[Paul and Linda]

>A *professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in
>front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very
>large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

>He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

>So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into
>the jar. He shook the jar slightly. The pebbles rolled into the open
>areas between the golf balls.
>He then asked the students again if the far was full. They agreed that
>it was.

>The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.
>Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
>He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a
>unanimous "yes".

>The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and
>poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty
>spaces between the sand. The students laughed.

>"Now" said the professor as laughter subsided, "I want you to recognise
>that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important
>things - your family, your children, your health, your friends, your
>favourite possessions - those things that if everything else was lost
>and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are >the other things that matter, like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else - the small stuff.

>"If you put the sand in the jar first", he continued, "there is no room
>for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend
>all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room
>for the things that are important to you."

>"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play
>with your children. Take time to get medical check-ups. Take your
>partner out to dinner, have a swim, there will still always be time to
>clean the house. Take care of the golf balls first - the things that
>really matter. Set your priorities.

The rest is just sand."

>One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer
>represented.
>
>The professor smiled. "I'm you glad you asked; it just goes to show
>that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a
>couple of beers"

>HOW VERY TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[markkellaway]

That is brilliant!! I'm about to circulate it to all my friends.

Thanks,

Mark. :clap

[Marie P]

that was great ...just sent it to all my friends .... :clap

thanks

Marie x

[kiwidebs]

Seen this one before but it's a good one. Love it

[Diny]

That is very good .... and so true.

Diny

[ISan]

Brilliant! :nice1

[Moorf]

You'll never know just how much that meant to me right now - having the lowest point since we arrived here and that SO put things in perspective.

Thank you. :yes

Moorf

[Moorf]

Had a few lovely PM's from forum members since I posted that last message so thought I'd clarify - it is somewhat relevant.

Basically, tt's been an awful couple of weeks. I was headhunted for a marketing consultancy job here in Chch for 2 days a week.. GREAT I thought and I got drawn into the money trap.. good pay etc. Anyway, they've totally taken advantage of me and each day I was being sent a new strategy doc to analyse, new presentations and clients to see etc. Back in the UK this would have been exactly my cup of tea.

Anyway, to cut a long story short I made myself ill with worry.. did I want the money or the lifestyle? (i.e my great little job in the surf shop with lots of time off to do my writing and photography OR suited and booted and boring client meetings etc... one pays well, the other doesn't.)

So, I've had an awful week wrangling with my emotions, fighting an illlness no doubt bought on by stress, and today I finally made my decision. I told the agency to stuff their job. Afterall, I didn't come here to recreate the career stress I had in the UK... so now I am FREEEEE of it all and boy I feel so much better. As the main post of this thread described, I am taking care of the important things in life for me at the moment - my hubby, our house, the dog and LIFE outside of work.

Sorry if I've bored you all with that, but it's really been a revelation to me and a cementing of our reasons for moving here... for LIFE not MONEY.

Cheers everyone - and remember WHY you came here.. I was losing sight of our reasons. But I'm back on track now.

Oh, and two shops have now said they will sell my postcards after having seen some sample pics. :nice1

[kiwidollie]

Good for your Moorf!

I found your post really good - it hit the nail on the head. We are moving to New Zealand for the life not the money.

It is so easy to get sucked back in though isn't it? Sorry to hear you've had such a cr@p time sorting through it.

You sound like you've definitely made the right decision. Life's too short to spend it stressed out and frazzled!!

All the best to you x

[jo b]

You know Moorf that's what is happening to me.

My plan was not to work but be there fir my kids, ut I had an interview with NZ telecom and it went very well, high salary and perk you expect with a large company but you know I want to move to help improve our lifestyle not recreate the same one I have here.

Well done for making what must have been an agonising decision as I know you loved you work when in the Uk as I do so I know that must have been a hard decision.

Jo

[foolsgold99]

This thread was in the back of my mind over the last couple of days.

I've been here for about 10 weeks now, working for a small IT services, job is ok, totally stress free with really nice people, and only a 15 min drive from the new house.

But I was feeling bored at work, I was missing the stress and buzz. So I put out a couple of CVs middle of last, quickly lined up 3 interviews on Friday. I now have 1 job offer, and 1 request for a second interview at a large company.

I now have an offer on the table, which would keep me a lot busier, the job would "push" me, more money, fully expensed new subaru etc etc.. Got the contract today, ready to sign it, and started having doubts. Firstly about some of the clauses, no holiday entitlement at all in first 12 month !! Also I'd not qualify for paternity leave, needing to be in job for 6 months.

But then I started thinking, did I really miss the excitement or was it simply that I hadn't adjusted? Did I really want a worse commute, and pressure, just for a bit more money? Did I still have ego issues related to careers? Is it all about having the most toys? Should I chill out, take the easy job with decent wages, and concentrate on other things?

I've decided that I didn't come here to be stressed and busy. Money isn't everything, I'm going to turn down the new job, with the pressure and stress, and money and car. Stay where I am and try and enjoy life.

At least I proved to myself if I want to move to a new job, it's not going to be a problem

[Carol]

And........
I've just got home from parent interviews........after 9pm - no extra money of course.
It has been a week from hell......not with the kids - got the best class in the world. But with four parents who have made it their business to demoralise all the staff.......and another person who is just rude and arrogant to me constantly for no reason.



I'v been sucked in.........and don't I know it.
:( :( :( :( :( :( :(

Jennie - we need a night out!
:nice1

[Smiler]

Moorf

That's not boring at all. Well done you for sorting it out so quickly too.

Good news about the postcards as well :clap

I beat myself up about stuff too so you are no alone. Like the others you remembered the reasons for your move.

Dancing fruit to make you smile :raebanana

Deborah

[Moorf]

:P :P :P :P

[jonSE]

Ooh no Moorf you have just hit far too many Nails on the head.

Jon

Wondering if my unspoken ideal of some pioneering lifestyle was kinda spoilt by accepting a job at similar level as I had in the UK.

[Moorf]

Since that last post of mine, which is a few weeks old now, things have moved on and we are now seriously considering taking the plunge and "going for it" in terms of what we originally dreamed of doing here in NZ - i.e running our own business again BUT a business totally different from our professions - i.e. b&b etc so that we go for the total lifestyle change, at the moment we are half in / half out of our dream - i.e. we are in NZ, but not "doing" what we want... if you get my gist.

Not complaining - life here is great - but we just feel like we haven't fully risen to the challenge of our idea of a change of lifestyle.

[Diny]

Foolsgold ...I'm so happy to hear that you've decided not to take the other job.

Without putting too finer slant on things, if you wanted the fast job, company car, long comute etc then you'll have wasted alot of money getting to NZ to live a life you could so easily have back at home.

It's taken courage to make the decision you have ... I wish you all the best.

Diny

[foolsgold99]

I turned the other job down this morning, they were a bit arse'y about it, and all offended when I told them i didn't want to work for them. Made me realise that I'd never have been happy there and would have hated them.

Too bad, I'm here for the easy life. :cheers

Lucky escape

[jubjub]

Too bad, I'm here for the easy life.

Dont get too comfy, that will change when FG99.5 gets here :yes :laugh

[marcia]

And........
I've just got home from parent interviews........after 9pm - no extra money of course.
It has been a week from hell......not with the kids - got the best class in the world. But with four parents who have made it their business to demoralise all the staff.......and another person who is just rude and arrogant to me constantly for no reason.



I'v been sucked in.........and don't I know it.
:( :( :( :( :( :( :(

:nice1

Carol concentrate on those parents who do appreciate you! There are more of them than the rude ignorant ones!!

Talk about getting sucked in. I feel like I spend half my life at the school at the moment and it's all voluntary - I'm on both governing bodies - infants and Juniors and one of the heads is leaving so we have to decide if we think amalgamating the schools is a good idea, and if we want to go through the consultation process. On top of double meetings for all that, we have had FGB (full governing body meetings two nights last week, premises meeting, curriculum meeting. We have shortlisting for a new teacher on monday during the day, sorting out the job spec and application for the new head on Mon evening, a meeting for my son who is moving to the juniors, on Thursday eve along with interviewing sometime in between. On top of all that i have a toddler at home who needs to be farmed out or babysitters brought in to do all these meetings, my husbands books and invoices to do, the two older boys to ferry to clubs etc, shopping, ironing cooking etc etc and I don't get paid for any of it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sometimes you think you have taken on far too much and I can't wait to move to Nz for a slower pace of life and more time to spend on what is really important -

time together as a family! :yes

[Carol]

Carol concentrate on those parents who do appreciate you! There are more of them than the rude ignorant ones!!
:yes


The word is out on the street Marcia.....
In the last few days we have had letters and emails of support - and this morning a plateful of fresh scones - jam and cream....


It's lovely....



Great day with the kids today........they make it all worthwhile.....most days.
:nice1

[Simon & Emily]

Too bad, I'm here for the easy life.

Dont get too comfy, that will change when FG99.5 gets here :yes :laugh

And boy, how things will change :laugh :laugh :laugh

You love 'em to bits, but there will just not be enought time in the day (or night!)

Carol - Marcia said it well. Just concentrate on the parents that do appreciate you - all us parents know what a hard job it must be. I know about the unpaid hours as well. I'm currently Chair of our pre-school, and do at least 20 hours a week on running the place, completely out of love for the children. Add to that all the fundraising activities, staff issues, people who 'forget' to pay and so on and the time just adds up. Our secretary has resigned, the treasurer has just told me this week that she is going to resign in September (just before all the grant paperwork needs to be completed) to set up a rival pre-school in the next village. What do you do? I promose I will never, ever knock the teachers at school - they do (on the whole) a terrific job with very little appreciation or money. Keep up the good work.

Emily

[Jo and Andy]

Help what is FG99.5 ?????

Not been on the site for a while what have I missed.

[Diny]

I think it's a baby.

[jubjub]

Help what is FG99.5 ?????

yup defintely a baby, I am not fat for nothing..... :laugh

[Carol]

And boy, how things will change :laugh :laugh :laugh

Emily


OHHHHH yes!!!! I remember it all soooo well.....
Enjoy reading those newspapers guys..........it'll be the last you do for a while...
:nice1 :laugh