What, you expected Lissa Cunneen to be confused and frightened every single week? Well, not this one.

I must apologize, readers, if this week my tale is insufficiently woeful, but I had a great birthday! I had an appointment with my cancer doctor and it went well. My exam was good and she changed my prescription to a generic which will help save me money. In addition, she gave me the number of a woman with the American Cancer Society who might be able to get me my drugs for free, so Yay! I was very relieved that things went as they did. I had two rounds of surgery in the winter of 2006/2007 and I’d just as soon not go through that again while being uninsured and underemployed.

My blogging here has been very beneficial. It has led to two job leads, which, even if they don’t pan out, have given me hope and an opportunity to think of myself and my skills in new ways. I never thought of my writing as anything special, but the kind words I’ve gotten from readers, many of whom are not related to me by blood, has helped me through those moments when I think maybe I should just start drinking in the morning.

It was the Commentariat who encouraged me to ask about prescription assistance programs, linked to websites about refinancing, and, in one instance, offered a tasty recipe for cat with dumplings should things get truly dire. They have suggested ways in which to economize that I have taken to heart. My cell phone is a good example. I’d had it since the divorce, and since the contract was about to expire and it sounded like a large mosquito was living in it, I thought I should look into a cheaper plan and/or phone. So I did. I am now on a family plan with my boyfriend which reduces both our monthly phone bills, and we can talk all we want to each other... on our iPhones. Short of a pony, it was pretty much the best birthday present ever. Wait! Maybe there’s a pony app! Sweeeeeet!

So again, I apologize that all is not dust and despair and dumpster diving for dumplings this week. But even in winter it can’t rain all the time.

Have an unemployment story to share? Write to jobless@thestranger.com.