Week 13, Day 2 (Are we there yet?)

When does this first trimester finish? Some books say at the beginning of Week 13, some say at the end. I guess I'd better settle for a surety and that means in another five days, I'm officially into the second trimester.

... yay ...

Hey of course I'm excited.. I'm just too tired to raise much enthusiasm about anything at the moment. At least the Blurgh seems to be backing off quite a lot - not altogether gone, thankee very much, but mostly in abeyance. I can live with the mild mostly-constant nausea, as that's a big improvement. But being the impatient Leo that I am, I want my vim back, and I want it back yesterday. Presently I'm good for one day of full-on, then it takes two days to recuperate. Yesterday I pretty much slept most of the day. Give me credit though, I got up, ate breakfast while updating the blog & catching up on emails, then promptly fell asleep at the computer. Woke up in time for lunch, had that in the lounge, and fell asleep again straight afterwards. Woke up around 5pm, shook myself firmly by the scruff of the neck (figuratively.. I bet you can't do it literally either!), and got back to work. Got some correspondence done, started a virus check, then started dinner.

Wayne got home looking like a chimney sweep at around 7.30 and asked how my day was: tiring! The only thing I accomplished all day was feeding the tadpole, cooking a meal and a virus check. Big deal...

Today isn't going much better, but at least it's 12.30 and I haven't fallen asleep. (yawns.. seriously.. I just yawned. Sleep wouldn't be hard right now)

Someone asked me the other day if there was anything they could do to help, and my answer was pretty swift: "Clone me". That would work - one of me to manage this pregnancy, and one of me to do all the other stuff that I normally do. Knowing my luck, we'd both end up pregnant and snoring.

Tired as I am though, I'm content. It must be some of the hormones lulling me into a state permanent relaxation. I wonder ... if I put on some seriously thumping rock music, will that get enough adrenalin going to fuel me through the million and one business things I need to take care of today? Yep, that sounds like a plan. (yawns..)

Weird though - I'm usually not so relaxed. Take the other day - a prospective client had the audacity to ask me to provide references. Yeah sure, it's understandable, but it was the *way* she asked, like I was some kind of traveling salesman. Um... lady, you called ME, remember? I gave her a couple of numbers (after clearing it with the clients first) and strangely she hasn't got back to me. Totally sure those people would say nothing but wonderful things about me (of course!) so I think my original feeling that she was just a tyre-kicker was spot on. It happens. Actually I'm relieved she hasn't been in touch, because I don't think we'd work well together.

You learn to honour feelings like that in my job. The last time I ignored a gut feeling that one of the partners would be a monumental pain in the ass, I ended up sacking the client after just a month, a result that pleased no one. I know it's xenophobic, but I reinforced the mental rule to never, ever work for one particular type of expatriat living in NZ again. This nationality on their native patch are one thing (and very nice too), but the type of national export who moves to NZ and expects NZ law and culture to change around them are to be avoided at all cost. (They're easily identifiable by their permanent state of whine and bizarre dress sense.) They can't seem to accept that NZ tax law is quite different to 'back home', and if 'back home' was so wonderful, why on earth are they in a country that makes them so miserable? If I hear one more nasal whine "Back home we do it this way..." I will scream. (Not figuratively either.. years ago I astonished one client when I said "Excuse me a moment, will you?", stepped outside, and let rip with a scream. I walked back inside and said "That's better... now, where were we?" You should have seen their faces...!)

Still and all, this is why I'm freelance. If I think the client is more aggro than I care to deal with, or if I smell a shyster or crook, or if they start annoying me by calling by unannounced at 8am in the morning, I have the freedom to let them go. Try THAT in a job where you're working for someone else ;-)

Might have to make a cup of Karl-strength coffee and see if that helps focus the mind. I've got a particularly complex paperwork muddle to sort out for someone, and it's going to require every brain cell working in harmony. One thing I've got to give my job though, is the immense satisfaction from taking a box of nightmares and turning it into a perfectly balanced, beautiful set of books. Now THAT is job satisfaction!