October:

And now, the latest. My peristent cough is better, and my nose has finally dried up, thank goodness. I have gone to the doctor to get my ankle looked at, and it isn't twisted at all. Instead, I have something even better. Tendonitis.
-_-

I'm to take motrin or similar anti-inflammatories, ice the ankle/foot after work, and get some inserts for my shoe to help with arch support. I don't have much of an arch to begin with, but my shoes, evidently, have none. The fact that I'm on my feet all day doesn't help, and despite some recent weight loss (nowhere near the degree it needs to be, of course), the poundage I carry around is pretty much the culprit, on top of being on my feet constantly like I am. So... joy.

I finally got checks from the EDD, and they amounted to about $300, and put me over the thousand mark. I celebrated. For about a week. Just last night I was told that the place I had been going to stay in Oklahoma, a loft in the friend of a friend's home, with my cat AND large dog (which you just can't find places who will take, anymore) for about $200 a month, is being sold. Ergo, the offer to lease the loft, is gone. Admittedly, the loft would have been a stepping stone - someplace to stay while getting a job there, and saving up for a place of my own, as well as seeking out an apartment which would allow Watch - but it was going to be a stepping stone that I knew I'd be at for a little while, at least. The loss of that helping step sets me back at least six months, while I save for first and last month's rent, a pet deposit, and the money to keep going for at least a couple months while I get a new job, train, and then get stepped up to more hours (ideally).

I don't want to be here that long. I was looking to move out in December, the fight I'd likely have with my mother about the holidays notwithstanding. I'd've tackled that bridge when I got there.

I hate being back in my parents' house. Not necessarily because I don't get on with my folks, mind, just... I've been on my own, and like it that way. I'm not... I didn't plan on being... the kid in the house again. Despite what others might say, this is a huge step back in my opinion, and it feels like it.

And yet, I'm looking at being stuck here for much longer than I'd ever willingly considered. Honestly, I'm no longer sure what I'm going to do. Rudderless, suddenly, I find myself turning circles in my head.

I wish my damned luck would take a vacation already.

This is my September. October will get a post all its own, as the mood of the month has radically altered, and so has the tone of my writing. I really should simply get these things done when I mean to. Hopeful feelings seldom linger so long these days.

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Site Update:

Much as I'd like to be updating and shuffling and posting, since I'm not on my computer, I can't do any of those things. I'm on my parents' machine for the duration of my stay, and that's only when they're not using it. Obviously, I can't go and put stuff on their computer, and unfortunately, even if I wanted to temporarily shuffle some stuff so I could update, they don't have even a basic program like Paint Shop Pro to do any cleaning or editing or even coloring of pics, else I might be getting some stuff done, at least. So it seems the site will be on hiatus for a bit. I did manage to get a last batch of pics scanned earlier in the month, and posted them to my DevArt site and Elfwood sites (by now even the Elfwood site shows them) so clicky on the links over to the side to go see, one of which, (for now) I'm fairly pleased with.

Personal Update:

Greetings all. It's been a hell of a month, in good ways and bad, so let me take a moment to catch you up on the news with myself. I've not emailed anyone I meant to - sorry all. For starters, my work schedule has increased - I'm getting nearly forty hours now, which is a good thing, as I have to save the money for the move to Oklahoma. I had three sick days I had to take, as I came down with the flu or something. Bad part is, I'm still sick, though now it's just a runny nose, intermittent sore throat, and sporradic cough that are hanging on. But boy are they hanging on. Going into the fourth week, now, and my ribs are sore from the coughing, my nose is sore from the sniffing, and I'm just plain tired of being ill. The second week I was sick I managed to twist my ankle. It was really bad for a couple days, then got better, but I've kept aggravating it and it'll get worse, then better, then worse, then better. It never seems fully healed. Of course, standing all day doesn't help, but I have no choice. I had a nine day in a row stint, at eight hour days, and my ankle's killing me after I come home, to the point where I sit down and I don't move. I keep it wrapped, and that helps, and wearing my 'hiking style' shoes helps more, as they lace up really high, but taking them off... ow.

Not all is bad news, though my minotaur's luck seems intact and working on a physical level. On the wider scale, things are looking up. I went to the Ren Faire with my friends Troy and Jocelyn, and they paid my admission and got me a gorgeous horse painting as a belated birthday present. I had a great time, even though I didn't go in what little costume I have, since it's all packed away. On Sept. 23rd I had my court hearing for the EDD (unemployment, or as it's called in San Jose, the Employment Development Department) all official-like and across the table from the representative for Vicar Operations, aka Antech, aka Veterinary Centers of America, aka VCA Johnson's Animal Hospital... my last job before Kmart. :P The rep, as it turns out, was the new manager, the one who'd taken over after Sonia (the one I worked for) got canned.

She had no clue. Literally. She came with what documents were given her, (Including, I might add, a 'disciplinary' write-up that I never saw for excessive absenteeism, dated after I'd left no less, and about three copies of requests for time off I'd turned in. I suppose those were supposed to be the proof that I was gone a lot. Pfft. Hello. They have to approve those, so how could it be excessive? Not to mention there were three. THREE. Oh yeah, hellacious expectations there on getting time off, wouldn't you say? Oh, and there were other contradictory documents, like one saying I was laid off because the position was no longer needed, and another saying I quit. Lyin' sacks a'... ahem.) whatever she'd been told, and did her best. Unfortunately, because VCA was lying through their teeth, her best amounted to saying she didn't know anything. Seriously. At the end, we were supposed to sum up, say why we think the decision should favor us, and so on. I of course, had plenty to say. But then, I was nervous most the entire time, so really, I babbled. *grimaces* Anyhow. When it was her turn? "I really... don't have anything to add. All I have are those documents, and I don't really know about what happened." Hell, other documents she provided supported my case more than hers. So all in all, I left there feeling pretty damn fantastic, and confident I'd win.

I was right. A couple days ago I got the notice in the mail, the official findings and determination of the EDD in my case. I won, I won, I won. HA! God, it feels good to be vindicated. Excuse me while I gloat, because the damn place has gotten its comeuppance.

So, I will be getting money. Now, since I've been working at Kmart, the benefits will be reduced, and I don't know how much I actually will be getting, but I'm hoping for a couple hundred at least. Ideally, it would put me over the $1000 mark, because that would mean a couple more paychecks, and I'm Oklahoma bound. We'll just have to wait and see.

I'm almost there, though! :D