Covid Pushes Out Gypsy Life

     Whelp, it's not every day/week/month or even yeeeeeeear (you better be singing this to the theme song of Friends) that one can say their plans have been pushed out because of a national health emergency and very contagious virus. But, alas, here we are! 

     I am very fortunate to still have a job with my construction company and be deemed an "essential worker." However, my extra money for fun and savings is gone: both of my restaurants are shut down and my mystery shopping is pretty much completely out the window. SO! You know me, or maybe you don't, but this is how I roll:

     I picked up two direct sales work from home jobs, two work from home service jobs, and a work from home call center job. Yes, now instead of four jobs, I'm up to five! Because...why not?! What are they you may or may not ask?

1. Wearable Nutrition

https://charli.innov8tivenutrition.com/

This is the gist of our products. It's wearable nutrition, which everyone needs. Many people who've taken the MultiVitamin are calling it a beauty product because their nails are stronger, hair is shinier, and they just look all out better! See below:

Many people love the CBD patch as a lot of people have persistent pain issues. It has 50 mg of CBD per 1x1" patch! I, personally, use it for a mood stabilizer when I'm feeling anxious. What's amazing about the CBD is that it's 100% THC Free so you don't have to worry about failing a drug test no matter how much you use. It's even safe for kids! Our CEOs have used it for their grandkids, even the teething babes.  

My favorite is the Sleep patch because this is when your body needs to rest and repair and recuperate! I found when I was not getting a restful night's sleep, even with other methods and meds, nothing I used throughout the day for energy could repair not getting a good night's rest. I have NEVER been a morning person and now I wake up at 7:00 am during the week and 8:00 am on the weekends feeling rested and ready to go. 

I then use my Energy Patch to give me natural energy throughout the day. A lot of people have also been This patch has ingredients that help with blood sugar stabilization, as well as helps to combat belly fat. Properties that help with thyroi balancing and high cortisol levels that cause fat storage! It helps with hormone levels and libido! It also helps to increase endurance and muscle recovery, as well as balance mood issues like depression, stress, and anxiety. Energy + Focus + Weight loss!

Immune is your Full Armor The ingredients include things like Tumeric & Ginger which can help with pain, inflammation, blood sugar support, blood pressure support, and brain support. This has been a game-changer for a few of my friends!

2. Credit Restoration

https://www.ucesprotectionplan.com/default.aspx?rid=SHoover

This company has helped me repair my credit and boost my credit score! They've prepared letters on my behalf that have been sent out to the three major credit companies disputing things on my report. I also signed up with Credit My Rent so that my past two years of good rental history is counted on my credit report. This company has helped me get a $4,000 loan to pay down my debt and get approved for a new credit card. I am on my way to financial freedom and having more buying power. My score has only gone down because I've gotten a loan and a new credit card (inquiries will make your credit go down), but with the buying power it'll be worth the inquiry downgrade because I'll be expanding my credit usage and make it go up double and then some what it went down. 

3. Affordable Legal Services 

For Individuals and Businesses

https://raeliz122.wearelegalshield.com/

Jobs!

Jobs

     Sooooo, I've been trying to figure out the best job(s) to have whilst being a gypsy and here's what I've found:

Pilot: Yea fucking right!

Flight Attendant: Sounds difficult and I've been told that many people drop out of the school/program because it's super fucking hard.

Writer: Sounds perfect, but it's really a lot harder than one would think and isn't guaranteed. Most writing jobs are technical writers and I know nothing about such.

Waitress: So far what I currently do and plan on doing.

Temp Work: I've done a lot from daycare to counseling to social work to office work so I could start about any temp job to have an income.

House/Pet Sitting: Sounds delightful, so long as I don't get murdered in the process. There's this site I found, but I obvious have to invest in it!
https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/house-and-pet-sitting-assignments/

Cruise Ship: I'm totes down to work on a cruise ship, at least once, see if it's awesome or prison. It seems like it's only going to be one way or the other. I'm also thinking about taking my daughter on a cruise after she graduates so I could ask around whilst we're there.

Tropical: Okay, it's not a job, but I could totally and am willing to pull a Forgetting Sarah Marshall and just go to Hawaii and get a job there and love life.

Teaching English: See Below.

Peace Corps: This is something I've always wanted to do, but with my daughter just starting college in the fall of 2020 I'm not comfortable enough to not be easily accessible. Hell, I called my dad daily, multiple times a day, when I was in grad school in my thirties!!! Plus, Tateum kinda wants to do this with me. What an experience....I might be able to join the Peace Corps with my daughter and travel the world. That would be worth the wait. Otherwise I can totally wait at least a year until she's settled into college and through her first year. Plus, I want to visit my family around the U.S. first. Hell, maybe a cousin will come with me!!



     One of the girls in my online book club is going to see if her friend will give me the name of the publisher she works for so I can look into some travel editing. Any other ideas????

  

Everything Must Go!

Whelp! I've begun selling my things and stuff. So far I'm going through my Halloween items, as it's the season to sell. Then I'll be going through Christmas next. As I'm milling about my house, in the rare instance I have the time to do so, I'm throwing knick knack in my consignment boxes. Any anything that doesn't get consigned goes into my yard sale box! I've sold my wonder woman costume, selling my sewing machine, and put up my guitar case and music stand. Next will be to hit up the basement and then tackle my closets. 

The biggest challenge is going to be, while going through my closet, is to figure out what items I:

1. Can get the most out of

2. Fit me the best

3. Need for a variety of uses, for instance, jobs, nice outfit out, casual, jammies, workout, etc..

It's easy to know what I wear a lot of now because I have my set jobs. But will I need my ties I currently wear at the country club? Will I need long-sleeved black shirts? Jeans that are my dress code at the other restaurant. Black leggings that was for my previous dress code. Hats? Office-dressy shoes, etc.

I know, I know...first world gypsy problems. 

Then I've got to figure out where I'm going to store my scrapbooks and little things like that. Maybe my dad will have space in or near his new place. Or maybe I can buy my dad or sister a small outdoor shed they could put my things in....hmmmmm. I've got some time to mull it all over! But good things to think about.

Gypsy Research

Research and Planning!

Step 1 is to see if my family will even HAVE me! So my first move is to contact everyone and see how many are on board.

Step 2 is to think about where I'd like to go and when. For instance, I don't think I want to experience Chicago in the winter months, I've done that enough here just 3 hours away. 

Step 3 is to start selling me things. So I'm getting rid of my Halloween stuff now so I don't have to wait until next year. Then there're things like compiling down to a couple pair of dress shoes, dresses, etc. Despite having many pairs of sweat pants, I still wear the same four. So, the other MUST go! And my aspiration of using a cake tupperware container, mostly for baking cakes for potlucks, is gone so that can go too. I won't, after all, ever need my own dishes or pots and pans so they're out also. If I was to set roots someplace in a year it'd be worth it to hold onto, but if I may travel for 2-5 years, then I'm better off buying everything new once that happens. Plus, I am totally fine living off of the dorm dinnerware when it goes on sale from Target until I can afford a sale dinner set from JCPenny that I'll probably have a coupon for. I've never been known to be a lavish girl. I shop Maurices when I need a blazer, but I hope to find things generally at the thrift or superstore level. 

Step 4 is to possibly get a new vehicle. My current one is paid off and a decent size, but I'd really love a van with three row seating so I could take out the back two rows for essentially a mobile closet/storage area and still have a back seat. 

This is with all back seats removed, which is a possibility, but definitely much more spacious. Maybe I'll still with my SUV for a bit or even look at removing the seats and seeing how much space I have. 

With this I'm looking for storage options: suitcases, cubes, totes/bins, etc. for storing my clothes:

Socks, underwear, bras, sports bras, swim suits, coats/jackets, dress clothes, jammie/sweats, shorts, tanks, tshirts, toiletries, hair stuff, electronics, books (gotta have the books), and other such things. 

If anyone has any suggestions or ideas feel free to let me know!

And that's about where I'm currently at!

Save money, sell things and stuff, and plan things out. 

Pre-Gypsy

I have decided to become a Gypsy!

No, not that kind. And I'm more so heavily mulling it over at this point. Getting my carvans in a row as one might say. 

More like:

Meets:

My one and only extremely amazing daughter is going to turn 18 this year and graduate in the spring. We currently live in Iowa, but I've been in the Midwest my entire life. I was born in Nebraska and moved to Iowa when I was 5. I got pregnant at 16 and had my daughter at 17 and have been here ever since. I was planning on moving to Florida to be by my sister, warmth, and beaches, but her husband suggested I pack my things away in a storage, stay with them as long as I'd like and see if I truly want to LIVE in Florida, opposed to visiting for short periods of time. 

My Aunt suggested I live with her in North Carolina and I thought to myself, "I could visit her for a few weeks and theeeen head to Florida." Then I got to thinking, "Hell, I have family scattered all over and since my grandparents died we don't do any family get-togethers anymore. I could shack up with each person in my family for 3-4 months and re-get-to-know them!

I've jumped from job to job and never really had a career and I'm not really a "settle down and have a family/roots type of person." My roots have been here and it's really gotten me nothing. Nothing meaning: a career, husband, extended family, etc. I have many amazing friends, I've had great jobs, I've taken vacations, but I don't need nor want a house; it's just me and my daughter. My degrees haven't done anything substantial for my career. Dating has been one disappointing waste of time after another. I LOVE being a restaurant server and can do that anywhere. I've been hoping to find a career that would entail travel. But, would they send me to places I even want to travel?

What's important to me now? -Reconnecting with my family and traveling. And, if my daughter needs me, I can up and move closer to her. I can video chat and help her with her homework. Maybe when she graduates college I'll join the Peace Corps or serve on a cruise ship. 

Oh, did I also mention that I'm a writer. Not only that, a published author:

https://www.amazon.com/My-Post-Life-Stephanie-Hoover/dp/1456000837

https://www.amazon.com/Pretty-Much-Poems-Stephanie-Hoover/dp/1462658504/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=pretty+much+poems&qid=1569433425&s=books&sr=1-2

And I've been published in these poetry anthologies:

https://www.zpublishinghouse.com/products/iowas-best-emerging-poets?variant=6442437738526

https://www.amazon.com/Illinoiss-Best-Emerging-Poets-Anthology/dp/1974693600

SO! What better to do than to write about my travels and experiences. Maybe even keep a vlog whilst I drive. I already have unlimited data on my phone and everywhere has wifi. I also have a YMCA membership so I can workout and shower anywhere there's a Y! I also plan to stay in motels along the way if it's a long journey, like to Texas! I'll work my ass off this year, sell my things, and do a ridiculous amount of research like the good student I've always been. Maybe I'll settle down somewhere eventually, but that's not one of my goals, even if society says that's how you win at life. My win looks a little different!