Let's Not Waste Time

Today is the coldest I think I have ever experienced. The temps are in the single digits and even colder when the wind picks up. Even now as I look out my living room window it is snowing. Most definately a much different enviornment than I have ever lived in before.

This past weekend was the most difficult so far. Except for some picture hanging the unpacking is complete and the realization that I just packed up and moved across country again smacked me in the face. This time, I know no one. 5:00pm Friday evening I climbed in my car to go home for the weekend and began to cry. I am so lonely.

When times get tough the tough... find a friend, in this case. I met a guy and I have a date with him on Wednesday and Saturday and Sunday for the Super Bowl. What a difference a day makes!

And you thought this was going to be a sad story. I will keep you all posted....

Breakaway

Well, well, well. I'm back. And for those of you who do not already know my story the short and the sweet of it is this...

October 20, 2004 left Charlotte, NC after 22 years of living in the same town. Running from all of my failures I had to start over somewhere.
October 24, 2004 arrive, Las Vegas, NV. Very bumpy start but found my way. In two years I change into a much different and much better person. I saw new places, met new people, learned many new things.
January 2, 2007 left Las Vegas for a new life with the new me.
January 5, 2007, arrive, Chicago, IL. Now residing in Deerfield, IL. With a new corporate job the hard work is rewarded.

With everything I have to write about it is over whelming so I will start with this and leave you with lyrics to a song that means a lot to me.

"I'll spread my wings
And I'll learn how to fly
Though it's not easy to tell you goodbye
I gotta take a risk
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway
Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won't forget the place I come from
I gotta take a risk
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway, breakaway, breakaway"

Artist: Kelly Clarkson

Love,
Jen

New Blog Title?

Well, I cancelled my gym membership today in preparation for moving. And as of 01/03/07 I will be homeless until I find some new diggs in Chi-town. Maybe I should think of a new blog title?

If anyone has any suggestions let me know. I may not change it but I would love to see some funny, witty ideas. If you're feeling creative let's hear it!

John - "Hoopty Hoo" is not an option.

Where Do I Start?

Well, where do I start? I guess for those of you who don't know yet, I am moving to Chicago next month. The kicker is yesterday I found out I have to be moved there by January 8th.

I am feeling overwhelmed like I have never felt before. In one week I have to have someone trained to take over my job in Las Vegas, pack for my trip home for the holidays, pack up my things to move 1700+ miles, find a place to live in IL, keep my current place clean so company can visit my Las Vegas home while I'm in Charlotte for the holidays, figure out what I am going to do with my cats if I have to live at the boss' house for a week or two while finding a place to live... And the list goes on and on.

I know, I know...Do I want some cheese with my whine or what? As my brother just said, "Jen, it always works out." He's right but I just can't seem to convince myself of it right now. And, thank God for my Daddy! My wonderful father is going to fly out to Las Vegas and help me drive to Chicago. Right now knowing that he is going to help me is the only thing keeping me sane.

I know once I am on the plane heading home to Charlotte for the holidays most of the decisions will be made and I will be able to relax. But if anyone calls me this week and I am either bitchy or crying I apologize in advance. Furthermore, if I call you PLEASE ANSWER it will probably be a voice you can barely understand through all the blubbering but just know it is me. There better be lots of wine and funny stocking stuffers when I get home!


I want to welcome my Great Aunt Mary Ellen to the blogosphere! I haven't taught her how to comment yet but expect some poignant words from this great published writer in time to come!

Thanksgiving Surprise

I am thankful for many things, too many to list.

This Thanksgiving my family flew out to Las Vegas to visit me...

My brother flew out Wednesday unbeknownst to our parents. The rouse of our surprise was a month in the making and boy, the lies we told! At one point my brother and I were suspicious of our parents knowing about the surprise so the fibs became more and more frequent and more and more elaborate. Even Wednesday the evening before our parent’s arrival my brother called from Las Vegas and made my Mom or Dad, I am not sure which pull out the recipe book and give him a recipe he had no intention of making.

On Wednesday night my brother and I plotted as to what would be the most effective way to surprise them but in the end we settled for me going alone to the airport to pick them up Thursday morning and John would be at home when we arrived. But when we arrived home to my surprise John was not there. In precisely the perfect time the phone rang and it was John pretending he was calling from Raleigh. The conversation went on for quite awhile and more tales were told. Apparently John and his girlfriend Kim were going to see “Santa Clause 3” at the movies and they were already done with their Thanksgiving dinner. Once the call was over Dad and I got out some snacks and the three of us were conversing when there was a knock at the door. My Dad turned to me and said, “Gosh! It’s a good thing the door was locked because who ever that is tried to come in!” I opened the door and John entered and there was a delayed response. Then, as the realization set in the tears started to flow from Mom who said even as John walked in she thought it was just a friend of mine until she realized it was her son and Dad tried to figure out exactly how far back our tall tales went.

The next day we traveled to Mount Charleston, a beautiful National park about an hour outside of Las Vegas. For two days we rented a cabin that left much to be desired and hiked, relaxed, watched movies and played games.

Speaking of games…One word, Bejeweled. I found this game on the internet and now the entire family is hooked. We also had Bejeweled smack downs competing on who could get the highest score. John was winning when he left Las Vegas but now he is getting beat and is quitting. What a hoopty hoo looser! Everyone get John a hanky for Christmas so he can dry his tears.



This blog is dedicated to my Brohan who asked when it was going to be published. Thanks for being my fan.

Love,
Sissy

Don't Vote Republican!?

Ah yes, a political blog. Definitely not a novel idea as the majority of blogs are about politics but this week it is certainly apropos.

I was raised in a family that loves to debate politics. Maybe not my immediate family so much but my extended family on my mother's side loves to have a good political smackdown.

My first political memories happened in Arlington, VA. Arlington is a suburb of Washington, DC and because family members on both my mother's and father's side lived there it was my second home. Of course I could easily make this a cute and cuddly story and say my first memories of politics are when I first saw the White House or the presidential memorials but I am not a cute and cuddly person and neither is politics.

My very first memory is a little fuzzy but this is what I remember: It was in my Aunt KathyKathleen's kitchen (before it was remodeled). I was a pre-teen and the family was gathered for Thanksgiving (this was the good ole days when Uncle Phil and Aunt Patsy were there too). I remember Aunt Kathy sitting at the kitchen table and my Uncle Fred standing by the side by side refrigerator with the Vegemite magnet on it. Dressed in my pajamas ready for bed I walked in to a debate about politics. I don't know what they were debating but I remember thinking they sounded smart and I made a mental note to self; that when I grow up I am going to learn about politics so I can sound smart too.

Another early memory is when I learned that my mother is a republican and my father a registered democrat who votes republican and in our house you didn't talk about politics or who you voted for just as you didn't discuss how much money people made. Perhaps the taboo placed on political affiliations perked my interest even more as a young girl.

That brings us to today. So, did I ever get interested in politics? Hell yes! You know why? Because it makes me sound smart! And as a woman living in this country it is my DUTY AND RIGHT to vote!

I am my father's child in the fact that I am registered as one affiliation but vote another... so what. I didn't know what the hell I was doing when I registered to vote at 18 during my school lunch. And unlike my immediate family I am going to tell you what some of my political views are.

I am a registered Republican but I vote Democrat. The first time I voted after turning 18 I helped vote President Bill Clinton into office for his first term. I oppose the Iraq war and I took great pride this week when I voted a straight ticket for the Democratic party. I, like a lot of the country wanted to give George W. Bush a big F You! It will be interesting to see what the democrats come up with in regards to this big mess we're in over there. I also voted to legalize marijuana in Nevada. I don't smoke it (anymore) but I think it would be cool if it were legal. While standing in line waiting to vote an older gentlemen working at my polling site was excited and stood up on a chair and yelled, "Nevada is coming out to vote tonight!" Even with 20 electronic voting machines I had to wait 20 minutes and when he said that I got choked up. I don't force my political views on other people because one of the many things that make this country great is that we are allowed the freedom to have differences of opinion. However, I love a good debate. And while I am on the subject I want to say that a good debate never gets personal. It is an automatic win for the person who is personally attacked because obviously the other person is not intelligent enough to support his/her argument without the personal attacks.

Do not forget to think about and pray for our Veterans and troops on this Veteran's Day weekend.

The Final Chapter

I am dropped off at O'Hare International Airport at 2:30pm. My flight is scheduled to depart at 4:50pm. The lines are long but this time I have plenty of time and I am feeling relaxed and relieved to have the meeting behind me.

I arrive at the gate and settle in to read my book but before I open the cover I hear the announcement. My flight is delayed.

Seven hours later I am boarding the plane for the flight home. I am a broken down human being and exhausted does not begin to describe how I feel. I take my seat and plug my ears with soothing music from my iPod. Earlier that day I made a great investment on a seat upgrade so I was near the front of the plane, in a window seat and I had tons of leg room. I look around and thankfully do not see a child in sight. A very nice older couple was sitting beside me, they are from Hawaii and in Chicago on business but before they head home they are visiting Las Vegas. I am finally on my way home.

The first three hours of the flight were uneventful. The Devil Wears Prada was the in-flight movie and although I've seen it it was a good movie to see again. I was even able to sleep a little.

Approximately 45 minutes outside of Las Vegas the captain gets on the intercom and informs us there are very bad storms just outside of Las Vegas and in the Las Vegas limits. He calmly asks the flight attendants to take their seats and we are told that as far as our trash, raising our tray tables and putting our seat backs in the upright position it was going to be on the honor system. The flight attendants will have to remain seated for the remainder of the flight and that is when it all began to happen.

At first a shudder and a slight dip. The rain started hitting the window. I look outside and it doesn't look like rain at all it looks like snow. The first lightening crack missed the plane but it was close. Then hail started hitting the window. As I looked outside I could not see a star in the sky nor a light on the ground. What an odd feeling. I knew we had to be passing over the Sierra Nevadas and I said a small prayer that we would not hit them. Then a bright blinding light and a deafening crack! Lightening hit the plane. One of the flight attendants gets on the intercom and explains to us that lightening hits planes all the time and they are built to withstand it and asks everyone to remain calm. That announcement did anything but make us calm. The distress in the flight attendant's voice was more than evident.

The plane dips again but this time much more violently. People are now crying and some are starting to scream. At this point there is no comfort offered from the flight crew, only silence. We are now in a free fall nose first and the luggage is falling from the bins above. The sweet older woman beside me has a death grip on my wrist and is yelling, "Oh Jesus, Oh Jesus, Oh Jesus."

I was faced with the raw reality of deaths possibility...

I was scared at first. I allowed myself to get caught up in the emotions of my fellow passengers. I was listening to classical music so I turned it up to tune out the utter craziness of it all. My first thought; I hope my friend at work remembers she still has a key to my apartment so she can get my cats. Then I thought about my family and my faith, I took a deep breath and thought, I hope this doesn't hurt.

A calm feeling began to wash over me. I've never felt so at peace. I knew in that moment of peace I was Ok with dying but had an intense feeling it probably wasn't going to happen today.

I am jolted back to reality when the plane suddenly grabs hold of the air and the feeling of weightlessness is now replaced with the feeling of G-forces weighing my body down. The plane is still shuddering uncontrollably it seemed impossible that it was going to hold together. For ten more minutes the terror continued and then I saw a twinkle on the horizon. Las Vegas.

We land and the plane erupts in clapping and cheers. Many are in tears. The airline briefly talks to us about post traumatic stress disorder and it's effects and offers counseling services. I decline and head on my way.

It is 12:45am Saturday morning. I am getting in my car that is parked in the last space of the furthest airport parking lot and I begin to laugh.

Did the last 24 hours really just happen?