It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas Off Topic Chat

@Loughc speaking my language here. I'm such a better person when I'm away from work. It stresses me out to the point of not living and not enjoying the precious moments. I have had jobs before though where I was content. Those jobs are out there. I went for one promotion too many in order to afford a house, that was my mistake.

Having tried very hard to win the lotto last year (even looking up the odds on games, honestly don't bother, it's pure chance), I think I'm going to have to back up @miamee advice on this and say a job search is the easier one to control! You have to be rational too though and not just apply for anything. Or if you can set a target e.g. by 2026 I should have such and such paid so can seek a different job etc. When you have an end date or target it might be easier to have a different attitude.

I wish you the best on the return to work and I do believe things will work out. A bit of planning and optimism and playing the long game if you have to and you'll get to that place of being content and peaceful.

I won a Standard Medium Hot Chocolate from Costa from Vodafone before Christmas and never got to use the voucher. It expires this Weds (Jan 31st) and there's no Costa near me, so I won't get to use it. I can PM a screenshot of the voucher code to someone on here if they would like it.

Yeah a quick google , Roches "revamped" I remember some of my former colleagues taking very nice redundancy packages, which would make sense as the supermarket was replaced by Zara in 2003.

So obviously the revamped Roches my friend worked in, I would have lost money on that as I'd have sworn it was Debenhams she worked in. It was only a filler job between college and graduation for her.

But anyways the tree is the only tree himself ever remembers in the house so I'd still say definitely punts.

Sure is...although it seems to have finally stopped raining here. Still very grey though...Spring feels quite far away

Tis very grey alright. No lunchtime walk for me, which doesn't help lift the mood. Hopefully I'll get out this evening instead.

The rain cuts like icicles.

Only out for the very short school run and the rain hurt.

Just to note, that 8 years is if financially my firm continues to perform as it does currently, a downturn/recession would severely impact that plan so its very much a best case scenario, but I needed to see light at the end of the tunnel or I genuinely feel like I'd lose the plot mentally... little victories to lift the pressure is what its all about, that's why I worked so hard a few years back at finding ways to switch off on Friday evenings to allow my head about 48 hours to de-stress so to speak. Without that window of decompression I reckon I'd have ended up in a loony bin!

Christmas & family holidays/breaks are a huge part of reminding me why I do what I do though, its times like that, the real highlights of the year that make it worthwhile.

Zero road gritting/salting today, as opposed to the cold weather recently.

Horrid trek in.

Thank christ for heated seats and de-icing windows

Had to go to Dublin this morning for a client visit. M50 is pure torture - was grand for one morning, but jeez, I couldn't do that every day.

Finally got something locked in for the midterm so looking forward to that now - think we are all due a change of scenery in our house!

Bitter cold at training tonight, but dry thankfully. Give me that any day.