Friday, December 30, 2011
2011 - The last day
Photo: ponypics Samoa after the tsunami in 2009
Quite frankly this year has been the worst of my life and right now I'm having a hard time, I'll be glad when we move on to 2012!!
The Virtual Assistant is paid ($50 for 10 hours) on the job - while I am here being an emotional wreck - so far that is working fine for me!!
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Getting it out there
Although my Virtual Assistant (company) was late in reply - I have sent off 2.5 hours of instructions for research. 10 hours for $50 - gotta be happy with that!!!
I can use my time listing on Ebay to get some money coming in - my car mechanic bill is $1300!!! Crikey!! Will have to list heaps in Flea Market paper next week and advertise my car for sale - yeesh!!
And now - off to the dentist appointment I was a week early for and the whole car saga began... More money going out...
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Beer Bread
The concept seemed perfectly reasonable when I thought of it and as I combined ingredients in the bread maker (a can of beer to replace some from the packet of powder yeast spoiled in the humidity). I googled beer bread
after I pressed the start button on the bread machine and found it to be an Irish Recipe and IT IS meant to be firm and moist!! Thats how mine turned out anyway and it tastes okay toasted with Vegemite and Butter. BF not so sure and leaving it up to me to finish the rest!!
My Homemade Bathroom Cleaner (Recipe from Down To Earth Blog) turned out great (as far as the Simple Living concept goes) - half a cup of bicarb soda and slowly dribble in small amounts of liquid laundry detergent, stirring until it is like a thick custardy texture. I used a toothbrush to get into awkward areas and was really impressed!! I took photos which I will add later - we had been on holidays for 4 weeks and the house-sitter hadn't done much with the wet areas so it was great to experiment on.
So I expect to know the financial damage for the car repairs tomorrow and I will send out some invoices for my work last week hoping someone is floating around their offices during this Christmas break. Today I launched another blog which will hopefully lead to some interesting opportunities in the next 3 months. I also contacted a Virtual Assistant agency for information on their services and have been working on a very detailed "To Do List" for my first use of my Virtual Assistant. I have been spending every waking hour the last few days researching income opportunities when I could be paying someone else to do all that while I try to drum up some income!! Thats the plan Stan!! I STILL have not even listed one item on Ebay and missed the local flea market listing today as I was in "my zone" on the net and forgot the time and hence the deadline today. Rats!! Banning myself from researching until I hear in the next few hours from VA.
after I pressed the start button on the bread machine and found it to be an Irish Recipe and IT IS meant to be firm and moist!! Thats how mine turned out anyway and it tastes okay toasted with Vegemite and Butter. BF not so sure and leaving it up to me to finish the rest!!
My Homemade Bathroom Cleaner (Recipe from Down To Earth Blog) turned out great (as far as the Simple Living concept goes) - half a cup of bicarb soda and slowly dribble in small amounts of liquid laundry detergent, stirring until it is like a thick custardy texture. I used a toothbrush to get into awkward areas and was really impressed!! I took photos which I will add later - we had been on holidays for 4 weeks and the house-sitter hadn't done much with the wet areas so it was great to experiment on.
So I expect to know the financial damage for the car repairs tomorrow and I will send out some invoices for my work last week hoping someone is floating around their offices during this Christmas break. Today I launched another blog which will hopefully lead to some interesting opportunities in the next 3 months. I also contacted a Virtual Assistant agency for information on their services and have been working on a very detailed "To Do List" for my first use of my Virtual Assistant. I have been spending every waking hour the last few days researching income opportunities when I could be paying someone else to do all that while I try to drum up some income!! Thats the plan Stan!! I STILL have not even listed one item on Ebay and missed the local flea market listing today as I was in "my zone" on the net and forgot the time and hence the deadline today. Rats!! Banning myself from researching until I hear in the next few hours from VA.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Money money money...
Okay - I have been avoiding this issue for a few days (especially after my car was towed)...I'm good at sticking my head in the sand where finances are concerned, leaving mail unopened for weeks and sometimes (just a couple of times) for a few months. Did I mention being responsible is not one of my strong points?!
However as part of simplifying my life I need to dissect my finances. Firstly I need to see where my money is going to then be able to streamline it. Basically I need to do a budget! For the income I do earn I need to sit it somewhere safe and earn as much interest as possible. And I would like to reduce my assets by about 80% and using any funds gained from the sale towards volunteering somewhere. And most importantly I need to be earning income from different sources so as to support me in a roof over my head, food in my belly and some travel funds for my wanderlust.
So I have just signed up for Adsense on this blog to see what that is all about and to report on it - I am finding blogging quite time consuming at the moment as I get everything set up. However I am enjoying it so much it doesn't feel like work at all. Writing seems like an interesting job (hence this blog - I'm practising)....
But... I need to get some money together to pay for those car repairs (which will then lead to income after I sell it).
So Ebay is going to be my tool to start selling off the smaller items - National Geographic collection, CD's, DVD's, Clothes and basic excess personal items. And on Thursdays our local newspaper has free listing for a flea market advert. The latter is seeming like the best option so far, as I need to raise some money quickly.
Volunteering is surprisingly expensive (I have been exploring the free options too) both locally and overseas. Although some organisations provide Fundraising information and training - like how to do a press report and raise awareness for the trip.
Photo - ponypics June 2011
However as part of simplifying my life I need to dissect my finances. Firstly I need to see where my money is going to then be able to streamline it. Basically I need to do a budget! For the income I do earn I need to sit it somewhere safe and earn as much interest as possible. And I would like to reduce my assets by about 80% and using any funds gained from the sale towards volunteering somewhere. And most importantly I need to be earning income from different sources so as to support me in a roof over my head, food in my belly and some travel funds for my wanderlust.
So I have just signed up for Adsense on this blog to see what that is all about and to report on it - I am finding blogging quite time consuming at the moment as I get everything set up. However I am enjoying it so much it doesn't feel like work at all. Writing seems like an interesting job (hence this blog - I'm practising)....
But... I need to get some money together to pay for those car repairs (which will then lead to income after I sell it).
So Ebay is going to be my tool to start selling off the smaller items - National Geographic collection, CD's, DVD's, Clothes and basic excess personal items. And on Thursdays our local newspaper has free listing for a flea market advert. The latter is seeming like the best option so far, as I need to raise some money quickly.
Volunteering is surprisingly expensive (I have been exploring the free options too) both locally and overseas. Although some organisations provide Fundraising information and training - like how to do a press report and raise awareness for the trip.
Photo - ponypics June 2011
KISSLIST of the week... last week of 2011...
Kindness - Donate - declutter and donate to charity - Salvation Army- deliver extra goodies from garden to friend - eggs and herbs from the garden
Interest - Self again - research and read anything I can get my hands on - current reads to finish
Richard Branson - Screw It!! Just Do It!! And Stop Talking - Start Doing by Shaa Wasmund, Richard Newton
Support - Researching volunteer sites - volunteer somewhere this year
Strength - Plan for 2012 and work out finances and income sources. Strengthen the home front resources - add to vegie garden - this is my favourite site for this research - Down To Earth
Interest - Self again - research and read anything I can get my hands on - current reads to finish
Richard Branson - Screw It!! Just Do It!! And Stop Talking - Start Doing by Shaa Wasmund, Richard Newton
Support - Researching volunteer sites - volunteer somewhere this year
Strength - Plan for 2012 and work out finances and income sources. Strengthen the home front resources - add to vegie garden - this is my favourite site for this research - Down To Earth
The year that was...2011...
It Sucked!!!
2011 has earnt the "wooden spoon" year of my life....
But in the spirit of not sounding completely devoid of positivity, in reflection there were a lot of good moments too.
Travel wise I covered a bit of ground - a heck of a lot now that I think through month by month - a lot of it was for work and another lot was for personal reasons. Then there's the travel for ... well pretty much .... just because you can!! Wow - my year hasn't been that sucky I suppose....
February - Tiwi Islands for work -1 day at a time
The beach where the Dutch landed all those years ago
Tiwi Cemetery at Snake Bay or Milikapati (in language) and the Pukamani poles used for burial ceremony
March USA - 2 weeks - visiting a terminally ill friend in West Virginia - (update at years end - she is recovering from her fierce regime of chemo and getting stronger)
Sutton area - West Virginia - it snowed for me!!!!
Then the snow melted and spring had sprung...
...and I met up in New York with a Scottish friend I hadn't seen in years
New York City
I loved this - I am a "snow angel" fan myself - bench tag at Central Park
April - Bali - 10 days - new airline Air Asia to town so snapped up some cheap flights - met 9 other people over there (including children)
View from Lembogan Island - will need to check spelling
May - 10 days - 2 weeks - Western Australia - Dad passed away suddenly so an unexpected trip south
Local wharf area from my hometown in WA - getting away to clear the head - organising the funeral was a nightmare ( I plan to do a post on this in my support page coming up)
June - 3 days - Brisbane - work to do
View from hotel in Brisbane - Redcliffe area
Sunset down at our local beach - showing visitors our local beauty
July - 1 week - Gapuwiyak - remote community out from Nhulunbuy for work / 2 nights camping a few hours from town
Camping out from Grove Hill Hotel area - just to get out of town for a bit in the "dry" season
August - 2 and a half weeks - back to South - West of WA - personal stuff to do
Local beach in town
Sept / Oct - 5 days - Jerramungup to help friend cater for her daughters wedding and to also be the official photographer on the day - a highlight of the year!!
Up "the rock" - where the wedding was held on the farm
On the farm...
November and December will need their own post I think plus give me bit of time to think of 2012.... I have some ideas - more travel obviously!!
2011 has earnt the "wooden spoon" year of my life....
But in the spirit of not sounding completely devoid of positivity, in reflection there were a lot of good moments too.
Travel wise I covered a bit of ground - a heck of a lot now that I think through month by month - a lot of it was for work and another lot was for personal reasons. Then there's the travel for ... well pretty much .... just because you can!! Wow - my year hasn't been that sucky I suppose....
February - Tiwi Islands for work -1 day at a time
The beach where the Dutch landed all those years ago
Tiwi Cemetery at Snake Bay or Milikapati (in language) and the Pukamani poles used for burial ceremony
March USA - 2 weeks - visiting a terminally ill friend in West Virginia - (update at years end - she is recovering from her fierce regime of chemo and getting stronger)
Sutton area - West Virginia - it snowed for me!!!!
Then the snow melted and spring had sprung...
...and I met up in New York with a Scottish friend I hadn't seen in years
New York City
I loved this - I am a "snow angel" fan myself - bench tag at Central Park
April - Bali - 10 days - new airline Air Asia to town so snapped up some cheap flights - met 9 other people over there (including children)
View from Lembogan Island - will need to check spellingMay - 10 days - 2 weeks - Western Australia - Dad passed away suddenly so an unexpected trip south
Local wharf area from my hometown in WA - getting away to clear the head - organising the funeral was a nightmare ( I plan to do a post on this in my support page coming up)June - 3 days - Brisbane - work to do
View from hotel in Brisbane - Redcliffe area
Sunset down at our local beach - showing visitors our local beauty
July - 1 week - Gapuwiyak - remote community out from Nhulunbuy for work / 2 nights camping a few hours from town
Camping out from Grove Hill Hotel area - just to get out of town for a bit in the "dry" season
August - 2 and a half weeks - back to South - West of WA - personal stuff to do
Local beach in town
Sept / Oct - 5 days - Jerramungup to help friend cater for her daughters wedding and to also be the official photographer on the day - a highlight of the year!!
Up "the rock" - where the wedding was held on the farm
On the farm...
November and December will need their own post I think plus give me bit of time to think of 2012.... I have some ideas - more travel obviously!!
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Christmas greetings
and more rumblings...
2011 is still treating me unfairly but I will go into that shortly... My net surfing for a better life has lead me to a couple of inspiring sites
http://www.wisebread.com/
http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheProfessionalHobo
So I will be reading them thoroughly for research
Day before yesterday I went to an appointment a week early(rats!!!) followed by shopping for last minute ingredients for Christmas meals. But then my car wouldn't start so I waited for the road assist folk to turn up. When he delivered news I would need to get it towed to the mechanic my heart sunk a bit - this unemployment business is expensive!! After my last visit to the mechanic he advised I needed some work done and I had been putting it off. So I might as well get that done too and I can put my car up for sale finally!! I have been meaning to do it for about 6 months but just needed that bit of repairs done before I sold it. So after setting out at 9am I got home at about 1.30pm - and feeling a whole lot broker!!
Then after the evenings entertainment I lost my phone for a day - it came back to me last night though.
So I'm wondering today whether these "things" that are happening to me the last week are part of the rumblings... I'm being lead a certain path. Its out of my hands so to speak and I just can only go with the flow. Pretty bloody exciting really!!!
Photo - ponypics Moorea November 2009
Bring on 2012!!!
2011 is still treating me unfairly but I will go into that shortly... My net surfing for a better life has lead me to a couple of inspiring sites
http://www.wisebread.com/
http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheProfessionalHobo
So I will be reading them thoroughly for research
Day before yesterday I went to an appointment a week early(rats!!!) followed by shopping for last minute ingredients for Christmas meals. But then my car wouldn't start so I waited for the road assist folk to turn up. When he delivered news I would need to get it towed to the mechanic my heart sunk a bit - this unemployment business is expensive!! After my last visit to the mechanic he advised I needed some work done and I had been putting it off. So I might as well get that done too and I can put my car up for sale finally!! I have been meaning to do it for about 6 months but just needed that bit of repairs done before I sold it. So after setting out at 9am I got home at about 1.30pm - and feeling a whole lot broker!!
Then after the evenings entertainment I lost my phone for a day - it came back to me last night though.
So I'm wondering today whether these "things" that are happening to me the last week are part of the rumblings... I'm being lead a certain path. Its out of my hands so to speak and I just can only go with the flow. Pretty bloody exciting really!!!
Photo - ponypics Moorea November 2009Bring on 2012!!!
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Freedom
Its a wonderful thing!!
Anyway it seems I won't starve. Just today I have been maybe offered some temp work and other work once the dust settles.
I have been brainstorming self employment opportunities. Just a heap more researching to do and also I want to volunteer somewhere.
Mother Nature is cranky - a possible cyclone forming tomorrow - 2 days out from Christmas - don't know whether to bother putting up my decorations.
Photo - Visa Run to Myanmar Oct 2009
Anyway it seems I won't starve. Just today I have been maybe offered some temp work and other work once the dust settles.
I have been brainstorming self employment opportunities. Just a heap more researching to do and also I want to volunteer somewhere.
Mother Nature is cranky - a possible cyclone forming tomorrow - 2 days out from Christmas - don't know whether to bother putting up my decorations.
Photo - Visa Run to Myanmar Oct 2009
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
The morning after....
Photo - Freedom ponypics Sept 2011
hmmm.... yep - gotta say I still feel pretty bloody good right now!!
Liberated in fact!!! My cynical side is wondering when the hell I will come to my senses!
Never I hope!!
Just read through some earlier ramblings - written maybe 3 days ago - BEFORE I quit all sources of income.
The Crisis as I saw it ....
CRISIS
Perhaps I should explain (my sanity) slightly further in saying that six months ago my father died suddenly of a heart attack with the responsibility of executor and probate falling into my completely inadequate hands - my brother unable to assist - paperwork being my forte not his. My mother - or should I say our mother - passed away 7 years ago. Immediately after dad died a primary school friend and relatives took their own lives .
Immediately after my father passed away I fell into a depression once MOST of the duties of funeral, estate issues etc were done – HUUUUge responsibility!!! I’m ashamed to admit there are still DUTIES left incomplete 6 months later. Insurances not cancelled, headstone lettering not organized. Anyway so then the 3 subsequent tragic events and pretty much I’ve been and admittedly still am in a very fragile state – embarrassingly quick to tears, feeling EXTREMELY overwhelmed and feel happiest in isolation. And grief is a complex emotion – NEVER the same every time. I have been called a control freak many a time in my life (trying very hard the last 5 years to TRY to be more relaxed here) but I can’t plan for the grief anyway. I can have 2 weeks loving hermit-ville (1600 square metres my BF owns and I am privileged to share) , then an attempt at work but then still break into tears all day - should I be forcing myself to do something that I just bloody don’t want to do?!?!? Or am I being a girls blouse and just need to have a “cup of concrete and harden up the fuck up”? This is life and we just plough on??!? Well – I don’t want to play anymore!!! Stop the bus!!! I wanna get off!!
wow...
I did it...
I just sent out an email to my 15 clients and advised them I am ceasing my business at 28th Feb 2012!! Saving the leap year day of the 29th for myself.
OH MY GAWD!!!
4 Days before Christmas.....
Better try and sell my car....
YIPPEE - ITS QUITE EXCITING THROWING IT ALL OUT THERE AND SEE HOW IT LANDS!!
I just sent out an email to my 15 clients and advised them I am ceasing my business at 28th Feb 2012!! Saving the leap year day of the 29th for myself.
OH MY GAWD!!!
4 Days before Christmas.....
Better try and sell my car....
YIPPEE - ITS QUITE EXCITING THROWING IT ALL OUT THERE AND SEE HOW IT LANDS!!
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Theres that rumble again...
I can just feel it...
Today - I have to leave my sanctuary to earn some money.
And I don't want to...
Extra fun tickets always happily accepted but I am about to spend 6 hours of my day doing something I DO NOT WANT TO DO!!
rumble....rumble....
So to help perk me up - here is my KISSLIST HITS
K - Donated $25 to Camp Quality / Researched Volunteer Programmes
I - Listing and my analyzing own finances / touched base with rellies
S - reading Richard Bransons - Screw It!! And another on the read list ready to go
S - strengthening my own knowledge and wisdom through education
Looking for the simple things - ponypics Sept 2011
Today - I have to leave my sanctuary to earn some money.
And I don't want to...
Extra fun tickets always happily accepted but I am about to spend 6 hours of my day doing something I DO NOT WANT TO DO!!
rumble....rumble....
So to help perk me up - here is my KISSLIST HITS
K - Donated $25 to Camp Quality / Researched Volunteer Programmes
I - Listing and my analyzing own finances / touched base with rellies
S - reading Richard Bransons - Screw It!! And another on the read list ready to go
S - strengthening my own knowledge and wisdom through education
Looking for the simple things - ponypics Sept 2011
Monday, December 19, 2011
KISSLIST
KISS - Kindness, Interest, Support and Strength - my new daily motto
Updated every week (depending on my level of procrastination) - there is a new KISSLIST as certain goals are achieved and new ones move up the ladder.
So the last few days my KISSLIST is
Kindness - Others or Self - Donate to Charity, Research Volunteer Options
Interest - Others or Self - Review personal finance and document, share knowledge on blog
Support - Sharing Advice and Self Education - Read & Research and write about it
Strength - Build knowledge and share knowledge so we can all be strong and self sufficient
And basically simplify my life.... dream big and have fun along the way.....
Photo by ponypics - Chicken Power Nov 2011
Updated every week (depending on my level of procrastination) - there is a new KISSLIST as certain goals are achieved and new ones move up the ladder.
So the last few days my KISSLIST is
Kindness - Others or Self - Donate to Charity, Research Volunteer Options
Interest - Others or Self - Review personal finance and document, share knowledge on blog
Support - Sharing Advice and Self Education - Read & Research and write about it
Strength - Build knowledge and share knowledge so we can all be strong and self sufficient
And basically simplify my life.... dream big and have fun along the way.....
Photo by ponypics - Chicken Power Nov 2011
Memoirs Of A Mid-life Crisis
The Mid-Life
Is 42 too early for a mid-life crisis? My lifestyle choices are less of a burden than the average woman – no children - in exchange for freedom. Freedom to travel and pretty much irk any responsibility should it be seen coming my way. Luckily I have been in a supportive relationship for 8 years but I am self-employed and currently feeling the added burden of trying to think for another 10 people and am looking for ways to simplify my life. I have very little financial burden IF I restructure slightly. Currently and for the past 12 years I have lived in the tropics in Northern Australia but prior to that I had spent those 12 years travelling and living all over the world. Every spare cent I earn I try to save for travel and to be honest even cents I don't have spare can end up funding such adventures (hello credit card).
So...I have been having these strange rumblings in my soul or spirit...and even though I don't know what is happening or going to happen...I think I gotta go with it....sort of like a personal challenge...and this will be my journal
background photo by me: ponypics Koh Samui 2010
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