It's All About Priorities

My boyfriend left for Japan today and my part time/weekend job hunt begins.

The latest dilemma in reaching my goal to cycle across North America:

1. Obtain secondary employment, working weekends and holidays (with some weekday flexibility). Combine primary employment holiday leave and vacation leave to spend two weeks in Japan with the boyfriend from December 19 to January 3. Miss out on extra secondary job hours and income that could be gained while on paid holiday leave from December 24-January 3.

2. Obtain secondary employment, working weekends and holidays (with some weekday flexibility). Remain in New York City in December and take advantage of extra hours and income with the secondary job while on paid holiday leave from my primary job from December 24 to January 3. Apartment/cat/dogsit for my boss while she's in Costa Rica for three weeks. Add additional earnings to Christmas money (hint-hint, mom and dad).

3. Continue living in an overpriced Midtown Manhattan closet - I mean, apartment - on single employment income and stop contributing to the 401(k), Roth IRA, mutual funds and savings, cancel the cell phone plan, turn off the cable, discontinue the gym membership, switch to the Ramen Noodle diet, febreeze my clothes, and only wash my hair once a week in order to save an extra $1500 each month between now and June of 2010. Hope and pray that mom and dad find it in their hearts to give me $15,000 for Christmas (not a chance, you say?). Don't visit the boyfriend in Japan. Clothes and hair will be smelly anyway.

4. Do everything in #3. Go to Japan. Bring laundry and ask the boyfriend for shampoo and conditioner for Christmas.

5. Break up with the boyfriend, who still has yet to offer to foot the entire bill for my $15,000-dream, and join seekingarrangement.com (hint-hint, babe ... I mean, just kidding).

Oh. What to do ... ?