HEAT

I've asked a lot of people what temperature they leave their thermostat at during the winter. Most people say they leave it at somewhere around 68 degrees. Damn, I leave mine at 64 and my bills are $220 a month! It's freezing here. I'm wearing jeans, socks, shoes, a cami, a t-shirt, a zip up sweatshirt hoodie, a sweater over that and then a huge fleece robe over that and my hands and feet are still freezing. I hate winter. I've talked to the maintenance guys and they it's because the windows aren't sealed properly. I've tried the whole putting plastic over the windows thing and that doesn't help much either. I just got off the phone with HEAP and they won't even tell me if I qualify...I've told them what I make an hour, 40 hours a week, what I get in child support every month and she's still being a bitch. She knows the income guidelines, she just won't give them to me. She said I have to send in my last four paycheck stubs...well, that's pointless because I've worked a lot of overtime so of course I won't qualify. I guess for a three person household, you can't make more than $3,172 a month. And, according to my calculations, I don't. But, if I include my overtime it will send me over the income limit. So, I work the overtime because, basically, I HAVE to in order to feed my kids and pay the rent. I BEG my boss for overtime. There is only one paycheck of mine that doesn't have overtime in it and that is my very first one. Since I get paid bi-weekly, I only have 3 paycheck stubs so far. They must make applying so hard on purpose so people can just give up. I've worked the overtime because I need the extra money and NOW, it's gonna kick me in the ass when I apply for HEAP...oh, I guess I should mention what HEAP is...it's help paying your heating bill for the winter. They give you one grant every winter. In the past, it's been $440 for the year. Now, I probably won't qualify. I've been thinking of getting a part time job during the day, while the kids are in school just so I can pay the bills I DO have. I just don't feel like bagging groceries at Price Chopper or being a cashier. I HATE being a cashier...I've been there and done it before and it sucks. And it only pays minimum wage, but the local Price Chopper IS looking for people so I might apply anyway. I desperately need the money. I have to apply online though, which is a pain in the ass. I've applied for jobs online before and there's no room to write the little details that you ARE able to write on paper...you know...for example, there's one job I've worked at where my boss doesn't work there anymore so I don't know WHO to list as a contact. Oh well. I'll do the best I can. At least I now have two PROFESSIONAL references to list as contacts...my internship and my current job. My work ethics is perfect. I rarely call in sick. Generally, my boss has to TELL me to go home if I'm sick...well, they have in the past...I haven't really been too sick to work at my new job...so I haven't encountered that just yet. Since the child support has dropped significantly and other one isn't paying, I have no choice but to either, work a lot of overtime, OR get another job. The only thing I worry about is my rent going way up. Right now I pay $714 for a 3 bedroom, based on my current income. If I get another job, it's likely to go up to $900 or more a month. I don't even know why I'm writing this all down...I'm "thinking" on paper...well, on the computer. I'm just kind of typing the thoughts that are running through my head at the moment...that's why it probably won't make sense to any of you who read it, lol. I guess I'll stop now. I have to get ready for work. Today is a "short" day for me, 2pm-11pm...I usually work 11 or 12 hour days...so hopefully, it goes by fast because even though I got a decent night of sleep last night, I'm still exhausted. I guess my dad called last night. I had no memory of the call. I came downstairs and saw his number on the called ID and said, "Damn, I guess I WAS tired because I didn't even hear the phone ring when he called. So, I go about day, go to the tanning place and as I'm standing in the booth, the conversation I had with him slowly comes back to me. I DID answer the phone, I was just so tired that I barely remembered it.