SIXTEEN

It's hard to believe that my baby turned sixteen on 25th June. She will never forget the day itself, as it is the same day that Michael Jackson passed away. One of those 'where were you, what were you doing moments'... well Caitlin was busy turning sixteen and celebrating the fact that her dad bought her, her very own laptop. "It's a freaking laptop" she shrieked to anyone at the Lone Star who would listen.

Also exciting was the handpainted sign that Caitlin's friends errected on the roundabout fence at Cobham Drive on the way to the airport. It was so strange seeing it for the next three days as we drove to work and school and of course photos had to be taken (even if it did mean driving round and round the roundabout).

I am so proud of her and what she is achieving in both her school and extra curricular life. I've got no idea where she gets it from, but she has a fantastic balance of accademic and sporting ability and a jolly good dolloping of social skills to boot. What more can a girl ask for? An awesome bunch of friends and her own laptop. May she have many more Happy Birthdays like this one.

Catching up ..

Grateful for … my gorgeous modern office and fast technology

Enjoying … feeling almost 100% better than I have for the past month!

Wearing … black of course, I'm a Wellingtonian and it's Winter lol!

Feeling … motivated and loved... Yay!

Dreaming … of five more fillable jobs flying in the door (Yeah right)

Inspired by … a Saturday of scrapbooking at Crafthouse, the very first in a long time!

Wishing … I was a little better off financially

Making … a birthday present for Beth who is just about to turn two ...

2009 in short ...

"I GET KNOCKED DOWN, BUT I GET UP AGAIN" ... my theme song.

In fact, I think I will get it tatooed onto my foreheard, so that in future, people who want to mess with me, will realise that there is nothing I can't handle, so just won't bother giving me a hard time.

Yup after six months from financial hell, I am still here AND alive and kicking and after a month of flu and antibiotics, I think am on the up.

So where were we? Oh yes, December 2008 .... a redundancy resulting in financial stress, resulting in a pretty fraught Christmas, resulting in a breakup with Craig, resulting in a shift of house, resulting in the cementing of old friendships, resulting in a new role, resulting in more financial stress cause old salary package ain't the same as the old one!!, resulting in shift of house (yes another!), resulting in realisation of what's important in life, resulting in counselling with Craig, resulting in a plan to move forward with our relationship and get things back on track.

Phew ... having a lie down now....

Happy New Year!

Umm yeah, ok, so I know that it's nearly March, but hey a girls' gotta do what a girls' gotta do right?

So .. First things first, I'm employed again ... well if you call being paid less than half the base salary I was on previously ...being employed. Seriously, the commission portion more than makes up for it but in this market ... it's a bit of a struggle. Many recruitment companies have made staff redundant in the weeks leading up to and beyond Christmas and nearly every second person I'm interviewing at present, has been made redundant. It's a hard road that many of us are travelling at present and I thank God for 'remote access' and the motivation to work more than 40 hours a week in order to chase that elusive commission.

Then you look at the telly and thank your lucky stars for your home, your friends, your family and the fact that we are at least all still here to argue about spending less on groceries or how to pay the power bill.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Ok so I wasn't exactly feeling in the mood for Christmas last time I posted here, but with a partner who loves planning the Christmas menu, a Christmas show to rehearse for (yes I am back on the boards) and two teenagers in the house, you just don't stay down for very long, even if we have had to cancel our annual camping holiday this year. Add to this, three or four second interviews in the New Year to look forward to (oh why does everything slow down at this time of year ...) a script to learn for the New Year and plenty of time to make stuff like homemade Coconut Ice and Christmas Centrepieces, then life has still been busy!

This year was a low key affair but we were fortunate to have both Caitlin and Bianca with us over the Christmas period and both our mums, my younger brother and my very dear Uncle for Christmas day. We are also fortunate to enjoy great relationships with our respective exes and both were part of our Christmas Eve catch ups which is always a laugh.

Roll on 2009! I am looking forward to a better, more stable year with lots of exciting things to look forward to.

ULTIMATELY REDUNDANT

Yup just when you think it's safe out there, kaboom!, a redundancy in the first week of December.

Whilst in the difficult market I've been working in, it isn't entirely unexpected, the eternal optimist in me was hoping that the fact that the business was growing and the feedback was positive, that goodwill would override financial reality and that I would be given a little more time to reap the benefits of six months of hard work. Two weeks pay, four days annual leave and being marched off the premises with not even the opportunity to say farewell to my colleagues, can't help but leave a bitter taste in one's mouth and I have to admit that a few tears of frustration have been shed this week.

So what to do? Wellington networks are a wonderful thing and the survivor in me has ensured that phone and email have been red hot with job applications and phone calls to prospective employers. However when the flurry of job seeking activity stops at the end of the day, the reality sinks in that it's December and many employers are not actively recruiting until the New Year.

Do I want to keep recruiting? In my heart of hearts, it seems such a shame to give it away after eight years, but having had hundreds of people sit in front of me, sharing with me their life stories and trusting me to join them on their job search rollercoaster, it seems hyprocritical to give advice when my own career is under threat.

It is tempting to go and sell wigets ... you know, jump in your company car filled with 'opp' (other peoples petrol), drive around the lower North Island, talk to your clients about things that don't have feelings, can't change their mind and don't let you down ... put a few orders in at the end of the day and call yourself a sales professional? Seems tempting right now :)

Maybe I'll think differently tomorrow .........

xx