so it begins. this morning, no call. we're in the last month of school - 4 mondays and the year is over. and i suspect that fewer teachers will be calling. too much testing and grading that needs to be done and such things are rarely left to a sub. most the time all we get is worksheets to pass out. i've had maybe 2 teachers have me give tests, a couple have me give quizzes, and maybe 3 or 4 have me actually teach something. really, i can understand the reticence - who knows what the sub knows? or how good s/he is at keeping the class under control? i've had the teachers around a classroom i'm in that know who i am tell me, "thank god it's you!" nice compliment for me, not so good for the subs that came between the last time i was in the class and the day i go back in.

my paycheck coming up this month had yesterday as a cutoff date. it's going to be very short. fortunately, i've worked out how to pay the rent and pay it on time. it'll take a bit of finagling, but it can be done, even with the csoul concert coming up on saturday. next month will be even short and will require me to start putting money towards the rent from the very first paycheck saxy gets. not that our landlord will mind getting his money in pieces over the month, just as long as he gets his money. ;)

after that, things get really tight. mcat says saxy is due a raise, but he has to know how to nail and something else, so i hope saxy has been working on learning those things. even with him getting a raise, we're going to really need him working full time though. heck, even at full time we're going to be in a bit of a crunch for the 8 weeks or so that i'm off for summer.

god, i hope i get this provisional certificate!

and speaking of crunches, the bank apparently has put a limit on our credit charges. granted, it's with good reason - we've practically been surviving on the credit part of our bank card - but it's been quite weird to not be able to charge as much of late. i'm actually kinda surprised too. the bank does make $30 a pop over the limit, which can really add up! for us it's a good thing though - hopefully we'll finally start to get a handle on things, and we'll be paying a lot less in bank fees.

i must seem like a totally terrible person with my "inability" to get a handle on the financial front. but, honestly, i'm sure there are more people out there like me than not, or we wouldn't have such a high percentage of families going into bankruptcy and one paycheck away from street living. i just happen to be more open about my weaknesses and my frustration with the whole mess. yes, i need to get it together and get us within our means, at the very least, and it's no excuse that i'm not the only one, but not too many people can honestly point at me and say anything since most families in the u.s. are in the same boat and with less of an excuse. we've both been unemployed for at least 2 years and we just had a major move to try to correct all this mess. our income went up, but so did our bills, and we've been frickin' needy for ages. at least we're trying to move forward. a lot of people are in the same boat we are, but in their case they just happen to spending beyond their incomes every month.

which is not a tirade i actually intended - or need - to get into. my apologies.

4 weeks and then i'm on vacation again. at least i know a job is waiting at the end of that vacation, even if i'm still "just" a sub. on the one hand, it's kinda cool to know i'll be able to just write again; on the other, it's really weird. i've kinda gotten used to the whole work thing - even managed to make a friend or two. (well, okay, one lady i consider a friend and will regret not working with if the school she's at doesn't hire me as a provisional; most the rest are acquaintances.) and i'm waking up easier in the mornings, going to bed earlier at night. it's just going to be odd not having any of that hanging over me for a couple of months.

4 more mondays and then the kids are home for 2 months as well.

. . . . .

oh. my. god. someone save me now! ;)