Find the SecondStar and soar, and then straight on till the morning…

SecondStar

Last night I rounded out the shi**y week by heading to bed and realising I’d lost my Loop earplugs! I wear them to sleep, and then transfer them to my work bag in case I need them in the office - they must’ve fallen out of my bag when I got my car keys out.

I was planning on buying a new pair soon, but having to sleep without them last night wasn’t ideal. My ever wonderful partner has offered to get me a new pair as an early Christmas present, I just need to decide which style I want.



A successful Saturday so far!

I’ve decided on my induction day outfit - slim black trousers, a soft, 3/4 sleeve, black shirt with small white daisies on it tucked in, a thin brown belt, and my flat brown leather ankle boots. All of this I already had, and I picked up a long sleeved, black, M&S button up cardigan for £4 to go over the top, along with my black coat and my brown work bag. It’s maybe not the most fashionable in 2024, but I wasn’t inclined to buy a whole new outfit for 1 day, and it looks smart and neat enough.

While I was out I also got an long sleeved, ankle length, brown/green/black plaid dress for £5 which will be nice for the winter with tights and boots, temporary foam earplugs(!), a comb for helping to cut my partner’s hair, some gluten free brownie mix for dessert tonight, 2 balls of tweed yarn, and a yellow spoon rest.

The spoon rest was £2 on sale in Matalan - they also had these 2 glass canisters with bamboo lids, and the prettiest summer floral patterns painted on them. They would’ve looked so beautiful in my kitchen, holding tea and sugar, and matched the vibe of my home perfectly, but they were £7.50 each!

I currently have plain glass canisters with bamboo lids, for tea and sugar - the same width, but shorter than the Matalan ones. So instead I’m going to buy some glass paint and make my current ones pretty - much cheaper than £15, and I won’t need to get rid of perfectly good canisters.



I got the moulding and the second lot of hand painted flowers done in the porch, and got the coat hooks and curtain back up; and my coats, bags and shoes all put back where they belong.

I still have to hang a small curtain in the window, or possibly window film / fake leading on the window, stain and hang the shelf, find suitable storage boxes for the shelf, and buy or make suitable hanging storage to go on the walls. Plus pictures/mirror and wall decoration!

But the bulk of it is done, and it’s back to being a useable space - and a far prettier one than the landlord special, cheap, white emulsion!

SecondStar

We went to see The Wild Robot today - I cried, it’s a beautiful film! Would recommend.

My best friend was very kind enough to gift me her old pc and monitor, now that she’s replaced it with a newer model. Her old pc was still powerful enough to run games and drawing programmes, so it’ll do just nicely for managing and updating my website (and maybe playing the Sims!).

Speaking of my website, I’ve been approached by a leader of another reenactment group, with a request to run a nalbinding workshop(s) for some of their members. I’ve run lots of workshops for beginners before, so I am familiar with the content and the teaching aspect, but I have never costed and priced my own workshop before.

I spoke with my other bff who is a self employed florist, and she has given me some excellent advice for costing and pricing, both for ticketed events and set rates. I’ve run my numbers and will send them across tomorrow. The worst they can say is no!

KajiKita

Awww to the Wild Robot 😊 (not seen it yet). 

Wonderful news and friend to give you an old machine - fab! 

Get you, getting asked to price up workshops! 🤩😊👏🎉🥳 I think this is really solid recognition of both your technical skills and your ability to share them. I hope that they go for the price you tell them. 😊

KK

SecondStar

Induction day went so well today!

I was apprehensive and nervous, but it turned out that there were 3 others who were doing the same training for the same role, which made it easier.

Our supervisor was taking the training, and I don’t think he stopped talking for the solid 6 hours. Outside of the mandatory health and safety / code of conduct stuff, the rest of the day was fascinating. Our supervisor was so informative and passionate about the organisation, it was very interesting and exciting.

There’s always a sense of ‘seeing that The Wizard of Oz is just a man’, when you see behind the scenes of places you’ve only ever been to as a customer/client/visitor, when you see all the underpinnings and the reality of it, but I’m still very keen to start.

And not a branded tshirt or baseball cap in sight! Instead, we’ll be fitted for our own set of tailored period costuming - petticoat, skirt, shirt, cardigan, apron, hat, and stacked heel boots, for the femme presenting staff. I’m looking forward to my first shifts.

KajiKita

Oh I’m so pleased it went so well 😊

KK

SecondStar

The group organiser who I sent my workshop pricing to never got back to me. I’m not overly surprised - I think his request was sent out under the assumption that I would say yes, and then come and do it for free, since reenactment is our ‘hobby’.

The thing is though, I make and *sell* items to people who don’t know how to make them. If I then teach those people, then they won’t need to buy my items any more. So why on earth would I give my knowledge and expertise away for free, and undermine my own business? Really, my workshops are the cornerstone of my business - they are the part which can be easily monetised, because they require less working hours and material costs, compared to me physically making items.

I’m not surprised, but I am annoyed.

The organiser had originally approached me with the idea to ‘get people in [his] group more interested in crafting’, as they’re a predominantly fighting group. I am not friends with this organiser, nor anyone else in their group. Yes we attend the same reenactment events, but we are not acquainted. I wouldn’t seek him or his group out to talk to, and vice versa. So no, I am not going to give 2 hours of my time plus 2 hours commuting, my wealth of researched, practised, and hard-earned knowledge, and my limited social battery, for free.

I also think it came down to the fact that I’m a craftsperson, but not just any - I’m a textile producer. I create items and practice techniques which were historically done by viking age women. Even in 2024, textile craft and production is seen as little more than hobbies to keep women busy - definitely not as businesses which will charge appropriate amounts of money. So since I enjoy doing my ‘little hobby’ anyway, why not go and teach his friends how to do it for free?

I know that this organiser would’ve never have dreamed of approaching my partner to teach his group blacksmithing, or leatherwork, and not expect to be billed appropriately.

Whether the organiser hadn’t been expecting a quote, or if my quote had been too much, then I’d rather have been told that than be ghosted - it’s just rude. He thought he knew me well enough to request my time and effort, but doesn’t know me well enough to think I’m worth a response!



In other news, I’ve sent my availability across for the key activation dates for my new job, and I’ve also requested to work this Saturday to begin to get to grips with the role. No reply yet, but hoping for an affirmative.

There are 22 key dates, of which I’m available for 18 - but we’re also able to request additional days if we’re free and it’s within budget to afford us. It’s a very similar rate of pay to my full time job; and so if I work 2 days each month in my new role then I should be able to earn enough to make it feel worth it, without getting taxed and deducted too heavily.

My partner also kindly pointed out that yes this new role may be very exciting, but to make sure not to burn myself out. Which is sage, and true. It’ll be a busy period in December, but I’ve purposefully not put myself down for every day, and made sure to schedule rest time in between.

I am looking forward to starting though, and the additional income will be welcome.

KajiKita

Perhaps the group organiser has been ill rather than ignoring you? Is there any way you can check? 

Glad that the second job is starting to get going. Hope you enjoy it 😊

KK

SecondStar

I don’t think so, I’ve seen him still posting updates and organising the fighting events, so I think I’ve just had the brush off.



In more interesting and celebratory news though……..I’ve hit my goal for my 3 month emergency fund!!

My goal was £3,500 - not quite as much at the £4,100 I had saved back in April (before large household, car, and vet expenses), but my outgoings have reduced since then, and so my goal reduced appropriately.

My next goal is to increase that fund by £1,000, to allow for a ‘vet emergency fund’. That £1,000 will then make up the following goal of having 6 months of expenses saved.

I’m not quite sure what the steps for those next goals look like at the moment - we’re expecting our pay uplift at the end of November, and our back pay too, so I’ll revisit my saving timeline once I have the new income confirmed.

KajiKita

Humph …. Sends event organiser a Paddington Hard Stare and joins SecondStar in washing my hands of said eejet … 😉

Bravo on hitting the first level EF target! 🎉🥳 It must feel good to have that behind you 😊

KK

SecondStar

I just did my first proper shift at my new second job!

The hours are far more sociable - 10 - 4 during the winter months, which still allows me to have a weekend lie-in, and the shorter shift feels far less strenuous than a full day.

I wasn’t measured for my costume today which was a little disappointing - that’ll be next time, hopefully. I was shadowing another worker today, who was really lovely, friendly, and informative. Everyone else I met was equally nice and welcoming, which was a relief.

The job itself seems fairly straightforward, and well within my skill set, and I’m looking forward to improving gradually as I settle into the role. It feels weird to know I’ll be getting paid to spend time in one of my favourite places! As I said, I’ll keep it to maybe 2 or 3 days each month, and see how I get on at that rate of work and rate of pay.

It was nice to spend a day outdoors, on my feet, after Monday to Friday sat at a desk and then sat on my sofa. I think it’ll do me good to spend some enforced time stood up, and it’ll help with my SAD to spend extended time outside as well.