First World Problems

Subtitle: Shopping and Long Term Goal-Setting 
Sub-subtitle: Katrina Being Whiny

Today I had a day off work for study leave, however I spent this time shopping (at two different shopping centres) and I actually didn't study a single bit today, which makes me panic a little as exams are looming ever so closely. However I feel that scoring an internship with a multinational technology company and needing more business attire was an adequate excuse for dropping around $150 on new clothes. However, that makes me panic a little more as Christmas is coming up and I'm very much hoping I'll have enough money for awesome presents for everyone.

My philosophy when it comes to Christmas presents is "who doesn't need more cookies?" Today I saw a particularly nice tin of cookies in the local supermarket (it was large for one, and tastefully decorated in pastel colours instead of the usual garish designs associated with Christmas cookie tins) and mentally marked it for later purchase. I'm not sure who exactly I'll give the cookies to, but I don't know anyone who doesn't like cookies, so it could be anyone at all. In another shop (an upscale department store) I saw a huge clear jar of cookies (I'm talking HUGE jar, bigger than my head), which I think would look classy in any kitchen or pantry. I also saw many classy collections of jam (or jelly, for American readers!) I love jam, and one day hope to have some kind of jam business. I've been thinking of business names and logo designs. Perhaps when I retire I can become one of those old country ladies who make jam!

Anyway this brings me to the second topic of this blog post: my long term goals. At the moment the list looks like this (I've numbered them but really that's just so I can reference them in a later list, they are really in no particular chronological order):

1. Do some international travel (having a weekend away in a small Australian town is nice and all, but I'd really like to go overseas again)
2. Buy a home (i.e. not live with my parents forever)
3. Get married (but not just to anyone in general)
4. Have children (three would be nice)
5. Have a puppy (though there is contention as to which breed)
6. Be a really successful marketing executive (in FMCG food and beverage, or technology - such different industries but both with very unique challenges)
7. Finish my law degree (at this rate it is probably going to take ages)
8. Have my own business where I sell jam or baked goods. I'm on Etsy at the moment and notice quite a lack of Australian jam/baked goods sellers (and American sellers can't ship jam or baked goods to Australia, for obvious reasons, so I am using my marketing degree to notice a niche, however by the time I retire and set up my own business, a whole bunch of other people will have probably noticed this niche and filled it, or worse, over-saturated the market. Such is life). 

Now, I'm the kind of person who loves to make excuses, so here we go: 

1. Travelling costs money, and I don't have money.
2. Houses cost money, and I don't have money.
3. The timing of marriage is not completely within my control, and anyway weddings cost money...
4. Children cost money (and I'd rather have a house first, so the children and I have somewhere to live that doesn't involve taking advantage of my parents)
5. Puppies cost money (and not just the price of the puppy upfront - remember puppies need ongoing love, time, food, toys and medical treatment - this is just a side note - people should not impulse-buy a puppy!)
6. Well I have secured the above-mentioned internship with a multinational, household-name technology company so I could be on my way to a successful marketing career, and also on my way to having money with which to achieve my other goals, but I don't start working there for three weeks, and anyway I've just gone an spent all my current money on business clothes, and also I'm on exam leave right now so that's a week of pay missed out on.
7. My law degree is probably going to take much longer than anticipated as I'm moving to part-time study in order to work more, to develop my career and also earn money.
8. This goal is specifically for my retirement so I won't worry too much about it now. 

Yes I understand the irony in starting off a blog post with a recount of how much money I've spent on clothing, then moaning for the rest of the blog post about how I have no money with which to buy houses and puppies, when I understand that lots of people don't know where their next meal is coming from, or are unemployed or legitimately homeless (instead of living comfortably, albeit guiltily, with their parents). 

Oh, the woes of having to simultaneously balance tertiary education with employment, and the stresses of having so many wonderful people in one's life for whom to buy Christmas presents for!

Hopefully I will blog before Christmas time, to discuss (among other things) my upcoming weekend away, my birthday, and Christmas preparations (FOOD) so I will talk to you all again later! It would be interesting to know (if it's not too intrusive): what are your long-term goals and what's stopping you from achieving them now? Perhaps we can all work through this together!