Shenanigans were called

I did. I called shenanigans and for the first time since David kicked Goliath's ass with a little rock and a slingshot the little guy WON!

Several months ago I wrote about the loss of my job, and how horrible it was, and how financially distraught we had become, but I can happily say that while I am in no way "rich", but I'm no longer closing old savings accounts that hold a retainer balance just so I have dinner money at the fair. Yes, that is what I did this August. I closed an old savings account at a credit union to use the extra $25 bucks they use to keep the account open to buy vikings and fried cheese curd.

So when I got fired I filed for unemployment. At the time I didn't really know what would become of it, but I did it, and began my job search. Job Search 2010. It lasted 9 weeks, technically, because when I got hired for my new job I technically was still out of work for 2 weeks before I started. So I kept filing. And filing. And filing. And at that point I was waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And I thought that I was giving the process a lot of patience and consideration. When I wrote UI (unemployment, for short) asking for an update it sparked them to finally take a look at the claim, and DENY IT.

So fast forward through the first appeal, because the first appeal is apparently just a test of one's patience and discipline, because it's bullshit. BULL. SHIT. They don't even read what you write down in your appeal. So I sent that appeal, and got another letter, stating that after they looked at all the facts without reading any of my 6 pages of appeal information they didn't see any reason to change their minds.

So fast forward AGAIN to 10/1/10. I was in a car, with my fabulous in-laws, headed to Denver to see MUSE and this happened to be the date scheduled for my hearing. So I did the hearing by phone, while we stopped in the parking lot of the Casper Burger King and I cried on the phone to the nice woman at the unemployment hearing office. I guess it was good I wrote that bullshit since I had all my notes/dates/times already compiled and ready to go. We finished the hearing, and went along on our merry way to Denver for an AMAZING concert.

Well, I got my letter the next week. I WON. THAT'S RIGHT. WON. Me, the little guy, beat the big old bad corporation. And that not only boosted my deflated self esteem, but it's got me looking forward to trying to work myself into a different role at my current job. I am not as valuable as my last job made me feel when they fired me. I no longer have to base my worth on what they think.

And not only that, but I love the fact that now I can look back at that job and really see how shitty it was. Yes, money can make up for a lot of bullshit at any job, but at the end of the day I don't just live for my job. I live for my family, and that is what defines me now. Plus, I don't work for a corporation that REWARDS LAZINESS and ENCOURAGES MEDIOCRITY. I'll be honest, with the exception of a few people that shall remain nameless because they know that they aren't the crappy people to which I refer, the management team at my last job sucked. More than one person can't be bothered to do their job, and that is only further compounded by a manager that doesn't know how to manage and a director who loves to hear the sound of their own voice. But now I never have to listen to one single person bitch about American Idol not being on or the "On the 8s" on The Weather Channel not working. EVER AGAIN. You can generate a lot more empathy for people calling crying because of medical bills compared to the Buffalo Bills. Because they suck.

My kids are great. We just spent the last weekend baking, watching movies, and waiting for daddy to come home from hunting. Colter likes to spin in circles, either on his feet or on his butt, and Elora might be getting some ballet gear for Christmas.

We'll be spending Thanksgiving in Colstrip, in Thad's parents new kitchen/living/dining area. Love it, it's gorgeous, and I can't wait to cook there this year. My plan is to stay in town for a couple days and hang out with friends, get a little holiday baking done, and come home refreshed. Then, birthday weekend will be spent recovering from the holiday Christmas party for work, then a couple weeks of work before Christmas, and after Christmas we'll have my mom here with kiddos during my day care provider's Christmas break.

The last few weeks have been ups and downs, and I am happy to report they were mostly ups. I'm cruising full speed ahead towards the big 3-0, and I can't wait to make it to 31 with my amazing family, and the people that I am now choosing to keep in my life. Is it too early to say that I can't wait for 2011?!