lilac's journal

Where are you and where are you going?
lilacorchid
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Re: lilac's journal

Post by lilacorchid »

Thanks. It was really tough for us. I'm just glad I was home so our kitty wasn't alone when it happened.

lilacorchid
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Re: lilac's journal

Post by lilacorchid »

So I can finally talk about the event I've been waiting for since August...

I'm going part time at work for a project! Looks like I'll be reducing my hours in less than two weeks, which will be just in time for winter. In a more practical and selfish sense sense, I can avoid leaving the house most days when it gets below -30!

It an approximate six month term, and I will go back to my full time job when it's done. I'm looking forward to getting the experience and also a change of scenery. This also fits in very well with my goal of being at work the least amout of time as possible! ;)

I AM EXCITED!

lilacorchid
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Re: lilac's journal

Post by lilacorchid »

Official part time start date: Dec 10! I'm in a flurry of activity today trying to pack up my shit and finish up all my calls (or hand them off) before I take next week off to prepare for my new office job.

I told my coworkers today was my last day and got a few "But you'll lose half your salary!" and some funny looks when I told them I was intentionally going part time. OH NOES, I HAZ NO IDEA!!! :lol:

I am so EXCITED. My plans are to finish the C25K and do a marathon and to explore turning my sewing into a part time business while I'm off. I also intend to take my little guy to some kiddy pools and maybe the museum this summer during business days so we can have it more to our selves. I am also excited to only have to walk him to daycare three days a week in -20C weather!

w00tz0rz!!!

lilacorchid
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Re: lilac's journal

Post by lilacorchid »

Kid decided to potty train this weekend. I am guessing I will not have to buy many more diapers... just something for overnight until his bladder size catches up with the rest of him. Laundry costs are up this month, but that is to be expected.

I AM THRILLED!

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GandK
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Re: lilac's journal

Post by GandK »

Woohoo! I can't wait to get to that point with my youngest. He's dragging his feet.

1taskaday
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Re: lilac's journal

Post by 1taskaday »

Great news about the part-time work and the potty training.
I did 0.5 whole time when my youngest was 3.The best move I ever made,even though I was conflicted about it at the time.(For both career and financial reasons).

The only problem is,once you reduce your hours it is an absolute killer to ever work full-time again.

It's like you discover this whole wonderful world outside work life,that moves at such a lovely leisurely pace.

I think kids love this pace and they thrive on it.

Enjoy!

lilacorchid
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Re: lilac's journal

Post by lilacorchid »

First post of the year! Numbers coming soon, had a much needed weekend away from kiddo and weather so I have not done my end of year calculations yet.

Part time is going well, though I really don't feel the effects yet. Christmas break and all the crapola associated with Christmas ate up any spare time I may have had. Payroll f-up means I'm working four day weeks this month, and then I'm back to three day weeks until the project is over this summer. My productivity at work is absurd. I'm pretty sure it's partly due to being on a new project with different puzzles all day and partly due to all the time I have off to recharge. I'm hoping that some upper level people will notice they are paying me half the salary to do nearly as much work as the rest of the team so I can do this again.

Best non-financial achievement so far? It's been -50 (with windchill) and we still haven't succumb to buying a second vehicle to drive our kid 1 km to daycare in the morning. My mom is on my case about it and I'm still saying no. $20 a week in cab rides is still cheaper than getting a car.

I win.

lilacorchid
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Re: lilac's journal

Post by lilacorchid »

Okay, here's the figures for the last calender year (percentages due to privacy):

Networth change: +19.5%
Portion of that due to house gaining value: about half

Portion of net salary saved: 34%

Largest expenses (percentage of net salary):

Food: 16.5% (Further broken down: Eating out: 7.7% and Groceries 8.8%)
Childcare: 16.6%
Renovations/Mtnc: 11.8%

We did leverage the house to put some money in savings as I'm better at paying off debt than saving money. We are front-loading the savings for the year and also moving some around for tax purposes.

I don't anticipate any large home repairs this year as all the big stuff has now been fixed. Daycare is paid up until July, when it should go down again. We are going to break 6 figures savings this year; hopefully by summer!

lilacorchid
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Re: lilac's journal

Post by lilacorchid »

New job is going fantastic. I actually got a "rush" from working from something I did. I think the last time that happened was 2002. I am going to have a very hard time going back to full time boring from this part time awesome.

I think I need a new job.

lilacorchid
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Re: lilac's journal

Post by lilacorchid »

Made yogurt last night. I actually think it's going to turn out! Should be ready to eat by tonight or tomorrow morning. I thought about buying a yogurt maker, but I think I could probably get by on using my crock pot and the stove.

lilacorchid
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Re: lilac's journal

Post by lilacorchid »

I just finished sewing a sweater today. It's been a long depressing winter (coldest in my Grandma's life), so that's a pretty big accomplishment.

lilacorchid
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Re: lilac's journal

Post by lilacorchid »

Did some calculations tonight. Water, property tax, house insurance and cat are all covered for life.

My part time job has ranked up near the top things I have ever done in my working life. I'm trying to figure out how I can take elements of it and apply it to my life. Perhaps I need to quit and become a contractor. Little projects are so satisfying. Unfortunately it is ending a month early for me, so I'm back to full time by June unless I can convince my supervisor otherwise.

Kiddo is going to a new daycare this summer. It's right across the street from where I work, provides food, and is half the price. He will be missing out on academics which at 3, I'm not sure really matters. He seems to like math and is ahead of the other kids, so I guess we shall see what the summer brings as far as how much he likes the new place.

Financially things are looking up. Savings rate will increase due to more money coming in. Eating out seems to be getting lower. Well, I'm finding I can cook tastier things faster, and out of less stuff, so at least that is a plus. Food budget should theoretically drop.

lilacorchid
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Re: lilac's journal

Post by lilacorchid »

Absolutely no chance of part time when I go back to my base job and I also go back a month earlier. I'll be sobbing over there in the corner.

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jennypenny
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Re: lilac's journal

Post by jennypenny »

lilacorchid wrote: I'll be sobbing over there in the corner.
Take a bottle of something with you.

1taskaday
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Re: lilac's journal

Post by 1taskaday »

I went from half time back to eventual full-time.
Only 1 word to describe it-HELL.

One good reason never to do part-time unless it's near the end.
The only thing that keeps me going is that in "my head" I think I'm on my plan
and near the end('ish).

It's the only way,- keep feeding your mind "delusional" end dates...

lilacorchid
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Re: lilac's journal

Post by lilacorchid »

@jenny - I just ran out my box'o'wine the other day! Have to get more I suppose!

@1task - I am not looking forward to the transition. I keep picking dates in my head, even if they can be farfetched.

---

Now that I have had a few days to stew, I need to try to figure out how to take some of the awesome from the part time project and stick it back into my regular day job. Some of it is impossible (hand picked employees to work together to get a specific task done) and some may be doable (taking all the tickets and being busy as much as possible.

Also, anyone have any thoughts about IT training I should take? Is MS certification any good? Cisco? Unix, lol?

George the original one
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Re: lilac's journal

Post by George the original one »

IMHO, the corporate IT certificates certify that you understand the lingo and where features inside a product exist. They do not certify that someone can actually do anything productive or creative with the product.

lilacorchid
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Re: lilac's journal

Post by lilacorchid »

@GeorgeTOO - I have no IT certs at all. My diploma is in something different, though I did study some electronics. In my mind, it would be hard to find another job, unless I started something up myself? Then I talk myself out of that because I have no confidence in what I do/know, and sometimes it's nice to just show up and get paid. Well, less stressful until I get some more money saved up.

George the original one
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Re: lilac's journal

Post by George the original one »

I don't have any IT certs and I hold a BS in General Studies, but I'm in a senior IT position.

One of the things I see on everybody's job application is "studying for XX certification", yet few actually achieve the certification. Most applicants also don't have a college degree. The successful applicants at entry level have technical work experience that didn't require certification plus can demonstrate skill/desire; I prefer college graduates (any major), but that's my personal bias. We'll take certifications in lieu of college degrees, but I don't recall anyone completing meaningful certifications that didn't have a college degree.

Intermediate & senior positions require demonstrated skills/knowledge. We had to turn someone down for a senior position because they lacked the depth of skill we were looking for, however we've subsequently hired them in an intermediate position and fully expect them to quickly progress. The person we hired for the senior position looked weak on paper because she didn't have faith in herself, yet she aced the interview and demonstrated a depth of knowledge that wasn't evident on paper.

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GandK
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Re: lilac's journal

Post by GandK »

@George:

Weirdly (or not) the three most talented programmers I ever worked with during my 20 year career all had music degrees. After that, engineering majors and the self-taught seemed the most capable.

I found almost all of the computer science majors I worked with to have been so hopelessly indoctrinated in the methodology of choice of their institution that they were incapable of assimilating into the company without causing trouble for others. "This is the right way to code, and anyone who doesn't work that way is an idiot," etc. They always seemed to be less about the solution and more about the method.

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