Karmacat: To Infinity And Beyond!

taka

Karmacat wrote: »

I think there are two things that worry me - one is the financial side - not really about being in debt, its about whether my income can stay "high" enough (insert hollow laugh) to keep up with my commitments - my endowment policy will pay out about two thirds of what it was supposed to, in 2.5 years' time - can I keep going till then? Yes, I can, but at what level? Its sinking in that *ever* claiming benefits, and keeping what I've worked so hard for, would be impossible, because I have an investment property - and when I bought that property, I never, ever imagined I'd need to even *think* about claiming.

Its good writing it out like that, because its all ifs buts and maybes in the fairly distant future. Which is part of the "giving myself a talking to" :j

Hmmmm... thats difficult... Its never nice when things don't quite go to plan!

Yours, OTOH, is summer next year!!! Thats not long, and definitely needs thinking about. There's a *lot* of life changing stuff coming up!

I'm kind of used to it - we rarely get funding for longer than a couple of years. I've just been a bit spoilt recently as I'm currently on a 4 year set of funding! I've had 5 sets of funding in 10 years (I think!). Its more I'm wondering if I even want my boss to try to get more funding for me or to try and head in a different direction, or try working elsewhere. I've been here for ~9yrs and have rather become a vaguely useful but ignorable part of the furniture of my deparment. Since I haven't done a PhD the options in my field are kind of limited. I did look at doing a PhD but due to my grades I'd need to self fund a masters and all living expenses (so ~£20k including fees :eek:) for a year then be on a tiny stipend for a further few years - and that is presuming I get in in the 1st place. :rotfl: I rather painfully came to the conclusion that its not for me (not just due to the cost)... I just don't know what is! :rotfl:

taxi73

Hi Karma...That's definitely a hard one.It's so hard working out these problems especially when there are a lot of ifs and buts.At least thinking about it you have time to put plans in place and to figure out what is best for you.
It does anger me when people have worked so hard for everything and can't get help when needed but those that have never worked get everything.The care system for the elderly paricularly riles me!!!

Taka..hope you can come up with something that you really want to do.

Karmacat

taka wrote: »

Hmmmm... thats difficult... Its never nice when things don't quite go to plan! Isn't that the truth :rotfl:


I'm kind of used to it - we rarely get funding for longer than a couple of years. I've just been a bit spoilt recently as I'm currently on a 4 year set of funding! I've had 5 sets of funding in 10 years (I think!). Its more I'm wondering if I even want my boss to try to get more funding for me or to try and head in a different direction, or try working elsewhere.

If you substitute "clients" for "funding, thats me!

I've been here for ~9yrs and have rather become a vaguely useful but ignorable part of the furniture of my deparment. Since I haven't done a PhD the options in my field are kind of limited. I did look at doing a PhD but due to my grades I'd need to self fund a masters and all living expenses (so ~£20k including fees :eek:) for a year then be on a tiny stipend for a further few years - and that is presuming I get in in the 1st place. :rotfl: I rather painfully came to the conclusion that its not for me (not just due to the cost)... I just don't know what is! :rotfl:

I can relate to that too.... I wrote out a list earlier today of part time jobs that I might combine with what I do, full time jobs that might substitute, and new self employment opportunities that might go with either or both..... its getting quite complicated

taxi73

That all sounds very interesting Karma.

Karmacat

taxi73 wrote: »

Hi Karma...That's definitely a hard one.It's so hard working out these problems especially when there are a lot of ifs and buts.At least thinking about it you have time to put plans in place and to figure out what is best for you.
It does anger me when people have worked so hard for everything and can't get help when needed but those that have never worked get everything.The care system for the elderly paricularly riles me!!!

Taka..hope you can come up with something that you really want to do.

Taxi, I missed this post of yours, sorry. Thanks for the support on this - sadly, its just one more way that I didn't think through the purchase of the French property - but truly, even if I'd done my sums properly on the income of the place, I'd never have thought I'd be in need of any benefits, it just wouldn't have been on my radar. Hey ho.

Very "up and at 'em" today. I'm going to ring the estate agent to make an appointment to come round next week as the first real step to putting it on the market, so I'll be doing as much as I can of cleaning and whatnot - trouble is, my fingers are arthritis-hurting, there'll only be so much I can do. But I'll do what I can.

hypno06

I think that wobbles and freaking are absolutely fine. I hope so, anyway, because I am doing a fair amount of the same myself!

Changes are scary - exciting too, but scary - because we like to know what's what, we like to be safe, and we like routine. Sometimes the acceptance of knowing that change is necessary is a hard one to deal with because it feels like it is going against the grain somewhat. But ask anyone (yourself included) how they feel once they have taken the plunge, and the answer is generally a positive one, although there may well be a "period of adjustment".

Get the house on the market - it is a big thing that you know you want to do on so many levels - it will be both terrifying and invigorating. Sometimes the terror may feel overwhelming, but other days the excitement of it all will win through and feel fantastic!!

Karmacat

Thanks for this, Hypno - you're right, it is scary, but the alternative is mouldering away in a life I don't want. And there have been a couple of big changes like this, that I've thought about and thought about for a year or more beforehand, and they've turned out to be absolutely right for me.

So I will, I'll ring today - and if the outside of the kitchen window isn't cleaned by the time the estate agent comes round (and truly, thats the level of excuse I'm making to myself) well, tough!

redsquirrel80

Karmacat wrote: »

Thanks for this, Hypno - you're right, it is scary, but the alternative is mouldering away in a life I don't want. And there have been a couple of big changes like this, that I've thought about and thought about for a year or more beforehand, and they've turned out to be absolutely right for me.

So I will, I'll ring today - and if the outside of the kitchen window isn't cleaned by the time the estate agent comes round (and truly, thats the level of excuse I'm making to myself) well, tough!

That's the attitude :TLet us know once you've made the call.

Pippilongstocking

(In a quiet voice - do it, do it, do it!)

*leaves quietly*

Karmacat

Thanks for the cheerleading guys .... once I saw that, I rang. Had to leave a message on voicemail but the deed is done

Now to work like crazy to get the place a bit cleaner...........