Wow, I have not posted in a long time. Things have been crazy, but not very interesting. I'm still waiting for my background check to finish so I can get my security clearance. I'm working at Walmart while I wait and Lizzy and I possibly found a place to live. It will be a mobile home, not in the greatest of conditions, but at least it will be clean and at least they will let me have Gizmo without charging me an arm and a leg to do it.
We will hopefully be signing our contract tomorrow or early this week. Then comes the task of moving in, and finding some furniture. We need a couch and a table/chairs. Other than that, I need to find myself a mattress (or buy one), but I'm hoping that won't take long to get in order.
The middle of August, we will be heading down to Utah for a family reunion, to help Sara move, and for me to get the last of my stuff. It will be nice to see Gizmo again.
Oh, I guess a couple of interesting things have happened, but they are bad things. First, I was eating some popcorn and broke my left back molar. I went in to the dentist and they told me I would need to get a crown (that is over $1000). I could just do a filling, but the chances of it breaking again are high and it could possible break to the point where it couldn't be fixed next time. So I decided to go with it. Luckily, I qualified for a care credit that is 0% interest for 12 months. That means I only have to pay about $100 a month to not pay interest.
Then, not long after, the alternator in my car died. I took it in, expecting to pay $350. My dad told me that it shouldn't cost that much, but when they gave me the estimate, it was exactly what I was expecting. To my pleasant surprise, it was actually only $225 when I picked it up! That was a relief.
Now all I have to do is hope that no other major expenses come up. All I can say is that it is a good thing I decided to get a job. I don't know what I would do if these things had happened and I wasn't working . . .
And hopefully my background check will be finished soon. If their original estimate is correct, though, I still have 4 months to wait!
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Its July!
It's been a while since I posted. A LOT has been going on, some good, some not so good.
First, I got my medical clearance for the Foreign Service! Worldwide available! This is good, but I am still waiting for my background check to finish so I can get my security clearance. I have been contacted by an investigator (two of them, actually) who have been contacting people that I know and asking them questions about me. I'm glad to see it moving along, although the hard part is still left (I think): they need to contact my foreign contacts. Some of those contacts, I don't have current contact information for (besides email address), so who knows if I will be able to get them the information that they need.
I have also been working on going through my stuff. I finally finished going through the stuff in the room that used to be mine, and have moved Lizzy down there. Although, I still have things in there, at least I know what I am keeping from that room. Unfortunately, it turned out to be most of it . . . But I am getting rid of clothes (including shoes), some books, and most of my papers. That still feels good. Of course, the stuff that was in my room (besides most of the papers) was there because I was using it, so its not really surprising that I am keeping most of the things that were in that room. I will probably get rid of more of the things that are in the attic.
So, one more bad thing. My dad told my sister that Gizmo (my cat) can't stay at that house unless he becomes a family cat. First of all, he's my cat, not a family cat (not that there really is even a family), second of all, I don't want to risk exposing my cat to contagious diseases (the other cat in the house, my dad originally told me had FIV. Now he says that was a false positive and that he has some kind of skin condition. Well, what if the second test was a false negative? And how do I know the skin condition isn't contagious?) Now I have to figure out something else for him. Luckily, Erin said she doesn't mind him staying here (at her house, even though she has two cats and a daycare) if her cats don't have a problem with it. Its funny because my friend, Erin (and my other friend, Heather) are more of family then my dad has ever been. She's willing to help me out in anyway possible, even if its not convenient for her. My dad is only willing to help if it is convenient for him.
Anyway, I've been looking in to finding an apartment, just in case, but it is harder to find apartments that will allow pets here in Bismarck then it was in Provo (and I thought THAT was hard). My dad also tried to make me think that it would be impossible for me to take Gizmo with me when I start working overseas. I've since looked in to it, and he was wrong. Then again, he just says things without ever giving proof to back it up. Sure, there are some countries that require a six-month quarantine, but I think those are rarer. And, from what I understand, there are a lot of pets in the foreign service, so they have information like that readily available before you even bid on a post.
Oh, I also start working today (at Wal-mart) as a night stocker. I'm looking forward to it, but I'm not sure how the night hours will affect me, sleep-wise. It will be fine. After all, it is only until I start working in the foreign service.
First, I got my medical clearance for the Foreign Service! Worldwide available! This is good, but I am still waiting for my background check to finish so I can get my security clearance. I have been contacted by an investigator (two of them, actually) who have been contacting people that I know and asking them questions about me. I'm glad to see it moving along, although the hard part is still left (I think): they need to contact my foreign contacts. Some of those contacts, I don't have current contact information for (besides email address), so who knows if I will be able to get them the information that they need.
I have also been working on going through my stuff. I finally finished going through the stuff in the room that used to be mine, and have moved Lizzy down there. Although, I still have things in there, at least I know what I am keeping from that room. Unfortunately, it turned out to be most of it . . . But I am getting rid of clothes (including shoes), some books, and most of my papers. That still feels good. Of course, the stuff that was in my room (besides most of the papers) was there because I was using it, so its not really surprising that I am keeping most of the things that were in that room. I will probably get rid of more of the things that are in the attic.
So, one more bad thing. My dad told my sister that Gizmo (my cat) can't stay at that house unless he becomes a family cat. First of all, he's my cat, not a family cat (not that there really is even a family), second of all, I don't want to risk exposing my cat to contagious diseases (the other cat in the house, my dad originally told me had FIV. Now he says that was a false positive and that he has some kind of skin condition. Well, what if the second test was a false negative? And how do I know the skin condition isn't contagious?) Now I have to figure out something else for him. Luckily, Erin said she doesn't mind him staying here (at her house, even though she has two cats and a daycare) if her cats don't have a problem with it. Its funny because my friend, Erin (and my other friend, Heather) are more of family then my dad has ever been. She's willing to help me out in anyway possible, even if its not convenient for her. My dad is only willing to help if it is convenient for him.
Anyway, I've been looking in to finding an apartment, just in case, but it is harder to find apartments that will allow pets here in Bismarck then it was in Provo (and I thought THAT was hard). My dad also tried to make me think that it would be impossible for me to take Gizmo with me when I start working overseas. I've since looked in to it, and he was wrong. Then again, he just says things without ever giving proof to back it up. Sure, there are some countries that require a six-month quarantine, but I think those are rarer. And, from what I understand, there are a lot of pets in the foreign service, so they have information like that readily available before you even bid on a post.
Oh, I also start working today (at Wal-mart) as a night stocker. I'm looking forward to it, but I'm not sure how the night hours will affect me, sleep-wise. It will be fine. After all, it is only until I start working in the foreign service.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)