So it's been a while since I last posted. Let's see...I'm back at work. I no longer get to hide in the employee breakroom. Instead I am now on the front lines as a cashier in one of the biggest supermarkets in the tri-state area. It's...interesting. I have come to the conclusion that you'll never learn more about human nature than if you are a cashier. I've been lucky so far, as to not have any truly nasty customers yet. Most of them are just mindless; they don't think. Or they think that because I'm behind the register and taking their money, that I'm somehow beneath them. That I'm there to serve. Let's get one thing straight here and now. Yes, I'm a cashier in a retail store. Yes, you are the customer and yes, we will most likely bend over backwards to meet your wishes. HOWEVER, I am a person just like you. I deserve the same respect and courtesy that you expect and demand from me. I can only do so much; I am not a magician. I cannot read your mind. And sometimes, I really don't think your kid is all that cute. Especially when you allow them to roam all over my conveyor belt, pushing buttons that will eventually mess up YOUR order.
I'm a fairly easy-going gal. I am, by nature, a happy gal. It takes a lot to make me snap. But the more I work at my job, the more I realize I'd rather be with animals. :)
On the plus side, I'm making some money again, which is nice, considering that our rent is now $200 more a month. That may not seem all that much but when you realize that my whole income consists of only a disability check every month and only 16 hours a week at a part-time job, you kind of get the picture. On the plus side, I have found a cheaper way to keep myself in smokes! I know, I know--and I don't want to hear it. Smoking is bad, blah blah blah. Trust me, no smoker is unaware of that fact. But I'm not ready to quit yet. I will one day but not yet. In Pompton Lakes, NJ, at 215 Wanaque Street, there is a store called The Tobacco Depot. www.tobaccodepot.org. It is run by a friendly man named Bill. Bill helps you choose a blend of tobacco, taking into consideration the brand you are already used to, then ssets you up with a RYU Station. This is a giant Roll Your Own machine. It puts the tobacco in the cigarettes for you. And since everything is fresh, there are very little additives, if any. A carton's worth costs me about $35. That gives me a savings of $55. And the cigarettes are really good too. I am a fan.
I also re-joined my gym! I will start on Monday. If there's a Planet Fitness near you, go go go! $10 down and only $10 a month! I am the last person I ever thought would want to go to a gym or to miss it when I couldn't go. I whine about getting in shape and all that but the truth is, I'm pretty lazy. But before I was injured, I found myself going to the gym 4 out of 5 days a week. And actually working out! And liking it! I thought of it as my private time because no one bothers you. I compiled a peppy music playlist on my iPod, appropriately titled "Gym", and just started moving.
Then I got injured. And had to be immobile for 4 months.
But now I'm back. And dead set on getting into shape. I just turned 35. I want to complete all of my personal growth goals by the time I'm 40.
1. Lose weight and get into shape.
2. Get and stay out of debt.
3. Save $10,000 in an emergency savings fund.
4. Start a retirement fund.
5. Go back to school.
6. Learn a few languages.
7. Travel outside of the country.
8. Get lots of tattoos.
9. Finally write at least 1 of the books I always dream of writing.
I know that the longer I wait, the harder everything will be so no time like the present. I was lucky to have gotten a settlement before my injury so I was able to pay off my debts. However, with medical costs, I sunk back into the hole. Not as deep as before, but with an income that's not very high, it's still a source of anxiety for me. I plan, once Thanksgiving is near, to increase my hours at work. I just want to get used to working again first.
That's pretty much all I have for now. I'm going to try real hard to keep this blog updated better.
