Of
all the years in my life 1999 was one of the roughest roller coaster
rides ever. I was up financially and then looking at my car as a bed. I
had a job and then I didn't and then I got one of the best jobs I ever
had. I lost one of my best friends and my apartment was robbed a third
time not to forget that once again SS had overpaid me and I owed them
money plus problems with the car and overusing credit cards. I had to
buy 2 new car tires and an old man came out of a one way street the
wrong way crashing into me.

One of the first things that happened was
I got a call from St. Joseph's subsidized housing to come in for an
interview but I knew going in--a gated community --right behind a
hospital--that I really didn't want that and I could refuse the first 2 offers I got.

Laurie, what is 'C-Sat'? I have notes about a week at the Crabhouse and that after seeing Kathleen Turner in "Tallulah" "I went to Crabhouse for C Sat--got there at 8 PM--they were busy. I "weed wacked"---I know what that is LOL--for awhile--they are getting me a carton of cigarettes!" What is all that about??

I
filed (called in) my income tax and will get back $165 and I have been
working  a lot on the computer. I did get my refund on, of all days,
Valentine's Day so Bob, Jim, Gino and I went to Catfish Dewey's (still
open) for all the ribs you can eat and eat I did. I have started making
cards on my computer and started my monthly newsletter which saves me a
lot of time. One Friday after work Laurie, Sharon and I went to IHOP for a bite and I gave $10 for Thu's birthday. Later on during the week Gino and I went for dinner at the
Quarterdeck (open) while Bob and I went to eat at the "It's New York"
restaurant (closed). I have a note about mailing shirts to Chuck---Chuck
do you remember what that was about?? I have a note about going to
dinner with the Crabhouse gang for Thu's birthday but doesn't say where which is surprising. Also have a note about picking up the car but nothing about paying a bill.

 I
mentioned this in the last blog but I had a run in with some customers.
I was very seldom, if ever, rude to customers when it came to tipping
because I know if one party under tips me another party will over tip
me. This was a party of 4 kids--late teens, early 20s--who drove me
crazy with the all you can eat crabs making it hard for me to take care
of my other customers. Over the years I have waited on idiots but, as a
rule, most customers were okay. When I saw the tip they left on the
charge I told them off and, of course, they went running to the manager.
I expected repercussions and they came--and I got fired though Cindy
fought hard for me to stay. I have another note about getting car out of
shop with new headlights and new rear view mirror. Gino and I went for
dinner at Piasano's (closed) and the end of the month Bob, Jim, Gino and I went to the Caldwell Playhouse (closed) and dinner at the Foto (Closed) and I finallygotJunoandwenton line--that was the start of my downfall--it's all Chuck's fault! LOL

My
first note for March, 1999, is "Spent most of the time on the computer
on line!" At least I took a break for 'Preacher' Joe to take me to
"Cheeseburger, Cheeseburger" (closed on Las Olas. It seems I spent that
evening doing e-mail and on the Internet--I wrote that a lot during the
month of March and for the next 14 years!

Life
continued with movies, shows, eating out but now there were hours being
spent on the computer and being on dial up consumed a lot of time but
it was something new and I was enjoying it. The car was in and out of
the shop with minor problems. Gino and I went for dinner at Wings 'n
Things (open) and over to Home Depot to buy a door to make a computer
table for me which I still have  and use. I was going to the Hard Rock
with Robert from The Crabhouise as he liked to gamble so got a lot of free tickets for concerts.
Without money coming, though since I wasn't working my SS was a little
higher, I went with Jim, Bob and Gino to see "A Funny Thing Happened On
The Way To The Forum" at the Broward Center and having dinner at Sonny's BBQ (closed) and the next day "A
Conversation with Gregory Peck" and then the Big Pink (closed) to eat.
The following Sunday I took (charged) Nancy and Gino for brunch at the
Marriott (closed but not before my17th Leap Year  birthday party) and I
have a note I downloaded Juno e-mail so maybe I had AOL first.

March
and April ended with no job--a little money and just about making rent
and bills and started to use my credit cards again and I was told by my
dentist it would cost $3,000 to fix my teeth!!! Ending on a positive
note--I went to see a touring show of "Footloose" with Daren Kelly which
was a good show but seemed to have disappeared. 13 years later I would
see a touring company of "Flashdance"-- can never escape the past! I was
looking for another place to live as my lease would be up soon and I
needed a cheaper place plus after being robbed 3 times it was a message
to get out!

Oh
yes, poor Chuck--I see notes about my 'losing'Microsoft Word 6 and Free
Cell and bugging him! I wrote that I messed up installing NetZero.
It was also the month that Bob went in to get a knee replaced so Jim
and I had to make his Fuller Brush deliveries. It was also the month I
tried to connect with Mark but I couldn't find him on the Internet and
when I sent letters to his address they came back. I was never to hear
from him again.
It was the way life went.