Ok, it starts here

savingwannabe

Hey tomorrow will be better. Why can't someone invent calorie free chocolate? I was so healthy today and blew it with bacon sandwiches and crisps. Can someone invent calorie free food?????

williamD1964

Good morning all. Had a day to forget yesaterday. My body clock is still screwed from working nights, and along with the lethargy that has recently overtaken me I slept most of the day and evening. Much to my wifes annoyance. I have also had the most annoying headache for the past few days, this I suspect is a tension headache. I have had these before at times of stress. Today (been up since 3am) will see if I can get the attitude adjustment that I need. Daughter is awake with me, and we are watchung some cartoons. Going swimming at 6am for an hour or so. I really need to get back into the keep fit side of things. Have neglected this in the past weeks and this may be contributing to my lethargy. Also need to get back into the taking lunch to work, and finally going to take another look at my finances. I have also decided to pull my neck in at work. I have decided that now is not the time to be the most vociferous complainant! Self preservation is the watchword.

Firewalker? I too have printed off that book and will make a genuine attempt to look at it. Thank you. More later.

Stay strong people

Firewalker

Hi William, glad to hear you are still clean - I've said before that this is the main thing; the rest will come. You are making good progress on all fronts it seems.

You know, William, I am finding that the Secret is working - but I think it happens thorugh changing attitudes and through focusing one's attention on opportunities. I still have not read N Hill's book - have it here but have been reading novels again and seeing family so not much time. But Scrooge is saying that it is not bad - and Scrooge has managed to turn £100 in aprox £2,500 since January.

You seem to understand stocks and shares - probably worth a go. But at least at the begining this can't be seen as a long term investment - you will have to move a lot and move fast. I was also thinking that the big players on the stock market are called 'sharks' not because they are deadly but because they move.

Keep focused and take care.

Firewalker

williamD1964

Good morning all. Today is a special day. Today, I am 188 days clean and, today I have survived on this planet for the grand total of 46 years. 46 years...its days like this I realise I have fewer years ahead of me than I have already lived. But today I refuse to be maudlin or down hearted! Today will be a good day...
It has been almost three weeks since my last post on here. A lot has happened but also a lot has stayed the same and some has got worse. Let’s see...
Since I was last here, I have been on a family holiday to Jersey. It’s a beautiful island, distinctly British but also fiercely in dependant. It still has pound notes which made me soooooooooooooooooooooo want to stay there forever! Memories of my misspent youth, more of that later! As a nervous flyer, I was not impressed to see our aircraft had propellers! My children (first time flyers) as expected, took it in their stride and my delightful son took great pleasure in telling me when the wheels were coming up and down. The hotel was comfortable, the beaches were exceptionally clean the food was great. The hotels heated indoor pool was under-used by everyone except us! The kids have been having swimming lessons for nearly 6 months now, but seemed to be making little progress. I and the wife had hoped we could use the time in the pool to encourage them. By the time we left, 4 days later, they could both swim the width of the pool without using a float, ring or arm bands. We even have movies of these life changing events! It’s amazing what I a little 1 on 1 attention will do. Well, that and a little bribery (which, I prefer to call motivational rewards)! For managing this monumental feat, my daughter and son both got there requested “rewards”. The pool was used at least 3 times a day by us, and even on the morning of we were coming back. They pool also had a Jacuzzi, which was a real work of art and I know my wife would love something similar on our patio. I also want my football team to win promotion to the premiership in my lifetime, but we will see! We arrived back only for my wife to disappear overseas to visit her mother. This meant I have had the kids for the week. This has not been a real problem, as this was not the first time since they have been born that she has gone to visit mom abroad. This time they run me ragged from dawn to dusk! I have been literally dropping into bed and been asleep before my head hit the pillow.
Ok, so finances – This has not been a good month for the finances. I overspent on the holiday spending budget by £250, which eat into my money pot for buying stock. I then had to pay £575for the wife’s ticket to visit mom, and £250 on stock for resale. On the good side, most of the items I have ordered have buyers waiting so the money paid out will be back in the credit card account ASAP, and mom has sent $1000 to cover the cost of the ticket. This should get me back on track. Finances will continue to be a real worry in the next few months, with 4 one day strikes being called, and an overtime ban in place. I really need to EBay like nobody’s business. After much soul searching and discussing this with my wife, she has said that she will support me whatever decision I make.
I am scouring the internet looking for the next big thing in the run up to Christmas, but I am like millions of others, but I am also finding a few bargains in the process. These I hope to resell for a modest profit. My big worry is that this is another form of gambling. Thoughts please people.
I have tried to get back into The Secret. For some reason I find it hard going and somewhat patronising and simplistic, but think that if it’s possible to think yourself good luck, then I would like some please! Hence, the book is in my bag, and I will struggle to get to grips with it.
I have let things slip recently. I have been lazy in my attitude, my money habits and my personal focus too. There are some things that I can’t or won’t discuss on here but suffice to say that I am not happy with all in my life. I have allowed myself to be side-tracked and it has become apparent to me that I need to re-focus on the main prize. The dross or the things that are poisonous need to be expelled and gotten rid of permanently. This will happen by the end of the week.
I will reset the goals that I set myself, and set some new ones, and go for them.
These include losing weight, cutting out/reducing the sugar intake, drink more water & less alcohol, getting back into swimming, riding my bike (new bike to be purchased through company loan in September,) clear at least 1 credit card before Christmas, take time for me (including listening to more music, visiting my friends, and reading the books I want to read and the ones I need to read).
I have just got in from work, a real heavy duty night shift. I was tired, feeling grotty and in need of my bed. Then, my children gave me handmade birthday cards, and my wife gave me my birthday present – a new laptop, and tickets for football tonight! WOW!
Also been offered free tickets for the England game on Friday but may not be able to get the time off but will try everything to go!
New year, new me, and new goals...God help the world.
I am William, and I am going to be debt free and happy.
Stay strong people.
Firewalker, thank you for your wise & kind words. You are a real friend x

Firewalker

Happy Birthday William - wishing you all the best and many contented days to come. Have a good one with your family - these are the moments that enrich our lifes.

Now I would like to make several comments on your update. First, is the Secret - at first it does sound rather daft. But the jist of it is that you thing in positive terms about yourself and what you do; you don't mention the things you don't want in your life but this should not stop you dealing with these; when bad things happen it is natural to feel negative emotions but the art is to move into calmness soon after - otherwise your judgement is clouded and action is paralised; the hardest thing I find is to learn to phrase things in positive way (it is worth trying this one with your children when telling them off - this can be done so that it sound positive). Which brings me to affirmations - these help because of self suggestion; we do them all the time - this is exactly how we end up in a negative spiral; only thing is it can be done so that we end up in a positive one. Repeat after me: I am William; I have a brilliant business mind and I will eliminate my negative wealth by...[set a clear date]. In this spirit you also should not think or talk of yourself as 'lazy' - you work really hard and you are doing really well.

There might be a small matter with your goals, though which might be the reason why you slip on some of these. I don;t believe that people can focus on, or change, so many things simultaniously. I know I can't - change is a very difficult thing and changing one thing at the time consumes all my available energy. Would you consider focusing on one goal at the time and keeping the rest of them on the backburner? Once the goal you focused on is a well established habit move to the next one.

I hope that I am not sounding like the Secret (patronising) I am just trying to help - all this advice is sufferred by me. I have not gambled for over 15 years now; I did put my spending under control; now I am on the loosing weight part of change and the being disciplines one.

Firewalker

williamD1964

Evening all. Now using my all singing all dancing laptop! With regard to the goals, I see them as intertwined. Cutting down on the sugar, improving my diet and exercise are all one and the same thing. As is the exercise and swimming. These bike riding will be to and from the station to work (have invested in waterproof clothing) so that I can use the cycle tracks along side the stations. This will help with general fitness. I slip because I am lazy. I also slip because of the bad things I need to address this week. I have already started and these will all be gone by saturday.
I have managed to arrange for the day off on friday, so I can go watch the national team at wembley. WHOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Always the patriot and optimist.
Really going to push the ebay and internet this weekend. Want to get my balance back in order.
And so to bed...

williamD1964

Yesterday I promised that I would deal with some of the poisons that have sidetracked me, and affected my life. Today was a start, tomorrow I will do more and expel something toxic for good. I also have sourced some very good items that I am hoping will bring the balance back to profit extremely quickly. My dilemma is, as always, how much do I risk to make that bit extra? I have invested 50 to make 80, with the option to invest 200 to make 120. Not exactly richard branson but its a start.

Kids back to school tomorrow. Year one! Wife is pleased, she can now get some down time. Got to make some inroads as soon as possible.

Early nighht tonight, start the swimming again tomorrow.

Stay safe my friends - today I have not gambled

Firewalker

williamD1964 wrote: »

My dilemma is, as always, how much do I risk to make that bit extra? I have invested 50 to make 80, with the option to invest 200 to make 120. Not exactly richard branson but its a start.

Stay safe my friends - today I have not gambled

Hi William,

it is dilemma indeed and you are the one to decide - how high is the risk and can you afford it. If it were me I would go for invest £200 make £120. If you can go without the £200 leave it to roll - if you need it start rolling the £120 - but don't draw much out. This is if you feel confortable with it, of course. My observation is that you are rather good at this and you can do it - if only you start believing in yourself a bit more (self suggestion might be in order here).

Earlier you mentioned that you are concerned about this being a form of gambling - my position on this one will be that the difference is whether you are in control or not. If you start losing control - it can be classed as gambling. But you are stronger than that - so don't worry.

Good luck
Firewalker

williamD1964

Good evening readers. Followers will know that I was given the opportunity to watch England at Wembley on Friday evening. These being freebies, I didn't expect much from the seating but boy was I wrong. We were in the third tier, on the halfway line, row two. This gave me not only a magnificent view of the stadium but of the play. So, to my friend, I sincerely thank you for a marvellous night out. I still think the defence is very fragile, but it is nice to have a goalkeeper that is confident and looks to have the ability to stay there for a while.

Ok, to work...I have swum a few times since my last post. I went on Friday before the game. I realise now that my left arm is seriously weaker than my right. This needs work. I am seriously considering using some weights to work the arms. I also realise that I need to do some real work on the bike and cross trainer. My stamina is non-existent. This really p*sses me off no end. I remember being able to stay the pace. This needs serious work and have sat down and decided that I will ride not only to the station and back again regardless of the weather, I will ride three stations in advance. This will mean a minimum of 10 miles a day when working. This starts on Thursday as the new bike arrives on Wednesday.

I have had a few rows with the wife recently regarding her perception of what I do around the house. I admit to not being the most tidiest of people, and yes I have a tendency to leave things where they drop, which does tend to wind her up. However, I do find it galling that she can criticise me for being lazy, then when I come home from work at midnight, I find a sink full of dirty dishes and the dish washer empty. I then have to wind down, have a shower, and then when I do get to bed about 1 or 2 am, it's me that gets up with kids at 6am to get them breakfast & ready for school! But hey, all I do is use work as an excuse to get away from the kids while she’s stuck at home!
Sorry, rant over.
I have started to recoup the losses I have accrued slowly but surely. I did think of trying to source some items through Alibaba, but most of the manufacturers demand a minimum order of between 500 & 1000 items which is way beyond my budget. Again, I will speak to a few friends and colleagues regarding joining forces.

The strike looks like it will go ahead. There is talk of the company going to the courts to stop it but I don't see them having much success. My problem is that I feel that the strike is a pointless exercise, and more would be gained from a work to rule and an overtime ban. This would hurt the company more and make the people realise that losing staff from the stations would not be a good prospect. The decision I have come to is that I will withdraw my labour on the strike day. Not because I am a militant, but because I believe in democracy and that the majority of union members voted for a strike. This decision has not been taken lightly, but with a lot of soul searching and thought. I do not enjoy causing problems for our passengers. I do however feel that the loss of the these jobs will put an additional strain on those left and that despite what the company may say, it is my opinion that the long term safety of the customers and the staff may end up being compromised. Again I will state for the record that this is my opinion. I will use the next few days to work out my budgets for the next three months. I intend to leave myself the maximum of £15 a week for all my needs. This will include £6 for three sessions of swimming a week, so in fact I am trying to live on £9 a week. I have set such high targets because I am fed up of stagnating and need to push on.

The toxic stuff that I spoke about have been dealt with. This was a not as painful as I thought it would be, nor as traumatic. It is my hope that by dealing with them quickly, I will be able to focus on the job in hand A clear head is going to be needed in the next few months. To be side tracked is no longer an option. Onwards people, onwards to financial liberation and freedom!

Finally here are a few quote that shouldn’t offend, but if they do...tough

“Men have two emotions: Hungry and Horny. If you see him without an erection, make him a sandwich”.
“If God is watching us, the least we can do is be entertaining”
“I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.”
“The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!”
“I asked God for a bike, but I know God doesn't work that way. So I stole a bike and asked for forgiveness.”
And finally one of my all time favourites...A little boy asked his father, "Daddy, how much does it cost to get married?" Father replied, "I don't know son, I'm still paying."

micron_2

Hi William,

Really pleased to hear how positive you are being about everything and that you have dealt with the "toxic" situation. Well done. By the way I love your quotes - they sure did make me smile.

I think you made the right decision for you regarding whether to strike or not. You may be short financially but your conscience will be clear.

OK, you have inspired me to go deal with a "toxic" matter I have been putting off for weeks.

Have a great day and keep up the positivity.