Okay, so I’m an awful blogger. I tend to write only when I’m upset. I really should learn to chronicle the good times, and not just the bad ones. So 2011 started off pretty crappy. My uncle passed away on New Year’s Day. It’s not so much that I was close to him. I just felt such sorrow for my grandmother at losing her oldest child. It was hard for me to see her in such an emotional state. But my uncle was very sick with cancer, and I know he is in a better place. New Year’s day also started off with my toilet overflowing ALL over the bathroom and out into the alcove area. So the carpet in that area had to be pulled up, and I had to throw out a lot of towels. I just couldn’t stomach keeping them, even if I did wash them in hot water! I had a little problem with my unemployment as well, and thought that I was going to be cut off because I had subbed for a whole 5 days in December. Thankfully that problem was resolved.
I’ve been unemployed for 20 months now. I have applied for at least 75-100 jobs in the last several months. Everything is online now, so I don’t even get to talk to a person. As a certified teacher, I know the likelihood of me finding a job in the next few years is slim. The economy is terrible, and there are massive cuts being made in education with more to come. Most people say “I thought there was a shortage of teachers.” Not in my area (elementary) and definitely not in NY. Now with the cuts, it’s that much worse. So I apply for secretarial jobs, customer service jobs, etc. I am kind of limited as far as what I can do. I have no family in the area, and no real support system. Therefore I can really only work Monday-Friday, “normal” work hours. My ex is not much help when it comes to babysitting. The biggest problem, though, is the fact that I’m overqualified for most of what I apply for. People look at my resume and assume that I will leave as soon as something better comes along. Which isn’t necessarily an invalid assumption. But teaching is going to be hard to get back into for at least a few years, and that’s if the economy rebounds. I really just want to put in my cover letter “Hi, I’m a single mom and I need a full time job. I promise I won’t leave in 3 or 4 months.” Sometimes I feel like being a single mom inhibits me, because they assume I will miss work a lot. Thankfully I have extremely healthy children, and have missed very little work due to them being ill. So, for now, I just pray each night that God will provide a job for me before my unemployment runs out in the next 2-3 months.
The ex and I are getting along these days. I’m still not “allowed” to have her cell phone number, so I will usually call at work if I need something. Her gf hasn’t contacted me in a couple months, and that is probably why we are getting along. I’m just happy that my life is relatively drama free, and I’m enjoying the peace.
The kids are doing well for the most part. My daughter (LP) has adjusted very well to school. She is a bit social, but seems to enjoy school. My son is still having problems with doing homework and it’s affecting his grades terribly. I’m trying to keep on top of him, but it’s so frustrating, because this problem only developed in the last 2 yrs. He is very smart, and his teachers love him, but he can’t get himself together.
There is much more I could write, but I will save it for a future post. Hopefully I can try and be more assertive in putting thoughts down in my blog. And here’s to hoping that 2011 gets better fast!
