Late January 2006

Mon 16 Jan
The cold and windy weather continued, although it's milder than either Wilkes-Barre or State College. I walked all the way to work today as I try to lose some weight. There are enough catalogs to go out today as we try to clean out the backlog. I also had yet another pallet to bring in, with no place to put it!

Arizona will lose both its Supreme Cout justices withi n a year.

Tue 17 Jan Benjamin Franklin's 300th
I thought about why I reacted to rejection from interviewers and how similar it was toward my social conflicts in school. I am not quite through "Self-Esteem" by Matthew McKay and Patrick Fanning. I still try to compare what I read with my aliving in my childhood four decades ago.

Wed 18 Jan
I am so stessed out today. When I arose, I was alone in the house with my brother. Meanwhile, the wind and the rain made my trek to work hazardous. When I was walking to the end of Gravelhill Pike, the wind blew down chunks of trees into a backyeard while I watched! It looked like a scene out of television.
The caregiver came late due to the bad weather. Our backyeard is a mess of branches, but no downed trees. Finally around eleven, Mom called to tell me that she was in Conshohocken. Uncle Bill and I were ready to go get her, when we found out that she'd left the house from which she'd called. Eventually, the police had her when she hit a gate.
I had to take a halfday personal and cancel Block tonight, as I sit in bed. Oregon's assisted suicide law was upheld 6-3, with Roberts providing the dissent. It's states' rights, combined with individual rights as well. We know which was for Scalito. Meanwhile, Karen called as well, offering assistance -- and I'll need it.

Sat 21 Jan
I've been at Block for four hours without a client. We went shopping for groceries this morning. I couldn't get an estimate on the damage to the front headlight and the area below it. However, the lights still work, so I can drive it at night.
The weather remains unseasonably warm. It's more like March than January. On the homefront, I await the result of my calls on Thursday.

Sat 28 Jan
The two peak weeks begin today. The vechicle is still under repair, so I'll be going to Acme with a cart tomorrow, just like old times in Kingston. I lack most of my information today, so I'll not be filing this weekend.
On Thursday night, I fell, and my left knee, my left arm, and my right hand still ache. I even have a bruise on my hand.
We began early today at Block, although it may be awhile before the business picks up. Last night, I had four clients, which easily made up a few days last week. Today I need about $500 in sales to break even.

I still await a client.

I had four clients to just break even. I bought another desk calendar of mind-bending puzzles for clients to see the date. The computer doesn't show the date during the sessions.

Sun 29 Jan
There are five of us today, in contrast to the three we had all those Sundays last year. I went to Acme with the cart this morning, only to be reminded what I don't usually go there. The prices are much higher, even with a card, and I spent nearly $25 on a few items. In addition, the cashier almost missed giving me a dollar in change.

New Year's 2006

Mon 2 Jan
My sister and her family graced and enriched us with their presence yesterday afternoon. My brother-in-law was correct that the battery had died in the van, and he bought us a replacement. They had presents for us, but mine were not really useful, as usual: glass ornaments, a totebrella, and two mugs with cocoa. I really think it was a waste.
The hibernal pause dwindles to hours, and the rest of the winter will be very busy. Given Schrub's deficits and rising interest rates, I should double my additions to shrink the principal on the mortgage.

Tue 10 Jan
My first night at Block produced another pounding on the uniform definition of a qualifying child. Otherwise, we didn't geet much else done. Tonight and Friday I have off, which will become rare over the next fourteen weeks. The aim for the season is $500 more for a new computer, $1000 more for the business, and $1000 more for the principal on the mortgage.
I didn't fall asleep until almost midnight, and I had a heavy nap over this afternoon. Last night was the first step over the next fourteen weeks, just past Easter.

Wed 11 Jan
12:15
At the beginning of a long day, I finally took the book on self-esteem, which has a few exercises with it.
15:30
Much of what I struggled with over my lifetime seems to relate to self-esteem. Even my sixth-grade teacher reminded me of a lack of confidence to control the class. I also went over my personal rough spots, and I can now see where with was lacking. Like Reaganomics, my time at Ashley remains long after it should have, and the poisonous effect remains, because I can't seem to leave it alone.

Thu 12 Jan
Last night I almost had a client, but Monika took him. I suppose I could have done it for the twenty-something commission. I was very surprised we had clients so early.
The weight loss I've missed comes from my lack of self-esteem as well. Instead of taking up other forms of body abuse, I let it manifest tiself in another venue. My portions are too much and I shouldn't eat so often and so late in the day. I am up to 106 kg, and I plan to begin losing a kilogram a week.

Sun 15 Jan
My near disaster last night did not cover it with coffee. It was quite misty when I went back to Block. I had no clients by 6:30, three hours later, so I split my shift and headed toward Boarders. Instead I found a desk calendar about worst-case scenarios.
However, during my first hour, I tried to make coffee. Not finding filters, I tried to do it without, which blocked the filter with grounds. When I tried to carry the mess into the restroom, the plug to the maker caught behind the microwave. The coffee spilled on my right arm, slightly scalding my wrist. Finally I cleaned everything up, and later I made it correctly. The filters had been hiding in the cupboard. Whatever made me think I didn't need filters with this coffee maker?
I can't seem to hear my critic, which is the first step toward rebuilding my self-esteem.