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Archive for April, 2011

updates.

April 19th, 2011 at 07:32 am

I have been trying to sell some things on eBay lately. Have made a little money, but everytime I sell on there, something goes wrong. Why are my customers always the fussy ones that expect their parcel to have arrived last week? Excuse me, it's Easter! You must be mad if you expect your item to arrive on time!

I bought a skirt which *hopefully* goes with the rest of the outfit I have planned for the wedding party. We just have to find something for DH now. Fingers crossed my items arrive in time. (and that they FIT!)

I have lost a little weight. Really, it is just losing weight that I had gained over the past few months. My teenage sister being around eating all the time means that somehow I will find myself eating when I probably shouldn't be!

So, now the hard part begins where I lose the weight I actually want to lose, not the extra weight I shouldn't have put on in the first place! Gah!

I have finally finally finally done all the paperwork to change our superannuation funds over. Will now be saving $65 a month in insurance costs, and hopefully making more money on our superannuation (retirement) as well, as this fund has better rates.

We have done a bit of de-cluttering lately. I seem to be in the mood for it. Sorted through all my clothes and got rid of about four shopping bags full. Have a few to sell on eBay, but DH will use the unsellable (read: trashed) clothes as rags. Also got rid of appliances that don't work, a whole heap of junky craft items that I will never use, and an assortment of other stuff that basically was taking over my office space. Feels so good to get rid of clutter! Our house is slowly forming into something that can be called 'adult family' rather than 'bunch of twentysomething room-mates sharing a house'. Big Grin

We have DH's aunt & uncle staying with us for a weekend, end of April. This will definately spur us into more cleaning as well. DH has a lot to do. I know we're married & have been together for 8 years, etc etc, but I still believe he should put away his own clothes & sort out his own paperwork! NOT my job! Alas, he will have to get a move on, because the spare room is covered in boxes of his paperwork and knick-knacks.

I have five days off in a row this weekend (Friday through to Tuesday). So will hopefully get in a few full days of study, one or two of tidying, and maybe one to just hang out with friends and relax!

Oh, and of course, job search! Now that I am able to and have willing referees, I seem to be stalling myself. I don't know why. I guess now there's nothing holding me back except, well, ME. It's my own fault if I can't find another decent job, and my own fault if I don't even try. *sigh*. And I'm scared! Working at the same place for 5 years makes you very comfortable. Time to step out of my comfort zone, I guess...

Though, in preparation I *did* buy some nice interview/office-job shirts. So I guess that's something. Bought one on sale for $10 and another with a gift card. Sheesh, looking at corporate-wear makes me realise what I miss out on. I love corporate wear, but I only have one day a week where I can wear it - and I don't really even have to. I could wear my pajamas and my boss wouldn't bat an eyelid. Sooo many cute shirts...! Anyway. Won't get ahead of myself. Don't have a job yet to wear them to, let alone pay for the shirts, and will probably be provided with my own uniform. Sigh.









rambles & updates & pic

April 13th, 2011 at 02:04 am

Time for an update.

We have been getting most of our RSVP's for our wedding party. It looks like the ones we expected not to come, aren't coming (which is actually a relief because we invited too many).

We also got our first contribution to our wishing well, from my aunt and uncle who cannot make it. They sent us a $100 check.

Today I plan to buy some thankyou cards, and send them one today. Thankfully the stationery we used for the invitations have a matching thankyou card, so that will be easy.

What is the etiquette on check-cashing? This amount will be going to our baby fund... but do I wait, and deposit it, say, the day after our wedding party?

I have done away with the idea of a dress, and ordered myself a new steel-boned corset:



which I'm hoping to find either a black/red 50's style swing skirt to wear with, or a plain dress to go underneath. I already have shoes & jewellery so in the end it's a lot cheaper to do it this way. All I really need other than a skirt is some stockings. My only issue is whether it gets here in time, as it is being shipped from the uk. :S My other option is to buy one from a store in the city. It is a LOT more expensive that way. DH is opting for a waistcoat instead of a traditional suit.

I have my 3rd online test for my law subject due this week. after that, one more online test and the exam!

I have worked out, if I do another 3 subjects this year I will have done 6. If I can keep that up, I can achieve my degree in 4 years instead of 6. I think it's possible even with adding children into the equasion. We will see.

I talked to my boss & his wife about job searching. I don't have any past references any more, as the last two places closed down. So, I had to ask. They were rather shocked at the possibility of my leaving (I did say I was looking for part-time work outside of my normal working hours - but if I was unable to find this, then my qualifications lay in office administration, so that would be where my search would end up if all else fails. They have brains, and realised office admin equals 9-5 work, which doesn't suit what I'm doing now without changes.)

Basically they told me they are thinking of letting go of another staff member (one that I, and others, have had problems before with. she does not make it easy for herself, let's put it that way). And that if they could get a commitment from me for 12 months, they would look into doing that, and giving myself and other staff members more hours. I of course, did NOT give my commitment.

So, now I REALLY need to find another job. I do not want to be responsible for someone else losing their job. Thoughts?

I did get permission to use them as a reference. They think it is for part-time work, but she also did mention, very early on in the conversation, before any talk of firing other staff, that she understands if I find something that fits in with my studies, career-wise. So, that is a load off my mind and gives me a bit more confidence in my resume. I have begun scoping the adverts already.

dilemma!

April 6th, 2011 at 01:37 am

I started looking in earnest for jobs on the weekend - and not just low level customer service jobs. I decided to look at government jobs, council jobs, hospital administration, banking etc etc. I figured there must be some sort of entry level job I'm qualified for (I have several administration certifications...).
There are heaps!

And now I am in a bit of a dilemma. I've found one that sounds like it was made for me:

Financial Planners Assistant at (Big 4) Bank, part-time, must be database & word processer proficient. Suited to someone studying finance (their exact words) or looking for an entry level banking job.

Anyway. So the dilemma is, that is a job that I would LOVE. It would allow me to work my way up and help me on some levels with my studies.

However, we've decided to have a baby next year. I can't with good conscience start a job as an assistant to someone if I knew I would be leaving next year. And it would rule out my chances of working for the copany again, methinks. I don't really want to put off starting a family either - if I start a new job like this, I won't want to leave it after one or two years, so that rules that out.

Anyway. I guess I just have to hope that a position makes itself available when I'm ready to go back to work in two years time or so.

There are others out there, but this one seemed to sing a song to me, lol.

My second dilemma is... Well. It's not really a dilemma. It is just making me nervous, so I have been putting it off for a few days.

I have realised that it's probably fair to tell my employers I'm looking for a job. But I also realised I could give them a chance to offer me something, if they think I'm valuable enough. Either that, or it will help them focus on their OTHER staff members, all of whom feel as though they are being treated like crap at the moment. I figure this conversation can only have good outcomes, no matter how ugly it will be.

What I intend to do first, is ask them if I can use them as a reference. She will then ask 'You're not leaving are you?' (Which is what she said when I told her I had started studying). I then plan to tell her that I honestly don't know, it depends what I can find. Depending on how that goes, I planned to tell her that of what I've looked at, there are a lot of office jobs. I also intend to slip in a few things about pay (seeing as I am underpaid for the work I do). I expect that she will probably shoot back about how they have 'given me' more hours when I 'needed it', of which I will remind her that the only reason I was 'given' those hours were because another staff member left and that if they had not, I would not have been 'given' the extra hours.

That is all I can think of at this stage. I am one of the only staff members that does not mind talking to her - she is extremely blunt and has no people skills. I can be very honest, and don't really care what people think of me, so we manage to have a good conversation where another might be bawling Big Grin

The biggest problem I have with her is that she always has to remind us staff of how 'good' they are to us - when most of the time, it is only when it suits them. And the psychological mind-games annoy me as well - they will cut your hours, and then 'give you' one extra shift two weeks later, and stand there waiting for you to jump up and down and say thankyou.

Sigh!

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In other news, I fell asleep on the couch listening to my Law lecture on my iPhone yesterday! :S

wedding party update, dress please...

April 3rd, 2011 at 03:01 am

The 50's housewife themed babyshower was great. I went yesterday. I love it when there is a dress up theme for a party and everyone actually goes to the lengths to dress up for it! I have been to a few babyshowers in my time and it was definately THE best I have been to. I can't stand the really terrible games like eating baby-food blindfolded, etc. I get that these events have to have those types of things (mostly) but please! No one wants pureed corn & pear on their dress!!!

DH and I are thinking of starting a family soon, and these things make me even more clucky. I have always wanted to have children, and being around people with kids, kids birthday parties, babyshowers, pregnant people, etc has always made me go 'awwh... one day'. But now that it's a decision we've made for the very near future, it seems the cluckiness bubbles over sometimes (and even DH said the same thing - nice to know it's not just me. & I think that is a sign we are both ready for the next stage!). Still annoys me when people ask the baby question though - none of your goddam business!

Wedding party updates:

Only 6-7 weeks away now and I have typically done NOTHING organisation wise. Big Grin I know, I'm fantastic.

However, we have these things sorted out:
- Hall booked ($150)
- Main meal booked, deposit paid ($246 paid, $1056 to pay)
- Alcohol organised & paid for (FREE thanks to DH's uncle & auntie)
- Entree partially organised (various friends & family bringing so far: bruschetta, toasted turkish pide & dips, homemade vegetarian samosas, salmon & cream cheese/spinach & ricotta pastry twirls, mini quiche, cupcakes).
- Cake organised (FREE thanks to my best friend)
- Music organised (iPod playlists)
- Hair (FREE thanks to a friend who is doing it in return for posting pictures on her vintage hairstyling blog)
- Some decorations (MIL is preparing succulent plants in terracota bowls for tables instead of flowers)
- Photography (we have several friends with amazing photography skills & hugely expensive equipment - why bother paying someone else?)
- post-wedding 'honeymoon' (DH's uncle owns a hotel)

When I say I have these things organised, what I really mean is that people have come to us and offered their services/money etc. I had no part in sourcing any of this Big Grin So when people look at all the things that are going into this party, it appears to be a lot. It is a lot more than I would have planned myself, but then again, I didn't plan any of it. Unlike many other brides, I have taken a backseat in all of this. I don't really mind what happens - it is after all, NOT a wedding. We are already married. It is just a party to celebrate it - a very, very post reception, I guess.

Only things I have to organise now are table cloths & chair coverings (Do I even need chaircoverings? what a waste of money...) and our clothes. No, I don't have a dress. I like the idea of dressing up for events, but when the time comes, I can't be bothered. DH loves dressing up for things. So, I am trying to put in the effort of finding something unique to us. I hope to wear the dress again. I have so far come up with these (which I can wear again to conventions):





What do you think?