Improving my life during Summer 2010

Mags30

Healthy eating:

• I’ve taken a serious liking to herbal tea. I’m so happy about this because it's replacing some of the tea and coffee I drink too much of
• I've realised that my local butchers is a great place to buy food. I[SIZE=+0] bought a family size lasagne for €10 (this weeks special offer, normally €20)[/SIZE] I cut it into 9 portions for the freezer. It’s delicious, having been “homemade” in a small local butchers instead of mass produced for the supermarket and I couldn’t have bought the ingredients for €10. I will watch out for their weekly offers.
  
• Cheap lunch: Pasta with pesto and herbal tea
  
• I need to learn to make a salad with kidney beans, the one I like from the vegetarian deli is too expensive
  

Study plan: Have decided that 1 chapter a day is a good idea beacuse it's simple and target based. My first subject has 21 chapters.

Social life/Friendships/Relationships: The relationship with the Ex just isn't working for me. I'm going back to not contacting him. If he texts or calls I'll reply but that's all. I'm not going to encourage him.

gwen80

Hello Mags :wave:

I normally lurk. Sorry to hear about your Mum and your friends business.

Which herbal teas are you drinking? I've recently taken a liking to fruit teas, particularly blackcurrant tea. It's loverly, but it comes as a powder from Whittards and I think one of the main ingredients is sugar, so I need to watch my consumption from that point of view.

Good idea about getting lasagne from the butchers :T What are you studying?

Staying in touch with ex's (especially recent ones) is always tricky. It's hard, but I think you at least need some time to move on before you can try and be friends.

Gwenx

mum2one

Hi
Couldn't pop by without saying hi, and a lot of what u have said I would of thought was coming from me.... shopping, ex, depression, back pain studying, I think some people see depression and back pain as made up ideas, as they can't actually see a physical injury.

So sorry to hear about ur friends business and your mum being poorly, (another in common), hope things get better soon, it sounds like you take the world on your shoulders.

Re ex, I personally think that if he texts etc try to ignore the automatic replying back, as to him, he may see that as a amber to green light........I can do what I want, and we can pickup the pieces.

All I can suggest is set yourself some goals and objectives and what you want, magazines just show us the nice bits, the airbrushed models, that ugly pimple gone....

Set your money up, as an SOA and see if anything can be cut here, changed there, but still allow yourself treats, I have debts (the sig says it all), but I could live the life of a hermit and maybe know 6 to 12 months off the debt free date, or I can have a little treat, a holiday, and take that extra time. If I had nothing, the 1st thing I'd want to do is grab and card and spend, whether I needed the stuff, regardless of what it is. Now clothes wise I think really hard about what I buy, but I'll buy from the sale rack, (made worse as I'm a plus size so Primark, Asda etc no go),its Evans, or Ann Harvey.. thats sale items only, have a heart attack when look at the original price, last Christmas I had my eye on a dress in Ann Harvey, but it was £99.99, come Christmas Eve it was reduced to £19.99, I felt like I was floating on candy floss.

Make up, toiletties are the same, if there in a sale, I think great its a bargain, thats why I have 20 body butters......

But I am trying to retrain my mind into do I really need it, last year I joined a £100 clothes challenge, I actually had change, yet before that wouldn't taken a 2nd glance.

Sorry I've babbled away for England, but just wanted to say your not alone xx

Mags30

Hi gwen, thanks for replying:)

Studying law. The tea is Lipton Pink Citrus (grapefruit + orange). The ex is the big love of my life, he's been in my life for 10 years. He's the sort of person everyone absolutey loves, especially other women:( too much hassel....

HamsterWheel_3

Hi mags,

Didnt want to read and run so just showing a bit of support, Ive never been one for toiletries and make ups etc although i do use them i see them as treats for special occasions so thats never been a problem of mine when it comes to spending, but trust me other areas are.... i smoke (sigh)

I suffered depression many years ago and no matter what medication i was on and self help books and groups i joined the only way i found out was by looking at what i had compared to some others and thinking positive, i would lay in bed at night scared to go to sleep as everythought was a bad thought, since then i close my eyes and think of a little rowing boat and when something bad pops up i pop it in the boat and watch it sail away,,, a little bizarre but it works and still does for me.

A cliche but life really is too short and you do have to make the most, so think positive sweetie and things will seem soo much better
xx

Mags30

@mum2one Yay another friend:wave:

mum2one wrote: »

Re ex, I personally think that if he texts etc try to ignore the automatic replying back, as to him, he may see that as a amber to green light........I can do what I want, and we can pickup the pieces.

True, he's all charm, it's impossible to resist. When I try being cold and unfriendly it lasts for about half an hour before I've forgotten and I'm chatting away as normal again :wall:

I can't do the "living like a hermit" thing to pay off the debts either. I try and I don't spend that much but if it's a choice between buying something for €30 or paying that €30 off the debt, the shopping will win almost every time. It's not even shopping a lot of the time but things like going to the hairdresser. Mortgage, bills, loan repayments always come first-I would never buy something un-necessary and let bills unpaid but once the bills are paid I tend to treat myself. I don't have as mch willpower/discipline as others on MSE.

Well done on the £100 clothes challenge-I don't think I could do that! I'm not familair with Ann Harvey, I live in Ireland, haven't seen it here. Evans have lovely clothes, one of my friends always has fabulous dresses form there.

It's past my bedtime (I got distracted by the internet again) will chat to everyone tomorrow:)

Mags30

HamsterWheel wrote: »

Hi mags,

Didnt want to read and run so just showing a bit of support, Ive never been one for toiletries and make ups etc although i do use them i see them as treats for special occasions so thats never been a problem of mine when it comes to spending, but trust me other areas are.... i smoke (sigh)

I suffered depression many years ago and no matter what medication i was on and self help books and groups i joined the only way i found out was by looking at what i had compared to some others and thinking positive, i would lay in bed at night scared to go to sleep as everythought was a bad thought, since then i close my eyes and think of a little rowing boat and when something bad pops up i pop it in the boat and watch it sail away,,, a little bizarre but it works and still does for me.

A cliche but life really is too short and you do have to make the most, so think positive sweetie and things will seem soo much better
xx

@HamsterWheel--another new friend, I'm starting to feel really popular round here:D

I don't smoke, never have, don't really drink either but it seems that everyone has some vice they spend money on. Pets, cars, gadgets, gambling, nights out, sport, books, tattoos, clothes and cosmetics....in one way it's these hobbies which keep us all sane!

Thanks for the relaxation tip, will try it.

You are right about thinking positive, the fire at my friends has been reminding me of all the good things in my life and how the family and friends who came rushing to help are more important than material things.

Mags30

Finances: 1st June debt total = €6184.63

I’ve been getting started on mystery shopping, surveys, review writing, daily clicks, competitions, etc. It’s all very time consuming but I’m hoping to get a few vouchers this month. There must be around 50 different sites to sign up to so it’s an ongoing project.

My internet company accidently sent me a very large bill last month. They’ve now credited the extra money back on to my account and given me 3 months free as an apology for messing up so I won’t be paying for internet until around November.

Work: I’ve decided that I shouldn’t make just one thing my job. People whose lifestyles I admire/aspire to always seem to have a few projects on the go. The variety appeals to me. I’m going to make the “making money (or vouchers!) on the internet” plan one of my jobs.

Education: The study plan for June is to complete the Tort Law textbook (1 chapter a day) and I’m going to keep the Constitutional Law revision book in my handbag and read it when I get a chance. Hopefully I’ll read all of it by the end of June.

The idea of writing a blog about my progress appeals to me but would it just be adding to the “to do” lists?

Health:The anxiety meds don’t seem to be working very well for me. I’m not sleeping properly again (I did for a while) so I’ve gone back to taking sleeping tablets sometimes. June should be an easier month for me so though so I’ll see how I feel in a few weeks and if it’s still not great I’ll go back to the GP.

I feel so overwhelmed by “to do lists” all of the time. As soon as everything’s done it’s time to start again. I’ve been doing a lot of things for other people lately as well. Everywhere I go especially since the weather got warm I see people who are so immaculately groomed and it’s making me feel bad. Painting nails and toenails, applying fake tan, washing and straightening my (long) hair, applying make-up every time I’m leaving the house would make me 2 hours late and I don’t have the energy for getting up 2 hours early, especially when I’ve spent half the night awake. I do, do all of those grooming things but they don’t co-ordinate very well. By the time my hair is perfect my nails are chipped or my legs need to be waxed.....

In June I’m going to make a serious effort to take vitamins and supplements: Not even because they might be good for me but because there are loads of them lying around the house and it would be great to use them up.

I really, really want a Yantra mat, it’s supposed to be great for stress. I’m hoping to buy it this month with vouchers from review writing.

Mags30

It’s been getting bad reviews but I really loved SATC2 (Sex and the City 2) Not the first 20 minutes with the big fuss about the gay wedding but after that a few things really stood out for me as they reflected real life so well.

Years on from where it all began the friendships have become more of an obligation than a pleasure. Charlotte didn’t want to go to Abu Dhabi because of the children but Samantha insisted reminding her that she attends Charlotte’s children’s parties which she doesn’t have any interest in. Carrie’s married now so doesn’t have lunch with the girls as much anymore.

They don’t talk to each other as freely as before when everything was analysed and no detail was spared. Now they pretend everything’s ok even when it isn’t. Charlotte wouldn’t admit to her friends how difficult she was finding motherhood and Carrie pretended she was ok with the “2 days off” from her marriage scenario.

Then in Abu Dhabi on holidays and 1000’s of miles from home they still couldn’t escape their real lives:

• Miranda was still getting Fed-Ex packages from work
• Charlotte was worrying about the husband at home alone with the nanny
• Carrie was worrying about life with Big getting boring and the “2 days off” from being married scenario
• Samantha’s complicated anti-ageing routines had to continue regardless of where she was

Lots of the reviews were critical that so much of it was filmed in Morocco when New York was so central to the original series but I loved the Morocco scenes because I spent one of my best holidays ever there and it brought back lots of memories. Hopefully I will go there again someday.


Then Carrie freaked me out with her analysis of her relationship with Big. All she ever wanted was for Big to love her back and now that they’re married she’s bored. She emphasises how it’s going to be just the 2 of them alone together every single night and she’s afraid that, that mightn’t be enough to keep both of them happy. She makes marriage sound like a huge risk rather than the “happy ever after” it’s usually represented as.

Mags30

Being poor is expensive. Today I renewed my car tax €94 for 3 months. Had I paid for the full year upfront (which I can’t afford to do) the cost would have been €333 so the monthly payments are costing €43 extra over the course of the year. While I waited in the queue I noticed that 3 months tax was very popular despite the extra cost. It was rather comforting to see that others are clearly in the same situation.

I’ve finished reading “Living Oprah” by Robyn Okrant (obtained for free using Amazon vouchers from Pigsback.com). The author did a year long experiment which involved following all of Oprah’s advice while accounting the time spent, cost involved and her personal reaction to the many projects she had to complete. I feel I’ve learned as much about Oprah and her show as the author did because it’s so well documented. I really enjoyed the book. I even bought a copy of O magazine after reading it. It’s the same sort of idea as “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert which I read last summer. I just wish I had a project idea as interesting as either of those.