Thursday, October 26, 2017

Dipping my toe in the devil's playground

Yep. I've signed up for Afterpay. This could be ... dangerous. Teen assures me it is evil. All I can say is I've finally completed the signup process I began some time ago, and used it for a purchase. However, I'm already considering the next item I shall use it for once my payments for my runners - or in my case walkers - are finished. See? Dangerous.

I am still examining my future career options. Ha! Such as they are. Nursing is still on the cards -- if only I could bring myself to phone to gather information about eligibility requirements. I already hold a degree so don't know if I can study a second undergraduate degree. Or whether I am eligible to apply for Government funding for my fees. And I've likely missed the deadline for applying to QTAC for a place in next years autumn enrollments. I will probably need to prove that I can finish it with a huge submission and character references. At least, that's what I had to do as a mature student applying for my last undergrad program.

Or if I can get some fee help to do a vocational course. It looks suspiciously like I am not able at this point because I have a degree. Which is a pain because the course will cost a couple thousand dollars.

I've been out of the workforce for nearly 5 years now. That's not going to look good on the resume.

A new toy has fallen into my hands. Okay, so not new. And not really fallen. I'll admit it. I stole it. From MOTH. He decided he didn't like the band so he stopped using it before he really started. And it sat idle for a long time. Which isn't a good state of affairs for a Fitbit Blaze, right? And I've been playing with a pedometer app on my phone. Which isn't much good because my kids will tell you that my phone spends a lot of time away from my person, in one place. Usually the desk. I've purchased a funky new purple band for it and I can't wait for it to arrive. It's been three days already and it's not here. C'mon! Hurry up! I've set my goals pretty low so I can pat myself on the back for achieving them. Baby steps, right? But I've managed to do >5000 steps for five consecutive days now.

We've finally dispensed with the behaviour chart. Not for any particular reason beyond the ink cartridges in the printer are running low and I didn't want to waste any. She had been doing pretty well and I hadn't seen attention seeking behaviour. And as soon as I say to her not to say that, it's attention seeking, she apologises and pulls her head in. So to speak. There is still much lacking in the concentration and completing tasks properly. And since she's not got the chart she's become rather lazy. The chart included daily chores which seem to have slipped now I think about it. She's pretty happy that she can still access the phone although I do need to be vigilant that she doesn't get lax with her behaviour and relapse. I do still need to remind her occasionally about her actions and what they tell me. We do a recap of her day prior to handing over the phone and this is when I say I saw you do this and that action shows me that blah blah blah.

The phone is till rationed at this point, and continues to remain on the half hour. I will likely review it next week and decide if she can have the phone in her room. I would still like her to stick to the half hour but I'm not sure how to monitor that she does indeed continue to respect that. Otherwise she will be back to her usual of calling at stupid times. Like 0600 before a decent person has time to wake up. Mind, she's usually asleep till 0700 when the alarm goes off. But she'd surely be awake early if she thought she could be on the phone.

And I know that is usual for couples but this relationship isn't usual.

So I wait for her to lapse. I wait in vain for the day when I can send her out knowing she can have a start at a productive life and functioning independently. I wait in the car so many days for her to finish her day program and dawdle out to the car. I wait for my shopping to arrive. I wait for the day I can retire. Actually, I seem to do a lot of waiting don't I...

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