Learn to control money but do not allow it to control you

Firewalker

I was intending to go to the gym now and work hard but then it started raining, I am feeling tired and humiliated after last night and it gives me more pleasure to write.

Today I went to the office – had to meet a guy I have been trying to write a book with; and since it is an academic book it is not very exciting and we both have been finding other things to do. What concerns me is that I would really like this one finished, or at least to have some kind of closure but it has been going on for far too long. Let me put this way – when we signed the contract our youngest sons were babies (we each have a son and they were born four months apart) and by the time we finish they might be going to university. Not good this...We agreed that we will have a final go starting the end of September – if it does not work then we give up and tell the publisher...

But the interesting thing that happened at the office was not this one but that colleagues who have not seen me for couple of months keep commenting on the fact that I look happy. And you know what – I do feel happy. I don’t know whether the Secret is working and even whether there is a Secret. But the interesting thing is that changing my thinking and teaching myself to think positive makes me feel happy; although life has not changed much I am much better at coping with it and as a result my life is actually much better. What I have been discovering is that there is always a positive way to express things. Compare, for instance, ‘I am paying my debt’ and ‘I am increasing my wealth’. Anyway....

Something else also happened today. Memorygirl started a 100 days challenge – the ones who play will have to complete something grand in 100 days. And I am playing – but I did say that I’ll be discussing my progress on my tread so there is no hi-jacking. I will finish my popular book in 100 days – counting starts on the 16th of July and finishes on the 24th of October. Doable, I think – 100 days, two thousand words a day...It will be mostly finished and as Addidas say ‘Impossible is nothing’.

And the quote for the day is:

“Life is great, life is exciting.’ – me

Firewalker

elantan

I would say all religons ... Well any ones that I have came across are atleast

savingwannabe

I do believe in a God, I do hope that when i meet my maker that any sexism, violence, war, pain and suffering will no longer be an issue.

I have missed you all and am so pleased to have caught up with your posts. I love my new home on NID and Bat's site. I am currently the barlady at the Insolvent Inn. Rather ironic but fun!!

Firewalker

savingwannabe wrote: »

I have missed you all and am so pleased to have caught up with your posts. I love my new home on NID and Bat's site. I am currently the barlady at the Insolvent Inn. Rather ironic but fun!!

Thanks SW - and I am very glad you are having fun. I read sometimes. Good luck with all and hope you are feeling better and resting.

Firewalker

Firewalker

Remember I was intending to go to the gym yesterday but I didn’t. Well, I did this morning. I did all my training and feel very determined about the whole thing – I will be 68 kg again (which means that I have to lose about 10 kg) and I will be this incredibly strong and fast runner. Last Tuesday won’t be repeated – whatever it takes. Today it took 141 press-ups, 180 squats and 201 pull-ups. And I’ll listen to my trainer...Maybe I’ll even manage to give up all sweet stuff...

But while going against my hedonistic nature in the gym I witnessed a wonderful sight. My gym happens to overlook a primary school playground. I looked through the window and saw children playing football – on the half of the playground were the boys, on the other half were the girls. Girls of different backgrounds, some wearing head scarves playing football; and some of them were really nifty with the ball. I was watching and my heart was singing – how is that for social integration, eh? How is that for the time when the boys played and the girls watched from the side-lines?

And another extraordinary thing happened today. On the way to the office, I got on the bus, gave the driver a fiver and told him where I am going. He looked at me and said:

‘Don’t have any change, love. Get on, sit down.’

I did sit down. Went through both my purses, through my handbag, through my pockets and all I had was £1.21 in change – the fare is £1.30. I went to the driver again and said:

‘This is all the change I have.’

‘It’s OK, love. Sit down.’- he said.

So my trip to work did not cost me anything. A friend told me that this happens but this was the first time it happened to me.

I am a magnet for good will and prosperity!

Tomorrow, little boy has special assembly – and it is the last day of the school year. Tomorrow is also the first day of the 100 days challenge. Any takers who are not on Memorygirl’s thread? Rules are simple – think of what your heart desires; shape it into doable bits; do these in 100 days. You decide what your thing is, movement towards the goal is everything. Be brave, be bold: impossible is nothing and failure is the way to success.

And the saying for today is:

“If you are not failing now and again, it’s a sign you are not doing anything very innovative.” – Woody Allen
Firewalker

savingwannabe

Some people take luck and optimism with them wherever they go Firewalker. You are one.

Firewalker

Good morning people,

today is the day! The heat is on and the 100 days to finish my popular book start now. This would require super organisation so today I will:

1. Go to little boy's special assembly
2. Meet 'a guy about a job'
3. Write 2,000 words of the book
4. Do my day job

Will let you know how Day number one went tonight - might be quite late, with loads of spelling errors; we have friends coming to dinner so cooking on the cards as well.

Looking too much to do...But I am feeling alive....

Firewalker

Firewalker

OK - assembly over. Was very touching - little boy got an award for, among other things, the 'will to succeed'. And I started crying and embarassed evrryone - most of all little boy. Looking at about five years of therapy but then this is my main role as a parent - to embarass my children.

Now off to meet 'a guy about a job'.

Firewalker

Firewalker

Today just might turn out to be the one day in every five years when I cry non-stop. Except that I did not cry when I met the ‘guy about a job’ – an acorn was planted there I believe and I am sending wish to the plentiful Universe that this becomes a might tree. Just to show the Universe that I am ready to cooperate I did promise to do loads of work on a particular development (a training programme) in September – the guy was told that he will have to cooperate with the Universe as well. A very Firewalker way to negotiate this one – what does not stop to amaze me is that sometimes people listen and do; and that when they do it also works.

Now about the crying – special assembly was very emotional. Little boy’s teacher said the best thing she could have said – that he has a determination to succeed. I felt so proud! And I wonder what am I going to start worrying about now – it is rather obvious that worrying about LB’s schooling is misplaced. When I collected LB from school I gave his teacher a hug and thanked her – she started crying as well. Magic...

And now the challenge: I am very happy to report that today 1,104 words of the introduction to the book were written. Well, they probably still don’t entirely make sense and will need several re-writes – but hell, as I tell my students, the main thing is to produce a whole body of text. It is the putty with which one works to shape the ‘story’.

Right, now cooking! The menu for tonight is:

Onion soup
Paella
Strawberries and cream
(I might make cake as well, just to show that I can)

And just in case you are wondering the menu will work out at about £2 per person – most products are very MSE even though bought from prime vendors. But here we hit the problem with saffron – why is it so expensive?

Speak later and any takers for completing incredible deeds? Feeling alone here...

Firewalker

Firewalker

This morning I slept late – I mean really late since we have just had breakfast and we are all still in our pyjamas. Last night was great – the menu worked really well, the paella was delicious and the saffron completely worth it. These friends are wonderful and great fun to be with.

Now I have a question for you – but will have to tell you a story first. Right, the story is that when we went camping, for the first time for a long time I was asked again where I am from. This question, understandably, is becoming rather irritating – not that there is anything wrong with it but after 20 years in this country, being married to an English guy and having children who have English identity, having paid tax and NI, mortgage and the rest here, having a house here it is really difficult to answer. In fact, my honest answer probably will be: I belong to the world. I am a crossroad of cultures and influences and my home is where my family and my home are. Anyway, people have not been asking me – it somehow became irrelevant. Except for these couple at camping – this in fact was their first question to me. I answered very politely, I hasten to add.

But what would you answer if you were me – where are you from?

Now back to the challenge – day 2 of a hundred.

Firewalker