Starting Over...Again

Starting Over can happen many times-even in your Career Part 3

2011-11-26T04:50:00.000-08:00

While I live in a fairly metropolitan area, there are not a lot of corporate headquarters of large companies. A lot of mom and pops, and division headquarters. When something happens to your job, there aren't always a myriad of choices when trying to replace it.

In 2007 when I got WIPED OUT I signed up right away for temporary work so I could put groceries on the table. A year later, I was made a permanent employee at less than 60% of ANY of my previous salaries. I am in a position that is somewhat more of an analyst position than REAL accounting. I had my first eye opener when I applied internally for a position in the corporate office. The interviewer asked "It has been a while since you worked on financial statements, do you think you could still do them?" I was flabbergasted! In reality I have been doing financial statements probably longer than the interviewer has been alive, and needless to say I was not given the opportunity. I knew then that I was devaluing myself on the job market for what I truly know and do well every day that I go to work there.But..I NEED the job or I would be living in a box under a bridge somewhere! I am truly thankful to be working, but for career purposes if you have a choice, stick with your true profession if you can, as positions in "related" fields may hurt your chances going forward! Sometimes the choice isn't available, and you have to go with what you can get.

Starting Over can happen many times-even in your Career Part 2

2011-11-22T04:54:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I mentioned that employers use several methods to "weed out" applicants. For Accounting positions, the first is requiring a CPA. Obviously not a problem if have one. The next thing that works against you is a credit check. Having been financially WIPED OUT in 2007 and trying to recover (still) I obviously don't have great credit. My credit has no impact on my ability to do a great job for someone. I do not have access to their money, I just account for it. If they have decent internal controls, I would NEVER have any opportunity to financially harm my employer-and let's face it. They pay me, I want them to live long and prosper!

OK-so far two strikes against me. I am not a CPA and I have lousy credit (but I am committed to getting it back in shape somehow).

Here comes strike 3-AGEISM is alive and well in hiring practices. OK, so I am experienced. In days gone by that would have counted as a substitute for the CPA. Some of us have awesome experience that could really help a business move to the next level. I would love to have that opportunity and have FAITH that it will happen, but in the mean time? Got to just keep plugging along.

There are hidden pitfalls to your career based on your current position. Want to know more? OK-stay tuned.

Starting Over can happen many times-even in your Career

2011-11-21T06:16:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder when it is too late to start a new career? Many people say it NEVER too late, but from a practical real life stand point, it can be unless you have a LOT of resources available to you. For anyone that ever read this Blog, you know I was financially WIPED OUT in 2007. I am still "starting over" from that experience. I have hit many walls I never saw coming. So..I am going to share a few of them with you so maybe you can see them coming.

This post is primarily about careers. I am an ACCOUNTANT by profession and have a LOT of fantastic experience. What I find now in the job market are several issues.

Employers use a couple of things to "weed out" applicants. In the olden days (I use this term loosely) experience counted for something. While I am a degreed Accountant, I am not certified. I worked for a Public Accountant for my last year of college and despised it!!! Doing accounting for any John Doe company and not caring too much about his operational results held no motivation for me. Make no mistake, I love accounting, but I also like personal involvement, so I looked for jobs in industry rather than public accounting. Sure a CPA would have made me worth more on the market, but sometimes there are things more important than only MONEY and I was anxious to get my career on the road, and I wanted to ENJOY it! In today's market not being a CPA is a method used to weed out applicants. Many positions I would love and could make a GREAT contribution to I am blocked from be considered. I have so much more to tell you, so come back-it may mean something to your own career or job search down the road!

Truer words were never shared:

2011-09-17T04:45:00.000-07:00

Returning to the Plantation !

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-22T09:43:00.000-08:00

I just updated on of my other blogs:
The title was : Retirement Nightmare from Hell: Be a Walmart Greeter and it made me think about how long it has taken me to Start Over this time. Yes I have had a few start overs in my day, but none as drastic as this one has been. I continue to claw my way back, am still not even caught up with where I was 5 years ago.

Losing everything from a monetary perspective is really tough. I am still truly blessed in many ways, but continue to struggle. My handsome son, a sophomore in college this year, works to pay rent and eat-as good old mom can't help. One of my beloved pups needs some vet care, but once again...good old mom can't help. I can love her, keep her happy...that's it. She is well loved and well fed (she loves her cookies!).

Our sermon yesterday in church, really hit home. The questions was asked of us..if God's mercy and grace could be bought how much??? I have to truly praise God that it is free everyday to believers and that He called me to believe a few years ago..or once again I would have missed the boat. My FAITH is what keeps me going. God is good all the time!

So, while I make payments for a home I am upside down in, and go from paycheck to paycheck with .37 in the bank, I am still truly blessed. I have to give Thanks for all of that! I live in the United States, I am proud to be an American, I have to give Thanks for that, too. So struggling is struggling, but joy from the Lord, a free country, life and the liberty to pursue happiness is the BEST anyone can have. God bless you all, and God BLESS America.

Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6" Display, Graphite - Latest Generation

Decision Points

The Bible says in End Times...

2010-09-11T05:48:00.000-07:00

The Bible says in End Times there will be little ability to buy or sell. Well..I am there. I have fought so hard to keep my home, praise the Lord I am still in it! But there was a time when you could sell your way out of a bad spot. That time seems to be gone. I am upside down in my house, so even if I could sell it, I couldn't afford to pay off my mortgage.

I own a Timeshare (purchased in better days). I have had EXQUISITE vacations there. If I hadn't owned it I probably wouldn't have ever taken a whole week off to enjoy myself and recharge. We get so hooked on work, like we are indispensable and no one else can do it. I guess we just need to be needed. Anyway...back to the Timeshare, I now owe a couple of years worth of fees on it. I tried to just give it back, but they wouldn't take it. I do own it outright, but cannot rent it or use it while I have unpaid fees on it. I have tried several times, while I had a little money to list it with Timeshare Resellers. I would like to think at least some of them are legitimate, but ... my experience tells me that they take my money and I never hear from them again. Live and learn...in my case it is just live. I am trying ANOTHER one, one that sort of fits my budget (as if I had one). When someone has ZERO discretionary funds...nothing outside of sustaining life can really be in a budget. So, I am PRAYING that it is a legitimate company and I can at least somehow get free of the debt I have on my timeshare and put a little change in my pocket.

What really made me think about it was an article posted today as a SCAM ALERT about Timeshare Resellers. Check it out if you are in my boat.

If anyone out there has used a timeshare reller that REALLY helped them I would sure love to hear about it!!!

What I have learned in the last year

2010-09-06T05:32:00.000-07:00

Yes, it has been a year (a little over it) since my last post on this Blog. I have managed to keep my house!!! I had to spend every dime I had on an attorney to file Ch. 13 Bankruptcy. Just before my hearing Saxon offered me a loan modification, which I accepted. It took me a year to get it straightened out even AFTER signing the modification.

My sister and best friend left me a year ago, she and I traveled the same paths. She was in Ch. 13 also trying to keep her home. She kept going until she couldn't anymore. We found out she had cancer everywhere, and she was gone a week later. I believe it was God's gift to her to take her home, she just couldn't stand it anymore. I know she is in heaven, she accepted the gift of salvation a few years ago. She lived in an evil environment, her cohabitant was a wicked person and did his best to criticize her and keep her down. She left him as the administrator of her will which he and I share 50%. Being in bankruptcy there wasn't really a lot there and I was in such shock at having lost her, I left it all with him to liquidate and provide documentation on. Guess who I have never heard from again?? What a LOSER he is, and he was so blessed that my sister cared about him and provided a roof over his head (and his son's too). She is probably the ONLY person on the face of this earth that really cared about him. She spent all of her money on him, and got nothing in return. I miss her EVERYDAY, we talked to each other EVERY day for years. We used to see each other regularly too, but then we both went down the tubes financially and didn't want to spend the gas money. I helped her when I could, which was so little. She never said how bad off she was getting. Her life was terrible for the last few years and I wanted so much to help her, but was and am still barely able to help myself.

I have learned that God does provide. Maybe not the way we would want, but He does provide! My handsome son is in college now. Last year, by the GRACE of GOD, he went to a private college with enough scholarships and money provided by his grandmother years ago to make it through with only small loans. This year, he is going to a public college because his funding will pay for it with no loans, but he has living expenses to cover. Praise the Lord, he has a job to be starting soon. I want to help him too, it tears my heart out that I cannot. I have to have HOPE that better days are ahead.

I continue working (at 60%) of my pay in 2006. Just enough to cover costs, NOTHING extra, especially since my mortgage payment consumes most of my money. My employer is awesome, I am thankful to be working and seem to be at a stage in life where I cannot go anywhere else. I thought I was becoming paranoid, but this article from Smart Money tells me I am not. "You’re not paranoid: Age discrimination in the workplace is real. A 2006 survey by the Center on Aging and Work at Boston College found that about one fourth of employers said they were reluctant to hire older workers. More recently, the National Bureau of Economic Research found that after looking at only a resume, employers discriminated against women they perceived to be 50 or older. " Yep that's me...a Golden Oldie. Never thought I would be here at this stage of my life!!

I continue chipping away at some extra money online, too. I think AdSense is my first and best choice..no dependence on other people signing up for your programs. I know a lot about online business, marketing etc. but people don't want your help unless you can say I made millions and am a guru...

It has been a long time and I am still fighting

2009-06-17T03:03:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted here for a very long time. I have still been struggling to get back on my feet and keep my house. My mortgage servicing company, Saxon Mortgage Company, has dealt only in bad faith with me. My last alternative and the one I am taking is Chapter 13 Bankruptcy to keep my home.

Why keep it? I am not upside down in it-maybe break even. The amount of a REGULAR mortgage payment is about the same as I would pay in rent, so if the market comes back in the next couple of years I would have some equity. The length of time that has elapsed since all of this began makes me VERY far in the hole, so I have 55 months to catch it up. It won't be easy, and it is the MOST EXPENSIVE option available, but it stopped the sale of my home.

I have seen postings on line from others dealing with Saxon Mortgage who seem to be having the same experience I have had. I had lunch last week with a couple of wonderful ladies from my church, one of them works for a law firm in Broward County. Saxon Mortgage came up in our conversation, as I was sharing bits of my experience, and her first response was they were one of the worst.

"Vengeance is mine" saith the Lord. But sometimes we wish we could see justice in our own lives. Wouldn't it be incredible to have a class action lawsuit against Saxon for people to recover Attorney's fees for Ch.13 filings and the Trustee fees on every dollar paid out? They could have been avoided if Saxon had worked with people early on. What do you think???

Avoiding Forclosure

2008-08-31T03:49:00.000-07:00

These are Tips for from the HUD Foreclosure page:

Are you having trouble keeping up with your mortgage payments? Have you received a notice from your lender asking you to contact them?
Don't ignore the letters from your lender
Contact your lender immediately
Contact a HUD-approved Housing Counseling Agency
Toll FREE (800) 569-4287
TTY (800) 877-8339

If you are unable to make your mortgage payment:
1. Don't ignore the problem.The further behind you become, the harder it will be to reinstate your loan and the more likely that you will lose your house.

2. Contact your lender as soon as you realize that you have a problem.Lenders do not want your house. They have options to help borrowers through difficult financial times.

3. Open and respond to all mail from your lender.The first notices you receive will offer good information about foreclosure prevention options that can help you weather financial problems. Later mail may include important notice of pending legal action. Your failure to open the mail will not be an excuse in foreclosure court.

4. Know your mortgage rights.Find your loan documents and read them so you know what your lender may do if you can't make your payments. Learn about the foreclosure laws and time frames in your state (as every state is different) by contacting the State Government Housing Office.

5. Understand foreclosure prevention options.Valuable information about foreclosure prevention (also called loss mitigation) options can be found on the internet at portal.hud.gov/portal/page?_pageid=33,717348&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL .

6. Contact a HUD-approved housing counselor.The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds free or very low cost housing counseling nationwide. Housing counselors can help you understand the law and your options, organize your finances and represent you in negotiations with your lender if you need this assistance. Find a HUD-approved housing counselor near you or call (800) 569-4287 or TTY (800) 877-8339.

7. Prioritize your spending.After health care, keeping your house should be your first priority. Review your finances and see where you can cut spending in order to make your mortgage payment. Look for optional expenses-cable TV, memberships, entertainment-that you can eliminate. Delay payments on credit cards and other "unsecured" debt until you have paid your mortgage.

8. Use your assets. Do you have assets-a second car, jewelry, a whole life insurance policy-that you can sell for cash to help reinstate your loan? Can anyone in your household get an extra job to bring in additional income? Even if these efforts don't significantly increase your available cash or your income, they demonstrate to your lender that you are willing to make sacrifices to keep your home.

9. Avoid foreclosure prevention companies. You don't need to pay fees for foreclosure prevention help-use that money to pay the mortgage instead. Many for-profit companies will contact you promising to negotiate with your lender. While these may be legitimate businesses, they will charge you a hefty fee (often two or three month's mortgage payment) for information and services your lender or a HUD approved housing counselor will provide free if you contact them.

10. Don't lose your house to foreclosure recovery scams!If any firm claims they can stop your foreclosure immediately if you sign a document appointing them to act on your behalf, you may well be signing over the title to your property and becoming a renter in your own home! Never sign a legal document without reading and understanding all the terms and getting professional advice from an attorney, a trusted real estate professional, or a HUD approved housing counselor.

Visit the Hud page for more information.

Fighting Foreclosure

2008-06-26T03:13:00.000-07:00

Fight Foreclosure!

The following information is from The Consumer Warning Network and it has a couple of great videos on this post. If you are facing Foreclosure, or late on your mortgage, please use this information to HELP YOURSELF!!

Steps To Follow:
Using the “produce the note” strategy is something all homeowners facing foreclosure can do. If you believe you’ve been treated unfairly, fight back. We have created templates for a legal request, a letter to your lender and a motion to compel to help you through the process.

WHO OWNS THE NOTE?
Your goal is to make certain the institution suing you is, in fact, the owner of the note (see steps to follow below). There is only one original note for your mortgage that has your signature on it. This is the document that proves you owe the debt.
During the lending boom, most mortgages were flipped and sold to another lender or servicer or sliced up and sold to investors as securitized packages on Wall Street. In the rush to turn these over as fast as possible to make the most money, many of the new lenders did not get the proper paperwork to show they own the note and mortgage. This is the key to the produce the note strategy. Now, many lenders are moving to foreclose on homeowners, resulting in part from problems they created, and don’t have the proper paperwork to prove they have a right to foreclose.

THE HARM
If you don’t challenge your lender, the court will simply allow the foreclosure to proceed. It’s important to hold lenders accountable for their carelessness. This is the biggest asset in your life. It’s just a piece of paper to them, and one they likely either lost or destroyed.
When you get a copy of the foreclosure suit, many lenders now automatically include a count to re-establish the note. It often reads like this: “…the Mortgage note has either been lost or destroyed and the Plaintiff is unable to state the manner in which this occurred.” In other words, they are admitting they don’t have the note that proves they have a right to foreclose.
If the lender is allowed to proceed without that proof, there is a possibility another institution, which may have bought your note along the way, will also try to collect the same debt from you again.
A Tennessee borrower recently had precisely that happen to her. Her lender, Ameriquest, foreclosed on her in July of 2007. About three months later, another bank sent her a default notice for the mortgage on the house she just lost. She called to find out what was going on. After being transferred from place to place and left on hold for lengthy periods of time, no one could explain what happened. They said they would get back to her, but never did. Now, she faces the risk of having her credit continually damaged for a debt she no longer owes.

FIGHT FOR FAIRNESS
This process is not intended to help you get your house for free. The primary goal is to delay the foreclosure and put pressure on the lender to negotiate. Despite all the hype about lenders wanting to help homeowners avoid foreclosure, most borrowers know that’s not the reality.
Too many homeowners have experienced lender resistance to their efforts to work out a payment structure to keep them in their homes. Many lenders bear responsibility for these defaults, because they put borrowers into unfair loans using deceptive, hard-sell practices and then made the problem worse with predatory servicing.
Most homeowners just want these lenders to give them reasonable terms on their mortgages, many of which were predatory to begin with. With the help of judges who see through these predatory practices, lenders will feel the pressure to work with borrowers to keep them in their homes. Don’t forget lenders made incredible amounts of money by using irresponsible practices to issue and service these loans. That greed led to the foreclosure crisis we’re in today. Allowing lenders to continue foreclosing on home after home, destroying our neighborhoods and our economy hurts us all. So, make it hard for your lender to take your home. Make ‘em produce the note!

STEPS TO FOLLOW
A. If your lender has already filed suit to foreclose on your home:

1. Use the first form. It’s a fill-in-the-blank legal request to your lender asking that the original note be produced, before it can proceed with the foreclosure. In some jurisdictions, the courts require the original request to be filed with the clerk of court and a copy of the request to be sent to the attorney representing the lender. To find out the rules where you live, call the Clerk of Court in your jurisdiction.
2. If the lender’s attorney does not respond within 30 days, file a motion to compel with the court and request that the court set a hearing on your motion. That, in effect, asks the judge to order the lender to produce the documents.
3. The judge will issue a ruling at your hearing. Many judges around the country are becoming more sympathetic to homeowners, because of the prevalence of predatory lending and servicing. In the past, many lenders have relied upon using lost note affidavits, but in many cases, that’s no longer enough to satisfy the judge. They are holding the lender to the letter of the law, requiring them to produce evidence that they are the true owners of the note. For example:
In October 2007, Ohio Federal Court Judge Christopher Boyko dismissed 14 foreclosure cases brought by investors, ruling they failed to prove they owned the properties they were trying to seize.
B. If you are in default, but your lender has not yet filed suit against you:
1. Use the second form. It’s a fill-in-the-blank letter to your lender which also requests they produce the original note, before taking foreclosure action against you.
2. If the lender does not respond and files suit against you to foreclose, follow the steps above.

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It's the End of The World As We know it...

2008-05-20T04:21:00.001-07:00

and I feel fine...At least that is way the song goes. We might have a United States president named Barack Husein Mohammed Obama-in the old days some one would have said that's rad. We are in a recession, at least in Florida, whether anyone cares to say it out loud or not.

George W. Bush has had more disasters, natural and otherwise to provide relief for than any other president in history. He had to respond to the call of an act of war on our soil-unheard of for years, since World War II in fact. I still support him, I think he's done everything he could.

Yes I believe it IS the end of the world as I've known it. I am fighting to keep my home, the beginning of the foreclosure process has started. I get letters from attorneys, Realtors etc and now it's time to take action. I cannot seem to communicate with my mortgage company-it takes 45 minutes on hold to get a human being that doesn't know anything and that actually will LIE to you. I'll bring you up to date on where I am later today.

Help me out if you can-buy my e-guide. It will help me and my friend Maddy at the same time. Call it a Foreclosure Sale if you want. http://www.guruetteonthenet.com/PowerSafelisting.htm If you have a good list and would consider a JV let me know-I'll share.

Have a GREAT day, and God bless you!
Marianne
Success Consultant
http://www.GuruetteOnTheNet.com
http://www.InternetMarketing-Mavens.com
http://mctmgchristianradio.com
http://guruette.ws

I thought this would be a way to help-give back

2008-05-03T11:07:00.000-07:00

I read an interesting Blog post the other day from one of my associates at the Social Marketing Central called where have all the Bloggers Gone? and it made me think of this Blog.

I had planned to post details of my journey through the total loss of any money, thinking it might be helpful to others that find themselves here. How I dealt and am dealing with my mortgage company, how I am trying to fight foreclosure, how to rebuild your credit after total devastation. I haven't done much posting here, it's tough to be personal about these things. And to be honest, I haven't had much of a following on it either so I decided "What's the point?"

I am so amazed at how people who are supposed to be helping you mostly lie to you. My mortgage company for one. I filed bankruptcy several years ago, and it was never as bad as it seems now. Trying to do the RIGHT things for you and your family have become major hurdles. Who to believe. The world is changing so fast. People all seem to be out for themselves. At least my walk with the Lord improves daily, and I am still trusting in Him to guide my path. I know how to rebuild credit-been there and done that. I also know that where I am now is temporary, as is everything in this life, even this life itself.

I have reduced my e-guide 25% to generate some sales and help my friend Maddy I would love to sell a thousand of the e-guides in May, that is one of my current goals.

Working for Rob Hannley currently as a client of InternetMarketing-Mavens.com has also been keeping me busy when I am not at work. I love Internet Marketing. It's such a rush to see your work on page one of Google for someone's selected keywords.

Life is really a celebration of victories, small and large, and miracles-the ordinary miracles of everyday and the incredible ones that you know in your heart God provided just for you. I hope you have many!

Have a GREAT day, and God bless you!
Marianne
Success Consultant
http://guruette.ws
http://www.GuruetteOnTheNet.com
http://www.InternetMarketing-Mavens.com
http://mctmgchristianradio.com

BEWARE Temporary Employment

2008-03-15T13:06:00.000-07:00

As I have been explaining, I had an unfortunate thing happen to me this past summer and it left me below BROKE. Because I had been self employed (a contract wasn't paid) I was left without income and couldn't even file for unemployment.

I have an incredible 16 year old son (I am truly BLESSED to be his mom) and I am trying to keep our home. I went to work IMMEDIATELY for Accountemps, a division of Robert Half & Associates; whom I also registered with as they list 80% of the jobs in the north end of the county-the cream of the crop. I had to keep food on the table, lights and yes Internet...it's the best tool for generating an income, and for finding a REAL job!!

I have been a temp now since August. One can only live on half of their regular pay for so long, now I get another day behind for every day I work. I cannot get off square one with Robert Half, it would be bad for Accountemps as they would have to replace me and they make great money from my labor. It is a catch 22. I think some of the jobs they post are really fakes anyway, just a means of increasing their data base of potential employees.

I realize I am not their client, that the companies doing the hiring are. But I am a damn good accountant, ready willing and able to work my butt off for someone so that I can pay my mortgage. I have been doing it for 30+ years, and now I am beginning to feel "DEFECTIVE" in some way. I've had some really excellent interviews and I know the competition is stiff, but WOW...I want work!!!

I HAVE to trust in the LORD to lead me out of this place. If you stop by-pray for us!!

Did I mention I hate banks?

2008-02-09T09:04:00.000-08:00

I never imagined getting to this point in my life and having NO BANK ACCOUNT. When they shut mine down for being overdrawn, it went to collections, and left me with no way to open a new one. For people that don't have a lot of money, banks really do "fleece" you. My overdraft tripled before they shut the account down, with daily charges for remaining overdrawn. The first money I made as a Temp had to go for food, electric...necessities and there wasn't enough to even ponder trying to cover the growing hole at the bank.

I love Internet business. With no bank account-well no payment processors. It's tough to keep going like that. All of my marketing tools that I subscribed to were instantly canceled, my memberships in MLM type companies...INSTANTLY canceled. WOW, major bummer for me.

I slowly built up some funds for paying JUST the necessities, my car and insurance. Then, what to do about my mortgage. I have owned this house for 10 years. I don't want to refi anymore, the closing costs and extras just keep increasing the principle debt. Of course...at this point who would qualify me?? It is frightening trying to hang on and keep going.

My faith and trust in the Lord has kept me going-that's the main thing. My church helped me that first month to pay my necessities so I could accumulate a little cash. A lot of the women at the church help me, too. I don't know where we would be without them. God is good...all of the time. I know he is teaching me through this experience. I wish I was a faster learner so I could maybe move up a notch, you know what I mean?

Working with mortgage companies is really an amazing experience. I'll tell you about mine next time.

It started in July-WOW 7 months and still clawing my way up

2008-01-19T04:56:00.000-08:00

I was on vacation. Sent out a few payments to my creditors because I KNEW I would have money before they could hit the bank. July 16th was payday, by direct deposit. No worries. Monday came, NO MONEY. I made some calls, was assured there would be some tomorrow.

Tuesday...no money and now my checks were hitting the bank. OVERDRAFT!!! I again made calls, and it was becoming apparent that there would be no money coming. I had been working diligently to rebuild my credit from a bankruptcy. I had one credit card with me-we lived on it until we could get home. Then I had to max it out to reclaim my beautiful dogs from boarding at the vet's office. (I still owe the other half of that..).

My first order of business was to go to my bank. I hate banks do you?

A Rest? and Looking for work

2007-12-24T13:30:00.000-08:00

I totally enjoyed my summer!! I had just about landed a job with another engineering firm, it becomes kind of like a niche for accounting-you know the industry, the metrics that management uses, etc. when I got an offer to do some work online.

I have been in online businesses and marketing part time for at least 12 years-back when it was in its infancy. I love it, and it was a chance to follow a dream. So yes, I chose to work at home and try it. Never did I dream I would be where I am now. For eight months I had the perfect job. Paid every 1st and 16th. Even reimbursed for health insurance. It wasn't the 70k+ I used to make, but pretty close and I got to stay home.

I have a story to tell

2007-12-24T13:09:00.000-08:00

And I am going to do it on this Blog. This is my current journey, maybe someone will have suggestions...

I am a 52 year old single mom. My son is 16, and the most awesome gift God ever gave anyone. I am also an accountant, and have made enough to support us okay. My salary range was $70,000+ a year, needless to say we don't live extravagantly, but we have what we need-or at least we did.

My job with an engineering firm here ran out..yes I know..ran out? The firm doesn't have a local office and the people here actually work at a client's location. The positions are "contracted" with my previous employer. I knew it wouldn't be a permanent position, but working on the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan seemed historical and a worthwhile project to be associated with. However as a program accountant, my position was not renewed, so... I was laid off in June, 2006. It was really kind of exciting to me, as I was planning to spend a summer off, the first on of my 30 year working history!! I would get to spend time with my son, go to the beach (I LOVE the ocean..) and watch him surf and have a rest.