Well, a long time but whatever.  Thought I should come back and update on what’s going on.

In March of ’08 I got a job at Tyson Deli.  It’s a meat packing plant you’ve most likely heard of, if you’ve seen the Tyson food products at the grocery store.  Yeah…I work there. 

Started out in the sanitation department, then in June when my insurance kicked in I went to the doctor to get meds for my depression.  She put me on Cymbalta.  That stuff kicked my ass at first, I was so tired it was ridiculous but it was a side affect that wasn’t supposed to last and I got over it.

Once the meds began to kick in (approx. 10 days), a HUGE weight was lifted from my shoulders.  I no longer cared about the things that made me depressed.  I didn’t care that I was overweight, I’ll lose it eventually.  I didn’t care that I no longer had the man that I loved more than anything, I’ll find who I’m really meant to be with.  Honestly if we were meant to be together, he would have put up a fight rather than let me go just like that.  So meh, I’m over it.  I was just floored that I could be optimistic for once.  Sure I changed, I’m sure a lot of people are scared that they wouldn’t be themselves anymore but honestly…why would you WANT to be depressed over things that don’t matter?  I am glad I no longer felt that I’d never amount to anything, no one would ever love me for me and my flaws.  That feeling withered and died and I wish it will never be resurrected again.

My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in May last year, she is in remission.  She opted for a lumpectomy because it wasn’t genetic and she went through chemo/radiation.  Last of it was in January and she’s doing just fine.

I had my dog Hershey (Doberman) put down in October.  He would have been 14 last December.  He had arthritis in his hips and back, he gave up before I was willing to give him up.  It should have been done months previously but I was selfish.  We had been through a lot together.  He saved me when I was at a critical point in my depression, I honestly don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t adopted him from the shelter so long ago (he was 8 weeks old).  His ashes are in an urn atop my desk.  One of these days I plan on sculpting a clay urn in his likeness.  The original idea was to make a life-size sculpture which later turned into just a bust but now I think I want to do the life-size one again.  I can’t make up my mind.

Now it’s 2009.  I had my vacation, I spent a few days of it in Scottsdale, Arizona.  I went to see Voltaire, again (saw him for the first time at Gothcoming in Columbus, OH the beginning of October last year).  Didn’t get to talk to him this time though 🙁  Oh well, I’m sure I’ll get another chance.

I left the sanitation department the last week of April (I think) and moved to hot dogs, the night shift.  That was…interesting.  10-12 hour days mostly, some days were longer.  One Friday night/Saturday morning, I was there for 14 hours.  Good paycheck though so I wasn’t complaining much.  Then the night shift got laid off because Tyson added another slice room (where they slice/package deli meat) but they don’t have enough people so we all had to move there temporarily.  This is the first week, it’s going okay.

I took my cat Ernie to the vet Monday because I suspected that he has diabetes.  He does.  I have to give him a shot every day (yippie).  The vet gave it to him Monday to show me what to do and I’ve been giving it to him by myself.  I’m actually surprised because he’s normally not so cooperative.  He should improve in 7-10 days.

Oh I suppose I should mention that I am not taking Cymbalta anymore.  I’m not sure when I actually quit, I kept forgetting to take it.  My friend had given me a few month’s worth of Cymbalta cause she had a crap load of samples and they weren’t working for her.  So it was awhile before I even used my prescription.  Hershey was put down on Halloween (horrible day to pick I know) so it was probably some time in November that I quit completely because I just kept forgetting to take it for some reason.  I had my prescription filled in February and I think I only took one out of that.

And I feel fine.