Off the market: A voluntary recall

It's that time of year again... the stores are full of red, white and pink bears, florist are getting the head start on ordering wholesale roses, and the "Every kiss begins with K..." jingle is on TV so much it's stuck in your head.... yep... Valentine's Day is quickly approaching in a few weeks. Not to mention this is a Leap Year where it's socially acceptable for ladies to propose to guys on the 29th of February. Interesting fact, right??? Read on...
Anyone who really knows me, knows that in spite of all the relationship up and downs, round and rounds (and any other confusion that would give you motion sickness) I am a HOPELESS romantic. I love love and as Christian I fully realize there is no greater love than the love God had when he sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to save us, but I also recognize that Adam and God were the only people in the garden and Adam said he was lonely so God made Eve (stop me when I'm not in THE BOOK!!!). God only revealed Eve to Adam after He formed her and prepared her for him.
Like most (not all but most) women my age who are single, I would like to get married one day, and up until recently I (like most women) had some basic qualities that I would like for a man to have before I even consider dating him seriously and/or exclusively. I mean the basics... Job, car, his own place. And I'm not saying you have to take me to Chop House or Lobster Bar (cause I'm not picky), but I don't care where we go, I'm not picking you up and certainly not from your mama's house!!!Then it hit me... "Ummm ma'am right now you don't have but one of those things yourself!!!" I mean honestly, if a man approached me and he was in my circumstances I wouldn't totally dismiss him, but I would be praying for God to lift us both up with a quick work!!!  Now don't get me wrong y'all know one of my lines is the from the classic Walter Hawkins song "The economy's down people can't get enough pay" so I understand it's hard out here for a pimp, but this caused a poignant, mature, moment of introspection concerning my "single and looking" status...thus the inspiration for the title of this blog. Go with me....
When people are single they are said to be "on the market" which would suggest we have something to offer others who are looking. I thought of this metaphorically... what do I have to offer? Just like a company who's product is on store shelves, when they want to re-brand or change the packaging or something may still work and be ok to the consumer,but  they realize there is something that could be improved they impose a voluntary recall.  That's right... I've decided to take myself off the market for a while.
I mean don't get me wrong, I still consider myself a nice catch, but as far as the basics are concerned I need to regroup, focus on me, and getting myself back together. This, for me, seems like the right thing to do. I mean think about it, don't you appreciate a company more when they voluntarily tell the stores and consumers "Hey... the stitching on these jeans is a little off, so we're gonna take them back to the manufacturer so they can be sold at Marshall's (or in extreme cases one of those warehouse sales in convention center ballrooms). Nothing's wrong with them, but we want to present you with a best quality product" rather than you buying the jeans and wearing them only for the pocket stitching to start unraveling. :-/
I'd rather use this time of transition to allow God to prepare me and work on me in every area of my life so when I'm back on the market I'll be one of the best there is to offer, and not get involved in something that looks ok at first then eventually falls apart.
I won't be a Big Lots bride... upgrade me JESUS!

May I retract my resume... going from bad to worse

The cat's out the bag now that I am indeed unemployed and looking. (no shame, just was keeping it low key as not to dampen the holiday season for everyone else) While my desire is to go back to Atlanta and live the single life that I've grown to know and love, or ideally commute between the two places, or be famous and go everywhere, in the meantime, (like the song says) "the economy's down, people can't get enough pay"  and I need to support my hair-do habit so I'm looking both here and there. 
Today I ran across a position that fit my qualifications and background. Granted it wasn't the ideal job, but I'm certain I could do it. Working in a group home for girls for a religious organization seems easy, yet simultaneously challenging enough. (and if you know anything about my last job you know it's not too far off the path) They had two positions, one in Raleigh, and another in one of the larger cities not far from where my grandma lives, which means I could work there and still look out for her.
I do the online application for the position located in Raleigh, hit submit button and another questionnaire pops up "This position may require you to stay overnight 2-3 days on sight, with occasional weekends..." yadda yadda yadda. No problem... I click yes.
I complete the same application for the other location (which I'm purposely keeping anonymous) and the questionnaire pops up, but this time there are two questions. The first was the same about staying overnight, but the second asked would I be willing and physically able to participate in an unarmed self-defense course to continue on in the candidate process... SCRRRRRRRRRRR! PUMP THE BRAKES!!!
Are you saying I need to take the course because I'm going to need to use this skill at this particular location???  Are you for real? My steps are ordered ,so ummm that's not His will!
Why would you wait til someone spends 20 minutes filling out a lengthy online application, then mention this? GOTCHA!
They can call me all they want, but my response will be "Uhhh yeah about that... Jehovah Jireh.God is still providing... I'm good!"
On the bright side at least they told me up front...(But they should add that disclaimer to whomever is applying for my former postion...)
The search continues... in ATLANTA!!!

What a difference 2 months makes....

Happy New Year!!! Thanks for stopping by. My first post will be short and sweet just to give you a taste of my story telling style
I can't believe all that has transpired over the last 2 months! Durn! If someone had told me when I was ringing in my 35th birthday on a Saturday night into Sunday morning  November 6th, 2011 that on January 6, 2012 I'd be unemployed and serving as my grandma's bootleg caregiver in her home while she recovers from a mild stroke that happened as I was leaving her house 2 days after Christmas, I wouldn't have believed them even if they were standing on a mountain top, holding two stone tablets in front of a burning bush, Nah... that's ridiculous, absolutely ludicrous. But it happened... and there hasn't been a dull moment since! Stay tuned... I'm just getting started.