Ends and Firsts

So it is the end of February. The end of my being “paid” because my severance package was for six weeks and that was Wednesday. So now I am on the government’s payroll, so to speak (that is if my claim was approved, I need to check that).

I’ve also seen the end of several friendships lately. Those of you who are on Facebook with me will know that many of my former co-workers proved that we were just that, co-workers and not friends, when they failed to find out how I was doing when I was first laid off. It was so hurtful I had to post something about it and then I unfriended those who had not reached out. It might seem petty but I was really hurt by it. I know I take some of the blame because obviously Evil Twin showed up to work more often than I care to admit, but she can’t stand brown-nosers and boy were there ever a lot of those.

There was also to be a first date this week (D. is pimping me out to someone she grew up with in “Boston” who now lives in Vegas) but my lethargy means that the date will now be sometime in March (watch this space for deets!).

February is also the first month since I started this blog that I have posted less than four times (September and October 2013 had just four entries each). I’ve mentioned before how my goal was at least four posts a month because then it would be like having a real weekly newspaper column (one of my ideal jobs). I’m not beating myself up about it though because I think being laid off is a great excuse.

And in another first, despite the aforementioned lethargy, Good Triplet has been amazing and started volunteering! But in a twist that is classic Evil Twin, guess where that is? At a hospice. I know, right? Of all the places to volunteer, how perfect for me, what with my fascination with death? Deets on that to follow soon too (after I have encountered my first almost-dead person, right now I am still in training).

The First Cut is the Deepest

So it has been four weeks (to the day). This is the day I told myself that if I was still out of work I would start making budget cuts. But what to cut? Fact is, I live pretty frugally anyway. I have a three-year-old cell phone that is on a pay-as-you-go plan, so that won’t make much of a dent. Obviously, car insurance can’t go. I guess I could get rid of my renter’s insurance, but that is not such a good idea, considering where I live – on those “crimes happened here” maps they do in the local paper, you cannot see my apartment building because it is covered in symbols marking what types of crime occurred. I’m making an effort to conserve electricity and water. I guess Netflix could go, but it is only $13 a month and is my only movie source left, now I do not go out to see movies. But my free trial of Microsoft Office ends March 1, and if I still need it, I will have to pay for the whole thing (about $100, I think) or I could go month-to-month for $10. So I am going to keep Netflix unless I do have to buy Microsoft but that is just swapping one bill for another.

So, yes, it has to be done – my biggest bill has to be trimmed. That is my cable/telephone/internet. Internet cannot go, and I could get rid of the telephone but then I would have to increase my cell phone usage, so that should stay. So, yep, it has to be cable. Or at least some of it. Because television is my only non-furry companion and I could never be without at least some channels. It is going to hurt (especially the loss of BBC America) but it has to be done. At least I will still have the channel on which The Price Is Right is shown.

News About Booze

I have not had a drink since the new year...

 

...the Chinese new year!

 

Hahahahahahahahahahaha...