posted March 31, 2004 05:49 PM         

Yes..I know I have been missing. I do check in every now and again. I do also have a ton going on right now.

I broke up with Mr. Leo last weekend. It was something that was on my mind for a while and with this company laying him off after torturing him off and on for a year, he was a bit abrasive towards me. In the end - I realized I couldn't save him when my own world was also coming apart. Almost like on the plane when they tell you to put on your mask first before others because you aren't worth anything if you are suffocating. LOL.

This company is getting worse and I am on my way out - but they are refusing to lay me off because they want me to quit so I will forfeit my severance. At the same time the CFO offered to help me....if I go to dinner with him. Meanwhile he acknowledged that the old man - former CEO and now director has been harrassing me and abusing me (it is also his uncle) but it's best "not to drag this into court because we will have to force you to lose everything" LOL....right, sorry I am not afraid of that. The CFO also admitted that his salary was twice what he would ever get paid anywhere else so that is why he stays - and then he said "But I care about the people".

Right now the new CEO is laying off good people left and right while hiring his own friends and getting best buddies to be board members...before you thinhk this is a typical capitalistic thing..this company is run by the Left and we have a few liberal representatives on the dole.

So while dealing with that I also hit with $3000 worth of taxes that my ex was kind enough to stick me with - even though my tax burden this year was extreme (More than $16,000 in state and federal bringing my overall take home to less than what most people make off welfare - and they don't have to pay rent, at least not here in MD where they can get HUD)

My insurance didn't cover my additional $3000 in dental expenses for a root canal. LOL...on that note I am now on powerful antibiotics because the second dentist screwed up and introduced bacteria into the crown prep on the back molar resulting in a second root canal and subsequent bone infection while missing over 15 days of work (at a time when I am on thin ice) for dental appointments what can you do? I am furious with my ex because we had a verbal agreement and he wanted to get out of paying taxes on his capital gains and needed to use the settlement he gave me as a write off. I have already offset his taxes 4 years in a row and his deductions actually work to allow him to pay LESS in taxes than I paid and he makes almost twice as much - but it will get him next year.

So - it has been rough - to top it all off - that bone infection may result in them needing to extract the molar - so another surgery with out of pocket expense around $500 to $1000

BUT!!! and there is always a BUT!!! My lease is up in September and my mom and I have talked about a family business for more than a year. She has the capital and Northern Idaho has the climate, environment and cost of living we like. My brother and his family are already up there. SO - I am going to take the leap and move back out west. My mom will sell her home, pay cash for another in Post Falls and then we will take the other half of the capital and put a down payment on a home for me while opening up a shop. Amazingly enough her home in Las Vegas is worth 3 homes in Post Falls. We want a shop in Coeur d'Alene where my mom can run part of her salon / sell hair products and I can start my gallery / unique gifts from the Southwest. Also I'd like to work it up to selling books, my own brand of lotion, bath gel...etc....Figure I should use that chemistry for something.

So - It gives me hope that I am going to bail out of here - I just can't stand the state of Maryland and sorry to say - I don't like a majority of the population - they are greedy, pushy, snobby and everyone is about entitlement here. I should qualify that not all MD people, specifically the Washington / Baltimore corridor breeds just some mean-spirited people. Not to mention when I did a cost analysis on my current life I realized I am only in this state for this job and by September I'll have spent $25,000 (in two years) in rent to work for a company that treats me like crap LOL...so....that is when it is time to leave and if the family business fails...then so be it at least I will be with family and surrounded by loved ones and I won't be here LOL....

So that is why I needed to take a break. Because all of this has been adding up and getting worse over the last few month and it didn't seem to be letting up.

Now there is a light at the end of the tunnel and I am almost through it and I learned some valuble lessons. But this Sag still needs to mend some of the arrows and fix the quiver because I am still a little beat up.

Thank you for your kind words and for missing me

posted March 31, 2004 06:15 PM         

I'm so glad you posted.

Miss you,

posted March 31, 2004 06:48 PM         

Thank you for sharing how you've been and what's going on in your life. It sounds like Idaho is a great idea for you. It's awesome that you want to start your own little book/gift shop! It's something I've always fantasized about too..

oh,I hope you don't have to go through any more unneccesary dental agony. That's the worst.

hmmm...
I can just picture you now... riding through the gorgeous Idaho wilds on your own spledid painted horse! A Sag's fondest dream.

posted March 31, 2004 08:52 PM         

So lovely to see you.

I'm so sorry for all your troubles, but thank you for sharing so much of your life with us. You know, sometimes, just telling it all, helps to ease the burden, at least for me.

posted March 31, 2004 11:00 PM           

It's good to see you

posted April 01, 2004 03:02 AM         

So sorry to hear what you are going through at the moment.It will all turn out fine,so dont worry and have faith.Thank you for sharing it with us.