Top 100

I have 9 months clean today and the Ravens are  playing tonight.  Good Day!!!

So, this is pretty cool...  One of my readers FlushDrawww turned me on to the fact that my blog got listed as one of the top 100 poker blogs or something like that.  I'm number 54 just a few below Annie Duke and Liz Lieu. I can't even imagine how that happened but it's pretty cool!  I'm going to meet with my sponsor in a few minutes.  I'm nearing the end of  my 4th step finally!!!  Yay! 

Here's the link...

http://www.managementdegree.com/top-100-poker-blogs

Before and After

So, I got my haircut and colored today.  It looks really good.  I'm very happy with it.  This picture really doesn't do the color justice, but I only have my cell phone camera blah blah blah.  Anyway, I was so hesitant to put this picture on facebook because I've put on weight and I'm pretty self conscious about it, but I know from experience that I always gain weight when I get clean it's not a catastrophe.  I'll be okay. 

Plus, I was just looking through some old pictures and I found one of myself from about a year ago.  I don't really know what my thought process was at the time, but I imagine that I thought I looked good.  Looking at this picture now I realize I was just a wreck.  Such distorted thinking.  Anyway, check out the before and after for yourself....


BEFORE....

AFTER....

 

 

 

 

Amazing

I got my paycheck yesterday from work and it' still sitting in my drawer un-cashed.  Also, can we please discuss the fact that I still have money leftover from my last paycheck?????  Might not seem like a big deal to you guys but it's a huge deal to me.  I haven't actually earned a paycheck in a few years and I definitely didn't have money after two weeks from said check.  So, I'm feeling pretty good about that. 

Work was kind of boring last night.  Almost all of the regulars take off on Monday because of the very long hours we work on Saturday and Sunday.  It's usually 10 - 12 hour days both days if we don't get cut.  Anyway, I worked last night and I was there til almost 9:45 p.m.  Which means we were actually calling the west coast states at 9:45 p.m.  They weren't pleased.  Believe me, I wanted to go home just as much as they wanted me to stop calling them.  But, when we are behind on production, they literally hold us hostage and won't let us leave.  They also cancel our last break if we are behind.  Slave drivers.  hehe

Anyway, I applied for like 20 jobs yesterday online and I have a few places to go in person today since I took the day off.  Hopefully something good will happen on the new job front.  I'm also going to my class, the alumni meeting at salvation army and getting a hair cut and possibly some new color since all of the red and blonde highlights are faded.  I hate that. 

That's it for me today...

Bubbled

So, I'm about to hop in the shower and get ready for work.  I've been in such a funk lately.  I'm having a hard time shaking it.  I didn't work yesterday cause I had to pick my parents up from the airport.  So, around 5:30 p.m. me and my mom went up to the clubhouse and played in the Friday Night Poker tournament.  It was fun.  Of course, the top 3 places get paid and I went out on the bubble in 4th.  Ugh.   That totally sucked.

I hope I'm sitting near some good people today.  I'm planning on being there for about 10 hours or maybe even 11 and sitting near fun people is imperative to my sanity and well being :) 

I got some new Ravens Gear from maryland...

I will probably wear the t-shirt to work tomorrow. 

Well, have a good weekend!

Oxygen Tank Bitch

Last night I worked and I got stuck next to this woman.  UGH....  She is such a bitch.  She's been there a while I think and she's really mean.  I knew it was going to be all bad.  She literally drags around an oxygen tank and has an inhaler that she uses often but then she's outside every 2 hours smoking a cigarette.  So, yeah, she's one of those types. 

I tried to be nice to her and make conversation with her.  At one point she told me "it's personal" when I asked her and another girl what they were laughing about.  I wanted to smack her.

Then, she started listening to me on the phone and overheard something she didn't agree with.  The whole exchange went like this...

Me on phone:  "we are a third party research firm"

Her:  "How long have you been working here?"

Me:  "Oh, about 3 months"

Her:  "Well, you should know better...  We are an independent research firm"


Um....  really????  What the hell is the difference?????  Why are you listening to my conversation anyway you miserable, old, mean bat? 

I just said "um yeah, okay" and went back to my calls.  Do you know how hard it was for me to bite my tongue?  I wanted to tell her to mind her own business and all kinds of other stuff.  But, I'm trying to maintain a low profile and she seems like a major snitch.  I know she would have went to management if I said anything to her and especially if I cussed at her.  I have a major cussing problem so I have to bite my tongue in most situations. 

Funny

So, I was off work on Sunday and I went to my homegroup in the morning at the TIE Club.  It's this little place downtown near Fremont Street where they have AA Meetings and a lot of good sobriety.  I go there every Sunday.  My sponsor, Kelly met me there and after the meeting, we rode over to Salvation Army and picked up 13 girls and took them to a women's meeting in Henderson.  It was cool.  I didn't really know any of them since I've been out almost 3 months.  All of the faces have changed but the attitudes, complaints and issues are the same.  I just laughed to myself when I heard the girls that had been there  a while complaining about all of the new girls and how they don't follow rules and they cause all kinds of trouble...  Wow!  I was always complaining about that shit when I was in there.  So funny.

Then, around 7 p.m. I met up with kelly again and we went to the Las Vegas Recovery  Center Treatment Center and we both spoke there.  It was cool.  I think my parents called this place when they were trying to get me into treatment a few years ago and it costs like $15,000 for 30 days.  Yikes!  I can see why.  The place was REALLY nice.  The patients were nice and they seemed to be listening pretty intently.  I don't know if I helped anyone but it felt good to do it anyway.

So, now I gotta go get ready for work.  Have a good Monday!! 

Peer Pressure

Last night was really weird at work....  I was working in an awesome row and totally chopping it up with everyone and just laughing and working really hard too and the guy to my left was giving me candy and then he says "want a line??" and I'm like seriously so stupid...  I'm thinking he has pixie sticks or something. 

Anyway, I'm like "a line of what?" and he's like "whatever you want".  Oh shit.  Then it hit me that he has coke on him and I think speed too cause he said "a line of clear or white or whatever you want" and then I told him I'm in drug court and he totally apologized and stuff.  But, then I couldn't stop thinking about how he has drugs on him.  And then, evvery time he got up and went to the bathroom I knew what he was doing and then he pulled a pain pill out of his pocket and took that too and Ugh, I dunno, it was just a rough night. 

I'm almost 9 months clean and most people already know my situation with court so they really don't just offer me drugs, but this guy really didn't know and later on I found out he doesn't just DO drugs, he actually SELLS them too.  That would explain the Black Mercedes he drives to work everyday.  I always wondered how he could afford that car on our tiny salary. 

So, whatever, I didn't cave in to the peer pressure and I'm a better person for it.  ha ha  I'm just hoping I don't have to sit next to him again anytime soon.

My friend Joellene got hired there and so did my friend Jorge.  So far, honestly, I think I've gotten about 6 people hired there.  It's cool though cause they are all clean and in drug court with me so at least I have some support while I'm working. 

Well, my parents are still in maryland, everthing is going well.  Opie is adorable as always.  I'm sleeping really well and there haven't been any unfortunate incidents.....  Not sure how much of this you guys know, but one time when they were gone I fell asleep driving and totalled my car, another time someone overdosed in their  house and yet another time their dog, Sydney was killed by two neighborhood dogs (that wasn't my fault, I wasn't even living at home when that happened - someone else was taking care of him)...  But you can understand whey they'd be worried about going on vacation and letting me stay here :)

We Win

Gosh, I've been working a lot lately!  I'm so glad I still have my call center job. 

The way it works is that you have to do 40 minutes of productivity an hour.  So, if you doing a 20 minute survey, you need to get two of them completed every hour or else you get sent home.  So, I have to be on my toes there if I don't want to get cut.  I usually make it the whole shift.  I rarely get cut but it happens once in a while.


So, my parents left yesterday to go back to Maryland for like two weeks.  I had to take to them to the airport at 4:30 a.m.  Ugh.  I was SOOOOO tired yesterday.  I also went to check in with my probation officer and pay him of course.  After that I went to the court house to make a drug court payment.  I got the balance down to $260.00 now.  Yay!  It started at $624.00 so I'm definitely making progress.  I also went to an AA Meeting at the Serenity Club and worked for 7 hours.  Long day but I made it through the whole shift, didn't get cut and made it home to little Opie for some prime time cuddling and T.V. time.  He's so cute!! 

Today I'm off work and I'm so happy about that.  I have an 11 a.m. class at Choices, then I'm going to an NA Meeting at the Rooms and then I'm going to court at 3 p.m. and then I always attend the Salvation Army Alumni Meeting on Tuesday nights after court.  So, it'll be a good day.  I like to keep busy :)


Anyway, I didn't get to watch the game because I was at work until 9:30 p.m but http://vegasmiamidon.blogspot.com was nice enough to send me updates... Much appreciated!!!



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Ugh

I pretty stupid writing this now... The Stratosphere called and rescinded the job offer due to my background check. I don't really know why they took the time to interview me and offer me the job when I CLEARLY stated on the application that I'm on probation and in drug court still. I was pretty bummed about it. I still am. But, the good news is that if I complete drug court and probation, the judge will knock my 4 felony posession charges down to one gross misdeanor and then hopefully I won't continue to have this problem.

Anyway, on a better note... Monday Night Football is almost here and my beloved Ravens are playing the Bengals. Go Ravens...



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Keep the ball rolling

I went to the Imperial Palace with my mom and some of her friends the other night to see this group called Human Nature to perform.  They are 4 Australian guys that do Motown songs and they are pretty damn amazing.  I was impressed.  Plus, I knew all of the songs so that was nice - here's a clip of them...





Yesterday the Stratosphere HR people called me.  I have 24 hours to take a drug test for them so I'm about to head out to the place now and then I have to go take another drug test for drug court today.  Good times.

Other than that, I'm just working today and I have a class at Choices this morning too and then I'll probably work most of the weekend. 

The HR people also set up an appointment with me to do a bunch of new hire paperwork next week on the 13th so things are really rolling.  I'll be getting my uniform in no time and we'll be starting training.  Very exciting!! 

Have a good weekend!!!!

Got It!!

I got a call from the Stratosphere HR department yesterday and they offered me a full time job at the steakhouse where I applied.  The downside is that I applied for a server position and they offered me a busser position instead.  Ugh.  Part of me is like "what the fuck??"  I've been a server on and off for many years, I'm certainly capable of serving in a steakhouse.  I know they were worried about my wine knowledge because it is lacking.   And, for the record, I've never bussed tables in my life.  However, it's a full time position, with benefits, at the Stratosphere, making WAY more money than I'm making now and who am I to turn down this opportunity?  I mean, hell, I'll give it a try.  I am a VERY hard worker and I know they will love me and I'll work my way up to server in no time.  Bussing tables is probably a lot less stressful than serving anyway. 

So, I accepted the job offer and I'm just waiting for them to call me with a time and date for me to take my drug test.  Thankfully that won't be a problem.  I was working at my call center job yesterday and they picked me and a few others to do this high profile survey for Washington State about same sex marriage.  I guess they had a client that was paying a lot of money for this particular survey so they needed consistent and reliable people to do it.  I've only been working there for like 2 months and they consider me to be "consistent and reliable".  Awesome!  People really do notice when you are a hard worker.  I love it.  Makes me feel really good.

Tonight I'm going to see the show Human Nature at the Imperial Palace with my mom and a few of her friends from the neighborhood.  I like hanging out with the retired folk, they are hella fun.

Okay, that's it for me today.  Happy Hump Day!

Day 3

Well, today is my 3rd day off (It's Sunday) and all is well.  I'm heading to my 11 a.m. homegroup this morning like always and then I'm playing in a poker tournament somewhere cheap later today.  Possibily Eastside Cannery or Bill's on the Strip with my parents.  I also played in a cheap tourney Friday night with them at the clubhouse in our neighborhood and I definitely didn't win.  Not even close.  I had fun though so that was good. 

I laid out yesterday too.  I had the whole pool to myself.  The air conditioning in the house was fixed on Friday thankfully. 

I dunno.  I can't think of anything exciting.  If I win the tournament today that will be exciting :)  I'll let you guys know either way.  Hope everyone is having a fun weekend