On Sunday my mom and her beau came and helped me move most of my stuff out of my ex-stepdad's house -- in the pouring rain. I'm glad her beau was there, because it would have taken a lot longer with just my mom and I. We stuffed both cars full. I still had to come back on Tuesday and again on Thursday to finish getting everything. But all it cost was gas.

I love my new housemates. JJ is almost 70 years old, but is lively as can be. LH is around 55 years old (JJ's daughter - JJ married young) and is funny and vivacious. It was a bit frustrating when I got to the house and saw that they hadn't moved out some of the things I thought they were going to ... but it is all working out.

I am really trying to embrace my new minimum hour-long commute to get to any of my tutoring students. I have a number of audiobooks on my iPhone, as well as a complete Spanish course (compliments of the library.) Thankfully the inverter + my extra battery charger is sufficing as a car charger.

This week I came ** this close ** to telling my one Junior tutoring student cyanora and don't let the door hit ya! Sunday morning I worked with him for two hours and basicaly we got nothing done because he was fighting sleep the whole time (he has narcolepsly.) Normally, this wouldn't be too big of a deal, but those two hours were the first quality time we had to work together in TWO WEEKS! Then, 4 days this week we did not work together. 2 of them was because as soon as we got to the house he found out his father needed him to translate. 2 other days I got to the house and rang the doorbell and knocked for over ten minutes. One day he claims he was watching a movie and listening for me, but didn't hear me. The other day he claims he thought I'd canceled our Thursday session. Because ... he'd lost his *library* copy of the book we were reading together on Tuesday, and on Wednesday we weren't able to find a replacement copy. (He will be paying the replacement fee for the book - it was checked out on my card.) His host mom had a "come to Jesus" meeting with him Thursday night, and he called me and apologized. At this point I really don't know if I'll be able to get him caught up. I hope to get him caught up enough for a D ... and that is really, really sad considering he was on high-honor roll last quarter.

I heard back from the work at home job. (the one where one of my new housemates has been working since November or so). I start the training class on Tuesday. If I past the two tests on Wednesday and Thursday, then I will officially be hired!! The only bad part of it is that two of the training classes happen while my brother is in town. If I didn't attend these, I'd have to wait a month or more to start. I think my brother will understand.

I had my last session with one of my students on Wednesday. The other boy that I work with (and who's mom is the one who first mentioned the wah job) is going to take a bit of a break - but then it looks like the mom is wanting me to work with her senior high-school son this summer while he takes government and something else, as well as the student I've been working with this year.

The two brothers I'd started working with two nights a week for the past few months - As of next week I'm down to only one night a week. I'm not sure exactly how this happened, but my mom somehow made the boys mom think I didn't have enough experience working with kids in the older grades, and that she could help the boy going into sixth more than me. Grr!!!!

I've filled up my car 3 times this week.... really trying to not cringe. In a few weeks I'll be able to reduce my trips over to where all my tutoring students are - maybe try to consolidate them all to 3 days ... that'll help.

I got the paperwork packet from the Mission school today. I just need to get the reference forms sent out to people, and mail the other paperwork in.

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ONE WEEK FROM TONIGHT I WILL HAVE A MASTER'S DEGREE!!!
*hopefully I will also have a part-time job

For the pt job, I'm going to need a new computer monitor - need at least a 19" screen. I found one on Amazon for a bit under $100. I'd like to go through Amazon, since I would be able to use my gift card balance, but if I can find one cheaper somewhere else ... Any ideas?

I was also contemplating the idea of just going ahead and getting a new computer .... I was looking at this all in one with a 20" screen, Acer I think ... for just under $600. But ... it probably isn't a good idea, considering I've had the same screen through 3 computer units .... and my computer still works pretty well ... I have a bit over $300 now in Amazon gift cards and paypal cash (Beezag/Sidetick, etc.) So it would be 50% free ... More than likely I'll just go with a new monitor and leave it at that.