# 86 (2013) I'm Not Lazy, I'm Just Uninspired

Every time I get a phone call from my agency my heart sinks. Because although I have signed up for admin / office work here in town (my background is as a PA) I know in my heart that the last thing I want to do is get sucked back into some sterile office environment shuffling paper around and trying to deflect office bitchiness between bored secretaries.

I had a temp job back in late Spring and when the six weeks were up I couldn't have been happier. Although to be fair it did lead to more interesting and better paid work two months later.

Sometimes I wonder how I managed 17 years in office work, being enthusiastic and happy. I guess the huge wads of cash I was earning back then sugared a bitter pill. Wages that just don't exist in admin these days. 

The truth of the matter is that despite being a bit short of cash at times as a freelance clothing designer, I would rather be doing this than working the 9 - 5. I am creative at heart and you can't reign that in for long. It needs an outlet. It was why I freelanced whilst I worked full time. But I was less jaded then, less cyncial about the industry and far more enthusiastic about long hours for little money.

(source)

I think if my regular job was industry related I'd be happy with that. But I have no retail experience so one of the areas I'd love to try (working in a fashion retail outlet) probably isn't going to happen any time soon. My other job of choice is as a writer, but who pays for writers these days?

So sometimes I deliberately sabotage my chances of getting temp jobs like not returning phone calls fast enough. Other times I just keep my fingers crossed that I won't get them - which I haven't. The wages are generally appalling, (the tax man makes it almost impossible to believe) and the work is mind numbingly easy. There seems to be no real challenge in office work these days.

In the short term I am still happy muddling along. There is some kind of buzz that I get from not knowing quite where the next pay check is coming from. A big sale (like the one I've just secured) will keep me going for several months but they aren't always so easy to come by. And until the right permanent job comes along (I feel it will somewhere along the line) this is how I'm going to play it.

# 85 (2013) Sharing Finances - Do You Don't You?

What is your stance on sharing finances with a partner? I have always been fiercely independent where money is concerned and have never shared a bank account with a partner, even ones I lived with for 8 years. And the reason? Because up until recently my 'other halves' have always been completely incapable with money.

To be fair, I am very good with my cash. I am a saver and am never pushed into hasty decisions by offers, deals or unguarded shopping sprees - no matter how tempted I may be. I am businesses nightmare. You won't catch me out.

I can't live hand to mouth like some people. I put money away for a rainy day. Whether it's a light April shower or a monsoon you should always be ready. I hate debt and avoid it at all costs. And I keep all my spends on excel spreadsheets so I know exactly what I am dealing with. I've always been like this, but going to Uni and then running my own business have shown me that what I am doing is the best way. If I hadn't, I'd be on benefits living in a council flat (if I was lucky) by now. As it stands, my income may not be so great at the moment, but I'm not panicking just yet. I have invested and watch the pennies and it's serving me well. Even four years on.

My opinions on sharing finances has never changed. And it never will, no matter whether I am the main earner or not. Sharing the bills on where you live is one thing. It's an even split. But as for everything else, it needs to be kept well away. I don't care what someone else is doing with their money, but bills come first. And I don't want my surplus cash dragged into the equation.

It's a vulnerable state to be in, having to rely on someone else for your finances. And I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

(source)

# 84 (2013) Emotional Blackmail on the Internet (Or Why I Hate Memes)

I have a love hate relationship with Memes.

There are 'Somecards' which used to (but don't always now) make me smile. And there is emotional drivel like this which makes me want to punch my computer screen.

Only one person can have the best brother in the world. And 758 people thought they were them.

And then there are things like this which make no damn sense at all.

Yes you are. Books are books. People are people. They are not an adequate replacement. Get out of the fantasy. 

On top of that there are those ridiculous messages which tell you to share, like or retweet if you're their 'fweind'. For gods sake, it's like the chain mail letters that said you would die if you didn't forward it on to 10 friends by midnight. NOBODY ACTUALLY CARES!!!!!!!

Annoying but probably true

The occasional meme with a dozen cute kittens or a vulgar insult on it (combined into grumpy cat) I can handle. But why are we so addicted to this tripe and why do we think it enriches our lives?

Now I do post the occasional meme. I am not innocent of this by any means but I am making an effort to stop. And they have to be really good or incredibly relevant for me to forward them on.

Maybe posters get a buzz from seeing the number of likes and shares that result from flagging up something as mundane as this.Maybe they are bored or need reminding that not everyone has forgotten them. Whatever it is, I just wish they'd stop it. Because my Facebook feed is rapidly turning into a graveyard of pointlessness and annoyance.

There are crimes of fashion, but fashion has never been a crime. Get over it. 

Maybe.

Pointless. Utterly pointless.

It's an old phone. And? Do you like showing off how old you are?