Taking stock

With the first 2 months of 2012 done and dusted, I think it’s time to look at the To-Do List and just take stock of where I am and what have been accomplished.

So far my budget is still shocking and I always have more month left at the end of my money, but then I have had quite a few big expenses over the last 4 months and haven’t really been able to recuperate from that.  I won’t even talk about the credit card!  I have managed to put a little money into my savings every month so far, even though it is the smallest of drops in the bucket, I feel better knowing I am doing something.

Looking for a new job during 2012 has been postponed to halfway through 2013 (if I study really hard over the next year and a half).  With the permanent contract I received I know that my job is secure and for lack of a better word, I am quite content at my current office.  I am just waiting to see about that elusive increase, which has been promised for next month.

I have just signed up for the Vodacom 2GB + 2GB data bundle for R145.00 per month and received my USB modem yesterday.  I need to have it activated, which I will hopefully do tonight, and then I will hopefully no longer suffer from internetlessness, that is depending on the wonderful connectivity we are experiencing lately, playing along.

I haven’t managed to quit the charity I belong to;  It’s like I’ve joined a cult, these people just do not want to let you go.  I have managed to change my membership status to “At Large”, whatever that means, but at least I do not have to attend any of the meetings and they generally accept that you won’t be at most projects as long as you pay the membership fees and keep the club’s numbers up, they don’t really care.  I will give it another couple of months and see what happens then I will try to break free again.   (Actually,  this whole charity thing is a line of posts all on their own.  Maybe I’ll get to writing about it sometime soon.)

As for the fun stuff, I am about 2 books behind, sitting on 7 books read over the 9 weeks of 2012, I didn’t go see a movie in Feb (to reach my goal of 1 movie per month), but will hopefully make up for that in March.  I have almost gone through all my songs on my iPod and deleted quite a few to make space for new music.  Ideally I think I should get a much, much bigger iPod.

I still have a lot of stuff that needs doing and some things are all ongoing, but I feel like I’m on the right track, and that’s all that counts for now.

Reverb11 Day 19 – Being Moved

Being Moved – tell us about a time this year that you were moved by the generosity of another.

I’m actually glad I’m behind on Reverb11, because until 2 days ago, I would’ve said the generosity of my BFF’s husband has been the most moving, generous act done unto me this year.  He sent me and the BFF for a half-day spa packagtte at Ingaadi the other day.  It was a wonderful day of pampering and relaxation and I loved spending the extra time with the BFF.

However, on Wednesday we were paid and received our bonuses, and they were really very bad.  I know I should be thankful that I did receive something, and, yes, it is better than nothing, but I still feel down over how little it is. Especially knowing that the company isn’t doing too badly and that for the last 4 months, me and my colleague has been working our asses off because the other two are on unpaid maternity leave.  Anyway, I called my dad to bitch to him as I always do, and my uncle must have overheard, because later that day he had paid some money into my account and called it my “mini-bonus”.

It’s extra special for me as our relationship has been very strained over the last couple of months and we are no longer as close as we used to be, so this gesture was completely unexpected.  It also reminded me that even though things aren’t as it was, he still cares and I still love him, even though I tend to forget it sometimes.

I’m a material girl

Hi, I’m Joan and I am a material girl.  What can I say, I love things and I love having things and I want lots and lots of beautiful things.  I can’t help it, it’s just who I am.  

Moving has definitely brought out the worst in me.  I am in a new place, living alone for the first time in 2 years, the new place has been freshly painted and now I want fresh, sparkly new things to fill it with.   I want to do my lounge in black and red, and have gone to buy my brand new black Manhattan sleeper couch to start off the new lounge.  I’m so excited! I cant wait for it to be delivered!  Then I want to big, wing back chairs, a black fluffy area rug and red scatter pillows for my chairs, with red vases and a beautiful corner lamp!  And I have seen some of the things I want, but at the moment I just cannot afford them all.  

As it is, I have been purchasing some things on my credit card budget facility, just so I won’t actually see the money I spend on my credit card!  It’s like what I don’t see, does not exist, but at some stage I will have to face reality (and that super shocking credit card bill).  

For now I am just dreaming of all these beautiful things and trying to make my December bonus (which is never a given in this company) go 3 times around the world.