September 7, 2009
Dear Angela: My life is a mess. I recently lost my job after ten years of working for the same company. An “economic reason” was given for letting me go along with three others in my department. I have been the top producer of sales for an import company three years running and “economically-speaking,” it was a foolish move on the company’s part to let me go. If things weren’t bad enough, my own health has suffered during unemployment and I am worried that I will not be able to meet the high premium payments required by the insurance company. As a single father of three, I am concerned that I will lose the quality of life my children have grown accustomed to. Will I find a job soon? Will it be in the same industry? Thanking you in advance, Barry 09/06/1973.
Dear Barry: Whether the true reason behind your recent job loss is because of economic reasons or not, do know that your unemployment status is temporary. Not only do I see you receiving another job offer between right now and the next three weeks, your opportunity for a new start lies slightly north of where you are now. The new company I am referring to would have recently been covered by a news story and a change in the way they do business echoed throughout the theme of the coverage. Think transportation! A company north of you is expanding into trucking lines, trucking services or trucking containers. Your opportunities do not stop there. During the month of October, expect to hear from the same company you recently left. An offer to return back will be made available to you. The choice is yours. Good luck!
Dear Angela: My seventeen-year-old daughter, Carrie was charged last week for shop lifting! My husband and I are shocked. Her behavior began to change when she started to hang around a new girl who lives on our block. She stays out late, argues with me and has taken up smoking. In four short months, she has gone from the ideal daughter to my worst nightmare. Even the way she dresses has changed. Carrie used to dress conservatively, but now she dresses in revealing clothes. I do not know what to do with her. My husband and I are faced with a large legal bill and we are concerned that she will end up in jail. Will Carrie spend time in jail? If she is lucky we do not intend to let her spend time with the other girl. We are at our wit’s end. Anything you get on this situation would be appreciated. Sherry 11/02/1969 - Carrie 03/12/1992.
Dear Sherry: Not all is what it appears to be. Carrie’s behavior encompasses more than just a new person’s influence; it is a vice that has impacted your daughter’s life. In this case, drugs or alcohol is the controlling factor. In addition to this, the underlying cause of her actions is due to a behavior disorder. You can take a sigh of relief that Carrie will not see jail time (I believe this is due to her most recent reputation as an ideal or conservative person), but do expect some sort of service to be a part of her legal consequence. Perhaps a community service or something else ordered as part of the legal outcome. The good news is that this incident proves to be a blessing instead of a curse. This has provided Carrie with a turning point in her life and based on the insights I have now, you can expect for her to flow with positive changes instead of resisting them. Counseling follows.
Dear Angela: For my twenty-first birthday, my parents surprised me with a party in their home. I was happy to see old friends and family members I had not seen in a long time. A problem happened shortly after my birthday: My mother’s favorite ring came up missing. She rarely takes it off since it was an anniversary ring given to her by my father. I thought she had misplaced it, but was I wrong! Several days after my party, I stopped by a store where my sister’s best friend works and saw the ring on her hand. I confronted her about it, but she said it was a gift someone gave to her. She refused to give it back. The ring is unique and it was made for my mother in the shape of a heart with birthstones on both sides of the heart. I tried contacting my sister, but she has not answered my calls or email. My mother knows about this, too. What do you see about this situation? Will my mother get her ring back? Did my sister take the ring and give it to her friend? Jackie 08/28/1988 – Joanie, my sister 05/03/1985.
Dear Jackie: What comes around, goes around and your sister’s best friend will pay the price for taking the ring. What you are suspecting of Joanie is wrong. I am not seeing your sister involved in any way. Joanie will not only recover the ring personally, she will sever her ties with her friend. Expect for the ring to be recovered between right now and the next seven days. All ends well.
