2010 - How''s it going for you so far?

[yssie]

I''m so sorry so many PSers are having health problems, or have lost loved ones recently

It''s been pretty uneventful so far, for us, and we''re hoping it stays that way - my grandmother''s health is on the blink but it''s been that way for years, so... uneventful is good.

 

[Arkteia]

Things were not going great since September 2009 and then I took two long vacations and it immediately reflected on me financially because I am self-employed. Plus I now take a day off to spend it with my son and it is going to reflect on my income but I think that a kid is more important. However, as long as we are healthy and together, everything else is reversible.

 

[Lottie]

2009 wasn't so great, spent almost the entire year trying to concieve a second child and had two miscarriages along the way - looking back now I think I was a little bit crazy! We had a death in the family which was quite sudden and very sad and Mr L's job was hanging in the balance for about 6 months.

Our daughter just turned two though so its hard to say it was a bad year when we have had so much fun with her and she has grown so much! 2010 is a better start, we did get pregnant in the end and the baby is due in July (and so is my twin sister which is great!) we are moving this week to a bigger house with more space so I can obsess blissfully over colour schemes and furniture and quite a few friends have had good news this year too so I feel very positive at the moment.

For those of you not having a good year, I'm really sorry and I hope it gets better.

 

[VRBeauty]

Fast.

Even less predictable, and more chaotic, than usual.

But so far, better than 2009.

Thank goodness!

 

[Porridge]

Crap. I'm wildly anxious all the time about what career direction to go in, and it's starting to keep me up at night. I'm going out of my frigging mind. Gah.

But I have a suspicion it will be a year that starts badly and ends well.

 

[Lilac]

So far it''s been relatively uneventful. Good things were that DH passed the hard test he had been studying for all of last year and he just found out about 2 weeks ago, he got his bonus which was more generous than we expected, and I finished submitting applications for grad school. We also celebrated our one year anniversary which was wonderful. We took a really fun trip close to home and then were invited with my father''s family to Puerto Rico and spent a lot of time with them (which is really special to me because growing up I never got to spend much time with my dad - my fault, not his - and I know it hurts both him and me - so DH and I have spent a lot more time with him the last month and a half and I know it makes my father very happy). I guess 2010 actually hasn''t been as uneventful as I thought.

I can''t think of too many bad things involving myself or DH, but I always have this overwhelming sense of anxiety about grad school. I should find out in the next month or two... which can turn this year into a good year... or a bad year... My uncle has also been going through a really bad divorce and custody battle with a horrible woman - my uncle is the sweetest guy you''ll ever meet and he''s had an unbelievably tough life so far and it hurts me so much to see him going through all of this. I pray in 2010 it''s resolved and he can find some peace in the outcome (and hopefully he will have his adorable twin boys with him).

 

[arjunajane]

I am sorry to hear you are not off to a good start elledizzy..
and of course the others who have posted here in the negative

I do hope fortune turns for you all soon.




Me personally, 2010 so far is a *massive* improvement on last year - actually, make that on the last couple years. To be honest, I haven''t really stopped to dwell on it that much but pretty much anything that could go wrong did so in 2009, not good at all.!

Sure, certain things could always be better and need more work, but at this time I have had some significant advances that have bought me peace of mind, confidence and a feeling of looking forward to the coming years that I have not had for a long time

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 2/17/2010 5:27:09 AM
Author: Porridge
Crap. I''m wildly anxious all the time about what career direction to go in, and it''s starting to keep me up at night. I''m going out of my frigging mind. Gah.



But I have a suspicion it will be a year that starts badly and ends well.

Porridge, I''ve been meaning to head back to your career thread for followup - do you mind if I ask if you have managed to gain any clarity yet hon?

 

[rhbgirl24]

Sorry to everyone else who hasn''t had the best start to the new year. Ours has been.....

SUPER STRESSFUL! Urg. I have to say this is one of the worst starts to a new year. DH pay cut (at least he didn''t loose his job), getting finances all ready for the prospect of buying a house. Urg... house hunting... I think we''ve seen 30+, offer in on one.
We''ve been so tired and stressed there has been no time to enjoy each other and its taking its toll.

But I''m looking up... maybe we will have an accepted offer on house this week, my birthday is Sat... so we will see.

 

[Lauren8211]

Maybe my sample is skewed since I''m sure this thread would attract more people having a BAD 2010, but it seems like a lot of people are having bad 2010s!

I''m sorry for anyone else who hasn''t had the greatest year yet. Hopefully things improve for all of us!

I guess 2010 never had a chance for me, 2009 was the year I graduated college, got engaged, and got married. How do you compete with that?

 

[fieryred33143]

I''m sorry everyone is having a rough start to the year and I hope its only good things from now on!

I''m having a good year. I''m on my way to being debt free, have already lost 10lbs (my goal is 65lbs by Dec 31), and for the first time in a long time I feel complete.

 

[Tuckins1]

Actually, I am having a wonderful time so far! Sorry to hear that you are not...

 

[Lauren8211]

Date: 2/17/2010 9:37:54 AM
Author: fiery
I''m sorry everyone is having a rough start to the year and I hope its only good things from now on!

I''m having a good year. I''m on my way to being debt free, have already lost 10lbs (my goal is 65lbs by Dec 31), and for the first time in a long time I feel complete.

Glad to hear that, Fiery!

 

[sugarpie honeybun]

Date: 2/16/2010 9:29:31 PM
Author: Kaleigh

Date: 2/16/2010 9:17:04 PM
Author: sugarpie honeybun
Not good. Lost someone very near and dear to me on New Year''s Day, and have been to two other funerals in the last month. My job is blah to the 3rd power and DH works too much which makes some days very difficult caring for our infant son. And I HATE all of this snow! On the flip side, DS is happy, healthy and thriving. I guess I shouldn''t really be complaining.

Here''s to a (hopefully) happier 2010 (tipping my glass of wine)

Sorry that you''ve lost dear ones so close together. That''s sooooo hard.
Your DH sounds awesome. Take good care of your son, we are here if you need us.

I am soooo over the snow. Back in 1996, my kids were little , we had tons and tons of snow and they had the chicken pox on top of it. I was pulling my hair out. I was isolated, and running out of things to entertain them..

My fun was making tunnels in the snow... I had to get my agression out some how!!!!!

Thanks for your kind words.

 

[purselover]

I''m sorry so many people are having a rough year, here''s hoping it gets better soon!

So far I''m having a good year, it started off with DH and I going on our honeymoon and we have a few more travel plans in the works which is always nice. We''ve also been able to pay down some of DH''s loans and have a solid plan to get them 100% paid off in less than 4 years after he graduates.

 

[princesss]

2010 is going well.

I like my job.
BF and I are living together.
I''ve got some fun trips booked.
One of my good friends visited.
I play Ultimate every chance I get.
I''m making fun friends.


It''s got the making of a really good year. Now if BF would just get a good job, life would be WONDERFUL!

 

[elrohwen]

Well, I don't have a job, so I guess it's not going well

Though we don't have any financial difficulties, so my main problem is mostly being bored and home alone all the time. Other than that, nothing really good or really bad has happened. eta: I was miserable and becoming depressed at my last job, so I think being a bit bored and lonely is still better than everything I went through last year and the year before.

 

[tyty333]

I''m having a good year...but I suspose now that I''ve said that the sky will fall

.



I''m hoping that things will pick up for everyone who is not

.

 

[Liane]

2009 was a wonderful year for me. 2010 is... well, it''s too early to tell yet. It could be great, it could be awful, it will most likely be somewhere in between (and so far that''s exactly what it''s been). Lots of big changes in the months ahead: first book coming out, wedding impending, FI (finally) graduating and looking for a job, buying our first place (hopefully!).

I''m mostly terrified, but there''s no avoiding the changes that are coming, so I''ll do my best to ride the waves and not get drowned.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

2010 has been very bad for me thus far, but I think it can only get better.

D lost a close family member suddenly in early January and it had a large impact on the entire family. I know that I still struggle with it.

My sister announced last week that she is definitely going through with her divorce and I''m upset about it because I like my BIL very much. Of course she is my sister and I will support her, however I''m struggling with the fact that I''ll no longer see BIL.

We put house-hunting on hold, which isn''t necessarily bad (I know it''s the best financial decision and will allow for much gain in the future), but emotionally I''m unhappy with it. It''s also pushing back our TTC timeline, which is fine, but not ideal.

I do think it will get better, but 2009 was ending on such a high note that it seemed to hit me hard when everything went south.

 

[Porridge]

Date: 2/17/2010 8:15:00 AM
Author: arjunajane

Date: 2/17/2010 5:27:09 AM

Author: Porridge

Crap. I'm wildly anxious all the time about what career direction to go in, and it's starting to keep me up at night. I'm going out of my frigging mind. Gah.





But I have a suspicion it will be a year that starts badly and ends well.

Porridge, I've been meaning to head back to your career thread for followup - do you mind if I ask if you have managed to gain any clarity yet hon?

Thanks for asking AJ

Well my above post is a little unnecessarily dismal I guess...I've talked it to death with everyone who'll listen! Venting here really helped.

I've narrowed it down to two directions, which really is leaps and bounds, and I had a great talk with my mum today which definitely eased my worries. My mum is brill

So, direction one: Actuary. It's what I always wanted to do deep down, but I won't lie, I'm scared! It's a tough career path for sure. But it ticks all my boxes, and I'm not afraid of hard work. I'm meeting a couple of actuaries in my area next week for advice, which I'm really looking forward to. This is the one my mum is rooting for, she thinks it's perfect for me, she says I should just stop worrying, have a bit of confidence in myself and go for it.

Direction two: enter a graduate training program, probably with a healthcare company. This would give me good exposure and experience, and I could get some qualifications along the way. At the end of that I'd probably go for an MBA.

So really, I've come a long way. My options are great, my current situation is perfect for where I'm at. I know it will work out soon. I'm starting to calm down about the whole thing

 

[purrfectpear]

Rainbows, puppy kisses, and puffy hearts here. Seriously, I don''t think I''ve ever had a bad year? I always land on my feet

 

[TravelingGal]

Yeesh! Sorry for all you who are having such a bad year!

I only have a bad year every 12 years...or it seems that way. In the year of the rat (which I am), no less, which is supposed to be the way it is when the birth sign comes around in Chinese astrology. I''m not a believer in that kind of stuff...only realized after the fact that 1996 and 2008 were the two toughest years of my life (lost my dad in 2008 and struggled with being a new mom.) 1996 I got my first real job, moved away from home and failed miserably at both.

So 2010 is fine. Have vacations planned, everyone seems happy and healthy, and the kid is doing well. I''ll brace myself for 2020 though!

 

[Arkteia]

Date: 2/17/2010 3:56:55 AM
Author: Lottie UK
2009 wasn''t so great, spent almost the entire year trying to concieve a second child and had two miscarriages along the way - looking back now I think I was a little bit crazy! We had a death in the family which was quite sudden and very sad and Mr L''s job was hanging in the balance for about 6 months.

Our daughter just turned two though so its hard to say it was a bad year when we have had so much fun with her and she has grown so much! 2010 is a better start, we did get pregnant in the end and the baby is due in July (and so is my twin sister which is great!) we are moving this week to a bigger house with more space so I can obsess blissfully over colour schemes and furniture and quite a few friends have had good news this year too so I feel very positive at the moment.

For those of you not having a good year, I''m really sorry and I hope it gets better.

Congratulations on your pregnancy! My best friend had two daughters, then three miscarriages, then two sons, and the last one was not espected. I am so happy for you!

 

[luckystar112]

2010 is full of promise for us.
DH just got a new job (after over 2 years of looking!) and it is an actual CAREER with opportunities for growth, and good benefits, and (best of all) the ability to transfer anywhere in the country eventually. Which, if you''ve been paying attention to my posts at all, means that we will FINALLY be able to move away from Houston and back to the New England area, though that will not be happening in 2010.

I am about to graduate college in two months, which means that (if I find a job) I will be contributing to our income and we might actually have some savings! DH is also almost done paying off his truck, which means that we will be upgrading my (very unreliable) car very soon.

So all in all it''s been good so far. There is still another 10 months though.

I hope the year gets better for those who have had a crumby start.

 

[Steel]

My father died, which has been a sad shock. We never really got on but I didn''t expect him to die this year. Although he had health issues I suppose I thought he might have been invincible; selfish and stubborn but ''there''.

The positive is that it has given DH and I a good kick up the ar$e and we have stepped up our plans. Life is for living, not planning.

 

[zoebartlett]

Sorry Elle! I hope things get better soon.

So far, 2010 is far better than 2009.

In 2009, my husband was out of work but looking for a job. He got one 6 months later (good!) but we had to move far from our home state where where friends and family are (bad!). A tragic event happened a few months ago in the town I worked at before moving, and it affected so many people that I know. Also, I had a horrible first couple of months in my previous job and I ended up quitting. I found out what it meant to work in a toxic environment, and it left me feeling crushed. That clouded things for me a lot, and I was really upset for months.

In 2010, I''m now working at another place (same field though), and I''m MUCH happier. The bad part is that it might be temporary, but I have no control over that.

My husband doesn''t like his job but he''s going to take a class in a couple of months, and that will help boost his skill set. Hopefully, that will eventually lead to a job where he''s happier and is part of the decision-making process.

I feel like all I think about is work, whether it''s mine or my husband''s.

 

[katamari]

I hope 2010 gets better for everyone who has faced challenges and continues being great for those seeing success!

Ours has just been weird. DH and I are both working like crazy. We are/were both in competition with many our friends for jobs and, when any of us get one, it is scattering us across the country. It is adding a strange dynamic to our social circle, but as more and more of us get jobs, it is less stressful. DH is still hoping to be able to get a job near where mine is so we can move together and everything is kind of in limbo for us until he knows.

One of my uncles was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer, but it is oddly pulling our family closer, so it is both a good and a terrible thing. He is fully satisfied with his life and has come to terms with 2010 being his last year, and I think we are all learning a lot from his experience.

"Strikes and gutters, ups and downs" - The Dude.

 

[Haven]

I think I just don''t look at years as being good or bad, so it''s been very interesting reading this thread. Even when we suffer tragedies (death or illness of loved ones, etc.) I''m always aware of how extremely lucky we are to have the freedom to live our lives the way we do. When I look back, every year seems like a good year in retrospect--I''m still here, aren''t I?

I''m sorry to hear so many PSers are suffering.

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 2/17/2010 2:04:06 PM
Author: Porridge

Date: 2/17/2010 8:15:00 AM

Author: arjunajane

Date: 2/17/2010 5:27:09 AM


Author: Porridge


Crap. I''m wildly anxious all the time about what career direction to go in, and it''s starting to keep me up at night. I''m going out of my frigging mind. Gah.







But I have a suspicion it will be a year that starts badly and ends well.

Porridge, I''ve been meaning to head back to your career thread for followup - do you mind if I ask if you have managed to gain any clarity yet hon?

Thanks for asking AJ

Well my above post is a little unnecessarily dismal I guess...I''ve talked it to death with everyone who''ll listen! Venting here really helped.


I''ve narrowed it down to two directions, which really is leaps and bounds, and I had a great talk with my mum today which definitely eased my worries. My mum is brill

So, direction one: Actuary. It''s what I always wanted to do deep down, but I won''t lie, I''m scared! It''s a tough career path for sure. But it ticks all my boxes, and I''m not afraid of hard work. I''m meeting a couple of actuaries in my area next week for advice, which I''m really looking forward to. This is the one my mum is rooting for, she thinks it''s perfect for me, she says I should just stop worrying, have a bit of confidence in myself and go for it.


Direction two: enter a graduate training program, probably with a healthcare company. This would give me good exposure and experience, and I could get some qualifications along the way. At the end of that I''d probably go for an MBA.


So really, I''ve come a long way. My options are great, my current situation is perfect for where I''m at. I know it will work out soon. I''m starting to calm down about the whole thing

Hiya Porridge -
thankyou for the update; you sound alot more positive and sure of your direction, which can only be a good thing.

Due to my current work, I''m a big advocate of the advantages of Grad programs and think (the good ones) offer a lot;

I love your idea of going to speak to some people who already have careers as actuaries - it''s so difficult to know how a job will really play out day to day without that kind of insight.
If that is the path you decide, a professional mentor in that area could be a good idea in moving forward too...

ok, I will leave my t/jack here

I saw your updated thread, so I''ll head over there if need be.

Congrats on making some decisions and calming down about it - it''s a good feeling when you do gain this kinda clarity

All the best lovey!