...we're moving all the big stuff and that includes my computer, so I'll be gone until I get the internet hooked up at the new place. It'll give me times to paint the rooms a decent color. ;)

I am avoiding packing up my cherished belongings. And all my husband's books and videos...he has a lot of those. But if we're going to get stuff moved over to Apple Wood Cottage (a.k.a. plan B), it has to happen sooner or later. Personally, I'd rather it be sooner, because I'm a Gemini and I Want Change to Happen Now. That way I can get on with doing all the fun stuff that I really want to do, like maybe even do art and paint.

That's right, I said the P word. I've been thinking about it lately, and we've decided that the easel get's a corner all it's own just opposite the ritual space. Pretty neat huh? The Reiki Studio will be all on it's own, except this time the computer will be there as well. It makes it much easier to schedule your next Reiki appointment when all I have to do is log in and call up the Calendar.

But I do get a little wet in the eyes every now and again when I think about things. This is not how things were supposed to go, but I like lemonade and we're making a big old batch of that to tide us over through the hot sticky difficult months ahead. And all the air conditioners will be put into place as well. So I'm not moping, I'm hoping for a new start. The fun part is we will be throwing a big party at the end of July to celebrate my husband's 50th birthday. The theme will be Hawaii 5-0. David's idea, and it's his party after all.

On Thursday we met with a Foreclosure Specialist from Habitat for Humanity. She seemed like a nice gal, and will be doing all the fighting with the Mortgage Company for us from now on. It's been a roller coaster ride, and I'm glad some of the pressure is off of David and I in regards to doing the dirty work of trying to get a positive response from the Evil Lenders about fixing their own mistake with our loan repayment. But we're not holding our breath, so Plan B has all of our attention right now.

This week we just got the notice that our bank put us into Foreclosure, and they sent back the check we sent fulfilling our end of our Forbearance agreement. So our next step is getting help from the folks at Habitat for Humanity, a case worker who can hopefully talk to the bank for us and explain that THEY broke the written agreement. So we're fighting this tooth and nail, and we're putting together a letter which will be sent certified mail to the mortgage company, whose name is America's Servicing Company but is really owned by Well's Fargo.

Over the past couple of years I've worked hard to find my happy place, and to make a home in this house of ours. We got married here in the living room two years ago. It was the best party ever. Now we have to think about Plan B. Unlike most people in this situation, we have a second house...kind of. David & his brother inherited it from there mother a few years back, and now since David's brother passed last August it's been in probate. We've been renting it out to a group of different adults, and now we've fixed it up so a single family can rent it. David is showing it to prospective renters today. We're a little behind on that mortgage as well, but we're going to sell whatever we need to sell to get caught up because that's our Plan B.

When the newscasters tell you that the mortgage companies don't want to foreclose on your house, it's just what the mortgage companies want you to hear. They would rather sell your house at auction than take your monthly payments, and all the remedies that your city and state have to deal with the crisis revolves around houses being sold quickly. So there is help for buyers, but not for people like me and David who are working hard to get back on our feet after my Art Business failed to bring in a profit last year.

*********

On to Barack Obama bringing back hope.



Main Entry:
1hope Listen to the pronunciation of 1hope
Pronunciation:
\ˈhōp\
Function:
verb
Inflected Form(s):
hoped; hop·ing
Etymology:
Middle English, from Old English hopian; akin to Middle High German hoffen to hope
Date:
before 12th century

intransitive verb1: to cherish a desire with anticipation 2archaic : trusttransitive verb1: to desire with expectation of obtainment2: to expect with confidence : trust
synonyms see expect
— hop·er noun
— hope against hope
: to hope without any basis for expecting fulfillment

Right now it takes a little faith to have hope, and "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Every Christian has heard that phrase. And so I put my Faith in Obama, and in Habitat for Humanity, a Christian organization, that they will fulfill my belief in the promose of Hope. That Christians can work for the betterment of Wiccans in the middle of this housing crisis is a testament to what makes this country great. That our diversity and beliefs do not undermine our humanity and compassion, they support it. That we can support others of different backgrounds who stand up for what is right is a sign that the Hope is working.

For years, since learning that the Goddess is alive and magic is afoot, I've felt that the basic lesson of Christianity was the Cross. And everyone got it wrong. The great lesson of Jesus dying on the cross is that of man's inhumanity to man, which has nothing to do with the name you call your god/dess and everything to do with how you treat everyone in your life. I have hope that people working together can make a difference for the better. I have hope that battles started can be won with the ammunition of Truth and Integrity. I have hope that the garden I planted this spring will be mine to enjoy throughout the summer & fall.

So Barack Obama, I supported Hillary Clinton until the very end, and I have hope that you can succeed in bringing the best of what I support into being.

It's been years and years, but some of my best Fantasy & SF convention memories came out of Fourth Street. It held a kind of magic, of conversations and impromptu music parties, a single track for panels so everyone was in on all the cool stuff that happened. The art shows were extremely lame, but that's about what you can expect from the literary crowd. So I finally decided to register, because I miss those conversations with writers something terrible. This also means I've chosen 4th St over CONvergence, in part because I missed the deadline for the latter and I don't want to pay the $65.00 at the door rate. The $40.00 pre-registration is much easier to deal with for me. Also, my twin will be attending and I don't get nearly enough twin-time these days.

So off to con I will go in June instead of July.

So I decided to get myself a Facebook account because I really don't like MySpace very much. It disturbs the web designer in me that so many ugly pages are out there. So if you're a friend of mine and on Facebook then let me know so we can friend one another!

I'm going to start hosting a regular Reiki Share. It's a chance for Reiki Practitioners to get together and give each other Reiki. Today was going to be my second attempt, but nobody RSVP'd positively. I have now set up a Yahoo Group for those interested in participating, and it will allow my local Reiki Folk to talk amongst themselves between shares too. Sign up below if you are a) trained in Reiki and in the Minneapolis area and b) interested in participating in my Reiki Shares in the future.

The husband is cooking me steak tonight, and he already has the wine. :) I love the husband, I love Fridays!

I just have to put this out there for all of you wannabes. After five long years of working hard, going through my retirement savings, and working part-time while still trying to make a career as a fantasy artist, I have to list all the things that make having a day job great. Because I now have a day job.

1. Nobody expects me to work for free. As a fantasy artist I constantly would get requests to draw people's character. I would also quote a price for book covers or commissions never to hear from people again, OR I would spend time in lengthy discussions about what I can do and for how much. At my day job I get paid for the time I'm working. Period.
2. I have a  Climate controlled environment. We don't have central air at home, so in the summer it gets pretty sweaty when I'm trying to cut mats or print things out, pack and haul stuff out to the van (which died in Iowa on my 40th birthday weekend), which also didn't have air conditioning. Ever drive 8 hours in a forest green van to Iowa in 90 degree weather? Well I have! Or how about sitting outside under an easy up tent in the pouring rain trying to sell prints on paper? Yup done that too. Froze my but off in 50 degree weather while dressed up in a bodice as well.
   
3. Office Supplies at my fingertips...and I don't even have to pay for them! That's right, I get pens, pencils, highlighters, sticky notes, and paperclips galore without having to make a list, get into my car, drive to an office supply store, and buy the stuff.
   
4. A cool flat screen monitor to work on...and I didn't have to pay for it. Plus a comfy chair, two sets of office drawers, overhead storage with task lighting under it, and a nice neat cubicle to call my own. A cubicle is a beautiful thing. It's like having my own office, only more friendly because I can see my neighbors. That's right, I said it.
5. Holidays off with pay. You only miss some things when they're gone, and having holidays off and getting paid for them anyway is a marvelous thing. It's been five years since I've had one of those, and the next one is coming up in May. Woohooo! Time off and free money! Which leads us to:
6. Vacation Time. Even before, when I had a day job I spent all my vacation time going to conventions to sell my stuff. Well no more! At this particular job I don't get vacation for a year, but then I will get 10 days to use however I may and you can bet it won't be for my part-time art business. No I want to run around the state, take pictures for my self, enjoy the scenery, and spend time with my hubby. I might even stay home and do some gardening, who knows?
   
7. An Angst Free Lifestyle. Because I been there and done that, I won't be longing for the illusion of the carefree artist lifestyle. Because I learned that it is nothing but cares and woes, and fear and worry. Knowing that a paycheck is on it's way to be electronically nestled into my bank account every two weeks is a Very Good Thing.
8. TGIF I get to join in the collective joy of having weekends OFF!
   
9. Career guidance and general help. That's right, in the corporate environment, you get to plan a career path if you want it with the help of your supervisor and management staff. Not only that, you have coworkers who know how to do your job and you can ask them questions when you get stuck on something. Now that's really cool.
10. 401k Because I spent mine again and again....and again. It's not really just the past five years that I have been planning on an art career, but the fifteen before that too. Never spend your retirement money, just get the job, you might find you like it.
    
11. I can wear fashionable shoes and clothing.  Because I'm sitting all the time, my feet won't get sore. It's even a boost to my career to do so. I'm a girly girl and I like this part of the job very much indeed.
12. I can make sales at my CafePress store while I work! It's true, I had sales this week, my first week on the job, and because CafePress does all the dirty work, I can just sit back at my cubicle knowing that my art is out there working for me.
13. I get to keep my house. Because we were behind on the mortgage, we were on the brink of foreclosure. We neatly sidestepped that with a call to the bank and a payment arrangement over the next 10 months to get caught up, all because I am now Gainfully Employed.

Well, I got the phone call yesterday with the job offer, I start Monday. :) I was so excited that I had trouble sleeping last night. There have been a lot of things that were put on hold because I didn't know what my schedule was going to be. Now I can start planning for the near future again! Whew, it's a real load off my mind. It will be nice to be earning above the poverty level for the first time in five years.