What was I thinking?

I work for a small company with 40 employees.  There are 3 people including myself who work in my department.  I am the back up for BOTH of them.  This year for whatever reason the fates have aligned so that both my co-workers end up taking vacation at the same time.

This is the third time this year.   (I have started a rumour of them being in a secret stalker love affair in order to pass the time … no one believes me…)

To make matters worst, one of the people I supervise has visitors from far far away (not to be confused with near far away).  So with my stupid generous hat on, I told her while she could not be off at the same time as the others, I was willing to split the difference and she could work half days.  She gets in at 6:30 so she is out by 10:30 leaving me with a few things to do on top of everything else.

WHAT WAS I THINKING!?!

Did I mention it is month end …

I get the pain pleasure of reviewing all the invoices this month, because THERE IS NO ONE ELSE!?!

Today was Day 1 of 5, before someone returns, the other does not come back to work until Sept 12.  I was at work from 9 am – 7 pm.  I usually leave around 5:15 ish.

I STILL have work sitting on my desk that needs to be completed.  :(

Hopefully tomorrow will be an easier day.

Ever feel like you have bitten off more than you want to chew?

 

WSR for ending Aug 28

Monday
NO SPEND DAY

Tuesday
-$13.25 liquor store (cousin’s bad influence, I swear!)
-$47.91 dinner with bad influencing cousin

Wednesday
+$??? mystery shopping (won’t get paid for it until next month)
-$55.01 gas

Thursday
NO SPEND DAY

Friday
-$23.79 welcome back dinner with my kids

Saturday
-$104.78 groceries

Sunday
NO SPEND DAY

Total: -$244.74

Ahhh, that’s more like it!!  

I must say I am surprised by the 3 no spend days.  I remembered Monday and totally aimed for Sunday so I could get 2 gold stars from Lane (yes I am a sucker for those).  Thursday came as a shock.  I forgot about it completely.  :)

I did a mystery shopping assignment last week and I have another lined up for tomorrow.   When the check arrives & clears I will report it.  Since it comes from the US and the banks like to charge extra to process those I am sure it’s not going to be a lot.

*the above does not include my savings, housing or debt repayment.

I got an interview

So I finally connected with the guy from the party supply store and we hit it off.  I am going in for an interview next Saturday morning.  YEAH ME!!!

The company is looking for customer service, stock people and cashiers.  I think I should be able to handle it.  It is only 6 weeks with the possibility of becoming permanent staff.  He seems very flexible and willing to work with my schedule.  He says I could probably work 15 – 23 hours a week at minimum wage which I think is $10.25/hr right now.

It’s not a fortune but it will be more than I have in my pocket right now.  And it will help replace the amount that flew out of my bank account recently.

Am I nuts for even considering adding a part-time job to my full-time job and single parent duties?

Receipts, receipts everywhere

And not a dollar left in the bank.

OK, that is not my reality, but it is what it seems like when I sit on my couch looking at my recent spending.

I have had a few weeks that were very expensive.  :(  That is not my usual spending pattern.  Hopefully it will go back to normal soon.

On a different note, I actually applied for part-time seasonal work.  Inspired by those of you who work 2 jobs I thought ‘what the hey I don’t have enough to do in a week.’  This coupled with all the money stampeding out of my bank account got me thinking how to replenish it fast.

The local party supply store is opening a temporary location down the street from my home for Halloween stuff.  I sent in a resume and got a callback!  Unfortunately the person I need to speak with was not in when I returned his call.  So I will follow-up again tomorrow.

Here’s hoping that the hours are times that work with my life!

Have you done any seasonal part time work? If so, what was it?

If this fails, any suggestions or will I have to wait for Christmas?

 

 

WSR for ending Aug 21

Now for our regularly scheduled post.

I must warn you AGAIN that this week is another big spending week.  :(

Monday
NO SPEND DAY

Tuesday
-$10.00 lunch
-$37.66 dentist

Wednesday
-$35 chiropractor (just learned that I have maxed out my benefits)

Thursday
-$927.42 a/c repair

Friday
-$106.83 groceries 

Saturday
-$82.98 stuff for kids’ camping trip

 Sunday
-$3.45 McDonald’s 
-$100.00 wedding gift 

Total: -$1303.34

FRICKKKKKKK!!!  Even with 1 no spend day … this is not good at all.

I would like to say that I am going on a fiscal fast for this week.  Which should be easy since the kids are gone but I have planned a dinner out with one of my cousins and a lunch with a friend.  If I can stick to just those two outings I should be ok.

Next week will be better, I swear.

*the above does not include my savings, mortgage or debt repayment.

R.I.P. Jack

This is not the post I was planning to do but today Canada lost a great political leader.

  (Source)

Jack Layton passed away this morning from a second bout of an undisclosed cancer.

On July 25 this year Jack stepped down from his role of leader of the NDP, Canada’s official opposition party.  It was a sad day as he did not look like the Jack Layton we knew and had grown to love.  He looked like he was on death’s door, but he was JACK, a super man, he had beat prostate cancer.  He would beat this cancer too.

But sadly less than a month later, cancer won the battle.

Two days ago, Jack penned a letter to Canadians to be published upon his death.  Even in his darkest hour, he still took time to inspire others.  His final words in that letter are:

“My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.
All my very best,
Jack Layton”

Great words from a great man.

You will be missed Jack.  My thoughts and prayers are with your family.

Between a rock & a hard place update

AZ is now in a $24/night hotel (who knew you could find such a thing).  He has an interview for a PT job tomorrow.  It doesn’t pay much but it’s a start.  His stuff is in storage and he’s looking at shelters to tide him over.  The place that he DJ’d at on Friday is interested in hiring him to play every Friday.  The rate is higher than the weekly rate of the PT job.  Between both jobs he should be able to make it.

It is grim but not hopeless.

I have sent him the phone numbers for shelters and the suicide hotline.

I don’t think there is much else that I can do from another country, 2 time zones away.

It feels sucky to be in this position.

Between a rock and a hard place

I had a different post started and then DRAMA came calling.

I have a friend who lives in Arizona who is up a creek without a paddle and I am extremely concerned and unsure of what to do.

My friend who I lovingly call “AZ” has painted himself into a corner BIG TIME.  He is 26 and has managed to create more drama that a daytime soap opera.  In his short life he has been arrested, been evicted, been to jail, attempted suicide and had his license suspended.  The bad decisions of the past have made life very hard for him right now.

Last year he was kicked out of his family home.  The family was then evicted.  His mother went to live with his brother and his sister left the country.  He has burned bridges with the brother.  So staying there was/is not possible.  His only ‘friend’ graciously offered to take him in.

Now this friend wants him out … sooner rather than later.  Originally the friend gave him until September 1.  Today he was told be out by tomorrow.

AZ was offered a job pending criminal check that was supposed to start Aug 29; that fell through.  He has a misdemeanor on his record.  He was able to get an apartment conditionally.  It requires the landlord who evicted him to write a notarized letter stating that the debt had been repaid.  It has not been.

Yesterday he had the bright idea to be a taxi driver.  Today he learned that his license is suspended.

Life is hard for him right now.  He has been able to get a few gigs as a DJ and has one tonight.

He is mentally and emotionally fragile with suicidal tendencies.

Tomorrow he will be homeless and  jobless with $163.00 to his name.  I am trying to keep him hopeful.

We discussed:

1. selling his plasma (he went today and was turned away because it was too late in the day)
2. homeless shelters
3. putting his stuff (DJ equipment) in storage
4. selling his DJ equipment (on the fence as to whether this is a good idea as it does help him make money)

I don’t know what else to suggest.  I don’t know how to help him.

I am debating sending him some money.  The amount is unknown at this time as I don’t know what I can afford and what good it will do as it is a temporary fix.

I am at my wit’s end.  Any suggestions or ideas would be appreciated?

Hot Dang!! And belated WSP for ending Aug 14

My internet is moving faster than Road Runner escaping Wile E Coyote!!

Colour me mighty impressed.

The technician came today.  He told me that the way the cable works is that he would need to check the cable of the two apartments above me in order to assess where the weak signal was coming from.  The cable in this building is wire in such a way that all apartments (except the top floor) get their cable split from the apartment above them.  Thankfully there are only 6 floors and I am on 4th.  There was nothing he could do for me until he got into those other units.

I was beyond ANNOYED.  I came home for nothing.

Luckily for me we saw the Super when we were leaving and she said why not go now.  So we went to my neighbours homes and they were both home and let us in to check out the cable.  One even gave us a tour of their new renovated kitchen and bathrooms!

So now all is well.

Now on to my belated Weekly Spending Report.

I must warn you that $ flew out of my wallet this week.  Most of the big stuff was planned.

Monday
-$79.04 Groceries

Tuesday
-$38.08 Oil change
-$9.00 dinner

Wednesday
-$33.03 Gas 
-$7.38 2 Glass pitchers, water bottle (also used $19.20 of store credit)
-$260.00 Camera 

Thursday
-$21 .00 dinner out with girlfriend

Friday
No Spend Day 

Saturday
-$594.46 Laptop, printer & anti-virus software

 Sunday
-$4.19 milk
-$58.00 took my mother out for dinner 

Total: -$1104.18

Good golly Miss Molly!!!  I think it’s time for a fiscal fast to recover.

*the above does not include my savings, mortgage or debt repayment.

Oh Rogers, what have I done to endure your wrath

I am cheating at work and writing this post.  Something I know you all NEVER do. 

Now you might be saying to yourself, “Sunny, why are you telling me this?  I couldn’t care less.  You don’t report to me.”  As true as this is, it is how I will launch into my rant.

**getting on soap box**
**tapping microphone**

I have been a loyal Rogers (provider of all things communications related) customer for 15+ years.  When I moved into my condo 4 years ago I became the supreme customer, taking ALL the services they offer: home phone, cell phone, internet and cable. 

And what has my reward been?  Up until last month I would say great reliable service.  Today I am starting to look at my options. 

About a month or so before my vacation I had no internet.  A technician came out and fixed the problem during a work day.  He split the cable to give the internet it’s own cable.  Life as we know it is great again.

When I returned from vacation, my home phone was not working.  A service call was placed.  I spent 2 hours during a work day at home to get it fixed.  Now my internet is spotty.  To fix my home phone the technician split the cable (again) and now the signal to my internet is not strong enough to provide me with consistent service. 

I AM NOT IMPRESSED.

To fix this, another appointment during work hours has been made … on FRICKIN’ Wednesday!?! 

**getting off soap box**

It’s only Monday …

Don’t they know I am an addict???