Boiled Peanuts, Peaches, and other Southern Delights

I made the drive from FL to SC in a mere 6 hours, and I thought it was really funny that the more I drove north out of FL, the more "southern" everything felt. Huddle House signs, fruit stands, and fireworks factories scattered the highway. I felt so excited to be leaving my struggles of FL behind and being near friends again, even though this is just a temporary move ( I'm feeling the pull of Cali pretty strong), I still felt happy to be around people who I could lean on for a while. I had a big exciting coming "home" to the island party and it was great to see everybody. Fast forward to a week later, the job I was promised never happened. Uh oh. For 3 months I haven't had steady work and I am just Freaking Out about it. If any of you have talked to me lately you know what is first and foremost on my mind (well, besides the L bomber). But all this struggle is really teaching me so many things about what it means to put trust in God. I have literally nothing right now, but I do have my friends, a roof over my head, and Big Blue (well, for now anyways), and thats more than a lot of people in the country can say right now. When I left Maui so many "negative Nelly's" tried to dissuade me and my move. All I heard was "your moving? in this economy? are you Crrraaazy?" and silly nieve "positive Polly" me just kept shaking my head saying that I'll be fine. Well, even though its been 3 months 12 days since leaving the island, and I can't find work, I still feel like I made the right decision. I like feeling closer to dad, the convenience, and probably my favorite part of the mainland is knowing I can just hop in Big Blue at any point and cruise to another state. I was just ready so ready for a shocker of a change and I got what I asked for.
I have started at two different staffing companies and so far the jobs I got sent on were pretty ridic. Bussing tables at the Hilton, and banquet serving. Barf. The highlight of this experience was getting a love letter from my fellow Jamaican bussers written on a napkin. Once again, having to laugh at my new life and trying hard to not think that "I'm above" any job that may come my way (a daily struggle)...To think that three months ago I had two good paying jobs and I gave them up to come to the mainland for more challenging work and here I am bussing tables, it has been messing with my head, but I know everything that is worth anything takes time and my time will come. I can't wait to see what happens next.

7 Boxes...

I just realized tonite while watching no personality "Jillian" on this season's newest edition that I want to be the next Bachelorette. Puhleeeeze. Ratings would soar. Witty banter, hot tub scenes, making snow angels. My cup of tea. I'm in. So cast your votes.
I did realize this while sitting on my living room floor with everything I own in my 32 yr existence splayed out in 7 boxes in front of me. Who knows, the Bachelorette, Italy, Vail, San Diego, HHI, whatevah. All I know is that its my future and its exciting as hell. Giddy up Big Blue, pack it up, we goin for a ride!!!!!

I WANT MY BABY BACK BABY BACK BABY BACK

Okay. Not sure what is up with the job "situation" over here, but since moving here I've had THE WORST luck starting these absolutely ridiculous jobs. My first job-beverage cart girl on a deserted golf course due to it being the "off season"... picture making $17 for a 9 hour shift with pervy grandpas hitting on me all day. Next up waiting tables for the twin of Farzad, an Iranian nutjob who loves to demean women, I'm the only server not in rehab-and apparently Old Calypso is the #1 restaurant in Delray Beach for folks over 85 yr old, served an average of 4 walker-needers a day. (not that there's anything wrong with this, but come on its depressing as hell when the servers have a going bet on who can wait on the most walkers in a day) The only high point in this two week experience was a 75 year ole gramma who took pity on me after me saying I had no friends yet, she gave me her number to "hang out"-gotta love it, and get this, she didn't even call me! Ouch. I'm getting stood up by 75 yr old grammies. Dang it.
Ahhhh, it gets better... I finally snag an interview with potential, a hip, classy Italian restaurant in the heart of Mizner Park (the ultra-expensive place to see and be seen in Boca)... I dress to the nines, black everything, splurged-put me into the red on a new outfit, classy as hell, I'm desperate at this point, sick of ramen and cereal every nite, this ones gotta work out, right? Hmmmm, I had overlooked that with every hip, classy Italian restaurant there comes a wannabe mafioso manager, hairy chest hairs peeping out of their too tight black t's and gold chains completing their outfits, not bad in itself, however this was a special kind of a-hole. He hit on me no less than 5 times during the interview and ended by saying he'd call me after 10pm if I "got the job as a hostess-your hot, you'll bring people at the door in" so much for trying to dress to the nines, I am so disgusted at this point, I need to go to the restaurant next door after the interview just to decompress all the come-on lines I just deflected with a stiff martini. Asking the bartender about the joint next door, he laughs and says that its "owned by the mafia". Holy $#@&! (side note, the interviewer has rang me up- and hung up when I obviously don't answer-23 times since the interview----ummm.... creeeeeeepy) Enter in Chilies..... A special kind of hell, I just would like to say, please don't ever eat there again,and this used to be one of my favorite quicky restaurants... Trust me. I had a slithery lil oxycodone addict training me, I could barely keep up with his twitches and tweeks, dirty fingernails and greasy hair. I kept thinking, "there is nooo way I just left Maui for this life, this can NOT be it". I lasted two 8 hr days of "I have a coupon for this" and slippery kitchen tile flooring (of which I almost fell and broke something no less than 10 times during my shift and if that happened at this point in my poor as hell no insurance existence I'd really be no bueno). Had to make decisions last nite after that special shift, and at 3am this morning amidst lengthy discussions with my South Park Cartman imitating, Hilton Head living,love him more than live itself friend Shaun, decided to blow this popsicle stand. I can't wait. Florida you have done your job. Once again just like the cruise ship, the dream was to do it, not to have it be some amazing mind blowing wonderful experience. I did it, and mind blowing it was not. I am slowly ticking off states where I "don't" want to live, now on to the next adventure, where "do" I want to end up????

Relief...

I just swallowed my pride today and admitted I NEED HELP! Walked in to the rental office and gave my 60 day notice. I'll be making the move to Hilton Head,South Carolina July 31st. To be honest the past 3 months here I have had so many emotions, thoughts-sadness and frustration at not being able to make it happen being the foremost, and today was the first day that everything just felt like.....ahhhh, everything is going to be ok. I'm going to be surrounded by my friends there who've known me over 10 yr, rent is cheap, and jobs actually exist. So until I figure out if San Diego, Santa Barbara, Charleston, or Vail is the next stop on this cho cho train, at least I can make a decent living-saving $- and be among my pals while I'm figuring it out... The nice thing about the mainland is that pretty much you can drive everywhere, and SC is only 8 hr away. Nice. If any of you have a move planned in your future, please take this advice from one who just got a harsh lesson in reality. Do Your Homework First! Plan, plan, and plan some more, and if you can go somewhere where you have friends, it makes everything MUCH easier!!!
Yay. Happy.

Bye Bye Florida

So, I don't want to play in this sandbox anymore... ;) I am 90% sure I'm moving back to Hilton Head. Ha. When all the signs in the universe are pointing at you to go in another direction, ya gotta listen... And I'm all ears...I'm pretty much realizing that FL ain't for me and I need to be around people who love and know me. End of Story. Nice knowin ya FL, but I gotta go. On a crazy side note, my new friend Tim texted me today that May rainfall topped an all time record in FL. That to me is so unbelievable. As long as Florida was a state, it has NEVER seen the amount of rain we just saw in May. That may be a huge reason why life is taking the direction its taking. Rain rain go away. I came to the mainland to seek new challenges, have more choices, and grow as a person (not to mention be closer to fam and friends). OK. Its all happening. Looking at the Big Picture its all happening. Maybe not in the most financially ideal way, but it is happening. I am being challenged every day to not give up and to keep on keepin on. I do have more choices=the mainland USA is my oyster, I just need to crack it open.
Bye bye Cocoon.