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Horace's Biting the Bullet Diary
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Sid didn't turn up on Tuesday - I haven't seen him since:j 3 more new people turned up instead of the 3 dodgy types (inc Sid) that were there on Monday. Only 4 of us who started on Monday are still there.
Nipped to Aldi on the way home last night and picked up some Jive biccies, a pack of cooked turkey slices (nice thick slices too), a tub of Vanilla Soft Scoop (it is 99p for 2lts) and some new value chips that can be cooked 3 ways for 74p. Total spend in Aldi £4.08
I have been thrown a lifeline - I have the opportunity to be in on something at the start as it makes the cross over from the gaming industry to the corporate market, I would be mad not to take this opportunity up.
I spent time the other day advising someone on their website - trouble is I won't get paid..I must stop doing free consultancy work!
Had fab meal out on Tuesday night and I ate it all and last night's sausage casserole is being reheated for tonight's dinner as I can't be bothered to sort something else out. Must fly need lunch before heading out.0 -
It seems like an age since I posted here - blame the course and the fact that I get up later in the mornings, trawl through 500 emails then disappear.
I have been approached by a company who want to do a cross over from the gaming world to the corporate world - this means going to Derby to see them which I cannot afford to do at the moment - time is not allowing me. This means me getting in at the grassroots level - it would also mean that I would get money coming in:cool:.
I spent the whole weekend cleaning - yes, I know it is a shock to the system. I have bin bags everywhere part filled with rubbish. Even my washing up basket has been severely reduced (all the stuff is clean) with some being folded and put in a drawer and some being folded and bagged for the charity shop. Shock horror, I mopped the bathroom floor this morning too...what has come over me? There is still much to be done.
Managed to not spend at the weekend either although I did buy some nibbles today (stuff I didnt want really if truth be known but the vending machine would not return my money:mad:)
My tv licence needs renewing and I have decided to switch to monthly payments as this will be more manageable than spending £145 in one go:eek: I need the tv as it is my only real form of entertainment and I have the smallest package possible from Virgin who are trying to persuade me to have an HD box so that I can have free HD channels, don't see the point to be honest I can still watch the channels that have been HD-ified anyway just not in HD format e.g. Living.
Should be typing minutes for a committee meeting tomorrow but I have gotten bored with them (basically the meeting was a huge whinge so I have shortened the minutes to ...lengthy discussion about xyz:rotfl:).
Cooked brisket in the slow cooker yesterday - not going to bother again because it was not as nice when I cook it on the stove top, re-heated for today's dinner too as couldnt be bothered to faff about.0 -
Mini rant time.
Just wondering why people make life difficult? I was advised about a job yesterday so looked on the website yesterday and the job was advertised with a closing date of tomorrow, I go on today and the job is no longer advertised for the area that I am applying for - I shall still submit my application. I also saw another job with the same company but based in Wolverhampton (I can get there by bus and tram - there is no way I will drive there). As the closing date is tomorrow, I want to submit my application online but was told that as their forms are all pdfs that they have to be printed off, handwritten, scanned and then emailed! What a convoluted way of doing things especially when their application pack for each job is 11 pages long and on checking most of that is advertising guff:mad:
I did point out to them on the phone that it would be easier especially in this modern age where applications can be completed online and emailed across. Also for a company that shouts out about its diversity and disabled friendliness - they are not very disabled friendly. Remember folks I may have a sight impairment but I am neither stupid nor deaf so please don't start to speak slowly and loudly as though I am both deaf as well as daft:mad:
Did a bit of shopping from the whoopsie shelf yesterday, had to laugh in Tatco as well - cravendale milk is £1.50 per 2ltr bottle, Tatco had a special offer on of 2 bottles of cravendale for £3 but if you are paying £1.50 anyway you are not saving any money are you?? Yesterday was a race around day - I went to the docs as my ear infection has returned and was given a prescription for a new type of stuff well, I take it my usual pharmacy and was told that there is a manufacturing problem and they haven't got any and haven't been able to get any for months and pointed me in the direction of an independent pharmacy who use different warehouses - I did and got the same answer so I had to ring my gp and ask him to prescribe something else - must pick up that prescription today.
This afternoon, I am studying for and taking my Food Hygiene Certificate and have identified another course that I want to do so next week I start the Team Leading course because I have always wanted to do it (the Staff Dev Unit at the Uni refused to let me do Team Leading training despite my lovely boss putting me forward for it because their reasoning was that as I worked for one person then it was not relevant to my role:mad:). Actually this relevancy was pointed out to staff by me when I was invited to talk to those on the Springboard course because the SDU were saying you could do any course that you wanted, I pointed out that it was not the case - I wasn't invited back because I was considered to be too controversial:rotfl:0 -
Some people have been put on this earth to make life as difficult as possible for everyone else :nods:
And agh, don't get me started on the SDU- we are meant to do courses there for our CPD and I did a few as a young (naive) lecturer, then after attending one entitled "how to avoid procrastination", I lost the will to live and refused to go on any more!! There went several hours of my life I won't get back0 -
I didnt complete my Food Hygiene Certificate yesterday but did all the course work and went back this morning and did it. I had been invited back because one of the advisors needed to do an interview and I was the guinea pig:D At the end of the course yesterday I was given a £10 Love to Shop Voucher and each time I finish a course I get a voucher. When I get a job, I need to take my first payslip in to them and will then get £50 Love to Shop vouchers. I got 86.7% in my exam today because I boobed on 2 questions:(
I decided to not bother with that job where they were discriminatory and instead I am looking elsewhere.
I start my 2 weekTeam Leading course on Monday and will have the exam on the Friday and next week I shall be in all day on Thursday because I shall be having an interview skills course in the morning.
Managed to pick up my prescription today (at long last) and nipped into Aldi and came out with a jar of pickled beetroot, a bag of sugar and a pack of cooked chicken slices.
Job for today continue with tidying effort, job for tomorrow get prescription (can't be bothered to go out for it today), continue with tidying efforts.
Using some of my new found confidence and my shiny new CV with Food Hygiene Cert added, I have applied for two jobs this afternoon one at Hilton Metropole and the other at Crowne Plaza, still mulling over the Hippo one.
On the way to pick up the prescription - I did see a flasher (someone who had his dingle dangle out for all to see whilst he p*ed in the street!) - needless to say when I found a policewoman, I told her what I had seen and said that no woman should have to look at that! I also went to a local shop called Specs Direct - I have been having problems with one of the screws on my specs which keeps coming undone so I asked if they could tighten it for me - they then added two soft nose pegs as opposed to the hard ones that I had, although they did offer to remove them but they were concerned that I have pressure marks on my nose - it cost me £2. They have said that when I get my prescription from the eye hospital that I should take it to them because I will be able to get a pair of prescription glasses complete with anti glare coating for less than £100 - I might give them a go.0 -
Sounding positiveI am a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Mortgage Free Wannabe & Local Money Saving Scotland & Disability Money Matters. If you need any help on those boards, do let me know.Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any post you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button , or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own & not the official line of Money Saving Expert.
Lou~ Debt free Wanabe No 55 DF 03/14.**Credit card debt free 30/06/10~** MFW. Finally mortgage free O2/ 2021****
"A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of" Jane Austen in Mansfield Park.
***Fall down seven times,stand up eight*** ~~Japanese proverb. ***Keep plodding*** Out of debt, out of danger. ***Be the difference.***
One debt remaining. Home improvement loan.0 -
Not very MSE - I mistakenly left my laptop on all weekend, I only just found out as I came to switch on:mad:
I spoke to my mum on Friday and have told her where I am living (depression kept everyone at arm's length whilst I tried to sort myself out). I have said that I will let her know when she and dad can come round because my flat is a tip at the moment. She certainly looked down her nose when I told her where I am living as it seems that where I live does not have a good reputation - some flats towards the tech park don't and the police & immigration are there all the time but towards this end things are better.
I had to go to Rubery on Saturday to get some veg and take some stuff to the charity shop - I also nipped into Cafe Licious because one of my friends has started working there and it was her first day and she wanted some moral support. I was a bit naughty and spent £4.95 on lunch - homemade shepherds pie with chips and peas (although the peas were mushy and I hate them) plus a mug of tea. It was very pleasant and I found out that the cafe is quite popular because it is clean and reasonably priced and all food is homemade.
I have spent the rest of the weekend tidying - I cleaned out the carp from underneath my bed and dusted and vacced. The bathroom has been cleaned from top to bottom and much tidying is being carried out with boxes of stuff in the front bedroom all neatly packed away and black rubbish sacks everywhere whilst I am having a darn good clear out. Still much to be done, I would have done more but I sat down and decided to watch the motorracing yesterday and promptly fell asleep. As a consequence I did not sleep well last night because I went to bed at 1.20am after watching An Officer & a Gentleman (Richard Gere used to be soooo hot:o), I then lay awake for several hours.
The team leading course starts today - I have some debts to pay £1 here and there too. I also have to attend the eye hospital on Wednesday - what joy, 2 bus trips and they will probably be striking..!!!!ers!!0 -
Feeling Meh! This is the reason for not posting. I attended the Team Leading course on Monday and when I went to get a bus ticket for the following day was told that I could not have one and instead I had to pay £3.60 each day and make a special trip to town on Friday to get a refund. I decided that as I don't have £18 to spend on bus fares up front that I wouldn't go (I did tell them). It seems crazy that they won't issue regional daysaver tickets (scratch cards) when they have them in stock instead insist on refunding in cash every Friday - really, fancy keeping that amount of cash in the office..it is crazy.
Wednesday was eye hospital day which meant getting up early to get a bus to town and a bus out - got jostled and abused by 50 flying pickets for daring to try and walk through them to get to my appointment:mad: Strange that none of the strikers were employed by the hospital! I was told that my uveitis hasn't flared up again and that I must keep taking the drops on a daily basis (what I didnt say is that on some days I don't take eye drops at all:o) and my eye pressures are steady at 11 and 12 respectively and that I should worry if the pressures go up above 15.
I arrived at the hospital at 10am for a 10.15am appointment and was told that I was late because I had been given an appointment for 9.45am for a Field Vision Test, I hadn't received the letter:mad: However, I was seen and had to use two machines - the computerised one for my right eye and the clockwork one for my left. I am convinced that I have lost vision in my right eye.
My consultant told me that my vision appears to be fine and that I read the same amount of letters on the chart as I did 3 months ago and even 12 months ago. I know that the vision in my right eye can be blurry at times and on checking it appears that my cataract has grown some more:( I then asked if I could have a cataract op and was refused because the risk to my sight is too great as there are many things that could go wrong and my consultant doesn't want to take the risk. He figures that the blurryness is caused by the cataract as I have to look through it and cannot look around it - you might think that this is strange but it makes sense when you realise that I have no central vision in my left eye. I have stopped driving at night because I don't feel safe and don't particularly like driving on sunny days when the sun is low in the sky. I have, however, been booked in for the refraction clinic to get my eyes tested and then I need to go back to the uveitis clinic on 28 March.
I have been feeling rather Meh because it was my birthday on Tuesday so I have reached my half century (god, I feel old). I have lost confidence in myself again and started to feel a bit anxious because a potential client wants to meet with me and this will mean me driving to somewhere between Bham and Derby and arranging for projectors etc or going to their offices in Derby. It is something that I am keen to get into but at the moment I don't have the energy and need to approach them to ask if the meeting can be put off until January or to let this opportunity go and continue my efforts to find paid employment. I keep feeling as though I am being backed into a corner which isnt fair on me or them.
I will need to contact MIND on Monday to see if I can arrange some counselling as the peeps my GP referred me to have no vacancies until January and I really need to speak to someone before then. I have started to wonder if the depression I first started to suffer from in 2007 when working for twit at the Uni never actually went away? It has been simmering under the surface for all this time.
I have several jobs to apply for after going to sign on on Friday and I shall do this tomorrow. I also have to continue with tidying efforts - things are looking better but they are not pristine yet. I quite fancy putting the tree up this year but I need space to do it - hence the need for cleaning.
In other news I have managed to pay off one of my debts in full. Hopefully the Virgin CC will disappear this month too thanks to help from Mum. I hate being in debt.0 -
Good news on the credit card.
Sorry that things are tough at the mo.
Keep plodding and a belated happy birthday to you.
Take care.I am a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Mortgage Free Wannabe & Local Money Saving Scotland & Disability Money Matters. If you need any help on those boards, do let me know.Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any post you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button , or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own & not the official line of Money Saving Expert.
Lou~ Debt free Wanabe No 55 DF 03/14.**Credit card debt free 30/06/10~** MFW. Finally mortgage free O2/ 2021****
"A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of" Jane Austen in Mansfield Park.
***Fall down seven times,stand up eight*** ~~Japanese proverb. ***Keep plodding*** Out of debt, out of danger. ***Be the difference.***
One debt remaining. Home improvement loan.0 -
I had a lovely surprise this morning - I emptied my postbox and found a parcel from one of my chums - she sent me a funny birthday card and a box of Guilian Chocs, right when I feel the need for chocolate:D
Still having a Meh time - I have been out this morning to the bank to pay in an HB cheque, to withdraw money to pay into business account seeing as the rotters at the co-op kindly put me over my overdraft limit and then charged me £20 for the privilege, I swear that as soon as I can clear that overdraft I will close the account and move my business banking elsewhere! Nipped into butchers too and came out with some sliced cooked turkey and a small lump of cheese - needed for sandwiches and homemade french bread pizza. I espied a boned turkey thigh for £5.99 and may just get one closer to Christmas as I could get lots of dinners out of it and there would be no waste. I will also go to the greengrocers now that they have sprout tops for £1.49 which have several pounds of sprouts on them along with the cabbage on the top - very economical, grown locally and they will last me.
I took some stuff to the charity shop too including a pair of ski trousers that don't fit despite them being large - good old Tog24 being wonky with their sizing and these were too small around the waist (I couldn't do the zip up at all) yet my Helly Hansens which are a medium fitted perfectly when I tried them on this morning so I am keeping them. Now I have wonderful warm trousers for when it snows.
I shall go out tomorrow to the post office and walk up to the village and visit home bargains as mum wants some Stardrops as she has heard me faving about them, I shall also get her a jar of sour cherry conserve from Aldi as this is gorgeous and goes great with ice cream.
I need to tinker with my CV some more and do these applications...wish me luck.0
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