Concluding The Closing Of Another Year
I am going to blog even if Blogger will not publish my writings... I thought it would when I posted yesterday.
Let's see...
Today, specifically after lunch, my mind kept replaying my current financial situation. It was a regular practice for us to give our professor a dinner or lunch treat when they are in town. Today, we went to The Soup Restaurant (aiyoh, the thought of the Samsui Chicken and the yummy soup makes my mouth salivate! :) for lunch and I was with a table of ladies who were talking about less serious topic (compared to the next table saturated with politics and translation talk) such as shopping and travelling.
One of the avid traveller announced that she is heading to Hokkaido next week, and the rest of us went "Waaahhhh!". She went to Hong Kong last month after the exam, and her other travel ventures include the Silk Road, Europe and China. The conversation then went on to talk about what she can do at Hokkaido, such as "Soaking in Soup" (Japanese literal translation), which means soaking in hot springs, cheaper cosmetics and about the expensive travel taxes imposed by the various countries.
The topic then concentrated on the other ladies who have been to Japan or other countries for travelling. Someone commented that one of our classmates had suggested that we received our diplomas from the Nanjing University, instead of getting it here. I quietly smile along as they talked, but another part of me was thinking about my current financial situation. The thought lingered the entire afternoon, and stayed on even till now.
My bank account doesn't look too good, even though I have managed to retain a substantial amount from my freelance work. Now it's back to square one where it had started. I had anticipated the Nanjing trip, as some of them were talking about going to the province together to visit the professors who have taught us during our course. However, as you can read from my previous blogs, I did not regulate my expenditure (on top of the fact that I have to look into various bills every month), and as a result, the "Nanjing University Travel Funds" did not see great improvements in numbers.
I felt that I am a total letdown to myself. Why am I unable to keep a check on myself to make sure I spend within my budget? In fact, I think I am the most bothered at this point in time. It gets extremely gloomy the more I think about it.
So, I did the most sensible thing before I started this blog tonight.
I opened MS Excel and set up a spreadsheet of some sort to document the money that will be going in and out of the bank in the coming month. Yeah, I am doing my own financial planning. No, I did not consult an insurance agent (otherwise commercially known as Financial Service Consultants), because like it or not, I am still not comfortable of letting other people see this side of me, which I consider private.
In the past, I used to be very general when I put the expenses down, and it's probably due to the same reason that the practice was never continued, because the numbers were not balancing well.
This time round, I have made up my mind to write down every single cent I have, and how I spent them. In the past, it didn't occur to me that I need to include the cents, because I find them too much of a hassle to calculate, hence the messed-up planning (hey, I am not an accountant, I am a creative person!). But somehow, I think this time when I start the planning, the cents were not as "loose" as they were the last time. I poured out the coins from my purse and they added up to a complete $2. I am thinking (whether you agree with me or not), that this is God's way of telling me, "Now, I have started to make things easy for you, no messy coins to start with, so you better work things out this time."
And so, Joyce started her financial planning, at a ripe old age of almost-32. :)
I really, really want to make it work this time. And I want to see the fruits of this project.
Father God, I need you to help me on this. REALLY, REALLY. I can't do this alone by myself. Please help me to manage my finances and be a good steward to your riches. You know that I will NEVER splash my money on $488 music concert tickets (I've heard that there are $888 tickets! Is that MADNESS or what!). But I will need help in other areas such as shoes, bags, hangouts with friends and :( cupcakes. Please give me a tinkle whenever I have the urge to do you-know-what in stores. I know the final choice is up to me, but I really wouldn't mind you come knocking then. Thank you God, Amen.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I want to share with you an excerpt short story from my current translation class, and it sort of reminded me of the things that I am doing, and will do in the future:
Have a great Oct-Nov week!
Let's see...
Today, specifically after lunch, my mind kept replaying my current financial situation. It was a regular practice for us to give our professor a dinner or lunch treat when they are in town. Today, we went to The Soup Restaurant (aiyoh, the thought of the Samsui Chicken and the yummy soup makes my mouth salivate! :) for lunch and I was with a table of ladies who were talking about less serious topic (compared to the next table saturated with politics and translation talk) such as shopping and travelling.
One of the avid traveller announced that she is heading to Hokkaido next week, and the rest of us went "Waaahhhh!". She went to Hong Kong last month after the exam, and her other travel ventures include the Silk Road, Europe and China. The conversation then went on to talk about what she can do at Hokkaido, such as "Soaking in Soup" (Japanese literal translation), which means soaking in hot springs, cheaper cosmetics and about the expensive travel taxes imposed by the various countries.
The topic then concentrated on the other ladies who have been to Japan or other countries for travelling. Someone commented that one of our classmates had suggested that we received our diplomas from the Nanjing University, instead of getting it here. I quietly smile along as they talked, but another part of me was thinking about my current financial situation. The thought lingered the entire afternoon, and stayed on even till now.
My bank account doesn't look too good, even though I have managed to retain a substantial amount from my freelance work. Now it's back to square one where it had started. I had anticipated the Nanjing trip, as some of them were talking about going to the province together to visit the professors who have taught us during our course. However, as you can read from my previous blogs, I did not regulate my expenditure (on top of the fact that I have to look into various bills every month), and as a result, the "Nanjing University Travel Funds" did not see great improvements in numbers.
I felt that I am a total letdown to myself. Why am I unable to keep a check on myself to make sure I spend within my budget? In fact, I think I am the most bothered at this point in time. It gets extremely gloomy the more I think about it.
So, I did the most sensible thing before I started this blog tonight.
I opened MS Excel and set up a spreadsheet of some sort to document the money that will be going in and out of the bank in the coming month. Yeah, I am doing my own financial planning. No, I did not consult an insurance agent (otherwise commercially known as Financial Service Consultants), because like it or not, I am still not comfortable of letting other people see this side of me, which I consider private.
In the past, I used to be very general when I put the expenses down, and it's probably due to the same reason that the practice was never continued, because the numbers were not balancing well.
This time round, I have made up my mind to write down every single cent I have, and how I spent them. In the past, it didn't occur to me that I need to include the cents, because I find them too much of a hassle to calculate, hence the messed-up planning (hey, I am not an accountant, I am a creative person!). But somehow, I think this time when I start the planning, the cents were not as "loose" as they were the last time. I poured out the coins from my purse and they added up to a complete $2. I am thinking (whether you agree with me or not), that this is God's way of telling me, "Now, I have started to make things easy for you, no messy coins to start with, so you better work things out this time."
And so, Joyce started her financial planning, at a ripe old age of almost-32. :)
I really, really want to make it work this time. And I want to see the fruits of this project.
Father God, I need you to help me on this. REALLY, REALLY. I can't do this alone by myself. Please help me to manage my finances and be a good steward to your riches. You know that I will NEVER splash my money on $488 music concert tickets (I've heard that there are $888 tickets! Is that MADNESS or what!). But I will need help in other areas such as shoes, bags, hangouts with friends and :( cupcakes. Please give me a tinkle whenever I have the urge to do you-know-what in stores. I know the final choice is up to me, but I really wouldn't mind you come knocking then. Thank you God, Amen.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I want to share with you an excerpt short story from my current translation class, and it sort of reminded me of the things that I am doing, and will do in the future:
A man wanted to learn medicine, but couldn't make up his mind. He went to ask his friend, "I will be 45 in another 5 years (in China, a graduate will finish his course in the medical college in 5 years), can I still go for it?"If not now, when?
The latter replied "Why can't you? You will be 45 in 5 years, whether you go to medical college or not!" The man thought about it and realised that it was true. The next day, he went to register himself at the medical college.
...
There is a poem that goes like this, "Do you not know? The flowers bloom in their full glory, when you choose be ignorant, when you choose to hate; they bloom in their full splendour too when you choose to love."
Yes, the flowers will carry on blooming. Likewise, day after day, moments of joy are slipping through our fingertips. How you choose to spend your days, in joy or in sorror, is entirely up to you.
Have a great Oct-Nov week!
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