A quick update on my situation:
With the change of jobs I recently made, my timing could not have been worse [to do it].
The very same week I left the old job, my motorbike died a horrible death [Locked up/seized motor]. The prognosis is not good. [I was confident that it was just the electric starter that had shot it's cog into the motor ~WRONG!] At the very least I need an exchange motor for it which will cost in excess of $1,500.00 ~money I just don't have at the moment. A rebuild of the motor thats currently in it would have run at about $2,000.00. The bike itself has a resale value of about $1,200 in GOOD condition, so you can see where I'm at with that.
At the same time this happened, all the utility companies [Electric, phone, cellphone, internet] decided to send me their quarterly bills within a few days of each other, so I'm performing a monetary juggling act at the present time trying to get these paid off.
I was spending money I can't afford to be spending on transport to work, which was in taxi's as the public transport in this city sucks. Theres no service that passes nearby that runs directly into the center of town. All of them loop all over the place before heading into town, and that would mean getting up way earlier. Public transport here is mostly used by indigenous people who have an aversion to showering/washing, and the buses really STINK!
I'm borrowing a pushbike today, and intend to ride to work & back [it's quite a ways from home] to try to get back in front financially. I hate this situation immensely. I always have money put away for emergencies, but I've drained that too.
I'm working my butt off trying to get back to a place I feel comfortable in financially, hence the reason for my prolonged absence here, though I have dropped in as/where possible and moderated a few things here & there. I had to also set my internet acess to quite a low cap as I was on an unlimited plan that was costing $60/month.
Slowly ....very slowly, I'm getting there ...but It'll still be a little while before I can get my life back into shape and resume full duties here. If that means I have to lose my moderator duties/priveledges/status, then so be it ...but I'd rather not if thats possible. I really do love this site and the folks associated with it.
Hopefully, you folks who make the decisions about WC will see fit to let me ride this rough patch out without losing my mod position, but if you need to let me go, I'll understand.
I didn't want to blurt out my financial woes here, but I felt you guys & gals deserved an explanation for my prolonged absence.
[My damned glasses fell out of my top pocket as I was crossing [against] some lights and were instantly run over by a car, too ...I'm currently using a pair af cheap magnifiers to read with. ]
"These things are sent to test us" they say ...well I'm over the damned testing! Hopefully I passed.
Erk