Starting over...

ladymay

Oh ok, thanks for the info DFD and WTMA, I'll give Circle a go

Back in very snowy Portsmouth, we had a bumpy ride last night crossing the channel so I'm quite zombie-esque today. Haven't achieved a whole lot tbh except downloading everything I need to get some music and finance jobs done over the next couple of days. Just in the terminal making the most of the free wifi - main job for this week is to research social media and maketing, not my forte AT ALL so I need to learn how to get better at it.

I want a nap soooooo badly!

ladymay

Just adding a few bits to the March list:

Work
- promo video
- research agencies further and showcases
- learn 10 new songs for vintage act
- call 100 new homes
- follow up on every home I've contacted so far
- start putting together non-vintage act
- research social media and increase engagement
- PLI and union membership
- book in four gigs
- research where similar acts are performing locally and nationally

Writing
- look into children's publishers
- look into joining local children's writers group
- write down basic premise for new story

Life / health
- work out 10 times
- keep going over and over finances
- go to my therapy appointment
- rejig flat with Mum and put into storage or sell non-essentials
- look into selling/swapping desktop for laptop

ladymay

Af'noon my lovers!

Got a nice pint of cider in my hands so I'm feeling very Devonian today :beer:

Got my confirmation of the recording session sorted - 21st March, so excited!! Not so excited about the £350 price tag, but when it comes to promo videos it's very much a case of "you get what you pay for" so it's a necessary expense... Once I've paid for that, given some money to Mum and bought a couple of presents for the birthdays this month I'm penniless until the 31st. Not a huge issue considering I'm only on land for a week and food and housing is all sorted. I'm a bit miffed I'm not spending the last day of the Six Nations in the pub like I usually do, but it'd have to go on the credit card, and that is now for business expenses only - must be strict with myself!

The job is still going well, and because I'm trying to speak as much French as possible some of the crew have taken me on as a bit of a pet project and are teaching me new words and phrases every day. I'm pretty sure they see my attempts as 'cute', but I've got a great opportunity to get at least one language back up to scratch and I'm making the most of it

Physically I'm feeling really good for the first time in a while - I'm going to the gym every other day, getting 10,000 steps in on my rest days, and the combination of the exercise and a regular wage coming in is helping my anxiety no end, although I'm now having nasty dreams about my ex-fiance and his family. All part of processing I guess...

Not much else to report to be honest, just plodding along on the high seas!

Have a good week everyone, it's a busy couple of days but looking forward to catching up on everyone's diaries again on Wednesday xx

ladymay

In a very wet and miserable St Malo today - not really that miserable, it's still very pretty in the old town!

Promo video is all paid for, and I've sent the money over to Mum so minimal spends for the rest of the month.

I'm trying really hard to not get frustrated atm - there's just so much I want to do business-wise, and for my writing too, but it all involves spending money I don't have right now... I'm trying to figure out if it's worth chucking stuff onto the CC to speed things along in the hope that my income will increase quicker, or if I should give it time bearing in mind I'm still trying to get my anxiety under control. It certainly won't be wasting money (other than the interest on the debt), but because of my past bad spending I'm loath to get back into debt, even for a good cause. Argh, no idea what to do!

Mumoffourkids

I know St Malo or rather the ferry port there very well. I used to live about an hour away from St Malo. It is a lovely town.

Not quite sure what to say about whether to spend on your credit card or not. Do you think you will be tempted to spend more than just business stuff on there? And how much quicker do you think your income will increase if you spend out?

Enjoy St Malo.

ladymay

Hi mumoffourkids!

I'm in St Malo as I type! I've had to stay on the ship today due to a narly migraine, very grateful that the drugs have kicked in now. Had a great day yesterday, but a full training day followed by a full night of running entertainment was a sure fire way of making myself feel rubbish..

I just have so many things running through my head with finances and the business atm, and it's hard to figure out what's best to do. I really wish I had a business partner sometimes to mull things over with. Using the card for personal spending isn't an issue, I know better to go down that route, but whether the spending will increase earnings quickly enough to warrant it is a big question. This is why I get frustrated with myself - not enough business nouse!!

I did have a little bit of good news today - I put in a PPI claim a while back not even knowing if I'd ever taken it out, and £139.11 has appeared as if by magic! Delighted with that little win! Not that it's going on anything exciting - I need toiletries and tights :rotfl:

I hope everyone is having a good week! Xx

Mumoffourkids

Yeah to PPI claims. I am waiting on two at the moment. Neither will be very large but every little bit helps!

ladymay

Very true! It's covered all the essentials for this month so I'm delighted!

Everything's still going well with the job, my bosses are very happy with me :j I'm really missing the singing atm, can't wait to get home so I can focus on getting some gigs in!

ladymay

Completely zombiefied today, not managing to get much sleep. I'm doing all the right stuff - working out hard (but not in the few hours before bed), no caffeine in the evenings, no screens in bed, but my brain and my body just aren't talking to each other which is really annoying because I need all my energy atm for work, learning French and sorting out singing work *grump grump grump*.

Just called the mothership to wish her Happy Mother's Day only for her to inform me I'm dog sitting for four of the seven days I'm home this month so she can go on holiday with "just a friend" (honest, guv!). This "just a friend" also took her out for dinner on her birthday on Wednesday just gone... We'll see if he's "just a friend" when they get back from their break :rotfl: at least one of us has some romance in their lives I guess!

Not much to report MSE wise, it's quite easy to not spend money when you're working at sea just as well considering I have none to spend atm! Just learning more music and working hard :cool:

Happy Sunday, and Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful mums out there. I hope one day I'll be celebrating with you xx

MeenaM

checking in and saying hi ! keep up the good work xx