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2017 07 Jolly July

Think it, Plan it, Do it
Brava21
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2017 07 Jolly July

#64421

Postby Brava21 » July 3rd, 2017, 10:13 am

Hi all

I hope nobody minds me jumping in with a new thread…and apologies if we have had Jolly July before. We probably have...

But, the Board looked a bit sad with no new month thread, what with it being the 3rd and everything :)

Will think of some goals and pop back later

Brava x

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Re: 2017 07 Jolly July

#64789

Postby futuresaver101 » July 4th, 2017, 8:47 pm

Hi Brava,

Thanks for starting the thread ! I'm sorry I'm not posting as much as I used to, let's blame cybersecurity :) I've decided to use a long and complicated password, which I can't remember so end up having to reset it each time !

Now, as to July goals.

We're being reorganised (again !!!!) and there is much management blah blah out there. Some departments are only "safe" until 2019, and apparently there are more updates to come.

So, what this means is that my job may change to something less pleasant (different manager) or be moved to a different financial unit (likely to be more financially strained).

Neither of which is a good outcome, and I have also got to stay ready for the possibility that I may come in and find my job no longer exists (this happened a few months ago to some well established people in our team, and the management consultant that implemented that is still around).

And if my boss goes (gets fed up, I wouldn't blame him), I want to go too.

So, my mission for July is to get the next batch of profile raising activities completed:

1) Submit my signed and completed second Fellowship application
2) Get my first set of podcasts (students, professional development and more) on YouTube
3) Start following other tweeters, and liking posts (this is a new thing for me, I have a millennial helping me!)
4) Complete the three key industry projects, deliverables closed out

This leaves a quiet August for writing some papers, again part of profile raising, building industry network in my new-ish sector, and September is starting to put my "possible job hunting" hat on. Unless things change and stabilise, I'll be looking to move in 2018/2019. Let's see how far I get with my application for an industry award, should know by the end of August whether I am being called for interview.

I also need to keep a sense of perspective and distance.

Last year it all got a bit stress-y with all the contract changes, and I didn't much enjoy earlier on this year when we were put into a non-department.

Meant I wasn't as effective in the office, and downtime was less effective too. All in all meant I couldn't enjoy the positives of my role (flexible work culture etc.)

Anyway, apparently we will know about the (latest) re-org sometime this month.

FS101

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Re: 2017 07 Jolly July

#65089

Postby splosh » July 6th, 2017, 10:14 am

Yes, thank you for getting us started! I'm slow starting with the goals this month as the first few days have been really busy already. So I'm going to include the ones I've done already, even if it's cheating!

Work
1. Lead workshop Done
2. Run full-day education event
3. 3 coaching gigs
4. Finish arrangement commission
5. Groundwork for big event next year
6. Tidying up admin after closure of choir
7. Organise logistics for coaching tour in Sept
8. Tax return

Play
1. Meet up with 2 friends for coffee
2. Find a show to go to with other friend

Home/health/family
1. Visit from mrSplosh's mum
2. Buy actea for new tub
3. Book smear test
4. Get hair done
5. Get legs waxed Done

Other
1. First committee meeting in new volunteer role
2. Planning session in other volunteer role

Can't help feeling I've missed something, but that will have to do for now...

splosh

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Re: 2017 07 Jolly July

#65791

Postby futuresaver101 » July 9th, 2017, 12:52 pm

Hi everyone,

I just thought I'd do a week 1 check in

1) Submit my signed and completed second Fellowship application ***I just need to get it printed out and put under the nose of the second signatory, should go in this month. And then am updating my business cards***

2) Get my first set of podcasts (students, professional development and more) on YouTube ***meeting the student on Monday for our first try out at recording, need to prep today, record some additional notes. Apparently our professional society has a dormant "YouTube channel", so things can be hosted there***

3) Start following other tweeters, and liking posts (this is a new thing for me, I have a millennial helping me!) ***did a bit on the train last week, have got a Skype session with someone who has done this before***

4) Complete the three key industry projects, deliverables closed out ***hmmm, need to stay focussed on this***

As for the re-org, we have been put into a new department (there are five of us) without a manager (though I have still kept my immediate boss), plus someone who is seconded out elsewhere. That person is problematic - arrogant, not competent, and spending an awful lot of time building relationships. And I think angling for that management role. In our last department meeting, and other people were speaking favourably of him.

I am keeping well clear of him. One guy in our team worked with him on a presentation, which then got forwarded to the big boss. And the manipulator was not the one who ended up getting b*llocked by the big boss (the content wasn't up to much). One person down, out of the way to path to the management role.

Anyone read "Snakes in Suits" ? That trick above with the presentation is straight out of there.

Guidance welcomed BTW

FS101

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Re: 2017 07 Jolly July

#67073

Postby Tortoise1000 » July 13th, 2017, 4:20 pm

Your rapid tunnelling out plan sound like the best one to me, FS101! I am impressed with your professional approach. Plenty of other seas for a fine fish like you to swim in :-)

Belated plan for July:

Health

Keep attending SW meetings. This gets easier all the time because it is a sociable group. People pal up and organise other activities. Latest scheme is a charity banquet in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. What a great idea, a banquet with healthy food! The organiser is a superb cook so it will be delicious too. One to look forward to.

Also keep doing some walking. Been slacking on this lately, must be languor caused by the summer heat. Or laziness, one of the two.

Investing

This has been going better. I have had time to give it a lot of thought recently .Investing is a curious business as regards timing. You can spend ages thinking about what to do. Then actually doing it takes in theory a few seconds, a few mouse clicks. But in practice that too takes ages. Very odd. I can’t think of anything else that takes such a tiny amount of effort in relation to elapsed time. That must be one of the attractions of using a financial advisor. Go and see him, have a good chat, job done. Much more in proportion. Anyway I am proceeding with the prolonged minutiae of funding my new ISA. Last month the transfer went through from Interactive Investor to the Coventry and I battled through the Coventry’s ferocious security system to see it had arrived. This month I logged on to iWeb (a few seconds), filled in and printed off the form (about a minute) to transfer from Coventry to iWeb, posted it (5 minute walk) and now its another indefinite wait, possibly measured in weeks, for the transfer to take place. Still, at least it is giving me plenty of time to think through what to invest in when it arrives.

House project

Decide on window dressing for the front windows, probably plantation shutters, and get them ordered.

Plenty more to do after that, but I am not sure what to tackle first.

Decluttering

I am decluttering the freezer at present, always a rewarding task. I will spare you a list :-)

Support TJ

TJ has reappeared following my short break while he was at summer camp and is currently sofa-surfing and job hunting in his university town before going off on some adventurous training next week. For the longer term, I am helping with his Army application appeal. For the shorter term, my task is to help him get a job in a bar. This is right up my street; I love helping people get jobs. I polished up his CV earlier this week and he has been taking it round the town. There seem to be lots of jobs going, he has had various interviews and offers of trial shifts already.

To think , it’s nine years since he got his first job:
http://boards.fool.co.uk/hallo-ytsters- ... 56788.aspx

Don't the years pass quickly when you are posting on the internet?

T

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Re: 2017 07 Jolly July

#67110

Postby Tortoise1000 » July 13th, 2017, 7:15 pm

That was quick, he has got a job already. But not the one he most wants. Now I am advising him on the dilemma of dealing with multiple job applications. Still , at least he has one, starting tomorrow. 6pm to 4 am. Apparently these hours are ideal for his current sleeping pattern. Rather him than me!

T

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Re: 2017 07 Jolly July

#67226

Postby splosh » July 14th, 2017, 11:05 am

I swear the months are getting shorter and shorter, halfway through already??


Work
1. Lead workshop
Done
2. Run full-day education event Next weekend. Prep pretty much complete
3. 3 coaching gigs Done
4. Finish arrangement commission Done
5. Groundwork for big event next year Not started yet
6. Tidying up admin after closure of choir Bounced to next month, as there are other people involved not available right now. Have done what I can for the moment.
7. Organise logistics for coaching tour in Sept In progress.
8. Tax return Oh, was I going to do this in July? Better get on with it then.

Play
1. Meet up with 2 friends for coffee
Got as far as sending a text to one of them
2. Find a show to go to with other friend Didn't fancy what I found in a short browse. Need to make more of an effort.

Home/health/family
1. Visit from mrSplosh's mum
Later
2. Buy actea for new tub Not done yet
3. Book smear test Not done yet
4. Get hair done Done
5. Get legs waxed Done

Other
1. First committee meeting in new volunteer role
Done, and follow-up meeting booked to discuss development of the role
2. Planning session in other volunteer role Later

Okay, so this is going okay so far, I'm feeling a bit behind myself, but not too much.

splosh

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Re: 2017 07 Jolly July

#67548

Postby Tortoise1000 » July 15th, 2017, 5:26 pm

Doing well here. TJ has got another job! This one in a pie shop. He is hoping to combine it with the bar work. Also I found him a perfect room to let on Spareroom and chivvied him to go and look at it. Cheap, convenient, well-appointed, congenial housemates, plus it has a cat. What more could one want? After three attempts, got him to take notice of me and go and look at it. He found it ideal and has been accepted as a tenant. So that hopefully ends the sofa-surfing.

I'm really pleased how he is preparing to tackle his overdraft. He is determined to work all hours to clear it. He is a spender by nature, and I am hoping this will be a useful life lesson in the nuisance of debt, how to get rid of it and why it's not worth running it up. I remember having a bank loan at his age, it wasn't repayable early so the payments came out of my salary month after month what seemed like for ever. Three years, I think. I'd borrowed it towards a house deposit, so it was a good cause, but the pain of paying it off definitely cured me of wanting to borrow any more.

T

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Re: 2017 07 Jolly July

#67571

Postby Tortoise1000 » July 15th, 2017, 9:05 pm

Oh dear, he has just had his bike stolen. What a downer :-(

This is why ''Support TJ' is such a time-consuming goal. It is always like this; one thing after another all day! I have sympathised and sent him photos of it to give the police.

T

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Re: 2017 07 Jolly July

#69233

Postby splosh » July 24th, 2017, 10:13 am

Ah, it was all going quite swimmingly with TJ for a bit there. Still, two jobs and a place to live sound like good big steps forward, even with the step back of a stolen bike.

Just had one of my big events of the year, so coming in to see what else is supposed to be happening this month while there is still a bit of it left.

Work
1. Lead workshop
Done
2. Run full-day education event Done. It went really well, very pleased.
3. 3 coaching gigs Done
4. Finish arrangement commission Done
5. Groundwork for big event next year A bit done. All kinds of things I thought were settled about it now aren't, so it's unclear how much more I can actually do right now. Will settle for writing down some ideas before I forget them again.
6. Tidying up admin after closure of choir Bounced to next month, as there are other people involved not available right now. Have done what I can for the moment.
7. Organise logistics for coaching tour in Sept In progress.
8. Tax return Everything done except the CGT bit. Which is the difficult bit, and the bit for which MrSplosh maintains the data. I did ask him for it, but given how good the weather has been I don't blame him for doing gardening instead...

Play
1. Meet up with 2 friends for coffee Met up with one, got invited to a party by the other. Would still like to actually meet her for coffee, because actually you don't really get to talk to anyone at length when there are loads of them there...
2. Find a show to go to with other friend Haven't made any progress here. Might not happen this month now, as I'm going to busy until the weekend.

Home/health/family
1. Visit from mrSplosh's mum
She arrives tomorrow
2. Buy actea for new tub Done, it looks nice.
3. Book smear test Not done yet
4. Get hair done Done
5. Get legs waxed Done
Strange how the least pleasant (and the least visible) item of self-care is the one that gets procrastinated, isn't it?

Other
1. First committee meeting in new volunteer role
Done, plus follow-up meeting to agree roles. I have new items on my to-do list
2. Planning session in other volunteer role This week

Might be an idea to check overall 2017 goals while I'm here:

By the end of 2017,
- I will know what my pattern of activities looks like after closing my choir
Kind of. I have picked up this new volunteer role, and I have adapted to the new rhythm of the weeks without it there, but I still feel as if I am lying fallow, waiting for the next thing to come along that will replace it
- I will have better facilitation skills I have been on a useful course at any rate. Opportunities to practise have been strangely fewer than they were before the course!
- I will have spent more time with my family than in 2016 Doing pretty well on this.
- Our new financial structure will be bedding in Yes, so far so good
- I will have had some fun/interesting experiences to look back on Indeed. I have been on my first protest march, I have been to Crete, I have been to a vegan food festival, I have got halfway through a new listening project for the year. Plus a few visits away from home in the UK, as well as explorations of our own city. More possibilities to come, but doing okay here. August is going to be a quiet month for work, so I should remember this goal in the next few weeks.
- Our under-stair storage will be in use It is!
- The futility room will be less cluttered To an extent, but there is scope for further rationalisation.
- We will have a hanging fernery We do. It is as yet modest in scope - I wanted the initial plants to fill out a bit more before adding to it, which they are doing. Work in progress

splosh

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Re: 2017 07 Jolly July

#69463

Postby Brava21 » July 25th, 2017, 2:07 pm

Hi all

So much for coming back later with some goals…it’s July 25th already. How rubbish am I?

Well, I’ve given up on proper goals now; I’ll report back on what little I’ve done by the end of the month and leave it at that, I think. It is good to see that others have had far more direction and purpose than me :)

FS101, I feel your pain over that awful sounding colleague, I really do. It sounds all too painfully familiar; I work with a few of those at the moment and I’m not sure I know what the answer is, other than consoling yourself that at some point (and hopefully you'll get a ringside seat) karma will bring him what he deserves.

Tortoise, I am very sorry to hear about TJ’s bike being pinched, but what super news about the digs and the two jobs! It just goes to show what can be achieved with a Tortoise behind you. It sounds as if he is putting into practice your financial teachings, too. It is all very positive, especially as his finding the room presumably means a nice peaceful summer for you.

And Splosh, please stop achieving so much, you are making me feel worn out :lol:

Brava x

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Re: 2017 07 Jolly July

#70348

Postby futuresaver101 » July 28th, 2017, 8:11 pm

Hi everyone,

Brava, T - thanks for thoughtful words. I'll keep my distance from that colleague and wait for karma to do its thing. It is hard not to bitch though to colleagues...

T - Sorry to hear about all the TJ ups and downs, it's certainly a bit of a rollercoaster at the moment. But he's showing some clear ability in getting a job, so that's good.

I thought I hadn't set any goals but turns out I did !

1) Submit my signed and completed second Fellowship application - Submitted. And awarded :D
2) Get my first set of podcasts (students, professional development and more) on YouTube - Hmm, this one has slipped a bit, I've got a slot booked for recording second week in August, and need to do some prep work (probably next weekend). On the positive side, the recording microphone is arriving on Monday so I can get going with practising things
3) Start following other tweeters, and liking posts (this is a new thing for me, I have a millennial helping me!) - ok, that's on the to do list for this weekend, need to have a bit of a blitz
4) Complete the three key industry projects, deliverables closed out - one done, one postponed, and one has to be done by Tues/Wed

FS101

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Re: 2017 07 Jolly July

#70792

Postby Tortoise1000 » July 30th, 2017, 7:21 pm

It has been a quick month, hasn’t it, Brava? I can’t believe it’s over , I was expecting another week’s worth at least. Rather a strange one weather-wise too, half the time it is autumnal. The conkers are big on the trees in the park .

Right, did I get anything done?

Health

Keep attending SW meetings.

Done.

Also keep doing some walking. Been slacking on this lately, must be languor caused by the summer heat.

Ha ha, not much summer heat now. Yes, feeling more motivated. I did a triathlon this morning. First I walked round the park lake (2.2km), then drove the car to the beach, then went for a swim. That’s a triathlon, isn’t it? I have decided to walk round the lake every day this week. Possibly more than once, possibly with the triathlon feature , depending on circumstances.

Investing

I didn’t seem to set and exact goal for this, except to get on with it. I have various things to deal with , including a lump sum from a pension. Difficult time, with the markets high, but when isn’t? I have started re-reading ‘Where are the Customers’ Yachts?’ which if you have not read it I do recommend. It is very funny. Written in 1940, by a man who had spent his career on Wall Street and his father before him, its witty advice is still spot on.

House project

Decide on window dressing for the front windows, probably plantation shutters, and get them ordered..

Decided on the shutters, decided where to buy them from, negotiated on price, haven’t ordered them yet but probably will do so tomorrow.

Decluttering

The freezer.

Yes! Only four portions of home-made casseroles left. Two of chicken with peppers and two of pork and apple. Not much chicken stock left either, I made soups with the backlog. I have resolved to stop doing excess cookery. Batch cooking is a good idea for a busy parent. It is not good for a retired person on their own. There is no need anyway. I am not too busy to cook, and if I was it wouldn’t matter just for one. If I keep making recipes that serve two, three or four and keep freezing the excess, I soon end up with a freezer jammed with old food. Its actually perfectly good food, but it seems unattractive once it’s frozen. In future I resolve to eat what I cook, if necessary on consecutive days until it has gone. (The freezer is still full of course, but of interesting things like steak and fish and frozen fruit, and useful ingredients like grated cheese. Not nice-but-boring soup and casseroles).

Support TJ

Yes, helped him find new home and job as described above. A break now while he is in Bavaria on an Army ‘adventurous training course’ (paid tough climbing holiday). He was phoning twice a day until last Sunday, and recording Alpine feats on Strava. Then he stopped... Has he fallen off an Alp? Or gone higher into the mountains out of phone/wifi range? He is due back next weekend so I will let you know then which it was.

Two Fellowships, FS101! That is impressive.

T

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Re: 2017 07 Jolly July

#71028

Postby splosh » July 31st, 2017, 6:22 pm

Oh, we seem to have run out of month.

Work
1. Lead workshop, Done
2. Run full-day education event. Done. It went really well, very pleased.
3. 3 coaching gigs. Done
4. Finish arrangement commission. Done
5. Groundwork for big event next year. A bit done. All kinds of things I thought were settled about it now aren't, so it's unclear how much more I can actually do right now. Will settle for writing down some ideas before I forget them again.
6. Tidying up admin after closure of choir. Bounced to next month, as there are other people involved not available right now. Have done what I can for the moment.
7. Organise logistics for coaching tour in Sept In progress.


All of this is copied from last week - no change.

8. Tax return Submitted this afternoon! Hurrah!

Play
1. Meet up with 2 friends for coffee Met up with one, got invited to a party by the other. Would still like to actually meet her for coffee, because actually you don't really get to talk to anyone at length when there are loads of them there...
No change since last week here
2. Find a show to go to with other friend Still no progress here either. I suspect myself of not really trying very hard.

Home/health/family
1. Visit from mrSplosh's mum
Has happened. Nice time had by all. Glad to have the house back to ourselves again.
2. Buy actea for new tub Done.
3. Book smear test Still not done. Will bounce to next month. Needs to happen over the summer.
4. Get hair done Done
5. Get legs waxed Done

Other
1. First committee meeting in new volunteer role Done, plus follow-up meeting to agree roles. I have new items on my to-do list
As before
2. Planning session in other volunteer role. Done. It was a rather tortuous session as the team, though chock full of people who are excellent in their own ways, is seriously dysfunctional. I do what I can to mediate, to intermittent effect.

So, a few things not achieved, mostly the things I was least interested in. Brava, sorry if it looks like I get too much stuff done - it is an illusion created by carefully neglecting to list the stuff I know I'm unlikely to get around to ;-) It is analogous to my technique for appearing to be a good gardener (cut off all the dead bits).

splosh

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Re: 2017 07 Jolly July

#71258

Postby Brava21 » August 1st, 2017, 2:18 pm

Hi all

July recap here. I feel like I've done nothing this month at all, but I have just been thinking about it whilst out for a walk, and have managed to drum up some progress out of thin air.

Home

I was going to look at getting an electrician to put another socket into the garage and fit some sort of light which is brighter than the (no doubt, cheap and elderly 'green') one already there. Then the other night he said that perhaps a decent plug in extension block would do for the odd occasions he does want more than one thing plugged in, and he questioned what sort of bulb we could get that would be nice and bright. Therefore, a suitable extension block is winging its way from Amazon, and I will be popping over to DAK in a mo to ask about bright bulbs (I have been left behind with all this and never know what on earth numbers or letters I am meant to look for). If none of this works out for him over the next few weeks and he feels he does need additional work done, then we'll do it.

Health

I still don't know what is going on with my head; my last scan was over 7 weeks ago, since which time I have had no results. About 3 weeks ago I started trying to 'phone the consultant's secretary for some information. I got her on the third attempt and exactly one week ago, she told me a letter had been typed and was just waiting to be signed and that I would have it in a couple of days. I will give it one more week before I ring AGAIN. In the meantime, the OH doctor at work is going to ask for a medical report from the consultant. She says she has ways of wording things which might make them a little swifter when dealing with me in the future. A friend who works for Health Inspectorate Wales, and therefore knows all about the ins and outs of the system, has told me that I should also complete the hospital's online 'concerns' form. Perhaps I should; what do people think? Is that being too much of a difficult patient?

On the weight loss front, things are looking up though. I wanted to lose 3lb in July and managed 4, despite our half week away and its indulgence. I am starting to see the difference now, which is nice, and can also get into a pair of shorts and a pair of linen trousers that have not seen any action for a couple of years. Of course, this very fact means that there will be no more fine weather this year, for which I apologise :)

Work

Ambition was just to put up with it; OH advice has been to work at home 2 days a week until next appointment with them in approx. 8 weeks time, so this has been quite easy really.

Right, will need to think of some August goals for the thread over there.

Brava x

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Re: 2017 07 Jolly July

#71673

Postby Tortoise1000 » August 3rd, 2017, 9:56 am

7 weeks with no results is a long time, Brava. Expressing concern seems reasonable to me. But why wait to phone the secretary again? A week is long enough to sign and post a letter! She must have gone on holiday. Do you have her email address?

T


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