It seems I will do almost anything to avoid my math homework … including writing a depressingly grim diary update. Yesterday’s headline story was Santa Cruz faces more bad news on budget front. And today’s … Budget woes expand in Santa Cruz. Although budget shortfalls and related work-worries never completely disappeared, they shifted from “Will the Center close?” to “Will we lose another position?” Guess what? Here we go again, right back where we started two and a half years ago, with a 4 million dollar budget gap. And that means the Community Center could close, along with a host of other P&R facilities, fire stations, etc. Only this time, we’ve already asked the voters (twice!) to approve new taxes or keep legally-challenged fees in order to save public services. Will they do it a third time? With gas prices nearing $3 a gallon, rampant layoffs, spiraling health care and housing costs? With everyone feeling the pinch?

So far, I feel numb. I can hardly take in that we’re here again. My role is different this time. And I personally have less to lose (at least economically-speaking, having already given up more than half of my income.) But if I lose my job, maybe that ten-year-plan of moving to Oregon moves up a notch.

But for now, back to my math … where every problem has a solution. That’s a good thing.