The one BIG thing she's taught me is to take chances. I've always had self esteem and confidence, but I also always played it safe. Meeting new people and hanging out with new people just wasn't a HUGE thing for me. After all, my best friends I've still had since 3rd, 4th, 8th, and 9th grades (Daniel, Gary, Will, Jaime and Isaac.) If she wanted to go out, and it wasn't one of MY friends, I didn't really want to go. Scratch that, I DIDN'T want to go. They were her friends, but that's what I saw them as, HER friends. For the first half of our relationship, when we went and hung out with friends, the other went their own little way. Ace did not often (if ever) hang out when Daniel or Gary came over. And I know I wasn't all that uppity about hanging out with her friends. I didn't mind them, and always had fun when they came to OUR house, but going out? Pfft, who'd wanna do that?
Speaking of Chances, lemme tell you about Linux... I don't really know how to start. Well, in lamest terms, he is my dog. But I love him to death. Closest pet I've ever had. He has changed my life for the better in SO many ways it is unbelievable.. His post comes later. BUT him coming up in this post has merit too.
Ace named Linux and convinced me to get him. Without Ace, I would NOT have the dogs I have today.
Ace's sister and former fiancé fostered dogs for a long time. They fostered pregnant bitches (used in the proper scientific term!) until they gave birth, and after 8 weeks turned them back into the Humane Society. The reason they foster the dogs is because the Humane Society's primary job is to cut down on the over population of dogs. They would abort or put to sleep the puppies to make sure they didn't take the extra food or something. Anyway, again, not what the post is about.
Linux's mother, Izzy, is a beautiful white husky with one blue eye and one brown. She gave birth to 5 dogs. Two white, two black, and Linux, a white one with black spots. Now, for those who don't know yet, I love Husky’s and Malamutes. I think they are such beautiful dogs and at that time I always imagined me with a Husky and a German Sheppard. Nice, big, noble dogs. Well, Ace thought here is my opportunity to have one!
After some convincing and having her purposely put him in my arms and play with him, I finally chose to adopt him. The MOMENT they delivered Izzy and the puppies back to the Humane Society I was at the front desk paying $80 for a dog that I knew not how to train in a two bedroom apartment that already hosted one other dog that I could barely afford / had time to take care of. It was a stupid decision and a chance I would get attached to a dog that I couldn't take care of... It is one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life.
Along the same route, I don't think I would have the job I have without her. I don’t remember if I made the final decision, or if she made it for me. But, without her, I would have not been able to process my decision on starting this new job. In case you friends don't know the decision I had to make, I'll give you a quick rundown:
I worked at Dish Network for two years as an Advanced Technical Support Representative. I was hired on as one (very few were) and was paid a shit ton for doing the job well. On average I took about 50 calls a day and my average time per call was around 8-10 minutes. I knew what I was doing, how to fix it, IF I could fix it, and I knew every which way to talk to customers. I was the golden boy at it. The issue was, back-to-back-to-back-to-back calls REALLY took a tole on my stress, Worked 6 days a week usually with school, and the very BEST day were days I was leaving just grumpy, not pissed. BUT, really good money, paid for everything and more and free TV. They wanted to make me a supervisor. Pay raise, first supervisor position I've ever had, and no more phone calls...
Then OneNeck came a-calling. It's a support center job, 3rd shift (which I wasn't looking forward to), start back down at the bottom, no supervisor position, and a pay cut from what I was making as an ATSR. Which should I take? I went back and forth numerous times. Golden boy at Dish with that shiny yellow lanyard? Or start over, hope for less stress and MAYBE some opportunities that come my way? Which would you have done? Honestly?
I remember lying on the floor with my feet on the couch just talking to her, going over bills and just seeing if we could survive with what I would make. We'd have to get rid of DISH, since that would've been an extra ~$70 a month that we would have added and we talked about trying to lower our plans on our phones, etc. Just changes, LOTS of changes that I, as I said before, wasn't a big fan of.
Eventually she just told me to go for it. She said that she could see it in my eyes that I wanted out of Dish, and that this was a solid opportunity. So I did.
Also one of the best decisions I have ever made. I absolutely LOVE my job, I can still live super comfortable, I have opportunities here that are available and come my way. I thoroughly enjoy 3rd shift and have made several friends along the way.
The final thing she changed in me was my values. I always valued friends, family, God (to an extent) and doing the right thing. However, I put a high value on money and objects as well. Furniture’s, computers, pots and pans, you name it. If it was mine, it was MINE. It was mine and unless it broke, I didn't want to give it up. She talked about just selling everything and getting in our car and driving till the car broke down and that's where we'd live. An adventure. I couldn't do it. We would argue about the hypothetical situation of selling my things and I would get upset.
WHY would I sell the entertainment center?
WHY would I EVER get rid of my couch? It's suede and comfortable.
WHY would I move? My friends and family are here!
The argument was ridiculous but I would get up in arms about it. It wasn't until MUCH later that I put the value of my things in its proper place. They are replaceable and should not be valued by anything more than the price tag I paid for them.
I am happy to say when I moved out of my house, I got rid of my three couches, my kitchen table, pots and pans, loads of towels, an old entertainment center, a dresser, and numerous other things. And I am comfortable in knowing I could get rid of everything in my room no problem if the situation called for it.
....So, if you ever ask me about Ace.. I will probably tell a crazy ex story, because those are funnier and I dig sympathy points. Thanks to her, though, I have a job I love, a pair of dogs I love even more, and my stress level is 0 to 1 on a scale to 100.
Thank you Ace.
"A rich person is not someone who has the most, but who needs the least." - The Interview with God.
~Just a thought
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