blogNessie.com

I could pretend I have had a really productive year and life is moving in really positive directions. I have managed to complete a paper for my Masters degree by the generous graces of the lecturer. I am working through a pregnancy acupuncture course and slacking on my adult teaching certificate. I am on longer on the DPB and I have managed to clear a huge debt through a summary instalment order which prevented me from being made bankrupt. However, I am still being harrassed by debt collectors because TelstraClear haven’t matched my payments properly to my account. All payments were made by the Courts authorised SIO administrator and every other company has figured it out. All of my battered and trashed furniture and appliances have been replaced through ingenious methods and hard work.

So I feel like I have cleared the physical and financial evidence of relationship baggage but I am physically carrying around far too much extra weight as emotional baggage. I feel stuck and procrastination is part of that…a bit of a “why bother” mentality. Part of avoiding my responsibilities is spending too much time online playing Perfect World where I bury myself. I think it might be a functional variety of depression where I get up, shower, go to work, do minimum housework and then go to the computer and hide. This essentially has me in contact with my brother and sister but cuts me off from improving my health, my environment, completing study requirements and having positive enriching time with my children. I know I’m doing it but I don’t have the motivation to do anything else at the moment.

I don’t know what 2008 will bring. If I had a really positive mindset I am sure I could create wonderful changes in my life. I do have wonderful things in my life but I feel burdened and overwhelmed and can’t see the path clearly.

I haven’t been blogging much at all lately. I have even slipped up on once a month.

*I do have a new television as I decided not to fight the fight.
*I am taking a break from Flickr and photography and it is all my sisters fault.
*I am addicted to the free game Silkroad Online.

I finally traipsed into the local Warehouse store with my receipt and the Consumer article firmly in hand. I stated that it would be reasonable for a television to last at least the minimum 4 years as indicated by the Consumers Institute survey of manufacturers. I was requesting repair or replacement by the retailer. The manager stated that he was unable to help and now I will need to contact their customer service department at Head Office. Thank goodness I am quite enjoying not having a large television in the lounge, as I would guess that the majority of people would repair their televisions at their own cost because of the inconvenience.

I am doing the happy dance because the summary instalment order I was paying off, and was close to the $12,000, has been completed. Now my debts are minor and manageable and I will never let them get to that level again.

My next financial goal is to get off the DPB. However, there are many factors in making that work. Commencing my Master’s degree is one component and the age of the children is another.

You can’t predict what will happen in a relationship and to end up with the kids and the huge debt burden definitely creates enormous stress. I have heard many times that he doesn’t have money and I am sick of it. It always comes back to one person choosing the path and the other person being pushed onto it unawares. A man typically comes out of a marriage breakup up better off, as evidenced that he is living in a 2 income household and they have purchased a house, and I am still on the DPB and renting. We were told in a lecture, while I was doing my midwifery training, that women are a marriage breakup away from poverty and need to make certain of their financial security and I have now experienced that. 2004 was the worst year ever!

While this sounds like a bit like an awards speech I must acknowledge and thank

• my friend Kahurangi for the bag of groceries she surprised me with in 2004 when things were really tough
• my budget advisor Lily-Ann for putting things into perspective and making it manageable, and for the Manchester House food parcels and the grocery vouchers at Christmas
• Daphne and Jo for having the vision for me to work with them and achieve job satisfaction and a way of working that supports the needs of my children
• Jill for creating an opportunity for the kids and I to have a holiday
• Kylie and Paul for the very special adventure to Milford Sound
• Julian and Viv for the second hand clothes for the girls and the extra $$ here and there for the internet
• Hayley and Will for the times they have treated me and the kids
• my mother for the unlimited love and support and all the bags of groceries and Thursday dinners and treats for the kids

I couldn’t have gotten through without this help and support, and there would have been no light at the end of the tunnel if my mother hadn’t been there every step of the way making sure we were okay. I love you Mum!!

I am still working my way through a mountain of photos from my sister’s wedding and also compiling a slideshow.

My television is still sitting in my garage and waiting for me to take up the battle again.

The supermarket was extremely prompt and very friendly in following through on the FlyBuys voucher problem. The error seemed to be in the processing by the checkout staff that evening.

Maybe I am far too sensitive? I had some vouchers from work and no money in my bank accounts. I needed sugar and thought it would be nice to have some special items as well as a better dinner. So I selected a range of items as one does and presented myself at checkout. The vouchers were all declined. One of our staff had spent close to half an hour activating them all and either FlyBuys have a problem or the supermarket processed them incorrectly.

I felt embarrassed and upset and the staff were trying to tell me what I needed to do to fix things - but not today of course. All I could think about was the things I had chosen with the kids that were going back on the shelf. And no sugar for my cup of tea…

Update: This is the post I wrote last November and have had to keep under my hat until the article went to print. Do rush out and buy Next magazine, March issue and check out page 35. The magazine photo is the same one I use here but I have had a digital makeover and lost a few wrinkles.

11 November 2006
Recently I have been contacted about my blog by Danielle Murray, a freelance writer, who is doing an article for Next magazine. Because my responses to her questions are likely to be dramatically edited, I thought I would include that content here.
Continue reading ‘In Print’

I found the receipt and the television was purchased in November 2005 and cost close to $500. I visited The Warehouse on Friday with my television and the receipt and was told that The Warehouse would be happy to repair my tv and charge me for it but there was no other remedy as my tv was outside the warranty period. I don’t think that lifespan is reasonable and will need to check with www.consumer.org.nz and find out what the expected duration is for a television.

Our television has died. I haven’t found the receipt yet and hope it is under the 12 month warranty period. I would not be looking forward to debating the fact that it would be reasonable to expect a television to last longer than 12 months and for me to get it repaired or replaced for nothing. Wish me luck…

No comments about them but they are boring and I have decided to scrap the link feed from del.icio.us. If you want to see my bookmarks then you will have to subscribe to my del.icio.us feed: http://del.icio.us/kiwinessie