Today I wrote my first article for the Association for a More Just Society newsletter. I think it gets published on the first of the month. If you don't get it, you should! (It's just an email.) They are asking me to contribute on behalf of Impacto Juvenil, the program I work for, so people can hear more about what we are doing.
Between editing photos for church, the dance class, and Impacto Juvenil, writing my blog, my personal newsletter, our "informe" which I have to write in Spanish each month so the ASJ supporters know about the progress we have made thanks to their donations, and keeping my church's Facebook page looking spiffy I spend tons of hours on my computer. It's my least favorite part of the day, but it's necessary.
I just got an email that they are going to use different photos. Ugh. I spent two hours choosing what I thought were the best photos that I took since the class started. I sent six so they would have a selection to choose from. But not one of those were chosen. They are using my photos, but ones that have no association with the article. Oh well.
Friday when I got out of the retreat my tires were all soft and one was flat. I had to drive around (in heavy traffic with one tire losing air) and find a place to repair it. Now that I don't have a trustworthy mechanic, there is a lot more weight on my shoulders about the car. It's making a noise when I stop at stoplights. Fany said her husband's car makes the same noise when it's out of oil. My car is not out of oil. I am concerned that by the time I have enough money to buy a new car, this car will no longer be worth anything.
I already told my family I will not be going home for Christmas this year. I get three weeks of vacation, but I don't have the money to fly to the US until after I get this car situation taken care of. Yesterday I broke down and paid the registration for another year. I was hoping to sell the car before the registration was due, so the new owner would have to pay it. But now the deadline is in three days and I'm still lacking $2000.
The street vendors are asking Fany where I am. I haven't bought any fruit or veggies lately. They all assume I moved back to the United States because when most North Americans disappear, that's what happened. You know I'm trying to save money when 50 cents for an avocado is out of my budget.
I did spend $1 on a sponge as a shoulder rest for my violin yesterday. The shoulder rest I am drooling over costs $50 on Amazon. Maybe one day... In the meantime a sponge will work just fine.
I splurged to take Ana and her family to the movies twice. (My Mother paid for us to go once too, with popcorn and everything that time!) $12-18 is cheap for six people to see a movie. They love it and the sun is so hot during the day, the free park is out of the question right now. There's no shade there or at my house. This week and next week I have to work, so I'm not sure when I'll get to see my favorite family again. But we always stay in touch.
At work we are preparing for another campaign. This one is anti-bullying. It is aimed at a particular group of kids, although we'll do it for the whole school. Some kids in 7th grade are being bullied horribly. My boss said we should not tread lightly. She said she really wants us to "hit them hard" with the anti-bullying information.
