Another year over, and what have you done?

Very austere of you Slappy - I would have thought more would be needed?

I love a man with restraint....

Lol! My guess this is meant for Slappy - my guess is that HE sees something closer to this...




or this:

Awwwww - big year.

Got any tips on the patience thing?

Man - hafta go get ready - it's Christmas Day here, and fortunately the food I am making doesn't need a lot of work - but I am gonna haft adraw the wrapping paper!

Uh, yea, except my complexion resembles more of a glass of milk. And my abs aren't ripped. Gotta compromise with some beer.

This year, my biggest accomplishments were

1) Getting my job. After searching for over a year, finally got into what I wanted to.

2) Breaking free from the claws of the female species to become single again.

3) Won the annual town fair's projectile vomit contest, with a record shattering 15 feet.

Record 'splattering' 15 feet.

Aaaaand.... 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.....Happy Xmas!

So, listen, is it cold there?

it's cold here, -16 celsius, that's about 3 degrees fahrenheit

None, dammit! LOL

Actually, my main tip is to re-frame, e. g. if you find things are bothering you (I know this sounds wacky), consciously change positions. Stand up, sit down, cross your legs, unfold your arms, whatever, I think it helps.

Or at least, heck, it can't hurt.

St. John's Wort is also nice, though I haven't taken it in a few years. But when I did, I was pleasantly surprised by it. It isn't a cure-all at all, it just helps you to not care as much about the little annoying things.

Cheers and happy holidays.

Lol - St John's Wort contains a rough form of the active ingredient in the very widely prescribed anti-depressant, Cipramil - only St John's Wort interferes with a lot of hypertension medicines.

Changing positions, eh.......

Nah - I will never be patient - except with clients...

Happy hols indeed.

Survive with my legs

Well done, Husker!~

Yes, Husker, and I'm glad....

What I did do:

...said a fond goodby to my dear Mother until later...
....re- began my vitality program of exercise and proper nutrition, and less calories... result: lost over 30 pounds. (These extra pounds were born in the two years I suffered the loss of my then life, 'home' and husband and the adjustment of assisted living with family. These SAME loved ones- [some]; are largely responsible for my beginnning a Reliv regimen and becoming more slender and youthful, rather than more stuffed and elderly. I thank them fervently).

Things I didn't do well----
Interact with my BELOVED friends, like YOU Deb- who for at least one year (2001) were a steady stream of advice and leaning post---
and I learned to love you all!!!

Happy Holidays to all of you. I love you, Lou

Well done, Lou!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm afraid I couldn't find a "magic fix". I just had to spend less money, simple-as. The only tips I can give (and I'm sure you know these already) are:

- Buy cheaper brand food/booze/fags/everything
- Pick-up second-hand clothes from friends/family rather then buying new
- Try to consolidate debts to reduce interest payments (not always possible)
- If you can't meet a payment, ring the creditors (rather than ignoring their letters for months on end) and come to an arrangement. They're usually happier to get something rather than nothing. Lie if you have to!

That last one is something I had problems with for many years! As a result of my financial mis-management, I now have 2 court orders against me for non-payment of debts. This means that I can't get a mobile phone on a contract (pay-as-you-go only), can't get credit cards, can't get loans w/o paying 2%+ extra in interest surcharges and I'll be retired before I can save up enough money to buy a house. Oh well!!!

Good luck Deb.

Wow!!!! You HAVE done a great job.

Mine is just the pedestrian "pay never quite stretches to cover bills and living expenses" thing - so my damn credit has crept up. I have never been in your position.

Sigh - the mortgage and super take it up - if I was sure I was gonna die young....

At least with a mortgage (unless you get stung with negative equity) you have an asset to balance the debt. It's not all bad, though. Because I can't get credit, I have no choice but to spend what I earn and no more. I've learned to feed myself on around £15 per week, for example. I now smoke roll-ups rather than ready-mades, and have even learned to prefer the taste!

Lol!! It is funny - I was dirt stinking poor for ten years, while I was at university - well, I had very little money - but I swear I had more disposeable income than I have now - because my needs were so few!!! No car for most of that time, no mortgage, etc.

Actually, the last year WAS pretty bad, cos there were just too many demands to be able to manage to work as well - which I had always done up until then.

I finished the final year of study with no clothes I could go to professional interviews in - one pair of shoes - which the dog ruined - after that I was bare foot for a couple of weeks - the car had died, finally and utterly - lol - I had to run out (in borrowed shoes - ouch) and grab some cleaning jobs to earn enough to buy clothes and shoes so I could go to interviews - THEN I had to get a bomb, cos many of the jobs I was going for required that you have one...(well, they probably preferred that you have a decent car) talk about Catch 22.

Still - for most of that ten years - except when I got really sick for a few months and couldn't work - I was fine - and had humungous amounts of fun.

Thing is - it's different when you know it is temporary, isn't it?

How people cope with life-long poverty.....

I wish you success Grand Duke - most fervently.