MY LIFE - THE TIMES THEY ARE A'CHANGIN'

Well, Folks...It's been a whirlwind week for me.  Started out with a phone call from childhood friends I haven't physically seen in MANY years.  NEVER underestimate the power of true friends!  It seems a co-worker of theirs (their boss, to be exact) was looking to hire for a position in Myrtle Beach.  After hearing the requirements and what they were looking for these friends said my name popped up out of nowhere, evidently hidden in the deep recess of their minds to be pulled back out with the who knows what trigger.

A phone call to me followed their conversation...I was put on the phone with the most dynamic sounding woman I've ever had the pleasure of speaking with.  Within minutes I had the first job interview of my life scheduled.  Yes...you heard that right...the FIRST job interview of my life.  I am 58 years old and have had some pretty good jobs throughout the years.  Once I got to thinking about it, I realized they had all "just happened" and I had never been through the formal interview process.

Once off the phone and this realization sank in I can't begin to tell you the panic that set in.  Jeezo!  I've been wearing flip flops for the past 10 years!  Holy Moley!  I've gained 30 pounds and don't have a decent outfit to show up in!  Sufferin' Succotash!  What in the world will be expected during a formal interview? I guess the positive part is that this interview was to take place the next day, so I didn't have but 24 hours to be a total wreck.

Tearing my closets up and finding NOTHING that my new rear end would fit into I fled downtown the next morning in search of ANYTHING that would be presentable and not have to be majorly altered, as this interview was to take place immediately after lunch.  For those of you who don't know me and where I live, it is a small resort town with limited downtown business.

Therefore, the pickin's are slim.  Luckily we DO have a new discount ladies clothing store on Main Street.  Drove downtown...parked...went in...and came out 15 minutes later with a $12.50 pair of dress slacks and a $15.00 top.  Did I fail to mention that I HATE to shop and that I even HATE trying on clothes more?  Got home...got those suckers hemmed up and made it to Myrtle Beach with 5 minutes to spare. 

Long story short, I GOT the job and needed to start immediately!  Now, they're "emphasizing" that this job will require me to "dress to impress".  Woe is me...WHAT have I gotten myself into?  Rushed back to North Myrtle Beach, got to the clothing store right at closing...bought 2 more pair of slacks, 2 jackets and a couple of tops...$119.29 total!   Did I also fail to mention that I am broke?

Now I'm looking forward to Monday and my first full day of work.  Then I realize I have nothing but flip flops in my shoe rack.  10 years of wearing these will make your feet TOTALLY unresponsive to real shoes....Believe me.  I will be going into my first day of work... where I am expected to look like I stepped out of a fashion magazine...in a $50 outfit that includes a wool jacket to cover up the imperfections (or TRY to cover up)... On my feet will be some widower maker shoes...and I'll have my flip flops in my purse.  Now the weather man says it's gonna be 74 degrees on Monday!  I'm working on the story I'll give as to why I won't be taking this hot as hades jacket off.

This is a job I know I will love.  This is a job I know I can do.  Now all I'm worried about is making the wrong impression with what I am wearing!  Oh, Poo!  I'm just gonna march right in there and go to work with the self impression of having stepped out of Vogue Magazine!

Sure do hope they have the A/C cut WAY down!

I can do it and I'm GONNA do it!  I'm NOT gonna let these friends down...Believe me, friends like this are not a dime a dozen.  Thank you, thank you, thank you to my wonderful friends!  I'm gonna do my best to do ya proud!

Friends?  The past year has put that word in a totally new perspective for me.  I'm on Facebook a lot and every day I see people pouring their undying love out for "friends" they've never met.....just accepted a friend request by tapping a key on their keyboard.   A few days later, they "love" them....pour their hearts out to them...offer life-altering advice to people they know nothing about.  Don't get me wrong...I've "met" a lot of interesting people on Facebook and there have been some instances where these new "friends"  have impacted MY life in one way or another.  But, there's still nothing like REAL friends...the kind who know you inside and out...may even know some real dirt on you and wouldn't tell a soul...the kind of friends who are really there through thick and thin.

Yeah....THAT kind of friends!  My grandma always told me you can count the number of TRUE friends on one hand...two if you're lucky.  I'm finding this true the older I get.  There's a major difference between friends and acquaintances.  I have MANY acquaintances!  And I'm thankful for each and every one of them.  But it's the friends that get me through life.  The ones that show up when no one else will knock on your door....The ones that know how to offer a hug or a smile when there are no words to ease your pain...The ones that pop into your head and make you smile when you hear a certain song or see something funny on TV or in a movie...Yeah...The ones that are there even when you don't know it!  You know what I mean?  The ones who call you after many years and you automatically start talking like you just saw them yesterday!

Thanks to friends like this, I am embarking on a whole new career...working with a woman I'm pretty sure will impact my life greatly....learn new things and meet new people...and hopefully after that first paycheck be able to please the new boss by really dressing while impressing!

I am thankful for my life.  I am thankful for today...and tomorrow...and the future.   I am thankful for FRIENDS!  Where in the world would we be without them? 

I will keep you posted and until then, don't forget that when life hands you lemons make a pitcher of lemonade and share it with a friend....a REAL friend!

Dance on, my friends...Even in the rain!

Kristyemac

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