Lately, I've been on this mission- pay off old debts. When I was substitute teaching for four years, I was in financial dire straights. When I was still working for the bank and had a regular paycheck that could be relied upon, my credit was really good, I paid my bills on time (for the most part) and everything was honkey dorey. When I left the financial security for the obscurity of substitute teaching- a necessary evil if you actually plan on getting a teaching job here in WNY- well, all of that crumbled and every credit card that I had went down the creek. At this current space in time, I am in the process of repairing all of that mess. I have a teaching job that is, seemingly, secure and so I am now fixing what I screwed up. I will have 4 of them paid off by the end of June, another by the end of August and the last paid off, hopefully, in September. I don't know if I would have been so keen on fixing my debacle in such short order if it hadn't dawned on me that I would really like to own my own home. In order for me to do that, I have to fix my credit. I am, in fact, finally striving to be an Adult- face my fears and fix my messes! Hopefully, I'll be able to buy my own house within the next year and I am hoping to find that house in the city. It was a sad, sad moment when I realized that what I pay in gas for my car could actually pay a mortgage! Fingers crossed, e-strippers, that I will be able to keep my focus and not get side tracked by inanities! In the past, I have always been my own worse saboteur!