Scots Taffer on 13/11/2007 at 23:40
Simple. What's good and bad in your life at the moment?
Good
Pretty much everything except for what's bad at the moment, which only got bad recently. Life is good. I own a house that has seen a recent land value appreciation of around 25-50%. My little girl is developing fast, babbling her own pseudo-speak and letting us know her emerging will in every way she knows how. The summer is rapidly approaching which means pools, barbeques, dinners on the deck and being absolutely bone-tired after long, hot days. I've even managed to play a few computer games and write a couple of thousand words in the last month, it's been great! Plus, we've had family over recently and have more incoming in the next month, so the bonuses of babysitting and family time (double-edged sword right enough) are appreciated.
Bad
Job stress, hilariously. Having had very little to do while operating in a no-data environment for a quarter of a year, my workload has suddenly gone into overdrive with all the business as usual stuff that accumulated now being stacked against a massive strategic review project / business case that I've been given a week to formalise with my new mananger who I haven't effectively established a working relationship with yet.
Plus, and this is the bigger worry that's just materialised, it seems like the new CEO and imminent change in our shareholder situation (moving from a 50%/50% co-owned to 100% owned) is instigating a significant amount of retrenching (sacking with benefits). And the most worrying part is, two of the groups that were recently retrenched had just completed "strategic reviews" and someone else who's referring to himself as "in the departure lounge" is also working on a "strategic review".
I'm working on a "strategic review". :(
The only upside of this is, the fallout will be happening fairly quickly. Someone overheard a consultant who comes in once a month for HR/Performance Management/Stucturing reviews say he'd be in the office a bit during December for "the retrenching". Sacked in time for Christmas? Who knows...
How about you?
BrokenArts on 13/11/2007 at 23:57
Bad - Finally divorced, it was hell. Whacko ex that acts like a 10 yr old, WTF happened? I could write a book, or just write some horror stories of the situation. I'll spare the forum. Right now, working my ass off two jobs, he isn't paying his share of child support. BA is being run just by me. I cannot do it all. I tried, and killing myself trying isn't worth that. BA is dropped down to part-time. I'll never give it up though. Health scare, that did turn out to be cat scratch fever. Yes, subject, it was cat scratch. Feeling over worked, running the house alone, no family here. Wondering where the hell am I going.
Good - The house is mine, BA is still mine. I do damn good work. My 7th grade daughter is a gem, and a good kid, her test scores in school are that of an 11th grader, I kid not. Dayum I am so freakin proud of that girl. Love her to death.
The hell I have been through, has left me a hell of a strong woman. Eyes wide open. Exhausted at times, I can handle pretty much anything. Bring it on, no bullshit. I know I have my family, even though they are far. Yet I am close to them, and some of my really good friends, I know I am loved.
I do have my health. Live life, say a few thank yous sometimes. Make time for yourself, be good to you, and your family. When you are happy, the rest of the world goes round and round.
Shug on 14/11/2007 at 00:06
Good - cutting back on my work hours :cool:
Bad - what do you mean I have no money oh dear god
LancerChronics on 14/11/2007 at 00:16
Good: Winter's coming up and I'll get to go hiking in the mountains. Also, I think I must have smacked my head or something, cause I haven't felt more laid back in weeks, I have no idea the reason. I've also finally figured out what career I wish to pursue. Time to switch majors!
Bad: I also seem to have lost the ability to think and reason. I have this strange suspicion that I will probably do very poorly this semester and will probably lose my scholarship after the whole year is up. But I'm not too worried though. The type of job I want to end up in doesn't really need a degree anyway, and I have no aspirations for wealth(I actually think that I would be happier if I was semi-poor). Oh, and Gothic 3 is being a pain in the neck with it freezing up every 5 minutes.
Interesting idea for a thread
Rug Burn Junky on 14/11/2007 at 00:28
Good - 1) My wife and I are talking - really talking - for the first time in years, and while we might not get back together, at least we can be productive in wrapping things up. 2) Even though the firm I work for is going through tough times, they're taking really good care of the associates, and my buyout package (in conjunction with my savings) is going to enable me to either live work free for up to a year or pay off my high interest student loans entirely. 3) My career options are so varied that it's quite frankly overwhelming, and starting from scratch working for the ACLU is a realistic possibility. 4) Even if I do stay on Wall Street for the money, I can be picky and choose a job that really interests me, instead of the first thing that comes along. And because I'm virtually debt free, It'll be a conscious choice, instead of a necessity. 5) Dating in NYC is kinda fun for a single, 34 year old, reasonably good-looking guy with a little bit of money 6) No matter what, I'm going to have the week of Christmas/New Year's off for the first time this millennium. Might even be able to pull off January as well, and if I've got something lined up for February 1st, I'll be going on a disgustingly decadent vacation, could be a cross country road trip, could be vegas, could be skiing and Sundance FilmFest, and the number one choice is Philippines/Australia (Scots, get the couch ready, I'm crashing there for a week).
Bad - 1) The fact that I'm going through a divorce at all, for all of the flaws our relationship had, I still adore her. 2) Even though the buyout package is letting me do what I've always wanted, it's sooner than I had planned, and the suddenness is unnerving. 3) The *other* girl of my dreams has a girlfriend, and I have to come to terms with the fact that I'll never be able to be the girl of her dreams. We have to figure out how we do fit in each other's lives, if at all. 4) For now, I'm stuck in New York, and the best job opportunity I have right now would mean I can't change that for at least 2 years. 5) There's a chance I won't have a job at all for a couple of months, and I've never done anything like this without a safety net.
Fingernail on 14/11/2007 at 01:20
Good - I seem to have discovered a fairly comfortable zone by which I can maintain what I have to do (tm) (the music degree) with minimum effort, allowing me to be pretty devoted to what I want to do (tm) (songwriting); of course, I also want to do the course at a fundamental level, it's just sometimes the nitty gritty that is unappealing. But it's all good, basically. I live very comfortably right on the edge of my means, which is ok because it won't become my money until I have to start paying it back. I can't truly say I want for anything material. I get more praise for my playing than modesty will allow me to admit, and I don't think I've ever felt or looked better or more confident. I'm funnier and faster than ever. Clothes always fit me, life is a pop of the cherry.
Bad - oh god oh god the future's coming and if I don't strike it lucky or big soon I'll have to start thinking about real jobs and all sorts of horrible shit, not to mention how much debt I'll be in. I really need to do something about somebody. And I have this general aloofness towards people I know but don't know that well - but it's getting better, maybe. Maybe it's getting better, I don't know. It's probably all in my mind. It's probably not something anyone else finds. So alongside the element of cocksure arrogance there's still a healthy dose of self-doubt. Maybe it keeps me in check, maybe it just limits me. I never switch off, yet I struggle to get up in the mornings. I know that she likes me but it's always me that has to make the call. Little things, big things. The flat's clean for a few days then it's dirty for weeks. I'm a lot like my mother, I'm a lot like my father. I miss them both, in different ways. I need to find someone to share this bottle of champagne I was given, it's taunting me because there hasn't been that time. I'm writing this on the internet, and it'll either be mocked or at least it might raise a smile, and even if it's ignored perhaps someone will read it. I long for attention. :D
Ko0K on 14/11/2007 at 01:22
Stress is both good and bad for me right now, because I happen to be a stress junkie, and there is a lot of it nowadays.
TBE on 14/11/2007 at 01:31
Good: I have a government job that pays pretty good for the actual amount of work I am expected to do. Trouble is, I normally excel at everything I attempt, so I'm not payed accordingly to the actual skill and performance I normally put forth. The other good: My finances keep looking better each day. My family life is good. I've got a cute little cat named Ginger. I'm drinking Provo Girl Pilsner Beer right now, and it's REALLY FUCKING GOOD!
Bad: I have a part-time government job (Air Force Reserves) that is totally screwy right now because of (
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=24693) Total Force bullshit. Long story short, I have to wait for 5 more years to retire from the military. The other bad: I work on F-16 planes at BOTH of these jobs, so I'm extremely disenfranchised at working on the Fighting Falcon (a.k.a. Viper) at the moment.
Ginger:
Inline Image:
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k8/TafferBoyElvis/Ginger.jpgScots Taffer on 14/11/2007 at 01:38
Quote Posted by Rug Burn Junky
and I have to come to terms with the fact that I'll never be able to be the girl of her dreams.
I don't know with a judicious application of rouge and some quality stockings, I think we could convince her otherwise.
Oh, and a couch? Come on. I've got spare rooms for my high rolling niggas.
p.s. For me, work just shifted back into
Good after an amazing meeting with an actuarial consultancy firm that had been woefully mismananged on our end and awkwardly implemented from their end due to the mismanagement, which means when I took the bull by the horns and rebooted the entire process this morning I effectively set us on the path of analytical best practice and should overcome any potential barriers regarding my future employment (if there were any to begin with and I wasn't just a bit unnerved at the sudden "retrenching" of associates). I've still got the stress of delivering a project scope in 2 days but I've got a bloody big brain up there, let's start using it again!
crunchy on 14/11/2007 at 02:25
Quote Posted by Taffer_Boy_Elvis
I've got a cute little cat named Ginger.
Hmmmm! A grey and white cat called Ginger.
I remember many moons ago we went on a school excursion that looked at the timber industry: forestry, logging, sawmill etc. While in the forest one of the workers had a black labrador running around. Dog's name: Blackie. A mate said "Well that's highly original".
P.S. I'll get back to you when there is something in the Good column.
