Reach for the stars...

Karmacat

Sorry you didn't get it ....

about looking into starting a business, this is a link I posted the other day on the diary of a friend of mine on here:

http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg...cId=1073869162

Free business plan to get you started! And banks do free booklets that can be a helpful point to start.

niccatw

Thanks Karmacat. I've been looking on this one which is Scottish, but has lots of useful info. And there is probably an English equivalent. It might be helpful for your friend too.

Karmacat

Thanks! I've bookmarked it, will check it out when my brain's in gear again

niccatw

I know that feeling! I have been directionless today.

I have meandered from room to room without quite cleaning and sorting them and surfing from website to website, taking me from business planning to renting office space to looking at eco homes for sale to cheap holidays (that are bound to have a huge carbon footprint) to Kindles and the Orange price increase to setting up a social enterprise whilst listening to music ranging from big band orchestra through mowtown and country to Indie Brit pop and then just cheesy pop, whilst dipping in and out of Guardian articles...

I think the hardest decision I have made is will I move and go and make that cup of tea or will I just wonder when the rain might stop!

I think I need some-one to extract all the ideas in my head, eradicate the nonsensical ones and put the rest into a sensible order so I can come up with an action plan that doesn't freak me out and send me spiralling from site to site wondring about the buts, what ifs and maybes!

I have butterflies in my tummy and I don't know why! All the scary stuff I have been doing recently is now finished! I'm guessing the control freak in me wants an action plan but doesn't really know what kind, what for or where to start!

Karmacat

Lists! I've tried mind maps, but they don't do it for me, I can see interrelationships very clearly when I write a list. Which may take some time. Hope the rain has stopped


Oh. Just remembered the weather report, sorry - snow?

niccatw

Nicca clearly cannot multi-task!

I obviously came on and attempted a post hours ago, got distracted by cleaning the flat and making banana cake and booking a holiday. Except I didn't have any marg so the banana cake has stalled. The holiday was numerous text messages flying backwards and forwards and the flat is now clean! Though still need to take stuff to the dump.

The weather in the city is still rain though all around seems to be snow! Please may it stay that way as I am now going to Portugal for a week in January. Yay! For £125 including flights. :j

Other than doggy sitting in the UK for my parents, this is the longest holiday I will have been on since I went eurorailing in 2000! :eek: And since then I can count the holidays I've had on one hand No wonder I am a grumpy moo!

It should also co-incide with RBS being paid off! My guess is I will sleep and miss half the week! :rotfl:

MrsMoo2U

Nic, so pleased that KC was around on Saturday. Sounds to me like you needed some help talking things through. Sounds like you have a semblance of a plan now. Portugal YAY....... £125 Triple YAY!!! well done you deserve it.

Sorry you didn't get the job. Still it answered your own concerns without you making the decision to turn it down. These things are best seen as getting your name out there. You now have some new contacts in another area which will all help you in the future when you are self employed.

As for the VSO secondment, she cant stop you from applying. By applying she will have to put in writing why she is not supporting you. All of this needs to be documented. If you can build up experience whilst still working that will stand you in good stead for a full posting later on. I say apply...... tell the boss that you want the opportunity to stretch yourself and you are not getting that at the moment. They have a duty to keep you well at work and boredom can lead to stress and you know where that leads to. All of this needs to be considered, recorded and followed up on.

niccatw

Thank you MrsMoo. Needing to hear that at the moment. I know I didn't want the other job but today feeling I'm like I want to hand my notice in right now! Somehow I think one week in Portugal will not be enough! Pity I don't have any more annual leave left!

I emailed the VSO contact for my profession to see what she says about the opportunity. They are looking for very specific skills for a very specific post and I could do a lot of it but in a much less technical way than they possibly need. I told boss that VSO have a contract with NHS Scotland and that the Scot Exec encourage all trusts to look favourably upon it and treat it as a secondment, though they no longer continue to pay pension contributions. None of which she knew - and given this was just after our very long meeting, she must have made the connection that I have already looked into it!

The snow is here. I had a horrible journey to this mornings meeting due to a being stuck in traffic, getting lost in the diversion and the flurry of snow on top of what was already lying. Got there about 40 minutes late and on way back had less than 5 miles to go before I ran out of deisel. I passed two petrol stations that were cordoned off. I could see the third petrol station but was stuck in a long queue at lights and could hear the engine sounding a bit gurgly! I made it by the skin of my teeth! And I think that's because I was coasting. There is nothing worse than getting lost in the city and not knowing where the nearest petrol station is or the most direct route to any petrol station you do know! Maybe now I will learn to keep the tank at half full! (Mind you, it was a quarter tank last night so should have been plenty!)

So I came home for lunch as I need to calm down and breath!

Make sure I go back to body balance tonight, will you? I haven't been since I got my shin splints and it's becoming pretty obvious I need it for my sanity!

Lapsang Souchong tea today. It's nice and smoky and lovely on a cold day. And of course, berry oatcakes!

MrsMoo2U

Ah Nic, you do sound a bit fraught at the moment. The holiday will do you good. What are you doing at Christmas? I have a phobia about running out of fuel as my ex was always letting the fuel run right down and Mr is always on the edge. I travel through rural wales so I always try to have a half tank but as you say if you get lost/diverted there isnt much that you can do about it.

Liquorice tea here for me, lovely and indulgent on a day like today. Drove back to Wales through some snow last night but there isnt any here yet.

niccatw

Licquorice tea sounds interesting. I haven't tried that. I must add it to my tea collection (I'll need to see if there's any "normal" tea hiding in the back of the cupboard for visitors at the weekend!)

I'm not really looking forward to christmas MrsMoo. We always have certain family members come to my parents at christmas but this year we will be minus one as he died in a house fire this year.

Anyway, enough of the sad, woe is me news. I popped on to make sure you watch Channel 4 on demand when you can. A certain George is getting very angry about "The Great British Property Scandal". As well he should. As well we all should!