Improving my life during Summer 2010

Mags30

butafli wrote: »

a child card can mean a project that you are bringing into fruition - "the birth of" type thing - which would tie in with the creative processes.

Thanks butafli, I'd like it to mean that:)

Have reached £20 on onepoll:T

butafli

:j for the payout.

Mags30

butafli wrote: »

for the payout.

No, payment isn't until £40 but I'm rather excited to be half way there:rotfl:

Hope you're feeling ok @butafli. I saw your post on MG's diary about steroid infusions, that sounds scary :grouphug:

I really liked this post by cherisong on another diary. Here's the link so I can find it easily again--this diary is such a handy filing system;) http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=37498082&postcount=1248

Found a brilliant description of a "Gift with Purchase" on the "no toiletries challenge" thread: "One of those bags you get when you spend too much":rotfl:So true and not so MSE but I :heart2: this too "The budget will be whatever the one I like costs"


Day 83: (Tuesday)

Inspired by the advice from MG's coaching call (get all your admin/paperwork organized in one place so that you can pass it to someone else to do) I did some admin on my mystery shopping. Not that mystery shopping pays enough to be thinking of getting a secretary:rotfl:but to make it easier for myself. I think this was time well spent.

• Did the same for survey sites and did a few surveys as well
• Decluttering: 5 newspapers in the recycling
• Wrote 5 reviews
• Wrote some more law notes onto record cards that I can keep in my handbag to look at whenever I get a chance during the day

Mags30

Day 82: (Wednesday)

I went to a free class about the Alexander technique. This is basically about good posture and is meant to help with back problems. I think it's very popular with dancers too. The class was for an hour and a half. The first half hour was really boring, the instructor was talking and he wasn't very inspiring.

Then we had to stand up as we normally would and work out if we were putting more weight on the ball or heel of the foot. This went on for a while and all the concentrating on standing made me feel a bit faint and dizzy so I had to sit down in a hurry. No idea why I felt like that, there were ladies in the class twice my age who had no problem standing--me and my health issues

He had said at the start that sometimes the techniques bring up emotions in people and that those things could be dealt with in confidental one-to-one sessions. I didn't feel any emotions, just faint and dizzy which was unpleasant obviously. I just sat quietly and felt better in about 10 minutes. Then I really enjoyed the next technique which was just lying on the floor on a yoga mat, knees bent, with a book supporting the head.

When the class was over he very generously gave everyone a voucher for a free one-to-one session. Now I'd love to use this but I'd feel a bit guilty because the purpose of this is obviously to generate business but I wouldn't be able to re-book because sessions cost €55 and I definitely can't afford that. I think it might be ok to use it if I go to a few more of the weekly group drop in sessions costing €15.:think:

I'm kind of undecided about this, I came home from the class feeling relaxed and it got me out of the house again but my posture isn't particularly bad (that I'm aware of anyway) and I have to be really careful what I choose to spend my "entertainment" budget on.

Mags30

I think I might have taken on a bit too much today, I have 5 mystery shopping jobs to do, I have to collect a parcel from the sorting office, fill in Memorygirl's spreadsheet for Dublin, get organized for the weekend (I'm working at an event which involves a long drive to get there and staying over so I have lots to organize). I need to do washing, grocery shopping and a million other household jobs......

Lucky the mystery shopping jobs involve coffee-I have to buy Nespresso capsules, very handy because I have a Nespresso machine and another is to buy a coffee and sandwich.

Mags30

OK here’s the positive version of my day. I got all 5 mystery shopping jobs done. (2 were mobile phone jobs, one for a satellite system and the 2 coffee jobs) I got some driving practice going to yet another shopping centre for one of the jobs and I found a fabulous casual outfit in a charity shop for a very MSE €9.70.

• Tommy Hilfiger dark wash jeans €3.90:T
• Short fitted jacket in a khaki colour with lots of pockets €2.50
• Next “signature style” taupe colour top €3.30

Amazingly I can wear all of these together. Usually I buy separates rather than outfits so I’m well pleased with this. I’m rather thrilled with the Tommy Hilfiger jeans because I :heart2: my labels but on my budget can barely afford Primark. Plus they might look good with the Tommy Hilfiger rugby shirt which also came from a charity shop a few months ago. I haven’t had a chance to try them on together yet.


5-9 challenge: Day 81: (Thursday)
The house was cosier than usual because I had the radiators on to dry the washing and I put lavender oil in an oil burner. There were numerous cups of tea and biscuits (toffypops tonight) to ease the boredom of doing all 5 mystery shopping reports.

Filled in as much as I could of Memorygirl’s spreadsheet for Dublin.

Then there’s the truth, well all of the above is true except that when it’s written like that it sounds rather effortless which is anything but true. I’ve been under serious time pressure all day. The mystery shopping jobs were mostly really far apart from each other and the ones that were close to each other were for different times of day so I spent ages sitting in really heavy traffic, wasting time and petrol.

I’m not even sure what I was doing in clothes shops when I was supposed to be so busy. It just proves how bad I am at managing my time. That and the fact that I ended up with 5 mystery shopping jobs to do on my day off when I kind of needed the day off to get organized for the weekend. Then the 5-9 activities aren’t actually finished even though it’s almost midnight (but they will be finished) and I’ve been eating junk all day.:wall:

vasseur

I think you just need to focus on the positive side. You can't be THAT bad at managing your time because you got all 5 jobs done under difficult circumstances AND had time for a quick browse in the shops. Don't be too hard on yourself.:)

butafli

Sounds like you did loads yesterday. I think it was just because you saw it written down and it looked tiny but if you had actually written exactly what you did you would still be typing

:j on the charity finds. You found yourself clothes shopping as a nudge to keep yourself in mind not just what is on the to-do list. We know how the universe works :cool:

Here is another rest day. Had my second infusion of steroids yesterday. I have active (uncontrolled/flippin annoying) rheumatoid arthritis and as I am not responding to treatments I am starting another in the next few weeks (not sure when as I have to have acceptable bloods, appointments and more trips to day units) so they have given me a boost with the steroids this week.

Saw you are working this weekend. Hope you have a very productive time and remember to add some time in for you.

Bx

Mags30

polesalot wrote: »

you got all 5 jobs done under difficult circumstances AND had time for a quick browse in the shops. Don't be too hard on yourself.:)

Problem is I think it's me that's making circumstances difficult with my awful time-management skills.

@butafli How are you doing healthwise this week?

:starmod:Day 80::starmod: (Friday)

I helped get a marquee event-ready and played barmaid for most of the night because there wasn't anybody else to do it. Worked until almost 2am.

:starmod::starmod:Day 79: :starmod::starmod:(Saturday)

Most enjoyable night of my weekend. Back to my regular PR girl role, spectacular show followed by a less glamorous cleaning lady role to get the marquee ready for Sunday again. Managed to socialise a lot while I worked, it was a good night with a 3am finish.

Day 78: (Sunday)

Worked from 12pm until just after 6, then drove to my mother's. Was there on time for the X-Factor results:T. Tea-food-catch up on news-bed.


People constantly tell me I should do PR/Event management full time. I do really enjoy it and I'm willing to do pretty much anything that's required which helps when the budget doesn't stretch far enough for paying many people. Not sure my health is up to it though, I didn't have one drink all weekend (except tea) and I was exhausted from all the running around and constant talking to people.

Day 77: (Bank Holiday Monday in Ireland)

Exhausted and not feeling the best after the weekend. Had to drive from my mothers' to my house then I made tea and had a bit of a catch up on here. Was in bed before 9.

Day 76: (Tuesday)

I appear to have a chest infection from being outdoors a lot at the weekend and my back pain is as bad as it's ever been so most of my 5-9 was spent in bed still exhausted and feeling sorry for myself.

Got started on a new book, it's called "Going Home" by an Irish author Colm Keane and it's about the experiences of people who have had near death experiences, people who have died for a few minutes on an operating table for example but were resucitated. I'm not recommending it because it might be upsetting for some people although I've heard that it's meant to be very comforting for people who have lost loved ones.

I've only read the start and it does appear that the experiences people had were 99% positive, all white lights and lovlieness but I still ended up in floods of tears. I'm definitely going to continue with it and I'm sure lots of others would be interested in it but people will understand why I'm not making a general recommendation as it is a sensitive subject.

butafli

Morning

Sounds like you had a great weekend but please make sure you get something for that chest infection. Could it have been the build up to the chest infection was making you so exhausted rather than the weekend itself? Just thinking that if you are willing to do all the hard work as well as the fun side of PR/marketing and with everyone saying you should do it then I would really consider moving into it. Also you wouldn't be working a full time job and then trying to fit it in on top so you would have more energy. Sorry if I am rambling.

"Going Home" sounds like a really interesting but powerful book. I have just started "life is a verb" by Patti Digh. Basic premise is that if you had 37 days to live then what would you do and why aren't you living that life now as you never know when you are on day 1 of those 37 days. It's a dip in book.

The steroids definitely gave me a boost and have put my hands up for MGs 50 day challenge.

Bx