Day 29 - PMS is killing me softly

Every month something very peculiar happens and I never find a way to prevent it. It all starts with me putting some weight on overnight. Then I get a little bit irritable. On these days a compliment can be easily confused with an insult. My husband doesn’t seem to learn either:

-         Good morning, darling-  he says

-         Morning – I reply.  But I think : I don’t see any good in this grey morning!

-         What are you doing today?  Anything exciting?

-         No.

-         Are you meeting anyone?

-         No

By question number three I stop answering. He then tries to make me laugh. He walks towards the dishwasher, opens the door and says:

-Good morning,  dishwasher? How are you today? -That only irritates me more.

What happens to men on those days? They keep asking stupid question.

On those days it is better not to say a thing. Just ignore me, please.

He keeps trying to cheer me up. All I need .

-         What has happened ? You seem a bit stressed.

Exhausted of not speaking to him  and  trying to convince myself and  the whole world, I shout:

I AM NOT STRESSED!!!!!!

If women are really from Venus, why don’t men go to Mars for that particular week ?

Day 28 - Holiday

If I can not work – sod it! – I’m going on holiday. I’ve just persuade my husband to take some time out for a relaxing family holiday.

Ciao, bela. Italy here we come!

Day 27 – Frustration... frustration... frustration...

A friend called me to ask if I knew anyone who would be interested in a full time temporary job.   It would be a three week contract with some flexibility, “ideal for me” – I thought.

 I was about to say that “I would – please!” – but  I decided to check on  my calendar first.   There, a bright reminder said: Half term for the next two weeks.

And just like that my plan of starting to work had to wait.  

Day 26 - Too hard on myself?

I have talked to a friend of mine about my challenge. She said that I am being too hard on myself and 45 days it is not enough to sort out my life.  Unless, I was doing only this for that period.  

I have to agree. If I count the time I actually spend on this challenge it is about an hour a day, or I have to stay awake until late, which it’s very unlikely.

Am I  being too hard on myself? Maybe,  but  for my own sake, I must complete this challenge on time. Ideally, with greater clarity of mind than when I started it.

Day 25

Sometimes I feel like a mad person shooting in all directions.  I check on the internet everyday for a job and  I have my eyes widely  opened trying to find a business opportunity .  Wherever I go, I observe people doing  their jobs.

 What the hell can I do?  Where is MY job for Christ sake?

 Another day a woman knocked at my door with an invitation for the launch of her new small business, based on natural products.  Women really go for it! Shall  I copy her?

I went to an event  in my children’s school and another lady selling greeting cards. I stopped to look at them and,  as I mentioned that I  loved cards, she gave me an invitation/information pack for me to start my on card  business.  

I was amazed to know that one can start a business for as little as  £30. But then, when I think of a South American fable, about a boy who was given an egg and, with forward thinking and determination, he transformed that egg into a fortune by persuading a farmer to hatch it , which he then continued to breed and grow his flock from,  to a commercial level - It might make sense.

I’m tempted  to have a go at the card business. But in real terms, can I sell at all?

Day 24

If , like me, you are trying to return to work, here is a good piece of advice: before you give up applying for a position because you don’t have that  qualification, google it, get informed, ask.

I was checking my favourite  job website last week, as usual, when I found a job that seemed to be the perfect one for me. Except I didn’t have one of the main pre-requisite  they asked: CLAIT.

To be honest I didn’t even know what that was. Only a few days later , after the closing date, browsing the internet I googled it . So, now I know... and so do you. CLAIT(Computer Literacy and Information  Technology)  and ECDL(European Computer Driving License) are almost the same thing. ECDL has a wider coverage, I think,  but both mean basic knowledge of IT.   What is so irritating is that I actually have  ECDL.  Damn it !

Day 23 - What to cook?

 This 45 day challenge if nothing made me realise that whatever I decide to do I’ll need a good management approach and a lot of organization.  Simple changes will make my life easier.

For example, everyday I spend about an hour trying  to  decide what I’m going to cook for dinner, another hour or so to prepare  it.  Sometimes by 5pm I have no clue what I’m cooking.  I find it difficult to choose because it needs to be nutritious and balanced and something everybody likes.  For a family of fussy eaters like mine, the choices get very restricted.

Today I made a list of the dishes I normally cook –I  didn’t realised I’ve been cooking the same recipes  week after week , after week. – I need to improve. It took me a few hours searching the cookery books, but   I now have   menu  for at least eight weeks.  Mondays and Fridays – easy food, like spaghetti Bolognese or chicken stroganoff. Mid- week I might risk a more elaborate recipe and weekends – I’m really sorry! - the chef will be completely off.