Sunday Post 51; It's Monday, What are you reading? 36

Whoops, I took a bit of an unintended blogging break there. Nothing outstanding happened - I was working on the spreadsheet, and then Christmas, and I caught a cold. Plus, of course, spawn is home for the school holidays.

Anyway. Back to regular blogging, I hope. I'm aiming for around three posts a week - I find that the more I write, the more I write, if that makes sense.

The Sunday Post is a chance for a chat and a catch-up with other bloggers, and is hosted by Kimba over at http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/ Meanwhile, It's Monday! What are you reading? is hosted by Kathryn right here: http://bookdate.blogspot.co.nz/

We had a quiet Christmas. I was sick, so I stayed home while J and spawn went to family for Christmas dinner. I actually had a nice day. Spawn got up at 5, so I sent him back to bed for another hour, then, of course, he insisted on bringing his Santa sack in and showing me everything. We did presents, then the boys headed off. I had steak for my lunch and played Dragon Age for a bit, enjoying the peace and quiet. The boys had a great time as well, so it was a good day all around.

I'm still applying for jobs but somewhere along the way I've lost the spirit of optimism I had. This time last year, I wasn't working either, but I had money in the bank, and the difference that actually makes - is huge. Right now, I'm sitting here wondering how we're going to pay for our groceries next week. I want to remember this, because at the end of 2017, I don't want this hanging over my head like a storm cloud.

I  have applied for a course at the local polytech - SIT. It has a fee-free scheme, and I'm hoping I'll be eligible for student loans and an allowance. I'm going for a Certificate in Business, as a possible precursor to doing a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in marketing. It's not something I ever saw myself doing, but a lot of the communication jobs I've seen have a marketing component. I have nearly 20 years' communications experience, and if I can't find a job anyway ... I need to do something.

With my luck and timing, I was contacted by a local restaurant I had applied at. I'd forgotten that I'd applied - put it out of my mind, I think. I have no food service industry experience but the owner wanted to meet. Smack in the middle of the week I was coughing my lungs out. Ugh. So I chatted to him on the phone, and he said to call him when I'm feeling better. The cough is lingering, but it's nearly gone, so I might give him a call either this week or next week.

I do have another month of spreadsheet work this month, but I won't get paid for that until mid-February, when I deliver the work. Which is fine, it'll be good to be doing something, but ugh. Money. It's absolutely true that when you have money, you don't think about it. When you don't ... you don't think about anything else.

I made my Goodreads goal last year of 80 books - passing it by about four books - https://www.goodreads.com/user_challenges/3671291 This year I'm going to aim for 85 books and work to diversify my reading - more women, more writers of colour.

I didn't get the Dark Tower series finished in 2016, so that's on the agenda for this year. Also finishing my long-term cross-stitch project, Circe. (I say that like Circe is my only long-term project. I have many languishers.) But as you can see, it's  a realistic goal.

Right now I'm flirting with the Alexander Hamilton biography by Ron Chernow. It's a doorstopper.

Get a job, or get on the course. Get out of the bloody system and off benefits.

Drink more water. Eat more fruit. Be kind.

How about you? What are you reading? What are your 2017 plans?