I am currently procrastinating damn assignment and midsem this week. I have downloaded the Eviews for my assignment and it's all buggy, keeps crashing, and I can't find any other cracks sigh.. Can't work on it tonight, so I'll have to work on it tomorrow at uni. So my midsem is 10 multichoice, and two calculation questions.. Our tutor has already gone through it, I feel alright for it.. but I haven't really touched on it too much. I don't want a repeat of 2 weeks back with the advance corporate finance midsem. It's not so bad since 1/20 passed, so I don't feel bad about it.
I went to see a course adviser earlier this week, as I had lost all motivation in uni, just to make it look like I was still interested in everything and was worried about how I am going. With the amount of times I've failed and completely flunked a unit, my average is standing at 48. Yep I'm averaging a fail at the moment. I was told I have only have two core units left to do and five electives. It's pretty sweet, with two of those electives being first year units! Only problem is, will I even pass this semester. With the amount of procrastination and lack of motivation I just don't do a thing. Like this whole day I've been trying to work on a program that keeps crashing only to feel like I've done something, when in fact I haven't really progressed. So I'll be at the computer labs tomorrow from 9am-9pm trying to finish this assignment hand it in, and hopefully pass this time around unlike the 36% I got on the first assignment.
After Wednesday though, I should be free! But then I'd probably have another assignment to do. But no more midsems, so its not too bad. Just hoping for my awesome cramming skills to get me to pass again this sem, so I really need to put in the work again. Shame that passing won't really help my average that much. But yes Chaddy VIP night on Wednesday so I'll be popping by after my midsem for some much needed R and R. I have still got that $160 Coles-Myer gift card from the chocolate product tasting to use. I also just ordered online Corey Taylor's autobiography - The Seven Deadly Sins. So that will be a good read.
I am currently dominating work. After last month's "I am going to beat you Parama" and falling half way down into the bottom. October is when our KRAs/six month review is. I am hoping for a 2B or even a 2A for a very nice pay rise. Only way for that A though is to put shit loads of work into work. I'm pretty much stuck with a 2, won't be able to increase that into a 1, unless I am somehow able to increase all my stats in the next 2-3 weeks. Its so weird with having everyone in my team gone, except for Dan, everyone else has just come in this year. I've been in the same place since January 2010, so 1 year 8 months. In my training group, Leigh got fired after six months, Sophia left to Hit Squad/Mid Delinquency after 7-8months and now is in Legal/Late Stage after, Louise moved to inbound a few months back, and now Leo and Hannah both moved to Late Stage together. I am still here in Early Stage with Ken, but its actually pretty sweet, being the most, well second most experienced person on my team, I get all the perks of floor walking, buddying, training, and more time off the phone. But, its time to move on, so after this semester of uni I will be applying for Legal/Late Stage, or Skips tracing; both of these being an equal in pay rise, about $3800 increase in salary.
I know this isn't going to sound too good, due to increasing costs and everything, but money isn't really an issue with me anymore. I earn too much for what little I do, it may seem like I am complaining, but I am not. I am able to do most things, due to this. Price for food and little services never bug me. I'm used to buying lunch for about $12 for 5 days a week. That's $60 all on food, I could be saving shit loads if I didn't buy food for uni/work. With fuel, I don't care if its on the cheapest day of the week or not. If fuel is $1.29/L or if fuel is $1.45/L it doesn't really matter. I'll be more likely to buy fuel when its $1.29/L, but if its $1.45/L on that day it doesn't bug me at all. I am already driving a super fuel efficient car, driving about 300-450km per week and only spending $40-$50 per week or even per fortnight if I'm not driving that much. I could be taking public transport and saving so much more too, I have to pay for parking at work, which is $8.50 per day. A blue parking permit for uni is actually worth it though for $360, it's only $4.60 per day, as I'm only at uni 3 days a week for 26 weeks.
These are my general expenses for every day living. It is seriously fucking great to be earning this much, and still living at home as I don't have to pay for a mortgage or rent. But I am helping out my parents, paying for the utilities - gas, electricity and water, car insurance and rego. I am able to save up so much, and I am not a materialistic person so I never really spend beyond my needs. Never at the point of living between pay to pay. To be honest, I'm not sure what sparked this out of me to start ranting about my financial situation.. it seems extremely egotistic, and self centred. Its probably due to the six month review next month, and I actually can't wait to see how I am going. Even with intra-day stats coming out daily, showing my performance. It'll be great to see that reflected in an actual proper report.
This job though, I am a debt collector, is not very glamorous (kinda is, I'll explain later), and not very pretty. You have customers scream at you, swear at you, abuse you, and they are all ignorant to the fact that you do indeed understand them and know what it is like to be in their position. I have had people break down on me, cancer patients threaten me - yes cancer patients who use their illness as a means to threaten, and expect us to sympathise with them when they are the ones who at first lash out. Old people who do not understand how credit cards work, even 18 year olds with maxed out credit cards not knowing about interest, monthly repayments, monthly fees, and the fact that some are willing to go bankrupt so the debt disappears without knowing the consequences is just crazy then again there are actual adults of middle age who know nothing on credit cards. Better yet some of our own staff in other departments with credit cards that fall into collections too, some even defaulting on their repayments is just atrocious.
You get customers starts to crack the shits at you because their credit card was automatically suspended due to them missing their repayment. Or for "us" allowing their credit cards to go over the limit. It is in their terms and conditions, which many people I assume have not read, a credit card is a very serious responsibility, which unfortunately a lot of people seem to abuse. You can't use your phone if you didn't pay for your phone bill, you can't use your utilities if you haven't paid for them, so what makes a credit card any different? It's not free money, its a loan that you have applied with the bank, and its in your duty to keep it in order. We certainly give sufficient warning about suspending accounts, that's what your monthly statement is there for, for you to see where your account is at, how much interest you have been charged, how much you need to pay at least, and your transactions. If you don't think monthly statements are sufficient, then fucking apply for interest banking and you'll be able to monitor your account every day. I just can't stress enough that your credit card maintenance is your responsibility, the bank isn't their to wipe your bottom.
The sad thing is, I have become jaded to it all, after the first two months you become so used to it, and think that everyone who has their credit card in collection is a major douchebag/bitch, but then you get those customers who actually make you feel good about yourself, and understand why they are being called, who actually make their repayments, who understand their debt and appreciate the call, they are the ones who make the job some what fulfilling. A bank is a business too that needs to make a profit, unpaid debts costs the banks a lot, so we're here to help the bank not lose money. And we actually do help customers get their shit sorted, some are in collections for so long but never speak up about issues they are having with their finances, if you are struggling we are actually there to help. We are not heartless, because everyone deserves a chance, but unfortunately once you blow those chances, its very hard to crawl back out. In the end though you can't be proud with it. But any job at all is seriously worth doing well.
Working here though, with all the perks and rewards we get, it is a big incentive. We get shitloads of work parties, with a free flow of beer and wine on the tab. Our last party was just two weeks ago. You get rewarded for performing well, raffle draws for working overtime, prizes in the past included 55inch plasma TVs, PS3s, Xbox 360s, Wiis, iPad 2s, cameras, movie tickets, $300 Visa Debits. The weekly prizes are $50 Visa Debit cards. R and R (recognise and reward) is a monthly one hour celebration. We get to nominate our peers for helping out the team, it is actually great to help people get rewarded for going above and beyond. They provide us free food and drinks just for working. Teams earn money weekly for performing well, and if you come in the top 2-3 you get that money, which goes forward to your own team events. There's 6 teams in early stage, so there's a lot of competition going around for the money. I haven't won anything myself yet, only just my team coming in the top 3.
Its a shame that I can't apply "a job worth doing is worth doing well" to uni. Uni is worth doing well, and I am not a very good student. I thought I did mature and grow up in regards to uni because of last semester, but now everything is different. I have decided that I do need to finish this degree. So I might as well do it well, although I have procrastinated for the last 7-8 weeks. Its something I need to change before its too late.
In a previous post, I wrote about my perception of reality, viewing the world in the terms of Fallout. Well I'm glad that that is over now. It was seriously such a mess to perceive the world in that way. I am currently writing a song about Fallout though, I am taking a very different approach to it as with all of my other songs I just get an idea and write and publish in a matter of 10-30minutes. This is taking time and thought, because I want this to turn out very well. See once again why can't I have that with uni ahhhp.
I have written so much in this entry, but I just had so much I needed to get out.
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