2020 Is Looking Just Fine!!

I’ve never had a year that ended in such unexpected ways. For the better I may add. Now, what I’m about to say will not reveal some earth-shattering changes, they’re all normal in the grand scheme of things. But, the way it could have ended in comparison to the way it IS ending, I’m grateful for the divine intercession that undoubtedly played a big role.

Let’s start with the small, not so divine stuff. As we all do sometimes, we want something bigger and better than we currently have. Mine were my 2 TVs. The living room TV was perfect actually. 48” that gave me a great feel of watching a theater movie. My bedroom TV was a smaller 37” that I’d had for years and still worked great. But, the plastic framing began to pull away from the TV. So, I used gorilla tape to inconspicuously hold it on, packed it up, and took it to Goodwill with some other items. And promptly bought myself a nice 43” smart TV to replace it. Two weeks later I come home from work and my 48” has lovely audio but no picture! After days of frustration and YouTube videos later, I realized that an internal board was fried. Yep. Needed a new one. After a comedy of errors, my new 49” smart TV is proudly hanging back on the living room wall, reinstalled by yours truly. Two new TVs… CHECK.

Over the last 2 years, my faithful 2008 Saturn Vue was no longer being faithful. New battery. New alternator. Back brakes. New tires. And a host of other repairs with giant repair bills. It was now time to determine if it was worth it to keep putting money into this vehicle. Over the summer, I began hearing a familiar “whizzzzzzzz.” This was the sound made when my power steering fluid needed to be filled. So I had it refilled. I left the mechanic and, “whizzzzzzzz.” Oh CRAP! It shouldn’t be whizzing for another few years!! Well it whizzed all summer and late into the fall because, I just didn’t want to know. I finally bit the bullet and took it in. After having it on the rack for 2 hours, my mechanic didn’t charge me anything. What he did give me, was a list of everything it needed. To the tune of $3500! AND it was work that couldn’t be done there which meant a dealership repair! It was official, I needed a new car. I haven’t had a car payment in 5 years, and my last 3 vehicles all had payments over $400.00 which was NOT in my current plans to start again. I did my homework, checked Car Gurus, and found a PRISTINE 2016 Kia Sorento with sunroof, and lots of fun after-market goodies. With no fundage down and a payment under $300 WITH the primo extended warranty, I’m STILL doing the happy dance!

The piece de resistance (said in my best French accent…) did come in a moment of divinity. My job. For 4 and a half years I gave my all in a department that never wanted me there, and tried it’s damndest to make sure every day I spent there would be spent “rue-ing” the day I stepped foot in it. Fortunately, I am Stella’s daughter so when the times came (plural) that I had to let people know who I was and what I would not tolerate, I had no issue doing so. Even so, I became increasingly annoyed that the tests and challenges continued to come. With each promotional interview, and each call to say I had not been selected, there was disappointment on my end, along with smug satisfaction on the ends of others in that department. One day, after a hellacious few weeks, I had a moment where I just said out loud, “I CANNOT DO THIS ANYMORE! I DON’T WANT TO KEEP WORKING THIS HARD!!!” I was overwhelmed. 20 minutes later I got the call. “I’m calling to offer you the…” I got it. I. GOT. IT!! That call came in at the EXACT moment I needed it to. I don’t think it was meant to come sooner. If it had, there are people that I would not have been in HR to help when they needed me the most. For that I am grateful. But I’m most grateful to those in the heavens that said, “You’ve done good work. It’s YOUR time now.”

So, 2 new TVs, the most beautiful vehicle I’ve owned to date with the cheapest payment, and starting a new year fresh, learning a new job, and walking away from an old one with the same dignity and work ethic that I walked into it with, in 2020 I’m gon’ party like it’s 1999!!!! And if I’m REALLY lucky, 2020 will end with a new president on the horizon!! AND I RETIRE!!!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!

LaTrenda