Catching Up

I think the kiss of death on any blog or journal is the idea or concept that you have to spend all kinds of time trying to catch up the invisible reader on what's been happening over the last ..... weeks/months/years. It's always best to just start where you are and move forward. The exception to that, of course, is if you want to talk about something going on in your life that didn't just start today. So, What have I been doing since Mother's Day? Nothing and Everything I think is the best answer. My kids turned One Year Old... YEAH!!! We made it to level 2 in the game of parenting. Both of the kids are nearly walking, but my money is on Drew for taking those first unassisted steps. One step for a man, one giant leap for toddler kind!

I am still on "cash aide" and "food stamps" to take care of myself and my twins. For those of you who don't know, the welfare system in California was reformed afew years back and while there is a lot I do and don't agree with, I definitely don't consider myself a "welfare mom" if for no other reason than I'm not allowed to "sit on my butt and collect a check". My kids get to be in daycare while I get to work a minimum of 32 hours per week and collect a check that is worth less than the going rate of Redding Ghetto rent prices. You show me someone with kids who can support themselves on $600 a month and I'll show you someone who is committing fraud or some other scam.

I was attempting to sell subscriptions to the local newspaper, aka The Retched Flashlight (The Record Searchlight is the official name). I got let go for not full filling my quota. I'm really not that disappointed, it's been over 100 degrees Fahrenheit on and off since June, thank god I'm not out in it.

I found a long lost friend on MySpace last month and he came to visit. My first official overnight guest in my grown up home, he got the couch since I don't really have a guest room. We totally picked up right where we left off to. We're kinda like Dante and Randal. We spend a lot of time picking apart pop culture, religion and politics and tend to fall asleep mid conversation around 5 am. One major change, of course, was child care. It's tremendously difficult to go to bed at 5 am and wake up at 6 am when you are no longer 20 something. Also, I don't smoke cigarettes anymore. I was very proud of myself for neither begging one cigarette from him, nor punching him for smoking. I look forward to his return visit and to maybe someday moving back to the coast, behind the redwood curtain.

The big news is that I have joined in the ranks of those who tell people about PrePaid Legal and get paid to do so. I love it. I am allowed tons of flexibility to take care of my twins (although they still are in day care for at least a few more months). I've been able to get my Will done (now I don't have to worry about foster "care" if something happens to me), and have several legal questions answered. Some questions were about my new house (and how the real estate agent is trying to screw me until she found out I have a lawyer), and some preventative questions about Chris and what he could or couldn't do to try to "get" the twins.

Here are my websites, feel free to click!!
http://www.prepaidlegal.com/hub/troberti
http://www.myspace.com/nrgxtc

PrePaid Legal has an open meeting in Redding, CA at the La Quinta Inn on Hilltop Ave. from 7:00 pm until 8:00 pm. I'd love to see you there, just ask for Traci Roberti. I'm grateful my mom has been able to babysit for me.

If you're bummed you don't live in the area, you can always email me and I can let you know the where and when of an open meeting in your area. They are usually held weekly throughout the United States and Canada.

Anyway, Have A Great Day!!