Hata CSN May 8, 2009

I forgot to mention one of the best parts of that trip I last wrote about. I got my mum’s very old, very broken bag replaced, for completely free. The handle broke on the way and it got replaced with a much better bag on the spot. How great is that!  I wasn’t even that bothered about the handle breaking, but the sister”in-law” being so mother-like she convinced me to do it. So I got a pleasant surprise. Haha. Service like that is irreplaceable.

I just noticed it when I was cleaning up (much love to the Bear for being such an understanding boyfriend and waiting so patiently for me to do my part of the homely chores!)

Other than that, I changed my decision in my CSN (aka student loan) dilemma i had a couple of months ago. (I’m not allowed to make above a certain amount of money while I’m taking a student loan). I had a while ago decided that I was just going to take the chance and work less over the summer so I don’t go above the max. The last few weeks ago though, I’ve realized that there’s no way I’m going to manage that low income! So, after having a discussion with a classmate of all the things that annoy us (CSN, social democrats – aka Swedish socialist party – and the low standard of education in our socionomy course) I decided I’ve had enough trying to reconsider both my economy and CSN at the same time since that is an obvious impossibility and decided to make the money, since economic freedom comes higher than trying to make sense of a system that’s done a great job of hustling students for a long time.

To put it simply as possible:
There’s two parts of the student “wage”. A kind of “free” part that one can get despite how much one makes and doesn’t have to be paid back to CSN, and a loan where each individual can pretty much choose how high or low of a loan they want (within limits) for a maximum of 240 study weeks. This loan one starts paying back as soon one makes enough money according to CSN. That part all makes sense, right? So, let’s add on a little bit of information that I think can make sense of to some degree.

Depending on how much of a loan one takes there’s also a maximum amount of money one can make on the side.  Also, if I should only take the first part of the student “wage” which is “free” then I’m allowed to make as much as I want and I don’t have to pay that little sum back. Now to the tricky part:

I decide how much loan I want to take out, so I’ve got the crazy idea in my head that then it should also be up to me how much money I want to make on the side. I’m thinkin’ that if I’m encouraged to work, and on top of that enjoy working, there’s a better chance that I’ll be able to pay that loan back right? But no. I’m not allowed to make more money than what CSN has decided is a good amount for us student. Decrease the loan and I can make more money but with a sum total that still wouldn’t be that much higher than if I worked less and had a higher loan. I get that it’s all tax money and thus should not be abused, but how is me wanting to make money and paying taxes bad for business, or even better (worse), bad in the world of taxes?

…The hustling doesn’t end there. If I should make more money than the loan allows I have to pay CSN that extra amount I’ve made at a later point. How the hell did they get the rights to the money that I made, on my own, without their help?

Oh, and remember that first part of the CSN that’s kind of “free”? As I mentioned earlier I can make as much as I want by only getting that part of the student “wage” without having to pay back at some point. But, if god forbid, I take out a loan as well and make too much money? Then I have to, for some reason I have yet to figure out, (and I don’t think everyone knows this) pay a part of that “free” sum back as well. Eh? What?!

I can to some degree understand that one shouldn’t get this part if one doesn’t need it… But does it make sense that I have to pay that part back only if I also take a loan? Is the idea that by then I’m not supposed to know how much they’re asking for me to pay back so they may as well add on a little from something that’s supposed to be “free”?

I’ve actually sat with a poor telefonservice woman at CSN to try and get some sense out of this but ended up hanging up the phone more confused than ever.

I finally understand why so many dislike CSN!

Bitter kisses to all.

Ikea Furniture + Social Work = Heart February 3, 2009

First day of apprenticeship I have to say was a lot of work, with a lot of new things to learn. As I was waiting for my supervisor to set me to work I noticed that the once already in place were putting together an ikea bookshelf and I offered to help. By lunch I had put together 4 bookshelves and one office chair and had jokingly become the ikea consultant. Me and the supervisor finally got the time to sit down and write out a contract by 1 pm and when that was done, I was to finish for the day. 

As I said, I learnt a lot today! Heh. But in all honesty it was a good day, I didn’t need more to do because it let me get a feel of the place and the people before things really get started. 

Also, I seem to have gotten a part time job! Now all I have to figure out is how I’m going to balance 2 jobs, make time for driving lessons and at the same time be the housewife  (minus the cooking) that I feel that I am. All of these come high in my list of priorities (well, I don’t like to be the housewife, but it needs to be done so I don’t live in a pigsty) so I’m not sure I’m willing to pass up on any of them. It’s all about planning right? …And willing to go through some bad stuff (like having so much to do the days need to be planned from sun up to sun down) to have some good stuff (keeping busy, having money, learning to drive, ect). I’d much rather stress over time, than and loss of money and possibilities, because the latter is giving me a stomach ache.

Kisses to all.

Promotion! February 2, 2009

I’m officially no longer a socionomy student. I found out today that I am, from now on, a socionomy candidate! Yay Atleast I’m moving in the right direction! To celebrate this promotion I thought I’d look for summer work within my proffession for once and thus hopefully never have to work as a waitress ever again. Oh so tired of it. Ofcourse, I have to manage economically with all my plans until then, so I’ve just sent an application for a part time job that has nothing to do with my future proffession which will hopefully work out.

My apprenticeship starts tomorrow as well, so soon I can finally  start planning other things like my testdriving lessons and when I can go to London to visit friends. I may as well, since I’m still completely drained of energy and thus can’t gather enough of it to go training. More time to do other stuff  I guess, which I actually desperately in need of to be honest.

Oh! And check out the Bears website with his beautiful photography among other things!

Sweet kisses to all!

Oh Ipod, Where Art Thou? January 28, 2009

I’ve lost my ipod! *sniffle* My little darling, you will be missed. The way I lost it is so typical of me though.

About two weeks ago I was in a rush to leave the apartment and I remember having it in my hands as I gave the Bear a kiss goodbye. About 5 minutes later, at the buss station, I couldn’t find it and concluded that I must have put it down as I put on my jacket and thus, left it at home. No big deal, I am, after all, one of the most confused people you’ll ever meet. I didnt think anymore of it as I just relied on my knack for placing things in odd places when my mind’s racing.

The day before yesterday I cleaned the apartment and found the necklace I’d lost a few days back, but no ipod. Yesterday I was to use the buss again and I looked at all the other places that aren’t the floor and still could not find it. 

Thus, it took me two weeks to loose something most people would have realized pretty quickly I think, because I’d gotten used to my knack of misplacing things.

Stupid girl

But there’s one thing I’m noticing, I’m getting smarter about my economy. You can tell that I have a goal with it (travelling). I have as long as I can remember planned how to use my money but then following those plans have been quite the different matter. Now, I’ma accepting the fact that I really want an iphone to replace my ipod and phone, and this would be a good reason to buy one since I no longer have any source of music. I’m also accepting the fact that the only times I listen to music is on the bussrides once or twice a month, and that I have no idea how or when I’ll be able to pay back such mass amounts of money (say 5000kr) if I would borrow money to buy it.

Conclusion: I want it bad, but it’s not worth breaking my back over. 

This is pretty big *pat on the back*, because I have otherwise just done as I see fit, because “things work themselves out somehow” (yes, I’m a spoiled brat). 

Hurrah for me!

Bittersweet kisses to all.

And Just Like That, the Snow is Gone, Gone, Gone. November 30, 2008

I’m starting to feel a little more ok about being me, even if that means that I don’t do as much with my day as (person of choice) or have as much energy as (person of choice) or not as filled with as much happy energy as (person of choice). Of course, it could be because I’ve actually done things for the past week. I’ve meet with friends, gone to the cinema, worked out (spinning and pilates) started my little idébooking-thingy I wrote about last time, ate fondue and had a perfectly pleasant weekend without any drinking involved. My kind of week (despite the exam I had on Friday).

You know, things to do without it being hectic or me having to be the most happy, most exciting, most energetic and wonderful person that many people are out there but I no longer have the energy to compete and/or keep up with. I know a few who love me despite/because of this, so maybe that’s not so bad? I’m happy for the ones who for have it none the less, because the world needs them.

But, I haven’t checked how my economy looks yet, and I’m about to sit myself down with my little pile of bills so maybe that’ll be the first disapointment?  

Sweet Kisses to all!

 

The Wise, the Ignorant and the Long-Winded September 6, 2008

So it’s saturday again.

I remember a time when I felt that time passed conspicuously slow and how hard it was to accept my fathers theory of time + age = accelaration. In the mind of a 13 year old it just didn’t make much sense how time could elapse any different depending on what age one was.

Now, years later, I understand the notion of time beng elusive. What I wonder now is exactly how fast does time pass for a man nearing his 70’s when I (at 26) already feels there aren’t enough hours to the day?! Hopefully at his age I’ve learnt the art of multi-tasking.  

A man nearing his 70’s…

It’s every childs fear isn’t it? The thought of their parents mortality. My father’s much too young at heart and mind to be of that age! I truly can’t picture a world without any of them (or just one of them)… and until I name their age as such, I don’t. Ignorance is bliss.

Back to the point though, I’ve estimated that on weekdays I’ve about an hour to do with as I please. With hobbies like laying puzzles that doesn’t give me very much time for enjoyment. Especially when I have to clean up after myself to make sure the cats don’t get to them. And this without a job or extra curriculars, as I thought I’d stay away from it this year (which btw, is going to be my economical downfall).

I agree with the Bear that as a student one never gets the free time one gets with a steady job. Once the lectures are over, we have to deal with the group works, the reading up, the studying for the next exam. (Then again, being the workaholic I am, I’ll probably find a way to make sure work takes over more aspects of my life tin the future as well.) I guess I just have to learn to find the time, just like one does with the training.

As you can probably tell, I’ve never learnt the art of cramming every activity between heaven an hell into the 24 hours we have each day like some people have the ability of doing. They’re either heavy-dosage drug users or they’re such social butterflies that they enjoy the thought of doing things, constantly, with others. For me, I need to be doing things, constantly, but only about 25% of it with others. None the less, I’ve always been jealous of these talented little artísts of life, but I guess it’s a part of who one is, what one’s comfortable with. In the end, I really enjoy the feeling of me-time. It’s the time of day I get to “varva ner” as they say in swedish, and not loose myself in the kaos of being liked by other, of being fun, enjoyable and spunky. (But then again, during about two months of the year I need people so I don’t loose myself in the kaos of not liking myself, of paranoia, angst, and depression. So I’m not completely autonomous.

Sweet kisses to all and I leave you this rainy Saturday with this photo to put a smile on your faces.

I swear we didn’t place him there!