I gotta stop doing this. When I skimp, I just end up having to write more.
Well… hopefully, in a month and a half that will cease. I will have more time for writing, which is something I have been looking forward to for quite a while. I’ll have more time for most everything. Because The Plan is in effect, my friends, and we’re well on our way along its golden path. We’ve even got a sweet new ride in which to traverse it.
Step 1: Buy a new car to replace poor dying Yoshi, our 1994 Honda Civic.
We did it. We went to Carmax, after doing some research, and test drove a 2001 Volkswagen Jetta. It drove so well that we used the loan that we had pre-approved at the credit union and bought the thing. Or, rather, we had our bank buy it. All in all, the loan is good and we’ll only end up paying around $500 more than we would had we paid cash. Not too bad for a couple of newlyweds with student loans out their ears and a “developing” credit score. I’ll take pictures of Wensleydale II, as he hath been dubbed, and post them over at www.oldbie.org/photos as soon as possible.
Step 2: Find a New Place to Live That Is Both Better and Less Expensive
Did that, too. Not on our own, though, but through the wonderful help of family. My uncle owns a great ranch in the Colonial Heights neighborhood of Chapel Hill. It’s a fantastic place to live, city-wise and neighborhood-wise. Free public transit, about a mile’s walk from Franklin Street at the college, and in the best part of the Research Triangle. Plus, the place has a nice big yard in which Natania and I may cavort, plant vegetables, and release our cats into, thus bypassing this feline “shitbox” custom that has been inflicted upon the cats in question… or, I suppose, upon their human masters… I’m still trying to decide which.
Unfortunately, because said house is about an hour east of current abode, a new job seemed necessary. After a raise at the current place of work, I felt that I may attempt the commute. But my desire to head back to school and current stresses in my job were making the decision much more difficult. Thankfully, fate came in and dealt its cruel blow. Or, in this case, its light and kiss-like nudge, and…
Step 3: Get a Part-time Job That Doesn’t Involve a Freaking Hour-long Commute on I-40
…was checked off the list. I interviewed last month for a design position, and the owner thought my enthusiasm and experience were ideal. He just didn’t have a position at the time. This weekend, I went back, and it appears that the position for me now exists. Not quite design, and not quite server administration, but it’s 3 days a week, in a great part of Raleigh (about 20-25 minutes from our new home), I can go in as late as 10am, and it will allow me to go back to school.
I’ll be doing search engine optimization for websites. It’s something I’m somewhat experienced in, and it’ll pay the bills and allow me to learn some pretty interesting new skills. I’m excited.
Step 4: Go Back to School
I was also re-admitted to UNC-G for the fall, and I’ll be taking classes both online and at campus (on Mondays and Wednesdays, most likely).
So, yes. Things are going well. I just thought you might want to know.
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