(sigh)

Life isn't being good to me right now. Oh, it's nothing like some of the problems I've seen here through the years; however, it is stressing me quite a bit.

(Nobody needs to respond to this post, I'm just getting it off my chest.)

A few weeks ago, my husband quit his job to take another job. It was going to be a really good job, at much higher pay and some guaranteed overtime, along with a pretty decent benefit package. But taking that job hinged on a co-worker quitting and transferring to the new company as well (it would be a long commute and they were supposed to share the gas and driving burden). My husband was ready for a change because he was having issues with how his boss was running the small company where he worked.

He quit and started working for the new company almost immediately, while waiting for the co-worker to quit the next week. But the other guy didn't quit (long story why; suffice it say, it boils down to a nasty custody battle with his ex).

We couldn't afford the gas for my husband to stay with the new company (it's a 120 mile drive, one way). Fortunately, my husband has a good reputation in the construction industry in this area and he found another job, closer, that pays equally well, has similar benefits, and actually has a greater possibility of him being promoted within the company. But he's only been at the new place a week, and already he's considering switching companies again.

On top of all that, I've learned that my job is going south. Starting in July, my hours will be cut. It's not that my boss doesn't like me. It's not that I did anything to displease my boss or that my performance has been lacking. The fault lies entirely with the government officials/organization that funds my center.

Ever since I started here, my bosses have been training and focusing me toward teaching  "workplace skills," "community education," and "job-hunting skills" type classes. My work has brought us a lot of students (for GED studies, as well as workplace skill building) and my work has gotten our name out among the community. But now the word has come down from the people at the state capitol that the focus is going to change to solely and entirely academic. I will no longer be able to to run the programs and classes I have been trained to run and currently run, because "workplace" programs are no longer going to be "acceptable". 

I knew when I took this job that it was never going to be a full time, permanent position. I really like what I have been doing; I like the supershort commute I have, I actually like working 25 or so hours a week, and I really, really like the pay. But I guess I'm going to have to look much harder than I have been for another job. I don't want to, but only 12 or 15 hours as week isn't going to cut it, even if it is at $15 something an hour. Anything that is going to pay as well, or have benefits, will require me to have at least a 45-min commute.

And, of course, Murphy's Law had to play a hand in all this because we had just taken on a little more debt with a big vet bill (the dog got really sick) and some car repair bills.

Needless to say, the stress is wreaking havoc on my manicure.

Again, no one needs to respond. Just spelling it all out has been theraputic.