Starting to get discouraged - but pushing through....

Man, it would be awesome if I looked back on this blog in the future and thought, man that was a rough time, but it was worth it. But, I'm starting to get discouraged.

I have three weeks left in the oil field. Then this chapter is over I hope... but I might have to take a job doing something oil field related. I hope not... it would be a step back.

I've had my store open for a few weeks. Trying to drive traffic is crazy hard. My friends could help, but so far I can't get anyone to share it. That's all they have to do and it's like pulling teeth. They are all ready to argue politics or correct a mistake in a damn Facebook post, but I can't even get my best friends to share my store or my products.

Easiest way in the universe to boost my traffic, they won't help. I even asked straight out.

Thing is, the shirts are extremely high quality. Really nice. And I think my ideas are excellent.

This is a sublimation dye shirt

Came out just awesome

When music hits you, you feel no pain shirt

Great gift for musicians - at least I think so.

I've tried Facebook ads and Etsy promotions... but they aren't working. Of course with a budget of $3 a day... it's not looking good. I even got a domain name, but Etsy runs it as a redirect... so that's kind of a waste.

About to be broke and jobless. At least for a couple of months until the big severance check comes in.

I'd hoped to get the house up for sale sooner rather than later, but I can't do that until I fix it up a bit. At least not if I want to get enough to get out of this place.

Not giving up yet. Still hopeful it will come around and thinking about trying to do Tech work. Virus removal, speed up peoples PCs, home networking whatever. Trying to build a Shopify store and hoping it will be better then Etsy.

I have to get out of here. I have to get my family out of this place. Not about to give up, but I sure am getting discouraged. We are going to find a way to change our lives.

New Blog just for Musical Inspiration and Motivation

I've always been inspired by Music. I love songs from every genre and in fact the movie and the soundtrack from The Greatest Showman has been a large inspiration to me lately.

It has made me feel like I can literally do anything. I can change my stars and the stars of my children. I'm going to find a way to make their lives extraordinary.

To keep me motivated I've started a daily blog with new inspirational music everyday. It's called Inspired Music Madness. I think it's awesome and I hope you will too. I plan to post any music I find uplifting, inspirational and/or motivational.

Linkin Park, The Black Eyed Peas, Journey, The Script... even oldies like the theme song to the Legend of Billy Jack will be listed their. I'm even trying to make my own radio station to go with it... still learning that one though. For now, here's some inspiration for this page. If I had one blog worth subscribing to, that one might be it.

For now, here's some music for inspiration here:

Pat Benetar - We Belong

Because we do belong, all of us.

Inspired Music Madness

Trying something new.

Iv'e opened a store on the web selling custom T-shirts, bags and gifts of my own design. Very excited about the possibilities with this. I have to try something new though or I'll be stuck in this rut forever. My family deserves better then that.

 Here's some of the things Iv'e designed so far. You can see them all at The Eclectic Wombat. Why did I call it that? Not sure... just what came to mind.

Not really as flashy as I want to be in life, but if I could get this to take off maybe I can make the other dreams come true. THe dream of moving my family someplace special. Someplace they will love.

Sacred to Death, but I gotta do something new!

The company I work for was bought recently....

The new company made us a deal, stay with them a few months and if we didn't like it we would be eligible for a one time separation payment based on what our severance from the old company would have been or stay with them an entire year and get a big retention bonus.

My separation payment is about $32 thousand dollars
My retention payment would be about $43 thousand dollars

But be staying with them I am losing about $1000 a month paying for my families insurance... so it's kind of a wash (The old company was actually one of those incredible employers who paid my entire families medical insurance cost, the new company only pays for  me and the difference is actually $1000 a month).

The thing is, I had to decide this week whether to stay or walk away, but I won't get the money from the separation until July 11th.

Well, I gave my notice. Tomorrow is the last day to retract it and I'm scared...

But I gotta change. I gotta have faith in the universe.

I want to get out of the oil field. I want to get out of West Texas. I really want to move to St. Louis. Real Estate prices are crazy here.... I might be able to sell my place, pay off the mortgage (and an FHA lien) and get into a place on the outskirts of the city with cash. My credit is horrible, so that's my only real hope.

I'm in love with a place I have never been. My family deserves better then here.

I wan't a normal job. I want to get up on stage again. I want my children to grow up in a place where they could do anything and where they can be anyone.

But I'm scared

This is my inspiration - Get Up by Shinedown 

It all has to go right from here!