Sorry about the blank post...I actually forgot how to use this thing lol

I've noticed that I haven't really put anything in here for about the last 6 months, though I have been giving out comments every so often...That's because the last 6 months have been occupied by two part-time jobs (one at 30-40 hours a week) and a semester of classes followed by a psuedo graduation where I acknowledged that I failed 3 classes because of personal stuff and family issues (them fighting and having fullout depression because of multiple things...including but not limited to the fact that I was moving away at the end of the semester), so it was followed by a fulltime job and a month of a class and then by a move in with my fiance, who has been wonderfully patient with me as I try to adjust to the heat down here I got a transfer from one store in ohio to one down here in SC just 3 days after moving and upgraded to assistant manager, only to find that my boss is one from hell...so after a month of that I'm finally saying enough is enough and quitting due to stress, illness from stress, and general unhappiness/depression/listlessness...so lucky that I got a bit of spending money and a transfer but unlucky that it's crappy...I need something with steady hours, sick days, and holidays...and a boss who ISN'T spawned from the same demon litter as my voice teacher.

((I ran into one of the same problems I ran into at school...for assistant managers, they require doctor's notes for every sick day you miss. Now, I'm not one of those people who run to the hospital every time they feel so icky that they can't move...(generally because of the can't move thing)...but I usually wait until the next day to see if it has gone away. Another note: not quitting because of the doctor's note thing...I had already decided to do so...but I find it an annoying policy.))

I also lost both of my hamsters...one before moving and the other a little more than a week ago, but the kitty is doing fine (except we have a big flea problem thanks to the dog and the sand down here...bleh!!!) and the lizard likes the heat. (well, someone has to!)

But the big push to quit my job (other than the support from people around me who encouraged me to say no...lol) was the call to my old school to get permission to take as long as I need to finish the 3 classes. Not needing the money as badly, I can now take my time to find a job I'll be happy with, or at least satisfied with, I can work on my craft stuff again, finally, and I can start writing again. The initial plan was to get a job and take night classes, but the retail job would have conflicted (or continued to conflict with at least my sleep habits...I've been sleeping about 2 hours a night, 4 if I'm lucky, and once I finally sent out other job applications and said, I'm typing up my notice, I slept a full 8 hours...it was amazing and I felt great!)...I was already running into trouble getting a bloodtest done so I could apply to the school; we had money for the 1st class but not for the other two, so this way we have time to save...not to mention that after a year, I'll be considered in state, so my class price will go from $9k to $1-3k total depending on when I take them/summer semester or fall semester. NOT to mention that I'll be able to say, hey, I'm an independant, so be able to put on my fafsa that I'm not counting on parental help (for some reason, that thing says you're a dependant unless you have kids or are 23! I don't get it and it makes me grumpy, but this way I can get help with the lower amount to begin with.)

Then the other bad news was that two lightning bolts hit at the same time and connected on my dad's tower at my family's house in ohio...frying his business and doing some major electrical damage to the house, though the only machine (other than my dad's business stuff, which racked up at last count 10k and I think still climbing because things were hidden...though he's fighting insurance tooth and nail...this is my family's livelihood, you know?)...the only machine completely fried was my mom's computer, (oh, and the entire garage door system had to be replaced)...which she freaked about because of all the pictures she had on there (the computer, not the door)...but other basic wiring was fried too...and my brother shaun was upset because they no longer had money to send him to college...but anywho...they're at bottom right now, which sucks...and I've been getting calls and emails from my mom almost daily because she's worried about dad overworking himself to try to get everything back online, or falling off the tower because he's tired, or the tower collapsing on top of the house because the integrity has been damaged...which I'm still praying about...and Shaun's school just informed him that they aren't going to give him a scholarship like they said they would, so his plans are working out to be shot too...but anyway...I'm really worried about them, and it's adding on top of this work stuff.

I haven't gotten unpacked yet...which I plan to remedy during these following leisurely one-two months before my next interview (I'm applying for mostly state jobs...it takes them a little while but I'll have good insurance and tthe same hours/holidays as Carl, so I'll actually get to spend time with him and with friends, since I'll have weekends, when they are available too.) I'm really looking forward to the regular schedule and better pay, so I think it's worth the wait. (It'd be an upgrade from my former 8.5k a year and the current 16k a year to a nice 21k a year besides that.)

You'll have to forgive me for the longwindedness and series of negative stuff...I haven't gotten to write it out for a while (and that's actually the abridged version of the school semester, but I won't bore you any longer)...and I'm doped up on painkiller for my power headaches and super pain that I've been having from work stress...I really don't think anyone will read this/care, but I feel better, thank you. I should note that this really isn't saying that I'm making a newly dedicated effort to regular posting, but it'll definitely be more frequent and I'll have new pictures and stories and beadwork to show off! (FINALLY!)