All Work and Not Play

I'm working alot at the moment. Normal run of the mill 8.30-5 in an office and then 2 evenings a week in a local restaurant and then people's ironing on the side. It doesn't leave much time for anything else. But there's a good reason for all this flurry of activity. Well, one really good reason, spurred on by a second.

Firstly, I'm broke. I don't over spend or live extravegantly unless you count the occassional beer or coffee in town. I don't eat out every day or take long holidays. Instead I take my own lunch to work and watch films with a glass of wine. I walk to work, hardly use my car. I earn an OK wage of £20k. But lots of it goes on the day to day - mortgage, bills, council tax. I rarely do a food shop and pop an extra jumper on if it's chilly. And on the whole I don't mind. My life is one of minimal stress because that's the way I chose to live it. Time to run and see my friends, walk and ride my bike. I don't have a life that's governed by spending hours at the office and waking the middle of the night because I've missed a deadline or worrying how I'm going to hit target. I've tried jobs that make me feel like that in the past and although the money is nice, it's marred by the monthly cross examination in the board room. So I'll skip it. Day to day I have just enough money. But if I have a large bill - broke car, house insurance, then I have been slowely slipping further and further into debt. Nothing I would loose too much sleep about.

Secondly, I need extra cash because I want to join in with other things that are going on - 2 weddings and associated nonsense including hen weekends, gifts, etc. All of which I love. Spending time with friends. And, hen weekends are real quality time. I've been on a couple recently and both have been perfect. Sitting anc chatting with friends and just passing time with them. I didn't want to either to be over. I've got another tomorrow, but that's differnt because I don't really know anyone gonig apart from the bride and a girl from a old work place.

Although the hen weekends are all part of the need to earn some extra cash. They're on the list of things that push my spending to beyond it's means. So, we're back to the start. I feel my only choice to have another job. Two nights a week in a restaurant are hardly going to pay for weekends away, but this is all damage limitation. This month I've done well. and it's pay day next week and I am only just starting to need my overdraft.

My time is not my own, but I feel I've identified that I have a problem and that I am addressing it and not just moaning about it. And that's a good feeling.

MOOD: Philosophical

WEATHER: Cold but bright