Drive By Post

Hello people! Oh it's been way too long since I have been here. The beginning of a rough year in 2009 because most of my followers know I had been looking for a job since the layoff. Well July 2009 brought good news. I am now working full time as a customer service rep at a major insurance carrier. So far everything is ok, no complaints.

I am also back in school pursuing my Masters in Business Communications at Jones International University. Things there are going pretty good too. So far I have an A average and I hope to continue that trend throughout my term.

I wasn't all the way off from the internet world though. I keep up with most folks on on twitter (www.twitter.com/diamond85242). However I will be making regular appearances soon. It's time for me to get back on track.

Back At Work...and Loving It!

I believe the last time I was on here I was still looking for a job. Well 7 months later, I have finally secure full time permanent employment! I am now working for the largest private owned business in the state of South Carolina. Believe me when I say it is hard to get in there and when you get there you betta HOLD on to that. They have very good benefits and great perks for their employees. I used to work for them two years ago through a temp agency but I ended up leaving there to take the job downtown. Now I am back and my plans are to move my way up accordingly.

I was so happy I didn't even know where to start. I know I had to get my wardrobe in order. Because I am back in an office setting, I had to go out and get more casual clothes. Between the last job and this one I lost weight, so nothing I had fit.

Then I had to get my body clock back in order, which is still a work in progress. I don't sleep very well during the night in the first place, so the first few days having to be in training at 8am was hell! I got to get myself back on track with the number of caffenated sodas I drink per day cause I had been popping at least 2 twenty oz bottles of Pepsi or Mountain Dew a day in order to stay up (I don't drink coffee and I don't mess with chocolate too much). I have my bottle waters ready to go in the morning and is currently trying to downsize the intake of soda back to one. I have to be realistic with myself. I am not eliminating that completely. I tried that some time ago and went through a withdrawal of some sorts. Another co worker and I had this thing about doing without for 40 days and 40 nights for the Passover....well lets just say I lasted one whole week before breaking down and getting that 20 oz.

I'm on my third week and I look forward to going to work everyday (seem odd). If you or anyone you know have been through the downsizing or elimination of jobs then you know exactly how I felt. We are still in training, and will be for at least another month or so, which is cool. I know I am ready for it and cannot wait to navigate the system on my own at my own desk. That's a good feeling. That's what's up.

E. Lynn Harris~RIP to a great writer

The Truth and Nothing But the Truth

I saw this today and I wanted to post it. I thought it was funny. A good laugh for sure.

10 Truths Black and Hispanic people know but White people won't admit

1. Elvis is dead.
2. Jesus was not white.
3. Rap music is here to stay.
4. Kissing your pet is not cute or clean.
5. Skinny does not equal sexy.
6. Thomas Jefferson had black children.
7. A 5 year old is too big for a stroller.
8. N'SYNC will never hold a candle to the Jackson 5.
9. An occasional BUTT whooping helps a child stay in line.
10. Having your children curse you out in public is not normal.

10 Truths White and Black People know but Hispanic people won't admit

1. Hickeys are not attractive.
2. Chicken is food not a pet or a roommate.
3. Jesus is not a name for your son.
4. Your country flag is not a car decoration.
5. Maria is a name but not for every daughter.
6. 10 people to a car is considered too many.
7. 'Jump out and run' is not in any insurance policies.
8. Buttoning just the top button of your shirt is a bad fashion statement.
9. Mami & Papi can ' t possibly be the nickname of every person in your family.
10. Letting your children run wildly through the store is not normal.

10 Truths white and Hispanic people know but Black people won't admit

1. O.J. did it.
2. Tupac is dead.
3. Teeth shouldn't be decorated.
4. Weddings should start on time.
5. Your pastor doesn't know everything.
6. Jesse Jackson will never be President.
7. Red is not a Kool Aid flavor, it's a color.
8. Church does not require expensive clothes.
9. Crown Royal bags are meant to be thrown away.
10. Your rims and sound system should not be worth more than your car.

Send this to someone who could use a laugh.

Searching again

Well the stint with the school supply company lasted for about a month. I am back to searching for full time work. It sucks that I am home almost everyday, either checking on these online job sites for employment or having to run around with my sister and her kids everywhere across the nation. I cannot wait to get back into the grind again.

That is my short stint for now. Will be back later.

A Diamond~Star Update

It has been a while since I have posted here. So much has gone on in the past few months. It's been crazy though.



After 4 months of being unemployed full time, I finally got a full time gig.



There are some people who have been (and still are) unemployed longer than that but I am thankful to be able to have the offer. It is only temporary (this job is supposed to end in June). I have been working there since April 22. Believe me when I say the pay is 4 steps down from what I have been making, yet at the same time, the bills have to be paid. I am still employed at Kmart part time. Just when I get the full time gig, Kmart decides to cut hours (how ironic). I only get 25 hours a week, so now I am cut down to like 10??? Oh well, you cannot win all the battles.



The job is ok. I place calls to all the different schools who are getting ready for their awards and graduation ceremonies and update them on their orders. I have no backup person (blame it on recession maybe) I am currently swamped with callbacks from the time I get there to the time I get off. Right now I don't have to worry about anybody calling me to take them anywhere on an errand run.

My weekends are still dedicated to the motorcycle and social club communities. I go out and support when I can. Our club has a anniversary party coming up, so we are promoting that. Feel free to visit our Myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/trinitymsc .

That is it for now. I can't wait til my internet is up and running at home so that I can blog more. My sister's computer crashed yet again, with no ETA in sight, so I bought my own for my home. I have much networking to do and I feel that I am missing out on the action at this point.

Until then, stay blessed!

Love Yourself Before Loving Someone Else

Monday's turn of events have encouraged me to write this blog.

I got a call around 12:15pm today from my cousin, who said she was stopped by the police and she saw two other police cars coming up behind her also. She wanted to know if I could meet her on Charleston Highway. I told her I would.

So I called my job to let them know I may be late and got on the interstate to head to the scene. Not even 5 minutes, I got another call, this time from her friend who was riding in the car with her. She tells me that my cousin is going to be taking to the county's detention center for driving without car insurance and driving with a suspended license.

**((Thud))**

I knew that could have possibly been the case before hand, because I know my cousin. Her money management skills are poor, even though she has a decent job where she can pay her bills on time.

I got to the area where the police had my cousin in custody and she is so paranoid about the whole situation. Her friend and I told her we would come down to the sheriff's office to see what needed to be done.

Meanwhile, her friend fills me in on half the stuff that I already know. Like how my cousin is busting her butt paying all the bills in her house while her so called boyfriend lives there for free, doesn't pay her any attention half of the time, and when she tries to hold a conversation he ignores her. Is this not enough reason that brotherman need not be in her house??? Let me also add that my cousin (although dude gave her the money to put down on his car) got his car and her car registered in her name, insurance in her name, so guess who are making the payments: her!!!

Just hearing all of that had me pissed to the 10th power.

Get to the courthouse for the bond hearing and before we could have sit down good, the judge granted bond at $2790 so 10% of that would have been $280 (Let me not forget that we found out later there where a total of 5 charges that were against her, all of them related to either driving under suspension or no car insurance). None of us in Columbia are walking around with that kind of money these days to pay a surety bond or otherwise.

The kicker to this story is, when we called the so-called boyfriend to let him know what went down, he told us he did not have any money to get her out. He had gave her $60 earlier that morning for the car insurance and that was all he had.

Nah, you just became the weakest link.

He and everything he got would have been out of my door. Find ya own dayum place.

As much as I have told my cousin to love herself first, she still thinks she needs to stand by this deadbeat. Well if she really think she needs to continue to stand by her even though he did not budge to try to get some funds available for her bond, then something is wrong with her!!!

If you don't love yourself, how do you expect someone to love you back?

I know there are people who do not like to live alone, that they must have someone in their lives as an companion. If you don't know how to live by yourself (and be happy) what makes you think you can make your mate happy?

No one needs to go through emotional abuse because they think having someone in your life as a boyfriend/girlfriend is the only way to go. You can do bad by yourself.

My opinion is this dude is just trying to milk her hard earned money from her to do other things with it. She will need to be the one to determine enough is enough.

I guess that is why I am happy being single. Don't get me wrong, I do want to have someone in my life who is outgoing, respectful, supports my goals and I support his, if I am in a bind, then he comes and gets me out of that bind (and vice versa), someone who loves me for me and not for the materialistic things or just for a jump in the sack. But if I got to go through hell on high water trying to get a man to spend quality time with me or even help me when I am in a bind, then just go ahead and pass go, leave the $200 in place and keep it moving.

Know somebody who is going through verbal/emotional abuse? Refer them to this link to check out the articles:


http://www.helpguide.org/mental/domestic_violence_abuse_types_signs_causes_effects.htm

BYOB

Normally when you see "BYOB" it's usually indicated on a flyer at a party or a social gathering. Yet, never would you ever think to use that term at a place of residence.

Well now you can.

Someone I know fits the perfect BYOB status...my oldest sister. She can invite you over for dinner, telling you what time dinner starts and whatnot. Sounds good till you get there and see the meal but NOTHING to drink.

The hostess is sitting down with her own glass of pink lemonade, while you and the rest of the members of the house are quenching for thirst.

Wrong, just plain wrong!!!

I ask, "Well what's to drink here?" and she answers, "Water". Hmm...while water may be the best choice of drink, it is not always what you want to drink. Can't we get some pink lemonade too, kool-aid, SOMETHING???

From that point forward, I had been bringing my own beverage. When I get the dinner invite, I just go ahead and bring my own kool-aid packs or grab a 2 liter drink so that the general public (that would be the rest of us) would have something to drink when we have dinner. I tell her, "This is for the general public, since you got to hide your pink lemonade from everybody else." The beverage issue is the main discrepancy. My sister hides her Chips A hoy cookies too.

I will never understand...

A Man Who Prays

Something struck me today while in conversation with a friend of mine. As usual, I was bored to death at my sister's house, sitting at the computer doing nothing. I decided to call my friend, since I hadn't talked to him in a couple of days.

We chatted for a minute, asking how each other was doing, you know the usual stuff. I was telling him that the old company sent my severance so I was able to get most of my bills caught up. It's been two months and I am still searching for full time employment somewhere. I have a part time job, but it's exactly that. The hr department at the part time job said they could not make me full time because of budget cuts (right) but they will schedule me as many days as they can. That can really be anywhere from one day to 4 days, normally no more than 20 hours. That is better than nothing, but it's not really spelling relief either. The only time I may be able to get more than 20 hours a week is if someone calls out. Usually I am the first person they try to call.

My friend gave me some words of encouragement and then he says, " I have been praying for you."

I thanked him for that. I mean shoot, who don't need prayer? I need all the prayer I can get these days and time. He continues to tell me that there are women out there who don't believe he prays.

What??? Tell me that's not really what some women think???

I ask why and he said it may have to do with how people perceive him. He is a nice looking guy, dress nice, very nice truck, nice bike, has a stable job (in other words the bling) and he is a people person. Yet most women see $$ and not neccesarily the inner persona of someone when they first see them.

Humph.

Maybe I'm just one of those women that fit in the 1% group that aren't neccesarily wanting a man for their material possessions. All that is good. Yet I got sooo much respect for a man who prays, who knows that they are not perfect and they do need to pray to a higher power for guidance. I got even greater respect for those who not only pray for themselves, but they pray for others in the process.

It just kinda had me dumbfound for a minute to think that there are some people that don't believe others pray, or go to church, or worship because of an image.

So here is to my dear friend. Thank you for your continued prayers. Like the old church song goes, "Somebody Prayed for Me".

And Here Are Some Things...

...that I have been wanting to vent about for the longest but I have not had a chance to. I could probably write a book on some of the crap I had to go through the last several months.

The toilet tissue theory
24 rolls of toliet tissue (in my opinion) should be enough to last two bathrooms AT LEAST a month. That is 12 rolls upstairs and 12 rolls downstairs. But WHY the bathroom downstairs always ran out of toilet tissue within a week? My cousin was living with me at the time (she has moved out of my apartment about two weeks ago) and it would never fail after a week and after she has decided to sit her tail down in the bathroom would she yell upstairs, "Can you bring me some toilet tissue?" What? Is your butt eating the toilet tissue? What is really going on? Imagine someone just wrapping toilet tissue around their hands for days just to wipe themselves. This is what I think she does. That makes a sister want to go work for Kimberly Clark just to make sure tissue is in the house.

If there are paper plates and plastic utensils in the house, why are you constantly dirtying dishes?
There is a stack of 150 paper plates and a box of plastic forks but yet you want to go out and get a clean dish out of the cabinet and eat out of it, knowing good and well you do not like to wash dishes...

And while we are on that subject, why must you use all the dishes, pots, and pans before you decide the dishes need to be washed?
I cannot stand standing dishes in the sink and when I cook, I wash dishes as well. A kitchen needs to maintain cleanliness. One or two dishes, fine but the entire cabinet??? My cousin would eat out of a dish, then later she would get something else to eat and instead of washing what she used she would get another dish and use it. She would do anything just to keep from having to wash the dishes. I'm sorry but most of us learned how to wash dishes at an early age and were not subjected to using a dishwasher (that is if there was even one in the house). If you are over the age of 30 and your hands are able, then you should be able to wash the dishes. Period.

And one more thing: must you know what I have in my carry out tray from my dining out experience? And why must you have to ask for some of my food?
Maybe that sounds rude, but it's a different thing if I offered it to you you know like "Do you want some of the food I got from Zaxby's", but not "Ohh what you got in there. Can I have some?" That just irks me to the upteenth power.

Some of the many rants I needed to let out. Believe me there is more, but I will stop right there for now.

Progress...

After one month of not being employed full time, I think I just MAY have some progress. I was just contacted yesterday by a recruiter for a local company and they want me to come in for an interview. I immediately wanted to jump out of my skin at the offer.

For anyone who can relate, sitting at home and not working full time and not having anything possibly to do is so annoying. It seems like this is when your friends and your family, especially your family, who have nothing else to do, seem to find something for YOU to do, like you really want to be bothered with their bull.

I can see their faces when that day come and I say "I AM BACK AT WORK!!!" They will be happy, but then not happy, because I am not around to galivant them around the city. Humph, find something to do. Get a hobby. That's what most do when they have nothing to do.

Call me a workaholic, but I just like being able to work a regular Monday-Friday job (along with the part time job that I have) and have the weekends to be free, chill out with friends, hang out with my motorcycle fam, you know whatever.

So until I get back on steady ground, this is my spur-of-the-moment drop in on blogger. I got some things I need to get back to working on. See ya in a bit!!!

The People's President

January 20 marked an historic day in the United States and all over the world. Millions of us were either in Washington, DC or had our television sets tuned in to see Barack Obama take oath as the 44th President of the United States.

A very emotional moment and an exciting one.

I know there are blogs all over that are talking about our new president. I probably would end up saying the same thing that everyone else said.

Barack Obama is the People's President.

Just about every single country around the world took notice, and most of them were just as excited as we were. Just this man's walk alone shows that he has the confidence to lead this country. Can you say "swagger"?

Looking at all the different media outlets, I was really proud of the younger kids, the ones who are in middle and high school, even the elementary aged kids, who say they know they can do anything they want if they just believe.

There was one little girl who was there with her grandfather. The grandfather is a judge from Illinois. He indicated that he have seen three different historic makings in this life time, with Obama becoming president as one of them. When he began speaking he started crying. Like a water bucket, I began crying too. They were tears of happiness. Finally, somebody is taking the stand to help fix some of this chaos we have experienced for the past 8 years.


Of course it is not going to be easy and it is not going to happen all at once. If we all come together and unite, things will slowly turn for the better.


On this day, January 20, 2009, Change has come to America. Now we all must get to work to put these changes in motion.

As we keep the first family in our prayers, remember to pray for each other in these dire times.




Watch CBS Videos Online

Still Searching

So I haven't been on the blog pages lately. When I get online, I mainly do the job searching and if I have time I will go through the blogging sites. However my oldest sister just thinks that me not having anything to do means that she can plan my entire day based on her needs.

I can't wait to get a full time job lined up.

Yesterday was the worst. The day starts at 11:30am when she realizes she needs to withdraw her daughter from her old school so that she can start her new school today RIGHT BEFORE SHE GOES TO WORK. This takes about 25 minutes and now off to Kmart where she works from 12 noon to 5. After I drop her off I go to the nearest Wally World to go get a money order for my rent. I sit in line for a good 20 minutes just to find out the money order machine is not working. Dayum it to hell. So I leave there, call my sister's oldest son to see if he's ready to go down to the school district so he can get his records to go to adult ed. He is ready, so check it, I am there in 10 minutes. We go down to the school district. He gets his business done and we are done. That takes less than an hour. Now I like that. Do what you got to do and then let's go. No time to lali-gag.

We get back to the house at 2pm. My sister's other son has to go to physical therapy at 3 so I meet him at the house. We leave at 2:45pm and he is dropped off for an hour. Meanwhile I go to the bank, then to the Wally World in that area. Thank goodness the money order machine is working. I get my money order, head back to the therapist and wait in the car. 10 minutes later he is out and we are back at the house by 4.

I know my sister. She is supposed to be off at 5 but never gets to the car until 5:15. So I left exactly at 5, paid my rent, and was heading to Kmart when she calls my cell phone talking bout "where you at?" Ahh hell naw, don't time me when you don't even get off on time and I am sitting in the parking lot waiting on you. Today you wait on me. Humph. I felt like some kind of soccer mom or something doing all this running around.

Other than the hustle, that is about it that is going on with me. I work at Kmart part time also, but I work on opposite days as my sister and I work there at night (something that I prefer because I don't want to get up in the mornings to go there). Everybody is cutting their budgets so I am only schedule two to three days a week. I have hopes that I will find something before the end of February. Usually things pick up at the beginning of the year. I need it to pick up really quick.

Until then, I will keep on searching.