Breaking point

How do you know when you've reached yours? Is there a sign? Is it a feeling? Or is it just a series of events that make you just snap and scream, "I've had enough!"? I don't think I've reached my breaking point yet but I don't think I've been any closer than I am right now.

My husband lost his job last week. He works for a small (a husband and wife run it out of their home) company that does remodels, additions, decks, etc. They don't have any work. They might if they advertise but they prefer to use word of mouth for their advertising. Well, there are no mouths wording anything right now so they should really rethink that plan. They are idiots and I can't help but thinking that. I could go on and on about how much I don't like them but I'll keep it to myself.

While Courtney will get unemployment, it doesn't even cover our mortgage payment. He has a couple of side jobs that will pay cash lined up but I don't know what will happen after that. He is hoping that they will secure a job or two soon and call him back to work. I think he should start looking for a new job. Like, yesterday. They've been talking about laying everyone off for a few weeks. That's when I would have started looking for a new job. But that's just me.

Due in part to Courtney being out of work and to the sheer fact that I couldn't really afford it in the first place, I've stopped my acupuncture treatments. Although I didn't get the end result that I wanted out of them, I do believe I benefited from them. I'm eating healthier and overall I do feel better. Hopefully I'll be able to start them again soon.

So, of course it figures that when I'm the most frustrated and stressed I am unable to go to acupuncture to help alleviate it. Which, in turn, makes me more frustrated and stressed. It's a vicious circle.

My feelings of bitterness and jealousy are on the rise again. The acupuncture helped with that but now, because of our situation I can't control those feelings as much. I really have to bite my tongue when I'm at work (not teaching...my other job). Take yesterday, for instance.

I think every low life in the great state of Maryland came out of the wood works yesterday. I was listening to one girl and her mom go on and on about how utterly disappointed they were that they were told by someone earlier that we carried Classic Pooh bedding and then found out that we didn't. They were just so upset about it. I was starting to feel a little bad that they were misinformed but I got over it quite quickly when the girl pulled out a cigarette as she was getting ready to leave. I just stared, open mouthed, at her cigarette and blandly wished her a good evening. Under my breath I wished her a nasty bout with emphysema. Ignorant bitch.

Later on I was talking to a guy who can only be described as "Cletus." Seriously, do a google image search for the word "Cletus" and that's him. All I could think about was that this slack-jawed yokel gets to have a baby....really? REALLY? Him? He can't even speak because of his f-ed up teeth! He was too lazy to even lift his feet when he walked (Or maybe he might have had some sort of disability or something. I don't know and frankly my dear, I don't give a damn.). I just couldn't stop staring at him and his beast of a girlfriend/wife/whatever and thinking, "Why them?".

Ugh.

I'm too disgusted with people and probably more so, myself to remember anymore. And believe me, there were more.

And I promise to let you know if and when I do reach my breaking point. That way you have ample time to find the nearest bomb shelter. Or at least duck and cover.

IH8MVA

Do you think the MVA would let me get a personalized tag like that? If so, I would totally get one. Because I really and truly HATE the MVA.

Today was the third, yes THIRD, time I went there to renew my license out-of-state, expired license and to get the registration stickers that I paid for but never received.

The first time I went, it was the Saturday before Memorial Day. I got up early, showered, did my hair and really did my make-up. Normally, I don’t wear a lot of make-up but I wanted to look nice for my picture so I went all out. I looked good if I don’t say so myself. Well, I just did say so myself so never mind. We roll up to the MVA and the parking lot was empty. Not a single car to be found. What the hell? Why would they be closed? Apparently, having Monday off for Memorial Day wasn’t enough for the MVA. They needed Saturday, too. Bastards.

All my hair-doing and making applying wasted. Well, I did get a Costco card picture taken so it wasn’t all wasted.

The second time I went was this past Saturday. This time I think I heard someone mention that they only do driver’s licenses on Saturdays so I wasn’t going in with too high hopes to get the registration sticker problem solved. We go inside and it’s crowded. Seriously. A whole lot of people sitting around waiting for their turn. But no numbers are being called, I notice while standing in line to get my number. Then they make the announcement.

“We are sorry for the inconvenience but our systems are down. We will be unable to process any driver’s licenses or permits at this time.”

You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. I’m sorry. I swear like a sailor. I try to keep it PG on this blog but even thinking about the MVA right now gets me so frustrated I have to let it out. Sorry.

At this point we are already in the line and there are only a few people in front of us and it’s moving pretty fast. We decide to stay so we can ask about the registration stickers. When it’s our turn I confirm that we will more than likely not be able to my license today and I ask about the stickers. I figured since the employees (other than the lady at the information desk, that is) aren’t really doing anything since the system is down and all, that maybe I would be able to get my stickers. But no. I’ll have to take time off from work to do it. Bastards.

Which brings us to today dear friends. I left work at 11:00 am to go to the MVA and get there just before 11:30. I get in line at the title and tag information desk and when it’s my turn I tell the lady why I’m there and she gives me a form to fill out and bring back to get my number. She also informs me that I’ll have to pay $5 to get a new sticker.

I’m sorry? I have to pay YOU for something that YOU didn’t send me in the first place???? What kind of bass-ackwards crap is that??? She said that the MVA will replace your stickers within 30 days of expiration and after that it will cost $5. My registration expired at the end of October. Whoops. I paid for it in September but didn’t notice that I never got the stickers until a few months ago. Regardless. I am paying for THEIR mistake. Bastards.

I start filling out the form and realize I have to go back to my car to fill in the insurance information. After I fill out the form I get back in line thinking she will look it over and keep it. Nope. She doesn’t even check it. She just hands me a slip of paper with my number on it. Why she didn’t just hand me the form AND the number at the same time is beyond me. It looks like it will be a long wait so I decide to head over to the license side and get my number for my license as well and cross my fingers that it all works out number-calling wise.

When it’s my turn to get my number I tell them why I’m there and I let them know I have an out-of-state license that is expired. She says I’ll need identification. I was well prepared. I brought my social security card, my birth certificate, my passport and my marriage certificate. I felt my bases were covered. I was wrong. It turns out they need proof of residency and they are very specific as to what they will accept. I didn’t have anything on me that they would accept. Absolutely wonderful. That will make FOUR trips to get my stinking license. Bastards.

I have no other choice but to sit and wait for them to call my number. I was at the MVA for about an hour and a half when they finally called it. It took less than 5 minutes to get the sticker and get the hell out of there.

Does a trip to the MVA cause this much utter frustration and stress to anyone else? I swear, if I couldn’t get the registration sticker today you might have seen me on the news tonight. I was that close to losing it. I think I need to stay far, far away from the MVA for a little while.

My own personal dark cloud

Lately I’ve been feeling like I have a little dark cloud hanging over my head and my head alone.  Kinda like that character from the Peanuts, Pigpen, but his was dirt.  I don’t think I’m depressed or anything like that but I’ve just been having some bad (well, weird is maybe a better word) luck.

Rewind a week and I just get into work and the kids are eating breakfast so I plop down and sit with them and eat my yogurt and fiber bar (believe it or not, they are GOOD!).  One of the other teachers lets me know that I’ve spilled a blob of it on my shirt.  Ugh.  I wipe it off and clean up my garbage and start getting the kids into the bathroom to go potty. 

Not 20 minutes later, I take a drink from my water bottle (which I’ve been filling with those awesome little Crystal Light flavor packets, this time in particular was a raspberry ice flavor) and realize I’ve spilled  dribbled red water in the same spot as the yogurt.  I usually carry a Tide-To-Go pen with me so I used it and then zipped up my hoodie as to hide the stains.  Lovely.

A few days later I got mustard on my shirt from my Subway sandwich.  Gotta love hoodies.  They hide stains nicely.

This past Friday, my husband took me out to dinner and to add insult (the pregnant…like ready to pop pregnant, waitress) to injury (wait, that would be injury to insult but you get the picture) she spills my dinner all over the table.  It wasn’t anything messy so I wasn’t upset but then she said, “Oooohhh, you’re purse!”  The ranch dressing I requested was now sitting in my purse.  My beautiful yellow purse.  My not so cheap yellow purse.  Well, I got it at Marshall’s on clearance but at one point in time it was an expensive purse.  And now it stunk of ranch.  I got it all cleaned up and thanks to my trusty Tide-To-Go pen my purse isn’t ruined.  After all that I would have thought that my meal would have been free but that wasn’t even offered.  She did offer to buy us dessert but we declined.  I don’t think we’ll be going back there.

Is it just me or wouldn’t you have expected them to give you your dinner free after spilling it in your purse?  Or offer to replace the purse?  This isn’t the first time it’s happened to me either.  A few years ago a waitress spilled hot wings all over my dress, which was white.  They didn’t offer to give us our dinner free or offer to pay to clean my dress.  I was HOT over that.  Mostly because I had to walk around in a white and now orange dress.  Whatever happened to common courtesies?  Maybe they aren’t so common anymore.  Hence my own personal dark cloud.  Sigh.

On a side note, I have no idea when my period is due.  I remember spotting at the beginning of April but my period didn’t start until almost a week later.  I’m thinking it should be due by the end of the week but we’ll see.  I did take a test this weekend but it was negative.