Sophie's rules during unemployment

- Rule #1: She lets me sleep as late as I want, but the minute there is any sign of life (turning over in bed, heavy sigh) I better get up and get her food.

- Rule #2: Any time I come in the door from being gone, she should get some kind of special treat.

- Rule #3: No more veternarian.

(Note - I need to get a job soon. Now I'm writing too much about my cat! But I do appreciate her letting me sleep in and she has been a trooper.)

For all other calls, please press Zero

- I do not feel the same kind of separation anxiety I felt when I left BellSouth five years ago. However, I am still feeling twinges of anger toward my most recent employer for abruptly "downsizing" my job. The Title of this post is the message they have replaced my name with. (Yes - I called there after hours to check.) This seems sort of ironic, as if I am now Zero to them. But I am so relieved to be away from there - albeit unemployed and close to being broke - that I sort of don't care either.

- I will be OK and am so grateful for the peace and the outreach I am receiving from others.

Who moved my cheese?

- At the grocery store, it struck me funny that this cheese had the slogan "Seriously Sharp." Hopefully I gave someone else a chuckle when I photographed the cheese with my camera phone.

- I have wonderful family and friends. I feel as if my misfortune in losing my job has brought me closer to everyone.

- We sing the First song of Isiah as a Benediction Response at my church most Sundays. It runs through my head sometimes when I worry about the future too much, "Surely it is God who saves me: I will trust in Him and not be afraid, For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense and He will be my Savior." And I feel immediately at peace.

Blessings of the day

- I started out the day a little sad about being unemployed. So I went for a walk around Stone Mountain. Normally I am here in the late afternoon, but walking in the morning gives me a chance to smile at passing moms with carriages, dog walkers and today an "older" couple holding hands.

- After the walk, I felt exhilarated and left for my mock interview session and got lots of good advice from the interviewer.

- When I got home, I got a good lead from a new neighbor I met at the mailbox, Elizabeth sent a couple of Emory University options and Pam from church left a message to call her.

Special girls and spiritual lessons

- They breezed into town for different reasons, but I got to see both Abby and Amanda yesterday. Abby and I went to see Paula Deen at the Civic Center along with her friend Becca. Amanda and her friend Kimmy came to take Kathleen away from Shepherd Spinal Center for the night as a treat. It was fun having lunch with all the girls later. And I met up with Amanda, Kimmy and Kathleen at a sports bar last night to watch the Gator game, but the cigarette smoke in there ran me off.

- It was good to get family hugs. How lucky I am to have nieces that want me to hang out with them. And they are so cute with their long hair that smells like shampoo and their pretty frocks.

- Last night I prepared to be the Liturgist at church today. From all accounts I did very well - I will not mind doing it again now. And there were spiritual lessons for me that hit right home.

New directions

- This is one of those signs that tells how many miles Tommy's Store in Hayesville, NC is to New York City, Louisville, Kentucky, Paris, France, etc. It reminds me of how many directions life can take.

- My life took a new direction when I lost my job on August 31. It was devastating at first to be "downsized", but now I realize I have an opportunity to find a job that I really would like to work at every day.

- Julia Child said, "Use all your senses, all the time... Take pains with the work; do it carefully. Relish the details. Enjoy your hunger. And remember why you are there."

Faithful friends

- Sleeping on the sofa last night, I covered myself with a pink throw. When I tossed it aside, Sophie burrowed and burrowed into it looking like a kitty emerging from a cocoon.

- Having a big change forced upon me makes me thankful how many people care about me.

- That's it for today - I really just wanted to post the cute picture of Sophie. :)