Money and Me - A Love/Hate Story

in_need_of_direction

If I hear another word about glorious weather, I'll scream. Bloody cold and wet where I am.

skintygerlinky

Diiiiiiivaaaaassss!!! Hiiiiyerrrr!


How we doing lovely laydeez? Seem to have turned into the Beastie Boys! Ah well nothing wrong with that.


So how are we doing? Haven't checked any threads at all in a couple of weeks, I hope everyone is doing OK. Huge hugs and snogs to those doing brilliantly, likewise to those not doing so good. Maybe even more to those who feel like they're just treading water at the mo. You're still going in the right direction!


Well I handed in the monster assignment, think it's OK. Haven't had any feedback yet, so of course the doubts are starting to slide in. But because I'm a proper div who seems to compartmentalise everything in life, I need to put it to one side and return to the rest of my life!!


So today lets just look at things that need immediate attention:


Dad's 70th Birthday! Yes!! Aw Dad. Big milestone. Family meal tonight, pressies organised, lots of lovely proud feelings.


Family probs My nephew has had a diagnosis of a really rare illness. Its not life threatening but will be life affecting. We're all still in a real daze about this so apologies for the lack of details. Had a good chat with my poor worn out sister - we both agreed the best way is for us all to talk about it, when anyone feels the need too. Worrying and horrible.


Money Aaaargh!! Well it could have been worse?! May was pretty horrific - travel costs to Uni were ginormous for a kick-off, plus suddenly bought dins from M&S 4 days on the bounce. The money spent in there is one thing but the attitude - oh Divas The Arrertooood made a big comeback!! As in....I don't have a choice, there is simply no other way around this, your are chocka with uni work and simply MUST spend £6 per day buying lentil and roast veg salad.


What?!


So. Other big payouts this month but ENOUGH!! Tomorrow is the first day of June, its Day Zero, I don't have another Day Zero in me. Dust of the cash books, back to budgets, we can do this!!


Will prob discuss the financial minutiae in Da Frugal Fread but wanted to come in here first to say hello and bring everyone up to speed - including me!! As ever its good to write it down.


Game on Divas!! Good to be speaking to you in here, missed you! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESy-Z8vqMrE

in_need_of_direction

Glad to see you back. You've been missed. Btw, courtesy of others on here, I signed up to green redeem. In 5 mins I made enough points for 3x £5 off a £25 m&s food spend. Def worth doing for the manic weeks.

girlatplay

Lovely to "see" you skinty. Yes, 1st June. I am doing the 30 day ab challenge on Facebook AND the 30 day squat challenge! Well, 27 days until my hols so I have to do something about the wobbles!


INOD that is a very helpful post!

Magsnoodle

Hiya Skinty....

Good to see you back -- thought Uni had taken over your life. Hope it goes well but I am sure it will. Hope June turns out better but I assume Uni will be calming down now if not finished for the summer so you can get back to sorting out your food properly rather than jumping to M&S when you think you have no choice - Posh bird....

Take care and hope the family is ok. Yes it might be life affecting but it sounds like your family will be good at supporting everyone through it. If we can be of any help and offer any support let a shout.

(((HUGS))) and TTFN x

skintygerlinky

Evening Divas xxxxxxxxxx


Aw some lovely messages there and some top tips too! Need to have a look at those. The squats and abs challenges sound good! I'm back in the gym tomorrow, was Dad's birthday today and the last day of feasting on cake and big meals etc. I've been shopping, sorted meal plans and need to get this blobbly show on the road.


Life getting back to normal - mum and dad have been all lovey-dovey during birthday celebrations but they've just had a massive row about cleaning out the fridge so thank God for that! Phew!! Normality kicks in!


You're right Mags, uni is deffo calming down for this year. I'm enjoying having a bit more time to myself and have nearly finished a book! Haven't read for pleasure in ages.


Also...nosey question. Do we have any meditating Divas in here? Have you felt any benefits? Such as? Anyone in here keep meaning to meditate and never get round to it? That'll be me. Let me know!

Buffythedebtslayer

hope all is well Slinky


I am about to start Yoga which is sort of a meditating type thing so will let you know how that goes!


The Abs challenge is meant to be a bit of scam - ie it isn't that good and can apparently result in a pot belly! I started the squats one but gave up!!


take care hon XX

girlatplay

I would be interested to hear how the Yoga goes.

I started both the abs and squats challenges. I cannot do a sit up to save my life and was really struggling (considering I have had approximately 10 ops on my stomach over the past 12 years I was mightily impressed that I managed anything) so I gave up the abs one. I then read about the negative effects of the abs challenge but I only glanced at it and misread it as the squat challenge (??? !!!!!!???) so stopped doing that too! Donut.

hohum

skintygerlinky wrote: »

Evening Divas xxxxxxxxxx


Aw some lovely messages there and some top tips too! Need to have a look at those. The squats and abs challenges sound good! I'm back in the gym tomorrow, was Dad's birthday today and the last day of feasting on cake and big meals etc. I've been shopping, sorted meal plans and need to get this blobbly show on the road.


Life getting back to normal - mum and dad have been all lovey-dovey during birthday celebrations but they've just had a massive row about cleaning out the fridge so thank God for that! Phew!! Normality kicks in!


You're right Mags, uni is deffo calming down for this year. I'm enjoying having a bit more time to myself and have nearly finished a book! Haven't read for pleasure in ages.


Also...nosey question. Do we have any meditating Divas in here? Have you felt any benefits? Such as? Anyone in here keep meaning to meditate and never get round to it? That'll be me. Let me know!

Ahhh the feeling of deadlines met...

I've done mindulness meditation on and off but never really managed to make it stick. I've been to a few (free) sessions, usually run by your local buddhist centre which are nice. I have also done a day course which was fantastic. The last meditation was walking meditation which is my fave kind, by that point I was very connected with being present and I had an insight into what it might be like to take certain kinds of drugs...everything was SO AMAZING . Looked at a tree - AMAZING. My feet connecting with the floor - AMAZING. It was great, although I should add don't expect to feel like that in meditation as a rule!

The other benefits I find are: a feeling of spaciousness, more grounded, helps with managing anxiety. I've never had a regular enough practice to see the long term benefits although you see them in other people I think. You can tell people who meditate regularly, they listen really carefully and pay attention in a way that can be somewhat disconcerting if you're not used to it!

At home I often like to listen to guided meditations, it's all about finding ones that you get on with. both the ones I have enjoyed are American, once you get over the accent they're brilliant.

http://www.zencast.org/category/Introduction%20to%20Meditation is recordings of the classes given at the San Francisco Zen Buddhist centre. they're free and I like the guy who does the class

http://www.meditationoasis.com/ are free mini guided mindfulness meditations and other resources. I find her voice super relaxing!

Seeing as I bang on about meditation enough, and I have been saying I'll do some...Maybe I will use your diary to say OK for the next seven days I will meditate once a day, min 10mins a time. guided or just breath meditation. Fancy having a go?

[Deleted User]

Hi Skinty, sorry not been on here in a while. I hope your Uni assignment has gone well.

I have done Yoga on and off for years but mostly just as exercise. The Salute to the sun sequence gives a really good ab workout. I have tried meditating but never really stuck with it long enough to se any benefits. I would like to have the self-discipline to meditate regularly but I just don't.

Hohum, thanks for the links, I will check them out.