What's Up in August 2016?

[Athena]

I have a fuzzy head at work today. Think it's because I haven't been sleeping well at all, waking up every couple of hours and finding it difficult to get comfortable. Tis not a great start to the work week!

 

At least it's pretty fresh out, so I'm not roasting.

 

I'm gonna be moving to a new office at work this week, too, can't remember if I already said that. Looking forward to the change.

I hope your head clears up. Good luck with the move, I hope you like the new office .

 

Well after the latest GP visit, I'm at home for another 2 weeks. Possibly then a phased return to work, I hope. I love being at home but I do hate feeling like a spare part - would be nice to be useful again!

I hope you feel better soon .

[Flip Martian]

Thanks, onwards and upwards.

[Virginia]

Busy day today. I had to go to my old hometown to pay my tuition. I could have done it from home (1.5 hours away) but I still needed to go to the campus to get my student ID as I'm in still a student at THAT campus even though I'm attending three classes here. Before going to the campus I swung by dd's friends house and picked up her wedding set that was left in her car about 1 year ago. She doesn't expect to get it back. I got the set, took it to the jewelers and had it cleaned and send it special delivery to her home in California. She has no idea that its on its way. I know she was really sad about not having her wedding ring.

 

 

As for the Apple Adviser training, the exam didn't go so well. I just couldn't get with the trainer. I can re-test but its really no need as my class schedule can't be altered and Apple can't change the way they schedule their shifts. I'll finish school and focus on my career after I graduate.

Edited August 9, 2016 by Virginia

[Athena]

It sounds like you've been busy, Virginia! Sorry to hear about the Apple exam.

[Virginia]

Thanks Athena but all apparently is not lost. I am to log in tomorrow and they are scheduling the retest for later. I'll be on the clock in the am.

[Kell]

OMGs, I got notification tonight that I've been nominated for Woman of the Year by my Slimming World group! Even if I don't win it, I'm totally chuffed that I got nominated. Absolutely made my day!

[Talisman]

That's brilliant Kell - I love the hair by the way.

 

I have been busy at work these past few weeks. One of my colleagues has been off sick for the past week with a urine infection. He's an alcoholic and only has one kidney anyway, so it doesn't look too good for him as things stand. He has been signed off work until Thursday next week, but I would be quite surprised if he came back at all.  

[Athena]

That's amazing Kell . Congratulations!

 

EDIT: Whoops, Talisman and I posted at the same time. Good to see you . Sorry to hear about your collegue I hope he'll be okay.

 

My brother is leaving on Sunday, to go on his 80-days-around-the-world trip with STORM. I'm going to miss him. I'm hoping to see him one more time before he leaves.

Edited August 13, 2016 by Athena

[Anna Begins]

My brother is leaving on Sunday, to go on his 80-days-around-the-world trip with STORM. I'm going to miss him. I'm hoping to see him one more time before he leaves.

This is going to be a trip of a lifetime! I wish him a safe journey

[Athena]

This is going to be a trip of a lifetime! I wish him a safe journey

Thanks ! He's leaving today. My grandparents and my uncle are visiting us today, my grandma and my uncle will then go with my parents to the 'send-off'. I'm not going because it'd be too busy for me. So I'll be seeing my grandparents and uncle today.

 

Yesterday I had a good time seeing my brother. He also showed us around their offices, he showed us their motorcycles, vans, charging stations, supplies, etc. It was really nice .

[Nollaig]

I had a nice quiet three day weekend after an incredibly stressful day last Thursday. There's an internship coming up in my department, which is basically my job but for €10,000 more for the year, and my director told my supervisor to make sure I applied for it. She missed the email, and it was purely by chance I bumped into and chatted to someone on Thursday who had seen the email go out - two weeks before. The closing date was last Wednesday. So last Thursday was spent alternating between frantically trying to fill out an entire application (six pages including personal statement) and crying a lot from the sheer stress. I find these things difficult even when I have two weeks to do them, let alone knowing I have to have it done by the end of the day. It's submitted, anyway, though I'm now dreading the interview which will be conducted by people I know and work with. I do not interview well/

 

The weekend was nice, did a lot of tidying and cleaning on Friday. My room is near perfect now, and I made a few changes like swapping my computer chair for a wooden folding one, and putting up my lampshade (two years after moving in!) It felt good to be productive and in control of getting something done, after the stress of last week.

[Flip Martian]

Best of luck with the job application. Sometimes its easier with people you know and work with sometimes not. I probably prefer it being with people I know. Although I've had successful and unsuccessful interviews that way. Rejection is painful but only temporary. Life goes on and sometimes the reasons in hindsight seem valid. That your director thinks highly of you is a very positive thing (not a guarantee of course) but a good thing, nonetheless. Use that for confidence, perhaps.

 

My weekend was quiet - weeding in the garden (just glad to be able to do some, frankly) and starting to clear out the shed - the contents are covered in spiders, cobwebs and weeds growing through cracks in the floor... But not for much longer!

[Nollaig]

Best of luck with the job application. Sometimes its easier with people you know and work with sometimes not. I probably prefer it being with people I know. Although I've had successful and unsuccessful interviews that way. Rejection is painful but only temporary. Life goes on and sometimes the reasons in hindsight seem valid. That your director thinks highly of you is a very positive thing (not a guarantee of course) but a good thing, nonetheless. Use that for confidence, perhaps.

 

My weekend was quiet - weeding in the garden (just glad to be able to do some, frankly) and starting to clear out the shed - the contents are covered in spiders, cobwebs and weeds growing through cracks in the floor... But not for much longer!

 

Thanks! I just get anxious about everything. I'm convinced they'll think I'm the obvious choice until they interview me and when I turn out to be a blubbering wreck who knows nothing (I really am quite out of the loop most of the time and just do what I'm told!) they'll be like 'dear god, why did we ever hire this eejit to begin with?!' I know that won't happen but nyargh The real pressure is that my current job is indefinite, and I'm pretty sure me staying here at all is riding on me getting the internship.

 

It feels really good to clear stuff out, doesn't it? I always find I get little more satisfaction than from sorting out my house and making it a nice space to be in.

[Flip Martian]

Have you thought of hypnotherapy? I had a bad period with anxiety attacks some years back and it helped to straighten my brain out - you just start to think about other things, rather than worrying endlessly. Some people think its a bit kooky but it worked for me. With my current CF condition, I was advised to try body scanning meditation and that also helps - it just puts you in a more positive "I can cope with things a lot better" frame of mind. To not think and worry about negatives that may never happen over and over is a great release. I'm not perfect every day, who is! But I feel so much better for both of these. But like I say - some think they're kooky.

 

I love clearing stuff - afterwards when I can see the difference. I have to say, my wife instigated this one. Now I'm mobile but still at home for a short while longer, I think she's just getting me to do stuff she wants doing but can't do herself... Which is fine. Still, I could have done without seeing the 2 inch spider living in the shed...

[Nollaig]

I've never done anything to address my anxiety. A) Expenses, I'm really broke. And B), I have this weird thing about how if I didn't have my anxiety I would firstly never do anything again, as anxiety is what drives me to do stuff, not motivation, and secondly I would be a whole other person. I can't imagine who I would be, and that's scary to me. I'm sure hypnotherapy can work for some people - depends on how suggestible/open your mind is. At the end of the day the mind is a very malleable thing and easily influenced. I'm not sure it would work on me, though, I'm too guarded I think. Some people have suggested Cognitive Behavioral Therapy too, to try change the anxious behaviors and processes I have. I also don't think that would work on me, to be honest. I have a feeling I'd wind up going down the medication route, and I don't want to do that either. But I can't afford any of it anyway, so its moot.

 

Uggghh spiders. I had two wander up my leg while I was sitting on my bed yesterday reading. Dunno what it is about me and my bed, but spiders love both!

[Flip Martian]

That's ok - one has to be comfortable with something to give it a try. Although  the hypnotherapy thing CAN be quite cheap with mp3s off the internet, or phone apps. Its not all about spending hundreds. I did all these to AVOID the medication route - if I'm going to do anything to the chemical soup of my brain, I want to do it naturally, not with man made chemicals. Anyway, what works for one isn't necessarily going to work for another - we're all different

 

I would have freaked out - I hate spiders - I was sat on my sofa recently and one dangled down on a line from the ceiling, like it was abseiling! Right next to me. Thanks for that... lol

[Virginia]

Noll, I've been on this board a fair amount of years and all I can say is I've seen nothing but growth on how you deal with your anxiety. Seriously. Just wanted to give you a pat on the back for always getting back up when life pushes you down. You're stronger than you think you are. Good luck with the job!!

 

Flip, you have such a wise and calm way about you. I like how you just take it as it comes and deal with what's most important. And you seem to do it with a gentle sense of humor!

 

I'm about to go out and locate my classes. School starts Thursday and as I'm totally unfamiliar with this campus, I need to get out and locate some important places; coffee shops, cafeteria,library, lab...you know, university stuff. Then its back home to putter around and do some writing.

[Flip Martian]

Virginia, believe me not every day is like that. But I try. There are always people worse off so no point feeling sorry for myself. And there are always some people in the world who want to bring you down; I try to enjoy life if possible. That's what its there for, surely.

[Nollaig]

 

I would have freaked out - I hate spiders - I was sat on my sofa recently and one dangled down on a line from the ceiling, like it was abseiling! Right next to me. Thanks for that... lol

 

They were skinny legged and small, in that order. It's the big ones with legs like tiny twigs that scare the bejaysus out of me, they move so bloody fast - I had one of those run up my leg while sitting in bed once (I'm telling you, this bed and my leg! A spider's dream!) and I leapt out of bed with such force that I twisted my thigh and it hurt for days!

 

Noll, I've been on this board a fair amount of years and all I can say is I've seen nothing but growth on how you deal with your anxiety. Seriously. Just wanted to give you a pat on the back for always getting back up when life pushes you down. You're stronger than you think you are. Good luck with the job!!

 

Thanks Virginia, that's really kind of you to say

[Little Pixie]

I've never done anything to address my anxiety. A) Expenses, I'm really broke. And B), I have this weird thing about how if I didn't have my anxiety I would firstly never do anything again, as anxiety is what drives me to do stuff, not motivation, and secondly I would be a whole other person. I can't imagine who I would be, and that's scary to me. I'm sure hypnotherapy can work for some people - depends on how suggestible/open your mind is. At the end of the day the mind is a very malleable thing and easily influenced. I'm not sure it would work on me, though, I'm too guarded I think. Some people have suggested Cognitive Behavioral Therapy too, to try change the anxious behaviors and processes I have. I also don't think that would work on me, to be honest. I have a feeling I'd wind up going down the medication route, and I don't want to do that either. But I can't afford any of it anyway, so its moot.

 

Uggghh spiders. I had two wander up my leg while I was sitting on my bed yesterday reading. Dunno what it is about me and my bed, but spiders love both!

- butts into conversation -

 

Noll, a few years ago I took up Healing, Tai Chi and reflexology, and went through a lot of changes; I felt like I could see who I'd been and who I was becoming at the same time and it was a bit scary. Anyway, I talked to a friend about it, and she pointed out that I would change through experiences and through anyone I was in contact with too, not just through stuff I was doing to help myself - and that helped me with the feeling that I was going through this whole evolution thingy.

 

I don't know if that's a similar thing for you or if it's at all helpful, but I thought I'd butt in.

 

Good luck with the interview ; maybe if you feel flustered, you could say that you do really well on paper rather than verbally ? Erm, unless your job involves a lot of verbal interaction.

[Athena]

I had a nice quiet three day weekend after an incredibly stressful day last Thursday. There's an internship coming up in my department, which is basically my job but for €10,000 more for the year, and my director told my supervisor to make sure I applied for it. She missed the email, and it was purely by chance I bumped into and chatted to someone on Thursday who had seen the email go out - two weeks before. The closing date was last Wednesday. So last Thursday was spent alternating between frantically trying to fill out an entire application (six pages including personal statement) and crying a lot from the sheer stress. I find these things difficult even when I have two weeks to do them, let alone knowing I have to have it done by the end of the day. It's submitted, anyway, though I'm now dreading the interview which will be conducted by people I know and work with. I do not interview well/

I can imagine that must have been stressful. I hope the interview goes well and that they'll give you the job. *hug*

 

Noll, I don't think Cognitive Behavioural Theraphy is for me either. Good luck with your anxiety.

 

My weekend was quiet - weeding in the garden (just glad to be able to do some, frankly) and starting to clear out the shed - the contents are covered in spiders, cobwebs and weeds growing through cracks in the floor... But not for much longer!

 

That sounds like a nice weekend .

 

I'm about to go out and locate my classes. School starts Thursday and as I'm totally unfamiliar with this campus, I need to get out and locate some important places; coffee shops, cafeteria,library, lab...you know, university stuff. Then its back home to putter around and do some writing.

Good luck with your classes . It's good to look up beforehand where they are. On my very first day of university, I didn't know where I was supposed to go and arrived way too late in the classroom once I eventually found it. Totally embarrassing, I hate being late (and almost never am). Ever since, the amount of times I was late in class due to my own fault, can be counted on one hand (there were some more times when the trains were delayed or cancelled, but I couldn't help this). I hope your classes go well.

[Flip Martian]

- butts into conversation -

 

Noll, a few years ago I took up Healing, Tai Chi and reflexology, and went through a lot of changes; I felt like I could see who I'd been and who I was becoming at the same time and it was a bit scary. Anyway, I talked to a friend about it, and she pointed out that I would change through experiences and through anyone I was in contact with too, not just through stuff I was doing to help myself - and that helped me with the feeling that I was going through this whole evolution thingy.

 

I don't know if that's a similar thing for you or if it's at all helpful, but I thought I'd butt in.

 

Good luck with the interview ; maybe if you feel flustered, you could say that you do really well on paper rather than verbally ? Erm, unless your job involves a lot of verbal interaction.

 

Or just say as soon as you get IN to the interview "sorry if I appear flustered, interviews always make me nervous". They'll notice anyway but at least show 'em you're aware of it. No shame in that.

 

On the change thing - as Little Pixie says, people change naturally as they go through life (at least, most people do). Assisting that change can be a good thing but many changes happen naturally as we get experience with different things. But the important thing is to be happy with who you are. If you're comfortable with who you are and don't want change a big change, then be comfortable with that. Everyone's different.

 

I had a manager at work who made me feel worthless and an outcast in a dept I'd worked in long before he came along - that led to stress, depression and full blown anxiety attacks. I already had a partner on anti depressants through work stress and I was clear I didn't want that route - but neither could things continue as they were. Hence the hypnotherapy. It was a slow process but yes it changed me gradually, in a positive way. I don't spend every day bouncing on a light and fluffy cloud by any means! But I guess at the time I was in a corner with no way of continuing as I was, so change was inevitable. But for me it was a positive thing. And ultimately it just helped me deal with things and function normally again.

 

It also taught me to worry less about things - most things we worry about never happen, after all. Anyway, I seem to have wandered off the point a bit so I'll shut up

 

 

[Nollaig]

- butts into conversation -

 

Noll, a few years ago I took up Healing, Tai Chi and reflexology, and went through a lot of changes; I felt like I could see who I'd been and who I was becoming at the same time and it was a bit scary. Anyway, I talked to a friend about it, and she pointed out that I would change through experiences and through anyone I was in contact with too, not just through stuff I was doing to help myself - and that helped me with the feeling that I was going through this whole evolution thingy.

 

I don't know if that's a similar thing for you or if it's at all helpful, but I thought I'd butt in.

 

Good luck with the interview ; maybe if you feel flustered, you could say that you do really well on paper rather than verbally ? Erm, unless your job involves a lot of verbal interaction.

 

Thanks Pixie, that is actually very true. I never really thought about that.  Haha no I virtually never have to talk to anyone in this particular job, but there's another job (one I've also done before) that would require me to train groups of people a couple times a week - probably want to be verbally coherent for that interview if I get it!

 

I can imagine that must have been stressful. I hope the interview goes well and that they'll give you the job. *hug*

 

Noll, I don't think Cognitive Behavioural Theraphy is for me either. Good luck with your anxiety.

 

 

Thanks Gaia! And really? Can I ask why? Feel free to pm me if you'd rather not talk about it here.

 

I had a manager at work who made me feel worthless and an outcast in a dept I'd worked in long before he came along - that led to stress, depression and full blown anxiety attacks. I already had a partner on anti depressants through work stress and I was clear I didn't want that route - but neither could things continue as they were. Hence the hypnotherapy. It was a slow process but yes it changed me gradually, in a positive way. I don't spend every day bouncing on a light and fluffy cloud by any means! But I guess at the time I was in a corner with no way of continuing as I was, so change was inevitable. But for me it was a positive thing. And ultimately it just helped me deal with things and function normally again.

 

 

That really sucks. My two 'college' jobs, working in Supermarkets, kind of had that effect on me. They were absolutely brutal jobs, no idea how I kept going to them. I'm very lucky that my current job is manageable and at times even fun. Completely different caliber of people - I still am not buddies with most of my co-workers, but at least they're happy to let me avoid them and do my own thing.

 

I was feeling rough again last night and I don't know why. I looked up a website aimed at supporting people with depression (and allegedly also anxiety) - they have a support/life skills programme that's 8 weeks long, based on CBT principles, available either in person or online. Next registration date for the online one is end of August, and in person registration is the end of September (for a group starting in November), so I'm gonna sign up to do the online one, if it goes well and is useful, I'll see can I then re-attend in person for the experience of dealing with that kind of thing in a group, and then go from there.

 

At least if I get this new job I'll have the money and annual leave to take a proper holiday!

[Athena]

Thanks Gaia! And really? Can I ask why? Feel free to pm me if you'd rather not talk about it here.

I've sent you a PM .

 

I was feeling rough again last night and I don't know why. I looked up a website aimed at supporting people with depression (and allegedly also anxiety) - they have a support/life skills programme that's 8 weeks long, based on CBT principles, available either in person or online. Next registration date for the online one is end of August, and in person registration is the end of September (for a group starting in November), so I'm gonna sign up to do the online one, if it goes well and is useful, I'll see can I then re-attend in person for the experience of dealing with that kind of thing in a group, and then go from there.

 

At least if I get this new job I'll have the money and annual leave to take a proper holiday!

The online program sounds nice, I hope it helps you .

[Little Pixie]

Noll, we`re all rooting for you !