My positive new year seems to be going well--last week I won $2.00 in the lottery which is the first amount I have one in several months, I had a phone interview that resulted in a face to face interview later this week, and I started a paid temp job today.  I am not going to get paid much, but it is something additional to put on my resume.  The interview was for a technical position coding RPG on an IBM iSeries.  I have only a little experience with RPG, but I have over 15 years experience with the iSeries (AS/400)--unfortunately I was in one of the few places that coded in COBOL.  They were a little put off by my lack of experience, but they asked if I would be interested in a Business Analyst position.  I was originally looking at BA positions, but I was more excited about the coding job.  So, I have an interview scheduled later this week and they want to interview me for both the programmer position and a BA position that will be opening soon.  I found the first opening through a friend I used to work with and things just sort of fell together--the company wants to go through a contract company so they can "try before the buy".  It just so happens that I have a relationship with a contract company for the temp job I am doing with a local charity.  Everything seems to be coming together kind of like the stars aligning.  I hope I am not jinxing it, but I am so excited.

In keeping with my positive outlook, I actually shoveled the snow out of my driveway.  I usually just let it accumulate until I can't drive my car over it or until it melts.  I am even getting better at it--it only took me an hour.  The snow was dry and not packed, so it was pretty easy to move around--unfortunately that also meant it kept blowing back at me.  I didn't care and just kept going.  Normally I finish and sit on the couch the rest of the day aching and tired and today I went to work and felt like I accomplished some things.

My next step is to start exercising.  I have a treadmill and a Crossbow thingy in my basement and I need to start using them.  I want to start with the treadmill until I can clean the basement a little to have a place to pull out the Crossbow.  I have lost about 30 to 40 pounds (I think that is about 2 stone in imperial measures) since I was laid off.  I have kept it off for a while now, but lately I feel like I am losing muscle and not fat.  Also, I am hoping if I start exercising I will have more energy.

I need to go to the doctor and get some refills on my medication.  I am afraid if I run out of my antidepressants without doctor supervision, I will fall apart.  I stopped taking the medication a while back for a couple of weeks and starting feeling down and thinking the world was against me.  I really want off the medication as soon as possible, but I want to make sure I do it correctly.

Hope springs eternal--it has been somewhat trying for the last several months, but now things are looking up or at least I am being more positive.