nothing really new is happening with me except for the same financial struggle bus issues and mad overtime. i think tomorrow's paycheck will have an additional 23 hours on it. ohhhh, i did get a raise. i'll be paid close to an additional $2.50 an hour. it still bothers me that i'm speaking in "an hour" amounts instead of "a year". i'm thankful because i will have a steady income and not have to fight hand over fist to get an incentive bonus each month. the incentive bonus will go away as a result of the raise.

i'm vying for a position to get me off the phones for the next 3 months. i applied last week and i'm waiting to hear back for an interview. my supervisor, ralph, gave me some input that i asked about my competitors on my team. what i have over the 2 other applicants on my team is that i'm dependable, loyal, and i have personality. i haven't missed a day and i don't call in. healthy or sick, i'm there. i have staying power when i'm employed. i'm there for years. at the very least 2 years when the job is a "fit" of sorts. i hope i find out soon. the job is supposed to start in the next couple of weeks.

anyhoo, i have to mention a couple of calls that i have had in the last few days. i'll start on the bad one first.

if anyone has seen the adult cartoon "the boondocks", you'll know about the character uncle ruckus. uncle ruckus is a dark-skinned black individual that hates black people. at every turn he dismisses black people as a whole by talking bad about and down to them all while praising the white race as being pure and god-like. he in turn refers to his dark-skin as a medical condition..."reverse vitiligo" so he only appears as being black.

i say all that to get to a phone call i had yesterday. a woman calls in asking for her account balance and she doesn't have her credit card number.

me: may i have your phone number to pull up your account?
auntie ruckus: 123.456.7890
me: just to verify, are you calling on ABC account or another one because your phone number isn't showing up on that particular account?
auntie ruckus: I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS?! I JUST NEED MY BALANCE!
me: *side eye* ma'am, i'm doing my best to assist you. since your phone number isn't showing up on the account, how about i look it up by your first and last name and zip code.
auntie ruckus: ronquita morris, 1234
me: *silence* r morris, 1234...ma'am, may i have the zip code? i only have 4 numbers.
auntie ruckus: I'M SO SICK OF YOUR BLACK ASSES! I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH WHITE PEOPLE WHEN I CALL AND ASK ABOUT MY ACCOUNT. THIS IS A GLOBAL ISSUE WHEN DEALING WITH BLACK PEOPLE!
me: *wonders what she sees when she looks in the mirror then breaks out in uncontrollable giggling*
auntie ruckus: YOU LAUGHING??!! I'M GOING TO CALL BACK AND TALK TO SOMEONE WHITE!!
me: *still giggling* ok, ma'am, have a good day.

since i never pulled up her account there is very little chance that she can tie the call back to me. believe it or not, a call like that can cause me to lose my job because i didn't swallow the insult. another reason why i want to get off the phones.

now, the good call.

caller: hi, i'm having trouble logging into my account online. can you help me?
me: sure, it's my absolute pleasure to assist you login to your account. *gets account information for cindy a. jones* ok, your user name is "cajones" (spanish pronounciation).
caller: *starts laughing* that's not my username
me: sure it is. C.A.J.O.N.E.S.
caller: that's my name, C.A.JONES.
me: *uh oh...ponders if i'm going to get in trouble for this call*
caller: i can't believe it took me 60 years to find out my name spells CAJONES! HAAHAHAAHAHAHAHAH!!!!
me: *whew* HAHAHHAHAAHHAHAHAHAAHAH!!!!! *wraps up call*

two calls on opposite ends of the spectrum. i'm thankful for both of them. one proves to me that art imitates life and that i can't let them know that they hurt me. laughing at them lets them know they failed. the other is to let me know that laughter is good for the spirit. i'm still laughing days later.