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So while the girls are at their aunt’s today, I’ve gotten some stuff done. Got some new shoes, done a lot of housework, picked up balloons for my daughter’s party, etc. While I was working out a little, I turned the TV on and watched a little Jerry Springer. Not usually my taste but keep in mind we only have 20 channels and most of them are talk shows or soap operas at noon. Of course there’s some blatant transsexual who’s wanting to tell “her” boyfriend something. So she spills the secret and he’s completely shocked. Really? You had no idea? “Honey, I want you to come on the Jerry Springer show with me because I have something I want to tell you.” That means one of two things: 1. You chick’s not a chick or 2. Your chick’s been sleeping with 30+ other guys.

If the Springer show ever calls you to ask you to come on, there’s only one course of action. Leave whoever you’re with and move out of state.

I am employed again. I’ll report for my first day on March 9th. I’m really excited about it. I don’t have any reservations about it, other than the drive. Compared to my previous commute, this one will be ugly. The shift should be early enough to beat most of the rush traffic on both sides, though.

It’ll be nice not to have to dip into savings every two weeks. We’re not going to go back to spending like we did before. One good thing about this situation is that it showed us we can just about make it on my wife’s income alone. We’re only coming short $200 or so every paycheck. If it wasn’t for our debt, we’d be able to have one of us stay home with the kids full time, albeit with the same sacrifices we’re making now. Before I switched jobs, we were barely making it. How were we barely getting by with twice as much money? Apparently we were blowing a lot of it. I definitely think this is something God wanted me (us) to learn before he led us out of this valley. “See? Look at how much you had. Look at how you squandered my blessings.” I do see now. I used to think we’d never get out of debt. Now I can see how “easy” it will be to get out. We’re going to keep living like we have been (maybe a little more stable), build up savings, and then start attacking these bills. If we didn’t “need” the extra couple hundred bucks a paycheck, it can be used to pay down balances. Then we’ll know freedom. And it’ll be sweet.

So, I’m finally going back to school. After high school, I was enrolled at a state school, and was lured out of the class registration line (literally out of standing in line) by a local technical college with promises of scholarships. I ended up going there and getting an Associate’s in Network Administration. I intended to get hired on somewhere and let them pay for the Bachelor’s upgrade. That never ended up happening, though. Now I’m coming up on 30 without a full degree. Worse yet, the school I went to was bought out by some random school system who was then bought out by Everest College. That’s right, the daytime TV commercials about medical assisting and other such crap. So, on paper my degree may as well have come from ITT Tech or Devry. Luckily, I found a job with a good company. (Waiting for confirmation tomorrow). It may not have taken this long, if I had a real degree on my resume.

So, I’m going back to finish one. Now I just have to figure out what to go for. My job is technology related. Do I get a programming or web development degree? Or, do I keep the police dream alive and get a criminal justice/investigations degree? I know some employers look just to see if you have a degree, not necessarily a pertinent one.

I’m torn. I’m a little apprehensive about jumping into the programming field. I’ve done hardware. I’ve done networking. I’ve done support. This is the one facet I haven’t explored yet. What if I’m no good at it? What if I throw $12,000 at school and somehow can’t do it? I’ve never failed anything, but for some reason I have misgivings about this. Maybe it’s just because….

….

Oh God.

Has it really been ten years since I graduated?

………..

This isn’t the show we were at, but you get the idea.

Rock.

That is all.

As a married father of two, I don’t get to go to as many concerts as I did when I was a free-wheelin’ teenager. My lovely wife has been gracious enough to accompany me to a few shows over the years, and I’ve always had a blast. I love her for taking one for the team to spend time with me doing something she knows I enjoy. It’s epic amounts of brownie points.

A few weeks ago, we went to go see Barlow Girl and Benjamin Shafer. The tickets were a present from my mother-in-law; however, my wife agreed to spring for the upgrade to VIP tickets. That’s when the lulz ensued.

We showed up nice and way early for the show to go to the VIP event. After sitting around the lobby for 15 minutes, surrounded by 14 year old girls, we overhear someone say the VIP meet & greet hullabaloo was down the hall. We go down, expecting to find some adults. We found them, escorting their 12 year old daughters. It was the most awkward half hour or so of my life thus far. My wife and I surrounded by little girls during a Q&A session. Granted, this is a band comprised of three girls. But they’re all in their mid/late 20s, like myself. I didn’t expect it to be a 7th grade party.

We then moved into the auditorium and waited around for an hour with nothing to do. Older people started showing up, and the balcony started filling up with teenagers, which left me feeling a little less weird. Apparently it was just the little girls parents and my wife who shelled out the VIP tickets. At least I got a cool souvenir pass.

Benjamin Shafer opened up the show. Even though he did a really short set, it was great. I hadn’t ever heard of him before but immediately recognized him as the front man from a local band, 10th Hour Calling. We ended up getting his CD later. (You probably should too. It’s great!)

Finally, BarlowGirl came out. It was worth the wait and humiliation. They really rocked the house and delivered. Like a schmuck, I forgot our camera and was able to capture some horrible video and pictures on my cell phone. To show you how bad they are, this is the best of the batch.

It really was a great show, though. Very cathartic with a lot of the stuff we’ve been going through lately. Words of truth were spoken. Jesus was proclaimed. And I got some Barlow Girl drumsticks.

Rawk.

So, if you haven’t been blessed with the opportunity to rock with BarlowGirl yet, check ’em out. Buy some CDs. Become a fan. If you do, maybe my wife and I won’t be the only people over 20 willingly at the next show.

On a personal tangent, I’m waiting to hear from a potential employer later this week on a decision. I’ve got my fingers crossed. I’m really loving the time I get with my girls, but, financially, we’re going to what’s left of our savings in another paycheck or two. Then, we’ll be in real trouble. So, if you’re inclined to pray, it would be most appreciated.

I’m still waiting to hear from B-town, Sarpy County, and Papio on cop jobs, but those won’t happen at least until March. I’ve preliminarily signed up for testing with OPD, much to my wife’s chagrin. Their testing process takes 3 months to even finish though. I liked doing them all in one day better. :/

Mosecrest out.