Should I Be Elsewhere?

For the past few weeks, well probably months to be honest, I've been feeling a bit unsettled at work, and couldn't really put my finger on it.

I love my job for the most part (like every job there are days when you could just walk out and keep going), I enjoy the company of the people I work for and with (mostly!), and I love working with the horses (always). So there's not anything glaringly wrong, I just have quite a few days when I'm very easily distracted, and know I'm not putting in 100% which I really don't like!

But I've just had that 'should I be elsewhere' type feeling. Yes I can do my job well, but should I be doing something else?

Ideally I'd love to work for myself, or with Mr Mel, however the jump to leave this job to have a go at something when we have a mortgage, an impending wedding and a hopeful start to our family this year, make me think maybe I should stick to the safe option.

Things I've considered:

- Real Estate - I love it, but don't know if I could do it as a career, plus it would mean starting from bottom in an agency, getting to a place where I could work for myself would be a long way off

- Blog - we started a blog - www.huntervalleygrapevine.com - recently and are hoping to build it into something substantial, however with me working full-time, organising a wedding, trying to get fit, and Mr Mel working fulll-time, we're struggling to put enough time into it

www.huntervalleygrapevine.com

- Farm - both Mr Mel and I want to buy and work a small farm, raising produce and stock for our use, and with a view to selling meat, cheese, vegies etc, currently we don't have the capital to do it, but we will one day!  And of course we'll have horses on the farm! :)

photo source

- Aussie Farmers Direct - a new franchise business that I've been following since it launched, Australian farming is something I'm passionate about, we try to buy Aussie everything foodwise, and support local suppliers, attend every farmers market we can.  Everything I've read about AFD has been positive, they have been highly ranked by BRW as one of the best recent franchises.  The only downside the setup costs are quite expensive.  We could probably manage at a pinch (with a loan), but it would put alot more financial stress on us.

Aussie Farmers Direct

I think I'm most likely rambling, as I said earlier I've not really been able to put a finger on what's got me thinking this way, and obviously I'm struggling to put it into words also!

Maybe it's just because I've got so much going on, but I don't think so, I think the underlying issue is that I need/want to move on? Mr Mel as usual has been so supportive, and such a rock, he's told me a few times now, "Chickadee if you're not happy we need to do what we need to do to make you happy".

I think I'll give myself until after the wedding to make sure it's not the stress of sorting everything for the wedding that is making me think this way, if I'm still on this train of thought after our honeymoon (10 days in Vanuatu), Mr Mel and I will get our heads together and work towards change!

Any advice/inspiration more than welcome :)

Till next time,

Our To-Do List

Ok so it may seem a bit obsessive, but I love tracking things, at the moment I have spreadsheets for:

• mortgage
• super
• shares
• debt
• horse expenses
• weight loss

And a few months ago Mr Mel & I decided that we need a list of things we keep thinking of we need to do, that we forget to get round to doing.  And since we started it, we've got through a couple, which is better than none, so I thought I'd list our to do list here too, so I can track it (I did say a tad obsessive!!).

So here goes, this is our list:

• Security system for house - 90% done - being installed next week
• House & Contents insurance re security 
• Solar installation for house - 5% done - have 2 crews coming out to quote
• Look into Sasha's Blend for the pug
• Build shelves in laundry
• Paint 2nd toilet walls & door
• Sell lounge suites taking up the garage
• Replace dying Mazda - DONE - I love my new i30 :)
• Investigate extended warranty on the Ford - DONE - signed up, covered for next 3 years
• Blog - not this one, a new one that we'll both work on - 10% done - I have setup the domain
• MYOB for business - 90% done - I detest it, but almost done for the 2009/10 year
• Personal & Business tax for 2009/10 - 90% done - as per MYOB 
• Replace office chair - DONE
• Get treadmill working - DONE
• Get allergy test done
• Water tank
• Organise & book trip to Brisbane for Mr Mel - work related (he works for himself)

So that's the list, we're working our way through, and adding more now and then.  We have them written on a whiteboard on the side of the freezer (faces out from kitchen), so we see the list all the time, and often stand there planning.  It won't happen overnight but it will happen :)

So dear readers, do you have a to-do list, or are Mr Mel & I, as we kind of suspect, a tad freaky??

:)

Till next time,

Life really is good if you let it be good!

I'd like to think I'm a pretty grounded sort of person, grateful for the life I live, and aware of the blessings I've been given and earnt along the way.

I find it really annoying & frustrating that some people can't or won't appreciate what they've got.

Having a chat on the weekend with a friend (let's call her F1), and a mutual friend (F2) came up in conversation. F1 said that F2 had said to her recently that F2's hubby had asked her why she was so nasty about people who she's meant to love, ie friends & family, and F2's reply was that she's jealous.

I blurted out 'No Shit Sherlock' to F1, and she agreed, we were both amazed that F2 had actually realised that it was jealousy driving her at times, not very nice, behaviour to others.

F2 has a great hubby, 3 healthy & lovely kids, a nice house in a location they love, lots of friends and family who are always there for them. Yet F2 thinks she's so hard done by, everyone else is lucky or get's it easy.

I feel like saying to her to and spend a day in a kids cancer ward, or at a homeless shelter, and see how hard done by you are.

Reality check needed.  If she would just take a step back, appreciate what she's got, she would realise that life really is good.......................:-)

Off my soapbox for now.

Till next time,

Time for a change?

When do you know it's time for a job change?

I love (well loved) my job, however the stress of the situation I work in has been getting to me over the past 18 months, it's getting to the point now that most days I leave either feeling a bit jaded, or with a headache. I work hard, 10-11 hours a day, 5 days a week, plus some weekends every couple of months.  It's not the hard work thats the issue, I absolutely love being busy, and working hard. It's the stress of working for people who aren't happy, and it seems can't stand anyone being happy, that's really taking a toll.

Mrs Boss is extremely high strung and blows up very easily.  I'm fairly laid back, and it takes a fair bit to get me wound up, but gee she's doing a very good job at it.  The relationship between Mr & Mrs Boss is one I'd never hope for, and I find being around it quite toxic.

I've always been one to value a job much more than the pay, I can cop alot of crapola if I love the job, and I've been doing that for the past couple of years. But it's getting to the stage where I spend alot of time wondering if it's worth it.

Surely life's too short to be miserable at work?

Mr Mel and I want to get married and have kids in the next year, I'm tossing up whether I make a move now, or wait to see if we fall pregnant, then look at a part time career change.

Some more thinking to be done........................

Till next time,