3 July 2006
Oh god, stop the clock. It can’t be true. It can’t be July. I’m just not ready. What happened to May and June? I realise that January and February disappeared in a flurry of pre departure activity. And March was all about just being here. But suddenly we’ve been in Italy for four months, and I feel like I have achieved nothing.
I know it’s not strictly true. The battle plan was just to find our own place and for me to take a break from work. Well, I’m just starting to think about getting out of bed before 11am in the morning, and we’ve been living in the urban cave for two months now. But I still don’t speak fluent Italian like Sophia Loren nor do I look twenty kilos lighter. I’m determined to apply more energy to both of these goals…at some stage.
The thing is 30th June has always been a big day for me. It marks the end of the financial year. And in my previous life that meant preparation work preceding the 30th, making sure reports were generated on the 30th, and then a shit load of work after the 30th to tie up the financial accounts for the year and prepare statements. Then the auditors arrive, and before you know it, it’s Christmas.
This year, for the first time in fifteen years, the 30th June slipped by devoid of stress, anxiety and preoccupation that something had slipped through the cracks. And I didn’t miss it a bit. I did spend five minutes sending positive, supportive vibes to my replacement, another Jenny, hoping that she was resisting the urge to jump from the highest pallet racking down in Warehouse 3. The key is to remember that it’s just numbers on a piece of paper. And at the end of your life these numbers don’t actually mean anything much at all. But, try telling that to the auditors.
The other thing is that we have to deal with our tax returns, from the other side of the globe. As a grown up I now have an accountant, so pretty soon I’ll be emailing him with instructions to provide me with the biggest refund cheque possible. No other alternatives will be considered.
Why do I need a big refund cheque? Well, I’m living with Gigi, and he doesn’t survive on water alone. There’s the coffee, the croissants, the pizza, endless quantities of garlic, pasta and tomato. And surprisingly I reckon olive oil is more expensive here than it is in Australia.
The other thing is that my parents are on their way. They are halfway through spending my sister’s entire inheritance, being about two months into their four month discovery tour of Europe. They are with us for three weeks and an assault on Italy at the peak of the summer tourist season is no cut-price experience. (Note that they are spending my sister’s inheritance. My inheritance is safely tucked up in the bank!)
So to all my finance friends beavering away during this first bit of July I remind you to come up for breath. Something about smelling the roses runs through my head too. Be reassured that I too am working to deadlines. It’s official! I’ve decided. I will get out of bed by 10am from now on. Anything more than that just isn’t realistic, and if my supervisor queries me I’ll be asking him (you know who I mean) what my priorities should be. I suggest you might try the same!
Oh god, stop the clock. It can’t be true. It can’t be July. I’m just not ready. What happened to May and June? I realise that January and February disappeared in a flurry of pre departure activity. And March was all about just being here. But suddenly we’ve been in Italy for four months, and I feel like I have achieved nothing.
I know it’s not strictly true. The battle plan was just to find our own place and for me to take a break from work. Well, I’m just starting to think about getting out of bed before 11am in the morning, and we’ve been living in the urban cave for two months now. But I still don’t speak fluent Italian like Sophia Loren nor do I look twenty kilos lighter. I’m determined to apply more energy to both of these goals…at some stage.
The thing is 30th June has always been a big day for me. It marks the end of the financial year. And in my previous life that meant preparation work preceding the 30th, making sure reports were generated on the 30th, and then a shit load of work after the 30th to tie up the financial accounts for the year and prepare statements. Then the auditors arrive, and before you know it, it’s Christmas.
This year, for the first time in fifteen years, the 30th June slipped by devoid of stress, anxiety and preoccupation that something had slipped through the cracks. And I didn’t miss it a bit. I did spend five minutes sending positive, supportive vibes to my replacement, another Jenny, hoping that she was resisting the urge to jump from the highest pallet racking down in Warehouse 3. The key is to remember that it’s just numbers on a piece of paper. And at the end of your life these numbers don’t actually mean anything much at all. But, try telling that to the auditors.
The other thing is that we have to deal with our tax returns, from the other side of the globe. As a grown up I now have an accountant, so pretty soon I’ll be emailing him with instructions to provide me with the biggest refund cheque possible. No other alternatives will be considered.
Why do I need a big refund cheque? Well, I’m living with Gigi, and he doesn’t survive on water alone. There’s the coffee, the croissants, the pizza, endless quantities of garlic, pasta and tomato. And surprisingly I reckon olive oil is more expensive here than it is in Australia.
The other thing is that my parents are on their way. They are halfway through spending my sister’s entire inheritance, being about two months into their four month discovery tour of Europe. They are with us for three weeks and an assault on Italy at the peak of the summer tourist season is no cut-price experience. (Note that they are spending my sister’s inheritance. My inheritance is safely tucked up in the bank!)
So to all my finance friends beavering away during this first bit of July I remind you to come up for breath. Something about smelling the roses runs through my head too. Be reassured that I too am working to deadlines. It’s official! I’ve decided. I will get out of bed by 10am from now on. Anything more than that just isn’t realistic, and if my supervisor queries me I’ll be asking him (you know who I mean) what my priorities should be. I suggest you might try the same!
1 comment:
hi jenny! my first stab at the comment spot. what do i have to say...not a lot. i agree the year is slipping away at break-neck pace! june 30 means end of pre-stocktake sales and hello new financial year sales! yes, i too live a hectic lfe like you! though, am having trouble with carers at present. just as my folks booked flights to brisbane to visit my nanna for her 80th, the most vital link in my chain of support quit! no warning! reason - communcation breakdown. we were joking about webcams / nanny cams, topic she brought up. she went home and must have flipped out. but instead of asking us, just accuses us of filming her [ getting fun from reviwing tape]and quits. no further connect to be made. too much big brother viewing for her paranoid mind!!so now the slow interview, training process begins! yay! must dash. keep checking your inheiritence balance! smiles paula
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