Wishlist: 2008 Edition

Well, let the reviewing begin...

Ok, let's go. This is a copy of my last year's list... an evaluation if you will.

1. Pay off debts
My car is now officially paid off, which remained the biggest of my debts. I also managed to cancel all but one credit card and have kept my edgars account open.

2. Exercise more
Done! I started an exercise routine with my good friend and brother, Jax Nel, and I am happy to report that I lost a decent 13 KG's in 2007. I aim to lose another 10 KG's for 2008. In additon to this, I've started a muscle building routine and bought me a set of weights to help.

3. Start Saving
I have opened an FNB 32 day notice account and so far it's going well. Hoping to have a lot more in there by end of this year.

4. Stress less
Well... 2007 was a bitch. Sorry, it just was and stress was the name of the game. Let's see if 2008 is more peaceful... [holding thumbs]

5. Take opportunities and make the most of them
I started working on very first film shoot. I was appointed as the Production Manager after the director was impressed with me. She has now subsequently appointed me as the Assistant Director. That is awesome!

This year I will continue to work on that film and in addition am hoping to get myself in as a script writer on a new TV series that cannot be mentioned here yet... [holding thumbs again]

6. Study something
The writing course ended and it was somewhat valuable. From a work point of view, I am now qualified in ITIL.


7. Go Overseas
[Been saying this forever and still a no-go. However, my bro in the UK is promising to pay for my sister and I to go over to visit him in July and I'm quite excited about that. Let's hope it materializes.]

That didn't happen. A few complications ensued and Shaun came down here rather, which was awesome too. Lets see what happens this year, although there is not specific on the cards.

8. Become Famous
Getting there....

Previous Years Wishlists:

2005
2006
2007

Oh boy...

One of the most important days in our country's history happened on Tuesday December 18, 2007. The ruling party, the ANC, elected a new president, JZ.

So... when do we prosecute him?

Facebook

I have one.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=550831115.

Revival

Ok, so here's the thing:

I've been really busy and really lazy at the same time. This week however, I have decided to revive this lil blog, especially for those of you over seas who are bugging me for updates on my life stories... :) To make that happen, I'm going to add a new look.

Get ready, here comes "Noted. Season 2."

The Pig Strikes Again!

So I got my first "normal" salary as a permanent employee of the great and mighty company that shall not be named. We've been fighting for ages for us contractors to be made permanent and finally it's happened! I was even promoted to a higher grade! More leave, medical aid, all those cool things.

The problem? Well, the problem is that I'm being paid R700-R800 less! According to the powers that be the "harmonious salaries have not been harmonized yet." Yes, I know what you're thinking... huh? Anyway, Unions are fighting and its really just another battle after a battle with these people.

Again the Chinese soothsayers came to the rescue with an explanation: "The year of the pig... will see a global crash in the economic market." Now I dunno about this global crap, but there is definitely a crash in my freaking bank balance!

Sigh.

The pig strikes again

So I got my first "normal" salary as a permanent employee of the great and mighty company that shall not be named.  We've been fighting for ages for us contractors to be made permanent and finally it's happened!  I was even promoted to a higher grade!  More leave, medical aid, all those cool things. 

 

The problem?  Well, the problem is that I'm being paid R700-R800 less!  According to the powers that be the "harmonious salaries have not been harmonized yet."  Yes, I know what you're thinking...  huh?  Anyway, Unions are fighting and its really just another battle after a battle with these people.

 

Again the Chinese soothsayers came to the rescue with an explanation:  "The year of the pig... will see a global crash in the economic market."  Now I dunno about this global crap, but there is definitely a crash in my freaking bank balance! 

 

Sigh.

The Year of the PIG

So it have been five and a bit weeks since my last blog post. I can safely say that this has been the worst start to any year I have had so far. It is insane the amount of problems, trouble and general crap I've had to wade through and it hasn't even been two months yet!

Here follows a narrative of events:

My gran passed away on February 14th, which instantly makes Valentines Day a rather bleek event. An unfortunate fall in her bedroom resulted in her breaking her leg which she never really healed after that. She had been in a frail care home ever since, which is about five years. A week prior to her passing, she had suffered a major stroke during the night and never recovered from it. It was scary to see her go down so quickly, but on the other hand, now that the funeral is over, I can look back and reflect and be glad that she didn't really suffer too much pain or discomfort. If anything she really seemed at peace just before she left us.

On the same day my gran had the stroke, my brother phoned from the UK to inform us that he had been fired from his job as Assistant Hotel Manager after an audit report revealed various inconsistancies and missing cash and stock. The managers of the hotel instantly resigned leaving Shaun to have to sort the crap out. They later gave a written statement implicating Shaun in all of it. There is now a criminal investigation. In the mean time Shaun has flown back here to South Africa to spend a few weeks with us. :-) [This story to be updated].

THEN AGAIN on the same day my buddy at the office informed me that he had a family emergency and needed to jet off to East London (a 3 hour drive away). He showed me what to do to keep things running. An hour after he left I got the call from my mom about my gran.

Which brings me to the forth major crisis/issue of 2007: WORK. We had a major server crash, the repocussions of which are probably the worse we've ever experienced. Now it's myself and my buddy who are employed to fix this server. During the middle of this crisis we both have a family crisis. CRISIS. CRISIS. CRISIS. Luckily by this time we had got the server to a workable order and users could get to their emails, although not all the old items were back. Problems with backups didn't help. So while dealing with family issues during the day, we were trying to restore an email server by night. Not nice.

Let me just take this opportunity to say that this year of the pig is really becoming a problem. Damn swines have screwed up this year completely. Somewhere I read that Chinese shoothsayers predict a year of unrest, natural disasters and a crash in economic markets. This leads me to to two conclusions: 1. The Chinese are not very optimistic people. 2. I hate pigs.

So in conclusion, my previous post was my wishlist for 2007 and I had mentioned to some people I felt very excited about this year........ well, forget that. Stuff 2007. Roll on 2008!

The year of the pig

So it have been five and a bit weeks since my last blog post.  I can safely say that this has been the worst start to any year I have had so far.  It is insane the amount of problems, trouble and general crap I've had to wade through and it hasn't even been two months yet!

 

Here follows a narrative of events:

 

My gran passed away on February 14th, which instantly makes Valentines Day a rather bleek event.  An unfortunate fall in her bedroom resulted in her breaking her leg which she never really healed after that.  She had been in a frail care home ever since, which is about five years.  A week prior to her passing, she had suffered a major stroke during the night and never recovered from it.  It was scary to see her go down so quickly, but on the other hand, now that the funeral is over, I can look back and reflect and be glad that she didn't really suffer too much pain or discomfort.  If anything she really seemed at peace just before she left us. 

 

On the same day my gran had the stroke, my brother phoned from the UK to inform us that he had been fired from his job as Assistant Hotel Manager after an audit report revealed various inconsistancies and missing cash and stock.  The managers of the hotel instantly resigned leaving Shaun to have to sort the crap out.  They later gave a written statement implicating Shaun in all of it.  There is now a criminal investigation.  In the mean time Shaun has flown back here to South Africa to spend a few weeks with us.  :-)  [This story to be updated].

 

THEN AGAIN on the same day my buddy at the office informed me that he had a family emergency and needed to jet off to East London (a 3 hour drive away).  He showed me what to do to keep things running.  An hour after he left I got the call from my mom about my gran. 

 

Which brings me to the forth major crisis/issue of 2007:  WORK.  We had a major server crash, the repocussions of which are probably the worse we've ever experienced.  Now it's myself and my buddy who are employed to fix this server.  During the middle of this crisis we both have a family crisis.  CRISIS. CRISIS. CRISIS.  Luckily by this time we had got the server to a workable order and users could get to their emails, although not all the old items were back.  Problems with backups didn't help.  So while dealing with family issues during the day, we were trying to restore an email server by night.  Not nice.

 

Let me just take this opportunity to say that this year of the pig is really becoming a problem.  Damn swines have screwed up this year completely.  Somewhere I read that Chinese shoothsayers predict a year of unrest, natural disasters and a crash in economic markets.  This leads me to to two conclusions:  1. The Chinese are not very optimistic people.  2.  I hate pigs. 

 

So in conclusion, my previous post was my wishlist for 2007 and I had mentioned to some people I felt very excited about this year........ well, forget that.  Stuff 2007.  Roll on 2008!

 

 

 

The 2007 Wishlist

Here we go. It's that time of year again... looking ahead to what can be improved and what we intend to do about it.

Just a note: I haven't been able to update since I've moved apartments the last month and I as yet, don't have internet at home.

Ok, let's go. This is a copy of my last year's list... an evaluation if you will.

1. Pay off debts
Car payments are over this year, so yippee, that's gonna be awesome! Also have consolidated a lot of my credit cards and cancelled others. I'm reasonably happy with the progress here.

2. Exercise more
Well, that sort of happened and sort of didn't. I did lose some pounds which I'm impressed with. Also have now teamed up with a friend to do the gymming/training/sparring thing which is working me like a whore over a long weekend.

3. Stop some bad habits I bite my fingers often… particularly when I’m stressed.
Uh huh. Maybe this should just come off now... like this was a bad idea. Fingers are still getting bitten.


4. Stress less
Well, I still stress, but not as much... and I'm learning to be more "proactive" than "reactive".

5. Take opportunities and make the most of them
The inner 75-year old man is slowly passing away and I am definately becoming more spontaneous.

6. Study something
I began the writing course... got up till module 6 and then crashed out. I will try complete it this year.

7. Go Overseas:
Been saying this forever and still a no-go. However, my bro in the UK is promising to pay for my sister and I to go over to visit him in July and I'm quite excited about that. Let's hope it materializes.

8. Become Famous
Still nuff said.

Right, that's it. All in all I think I had something of a successful 2006. My company has now FINALLY given me a permanent job - proof that miracles still happen!

Roll on 2007!!!