Keep Ya Head Up

Hi all!

Things have been hectic and rather heavy this last week. All career related. Here's the scoop.

We are in the middle of a contract negotiation year at work. It's crucial to me because for 2 months out of the year (July and August) I don't get paid. Unfortunately, I still have to pay mortgage and utilities during that time. I don't know WHY they don't just let me have a free pass because I'm so good at paying the other 10 months! :) As our contract stands now, we work more days than the teachers in our building, but don't get paid close to what they make. The bump in salary from where we are to where they are would be my summer bill money, with no stress to find summer employment that works around my weird schedule (namely June 15th - 1 week at convention to August 1st). There is some wording in our contract that we would like changed because it makes us "give away" 6.5 hours of "free" employment before we can make overtime. Also, the head ATCs work the 2 summer months and still make less than a 10 month teacher. We would like that changed. We learned Friday, the wording was not proposed by the union to our Board. After the 3 years of research, planning, and proposing - not to mention attending meetings, sitting with the union team, etc for them not to even propose it was disheartening. our Head ATC took it harder than I did. I am just hoping and praying our Salary guide is adjusted. PLEASE keep your fingers crossed.

In the same week, my sis has been having work issues, as well. It seems her bosses have no real idea of how much work it takes to do the things they want done. She has busted her butt doing the important, money/people adding things and when she falls short on getting the little pickiune things done they blast her for it. Somehow, work has not been good all around in our household.

I've started getting back on my home renovation kick. I look around and think everything is so expensive for the little things I want. I mean come on, is a TABLE LAMP really worth $60?!?! At Home Goods, nonetheless. Even at Target they were $20, then you have to buy the shade separately. I'm hoping I can do SOME Yard Sale shopping in June once things calm down from no-work (May is shot as far as weekends go). Even when I do find something I want, I realize I don't have the money to buy anything. Part of this is my own neurosis of making sure I have at least 3 months worth of bills money in my savings, but when you have no income for 2 months, the panic, I think, is justified.

So, the more time I spend at home, the more I get upset at the state of my house. It really does look like a college rental, more than a home. I have 2 or 3 sheets of paper with renovating and decorating things I'd like to get to this summer and I can't even look at the state of my poor grandmother's garden which is so overrun with weeds that nothing is blooming and I have no free time until at least mid-June to get it done! It's not just the time, it's money too. I guess the money issue is a vicious cycle - I want to buy things, realize I have no money, squeeze and press to save more, then I feel like I work too hard to not be able to afford to buy something and go right back to step one. I'm trying to feel positive, but most days sit right on the verge of panic attack. Sooo, I'm a little on edge waiting to see how our salary guide pans out.

Hope ya'll are drier than we are in Jersey. Happy Monday!

-Song by 2Pac