all things considered, anyway. i doubt anyone was too thrilled with snowpocolypse after the first day, and are even less thrilled now that they're getting paychecks hit by it. four or five days off, like my oldest ended up being forced to take, tends to make for veddy small checks and puts a definite cramp in bill paying. but of course, the utility companies and whatnot don't care.
despite that, it was a very good month for me personally and for us as a family. saxy has a job with benefits even. he's worried he should have waited, especially since with deductibles and whatnot, it might take us a bit to be able to take advantage, but i'm relieved we have something. he can see a doctor if he gets hurt now, i can replace my decade old glasses, we'll all eventually see a dentist. not sure what we can do once the dentist gives us recommendations, but we can see one! the only problem now is his hours dropped a bit, possibly enough to take him off benefits. not necessarily a bad thing since it puts $50 back onto the check, but less money overall isn't a good thing. regardless, he's employed, and they like him, and that's a very good thing and very promising for the future. we've still got a ways to go to get there, but we're already doing better, and i'm actually looking at the future with a lot more optimism.
and, god, i've needed that.
we already know the biggest issues to sort out right now, financially, will be rent, gas, and water. gas is usually high this time of year, but snowpocolypse will send it through the roof. no, really, i'm sooooo not looking forward to the bill that includes lots of freezing weather that we barely survived in a house with NO insulation. i just know i'm going to have to work out a long term payment arrangement with them. the rent check is mailed, but not yet totally covered, and probably won't be until friday, but it HAD to go out. all we can do is hope it doesn't make it into his bank until wednesday and doesn't hit ours before friday. it'll probably take a month or three to get that on track, but we'll do it now that we have an extra $800/month coming. :)
as for me, i've lost 3 1/2 pounds since the beginning of the year. i've been doing stretches almost every morning and every night, though i now take sundays off to give my body a break it seems to need. and i've been tracking my food and following my diet plan, not strictly because 1) i'm not measuring food, and 2) it wouldn't work with the food we have available. we just don't get enough fruits and veggies to cover 4+ servings of each every day. so right now, my diet is more carb heavy than i'd like, but i'll go with it since i'm still losing weight. in the middle of february, i'll be adding the core rhythms stuff back in, but only one day a week to start. as with the work/money related stuff, i'm feeling much more positive about it and where things are going in that regard. it might take me awhile, but i'm really hoping i'll eventually get off all these damn meds i've been on.
and, as you might have guessed, the writing related stuff is going fairly well. well, for the actual writing part of it. i've sorted out issues on my current revision project and picked up another new book in yet another fantasy sub-genre to work on as i revise. submissions aren't going so well for assassin's, but with how the market's been for epic fantasy, i expected it to be a nightmare to get it represented. in the end, i may have to trunk it for awhile, keep working on the series, and pull it all out when the genre makes a comeback.
the kids got to see their dad for the first time in 2 years this month. we had a pretty good time: movies, they went gift shopping with him, then he took them clothing shopping. he also loaded us up on food for the week, which allowed me to pay a bill. don't think he liked the food we make now so much, but he seemed okay with it. and the kids were really happy to spend time with him. he even met jewel's boyfriend and went out to lunch with them.
i'm feeling much better overall—no longer weighed down or near depressed or as stressed out. 2011 is off to a great start, and i'm hoping it stays a good year. it's been a long time since i've felt like this, actually. i've missed it and am really hoping 2011 doesn't disappoint me and bring back the gloom. i'd much rather have the remaining months of 2011 be a whole bunch of januarys—lots of good things, hope, and excitement.
~*~
word of the moment: shebander
a harbor master, or ruler of a port, in the east indies
