Stylized to ensure reference to the classic go-go banger by Amerie and not the One Direction effort.

Variable Expenses Budget: $500.00
Spent Today: $0.00 – Yay!
Variable Budget Remaining: $175.68

October Income Goal: $2,500.00
Earned Today: $74.70*
Earned To Date: $779.64*
Goal Remaining: ($1,720.36)

The income over the past few days has been under one hundred dollars but it also reflects very little work on my part. Since last year, Qwick has become very popular in my marketplace, and competition for gigs can be stiff on weekdays when opportunities are scarce. As a result, I am much more willing to accept short shifts with higher hourly rates. Today, I only made $74.70 but I worked less than three hours. Qwick has a four-hour shift minimum. Employers know this and understand that they will have to pay the shift minimum no matter what, so for off-site events like private events/banquets, they will often let you go once the work is completed, even before the shift ends, as it means they get to leave as well.

My paralysis of yesterday extended into today and I am no closer to making a decision about exactly what is next, how I will walk down the path, or if I will apply for the role at University B. However, I did meet up with my former housemate, whose departure I lamented because she is awesome, and realized I have tepidly reached one conclusion: I’d like to remain in my current city. Because my current, temporary role with University B doesn’t require that I remain in my current state, part of my decision-making had to do with my decision to stay in the southeast or return to the northeast. While the northeast has my best friend of more than 18 years and better weather (I’m a cold-weather chick), it doesn’t really have another draw for me at the moment. I have become part of a community in my current city and have a strong network of friends and acquaintances with whom I enjoy spending my time. My relationship with my parents is increasingly dear to me and I don’t really want to move so far away from them again. At least not now. At least not for no reason in particular.

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*Income is reported as cash on hand. Some gigs are 1099 gigs (taxes not withheld) and some gigs are W-2 gigs (taxes withheld) and it would be tough to distinguish between the two in a neat way. Instead, I will report cash in hand, and money set aside for taxes and expenses related to gig work will have a budget line item each month.