My Ex Ain't All That Bad...Kinda

Well, we all heard that I'm getting laid off.  No?  Didn't hear that?  I can't recall.  Did I tell you guys?  Well I am.  At the end of Jan 2009, my "position will be eliminated."  I'm in very good company.  They toasted quite a few of us that are all connected with a certain office and any of us that work from home - long distance.  So 22 years of experience, adios.  It's business.  It's rather common business, if you watch the news.

Anyway, I was talking to the ex about it back when I got the word (mid Oct).  I told him, once Big Financial Company lays me off, they will take back the only working computer in the house.  And tell me how you find a job with no computer?  Go to the library every day?  Not exactly conducive to the 24/7 instant messaging world we live in these days.  The ex says, Let me see what I can do to help.  I really didn't think much of it.

A couple of weeks ago, he called and told me to go to the Apple website and pick whether I wanted a laptop or desktop.  I told him to pick what he thought was best for the boys.

Last week, FedEx came by with a big box and we have a brand spankin' new iMac!  With a built in webcam.  And all sorts of fun stuff.  So my ex ain't all that bad.  In some respects.

McBeth - Shakespeare for the Fast Food Generation

Back in my glamorous days in The Scene in Boston, I worked with a killer funny rock theater troupe called ACME Theatr. And yes, it's missing the last E on purpose. See, we were funny if nothing else. ACME had started out with legitimate (and very good) actors. They had started trying to get the local brain-dead rockers into theater. So they would put on these really awesome plays and then get local rock bands to play afterwards. It was pretty genius.

After a while, the director/writer, Dan, realized he had lots of actor friends that were also in bands. So he started writing rock musicals. He began recruiting lots of us rock band people to "act" in his productions. The beauty of Dan was, he had a very great sense of humor. We'd be rehearsing and goofing around and he'd go, "Keep that! That's great! Keep that in there," and I'd be like, but it was a joke!

He took classics, kept the most key parts and then let us run wild with our tongue-in-cheek approach. My first role was as Jacob Marley in Xmass Carol. My Marley was a dead gangster. Complete with a total townie thug Boston accent. Our Tiny Tim was given to rantings of communist propaganda. One incarnation of this musical had the ghost of Christmas future dressed in a Star Trek uniform. We always threw in silly pop culture references.

We took on MacBeth - making it McBeth - fast food classics. We did Prometheus & Hercules. That one was complete with a fight scene put to Star Trek fight music. My 2 girlfriends and I were always the three fates, or witches or something like that. In McBeth, we were the 3 witches that were dressed in crushed velvet clubbing dresses. We had big hair out to forever. Our cauldron had dry ice for the fog effect but also held cans of Aquanet for us to pull out and spray on our hair.

Anyway, a friend sent me a quick clip of us McBeth witches singing on YouTube. It was for some public access show someone did. The credits are running over us. But you can see and hear us. You guys have told me you want to hear me singing. This is the best I can do for the moment. It's live. It's poorly recorded. I'm chomping gum like the big-haired goober I was supposed to be. I'm on the left of the screen. My friend Christine is in the middle. My friend Sooz is on the right.

Anyway, enjoy.

#952 In a Series of Why God Totally Rocks

I'm sure I've chased away some regular readers with all my 'God Rocks' stuff. But I can't help it. I honestly am blown away by how he constantly comes through for me. And in ways that seem small but are just so freaking cool.

I just sat down to do my online bills. Glamor, baby. All the way. I was totally stressing over it. I knew I wouldn't be able to stretch the checking account to cover it all. There is one credit card in particular that drove me to panic mode last month. This month, I definitely did NOT have enough to cover the minimum. My priorities are like house, food, electric/gas and then I worry about the 2 credit cards (which I hate and can't wait to pay off and then BURN). So I had gotten the essentials paid. I thought I'd go look to see this huge minimum due. The amount left in my checkbook register wouldn't cover it. So I started thinking how I'd have to call them tomorrow to explain how I can only send a paltry amount each month and yes, I realize I'm the one who racked it way up there and yes I know it was stupid.

So I log on to the website and see that the minimum is more than half of what they wanted last month! Yes, I understand that the lesser amount means they can bleed me longer. But that's not the point. The point is, I've been asking God to somehow help me dig out of this hole. Somehow help me pay my obligations and still be able to tithe. The old standard "Help me, God!" So the amount that was there? I could pay it! Early! I was sitting there going, "God you so totally rock. I love you SO much! Thank you thank you thank you!"

Don't you guys think that's cool? I mean, think about it! I think that is just amazing - how God cares about the stupid financial mess I got myself into. I told God that I was totally aware that I messed up and let the living-beyond-my-means thing get the better of me. And I told him I was sorry and wanted to fix it. But I can't. So I asked him to help me. And he keeps making it possible to keep my head above water.

I have friends - even family - that will chalk up all my "Wow God rocks!" moments on this blog to coincidence or things that aren't that big a deal. I get that. I used to be there, too. That's ok. I'm still gonna crow whenever God pulls my butt out of the fire. If he's giving me free fridge repair, a freezer full of meat, free pepperoni rolls or cutting my monthly minimum by almost 2/3. I will take it. Gladly. And I will tell everyone who will listen.

Because God really does rock. All you have to do is ask. And then you have to have the eyes to see it. Big or small. Because he'll come through. Oh yes. He will come through.

And my Pollyanna post is over.

Weekly Randomosity

The Layoff:
I'm doing much better about the layoff now. I went from calm acceptance to anxiety/panic to church. At church, I cried all over my friend PregnantKeyboardGirl. She prayed over me and told me she loves me. Then the AwesomeCoffeeBringer couple prayed over me, too. I also happen to know that pretty much all of my praying family and friends are blanketing heaven with prayers on my behalf. I'm sure God is up there going, "Yah, 'Take care of Lynette.' I'm ON it, people!" Thankfully God is way more patient than I would be. But it's a funny image in my head.

So I went from lot of hands-on prayer back to work. And this week, I have felt totally peaceful about things. I figure, I've asked God to guide me. I've asked him to show me which direction to go. I've asked him to get me an awesome job that will allow me family time and the money to support my little family. So all I can do now is just work and get through the layoff process. The rest will unfold when God wants it to.

So I'm chill. God's got me.


Our New Church Building!!!
Our church has been working on finding a permanent building for a while. When I joined in late 2005, we were slated to move into a new building that winter. Due to a legal battle between the landlord and the developer, that never happened. And we stood by anxiously awaiting the results for a long time.

Well, this past Tuesday, we started moving in the bulk of our stuff (to a totally different space!). Our children's ministry leader had already gotten a lot of toys moved in. But on Tuesday, a small group of us got 128 comfy chairs unloaded, vacuumed, washed down and set up! And pastor Kenny loaded them from the storage space into the trailer alone. (Look at the superhero muscles on that guy!)

It was the kind of hard work I love to do because it is actually DOING something. And doing something for God. Plus, I got to hang out with some really awesome church family while doing it.

Today was our last day in the elementary school. We gave one of the school workers a gift certificate and card because she has been there with us for so long and has been like a family member.

Next Sunday is our first service in the new building. WOOOO-HOOOOO!!!!

The first chair in...


Most of the chairs in...


Panoramic view of the sanctuary from the front...


Pokemon Boy:
Mr. Dude is having some issues with anger. Well, all out melt downs is more like it. He had two this past week. Both times, he couldn't do something he wanted to do. I think it's a few things: A) he's overtired, B) he's a little worried about this layoff thing, C) he's 8 and D) he's human and hates when he doesn't get what he wants. But the all out temper tantrum - we haven't seen that in years.

We had a nice long talk about it. I told him that he's old enough to start controlling when he's upset like that. I told him to recognize that feeling and work hard to keep the anger in check. And when he can't? That's when you ask God to step in. He said, "I never pray when I'm at school." I said, "Well, don't think of it as praying. Just keep the conversation going. No matter where you are. You can just talk to him any time. Tell him anything. Ask for help with anything, anywhere." He kind of raised his eyebrows in that "Hmm. Interesting," way. Today at church, we almost headed toward meltdown. But I just got down on his level and said, "Dude, put a LID on that attitude right NOW." Not mean. Just nipped it in the bud and made it VERY clear that it would NOT be tolerated.

I don't think any of it is related to his Tourette's. I think it's all the stuff I mentioned before. But he asked if he could see his play therapist. So I've made an appointment. You want to talk to someone who can help you? Heck yah I'll find the money somewhere!


Hallerween:
Lil' Bro had a fever off and on this week. Friday, it was pretty high and he stayed home. But there was no way Optimus Prime was going to miss out on the trick-or-treating. So little Mr Fever Guy went trick-or-treating. He pooped out about 3/4 of the way through so we kept it short. Which fortunately was fine with his older brother. We had so much fun and they were just so freaking adorable. They have hardly eaten any of their candy. I've probably eaten more of it than they have.

Lil' Bro was Optimus Prime. Pokemon Boy was Ben 10.



God Rockin' More Free Food:
Today at church, one of my friends had a word for me that was incredibly encouraging. God told me that he loves me and he will take care of it all. I can't think of a better word to get right now.

Tonight, I took the boys to our favorite pizza joint. We had called our order in so it would be ready when we got there. As we sat down to eat, one of the workers walked over with a large pizza box and said, "My manager wanted me to ask if you guys would like some extra pepperoni rolls." There were 12 extra pepperoni rolls in the box! That's like a large pepperoni pizza - in rolled up form. They had accidentally made a double order for someone and we got the extras! We LUUUUUUUUUV their pepperoni rolls. So I know what I'm having for lunch tomorrow!