One Foot Off Uncle Sam's Plantation

Almost a month and I was going to do this three times a week. I must've gotten married or...

March left like a lion. The saying is true as she came in like a lamb. Now on to April and her showers.

I was able to get a rental car and started work on the 12th in Antioch. That's the last time I listen to someone at the Unemployment Office. When I was applying for the job there, I would've checked off Mars as a location if it meant I would get a job. I asked the person at the Unemployment Office, since I couldn't choose all three sites (East County, Central County, West County), which one should I choose. She said the first one and if they called for an interview, just tell them my preference. Well, I did just that, but what was on my application was what they went by, so instead of working out of Pleasant Hill on the 7th of March, I began working in Antioch on the 12th. I spoke with my now supervisor on the 6th and she said they weren't ready for me; they didn't even have a computer set up. I came in on the 12th when they had a computer and a cubicle ready for me.

I was able to get a rental car at $400 a week from Budget (funny name for such an expensive car!) for the first three weeks of work. Since they wouldn't accept my Walmart Money Card (works just like a debit card my ass), a friend loaned me her debit card. I got the first two weeks paid by my college instructor friend, but she used all her savings for that and I had to pick up the tab on the last week. Total that the insurance company owes me for three weeks? Close to $1300, which if I had right now, I could move out. But I don't so...

The insurance company gave me $4600 for my beloved Bonnie Bleu II (my last blue Nissan was the original Bonnie Bleu). I had to take the Thursday of my second week at work off so that I could clean out my BBII, take the stuff to storage, run up to Roseville and get the $4600 check, come back to Fairfield, buy a car and return the rental. All of that could not be accomplished by Speedy Gonzalez in an entire 24 hours, let alone 8 hours, so I had to take Friday off as well. By Sunday, I had a 1999 white Nissan Altima GXE. It was two years older than BBII, but a step up in the Nissan line, so I think I got a decent deal. Blanche gets about the same mileage as BBII. There are a few things that need fixing, but nothing major - so far. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Last Thursday I had to leave work early so that I could get an MRI on my neck. Not only do I have spinal stenosis, but now - because of the accident where my head hit the ceiling and compressed my neck - but my C5 and C6 vertebrae are toast. I so didn't want my boss to know any of my physical issues until I passed probation in nine months, but I had to tell her because of all the damn doctor appointments that are taking me away from work. I just wanted to go to work for at least nine months with no problems, get hired on permanent and then deal with the physical issues. But that is not what the fate gods want for me. I will find out this coming week what the spinal surgeon says needs to be done. I need something done soon; my neck hurts like hell. I would love to go to my chiropracter and have him crack it, but that would be taking my life in my hands as it could very well lead to paralysis. No thanks, I'll walk.

The beginning of April marked my independence from food stamps, which I had been on since I became homeless in November 2010. I have one foot off Uncle Sam's Plantation; I cannot wait to take the other foot off by no longer living in HUD housing. I wanted that to happen before my birthday on the 30th, but it looks like it won't come until the middle of May. It needs to happen before any neck surgery; I need my girls (cats) to help me recover.