In the past week a few smaller changes have come down the pipe which caused me to make decisions about my future on a larger scale. First a little background-I am a government contractor for the US Army in real life. Money is tight with the government right now and unfortunately jobs like mine are the first on the chopping block. Fortunately, the decision was made last year to make our positions part time instead of eliminating us all together-not the greatest to get the hours cut but at least I still have a job. This past month our contract was awarded to a new contractor who unlike the previous contractor wants to charge 1/4 of what we make for health insurance premiums just for me AND my vacation time got cut down to 10 days a year. Insurance would be about 1/2 what I make if I covered my family as well. Fortunately again I have insurance through my husband's employer. So, when these changes were announced it really made me step back and evaluate what I wanted to do job-wise. I cannot feasibly stay in the same job (even though I love what I do) if I'm making peanuts and getting virtually no benefits. I am so grateful to have a job in this economy and one that seems tailor made for me but it also needs to pay the bills. My options are: 1) Find another job (I live in Michigan and not in the Capitol region or Detroit so there really are none) or 2) Change course. I pick option #2. My goal in life is to become a librarian and nothing signals "now is the time" more than the recent changes that have been made for my job. So, I am going back to school starting in September! I have 8 classes left towards my Bachelor's and then I will be applying to the MLIS program at Wayne State Univ in the fall of 2013.
Unfortunately, that is going to impact my blogging for awhile so I have updated my review policy. I have reviews scheduled through mid-September and 2 in October but beyond what I already have scheduled now, I won't be accepting more for the time being.
What I will still be doing:
I will also still be reading and reviewing. Just probably not as much and only from my TBR beyond what I have already committed to. School doesn't start til a month after the Giveaway Hop but it is probably going to be my last big hurrah before I go into stealth mode. I would rather forgo sleeping and eating than give up reading so there is no way I'm giving up books or blogging about them!
In all honesty, I am both excited and scared at the same time of taking on school again but I am never going to reach my goal if I don't actively pursue it. Just wanted to put this out there that a few changes are afoot here at Bippity Boppity Book. Don't y'all just hate when real life (or anything really) gets in the way of reading? Hopefully this course will make things better in the long run though.
I live in Michigan as well and have been looking for a job for a while now with no luck. Fortunately my husband has a good job so we are doing ok but I know how you feel about looking for a job in this state right now. Good luck with going back to school, hope everything works out for you!!!
ReplyDeleteBig changes and exciting times. Good luck with going back to school.
ReplyDeleteSometimes life changes and our priorities have to change with it! Good luck with school and hope it all works out well.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck! I think you're right - it may be time for a change. I'm working on a degree right now too, so we'll be doing it together - lots of support!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations and good luck with your new career. That's awful about the conditions offered with your job - 25% is a lot to pay in health insurance!
ReplyDeleteAs scary as it might be to undergo such change, I think it's awesome that you've decided to pursue your dream. Best of luck to you!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the support ladies! It is a lot to pay for insurance and when I factored in daycare costs for my son and gas money to get to work if I took the insurance I'd be working for $200 a month plus an insurance plan my doctor doesn't even take :( The previous employer if we covered just ourselves it was free.
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