2014

Well, I did have a lot to say, but I think if I post everything from the last year, it'll just be negative, part of my new years resolution is to remove the negative, so here's just the 2014 resolution list, short and sweet.

Remove the negativity in my soul
Improve family time
Improve my health/eating habits
Better with money, budgets, income.
Mostly, restore the type of relationship I used to have with my wife.


Thats all, here's hoping for a better 2014

Always 3 steps forward 5 steps back

Been almost a year since I posted anything, things have been good, but as life is, theres always something that makes those backwards steps become bigger. Working in retail is always difficult, customers are always right, and having to manage staff is always tricky. Never have I had to work with such lazy sensitive people, if they arent doing their job properly and you tell them that or give them some direction, they go nuts or complain. I work with the biggest bunch of back stabbers, if youve got something to say just say it, so many two faced people and lazy teenagers, im bloody over it. This week has just been crap and it potentially might get worse, a black cloud over my head, my manager isnt concerned and has my back 100%, but as always things always stress me out, and ive been doing so well with my stress over the last year or so, there's been some major life moments that normally wouldve seen me ripping my hair out, drinking lots of alcohol and skipping meals for a week! But ive been pretty calm, just taking life as life, and things just happen that are out of my control, but this current issue, maybe its just me, im very blunt and straight forward and honest, and maybe thats just too much for people to work with.....I know everyones different and NEED to be treated in certain ways, but geez some people just need to learn what life is really like, its tuff, it sucks, its great and it has ups and downs. I think I need to be in an environment where I just do my job, finding good help these days is hard, baby sitting adults is even harder... Should be a fun week or two. End of the day if anything comes out of this all, my manager has the final say, and like I said he has my back 100% and will deal with things, he says he's not concerned with anything ( basically someone making a complaint against me) so I just need to trust in him, he can talk his way and everyone else, out of just about anything, and I really shouldnt be worried, but thats just me. Feels like the old me again...and I dont like it

Over it

OK, I'm very much over the renting house thing, inspections, not being able to do things we want to the house....errrr, just bugs me. So I need to focus on fixing that, currently things that will slow things down...money/income, an average credit history. Income I can work on, I'm hopeful to be able to step up a position within the company I currently work with, anywhere from now up to maybe 12months time, so that's a start. As a joint income I think my wife is making steps towards hers too. So to be realistic 12months? from now...I hope things will change. Credit history...nothing I can do to change that and I take responsibility for it, I'm shit with money and bills, I need to pull my head out of my ass, as to how long that will affect us is just a guess, the only thing to do now, is make sure everything is paid on time, and we start a pattern of saving. We need a budget, we need a plan now. I'd like to say the easy thing would be to win the house we just bought tickets in...but I'm not holding my breath, if it happens great, but otherwise...time to go to work, some hard decisions ahead. This isn't going to be a shorterm thing, we wont be buying a house in 12months-being real about things- but we might feel better about heading in some sort of direction atleast.

2011

Well another year has passed... Seemed to go by quick, the days seemed shorter...
So what will 2011 bring? What do I want it to bring? Whats my resolution for the year??????
Well it seems that in various things I've taken a backwards step. First- The family, I feel as though I've lost my calm feeling that I worked hard at achieving , I'm snappy again and I don't like it, do I really want my kids to grow up with a grumpy parent? No not really... So that's high on the list of things to change. Second- Time with the wife, well things are pretty good I think, but we've stopped making time for ourselves-work/kids/hobbies/Internet-seems to over run it sometimes. So I want to work on some quality time for ourselves. Third- The big one that always seems to come up....Money, now its not like we're struggling or anything, we eat well, go out plenty, and we do buy things when needed, but, we're not really saving money though, and I'm not managing my income very well, and not making progress on my car...Ive sold some things on ebay which went well, spending money on the car and saving don't normally go together, but it is possible. So time to have a big cleanout/selloff, stick to a savings plan/weekly budget for the car too. Forth- Lifestyle, now really we're not doing too bad there, but i'd like a better house, paying for location is one thing, but having a below average house is another, we have a house move coming up soon so that's something to look at. The dogs-well actually Atlas- is going to need some work in regards to not running laps-and trenches in the backyard- so I need to make a big effort there, more exercise and training-more time with dogs can be taken from internet time- that will help with the house thing, this house was a last resort thing, I didn't want to spend too much time waiting for the perfect house, this time around we can look abit more.

I think that's about it, well maybe for resolutions, one goal I have is work related-move up the tree so too speak- but that'll come in time... I should check my lotto tickets too, you never know how good the year might be starting!

A new start

Well it's been awhile since my last post, some new developments! Work, I've been offered a job, partime with a view to full time, with a new Pet Supplies place about 10mins from here. Ive accepted the job with a view of working towards some goals, 1- Achieving a full time position, 2- Becoming more than just a "Salesperson". The money seems good even with just the part time position, I will soon know the hourly rate once my paperwork gets here, maybe this week. I'd actually lost hope on this job, I'd applied to it maybe 5weeks ago, but got a call from the HR manager last week for an interview, they called afew days later with the job offer. Its not ideally what I wanted, I really wanted full time work, but the money for 20hrs a week is not much less than what I was earning at the Shelter, so its not all bad, and like I've said, I've got something to work towards so I think it'll be fine....although I've had another phone call for another job interview....

So that's a good start to things, some extra income, and some future career prospects.

Ive also been thinking about other parts of my day to day life, family, pets, health and cars. I'm starting to plan certain things, more goals I guess, looking at some things long term, and also making an effort to have some routine to certain things. The family side of things has been going well, we've had constant outings, nature walks, activities for the kids, and just family days out, I've been going to alot of things too, I used to just stay home when the kids were going out with K, but I've made an effort to change that, quality time with the whole family. Some time with K without kids is next on the cards. The pets, well I've spent more time with the dogs lately, going outside a playing with them, walking will be happening again-this relates to health too.
Health- well I've been lazy, eating crap food, no exercise, gaining weight. So this week, yesterday, I started back on weights, bought a barbell after putting it off for months, I've got a bench that my cousin left here...geez I'm sore today though. Ive planned 4 days of weight training, weekends off, walking a couple of days a week at least, maybe getting a bike to ride. Time to get fit again.
Cars- well I've thought about this lots lately, I cant see myself driving -the car I've been working on-in 10 years, I cant really do the things I want to it, legally, and when its finished, I think I'd still like a Camaro, so rather than spending 2-3years building the current car, then wanting another car 5years from now, I'm biting the bullet and selling all of my current cars and parts, and buying a Camaro. It will cost more to build the actual car, but long term will work out cheaper as I'm only building one car, not two. It will take longer to build, but it'll probably be the last car I build, so time is pretty unlimited now. Plans, plans, plans!!!

So lots happening, and lots of plans, I'm also planning on doing more things with the kids, we spent 1 hour yesterday blowing bubbles in the back yard and laughing at the dog trying to catch them...was a good day, more of that to come...

Money

So, I've stopped working at the rescue shelter about a month ago, work with my "mate" has been pretty inconsistent, so money hasn't been great, but we're getting by ok, for now. So whats my plan? Do I even have one? Last night we had a manager from a franchise come around to talk about buying a pet grooming franchise. Now its sounds good, make your own money, support from the company, how much you put in is how much you get out...but things that are bad, initial outlay to buy the franchise, 37000, that would mean a loan, and emptying our-well the wife's- bank account, owing money to the bank, probably spending the first year building the business and repayments, so pretty much the first year is repayments, not so much making money-well depending on how busy I am- so that means the first year, or most of it, I would be paying off, not earning, we get by on the wife's wage, and have backup in the bank, but buying the franchise would change that, is it something I/we're prepared to do? All of this hurts my head. Money money money, that's all life seems to be, money doesn't make you happy? To some degree I believe that, working your ass off to make it, doesn't work, the more money you want, the more you got to work-mostly, I think winning money doesn't help, IF, its alot of money, you know millions, you have people wanting things from you, having that much money makes you complacent I think. I want enough to be comfortable, enough to buy a house, and invest some and live-or at least- have enough interest earning, that if we weren't working, we had a modest-40000ish- interest payment each year-you know average wage. I want a comfortable life, that revolves around time with/for the kids, hobbies and having a fun exciting life, without stressing everyday about money and work, yes I know billions of other people want this too. If I won money, how much would be good, its one thing to say I want to win that 10million lotto draw, but really, that's nothing but greed, its nice to say I'd like to help out people or my family if I won money, but my main priority is my family under this roof, so how much is enough? Well a house, yes a big block of land and big house, cars, sheds and no neighbours would be great, but what would make us happy and comfortable? Maybe a decent size 4 bed home, close to the water-so gold coast obviously- a garage or workshop/shed, nice kitchen/bathroom etc, so maybe something worth around 400-450000? That's a pretty average house price on the coast, what else? Abit of spending money, finish the car, a holiday and some household items? So maybe 50000? A decent holiday by the way... And some money in the bank, 10% interest account, 40000 a year? So maybe another 400000? So really a million? If we couldn't have it all, I'd settle for the house option, that would mean working wasn't going into rent or home repayments, it would be surplus, so 450000? That would be nice, I'm not greedy, I don't think there's anything wrong with wanting a better life, that didn't involve watching every dollar you have, just want some comfort... Now to work out how to make it happen

I should be sleeping

Well its not that late, 11.40pm on a Wednesday, day off tomorrow, but really I should be in bed....but, I don't feel tired tonight. I'm not really sure why, I've done lots of hours at work the last couple of weeks, I'm normally awake by 5am most mornings, sleeping in is 6am! Maybe its just having too many thoughts running through my head tonight, nothing bad, just thinking about work, the last few months has been abit shitty, lots of changes, some good, some bad. It seems the clash of personalities is really making things difficult, for me? No not really, I'm pretty much removed from that, I'm not really taking sides, just seeing things from some peoples side of things. The ethics of the place are my main problem, Nic, our 'new' boss, in my opinion, doesn't deserve the position she's in, I haven't seen her work any harder than anyone else there, I don't see her making things better for the animals, if anything now that she is in control of things, she can pretty much pick and choose what animals go out for sale and which ones visit the 'green' room.. Its disappointing, I've worked in many places where the staff are treated like second class people, I wouldn't have expected this at a rescue centre. Its all about money isn't it? Every business needs to make money to stay afloat, I get that, but the rescue centre feels like a pet shop, sales meetings and training nights, listening to figures like, '200 people came through the doors on the weekend, but only 40 animals were adopted', to me figures like that are important in a retail store, we're a 'NO PROFIT RESCUE CENTRE FOR ANIMALS!!!', anyone can work in a pet store and sell a cat or a dog to anyone, I choose to work in a rescue centre because I don't agree with what pet shops do, selling animals to just anyone, they're the reason alot of rescue centres exist, people go into pet stores and see a cute husky puppy, the salesperson does the hard sell 'Ohh the puppies soooo cute, ohh look how its kissing you, it wants to go home with you', then a couple of months later the new dog owners realise how much work the dog is, how much exercise it needs, attention, food, vet bills...then we get the call 'The dogs just not suited to our lifestyle', another homeless dog...pet shops... I don't need sales figures, I'm not in a pet shop, I don't just sell dogs to anyone, I find the right people for dogs, I find forever homes for these animals, saying we're not selling enough is offensive, being called 'sales consultants' is offensive, I'm a rehoming team member, not a salesman. To start to force sales and animals on people...that reduces the rescue centre to a pet shop, in my opinion. I'm disappointed with my workplace. They say the place isn't making enough money, we cant afford to work extra and get paid for it, and yet a new position of a 'purchase officer' has just popped up, to help us reduce our product costs, and yet the centre has never-in its 50years- had a purchase officer, ohh wait its the bosses brother, a very strong conflict of interest I think. I have a job offer, working with a mate, on cars again, good money, do I want to take it? Not really. Will I? Maybe not. Maybe I need to move forward with where I want my future to be, working with animals, making a difference, I don't think I want to take a backwards step in my career, being paid to work on someone else's car's is a backwards step, time to move forward. Tomorrow-well now today-I have a plan, resume and emails.