Today was my last day at my old company. Because it's a quarter-end, I was very busy. If I didn't say I was leaving at 5pm, I would have got more work dumped on me. Well at least they weren't anxious to see the backside of me

I start my new job on the Tues after the Canadian Thanksgiving long weekend. Excited and scared, but mostly excited.

I got the job at the new company. No pay increase came with it, but the money will come later. Better than that, it's a meaty role that will give me loads of experience. I gave my two weeks notice yesterday and already my insides have relaxed.

Yes, I got the mind-numbingly dull assignment at work. I've asked for a promotion to go with it. I'm still hoping to hear something positive from the other company I interviewed at. If neither of these two things pan out, I'll stay at the current company long enough to collect my 2011 bonus, then start job hunting next year.

That's if the boring job doesn't kill me before then.

Either this week or next, the details of the company's restructuring will be announced. I've received hints I'll be safe. But my new role will be a mind-numbingly boring one.

I've just finished phase 3 of interviews at another company. The director of one of the teams I would be supporting didn't seem to like me at all. So I'll be surprised if I get an offer.

Either way, big changes before mid-September.

Hubby and I celebrated our 10th anniversary in Niagara Falls. It rained all weekend but we were prepared with coats and umbrella. It felt like a honeymoon, and I even referred to it a few times as one.
There wasn't that much to do so we decided to go see the casino. It was in a nice hotel and even had a mall.
Lots of people were hanging out there. I found the casino itself a bit overwhelming with all of those machines with their music, noises, and blinking lights.
I only know how to play one game, Blackjack because I have a blackjack app on my iPod.
In the end, I won $90.
I didn't enjoy it though because it was horrible to watch my money drop, drop,drop and then slowly, painfully come back up. Gambling is not for me.

My new role at work comes with a 2.5% pay raise. I didn't expect it, but I like it!
My automatic savings for the last quarter have helped me put away enough to pay for Term 1 of my course up front. So I'm ok until I can get reimbursement from my employer.
If I keep going this way, I'll also have enough by Dec to pay for the 2nd term.
I'm not sure why this year is going so much better but I'll take it
After the program ends in June 2011, I no longer have to worry about putting aside the $6k every year it. I'll be able to put that amount away.

I have finally moved to a new role at work. Still reporting to a boss in the US but I don't mind. If you don't get a breadth of experience you will not be considered for a promotion. I am aiming for one by Q1 next year.
It is a lateral move but has high exposure in both Canada and the US. I'm thrilled.

Yaaah! I passed my May exam. Now I can claim my tuition reimbursement from work. And I can have a lovely summer without studying unless I choose to review stuff for fun.

Back to saving again. I'll be so glad when my course is finished in June 2011. Then I won't have to pay out a tuition fee and have to wait 1 yr to get it back from my employer.
Hopefully I have passed the exam I wrote in May and won't have to do the rewrite in Aug. I'll find out the results in July.

My boss is dropping some major hints that, not only will I have a job after restructuring, but it will be a challenging new (to me) role.
Can it be?

Who knew that when you sync your iPod Touch with your computer the iPod takes on the same time as the computer. My laptop is new and I use my iPod as my alarm clock. That's why I woke up at 3am and started getting ready for work. I had my contact lenses in before I realized it was way too early. Doh!

I'm filing this one under "continuous learning"

Many years ago I read the book, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and have never forgotten it. It is about combining Eastern philosophy with Western rationalization, making it easier to live in the modern world.

I don't want to give away too much for people who haven't read it, but the motorcycle journey for the narrator is a period during which he reflects on his past experiences and his views on life.

It's not the most cheerful book, but worth the read when you are feeling in a spiritual mood.

What does this have to do with finance? The narrator used an old motorcycle for the journey and used rational deductions and commonsense to maintain and repair it all by himself ... saving hundreds of $$$'s in the process

- stairclimbing exercise
- study tax and foreign currency translation
- find yoga mat and start doing yoga again
- start log of things to take for work lunches (I failed to start logbook yesterday) - this will save me a lot of lunch money and will be healthier.