Pre-Advent Ramblings

I'm so terrible at keeping up to date with this blog. It's quite interesting for me though, seeing what I thought several months ago.

Well it's been a hectic, fascinating year since my last Blog. Death, new colleagues, football, change in work and broken bones!

Since my last Blog, things went downhill quite quickly. I moved house, during the worst March I've ever known! It was snowing, so everything slipped and slid. I now live in Huddersfield, and I'm enjoying it to be honest. It's a nice distance from Bury and Leeds, but has access to countryside and nice areas. I need to explore it more.
After the move (a couple of weeks), my Uncle Nigel, who was suffering from Senile Dementia at the age of 66(ish) died from an illness. To be honest, it is better that way as to lose your mind at that age isn't nice at all. I played the organ at his funeral, which was nice.

After that, my minion, Beth, got head hunted by a company she used to work for, and she left work in June. We got absolutely screwed around with her replacement, and right at the end of September, I finally got 2 minions working for me: Pete and Samson. They're doing well; Pete was a student technician for me so knows the job very well (he won some award at his graduation and got one of the highest grades for his degree) and I'm not worried about at all. Samson, well, he's new to the college, so I appreciate he needs to learn a lot, but, well, we'll see.

In August, I broke my left ankle whilst at judo. I thought I was being thrown to my right, then suddenly went left. I had my weight on my left foot, which didn't move as I fell and gave me a hairline fracture. It wasn't fun being in Pudsey, needing to get home to Huddersfield. Luckily someone drove me to the hospital in Huddersfield where I then waited for 4 hours (got home around 1:30am!). The pot was on for about 7 weeks, and came off about 6 weeks ago. I'm just about back to normal now, and hoping to start running again (I say again, I just mean being able to run). I'm hoping to go back to Judo, but I'm now thinking that Pudsey is a bit far, especially if I hurt myself again! Huddersfield has a club, but I'll have to see if I want to join them, it might be weird.

I decided to buy a season ticket to Bury FC over the summer! They had a great offer for students, which I can claim, so I went for it. It gives me something to do every other Saturday, so that's been fun. Well, when we win haha. I've also joined Forever Bury, where you buy a share in the club and get given a money off card. I can use it at a local motorcycle school, where I get 10% off my CBT. This now means I am going to do it. Finally!

Change in work, well, this is down to whether or not a bad decision goes through. It looks like the Macs will be taken off me and given to IT. I'm not happy as the Macs are working seemlessly this year, and that's thanks to me! Not happy at all, especially as I've not had any pay increase since starting the Mac network.

Anyway, I've rambled on, and I don't like that. Basically, I'm a little better off than I was last year. I've paid off my Graduate Loan, I even got PPI payment back which has helped. I have to pay off a credit card still, but once that's done, I am really going to save up for a house. I really want to get out of rented accomodation, but it will take time.

Take care!

My 'Welcome 2013' Post

Well once again, it's been a while since I last posted, and my how things have changed!

I'm now a Red belt at Judo, and on my way for my Yellow belt hopefully. Absolutely loving it, made some friends and I think I'm getting a little fitter.
Also, I'm moving house! My housemate has bought a house, meaning we're all off separate ways. I'm currently looking in Huddersfield for places there as it's nearer Bury, and not too far from Leeds. This also means I'm more likely to get my motorbike license, as commuting into Leeds by bike is by far the easiest way to commute.
Lastly, I finally got the balls to ask my friend, Elin out for a drink (even though she has a boyfriend). She was very polite and turned me down, saying the James was the one for her. She was flattered though, and we are still friends, so no harm was done. I'm gutted though, I still like her, as she just seems the perfect person for me (very similar taste in everything we do!). Never mind, a new year, a new idea.

Once I've moved house I am starting my '5 year plan'. I hope to pay off most of my debts soon, and save up for a house. I have to do it, as I need to be thinking about the long term future, and I'm just not happy renting houses when I could have my own house for less money. It WILL all fall into place. It has to.

Anyway, I have to go for a meeting now, so I'll shoot off, but hopefully update in the near future.

Laters!