Friday, January 31, 2020

January Check Up - February Goals

Now for the January update and time to set the February goals.

This goal setting has been really good for me. You have a solid period of time to get things done and a deadline. I like deadlines. they work for me. And I've kicked a few goals.

So, here were my January goals and how I went with them.

1) Find a new job. 

Done. I start as a technical writer at one of the energy companies on 17 February. References are in, docs have been sighted. I'm just waiting for the paper contract, but I got a verbal offer this morning. So there's two more weeks of this sabbatical. I'm pleased that I've got a year's fixed term contract. This means, for the first time in ten years, holiday pay and sick pay. Yes, there's a bit of a financial hit, but I'm thankful for the security, and the fact I won't have to be at home over January.

2) Get the will done. 

Nearly done. I've spoken to the laywer. The details are in. I just have to get the physical thing and sign it - and I need to chase the lawyer to get this done. It's on the list for Monday.

3) Paint out the kitchen. 

Done. Finished painting the kitchen earlier this week. I did both the ceiling and the walls. It looks sooooo much better.

4) Tidy the spare room. 

Ah, not done. I've had a bit of a chuck out, but Jay and I are going to do a stall at Camberwell Market on the first week of April - I have a heap of her stuff in there ready to go to market. I'll have to try a bit more.

5) Transfer everything on this laptop over onto the new laptop I bought at the end of June.

Nearly done. I just have to find the initiative to configure Outlook with my bigpond mail - last time this took 5 hours on the phone to Telstra and a trip out to Reservoir where I paid a friend's husband a bottle of gin to sort it out. After the last time I did this, I'm busy girding my loins. It should be easy. It's not. The rest is fine. I can see it costing me another bottle of gin to get this sorted.m

I've also kept up with my promise to read, write and exercise for an hour a day. I've done well on this too. My star calendar is looking good. I get a star for each hour of writing, reading and exercising I do in a day. I'm quite proud of myself. I've written for an hour a day every day. It's been a good month.



And now for my February Goals:

1) Make note of everything I spend

I've had no real money coming in for the last two months. I'm not in a bad place, but I really need to buckle down and work out where money is going, save some money and work out what I'm spending.  Time to crack open the spreadsheets and work out where the money is going - and start budgeting.  I may be making less than what I was, but knowing how much is coming in each week / month / fortnight will make this okay.

2) Paint out the toilet and hallway

Another painting job - much smaller than the kitchen. I have two weeks to complete this. I have the paint. Just have to work out how to get to the fiddly bits in the loo.

3) Start mapping out that bloody novel, at last, ready for school in March

I need to get more clarity on the novel project I'll be working on in March. I have to get into novel mode.

4) Go swimming once a week. 

I love swimming. I need to do more of this. There is an olympic size pool nearby. I'm going to meet a friend at the beach wehn I'm in Adelaide next week. But I need to get in water. It's good for me.

5) Go gluten, dairy and sugar free (again)

About 18 months ago, under the supervision of a naturopath, I went gluten, dairy, sugar, caffeine and alcohol free for a couple of months. I've kept off the caffeine completely since then. I'm not a big drinker. But I have let the sugar, gluten and dairy slip. My house is now dairy and gluten free. Sugar is always a hard one for me as I have a pathological sweet tooth. But it's time to get the diet back right on track. I can do it. It suits me. (I'll also not be completely militant when I go out - but at home and where I can, this will be done.) I feel better for it. I'm not a coeliac or gluten intolerant, nor lactose intolerant, but I do run better with these.

Strangely, today in the supermarket, I was considering buying some consolation ice cream. A last gasp treat before going ice cream free for a month. I ran into my doctor as I was having a look. We smiled at each other. No ice cream for me. I bought the ingredients for chai pops instead. That and smooshed up lychees will have to do me for the next month.

6) See the following movies (along with the list of classics I never got to)
  • Parasite
  • Marriage Story
  • 1917

Today's song:



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