I'm not dead...yet.

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ramenth

Gratis persona
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Apr 27, 2009
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Prattsburgh, NY
Told Frankie I'd come in and post an update since I haven't been around in a while.

Let's start from the beginning. My last thread my have been back in February, when my mom died.

We'll go further back than that.

After all the struggles of trying saving my house it was a battle I lost. In an emergency situation I moved the boys and I in with Pop, where I was able to help him with Momma, including through her death and the subsequent grief afterwards.

Now, I'm getting back on my feet. Landed a damned good job back in August that is allowing me the financial freedom to not only get caught up on what laid behind me, but working for the future.

I'm back at CAF USA, building trains, but this time I'm in rework as a painter, rebuilding and gelcoating broken rooms and panels, primarily for the Amtrak contract. I will say, I'm the go to guy for the most difficult work.

Pop's new focus, since he took care of Momma for a good decade before her death, is helping me raise the boys. God bless the man, he's 78 and takes 5 year old Cyrus to school every morning and picks him up in the afternoon and takes care of three year Nick during the day.

I'm still battling mental health issues, but have eliminated the stress of dealing with the boys' mom, which has taken a load off, simply because I keep the majority of our conversations to the boys and the boys only.

No girl in the present. And no one I can see in the near future. I joke with my friends that if God wants me to have a woman in my life she is gonna have to walk out of the crowd and take me by the hand. I'm too old to play games and too stupid to take hints. Lol

Thanks to a couple of good friends who have helped me along the way, I have reinvigorated my walk with God, coming to forgive a lot that was done to me and, more important, forgive myself for a lot of the things I did to others. And remember, after being absolutely crushed by those things, God doesn't see me as worthless.

I feel the old me coming back. Confident. Humorous. Loving life, again. As a matter of fact, the guy I work with in the fiberglass booth probably thinks I'm nuts, since I crank the music and dance the day away while I'm working. :lol:

I have a good future ahead me, raising my boys. I enjoy every minute of it.
 
I am glad to see you are getting your wheels under you again. It’s your life and what it becomes is entirely up to you. Looks like you decided to embrace joy and reject the rest...nice!

:thumbsup:
 
Keep your chin up brother!!! It sounds like every day is better than the last one. Keep your thoughts and attitude positive and good things come rolling in. Sorry to hear about your mom, I lost mine back in July.
 
Keep on keepin' on man.
My philosophy is this: 'When life gives you lemons, don't make lemonade. Throw em' in the freezer, and bean the next person that gets in your way with one'.
 
You have been through tough times, more than most. I’m glad to see you in good health. Take care of yourself
 
God will always be with you, through the thick and the thin. You have much values in the eyes of the Lord.

I will keep you in my prayers.
 
Outstanding new !! So glad to see you are on your feet and living life like you mean it
Welcome back :thumbsup:
 
Like our old local weatherman Bill Powell (RIP) used to say, "Keep on keepin on". Glad you ain't dead. Keep it that way.
 
Good for you, sounds like the past has passed and the future is looking brighter. Ignore the negative and embrace the positive. Best wishes for you.
 
Glad you're doing well Robert. There's several people on this board whos hand I'd like to shake someday, and yours is at the top of the list. Reading the things you have shared here about the struggles you've had to endure, and just refused to give up, makes me feel like you're the strongest person I've never met. Keep on keeping on, and you deserve all the good things that are starting to come to you. :thumbsup:
 
Missed you Robert.

As long as you are are doing well, that’s all that matters.

We were worried about you.

I have always appreciated and enjoyed your perspective here.

Best wishes and GOD bless you and your family.
 
I’m glad ur on the way to better things in ur life. U have had more than ur fair share of heart break. I applaud u for being so strong thru it all. U r a great man. God bless u. Kim
 
I enjoyed reading your positive post. It reminded me we can all come back from hard times. Glad for you!
 
Robert, glad things are going well.
The main things in life are family.
Take care of yourself and those boy's.
Keep Jesus in your life and he'll keep you on track brother.
 
What happened to the OP ? I haven't seen him post in awhile.

The OP is nailing in 60 hour weeks. Lol

Well, that is until last month when the state shut us down.

Seriously, though, I get home after getting up at 2:30 am so I can ****, shower, shave, and make the hour drive in, put in 10 to 11 hours, make the hour drive back home, get dinner and play with the boys, all my energy is gone. And I do if six days a week. Especially with a 5 year old and a 3 year old who can't comprehend Dad is 48 years old. Lol

The money is worth it. As a painter, for incentive to put in the extra hours, I get double time for every hour over. Now, once all the gelcoat work is done, I'm hoping to move over to the actual paint shop (I'm in rework) and do actual paint on exteriors.

One of the paint shop leads is screaming for me to go to work with him since he could use someone who knows what he's doing with a gun in his hand and who will haul *** to get **** done. We'll see what happens as chances are I will be moved to interiors in the paint shop to keep doing gelcoat. After that, who knows, as two contracts are winding down and no more are coming in.

Once the boys are in bed I pull up the kindle or DCU app and unwind until I fall asleep.

Don't worry, I'll be back and in and out.
 
Good to hear Robert that things are going better, your boys are getting big and this is the age where they are so much fun, crazy and energetic but fun lol...good job!
 
Good to hear Robert that things are going better, your boys are getting big and this is the age where they are so much fun, crazy and energetic but fun lol...good job!

Definitely who I do it all for.

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