Updates

I'm not sick anymore. So that's good. My nose hurts, but I think it's from getting hit in the face with a soccer ball recently. Let's review how my life is going.

Teaching: Challenging but awesome. I really like my students, and teaching statistics is fantastic. They actually need my help! I'm not just a roving participation grader who tries to force them to "discuss" reading that only three people even did. I'm actually teaching and explaining and answering questions, and I really enjoy it. The material is too hard for them, and the professor is drastically overestimating how much they know from their stats prerequisite -- but I'm working hard and helping them as much as I can.

Dissertation: Ugh... behind schedule. And just had to face committee at department party. I had this whole plan to finish my chapter before I saw my advisors at the party, but instead I got sick and didn't work on it for a week. The chapter is really, really, almost done but between illness and teaching it just hasn't happened. Maybe this week?

Personal Finances: appalling, because:

1) Ex-landlord still withholding $800 security deposit because he's an enormous cockwhore who thinks he can fuck over his low-income tenants. I'm going to have to sue him for it.

2) $2000 in credit card debt because I didn't get paid all summer.

3) AT&T charged me $160 to activate my internet and then deducted an additional $115 from my checking account because of a billing mistake. So, $275 of my first paycheck in three months went to AT&T.

Guess what happens when AT&T accidentally overcharges you and then makes an unauthorized deduction from your checking account? They will send you a refund check that takes six weeks to process. It's funny how when you fuck up, you owe them late fees, but when they fuck up, you get your money back six weeks later with no interest penalty whatsoever.

Thankfully, I was able to persuade them to send the money by next week after spending an hour on the phone with various departments. But it still won't be here in time for my credit card bill.

Sweet-talking customer service representatives has become a big part of my life.

4) Spending money. Okay, so I haven't made any big, stupid, impulsive purchases. But I have been purchasing six dollar smoothies, lattes, chimney cakes, and pints of ice cream because I need my vices to sustain me through trying times.

I mean, it could be so much worse. Some people cope with their horrifying bank statements by drinking until they pass out, or by doing a lot of meth, or by setting up meth labs in their apartments. My problems drive me to consume moderately priced comfort foods.

And okay, there have been a few bar tabs because on occasion, certain women will cause me to drink somewhat excessively. But I've been really good about not doing that for the past 11 days. (readers of my LiveJournal know what I mean)

Gay soccer: Lots of fun when I'm not getting hit in the face. Playing soccer really helps to take my mind off everything. Even if the rest of my week is a total disaster, having a scheduled activity makes me feel like I have a life -- the healthy, adult kind of life where I exercise and socialize without doing anything stupid. I sort of wish everyone else in my life could somehow see footage of me playing rec sports and then drinking responsibly afterwards.

Cat: She's sleeping on her side right now and it's the cutest thing I've ever seen.