Last time I was here, I promised to come back and post more. Of course, that didn't happen.
This time though, I promised just one person to drop in and post more, so here we go @dylanhobalart Maybe it's just easier to keep my promises to one person, rather than the whole community. It's not for the lack of information I have to share, or pictures and adventures: there has been enough to write about. So let's have a look!
The Visitors - My Daughter
So first, in March, my eldest daughter came for an unexpected visit. All good, and of course, I loved having her, but it did throw me off the plans I had. My sister was going to visit as well, two weeks later, and the two first weeks my daughter was here, I had planned two things: two weeks of extra hours at work, so I could take some time off when my sister arrived, and some more time spent on writing posts here on Hive.
Neither of those things happened, while still being on the PC far too much and too long, but without getting much done. Not only my daughter was here, but also my son's best friend, so with a full house, I really didn't get much work done.
The house is quite small as it is, but having five people behind me talking, or in the yard listening to music and talking, doesn't help. When I'm working, I need to read (sometimes huge amounts of) text, and I need to understand what it means plus research if it's all correct, and then compare it to another, similar, text to see which one is good, better or nonsense. That's not easy when it's quiet, so let alone when it's not.
Somehow it also seems to be difficult for my son to understand that while I'm working, I'm having a really hard time concentrating when he constantly yells: 'Hold on. Wait!' and then grabs the mouse from under my hand to put on loud music.
These two weeks with my eldest sprout here, should have been pleasant, but somehow, I felt more like I was fighting against the clock while getting virtually nothing done. Or at least, not as much as I wanted to...
The Visitors - My Sister
So by the time my sister arrived, I didn't have the funds I had planned to have, which made everything just much more difficult.
My sister arrived two days before my daughter left, so on the one day we had all together, it was decided that we'd go to Cozumel. I thought it'd just be a visit to the island and lounging at the beach, but then it was decided - for me - that we'd all go on a snorkeling trip. Something that set me back another nice amount that I hadn't planned on spending that week...
Somehow, it's less pleasant and harder to enjoy these moments when the rent is coming up and you have to worry about how that will be paid, rather than enjoying the moment.
But hey, it's just money, right? I'm over it now.
Another issue was that I really needed to buy a new fridge. Yeah, not a small expense either.
But somehow, I managed it all. The outings, and the fridge, and we didn't starve either.
My landlord only had to wait 5 days for half of the rent...Not too bad, seen the circumstances.
The downside of my sister is that she doesn't always help when she's trying to be helpful.
When I told her that I would have to cancel the trips I had planned for us to Holbox and Bacalar, but then realized that Holbox was past its cancellation time, I suggested to just do Holbox then.
Since I'd have to pay either way. So we went there for two nights.
Then when we got back, my sister asked me if I'd go to Bacalar with her, and then only with @thecoolkid, rather than everyone else - IF SHE PAID for it. I agreed to her, telling her I'd pay her back. All good, right? Yeah no, because within an hour, she asked me to book the bus tickets, because 'she couldn't do it from her phone', which is true. But still. It set me back another nice amount, because Mexico might be cheaper than some places, it's still quite pricey and public transportation can be expensive here...
Meanwhile, I was still working whenever I could, to try to make up for lost time for the weeks before, but to no avail. I didn't catch up on anything. Many people don't understand freelance work, and my daughter and my sister are two of those people. They seem to think I can just drop everything whenever I like, while they - read: people with a normal job - have to take their holidays at certain times. Now, while it is true that freelancing sometimes gives a lot more freedom, it's also more limiting in a way, because we don't have paid time off, and we have to work when there's work to overcome the times when there isn't.
They don't understand this. Although my sister seemed to get the point this time...
Luckily, I don't have any issues with having 'no work' lately, so now that both of them left, I finally have the time to actually make up for what I couldn't do those five weeks. So that's where I'm at right now...Work, and nothing more. Kids are neglected. But spoiled.
I swear, I feel like Al Bundy sometimes, playing the tune to "Married with Children" in my head whenever another one of those kids sticks out their hand and demands money.
Last but not Least: My Hard work is finally starting to pay off!
Yeah, kept the best for last. Of course.
More about work. After working for this company for a little over two years, they have finally started to recognize the work I've put in. A lot can be said about me. I can be lazy at times, and some days I plan to get stuff done but do nothing. However, I'm nothing if not precise.
I see things others don't see. Don't ask me why, it just is what it is. This precision and seeing things others don't see, has now moved me up the ladder a bit.
A few weeks ago, I was offered another position, within the same company.
Soon thereafter, yet another position became available. One I had been waiting for for more than 6 months. Finally I had the chance to apply for it. One downside: I'd have to move to Mexico city. Something I am not really eager to do to be honest, but I didn't tell them that.
So when I mentioned to one of the managers (who offered me the first position), that I'd also be applying for the Mexico city position for the sake of transparency, I could hear the disappointment in her voice when she said: "So that would mean you'd leave our department."
Yes, that's exactly what it'd mean...
Low and behold, within an hour, I received an email with a counter offer: stay with this department for the exact same salary as the one in Mexico city.
Coincidence? Nope, I don't think so. Either way: of course this miss isn't moving to Mexico city.
I'll wait till the position comes my way LOL.
The Good News
This position still has me read huge amounts of text every day. BUT, this time it's work other people did. I'm in the Quality Control department, which is the step just before our work goes back to the client. It's a pretty big deal. So aside from a nice pay rise, my work is finally being seen and valued. I can't say I'm not happy about that.
Aside from that, since the pay rise is nice, I am planning to work a few hours less, which gives me more time to finally start doing more fun things.
Less neglected kids.
A little less 'Al Bundy' too...
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