Good News/Scary News/Problems

Sorry no pics this time will have some next post.


Well I guess I will start in reverse order as that is how it effects my blogging. Problems first. For the last couple of months I have had a problem with my computer, after being on for about 10-20 minutes it would shut off. Just as if some one had unplugged the tower, one second it was one and working the next off it went. I figured it was due to over heating. Living in South West part of America the climate is dry which causes static electricity. With the fact that I smoke and have a lot of dust and cat hair I guessed that it was causing the power supply or the CPU to over heat and cause it to shut down. Due to dust and hair collecting around these areas. This has been going on for a while, but only in the afternoons, if I turn on the fan for the ac and crack the window in the computer room it would stay on longer. And at night would last longer before shutting off.

My system is only about 3 years old (still very new for me) it being the first one I bought new most of my systems were that old or older when I bought them. But I had never cleaned it inside with canned air. Just recently it got really bad and would not stay on for long at any time of the day. Problem was that I have been unemployed scene May of last year and did not have any money to spend on buying a can of air to clean it. It has a window in the tower and I can see the dust and cat hair thick inside. So because of this have not been able to post for a while.

Scary news or for me SOP ( Standard Operating Procedure) as I have been through similar situations before. My bank will cover me up to $500 in the hole so if I over draw my account the check will bounce and they will charge me $30 but it will clear as far as to who I write it out to. So I am covered if I have to write a check when I do not have any money in my account. Like I said I have been unemployed scene May of 2010, I have been living on my 401k retirement savings that I cashed out when I lost my last job. It finally ran out. Well Jan I had enough money with the overdraft protection to cover my rent. I sent it out late hoping for extra money to come in, so will get charged late charge. The day after I sent my rent check I got notice of disconnect for my electricity if I did not pay the past due amount. I went on line and paid them so I would not have my power cut off, knowing that this would cause my rent check to bounce with the rental agency. (I needed to keep power and internet on because I was selling stuff on ebay to make extra money).

I also got notice from the gas company so paid them, aware that each bounced check cost me $30 plus having to pay it back. I had already put the cats on a dry food diet because that was all I could buy that would last longer than canned. I was half way through the last bag of cat food, on my last paper towel, I only had TP because last time I bought food I got a $10 gift card because I bought $100 worth of food so spent it on toilet paper. I was able to get food stamps when I got fired so have been using that for food which helped to make my money last longer. I knew that my rent check would bounce several times each time costing $30 because it would be over my overdraft limit and then the rental agency would come to me to collect. February's rent got sent late also for the same reason, it would bounce. Basically at this point it is just a matter of waiting to get evicted and all utilities cut off.

On January 26 (Wednesday) I had a phone interview for a job and they sent me a job offer in the email. They had 2 starting dates one on the first and the second on the 15 of Feb, the lady who did the interview was nice enough to rush me through to try to get me to start on the first. The biggest worries was getting the drug test and background checks done in time for me to start on the first, which was a Tuesday. I got the emails the next day on Thursday and took my piss test that day after completing the background info on line just before going to the clinic.

Then on Friday the 28 I got my W-2's in the mail. I know I still need info from my 401k before filing but I needed money so went on line and filled out the forms using one of the free file sites available. I figure I can can file an amended form once I get everything in, and if if have to pay back some at that time then so be it. I need to get some of these checks covered plus need to buy some cat food before my babies start to starve.

Good news, I was told if I did not pass everything I would not be able to start work on the first and would have to wait for results. My main worry was if the background check included a credit check as I have not paid any credit cards for over a year, so my credit is shot until I can start working and pay everything off. I was able to start work on the first of February. On fourth I got a direct deposit of my federal return. I bought canned air and cleaned out my computer and it seems to be working just fine now. (Just as I thought it was overheating, the CPU was thick with dust and cat hair). My computer is staying on without shutting off on me. I got 4 bags of dry and 2 cases of canned for a treat only one can per cat per day. (that is for my cats only, 6 cans a day, the rest can do without and eat only dry) The first was the second week of the pay period so got my first check on the 11 of February which helps.

This job is with the last company that I wanted to apply to and is in a phone center which I deplore. But it is a start and will bring in some money until I can find a different job. But what ever it takes to feed my kids. After all they come first. I have spent 2 months eating only potatoes so they could be fed before, and will do it again if needed. I did learn that I would have started anyways even if I failed the pre-hire checks but would have been let go once the results were in. I guess I passed as I found this out at the end of the second week.

I did not want to work in another phone center (my last was 10 years ago) and this company was the last one of them I wanted to work for. They had adds the whole time I was unemployed but I avoided them applying elsewhere, until things got desperate. I knew that they would hire almost anyone. I just hope I can stick it out until I get something else or at least back on my feet before I leave them. It is steady pay and easy work so think I can stick it out for a year if I have to. Only problem is I got sick while in class and have called out the last 2 days. I hope I will still be able to work when I go back tomorrow. I have had a 104 fever for the last 2 days and today it broke and am around 100. I have taken mega doses of vitamin C and today soaked in a hot bath with the bathroom thick in humid air.(it is a dry climate so hard to achieve) to help the coughing. Will know tomorrow afternoon when I go to work and will post results. Suppose to have a point system and a missed day equals 1 point so will have 2 points against me am allowed 12 before getting fired. Plus every 30 days of no missed or late times will get ¼ point back. Will see how that works out.

Wish me luck everyone. This is all about the kitties. They must be taken care of first, then my problems come second.