Quiet Desperation

No posts for a while. Been a little busy. Update: New Year's was quiet. MLM and I spent the evening watching Pride & Prejudice as usual. Watched the ball drop at Times Square. Tosted the new year with sparkling grape juice with a promise to each other that 2009 is bound to be better, and went to sleep. Well, I did, anyway. MLM was on her laptop most of the night since she doesn't sleep much these days. January 28th was my birthday. Got some cute cards and cash from family which are much appreciated. I do not want to discuss which birthday this was for me - the number is bumming me more than any other birthday I've yet experienced. Not sure why; it's just a number, but it is heralding that I'm getting old! Never imagined being this age - don't feel this age at all so maybe that's why it's bumming me. On the other hand, what does this age feel like? I think for one thing the fact that I spent most of 2008 unemployed and my career - such as it is - is pretty much in the toilet, makes another birthday provide little to celebrate. Trying not to mourn, though. ;-)

The temp job I have is pretty good. The work is easy and the people are nice. I just wish it paid more! Two weeks pay covers our rent. So right now I'm paying about 48% of my income for housing alone. That's a bad proportion. Had a great interview just last week at another company for a nice, full-time, direct position with bennies. God, I hope this comes through! I won't discuss it though or I'll jinx it.

Pretty much out of money already and I just got paid. Paid the utility bills, most of the rent, bought some food, gave MLM some cash, gassed up the van, and that pretty much took care of it (it was a short check; had to take time off for doctor appointments and a bad knee - and there is no sick pay for stuff like that, I just have to eat it). Gonna need help with the rent, meds, and gas for at least the month of February, then I think we'll be okay. I hope the church and family are able to help a bit. If not, I'll just have to hold the wolves at bay again for a couple weeks. It's kinda like herding cats most days.

I need to schedule the chores that need doing and list them somewhere to track my progress. I figure if I do that then I will make progress. No better venue than here so I'll start now:

• Clean the kitchen, mop and sanitize the floor - do this right after dinner tonight.
• I gotta take care of the Christmas decorations and boxes for same that remain in the living room. So, tonight spend at least one hour on that after the kitchen.
• Catch up the laundry - will not be able to work on this tonight.
• Inventory all the loose DVDs into the master spreadsheet and then file them so we can find them when we want - spend a half hour on this tonight before bed.

Okay, that's a good start. We'll see how I did tomorrow.

Ch-ch-ch-changes!