h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

My sister did a load of OU courses which she really enjoyed, I don't think they do any jewellery based ones for me though

In relation to resolutions, I've kept up two of my sub ones so far, which is good, including getting up early. A third is being pushed on me though, for nice reasons, but ones which scare me.

That one I need to address, but I keep putting it off.

anyway, hope you have a lovely weekend!

The OU do design courses, which might be of interest, Emily. Not about jewellery specifically though, but principles of design and design techniques.

One of my NYRs should have been to procrastinate less. I seem to have managed to put that off though.

I've been waking up early for the last few days (although I did manage to sleep until my alarm went off at 7.15 today). I like getting up early, providing I've also had enough sleep.

Although I'm only supposed to be working part-time, this job/self-employment thing is taking up a lot more of my time than I anticipated. I suppose that is the thing with SE though - you're always working, in one way or another. I hope last year's full-time employed contract will come up again, as I'd rather be earning overtime for working hard than effectively earning nothing for having to think about things like finding SE work, taxation, and doing the paperwork, etc.

I'd like to be able to spend some time at h2g2, but I don't dare at the moment, as the work must take priority. So I'd better get on with it, and not leave this window open in the background any more to distract me!

I think what I need for now is something jewellery specific, to get myself back to it properly. My Masters was very much about design as a whole, but I can't say I enjoyed it as much as my undergrad. I like the practical side of design, not the theoretical. More soldering, less mindmapping.

When I was at uni, I commuted, I would wake up at 6.55 on the dot every morning, though that said, I did that in school too, and I live ten minutes walk away from there...at the moment I've gotten myself back to waking up naturally at about 8, 8.30. It's been nice actually, I feel like I've had a proper day...now just need to make it a productive one!

Self employment is a b*tch, you have to (a) be self motivated to do it and (b) self motivated to stop thinking about it! Believe me, I speak from living with parents who have been self employed for the past 20 years. My dad's an optician, he owns his own practice and mum runs the office for it, they can never get away from it, or stop thinking about it. There's always something. Which is why I suppose I'm scared of being properly SE.

How's the new job going?

That background window is a dangerous one, even if you can't see it, you can always hear it whispering at you to "come back, I'm full of interesting fun things! Leave that boring work behind, I'm so much more fun!"

The job is going pretty well, but I am definitely getting sucked in to working longer and longer hours. I spent 11 hours straight at the computer yesterday. I did have work to do, but I must admit I hadn't expected to spend so long on it. Part of the problem is that I'm a bit of a perfectionist, so I look at what I've done and know I can improve it.

Today though, I'm out with my volunteers, so at least that is a finite work day. However, I do have some graphics I want to play with some more, so I suspect I will be back at the computer again later. Tomorrow I will be doing some volunteering myself, which is a nice respite as it gets me out of the house, and enjoying the fresh air.

At least you're dedicated and motivated about what you're doing, that's the best way to be And it's really difficult to switch off, especially when you're working at a computer.

Just remember to give yourself some down time, or you'll work yourself to a standstill.

Thanks (just found this; better late than never).

It really is difficult to switch off. I said I wouldn't do any more today, but here I still am... Actually, it's tomorrow now really. Although the time I've spent this evening was actually in the productive area of finding more work, which really I do need to get on with.

Now, I think, it's bedtime.