Then Came Heaven

While searching for my next big break...or in other words, proposed job opportunity, I stumbled upon a 99 cents Only store. Since it was just next door to the much hoped for job opening and after scheduling an interview, I decided to go in and grab just a couple items that we just happened to need...dishtowels and push-pins. But, this was no ordinary 99 cents store. It was priceless in every way that mattered. Back home in Idaho, we have stores like this called Honk's 99 cents and the Dollar Tree, but nothing as amazing as this 99 cents Only store.Call me crazy, but I have never spent over an hour in a store like this before in all my life...that I can recall. I felt like a kid in a candy store. Imagine this...a dollar store with everything you could possibly ever need, plus produce and grocery items! The store was so huge, it seemed endless. So, needless to say, I walked out of there with a little more than I bargained for. It was a fun shopping experience to say the least. Oh yes, and just a little side note: I was unexpectedly surprised by one thing...they didn't have push-pins among the thousands and thousands of items they actually did carry. So, the attempt to find push-pins will have to continue someplace else.

Humble Beginnings

As most of you know, my husband and I have embarked on what we would like to call an adventure, so to speak. We have been in California for a little over a week, and have already experienced a few ups and downs, which is, to be expected. If you have read my previous post, you will know what I have been going through myself so far. My dear husband, on the other hand, has had the blunt of all the hardships I would say. There is an area in California called Compton, located in Southern Los Angeles. Apparently, it has been notorious for gang violence among many other crime-related scenes. Some might say it has been quoted as the “Murder capitol of the world”…or is it Watts, CA? I seem to have forgotten… anyway, before our settlement here for the summer, we talked about that city, as it was possible that he was going to have to sell there during the summer. My husband said he promised he wouldn’t sell in that area…no matter what! Well, sure enough, Compton was the first chosen area to start the foundation of security (as we all know how the folks need it there). I mean, come on…let’s get some alarms to these people, shall we? I think they deserve something over and beyond the steel bars on windows, gates, and guard dogs as a security measure. You got to give them credit for trying, right? After all, it’s the least the guys on the APX team could do for them, given their circumstances. Need I say more? So, the entire team was to sell there for the first week. Not wanting to feel left out, my husband decided to buck up and take it like a man…a warrior facing his battle until the end! I have to say, I was not worried about him the whole week. I didn’t have a bad feeling about it. Surprise, surprise! I knew he could take care of himself. However, he wasn’t feeling good about it at all. He said he had a sick feeling in his stomach all week, and just felt he shouldn’t be there. It all started one night when he got pulled over by a cop (with all the guys in the back seat), and the cop told everyone that they shouldn’t be in that area, and mentioned that they should know they have targets on their heads when they are out there, and it’s just not a safe area. My husband took that very literal, as he began to replay in his mind all his previous thoughts about Compton’s bad reputation. So, the days continued…but things seemed to get worse and worse. Another day had passed, and while they were back there selling, towards the late afternoon/evening, there was a drive-by shooting that took place just four houses down from where my husband was selling, and a young girl died. We can’t help but think that if he hadn’t been in someone’s home when it happened, it could have been him that died that night. He was very adamant by this point, never to go there again, especially after the warnings he had been given by the cop and a few locals in that area. When he came home, and reported to me what had happened, I still had a calm feeling, and told him that it was too bad that had to happen, and was very relieved that he was okay. That whole experience didn’t seem to have any effect on the other guys, because they were making it a point to go back. By this time, my husband is feeling unsure of what to do, as he didn’t want to put himself in that same predicament again, but at the same time, continue selling where they were instructed to sell, and not feel like an outsider. He expressed to me that he felt his mind was telling him to go back out there, and face his fears, but his heart was telling him otherwise. So, he was getting two different impressions that he didn’t know how to act upon. After venting many of his frustrations, I explained to him that I believed nothing would happen to him, and he was going to be fine. I knew he was being watched over, and blessed. So, for the last time, he agreed once again, to go back to Compton the very next day. Well, as they were arriving in Compton, the car broke down. So, he had to have it towed to the dealership in Long Beach to be worked on. He spent most of the day there, and didn’t sell a single unit. Although, in his words, he claims this experience to be a “bitter-sweet blessing”, as he believes he shouldn’t have been back there (again), and it all happened for the right reasons. So, without any sales for the first week, the fight still continues…
What I admire most about my husband, is his determination, and courage…a real go-getter attitude, despite unfit circumstances. He is a true warrior in my eyes, and will continue to push on no matter what!
By the way, in case you were wondering about the detoxification…well, it’s finally over, except that we still have to take the fiber, detox, and cleanse capsules in the morning and evening, along with eight glasses of water throughout the day. It feels so rewarding to be able to taste good food again! Oh yes, and about the job search…well, I am pleased to announce I have finally found a part-time job I can do from home with a company called ASI (Affordable Services, Inc.). I will be working as a Promotional Coordinator to help advertise the health services offered, and give families a second chance for better health. Although, it doesn’t quite meet the income I was hoping for, it will be a good supplement in the meantime. So, I guess you could say I’m still searching for yet another opportunity. Things are finally looking up! Happy days ahead for all of you!

Waiting...and Wondering

I find it amazing that a person can develop so much patience to endure long periods of loneliness and extreme hunger. It certainly takes a special person to mask such a trait, and I, for one, have a difficult time managing either of those things at the moment. I bring up this point, because I’m finding myself in that situation. But, this should be no cause for alarm…to those of you reading this. I am fine. This all started, because my husband decided to take a different job with a security company called APX Alarm. That would mean we would have to move to California for the summer, so he could further develop his sales skills, and sell alarms for the folks here. I think it’s a great idea, as I know it can be a great experience for both of us…in a roundabout sort of way. So, we have arrived here in sunny, Costa Mesa, California. It’s quite lovely here, where the palm trees tower over buildings and the grass is greener. Our apartment complex is a site to see as well, which could be compared to resort-style living. I can’t complain. We decided upon arriving here, that we would start a detoxification, since we’ve been planning it for awhile now. But, just to clarify…it’s not a diet, but rather a wellness program to eliminate all toxins from the body. We thought this would be a great way to avoid having to buy a lot of groceries for our first week here. Two days ago, it was nothing but fresh fruits, vegetables, and two quarts of distilled water, along with fiber, cleanse, and detox capsules. As for the next three days, it is just those same capsules, with two quarts of distilled water mixed with fresh lemon juice and pure maple syrup. It seems to be getting more and more difficult to withstand. To top that off, I’m without a current job, to fill the many hours I have by myself in a day. So, with a drastic alteration to the everyday, familiar routine I had to leave back home, I can officially say…I’m bored and hungry.
Shall the job search continue?
…most definitely.
What about the Detoxification?
…not much longer.