stocked Hallmark cards and health and beauty items at another local grocery store.  I measured ladies for bras for a while.  There was a time when I worked for a chocolate company and it was a tasty job!  Bartending was a very short lived gig because I did not know the difference between Guinness and Bailey’s.

I have had several writing jobs, those of which I loved.  I started writing articles for Associated Content until Yahoo! bought them.  Writing for Yahoo! was fun.  I also wrote for a small, local newspaper.  Today, I still write for a internet content company.  When you are reading one of those odd subject, filler articles it may have been written by me.

I have stuffed Sunday inserts into newspapers.  The time I delivered phone books was a story in and of itself.  I used to make and decorate cakes.  Mike and I had a full-fledged eBay store for about ten years.  I still have an etsy shop online.  For about a year, while working full-time, I tried to run my own gift shop.  The Eclectic Princess never really took off but it was an experience I will never forget.  I was. also, a temp at a law office.

Here are my at home party jobs:  Southern Living ( I was living in the north at the time), Dove Discovery Chocolates and Sweet Sinsations by Lois.  Yes, I sold adult toys for just about three years.  That was an adventure.  I had many repeat parties, and a very loyal following.  It just ended up being a little too much for me.

When I lived near Cherokee, I thought I could make a nice little living off of slot machines.  I had a plan and it was all figured out mathmatically.  I was going to not be greedy, but double my money a couple times a month.  No big deal.  The first time, I lost everything.  The second time, I lost everything.  The third time, I lost everything.  Then I figured out that was not a viable second job.

I am not sure what the moral of the story is.  Looking back on these mostly crazy jobs, I realize they have helped, not only pay bills, but have made me who I am today.  When I was younger, I was not too excited to work.  I would have rather stayed home and lived that kind of domestic life.  But bills and want called me out and I did whatever was necessary.  Those experiences made me a more rounded person.

I may not have ever traveled overseas or I may not have a long list of education advances, but I have seen some things and I have done some things.  Looking back, I think not bad for a high school dropout.  Hopefully, now I can just do my etsy and writing from home as my second jobs.  No more adult toys or phone books.  I am glad, however, that I had these experiences.

Happy New Year!!!!  Well, it is now 2020…a brand new decade.  As I do every New Year, I write down my resolutions for the coming year.  By about this time in January, I have already set them aside and forgot about them.  This year I hope is a little different.  When you are 20 or 30 and thinking about the changes you want to make, you think you have time.  No need to rush.  But as you get closer to 60, as I am, I realize if I want to make some changes, this is the time.  I need to take the ideals more seriously.

The most important ideal I want to do this year is have a heart of gratitude.  I have SO many things to be thankful for.  In my misspent youth, I felt guilty for anything good that happened because I felt I did not deserve it.  I would purposely trip myself up in an attempt to alleviate the guilt.  Now that I am older, I want to be grateful for everything.  Even the not-so-great things as they help make a person who they are.  So this year, once a week, I am going to write a letter to someone in my life who has influenced me and just say thank you.  We do not say thank you enough in our world today.  I have many things to say thank you for and many people who helped me throughout my life.

I also want to learn sign language, how to knit, and how to play the guitar.  I want to read more and take some courses online.  I want to read the entire New Testament this year.  I want to eat better and exercise more.  I want this to be a healthy year.  I am so tired of being sick and tired.  Cut down on sugar, fat and (the hardest thing of all) hamburgers.  More fruits and vegetables.  I am no longer young enough to overcome bad eating habits. I also need to start saving more money and being more frugal.  Those are tall orders, I know, but I need to step up my game.  I cannot live by the seat of my pants any longer.

I want to strive for more peace and less drama.  More quiet time and less useless noise.  More calm and less anger.  More joy and less depression.  I know things happen, life is like that.  Everything is going along nicely and out of nowhere life hits you.  I am not expecting that I can dodge those bullets, but I hope I can be better prepared for the unexpected.

Basically, I want to become the person I have been working to be all these years.  I always had an idea of who I wanted to be, but never had the discipline or the motive to become her.  Now is the time.  I am sure I will fall short.  I try not to let other people down, but I am the first one to let myself down.  I hope this decade, I have a little more respect for myself.

I am grateful for this blog.  It is my therapy.  I can work things out as I write.  It is cathartic.  Writing is good for me, maybe I will do it a little more.  It is one constant in my life I have always loved.  Who knows, maybe this is the year of my book????!!!!

As the new year starts, I want to thank everyone who reads my crazy musings and lives my ups and downs with me.  I could write just for myself, but I sure enjoy hearing from you.  I am blessed in so many ways.  Without the Internet, no one would ever have read any of my writings.  I sure have enjoyed writing about this crazy ride.  I hope this year brings a few more good stories and ideas.  Thank you everyone again!!

May your year be full of health, love, joy, peace and true happiness!!  Here’s to 2020!! ROCK ON!!