Crossroads
Apr 27, 2005

Well, I graduate in about half a month with an associates in Arts. I tried to apply at the UofI but there was a mix up, I could have sworn someone from over there told me that I couldn't apply until March 31st or summat and so I filled out most of my application online and saved it, about April 14th I went to submit it and my app fee and come to find out, March 31st was the deadline *sighs* Sooooo, long story short, I can't go on next semester, if I want U of I I'll have to wait until Spring semester.

But do I want U of I? Community College was fine, hard at times with a three-year-old and being single, but the University of Illinois will be much harder, I definitely won't be going full time there. I would want to get as many online classes and the real kicker? I don't even have a car and the U of I is 45mins away. The living expenses in Champaign are also a lot higher than here. I still don't have a replacement job for Lakeview College of Nursing (work-study grant job, last day of class is my last day at LCN), though I did have an interview and was told I would be called to schedule a second one this Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Friday. Even if I lived in Champaign I'm not sure how easy it would be to get childcare, especially since Michael will be starting preschool this year, he'll be going half days and would need someone to pick him up from there and take him to wherever he would be watched until I got home. I would have to get a lot more hours to survive which would choke time for everything but school and work. I would also be leaving my family network if I moved to Champaign.

I'm not sure it's really practical right now at this point in my life. Michael will be starting school next semester, I don't have a car, I still need a replacement job...I need to wait until I at least have a good car, then I could commute, or perhaps next semester I could get all online classes--that's really what I'm hoping for.

And yet, maybe, if I get a good job that I like, like the one I was interviewed for, I should just stay in the working world, with a job like the one I was interviewed for, I could afford my own place with $200 a month to spare (easily). I wouldn't have homework, so the time I'm home and not at work (and school) I could authentically, carefreely (is that a word) spend time with Michael and pay attention to my writing.

I suppose I should just wait to see what job I get huh? I'm off and on about this one I've been interviewed for, it's hard to tell not working there yet if I'll like it. Once I'm out of school it would be full time 5-6 days a week, most often 6, with Sundays always off, a little bit of hanging info on people's door knobs every once in awhile, but mostly just office work. I would work everyday (a regular schedule is always nice, even if I never know when my second day off is going to be) from 9:45 to 6:30 and I would start at about $8--they wouldn't say exactly because it depends on a lot of factors how much they start you off at, but she made it sound like I wouldn't get less than $8/hour. After 3 months I can begin paying to get their dental, health, and life insurance (only if I want to though), they have a 401k plan and I will get one week's paid vacation per year. Also, I would never have to work holidays (all the days the bank and post office close), additionally, if a holiday fell on a Sunday (the day we get off anyway) we get a floating holiday to use whenever we want. Okay, when I write it all out like that again it looks good again. It's just that when I did the math it was only 17,680 per year, but that was assuming I only got 5 days a week, if it's true that I will work 6 days way more often than 5, then I would be making 21,216 per year. When it comes down to it though, I could get a modest house in town, and with just me and Michael, pay modest bills, not even counting child support from Jason, I would have $200 a month to spend on extras (the expenses are counting $100 on groceries--which is less than what I spend getting good food for just me and Michael, $50 for traveling which is way more than I usually spend, and $100 for random needs that come up, oh, and $45 for the internet, no cable, I don't really need cable among other things). Basically, if I get this job and stick with my sister awhile, I can save up for a car and a down payment for somewhere to live (along with first month's rent) and when I get a car, I'll actually be able to afford the upkeep for one. This job is perfect for me money wise, why am I being so greedy? *laughs at herself* I was just a little afraid it would get monotonous, but since I will get to occassionally leave to make bank deposits, hang things on doors, and occasionally make a house call (she said those are very rare though), maybe it won't get so monotonous?

However, I probably won't get it, I'm afraid I wasn't very impressive at my interview :/ I wish that interviews were more like hands-on letting you work a day to see how you do or something like that. I much better at impressing people when I actually start working than when I'm trying to talk about how I work lol.

Well, I need to go bug Domy by email to ask her to change my little blurb on DII's splash page, I gave the splash page address to that job prospect, and I don't want them seeing something 3 years old saying that I'm a little lazy but hopefully I'll be helpful anyway ^^"

Ja ne!