Downs and Ups

This week had good points and bad points. I suppose mostly good, with a black cloud of unemployment hanging over everything.

I got one rejection letter and a bunch of nothing else after my 5 interviews. I think after my first Interview O'Sucksalot, I did much better, and I am going to blame all the dead ends on the Scarlet N (for Non-Renewal) I now wear on my lapel. I keep trying to think of an alternate plan, but can't think of anything I'd really enjoy doing, that I am qualified to do, and that would pay me as much (or as little?) as teaching. I am in love with having my summer off, but really, I'd join the ranks of the 12-month Employee if it meant I could buy a bottle of nail polish without feeling guilty.

But since I don't want to focus on the bad, I'll focus on the positive:

• Alex had the whole week off, so we got to spends lots of time together.
• We did make it down the shore. We left Thursday morning, and made it to the beach by 11. The sun was warm, the sea breeze was cool, and though the water was too cold...
• ...It warmed up enough by Saturday to enjoy some serious wave-jumping, courtesy of Bertha.
• We had dinner with Alex's mom at Sonsie in AC, which was rediculously expensive, but also rediculously delicious.
• We discovered that penny slots are super fun because your $20 can last you a long time, and even win you a couple hundred bucks!
• I finished The Book Thief and made it 3/4 through Water for Elephants.
• I snuck in another couple hours on the beach before driving home on Sunday.
• It was my mom's birthday (51!) and we had dinner at my parents' house. I always find this comforting and relaxing, so even though I was itching to get back to our house, I enjoyed myself.
• We cleaned the house before we left on Thursday, so when we finally did get home, it was extra nice.
• There were two Netflix rentals waiting for me (Spiderwick Chronicles and No Reservations, woot!), along with my Stimulus check (which is being used to pay back my mom, who had to lend me money to pay my taxes, but whatev... debt cleared).

So there isn't much more on the agenda for this week, save driving my mom to an eye doctor appointment (which almost guarantees me lunch, too). Maybe, MAYBE, I will do something productive around the house, like work on peeling the wallpaper in the laundry room... but no promises.