If Music Be

Archive for December, 2009

Yesterday’s post focussed on online changes for this place and things i am planning to do for 2010 in that respect (incidentally i already have a book ready to give away on my review blog so stay tuned for that).

Today, i am going to focus on changes i plan to make to my physical life over the next 12 months. These are not resolutions because realistically, who sticks to those, but instead they are a list of things that i plan on doing/changing or making better in my life in the next year.

It’s been well documented here that i am financial meltdown at the moment and this will continue to be the case for the next few months. I do however, have a plan so here it is.

January 1st – March 1st. Spend nothing; buy nothing that is non-essential, travel nowhere that is non-essential. Pay minimum payments on everything possible.

March 1st – July 1st. Restructure some existing debt to free up some money to allow additional payment for sofa to be met with little problem. Single purchase in this time new mobile phone. Hoping for free upgrade so no expense incurred.

July 1st – October 1st. 1 Loan paid in full by this point so plough 90% of that money into paying off other debt. leads to; Spend nothing; buy nothing that is non-essential, travel nowhere that is non-essential.

October 1st – February 1st 2011. Sofa and OU final course paid for by this point so all additional money saved from that going into paying off other debt. By Feb 1st final large loan paid in full so that additional money can then be going into paying off other debt. If finances work correctly only 2 debts left to pay at this point, can be paid off in full in an additional 4 months.

by May 2011 if finances work correctly will have approximately £900 more per month than currently available (which is £0 a month).

It’s going to be tough but it is doable if i knuckle down and don’t spend money when i don’t have to. I will try and give a monthly (as that’s when i get paid) update on how the financials are doing and when i reach any kind of milestones.

Somewhat incongruously given what i have just posted above, i would also like to meet some new people in 2010. I am aware that my social circle is very small and because i have such a fear of getting out and meeting new people i find it difficult to change that. I am unable to spend any money to achieve this goal for new people but i know that i can get out and do it if i try. So i would like to extend an invitation to you, my lovely blogging friends, to look me up if you are in the area and we’ll do something fun and free and get to know our actual faces not just our blogging faces. It’ll be a giggle.

Also, and possibly most significantly, in 2010 i will graduate from the OU. I will get a third class honours (unless something miraculous happens in the meantime), which, while not being a great result, is plenty good enough for me considering i have been working full time while i have been studying as well as having changed jobs and as it is non work-related been given no time off to study or revise. I have loved the study and would recommend it to anyone who is looking fora brush up on skills right up to a degree qualification. Finally i will have a BA in Literature.

My reviews blog will give you all the info on how i did on my book list this year as well as what i am hoping to do for next year. Having said that, i already know i have beaten my reading target for this year so go me!

so that’s it. My plans for 2010 and a little bit beyond. Of course i’d like to meet a non-crazy man to have fun and frolics with, and i’d like my Mum to win the Lottery (i don’t play) so that i don’t have to worry about cash, and i’d like to be headhunted to a massively well paid job with great benefits that i enjoy but i thought i’d at least attempt to keep things realistic for now.

Much love, and a huge thank you for coming on the journey so far with me. Here’s to 2010

That is going to be my watchword for 2010. It’s a new year so why not make it one properly with a new start and new ideas for this blog. It’s been really quiet around here and I know that is totally my fault. I have been so slack with commenting on my lovely readers blogs that it’s really no wonder no-one wants to come around and visit any more. This was brought into sharp focus by a post by Maxie, yesterday. She said (and i quote) “If you want to get comments, leave comments. If you want people to link to you, link to them. It’s just like 7th grade. You have to give a handjob to get one.”

You know what, the girl is absolutely spot on. Sure i could whinge about having no time yadda yadda but essentially i want this place to be a happy, successful blog where i can talk about anything and everything and have you guys chat with me, help me out and generally comment away.

Today i have divested my Google Reader of over 150 blogs/sites that i was attempting to looking at every day, leaving me with 150 that i want to read and comment on*

I have split these up into my favourite sites that i nearly always comment on; Comment Always
Sites that i love to read but don’t always comment on; Comment Sometimes
and sites that are either new to me or i have missed in my trawlings and never seem to comment on; Comment Never

In the first part of 2010 i am going to focus on commenting more on those sites in Comment Never and they should either move to Comment Always or Comment Sometimes and if i find that i am still never commenting on them then they will get unsubscribed from. Once i have those down to a manageable level i will move onto trying to comment more on my Comment Sometimes folder and so on and so forth.

You can see all the changes and folders in my updated and lovely Blogroll. As always if you read me and you’re not in it anywhere be sure and let me know and you can be added to the Comment Never folder to start you off.

So that’s the blogroll done, what else?

Well i have been pretty good at keeping my reviews site up to date with what i have been reading and watching (i am missing the final few from last week and a round-up of the year that’s all now) but i am aware that no-one really reads it so i will be giving that a bit more promotion with links in my signature etc to encourage readership. I have had a brilliant year for winning and getting free books so i want to try and build the site up to eventually be able to pay that forward towards the second half of next year.

I am also going to try to actually blog more. I know everyone says this sporadically but if i get into a routine weekdays shouldn’t be a problem. I am going to start using my camera much more often, i love it when i use it but forget it too often and i think a photo does something uplifting for blog posts. I will attempt to get a new picture in a week and blog

*Some of these are news, sport, photography and tumblr sites that naturally won’t get comments as often but they are in their own categories.

Look at what happened; the lovely Miss H only went and gave me an award. I know, right? I love her too. So apparently this is one of those meme/award hybrid things and it has rules and everything.

The Rules… List 10 things that make you happy, try to do at least one of them today, and link back to the person that tagged you. Then tag 10 other bloggers that brighten your day.

Ok so here goes. 10 things that make me happy:

My Family: Yes they annoy me, and of course i annoy them too, but i wouldn’t be anywhere or anyone without my family and i love them

You: Yes, you blog friends. You have been brilliant and i adore you and i can’t wait until the day i have met each and every one of you and given you big kisses on your face

Twitter: and other new tech i have discovered that has opened my world to a million new possibilities

Music: Where would i be without it? I am always listening to, humming, singing or just having a tune in my head and i couldn’t be without it.

Truth: being true to myself and not compromising me for anyone else makes me happy

Cricket: So much more reliable than football, watching with my family, watching on TV, just watching makes me happy (Jimmy Anderson, call me)

Cake: LOVE YOU

2010: The idea of leaving this year behind me and moving into a new one with a new drive and purpose thrills me

2011: The year all my loans and minor debts will be paid in full and i can go about enjoying my life

and finally;

Being able to chill: Will, when it happens, make me so happy!

Now, the other part of the rules is to tag 10 bloggers to do this but you know what, some people don’t like meme’s and as this is all about happiness i’m not going to tag it on. Except to say i would like to see people do it who aren’t too happy right now, because it’s always helpful to force yourself to think of things to make you happier.

Here’s to happy holidays and to everyone having a safe, healthy and relaxing time…even if some of us are back in the office on Tuesday

Only kidding

(both images taken from Google image search, no my own work)

Kisses

December 20th’s prompt: New person. She came into your life and turned it upside down. He went out of his way to provide incredible customer service. Who is your unsung hero of 2009?

I’ll never forget the concierge at our boutique hotel in Rome this summer. on call 24/7, always smiling, always able to help or find the answers, impeccable. Here’s to you Bernado

December 21st’s prompt: Project. What did you start this year that you’re proud of?

I didn’t start much this year to be proud of. I have got to grips with the beginning of reducing my debt levels though and i am very proud of that

December 22nd’s prompt: Startup. What’s a business that you found this year that you love? Who thought it up? What makes it special?

I’m not sure if it started this year, although i have a feeling it did, but my favourite find this year has to be Domestic Sluttery. It’s a lifestyle and design site for women with lives and i adore it.

December 23rd’s prompt Web tool. It came into your work flow this year and now you couldn’t live without it. It has simplified or improved your online experience.

Firefox add-ons have a win for me this year. They’re constantly innovating and getting to grips with new trends in social media. Couldn’t be without them