Budget Brain Out

So much for the sophistication of Finance advice. Today I said the silliest thing (half a joke) to a guy responsible for negotiating vendor prices that I paid to companies who work for me. I said, "Vendor prices should be like the rain - it should only come down and not go up."

My budgeting brain has gone on vacation. There was a self-imposed lock down to modifying budget numbers ad nauseum, and my brain has taking that nice little excuse to take a vacation away from budget monster mode. Read: this is supposed to be a good thing.

I'm leaving work early, getting enough sleep, in a cheery mood, helpful around the house... and generally being a much nicer person to live with during this time. The suggestion was for me next year to take a room in a hotel for the entire budget season. That way, at least i) nobody has to put up with my crap that isn't already paid to do so, and ii) I don't have to help out around the house nor feel guilty for not doing so. Besides, iii) I'll get a nice comfy bed for those few hours of rest that I can squeeze in and manage to weasle some luxury (a good bath and a good bed) out of it. At a price... perhaps this should come into the amount of business related claims I'll take next year. Hmmm....

So welcome back, you. And goodbye budget monster... until next year, hasta la vista.

My one and only niece turns one!

There's nothing quite like having kids (or watching them grow up rather...) to make you realise your age. The first born of my god-brother is now in Secondary One (I had a mild seizure and a heart attack at that news) with his younger sister in Primary Six, and the youngest brother in Primary Two. The other two daughters of the younger god-brother are both in primary school. But secondary school takes the cake. I still have vague memories of secondary school, and here it is this boy - I still remember when he was a baby and I carried him in my arms - in secondary school.

My niece (the one and only) - daughter of my brother - turned one on May 12th. We had a birthday celebration for her (one of those you are sure she would not remember when she gets older) to mark the event - and it was a coming of age not only for her, but for the whole family. I cannot remember a time when there was more focus on kinship, kids (my family ain't kid-friendly in general) and the home for my family.

Thessaly (my niece - so named after my nick in secondary school/a witch in Gaiman's Sandman novels/art capital of Greece) played pretty much the entire day and promptly sought my shoulder and fell asleep, not to be woken again until she got home.

It was this time last year that I was having budget reviews with the corporate VP at the time and praising her for good timing for being born right after my review (so I could have a good break) and this time this year, the same cycle repeats itself.

I can't believe we've all survived a year with a baby. It's an amazing time to be an aunt and I've been just the kind of aunt I'd thought I'd be... the kind that spends too much money and too little time on the kid. *sheepish grin* I've come to the realization that it's good fortune I'm not having kids of my own, because I'm crap at taking care of them long-term. That, and my own independent nature gets in the way. Still, she's been pretty good fun, and I'm looking forward to more years of her - especially when she starts talking, walking, playing...

Desperate to be a Housewife

Brutal though that may sound, email just flew in today that confirmed what I thought. This place runs an idea of Finance like a scientist trying to do brain surgery with a chain saw.

This (and an extra busy time of the year) is making me incredibly envious of my dog and her what-seems-like-wonderful stay-home life. A couple of stunning new developments in the space of what (the Company) should do and should not do to change shareholder impressions of the Company, attempt to save a flailing share price which dipped soon after we announced a well performing Q3 - and I realized that there is simply a level of sophistication in Finance that we do not have. There's more economics in my home economics class than the level of finance sense senior executives here seem to have.

Call me Fifi and turn me into a dog. Please. At this rate, a monkey would be too smart to do my job.