Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Updates, Changes, And a New Beginning

I have to apologize for for the lack of updates over the last several weeks.  Life honestly just got crazy. Before I get into that, let me say that I've finally bit the bullet and decided to merge all my blog content into one blog which is now at Jennswt.com.  I kept the swt for a throwback to my Spake With Twang blog and it better ties into my youtube channel of the same name.

What does that mean for this blog? 

Other than this post and any comments with questions that may arise, I will not be adding any new content here.  All my new content will be on jennswt.com.  All the bargain, wax, book, polish, and the whole mess that is me will be on there.

For the time being, I am going to keep all the old blogs live at the current urls.  So all the old content will be here at least for awhile as I've already got most the domain names paid for quite awhile.

Sorry for any inconvenience this causes for anyone.  It isn't easy for me to pretty much rebuild from he ground up either.  Truthfully, this move as been a long time coming. 

I think one of my biggest regrets was starting side blogs in the first place or trying to limit the content into specific subject matter.  It just didn't work for me and I felt boxed in.

As for why my life as been crazy, for those who are curious or nosy :)

Well, to start last year I pretty much unable to do much of anything due to health issues.  2015 was an all around crap year.  So, let's talk about the whirlwind that started late 2015.

Around September, I finally got put on some new meds that have really helped me a ton.  I went from being in constant pain and having no energy to mostly functional.

I was feeling so much better in fact that I applied to a retail job at one of my favorite stores for a seasonal holiday position.  This was also a desperate need as the magic pills I was prescribed come with a not so magical price tag.  Surprisingly, I got the job.  It was amazing as I'd been job hunting with zero luck for over a year.

If you've ever worked retail, you know how that time of year is.  You don't get to have a life.  I also got hired 2 days beofre Black Friday.  So, you can imagine.  It was very difficult for me to get back in the swing of things, but I managed.

After the holiday, I ended up being offered a permanent part time position which I am still currently working.  The hours dropped dramatically after the holiday madness died down.  I went from having 35 or more hours weeks to only having 10 hours some weeks.

So, I got so mad over my abysmal hours one week that I just went on a job search site and applied to a ton of jobs including some that were a distant dream.

I didn't hear anything back and just continued to work the retail job.

Fast forward over a month and I get a call from this place at which I could only dream of working.  It was surreal.  And after weeks of interviews, tests, security checks, and more, I got offered the job. 

It has regular hours, hour lunches, and even a restroom not open to the public.  (If youve worked food or retail, you know what a blessing that is.  Customers are nasty animals in public restrooms. Haha.)  It's a job in which I'm able to use my degree and has career potential.

That's where I stand right now.  I am working the new dream job and still working the retail job on nights and weekends until I am done with my extensive training.

Life has always been crazy for me, but I'm thankful it's the good kind of crazy for once.

Y'all truly never know what life has in store.  I was at rock bottom last year.  Things were not good at all.  In the last month and a half, I have felt like my life may actually go somewhere for the first time since I was a naive high schooler with delusions of grandeur about how the world worked.

It's weird to be in a decent place for once.  I'm not without problems.  Shoot, I still have some crazy health issues and things.  For once, I have a peace that I've never had.  A feeling like things are gonna work out and go somewhere.  It's oddly comforting.

And I have my snazzy new blog at jennswt.com.  (Had to end with some cheese)

Love y'all even if my sporadic posting didn't show it.