It’s been nearly 6 years since I wrote the “My Misery” thread and it’s been 4 years since I last updated it. For the new forum members who have no idea what i'm on about here is this is the link.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/open-discussion/237170-my-misery.html

I decided to start an entirely new thread as the subject matter has done a 180. I can once again say that I am happy!

When I last left off 4 years ago everything in my life was bleak. I was stuck working with the remnants of the company that screwed me over in the first place and just being there every day was a constant reminder of everything that went wrong and what was wrong with the world. My first good move was to put the entire industry behind me and find a new job in a different area of finance. I ended up working for an independent stock broker down on the shoreline of Connecticut which was ok for a period of time. It was two hours of commuting every day and he drove everyone around him nuts so that didn’t last too long, but at least it was a steep in the right direction and any learning experience is a good experience. From there I moved on to a small promotional products manufacturer which was graciously only 5 minutes from home and was not a bad gig overall. I knew it was a small company so combined with my previous experiences this is what I said to myself during the first week. "Ok, this little company can be either good or bad. I've been through enough BS to know when i'm being taken advantage of or when i'm on a dead end path. I will work hard like I always do BUT they will have one year to prove themselves to me as well." Well to make a long and boring story short they failed and I began to look for yet another job. Believe me, I was not happy with all this job hopping but my sanity had become quite important to me and I wasn’t going to put up with a go-no-where or a working-for-idiots job. In June 2012 exactly one year from starting at the promotional products company I was browsing the jobs classifieds in the full knowledge that I would be leaving. Amazingly I came across a very pleasant surprise that could not have happened at a better time because it was one of the two things that really turned my life around for the better!

There are 3 things that made working there such a pleasure.

• The first is that it is completely removed from finance. No more bad memories haunting me every day. I was sick of the people, I was sick of the drama, and I was sick of the lies, no more.

• The second is something that it is a great mix of both working indoors and a very welcome return to working outdoors. In my previous job I was in a windowless warehouse which really got to me over time. Just not knowing how the weather was changing was enough to make me tired.

• The third was working for people who are COMPETENT. I will repeat that, COMPETENT. For too long I had been listening to fools and idiots run the shows. To be working for people who know what they are doing and actually care about their employees was quite the welcome revelation. In order to work here I had to sign a non-disclosure agreement as thick as a book so I will not discuss publicly what I do there. I will simply say that I work at the front desk and I will let the web site do the talking Luxury Resort Cottages in Connecticut | Winvian

Now I mentioned earlier that there were 2 things that caused my turnaround. Even more important then finding a great job, in June 2012 I started talking with T. (I’m withholding her full name out of respect for her privacy.) It took time and a lot of effort but eventually T. & I started dating. Part of the extra effort stemmed from a sporting accident that she had some years prior which means she uses a wheelchair. Because of this she had a hard time trusting and believing any man who approached her. I had to prove to her that I genuinely loved and wanted to be with her; which I did and that she finally saw. Being with her has been the single best thing that ever happened to me. We laugh together, we cry together, we have fun together, we live life to it's fullest together. Nothing else really matters beyond her smile.


These two events came together at a time when I was desperate but still determined. The worst part about losing my life savings during the “My Misery” period was the thought that I would never be able to live on my own with freedom and the related feeling that I would never find love because no one would want to date a loser who failed in life. However there was one thing that didn't change during the preceding 6 years, I never gave up. I never stopped working and I continued to slowly and painfully rebuild what I could from the ground up. Earlier this year something miraculous finally happened. Through countless hours of hard work and sheer will I managed to purchase my first home. T. and I had been looking for over a year and it was quite the search! Our search was set to a small number of towns with low taxes and an overall peaceful country setting. We looked at a lot of properties that were dominated by ranches for the supposedly obvious ease in handicap accessibility. Unfortunately what we constantly ran into were closed layouts with a single narrow hallway linking most of the rooms, doorways which were too narrow, impossibly steep driveways etc etc. Every time we went into a house it was “Ok, we can take out this wall or modify this door frame or some other big change.” The house that I eventually purchased was one that I initially ignored because it was a cape. Rather ironically, I had seen it many times while it was on the market because I would drive right past it on my way from work to visit T. While getting inside the very first time took some effort once we were in we were very surprised to find a very open layout with 6 foot doorways between every room except the bed room. Also the kitchen is HUGE (T. loves to cook ) and she's been teaching me how to do so as well. With this house it was, ok…figure out how to get inside and redo the bathroom, and that’s it! Initially we played around with the idea of getting an outdoor or indoor elevator but the price of them was shocking. The solution ended up being to cut a driveway out of a hill on the side of the house which would bring her van to the back of the house and build a ramp to the rear door. This project was within budget, fairly easy to execute and left me with a nice big wood pile from all the tree’s that had to come down. It has been 6 months since we moved in and its been just one happy day after another. Every single person who has come into our home has commented on just how happy and pleasant a home it is. Really there has really only been one compromise, the garage is a two car tandem but it is still nowhere big enough to allow me to work on the S-Class in bad weather let alone the G which is too tall. At some point I will have to build a shed/workshop in the back. Other than everything has been magnificent! A final event happened recently that made me happier then I ever expected it to make me. I proposed to T. and she accepted with tears and open arms. Never have I felt warmer and happier then when I saw the reaction in her face to what I asked her.

I will mention at this point that my stolen money was never and will never be recovered. No lawyer will touch my case and the higher powers of authority don’t give a damn. I have come to accept this fact as doing so is what finally allowed me to move forward. What happened to me in 2008 will never go away, it will always be at the back of my mind and it will continue to rear its ugly head from time to time. The important thing is that my life no longer revolves around it sucking away my hope and happiness. My life revolves around T. and moving forward and just being happy with what I have and what I have to offer.

I am thanking all of the forum members who offered advice throughout this entire period but I would make a special shout out to the following:

Swampyankee: For offering support & advice without a moments hesitation
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/members/swampyankee.html

Lorainfurniture: For the lucky pin which did bring me luck and which I passed onto the next member listed
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/members/lorainfurniture.html

Bodhibenz1987-For listing to my endless rambling all these years
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/members/bodhibenz1987.html



HOME



Taking trees down for the new drive



The finished product.

__________________
1982 300GD Carmine Red (DB3535) Cabriolet Parting Out
1990 300SEL Smoke Silver (Parting out)
1991 350SDL Blackberry Metallic (481)

"The thing is Bob, its not that I'm lazy...its that I just don't care."

M, it's great to see this update! I know how hard it's been for you and appreciate the updates you gave me along the way. The new digs look great! I'm very happy for the two of you, you deserve it.

Really no need for a shout out either! You know where to find me. Stop by/call/email anytime. I'm hoping to get some of that good mojo if you've got some left to send!

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

Congratulations on your turnaround! Nice looking house. Two extra living units? If so, good idea!

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Humans can defy physics by rebounding higher than from where they fall

Fantastic Mike! Congrats on the engagement as well!

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

That's a heartwarming story.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Congrats on your success! It's great to hear stories like this.

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http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7271/7...144c3fc1dc.jpg

So happy to see that my predictions in 2009 came true!

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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

Congratulation. It lifts the spirit of everyone.

I am flying out to NY and CT tomorrow evening. Going to spend 4 days there, returning on Tuesday. I hope the weather will be as nice as in the pictures!!! I doubt it though.

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Not MBZ nor A/C trained professional but a die-hard DIY and green engineer. Use the info at your own peril. Picked up 2 Infractions because of disagreements. NOW reversed.

W124 Keyless remote, PM for details. http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-used-parts-sale-wanted/334620-fs-w124-chasis-keyless-remote-%2450-shipped.html

1 X 2006 CDI
1 x 87 300SDL
1 x 87 300D
1 x 87 300TDT wagon
1 x 83 300D
1 x 84 190D ( 5 sp ) - All R134 converted + keyless entry.

Sorry, ah-kay. View from my conference room as I type



Only a couple-few inches forecast. Not much but enough to send the softer southern New Englanders into a tizzy and make them forget everything they learned about driving in the snow.

__________________

1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

Just one and trust me when I say that it was a great deal

This is something that T. and I both understand very well. We are both on the rebound, just continuously working on the higher then when we fell part.


You're assuming that they learned in the first place

__________________
1982 300GD Carmine Red (DB3535) Cabriolet Parting Out
1990 300SEL Smoke Silver (Parting out)
1991 350SDL Blackberry Metallic (481)

"The thing is Bob, its not that I'm lazy...its that I just don't care."

Touche.

__________________

1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

I appreciate that you got a slice of the Audi TDI race car on p21 of the pamphlet

__________________
2009 Kia Sedona
2009 Honda Odyssey EX-L
12006 Jetta Pumpe Duse
(insert Mercedes here)

Husband, Father, sometimes friend =)

Very nice update to read Fulcrum. Lovely house. Seeing all that green just makes me wanna up and leave the desert for CT right away. But then of course there's your conference room pic...

Still. Very happy to hear that things have turned around for you. And nice to see the Gelandewagen in that pic too.

- Peter.

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2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

May your good fortune continue.