Get a house they said, it'll be fun they said.

House hunting is probably fun for people with a huge budget and nothing they absolutely need, and things they just want.

WE needed at least 3 bedrooms.

We wanted a bath and a half.

We wanted a little bit of a yard.

A decent kitchen.

Good Bones!


We didn't have a giant list, we just have our really must haves.

So it took us almost a year, a lot of rejected offers, a lot of outbidded offers, a lot of stress. We may be  getting a house we love. We have put a lot of effort and sweat into this house we're hooked on. We have a lot to do if we get it!

It's a 4 bedroom, 1 bath, .58 acre and a giant kitchen, it was built in the 1950s.

We are happy with what we could be getting for the price we are getting it for. It's a foreclosure so it's been an extra hard process. We would have loved to buy a house from a family, so we could get more information about things, but sometimes that doesn't happen, so we look at what we can afford, and apparently we can really only afford shacks and foreclosures!

Paper work, inspections, and a million other things have been going on. WE are just hoping we don't have to go back to square one! Often times with Foreclosures they comes AS IS and you need to know someone in every field to be able to make the house livable. Not the most fun thing. Thankfully between John and myself we know more people who have talent in certain fields that come in handy when redoing a home!




What is/was the worst part of house hunting for you? Let me know how you're handling it, or how you did handle it!

Dear Brooke Burke-Charvet,

I understand you had thyroid surgery in the past 12 months. You look great!

I wanted to open with something nice, because from here on out it will be a bit of a buzz kill.

I know that thyroid Cancer is really scary, I've been battling it for 9 years. Yes, you read that correctly, NINE YEARS. In those 9 years I have had 10 operations on my neck, because unlike you, I don't have millions of dollars and a thousand people rallying around me telling me how brave, strong and beautiful I am. I know I am, but I don't get tweeted every day saying I'm an inspiration.

Here's how mine went down. I had graduated that past June, I was in College for Fashion Design in Boston's Back Bay, I was working a Cheers at Quincy Market. I was living my dream. , I was 19 at my grandmother's house making a Blueberry Pie for the following day, Christmas eve 2004. I was rolling out my homemade pie crust. I had been complaining about my body being achy. I was really tired and worn out. I randomly lost sight in my Left Eye. Straight Black out! I finished the bottom crust, place it gingerly in the Pan and told my grandmother it was time to bring me to the ER. I cleaned up the countertop, put my shoes back on and went to the hospital.

While at the hospital they did a head scan, ONLY a head scan because I have state insurance and I was lucky to be seen at all. I was told that I should see again in a few hours and my scans looked normal, but to follow up with my PCP.

After the Holiday, the pain pills and the stress from the family, I went to my PCP. She wasn't there, I saw her "substitute". Fantastic. I received a sinus X-ray, and she felt my neck and instantly freaked out. Within 20 minutes I had a CT booked at the Hospital I was at 4 days prior, I had a meeting set to see a local ENT, one that took State insurance.

I had my appointment with Dr. Wilson, He took a Biopsy right then and there, gave me notes that I would be out of work for 8-12 weeks, and college was not even an option. So I dropped out, I quit. So I went to my CT the next day. Stressed as FUUUUUUUUUUUCK. I cried a lot, and had no one around me who actually understood what I needed for support.

After my CT, I walked out of the room, readjusting my bra, and My step-dad asked what I wanted to do... Mid January at this point. All I wanted was to ride a roller coaster, what if they did something to my neck and i was never allowed to scream until I puked EVER again. So we packed up the car, and drove from MA to Daytona Beach, FL.

The wednesday we were in FL, I get a phone call. "Hey Manda, can you come into the office I'd like to talk to you about your test results, possibly today?" "Sorry Joe, I'm in Florida, what is the news?" "You have cancer. You need surgery ASAP." "I can be home Monday to get the tests done." "Ok Lab work papers will be at the Hospital."

I go I get the blood work. I wait 2 days for the results. I was Pregnant. I had to push my surgery back another week to get more tests done and see if I was actually pregnant or if it's thyroid numbers being wonky.

I was 13.5 days along on Febuary 2nd 2005, when I had my first surgery. I also woke up in the ICU, cut from behind my Left ear, across my throat, stopping about 1/4 of my neck away from my Right ear.

I never want to hear you bitch about your 3 inch SCAR! I've seen so many bad looks given to me, people pull their kids away like I'm a monster. I bet you're told every damn day they you inspired someone to take that step and get checked. You know what I did? I gave up my 20s to fight cancer. I'm 28 currently, a wonderful mom, College educated, I work my ass off. I don't just walk around in my Sketchers, having my photo taken looking at Mederma. Fuck Mederma, I can't afford the amount I'd need for my 8" scar. My scar is bigger than the average male penis. It's also very distracting.

You need to understand, you are beautiful and have the best surgeons, and Good Morning America and Today Show fawning over you. Because you are bringing awareness to the fasting rising cancer diagnosis that women are facing. That's amazing. I probably see 5-10 people outside of family and work a day, I don't get the publicity you do.

If you are ever in Boston, please reach out to me, and meet with me, I will happily let you see what 9 years of cancer does to a neck. I have so much more to say, but you will never read this. You don't understand the fact that if you were a non-famous lady, your care would be compromised because you have to jump thru hoops to get the medicine that works for your body and doesn't make your body think it's having a miscarriage every week.

I hope you continue to raise awareness, but if I see you wearing scarves over your scar, I will scream, I couldn't wear scarves for 8 years after my first surgery, it was after my 10th and a neuroma was removed that I could wear scarves.

I've also been told that no doctor should ever go back into the left side of my neck due to "Nothing being where it should be." So continue to buy me derma, and not EVEN STORE BRAND.

You make all the Thyroid Patients I know cringe, because you made it look so easy.

Love, ( I guess)

Amanda

Starting a New Job and Resume Tips

I started a new job!

I know it's silly but I am so happy to be in a position that I may not have the most hours a week, but I do get to do things that I love.  The hours will also pick up in the summer!

I'm an office assistant. It doesn't sound glamorous, but I tell you it's like something you'd see on a reality TV show. We don't have a huge staff, which allows us to really do things in ways that we feel comfortable.

I always love learning new tasks and computer software, I do not however enjoy answering phones. I already answered it once, as if I was still at my previous position. It was comical to say the least!

I was job less for the better part of a year. I applied for every position that I was remotely fit my skills. I applied to everything that had accounts payable, receivable, office work, receptionist skills. I mean I was applying to upwards of 30 a day. If I could get to it by my feet or a train, I was applying.

I am not afraid to hear no, that's the hardest part to get over!

I wrote a really personalized cover letter, I don't translate the greatest to paper, I do however know how to write. I made great points in my cover letter that were not touched upon in my Resume itself. I talked about my knowledge of computers, people and my love of being a hard worker. I can tell you it either really interested the employers or turned them off. I know I am a big lovable goofball, it's just getting my foot in the door to have my personality shine.

How To Make A Resume Stand Out

I kept my resume down to ticks and tacks and to the positions that lend the most WOW factor to the position I was applying for. My office job, the job with the longest time frame, and the job that says that I know what I'm doing in an office setting!

I liked this website for Resume Writing tips: How to write a kick butt resume   

I have never really had longevity in a job, I had never found a perfect fit, and with medical stuff it was harder to explain my lack of longevity. No employers likes excuses, so don't just hand out the information! "Oh, I was fired because the owner was mad." Do NOT SAY THAT, instead say, "There was not enough growth in the business, and it was not allowing me to use my skills."  That is not an excuse, that is a fact, you do not want to do manual labor if you have a degree in accounting. It just doesn't make sense. 

12 Successful Traits on a Resume

I have my Bachelor's Degree in Business, I was not happy doing grunt work, and not being able to use anything besides my muscles to get a job done. The other employees used my brain for calculations, spouting out numbers and having me add them.

This new job, allows me to use all the skills I've harvested in the past 13 years of working.

Do you have any tips or tricks that help in resume writing or cover letters?