Sigh... 2007 is almost over. Good riddance! It has been a ghastly year for me... one for the record books of ghastly years.

Yes, this is my New Year's blog. Welcome... although with a beginning like that one....

Well, okay, maybe "ghastly" is a harsh word.... but from my perspective as I sit here on New Year's Eve eve it seems to fit pretty well.

We'll take a look, shall we? I still have not found a decent job. I've had many interviews and a few of those were thisclosetohiringme. But, I'm entering a new field as novice, and apparently novices are not highly prized. Experience always wins out... and that rules me out. Fine, okay... whatever.

On the good side, I do have a part time job, which is more than many other people out there have.... so... I'm lucky in that respect. On the bad side, my part time job barely covers my expenses. On the good side, I have a loving father who is always there to pick up the slack for me... so, another point in my favor.

I broke my pinky finger on my right hand this past May... that sucked big time. I did such a number on it that I had to have surgery and have three pins put in to straighten it out. Not a big deal you say? I'm uninsured....

The Grand Total for my pinky adventure.................. $20,000.00.

Yes, you read that right.

On the good side, I was considered a charity case and the hospital picked up their portion of the bill... on the bad side, my doctor did not... His chunk was $7000.00. No wonder doctors are so rich.

Oh, I won JediMelindaWolf's raffle the day before my surgery...

My right hand was bandaged for weeks and weeks. I'm right handed. I could do absolutely zilch with my left hand.... well, now I can, so I guess that's good. See, I can be positive!

Then, I needed to have occupational therapy in order to regain use of my pinky... otherwise, the whole surgery deal was for nothing. The hospital said they would pick up the cost of my therapy. Good news!

I attended therapy twice a week for three months. I still can't bend my finger... but at least it's straight.

Then, I got a bill from the hospital for close to $10,000.00 for my therapy.

On the good side, I had kept a copy of a letter I received from the head of their patient financial department thingy... I didn't have to pay the $10,000.00.

In July I was hired by a private investigation firm based in North Carolina. Yay!! Hold it... not so fast. Things did not work out. The company turned out to be some fly by night operation and, after my employment ended, they withheld my pay.... which is illegal. Now, my training is as a paralegal... so... I sought the legal remedies available to me. It was nasty back and forth fight with this jerk, but...... three months later, I won. Yay me!!!

I (almost) always win....


I could not attend CIV due to my financial situation, which broke my heart...

On the good side, I've had 6... count 'em.... SIX glorious IRL opportunities this year!!! Allow me to elaborate...

1. Met JediPrincess77 in downtown Chicago after a job interview and we saw the Artoo mailbox!

2. Met JMW and EwanandHaydenFan5 for dinner and went to see JP77 perform her recital!

3. Met JMW, E&HF5 and JP77 at Millennium Park in Chicago for a collective birthday celebration for those three and to hear Bethany perform with an incredible choir!

4. Met JP77 for Celtic Fest in Chicago and spent a fun afternoon buying stuff, eating free Ritter Sport candy, going for lunch and enjoying some fine Celtic music and dancing!

5. Had my Twink, GalacticBabe, come and stay at my house and then met up with E&HF5 to go see JP77 perform again. While there we met Nobby and his wife, PadmeSkywalker77, Darth Kerfuffle, G&WJedi! (Hope I didn't leave anyone out... please correct me if I did... I'm getting old you see...)

6. Met with 16 fellow SW geeks (you know who you are... bloggers, GHG, Crew... K-fan) to attend the SW exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago and was then surprised with a wonderful birthday celebration in my honor!

Hmmmmmmm... not bad.

I'm single with no kids.... still..... but, I became an Aunt and Godmother (4th time out for that honor) when my sister delivered her sixth baby on St. Patrick's Day!! I can deal with that...

I ventured onto MySpace this past October with little to no expectations but, to my delight, I've been able to develop further some of the friendships that began here...

So, I have my family, my friends, my Pug (), my other pets, Star Wars, a car that runs, a roof over my head, food in my fridge, my health, my faith, my whole life ahead of me..........

Wait...hold on..... what was I complaining about.....???


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HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! MAY IT BE BLESSED AND MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU, ALWAYS!!!!