And I'm Feeling Good

The plot thickens... just applied for an extension to my overdraft online (all to do with the postgrad course fee thing), and it said yes. Hmmm. Banks really don't make any sense.

ANYWAY, I am not planning to bang on about finance/banks/money today, so I'll restrain myself.

Life is quite good at the moment. Yes, yes, fall down in shock if you must, but it's true. I have enough money (ish), a fabulous husband (well, except the dodgy new I-just-got-out-of-the-army-style growing-out-buzzcut look haircut he gave himself last night), a course set up to train for a new and more fulfilling career, and the promise of another week in Paris in January. There are other things too, but I can't remember what they are right now.

The only area on which I'm still a bit undecided/torn/stroppy/impossible-to-please is the 'shall we move house or shan't we?' question. This being the issue that as we now have to stay in Essex until I finish my course, is it worth forking out about £500 to move to a different house in Essex, even though it may only be for about 6 months to a year.

OBVIOUSLY the financially sensible answer is no, since our current house is basically fine, but it isn't, and never has been, quite right for us, and that is constantly slightly depressing.

BUT I am happy today, so I'm not going to go on about it.

God, why do I always have to have something to moan about?!

Don't Bank On It

Yes, yes, it's been ages. But let's not worry about that shall we?

You see, this is the problem: I think of all sorts of things I want to write about, but then when I actually sit down at the computer to do it, my mind goes blank.

So... Um... Um...

sound of brain being wracked

Um....

Yes! THAT'S what I wanted to talk about, I remember now...

My bank (not TwatWest, the other one) called me in yesterday for an 'annual review' of my finances. They've been ringing me and hassling me for weeks about coming in: "We can save you money on your loan Mrs Him", "We can do lots of things to improve your finances Mrs Him", and finally "We won't renew your overdraft limit for another year unless you come in for the review Mrs Him".

So, like a good little customer (who can't afford to pay back her overdraft), off I trotted to Lloyds to spend my lunch hour having my finances improved. I was almost excited - after all, they'd already promised that they could save me money...

Except of course they actually couldn't. Instead, I had to sit there being told off for not having a pension by someone younger than me. Oh, and here's a tip: if your bank allows you a 'buffer zone' on your overdraft (i.e. you can go up to ten or twenty quid over without being charged) although you don't get charged, it DOES get marked against you as a 'risk' rating if you use it. W*nkers.

So, what did I learn from my hour long, lunchbreak wasting, annual review?

1. Not having a pension makes me evil and irresponsible...

2. Having credit cards makes me evil, irresponsible, and poor...

3. A good credit file (surprisingly, I do have one [well, three technically], I ordered them a few weeks ago and checked) doesn't mean much to my main bank because they are more concerned with 'how I run my account' - which is where the buffer zone thing comes in...

4. An 'annual review' is an excuse to trap you in a room and try to sell you 'added value' accounts...

5. And finally, that I am in debt. Yes, they felt the need to point that out. Funny, because obviously I wouldn't be aware of that already...

So in summary, if you want to be made to feel bad about yourself, learn lots of things you already knew, and listen to someone trying to sell you an account that costs £10 a month (you've just told me I'm in debt, why would I want to spend another £10 a month on something so unnecessary?), then book in to your bank for an 'annual review' today!

So yes, that's what I wanted to talk about today.

Bet you wish I hadn't bothered...

They Call It Madness

I am slowly going crazy. Proof:

1. I worked out for over an hour last night and found myself strangely satisfied by my resulting inability to climb the stairs, run a bath, or get into bed without moans of muscular pain.

2. I am seriously excited (and not very scared) about the very very tough interview and pre-interview exam I have next week for the TEFL course. Hurrah!

3. I keep having erotic dreams about men in uniform (that's not the weird part) in which I am always hampered in my attempts to undress by the fact that I am wearing flesh coloured tights (that's the weird part - I have never worn those in my life, and pray I never will...)

Yep, totally mad.

A Change Will Do You Good

So, I'm back. Obviously. Who else would be writing this?

Paris was fabulous. I'd forgotten how energised it always makes me feel. I've made a pact with myself to go back at least once a year from now on - I can't believe I left it so long this time. He also fell almost instantly in love with the place, which of coure is a benefit as although I'm perfectly willing to go alone, it is quite nice to have someone to carry my suitcase...

Being away from work for two weeks has given me a bit more clarity on the whole career situation, and actually made me make a decision (shock! horror!). I'm scared of jinxing it so don't want to say too much, but I've applied for a course to qualify me to teach English as a Foreigh Language, so if they offer me a place and I can find the £950 fee, I may be on the road to my ideal career. I just realised I needed to stop pissing about and actually get on with it (once again, shock! horror!). It'll take a year, one evening a week, so I won't be going anywhere for a while, but please cross your fingers for Mookmoo's First Step...

I don't know. It's funny how being away from your normal life for a couple of weeks makes you realise just how miserable and unsatisfied you are. Or is that just me? Either way, things are going to change.