Squizz's Fizzy Diary

redsquirrel80

OK it was my penultimate session, so one more next week, and it was a bit funny as both me and the counsellor were wearing the same colour of tights (bright blue!). Anyway, she thinks I've made a huge amount of progress since the first session, and I have to agree, although it feels more subtle than a massive change, actually when I think about it, I have altered my attitude to things rather a lot.

Spent 3 hours last night writing essay and it's about half done. Quite pleased with it so far though, I think it's a lot clearer and more focused than the last one. I've been using my blog and Twitter quite a bit to talk to people about Philosophy stuff and have had some really inspiring conversations about the areas I'm studying and related things.. very exciting.

Had an appraisal 'catch up' with my manager yesterday (the main one is in June/July but we have to check on progress every so often). All good, and we came up with some interesting ideas for improving things. She has a great attitude that if we get all the basics working well, there's more time to spend on interesting things and learning about other stuff!

Payday today and I've met my 'pay off £2000 from my debt' target :j Need to work out a budget in a bit so I can sort out saving for the next OU course.

Still attempting to get on top of the email - despite unsubscribing from lots of lists I'm still getting a lot of mails that I just delete. Mind you the mass of Mother's Day ones did remind me to go and get a card this morning!

Anyway, must go do some work but back later with budgets and April plans

Karmacat

That *is* a lot of progress, Squizz. Counselling, work, course, debt repayments, its amazing!

As far as unsubscribing from emails goes, its quite tough, isn't it - a few I've tried to do have been from reputable companies, and they open on email pages that look like spam, its made me very uneasy. I feel like just going to the email I don't want, and describing it as spam so my filter picks it up in future. It takes ages to unsubscribe from everything, too, so I'm "batching" the unsubscribing - once a week, I think, which gives plenty of time for the honest ones to unsubscribe me. Groupon are bad in that regard - I don't have the money for unplanned treats, so I thought I'd just get rid of them, but they're not going! Hey ho. Good luck with it, anyway.

redsquirrel80

Lol I've got the same problem with French Groupon which I signed up to when we were planning to go to Paris - we're still planning to go, but not for a while, so could do with not getting lots of emails about "le fish foot spa" and strange liposuction procedures!

Budget done:

Rent £350
Debts £320
Phone £15
Total £685
Income £1290
Balance £605

Have transferred £300 to savings towards OU course, I don't actually need to register/ pay until August but would rather have it organised before then. Think £300 should be plenty for this month, I might have to reduce the treats budget a bit but I can't think of any major spends I want/ need this month.

redsquirrel80

April goals
I've put these into categories but some of them cross over a bit.

Career
Read most of book 3 of course (have two months to do this and next assignment).
Post on blog once a week.
Look for ways to do more writing... in fact, just DO MORE WRITING!

Health (body and mind)
Do Pilates once a week and some other kind of exercise once a week.
Do guided meditation once a week.
Do something a bit different once a week (dinner out/ play/ concert - just something that means we're not sitting in the house every night).
Make my work desk an inspiring place to work - get pictures, photos etc up.

Money
Make/ save enough money for next OU course. (this is quite a challenge!)
Figure out debt milestone targets for the rest of the year.

Other
Finish novel that I'm reading at the moment.
Read/ listen to some French once a week.
Get everything that can be planted at this time of year planted in the garden.

redsquirrel80

Ah dear.. I've been trying to write on my diary all morning and keep getting distracted! Anyway, it's Friday, I'm tired, I've got loads to do, and I've just remembered I'm supposed to be meeting old workmates in the pub tonight.. really not sure if I've got the energy.

Anyway, plans for the weekend - get grass seed to sort out the patchy bits in the lawn, get pebbles to fill in the pebbly bits in the garden which seem to have less pebbles than they used to, maybe fix garden fence.
Do some reading - putting my essay aside for a couple of days, so either novel or some non-related philosophy stuff.
Do Pilates.
Go to lantern parade thingy on Sunday night if the weather's nice (bands playing in park and local pub).
Maybe have a meal out at some point.
Sleep lots.

elantan

Sounds like a fabby weekend ... I particulalry like the sleep lots bit

Karmacat

I like the sound of the lantern parade - sounds like it might be really magical hope you enjoy the weekend, Squizz.

redsquirrel80

It was really nice - followed the parade of lanterns then squidged about in the mud watching bands and fire jugglers (and fire hula-hoopers!) for a bit

So the weekend...

I've just remembered I'm supposed to be meeting old workmates in the pub tonight.. really not sure if I've got the energy - I went in the end, didn't have any tea thinking they'd be eating at the pub but nope.. got rather tipsy, but came home quite early.. then me and Mr S got through a couple of bottles of wine and stayed up late watching old Top of the Pops :rotfl:

Get grass seed to sort out the patchy bits in the lawn, get pebbles to fill in the pebbly bits in the garden which seem to have less pebbles than they used to - did this on Sunday, plus had a good tidy in the front and back garden, scrubbed front steps and cleaned the windows I could reach.

Do some reading - putting my essay aside for a couple of days, so either novel or some non-related philosophy stuff - read half a Christopher Brookmyre novel and most of the Sunday Times :rotfl:

Do Pilates - managed a bit on Sunday

Go to lantern parade thingy on Sunday night if the weather's nice - see above, although weather had been very soggy!

Maybe have a meal out at some point - post-hangover spicy noodles in Vietnamese place, followed by wandering round town taking photos of graffiti art for a project Mr S is doing for work - good fun

Sleep lots - quite a bit, but could do with a few early nights, yawn!

Think that's about it! Enjoyed the sunny bits when I could get out in the garden, lots of things starting to sprout including broccolis which I didn't think were going to do anything.

I managed to squeeze in a bit of French by watching 'Spiral' on Saturday night - useful if I ever want to get arrested/ become a lawyer/ swear a lot.. :rotfl:

The only downside to the weekend was hurting my knee whilst trying to control a heavy B&Q trolley - limping a bit now

Right.. off for a nosey round the diaries

Karmacat

Thats a good'un, except for hurting your knee - you must have really cracked it one on that trolley

Hope work's going well today.

redsquirrel80

Cracked it on the trolley would have been a sensible sort of injury (well vaguely), I seem to have strained it when trying to stop the trolley running off down a slope, I sort of braced with my leg I think.. hmmph.

Work has been very productive today - came in thinking 'urgh loads to do' but got through loads of it.