Women and cats will do as they please! :)

TheMagician

Haha you're welcome VAP Driver DS says I make the best mash, the secret is plenty of hot milk and butter and making sure it's perfectly mashed - no bits.
It was scrummy

I don't get grumpy, just overwhelmed In general though, I always feel happy and that's where I wanna get back to after sorting out all these changes that have been happening at work and settling down into some sort of a routine at least.

What do you do for a job and what's your holiday destination?
Your cat is so lucky it's coming with you :beer:

Hmmm... Free money seems to be making its way over to me this weekend.
Had a radio research guy knock on the door and ask me to fill out some online form and gave me £5!

And then I logged into Amazon last night and they're giving £10 voucher if I spend £40 on gift cards. So I did that, just applied the gift card balance to my account as I know I'll spend it for Christmas. The offer ran out last night. This morning they're doing it again for a different date range so I've done it one more time - that's £20.

£75 for the weekend - fantastic :T

VAP_Driver

I hope the free money keeps coming your way- it definitely doesn't head in my direction!

We're off to the Lot in France, which is next to the Dordoigne if that helps. My cat is an indoor boy, so it really is a holiday for him. He gets to go out and do cat stuff like the other cats do. The downside is it's a long, long way to drive- about 16 hours door to door (as long as the tunnel behaves itself). And he never takes his bloody turn driving, but just sits there in his carrier on the back seat and alternating between glowering and snoozing.

Have you started your researching in to the buying a house process yet? It all seems very confusing, with loads of new words like 'conveyancing' to get your head around. Quite exciting though! And I've visited a load of new forums on this board which I never normally stick my nose in to.

Apparently after a wedding and a divorce, buying a house is the most stressful thing we do in our lives- I can well believe it, and haven't even started yet! I'm looking forward to reading your own house purchase story- when do you think you'll actually start looking?

belleandthebudget

Magician, I've just read through your thread and have so enjoyed it. Particularly all the good coming to you and your DS due to your hard work and positive attitude. Definitely inspiring me!

TheMagician

VAP Driver hope you have a wonderful holiday. And safe journey, that's one long drive.
Your cat is so lucky to be coming with you You're a wonderful owner. Cats genuinely hate being apart from their owners for a prolonged period of time, they get very stressed.

With regards to stress, as long as I have control over something it doesn't stress me. So I think it'll be OK, really exciting more than anything.
I'm looking all the time, looked last night. Just to see what's out there.
Also, the benefit of working in the environment I'm in right now is that everyone is a fair bit older and a few property experts too so I'll be offered a lot of advice and support.

Awww belleandthebudget thanks so much I'm feeling the love right now. Made me smile Hard work sure does pay off, every time. Delayed gratification is what we all need to aim for. My boss once said, do today what your future self will thank you for.
Let me be the first to say it's always the hardest route, always the most work. And I can't say I know for sure I'll get what I'm after. But I hope in 10yrs time I'll look back on this and be able to say 'Yeah, you've earnt it, I'm glad with what I've got, let's get some more' whether that's relationships, money, freedom - whatever I'm after at that point.

TheMagician

Hello diary,

For a few weeks now (or months...) I've been thinking uncontrollably about the purpose of my life.
I've been questioning everything.
Am I in the right job? Yes, I think so. I may have been upset due to my job one time too many over the last 6 months but it's not a true picture of how I feel about it. Things will settle soon.
Am I living in the right place? No. More so than ever I've been drawn to nature and I'll make that a priority when house hunting.

Where am I going? What's the end purpose? Are my relationships true? Am I living in the right country? Should I be so driven and career minded when all we really have is our soul? Am I going to use money for the right reasons?

Questions go on and on. I could be here all day.
I'm trusting the process. I may not be able to see far ahead over my next few steps but I believe there's a greater purpose.

judi24

There must be something in the air The Magician - I am feeling the same at the moment.


I have no offers of advice or pearls of wisdom to offer except that you have the ability to make choices in everything - you have the power and the control to what ever you believe to be right just take one step and choice at a time!


I too am drawn to nature now more than ever! Go with it as once your DS is older its hard to change their lifestyle/school to live somewhere more rural! I am dying to move but feel the right thing for DS and DD3 is to stay where I am until they finish secondary school! - But seven years seems like a long time!


Take care of your self

belleandthebudget

Magician, I think the fact that you're asking yourself these questions means that you're on the right path. It means you're conscious of your choices and impact.

I know just what you mean about nature. I'm a country girl but I've had to move to London for my job. I love it and I wouldn't be able to work for my company anywhere else in the UK but I struggle even in the less urban areas of the city and make sure to visit my parents in the middle of nowhere Scotland at least four times a year to get a breather.

VAP_Driver

Thanks very much- i'm sure the two weeks away will go as quickly as I bet yours did.

I don't think my cat would notice or care if he was separated from me or his mum. But he would immediately get stressed if he was separated from his food bowl for even a short period of time. He's on a diet at the moment, which hasn't went down particularly well with him.

It's always good to have a plan in life in my opinion, both short, mid term and long term (although I think of long term plans more as 'aspirations'). Without plans it's easy to lose focus and drift- for example, for me it'd be like going shopping without a list. I'd come back having spent twice as much, taken twice as long, and only having half the stuff I need.

At the same time, imagine how boring life would be if everything went according to plan?! You only ever plan things you can imagine- but some of the best things in life that happen to you are the unplanned things that you never even dreamed of. Trouble is plans can also act as barriers too.

Now, i have no idea where I'm going with this, or what point I'm trying to make! Other that to say, getting the hang of this living thing can be bloody hard sometimes!

TheMagician

Thanks judi24 I will use this move carefully, I believe it will be for around 5yrs so fairly long term.

Belleandthebudget Lucky you having family in picturesque Scotland.

VAP Driver We all need a flexible plan, stay open to change.
My experience is, find your destination and go there. Things are going to happen along the way, that's normal. But universe appreciates a trier.

Essentially, I feel like I'm in the right place but it's been a difficult ride. Looking forward to this calming down a bit and me finishing the studies. It will be a huge milestone for me, god only knows what's gonna happen after that.

I know I want to live somewhere warm(er), don't mind learning another language. As I grow older I think I'll want to be near family too.

On another note, I've been trying to notice what gives me good feelings and excites me:

1) people. I'm drawn to people, love to communicate and people seem to return the favour. Talking, whether that's general, serious life or work talk, makes me happy. Exchanging positive emotions, supporting each other makes me happy. Helping someone out by listening or offering advice makes me happy. People in general make me feel good. I pick them carefully though, I can spot an energy sapper miles away.

2) events. I was watching a show about halloween this morning and about doing home made treats and felt a little spark in my stomach. Organising a celebration makes me happy. Decorating my house, making snacks and having people over makes me happy. Entertaining makes me happy. All those positive emotions when people are having fun, laughing and relaxing - wonderful.

3) family. Was very lucky to bring my son to work today. We went out for lunch, the sun was shining. We lied down under a tree and giggled and ate lunch and enjoyed the sunshine. Best lunch ever! Having relaxing family time makes me happy. Exploring new places with my son makes me happy.

4) beauty. This is something that I've always felt but not always been able to cater for. Beautiful fabrics make me happy. Aesthetically pleasing house makes me happy. Perfectly clean home makes me happy. I've got an eye for best quality stuff, I always have done. I'm not in a place financially yet where that's always OK and so I'm working on it.

5) nature. Being close to nature makes me happy. Lying on soft grass and looking at the sky, hearing the birds.
The galaxy is something that's held my attention ever since I was very little. I find it fascinating, could look at the stars for hours. When I look up at the night sky I feel almost hypnotised, like I'm at home. The magnitude of it all fascinates me - stars make me happy.

So far, 4/5 things are not money related - good stuff. It's the right balance I think.

I'll come back and extend my list as and when, these happy feelings just come to me and then I know - this is what I need even more of in my life.

submarine76

Morning Magician, what a lovely post, has really brightened up my morning - thank you :O)