New Direction... Maybe?

I've applied for a new job. In a field I have a lot of passion for, but no formal qualifications, or even work experience in. I'm not going to say too much in case I jinx it, but if you could send some positive vibes my way I would appreciate it!

I like the job I have now, but I don't LOVE it, ya know? I work in a call centre, and out of the fifteen or so call centres I have worked in over the years, this is by far the best one. I get paid well, the work is easy (sometimes a little too easy) I have not even been looking for a new job, but when I heard about this one I felt like I was meant to apply.

Except for a brief stint in the retail world (which I do not want to go back to), call centre/admin work is all I have ever done. I've never really known what I wanted to do with my life. Having a 'career' has never really interested me. Buying a house never did either, and yet I did that, so I guess anything is possible of change, even my mind!  It will mean a commute to the city, something I'm not overly thrilled about, but perhaps it could be nice to sit on a train every morning and day dream instead of doing it in my car and getting speeding tickets?



I've sent the application off. Now we wait.

P.S. I have some great images from We Heart It that I want to add to this post, but Blogger is being a prat. I'll come back and add them in later when it starts working properly again. Also, massive apologies for any spelling/grammar mistakes, I'll fix them later too.   It seems to be working now!  Hurrah!

Happy Hot New Year!

We have just returned from a very hot couple of days in Mildura.  The temperature reached 43 in the shade and I almost melted, but we had a wonderful time.  The heat and insects got too much for us, and although we were booked in to stay for four nights, we packed up on New Year's Eve and headed home, eventually arriving at 3am to welcome the new year in from our own new house. I think that will be a good omen for the year ahead.  Hopefully 2011 will be a huge improvement on the shit that was 2010. 

Here are a few photos from the trip.



Junction of the Darling (the muddy one) and the Murray Rivers, Wentworth.




The Author, trying to keep cool!



The Murray River in the Olden Dayes.

The orange train at Orange World.

The Author and her Chyken

I'm not a resolutions kind of girl, but this year I aim to be happier and healthier. 

I hope you had a great time welcoming the new year, however you chose to spend it. I hope that all your dreams come true this year, and for all the years after that as well.  I look forward to having you read my blogginess again this year.  Who knows, I might actually write something worth reading in 2011!!

Putting Plans Into Action

A really long time ago, back in August, I mentioned the Box Set Exercise Plan. It has taken this long, but I am pleased to tell you that the borrowed treadmill arrived last week and today I put the plan into action. It may not seem much to you, but let me assure you that 30 minutes on a treadmill at speeds up to and including 4km an hour is a rather big achievement for me. I hope to build up to at least three episodes a night, but right now that seems a while off.  This combined with getting back on the Weight Watchers Wagon has GOT to move some kilos, right?

My treadmill and TV set up.  Cat can watch over me and keep me in line.

Today is the one year anniversary of my Dad passing away. I have been trying not to think about it. I had a bit of a meltdown on Christmas Day, but today seems OK. So far.  Not that I haven't thought about him, because I certainly have. Perhaps it was because it was on Christmas Day that I went to the cemetery that means today isn't so tough? Who knows?

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and that Santa delivered all that you asked for. We are off to Mildura for a few days, so my already sporadic posting is about to get a whole lot worse. If you are currently on holidays, enjoy the rest of your time off. I vote we start our own political party and campaign for More Holidays and Less Work! Are you in???



Have a drink for me on NYE. I think I might sit with my feet in the mighty Murray River and get completely off my face!

Cheers!

Time To Get Serious!

Enough piss farting around, it is time to get serious. I need to get back on the WW bandwagon, and although I do not want to make this blog all about weight loss, since Chickens and Bees is about me, then it kinda already is by default.

In an attempt to help me do this, I am going to list some rewards for goals here, otherwise I will just continue to buy crap I don't really need to 'reward' myself, or worse still, reward myself with bad food, which is totally the wrong way to go about it!

Firstly, for every 100 grams I lose I will award myself $2. This will be put in a moneybox that I need a can opener to open and be used to fund a new wardrobe when I reach my goal weight.

So, these are the major milestones and how I plan to reward myself:

• When I lose 10 kilograms I will get myself a new handbag.


• When I lose 15 kilograms I will have my car professionally cleaned at one of those places where 800 people polish it at once. (Hey - stop knocking my dreams!!!)


• When I lose 20 kilograms I will get a complete set of new linen for our bed. Oh how I love new linen!


• When I lose 25 kilograms I will get $75 to spend at Snapfish however I like.


• When I lose 30 kilograms I will get a facial at a fancy day spa type place.


• When I lose 35 kilograms I will go away for a weekend with Chyken to somewhere amazing like Phillip Island, Echuca, Walhalla, Lakes Entrance or The Grampians.

When I have lost more than 35 kilograms I will be over half way and I will give myself a new set of goals and rewards.

In addition to this, I think I should be rewarded for % milestones:

• 10% - $50 to spend at Snapfish however I like.


• 20% - Boat cruise on the Yarra to Williamstown and/or St Kilda.


• 30% (this will just about coincide with going under 100kg!) - $100 Snapfish spend up.


• 40% - A nice wooden proper jewellery box.


• Goal Weight! - Something from Tiffany & co. (Made of silver, containing hardly any diamonds...)

This should keep me going for while I reckon. Wish me luck!

If you have any ideas on how I should reward myself I'd love to hear them!