fun and frugal summer

So that itch hasn't quite gone away, but I am reassessing the need to scratch. I'm just stuck in a 'hobby job.' That is how Roger described it, and I think it is quite apt. While I was in school, Starbucks was not a big deal - the monotony of it all didn't really compute because it was almost my escape from things. Now, it is all-consuming. I am regularly working 35 hours a week, and while I am not complaining, but by the time I hit the 25th hour or so, I am definitely starting to be done with it. I've done the shift-worker part of my life already, and moved beyond it. I am not above doing it while in school, but I need to move on out of it when I am done.

That being said, I have recently slashed my hours at Starbucks. The Office of the Vice-President, Academic at the school has offered me 20/hrs a week until September 15. I accepted. I frankly got kind of tired of waiting for SB to promote me to shift supervisor - they appeared startled when I announced I was only available 3 days a week now, but I view it as their loss. In my eyes, the potential promotion has disappeared. I wouldn't say now if they offered, but I would be incredibly startled if it appeared now. But que sera sera, eh? I have to look out for number one. I earn more than double my Starbucks wage at the school, so I can earn an entire week's salary in half the time. It was a no-brainer.

I am also embarking on a financial reassessment. They are never fun, but I am completing it with encouragement from Roger. The bad news is that I am still in the hole (and probably will be for some time) but my goal is to climb out of living in my overdraft while maintaining the status quo with my bills and credit cards. Once I have cleared the overdraft and built a small cash-buffer, I will focus on lowering my credit card debts. The good news is that all of this is possible - after careful assessment, I am actually spending less than I make right now. So these goals are possible. I just need to look at how I am spending that difference to make sure that I can whittle away at my debts.

In exciting news, Roger was here for another visit over the end of June/early July. We had a great time. It was so good to just hang out around each other without the pressure of 'meeting.' I wasn't able to take any time off, unfortunately, so he spent a lot of time bucketing around Nanaimo, checking out Westwood Lake, down by the Harbourfront, visiting Colliery Dam lakes... but he had a good time, and so did I. We went over to Protection Island and visited the Dinghy Dock Pub, Canada's only floating pub, and just bummed around when I wasn't at work. We went down to Butchart Gardens and saw the first Fireworks show on July 4 - the perfect way to end Roger's visit and to celebrate Independence Day (that part was more of a happy coincidence).

Now I get to look forward to the prospect of a week off with Hannah. We haven't quite decided where we are going to go, but it looks like either a trip up-Island to Hornby, or a roadtrip to Nelson. Either will be welcome. That will be my last 'holiday' of my fun and frugal summer, before school ramps up again on September 8.

All in all, it's been good so far!

And I'm out.

Pics in order from top to bottom:

• Visiting the "Treasures" exhibit at the RBCM.
• Waiting for the ferry to the Dinghy Dock Pub, which incidentally, is a converted lifeboat from the Queen of the North.
• The "Protection Connection" to Protection Island.
• Enjoying the house brew.
• A refreshing drink for Roger on a hot day.
• Departing the Dinghy Dock Pub.
• The view between Newcastle and Protection Islands.
• Visiting with Hannah.