This week my girlfriend and I started working on applying for houses. We’ve finally narrowed down our list and started sending out questions and applications for the various homes we’d like to get. However, most of them ended up having stipulations that were deal breakers for us. For example, one person wanted up both to have credit scores above 700. We’ve both been struggling with our finances for a long time. My girlfriend has been through a lot of toxic workplaces that she just had to leave for the sake of her mental health. She always managed to find work in between jobs to make ends meet, but starting a new job in our school system means she didn’t get her paycheck until a couple of months later. Unfortunately, my job doesn’t offer full time. Even during break when I’m working 40-50 hours a week I can only log 30 for attendant and then use a pool of respite hours to make up for the rest. That way they don’t have to offer me benefits. Not to mention I’m earning about minimum wage.
Now, we’re starting to look at other possibilities. We might have to move further away from where I’ll be working or downgrade to a small apartment for a year to save up for a bit. It’s just crazy how fast all these places are moving and how many people are looking to rent a home. My girlfriend found a place that was posted and later than same day when she finally had the internet to ask about it, it was gone! This move should be really good for us. It’s a fresh start so we can get our lives on track and yet it’s so difficult to take this first step.
I’ve been focusing on art to kind of cope with all the stress. I’m trying to post daily videos on my TikTok, YouTube shorts, and this new app called Flip. I’m considering also making an Instagram so I can start posting daily reels as well. It’s a lot but it’s fun and it helps with my stress a bit.
My main art project though, is an animatic! I was listening to music the day after our dnd campaign and one song popped up that I thought would be perfect for the big chase scene the second half of our game! I’ve managed to make a good amount of progress! I had to get all the sound together and convert it to a file my art program could recognize before I began work on the actual art itself. I’m including backgrounds as well and it’s been a lot of fun! It’s been a lot of fun and I have a lot of support from the group! I’ve been showing them updates and they’re very excited for the final product! I honestly feel really proud of myself for doing so much on a big project like this!
I’m definitely doing a lot right now and maybe it is too much to handle. I’m trying to find that balance and pull myself together in a way that works for what I want and need to do. I’m working on a lot of creative projects that might get me some exposure or at least noticed while applying for writing jobs and working on other things I enjoy! I’m trying to balance writing this blog and working on my art videos during my work hours when the kid is eating dinner or on her iPad. There isn’t a lot of time but it’s nice to do work while I’m on the clock and already getting paid so I actually feel fulfilled in what I’m doing and allowing myself more free time at home to do other things I enjoy! Getting back on schedule is still a work in progress, but I am making progress!
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