A New Hope?

Not that new hope.

A cartoon bitmoji of me, a smiling,
white, green-eyed brunette-with-grey
woman wearing a green sweater
and a gold 2022 crown

I don't have high hopes that 2022 will be awesome, but I do have some hope.

Example: I love my job. It's not super safe right now, what with the Omicron variant of Covid and parents who still think it's okay to send their kids to school if it's "just a cold" (not that it ever was okay) because honestly, how would they even know without testing? But I love it.

It's also part-time because by both union and school rules, I count as a substitute. And there (usually) isn't work in the summer. And it's rather ad hoc, because the student load is highly variable, depending on weather, Covid, and each student's pretty fluid housing situation.

I don't really mind either of these things, but what I am concerned about is that this is also not a terribly stable source of income. It varies widely due to the reasons stated above, and also because it's a school district position, my paychecks come only once a month.

I can write (see?), but writing for my personal blog or Vocal or whoever is even more ad hoc than McKinney Vento driving, and my other writing work is freelance stuff that lasts a few weeks before it dries up and I have to go through the process to find a new gig again. I'm still in the running for one of these, but who knows how that will pan out? I can do retail or call center customer care or deliveries, but I would really really rather not be out among the viral strains more than I already am; I'm the only parent Lizzy has left (Abby's dad is alive and well, and Abby's a legal adult (most ways) besides).

Wow, that turned into a lot, didn't it? At any rate, what I really hope for (for me; the kids are a separate matter) in 2022 is a part-time (like 15 hours a week), remote (from home), writing job with like a year or two contract, to do in addition to driving the kids. And if it wants to ramp up for summer hours when I'm off work, so much the better.

Speaking of the kids, at least they're currently as safe and happy as I can make them. We've postponed their NYE girls' day out plans until there is less snow, ice, and omicron out there (and hopefully at least Abby can be boosted; Lizzy's not old enough for the booster). We'll do some of that from home tonight instead - watch movies, play games, do our own mani-pedis, pizza (for them; pork chop for me because dairy is bad), and sparkling cider. 

Abby's school is in person this quarter (after a week of remote for covid-and-weather concerns) so that should work out well for her. Lizzy's school hasn't said yet, and I work for her school district (see all that up there) so I have mixed feelings. I want to work, I need to earn money, and Lizzy really needs to be at the school (distance learning is not her bag). But I don't want either of us exposed to kids whose parents think nothing of having huge unmasked events with their unvaccinated families and then sending their kids to school.

Ideally? Distance learning for a week or two (paid, because why not, as long as we're wishing?) and then back to the buildings. 

Wouldn't that be nice?