Today while sorting through my stuff I came across an old favourite book of mine. On impulse, I picked it up to skim it again (it's a nice thin one) and came across a quote I didn't remember, but REALLY agree with - subject to qualification of one term in it. The quote is:
"Our charge on this earth is to exercise our gifts and talents to the maximum - and to care for all the assets that God has given us, including our bodies." Dr Ken Cooper
Wow. Once again, I'm reminded of why I'm working so hard to get that final lynchpin in place with my health. I'm also very humbly reminded of the bigger picture. While there are issues with work, and the fact that they have cost cut on my equipment to the detriment of my health, it doesn't mean that I have the right to back out of using my role to make a contribution to the world - despite all the obstacles they put in my way. I intend to, and to make sure that contribution is the stepping stone to a role that allows me to express my gifts and talents to a greater extent...
The book? You, Inc by Burke Hedges (click here to see my review of it on Amazon)
Now, to my progress. Seems like the contract hit the solicitors this morning, so I'm in there on Wednesday to go through it with him. Meanwhile the agent is discussing the possibility of an early settlement with the owners. The valuers have already been through, so that should be back to the finance agency soon, and the building inspection is already scheduled for this week. Seems incredible to think it was only this time last week that I saw it for the first time...
I went down to Fantastic Furniture yesterday and started looking around for packages for the new place. I may end up going light on furniture for a while until I find the right stuff, but it doesn't matter. I'll have the basics, and then I can work my way up from there. I was looking for a little 2-4 person dining table, then realised that with my own place, I was looking forward to having other couples over for dinner, and would be better off with a 4-6 person size. It's a shift in my thinking and it's really blowing me out how quickly I'm making it. Who knows, this time next month I could be in!?! At the very least, I'll be in the final rundown to it...
Monday, 30 January 2006
Thursday, 26 January 2006
Guess what I just bought...
What a difference a day makes! Yesterday morning I was struggling at work (they still haven't fixed my monitor), looking down the barrel of homelessness with an eviction notice to shift out for the owner to come back end of next month, no place arranged to go, and worrying whether my finances would stand up to the cost I thought I'd end up paying to move into my own place, or whether I'd end up having to rent and put my home ownership plans on the backburner for another year or two...
Today, I've successfully negotiated the purchase of my first property, in a great location, and at about 30% less than I expected to have to pay for a place I could walk into and not have to fix up anything. I'm enjoying today's public holiday (Australia Day) before launching myself back into organising paperwork to follow through, and busy working out all the things to be arranged for me to get into MY OWN PLACE!!! I feel like I'm a powerful, independent woman. Not only that, but I've worked out that the mortgage repayments I'm up for are going to be LESS than I'm currently putting aside, let alone the rent I'm going to save, and less than $100 more than I'd be paying per week in rent, so it looks like I'll be able to fast track this mortgage and build some serious equity FAST. Yes, I've organised a mortgage that allows excess payments, and credits them against the principal instead of just the interest, so I'm honestly feeling pretty great right now.
Oh, and I googled my job title with the word "vacancies" and discovered about 20 other government agencies all looking for people - seems we're in demand at the moment. A good thing, with the workplace reforms that the Prime Minister John Howard has just introduced, although I can't help but think there's going to be a lot of people in a much worse situation because of them. Essentially the workplace is now a supply and demand trading floor with no safeguards. If you're in demand, you're right. If you're an employer looking for a fairly common skill set, you're more than right - your workers are going to be available at 'sale' rates. But the workers who don't have specialised skills are pretty much going to be stuffed.
Interestingly, I got a Seek Job Mail this morning telling me of a job in the hunter, so out of interest I ran the search for my local area (NOT the hunter) to check if it was still pulling up jobs in the wrong area - and found another local job going at package to $100k in private industry. Interesting! Seems like if my current govt department doesn't pull their act together and fix things, I've got some good alternative options out there...
Of course the best option is to keep on working on my online stuff (must draw up my book proposal this week) and get that going to the point I don't have to worry about employers at all! Don't think it needs take very long, either, seeing as I've got so many years of ground work laid already. I'm getting truly excited at the possiblities in my future, but at the same time there's a bit of nervousness and that little voice telling me not to jinx myself.
Still, when has that ever stopped me before!?!
Crystal
Today, I've successfully negotiated the purchase of my first property, in a great location, and at about 30% less than I expected to have to pay for a place I could walk into and not have to fix up anything. I'm enjoying today's public holiday (Australia Day) before launching myself back into organising paperwork to follow through, and busy working out all the things to be arranged for me to get into MY OWN PLACE!!! I feel like I'm a powerful, independent woman. Not only that, but I've worked out that the mortgage repayments I'm up for are going to be LESS than I'm currently putting aside, let alone the rent I'm going to save, and less than $100 more than I'd be paying per week in rent, so it looks like I'll be able to fast track this mortgage and build some serious equity FAST. Yes, I've organised a mortgage that allows excess payments, and credits them against the principal instead of just the interest, so I'm honestly feeling pretty great right now.
Oh, and I googled my job title with the word "vacancies" and discovered about 20 other government agencies all looking for people - seems we're in demand at the moment. A good thing, with the workplace reforms that the Prime Minister John Howard has just introduced, although I can't help but think there's going to be a lot of people in a much worse situation because of them. Essentially the workplace is now a supply and demand trading floor with no safeguards. If you're in demand, you're right. If you're an employer looking for a fairly common skill set, you're more than right - your workers are going to be available at 'sale' rates. But the workers who don't have specialised skills are pretty much going to be stuffed.
Interestingly, I got a Seek Job Mail this morning telling me of a job in the hunter, so out of interest I ran the search for my local area (NOT the hunter) to check if it was still pulling up jobs in the wrong area - and found another local job going at package to $100k in private industry. Interesting! Seems like if my current govt department doesn't pull their act together and fix things, I've got some good alternative options out there...
Of course the best option is to keep on working on my online stuff (must draw up my book proposal this week) and get that going to the point I don't have to worry about employers at all! Don't think it needs take very long, either, seeing as I've got so many years of ground work laid already. I'm getting truly excited at the possiblities in my future, but at the same time there's a bit of nervousness and that little voice telling me not to jinx myself.
Still, when has that ever stopped me before!?!
Crystal
Tuesday, 24 January 2006
Getting Exciting!!!
Wow. Nerves reign supreme right now! Things seem to be picking up at a pretty much exponential pace... From looking around, I've now put in 2 offers (that first step WAS a doozy!) and the last one was so good I went straight to the mortgage broker and lodged my preapproval application! (hope that last sentence doesn't increase the ten million spam offers for home loans good for the US only that I already get... Thank the Goddess for Google's spam filter!)
On second thought, maybe nerves DON'T reign supreme. After all, it's not stopping me, even though I'm launching into this by myself instead of as part of a couple. I could have let the fact that I hadn't saved enough deposit stopped me, and gone into rental again when I got notice the owner was coming back, but didn't. Maybe all those self-help books are finally taking hold? Whatever it is, seems like I'm more and more living my life as I want to - and by the saying I have stuck prominently up on my fridge: "Life is not about finding yourself. Life is about CREATING yourself." Right on!
So, have a counter offer in on a nice 2 bedroom apartment a little north of town - would have to transit into work but have access to much better facilities for all that. And yes, I'd live closer to my bloke, would be able to visit without the fact I never bought a car stopping me. Who knows, maybe one day I'll get conventional enough to get one... nah, probably not. At least not for conventional reasons, anyway! Back to the topic, the ironic thing is that after picking holes in every place we checked out up to now, he walked into this one with me and started gushing. Ouch! "There goes any negotiation" thought I. Turns out it might have been a good thing, because the owner knows his dad, but time will tell. It even has MOST of my wishlist - bath, separate shower (no more stepping over that wide rim!), built in wardrobes with full length mirrors (done without any of those for too long - can only help the weight loss!) and a big enough lounge that I can set up my exercise bike in front of the TV, and probably leave out the other stuff like the fitball and dumbells as well! Oh yes, and the suburb happens to have the first local Curves outlet located within walking distance too. Best of all, the price it's at will allow me to make extra payments and clear it heaps quicker than a couple decades!
So, I've done my part, now I'm just sitting back and waiting for news. I trust totally that if this is the right place, it will happen, but in case it's not I'm still arranging a few more viewings for the rest of the week. Seems very much now as though when it moves, it will take a quantum shift and move FAST. The hardest thing from here (that I can see, anyway) is the rest of the packing up. It's funny how depressing it can be when you put your life away into boxes. This time, though, it may just be an exhilarating experience!!!
Wish me luck?
Crystal
PS - was right about viewings etc boosting my pedometer count. Averaging between 12,000 and 18,000 steps a day. For a short little 5'4" frame, that's a LOT of walking.
On second thought, maybe nerves DON'T reign supreme. After all, it's not stopping me, even though I'm launching into this by myself instead of as part of a couple. I could have let the fact that I hadn't saved enough deposit stopped me, and gone into rental again when I got notice the owner was coming back, but didn't. Maybe all those self-help books are finally taking hold? Whatever it is, seems like I'm more and more living my life as I want to - and by the saying I have stuck prominently up on my fridge: "Life is not about finding yourself. Life is about CREATING yourself." Right on!
So, have a counter offer in on a nice 2 bedroom apartment a little north of town - would have to transit into work but have access to much better facilities for all that. And yes, I'd live closer to my bloke, would be able to visit without the fact I never bought a car stopping me. Who knows, maybe one day I'll get conventional enough to get one... nah, probably not. At least not for conventional reasons, anyway! Back to the topic, the ironic thing is that after picking holes in every place we checked out up to now, he walked into this one with me and started gushing. Ouch! "There goes any negotiation" thought I. Turns out it might have been a good thing, because the owner knows his dad, but time will tell. It even has MOST of my wishlist - bath, separate shower (no more stepping over that wide rim!), built in wardrobes with full length mirrors (done without any of those for too long - can only help the weight loss!) and a big enough lounge that I can set up my exercise bike in front of the TV, and probably leave out the other stuff like the fitball and dumbells as well! Oh yes, and the suburb happens to have the first local Curves outlet located within walking distance too. Best of all, the price it's at will allow me to make extra payments and clear it heaps quicker than a couple decades!
So, I've done my part, now I'm just sitting back and waiting for news. I trust totally that if this is the right place, it will happen, but in case it's not I'm still arranging a few more viewings for the rest of the week. Seems very much now as though when it moves, it will take a quantum shift and move FAST. The hardest thing from here (that I can see, anyway) is the rest of the packing up. It's funny how depressing it can be when you put your life away into boxes. This time, though, it may just be an exhilarating experience!!!
Wish me luck?
Crystal
PS - was right about viewings etc boosting my pedometer count. Averaging between 12,000 and 18,000 steps a day. For a short little 5'4" frame, that's a LOT of walking.
Thursday, 12 January 2006
Looking Good
Yesterday and today I started calling mortgage brokers to find out about what kind of loan I'd be able to get if I went for my own place. Turns out that I'm qualified to go well over the range I've been looking at, but if I want easy repayments that fit within what I'm earning now, I'm looking about the right range. If I negotiate a good deal, even better, I'll have MORE money free than I currently do with saving for my deposit!!! So, I'm no longer chasing two rabbits - looking at rental properties is going to be a fall back plan when there's only a few weeks to go. I also hope to arrange that if I run over time I may be able to store my stuff and stay with someone for a couple weeks - yet to check who would be willing to let me stay, though. I think it's important to have that kind of security so that I don't end up feeling like I'm time crunched on looking for my place.
On the weight loss front, I've pretty much only been following the Biggest Loser diet for the past few days, plus heaps of walking checking stuff out, and I'm regaining ground on my jump last week. It's disheartening losing the same weight you've already lost, and still staying above your lowest, but I figure if I keep at it then eventually I'll start making real progress again. It's not an option to give up and let it pile back on - not at all.
I've rearranged my work desk in line with the OHS recommendations, so that when the bigger monitor comes we won't have to move it anywhere - looking forward to that. Went to the dr last night about my vision going blurry again - he latched on to a single word - "headaches" and ignored every other symptom I mentioned. Most insistent that I couldn't possibly have a headache that lasted a week and a half, even though I have. Bizarre. Wants to send me for a cat scan just in case. I'm getting a second opinion when my regular doctor comes back tomorrow.
So, now I need to set out my plan of attack for getting everything packed up at this place. Will work through one room at a time, I think, and the back room is the first one. Then, of course, I need to see how much I can physically load onto ebay in a single session, and work out how much time that's going to consume. The first lot have been going well, and should make a nice dent in a few bills for me, but those were high ticket items mostly, and the books I've got are more a quantity thing. Maybe I should load them as bulk lots, and just be done with it!
Crystal
On the weight loss front, I've pretty much only been following the Biggest Loser diet for the past few days, plus heaps of walking checking stuff out, and I'm regaining ground on my jump last week. It's disheartening losing the same weight you've already lost, and still staying above your lowest, but I figure if I keep at it then eventually I'll start making real progress again. It's not an option to give up and let it pile back on - not at all.
I've rearranged my work desk in line with the OHS recommendations, so that when the bigger monitor comes we won't have to move it anywhere - looking forward to that. Went to the dr last night about my vision going blurry again - he latched on to a single word - "headaches" and ignored every other symptom I mentioned. Most insistent that I couldn't possibly have a headache that lasted a week and a half, even though I have. Bizarre. Wants to send me for a cat scan just in case. I'm getting a second opinion when my regular doctor comes back tomorrow.
So, now I need to set out my plan of attack for getting everything packed up at this place. Will work through one room at a time, I think, and the back room is the first one. Then, of course, I need to see how much I can physically load onto ebay in a single session, and work out how much time that's going to consume. The first lot have been going well, and should make a nice dent in a few bills for me, but those were high ticket items mostly, and the books I've got are more a quantity thing. Maybe I should load them as bulk lots, and just be done with it!
Crystal
Monday, 9 January 2006
REALLY getting a fresh start - all over!
It never rains but it pours, does it? I managed to get through my 2 hour challenge, and finished 2005 at 281.4lb, very close to ten pounds off the 291 I started with. Then the first week saw not only new year, but my birthday (three dinners out for that alone) and more dramas with work, who still haven't fixed my monitor, after changing it to something small enough to aggravate my eyes and give me constant headaches at the start of NOVEMBER. Seems that even though I declared the problem I've got with having had surgery, and being vulnerable to eye strain, they've lost all records of it. Plus I was told that the Occupational Health and Safety inspection which happened is going to be ignored until they get the written report from the specialist I need to see. All very well, but I've not even received a letter telling me who to see, let alone got an appointment. So over the week of my 'holidays' there were calls back and forth to chase it up, and it seems it was sent on December 15. Funnily enough, when they faxed a copy of it through, it was dated 3 January - that day, so unless they got the head guy to sign it again, there's something a bit funny going on. It arrived in the mail the day after, on the fourth - TWICE. Both dated 3 January.
Fun came as I tried to find an optometrist to do it. I had to organise the appointment myself, and nobody could do it for the set fee they had limited it to, mainly because it wasn't going to be paid upfront but invoiced for afterwards. None of the computer systems allow this, apparently. The one small one I found told me they couldn't get me an appointment for a couple of weeks at least. I was getting pretty downhearted and depressed by this stage, and REALLY not looking forward to going back to work.
The day after that, I found an optometrist, and managed to get an appointment for during the day Monday. I rang in to explain the situation to the union rep, who put me on to my supervisor, and it seems that he's pushed enough buttons from when I told him my situation (unable to see clearly anymore from eyestrain, on prescription painkillers, and possibly not able to come back until it was fixed) and sent him a copy of the OHS report, that it's getting fixed without that. HOORAYYYY!!!
While getting ready for another birthday dinner that night, which I was now relaxed enough to look forward to (amazing what good news can do), I cleared through the other mail I'd picked up with the form. One of them was from the real estate agent, who send out a newsletter on a fairly regular basis. I opened it in case, only to find that I've got until the end of February to find some place else to live. Not enough deposit saved to get my own place yet, so it was looking as though I'd have to rent somewhere, which of course would mean I'd not have long enough up in tenancy to look good to the banks when I finally DID save enough. Boy oh boy, is this new year hitting me with a bang!
After spending a couple of days wishing fervently to win a lottery prize and fix it all, I hit a low point last night. Then it occurred to me, that I was back in my old 'victim' mentality from when I was a child, and hoping for something else to come along and 'rescue' me from the situation, without my having to do anything. Major lightbulb moment! Once I realised that, I decided that in this case I was going to create my own solution, and my mind has been running a hundred miles an hour since. I did end up gaining for the first time this week, on the program, which I thought was probably because I was falling back into old habits of skipping meals then bingeing late at night, but may have been partially because of the strength training I put into my routine this month - I had finally fit into a size 20 jeans when we went out to dinner that night, and when I started in December I was in a 24, so it might be fairly quickly reversible. At least that's what I'm hoping...
So, where to from here. Well, first priority is to make sure I get my workouts in, and keep taking care of myself. Life collapsing around me is no excuse! Second priority is to find and negotiate a creative real estate deal that lets me leverage into my own place directly, without having to lose time and money renting in the meantime. I'm working on several ideas there. (Mostly from the Robert Allen stuff I've read). Finally, I'm also clearing as much as possible out of my place, and taking as little as I can with me. There'll be a lot of books (but more put up to ebay in the meantime) but not much furniture, as I plan on selling that to the students due to move in locally around the time I'll have to shift, and getting myself one of those nice furniture packages that dont' cost a fortune anymore - it will be so nice to not only have my own place, but have it nicely decorated too!
Can I create it, and can I create it on time? Who knows, but I intend to have a damn good try. Wish me luck, and if you want to contribute anything to my deposit, che ck out my ebay listings (http://stores.ebay.com.au/Self-Positivity) or just head across to paypal - use the button below or just send to my email: crystal.woods at (@) consultant.com! Anyone making a gift of $10 or more will get a personal thank you and surprise gift back from me...
Crystal
Fun came as I tried to find an optometrist to do it. I had to organise the appointment myself, and nobody could do it for the set fee they had limited it to, mainly because it wasn't going to be paid upfront but invoiced for afterwards. None of the computer systems allow this, apparently. The one small one I found told me they couldn't get me an appointment for a couple of weeks at least. I was getting pretty downhearted and depressed by this stage, and REALLY not looking forward to going back to work.
The day after that, I found an optometrist, and managed to get an appointment for during the day Monday. I rang in to explain the situation to the union rep, who put me on to my supervisor, and it seems that he's pushed enough buttons from when I told him my situation (unable to see clearly anymore from eyestrain, on prescription painkillers, and possibly not able to come back until it was fixed) and sent him a copy of the OHS report, that it's getting fixed without that. HOORAYYYY!!!
While getting ready for another birthday dinner that night, which I was now relaxed enough to look forward to (amazing what good news can do), I cleared through the other mail I'd picked up with the form. One of them was from the real estate agent, who send out a newsletter on a fairly regular basis. I opened it in case, only to find that I've got until the end of February to find some place else to live. Not enough deposit saved to get my own place yet, so it was looking as though I'd have to rent somewhere, which of course would mean I'd not have long enough up in tenancy to look good to the banks when I finally DID save enough. Boy oh boy, is this new year hitting me with a bang!
After spending a couple of days wishing fervently to win a lottery prize and fix it all, I hit a low point last night. Then it occurred to me, that I was back in my old 'victim' mentality from when I was a child, and hoping for something else to come along and 'rescue' me from the situation, without my having to do anything. Major lightbulb moment! Once I realised that, I decided that in this case I was going to create my own solution, and my mind has been running a hundred miles an hour since. I did end up gaining for the first time this week, on the program, which I thought was probably because I was falling back into old habits of skipping meals then bingeing late at night, but may have been partially because of the strength training I put into my routine this month - I had finally fit into a size 20 jeans when we went out to dinner that night, and when I started in December I was in a 24, so it might be fairly quickly reversible. At least that's what I'm hoping...
So, where to from here. Well, first priority is to make sure I get my workouts in, and keep taking care of myself. Life collapsing around me is no excuse! Second priority is to find and negotiate a creative real estate deal that lets me leverage into my own place directly, without having to lose time and money renting in the meantime. I'm working on several ideas there. (Mostly from the Robert Allen stuff I've read). Finally, I'm also clearing as much as possible out of my place, and taking as little as I can with me. There'll be a lot of books (but more put up to ebay in the meantime) but not much furniture, as I plan on selling that to the students due to move in locally around the time I'll have to shift, and getting myself one of those nice furniture packages that dont' cost a fortune anymore - it will be so nice to not only have my own place, but have it nicely decorated too!
Can I create it, and can I create it on time? Who knows, but I intend to have a damn good try. Wish me luck, and if you want to contribute anything to my deposit, che ck out my ebay listings (http://stores.ebay.com.au/Self-Positivity) or just head across to paypal - use the button below or just send to my email: crystal.woods at (@) consultant.com! Anyone making a gift of $10 or more will get a personal thank you and surprise gift back from me...
Crystal
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