Good morning everyone… Theres a lot going on so this entry should be fairly long. I’m hoping to get everything typed out with out interuption but thats nearly impossible in this house.

Alright, where to begin? Well, training was officially done as of 1pm yesterday. I’m excited, yet nervous all at the same time. Theres so much to this job, its unreal. We are responsible for A LOT. Basically, a bit of an explaination to what exactly what I’ll be doing… There is a one call center, in every single state in the US. Basically anyone in the state that digs (homeowners, contracters, anyone) are legally supposed to call the one call center. If they dont call, they arent legally able to dig, even if its for gardening. Basically what we do, is we take ALL their information. Name, contact information, place of where the dig is located, what type of work they’ll be doing, if they’re using certain equipment, and then take where the locators should mark. So then, we go map it and such, and figure out what utilities will be located, and locate them so they can mark the lines and cables under ground. Basically we take all this random information, and put it together in a “pretty little package” and make it all organized for ALL the utility companies in the state. They go out, and ensure all the lines are marked in the area provided, so that way when they dig, they wont hit any gas/electric/etc lines. We have to read tons of verbiage and laws to ensure that we’re not liable if they screw something up because they agree about the information they provide. Soooooo long story short, we’re responsible for a lot.

Without the call center, the diggers are responsible to call every single utility that they think they might have, etc. So, we help so that they dont have to do that… I have about 5 different scripts I have to read and memorize. About 30 different things to memorize saying. I hope I do alright on Monday. I start full time on Monday without the help of someone sitting next to me. I’ve taken a few calls so far, and I’ve been SO nervous that I kinda freeze up and forget some of the things we’re supposed to. But hopefully without someone sitting next to me, I wont be so nervous and wont have any problems.

What else about work? Basically I got assigned my cubical yesterday. I sit right up in front row by the coaches desk, which is kinda blah but I’ll get closer to the coaches this way I guess. I start at 8am and work until 5pm. Which isnt too bad. During the spring/summer hours, I’ll be able to work overtime, so more than likely I’m not going to leave work until 8pm. I’ll probably try to pull some Saturday and Sunday shifts too. Thats just a hell of a lot more money then. So, thats whats going on in my career life…

Mike, Mike’s mom, Nickolas, and I went to check out this daycare center. Mike’s moms co-worker at the Disney Store also runs a daycare center, so we went and checked that out. Its basically inside some luthern school. Which isnt too bad I guess. I like the fact that if Nickolas isnt there, I dont have to pay and get the credit for that day. Which is extremely rare to find, because normally if you say he’s going to be there, you have to pay for that day, regardless if they’re there or not. They’re not state liscensed, obviously certified, so they dont have to force the kids outside to play in the bitter cold like normal daycares. They dont force them to take naps if they dont want to. The preschoolers have to take naps if they want to, otherwise they have the entire school’s gym to run around like crazy and burn off some energy. Also, because they’re not state liscensed food isnt provided, so I’m going to have a pack a lunch for Nickolas. Its so weird to say that because everyday he’s going to be taking a backpack w/ a lunch box. My little boy is all growing up. Basically its going to cost me roughly $140 each week, if he’s there all 5 days for the whole day. But because Lynn (Mike’s Mom) will be taking him on her days off, and Mike will be taking him on Fridays, I should only have to pay roughly $160-200 every two weeks, which isnt bad at all. The other daycare I was looking at was freaking $240 a week. Which is absolutely INSANE!

That is definetely going to get hard to get back into doing… paying bills. Budgeting my money for the month. We’ve been going from check to check for the past year. I havent had to pay much of anything because, well, we havent had the money to pay anything so all of our bills are just outrageously high. I’ll be paying rent again too, which will be a BIG difference. I’m praying that its not as high as I’m thinking its going to be, because if thats the case, we’re moving. I dont want to pay a high price and not be happy with the place that I’m living. I would want to move into somewhere that I could actually be able to do whatever and not have someone watching over my back to ensure I’m following the rules at all times. Being in low income housing, sure does have its disadvantages. The rules are outrageous, but oh well… Another big big big difference is that we wont be getting foods stamps anymore either. So we’re going to have to actually go out and buy food. Which is fine, we’re not going to need state help anymore. That makes me really proud and happy to be able to finally say that. We’re doing everything possible to get back on our feet without the assistance through the state. Its just going to be different not getting a free $300 a month for food. We went shopping yesterday and spent about $100 on some minor stuff to hold us over until Thursday. Along with rent, food, and now child care, I’ve got an outrageous electric bill I havent paid in forever. Cable, cell, and two credit cards. I’m praying to god that I’ll be able to manage my bills and money. I’m sure I’ll do fine, and I dont even want to figure everything out until I’m absolutely sure what everything will be.

I’ll be buying my new phone hopefully in the next two weeks. Our contract is up on our cell phones, so we have to get new phones. I’m going to be getting a Palm Treo Smart Phone. Expensive, I know, but after all the discounts, instant savings, etc. It should only be roughly $99-199. Depending on which model I get. If I get a refurb it will only be $99, but the newer version of the phone is $100 bucks more. So I’m not sure what exactly I’ll be doing, but I figure I”m going to have a new contract for the next two years, might as well get a phone I REALLY want than just buy some piece of shit I’m going to have to deal with. I’m hoping by March or April that we are someone on a schedule with money and be able to start paying back all this debt. Although we’re not over $5000 in debt, it still is a lot in my eyes.

Alright, enough talk about money and such…Matt will be taking Nickolas tonight, as soon as I can get a hold of him that is. He has a tendance to get all “I’m tired, I’m not going to take him until the afternoon. Even though he tells me he’s going to take him in the morning. I really wish/hope we could go out and actually do something tonight. Even if its hanging out with friends and doing nothing, its better than being stuck in the house. Especially cuz I’m done with training and such, and want to actually celebrate that I’ve done my three weeks of training and Monday is the first day of my new life. Alright, I suppose, thats all I wanted to get at… I MIGHT write again later… I’m not sure. I’ll be adding another affiliate/lovely to the list to the right when I get not so lazy… Erin. TTYL everyone!

Written on Saturday February 17th, 2007 at 1:02pm || Filed under: Family, Parenting ||