So it is probably about time I wrote something that wasn't pre-scripted and a bit more personal. To be honest, I've been feeling a bit down of late, but that is passing and there is hopefully plenty to look forward to in the coming months.
As you may have seen, I took a few trips over to Spain this summer and thoroughly enjoyed it. I was hoping, and probably getting ahead of myself, that more would come to the friendship made with a certain lady, but sadly it was not to be. Still, I made a friend, she's awesome, that's life.
Back to the real world and sorting my shit out......
Since I started back from Furlough at the beginning of August, I've made just one trip into the office. Working from home suits me, but this town/country no longer feels like home. And so last week I rolled the dice and video called the IT director to bashfully ask if there was the slightest chance that I could work from, say, Spain?
Surprisingly, he said it was a possibility, and that there is a staff member who has emigrated to Australia - working on a totally different timezone. He asked about a decent net connection (Yes, Spain isn't the moon and so that should be OK), and said he'd speak to Human Resources.
Today I learned that 'in principle' they are OK with the idea. Obviously there is some legal stuff to look into, but by the sounds of it, there is a chance that I could be out of the UK again by the end of the year. Cross those fingers thank you please.
My main reasons for wanting out are that I miss the long summers, and that there is no fucking way I can save for a house deposit paying ridiculous rent while house prices continue to rise. Earning a salary (and not relying on HIVE) whilst being in the sunshine, learning a language, getting some Padel coaching, and seeing my not too well Mother more sounds like a win-win to me.
There is a small issue of Brexit to consider though, and it looks like I need to be in Spain before December 31st to avoid jumping through additional hoops to secure a long-term visa, or even better, Residencia - a right to live in Spain. Based on previous experience, official items don't exactly happen rapido in Spain, and I'm not expecting it to be an easy process. I'm not even sure of the process, as the gov.uk site is 'awaiting further updates', but fuck it, i'm going to give it ago.
And if not, Portugal, or Cyprus perhaps.
There is one person I will be need to speak to if the move is given the green light, but she's already told me 'it's ok, just come and visit me more' - that's fair.
So what else is happening? Well, I got enrolled on a Spanish course via the Busuu app, which means I get two 30 minute one-to-one lessons each week, and full access to premium for a while. The app is shit-hot to be fair, and really helping me and others out. You'll get a correction or a thumbs up minutes after posting your exercise efforts, and I recommend even the free version if you are considering learning a language. I'm putting at least two hours study in each day at present, and hoping my aging brain can store what's going in.
As well as Spanish, I've been recently motivated...
(following some indirect but totally correct comments regarding the fact I've been sailing through life for the past 20 years without applying myself at all. You've got good aptitude..... the sentence begin and ended. The ending should have been .... but done fuck all with it. What a waste, you lazy bastard.)
...to learn an instrument, and decided to buy a cheap keyboard. I'm less than two weeks in and really struggling to do anything with both hands, but I am told, by millions of Youtubers, that it's just a matter of time and continual practice. I can easily spare an hour a day, so let's see if again, the brain still works. If in two/three years I can play something people can recognise, I'll be happy enough.
So yeah, time for changes and some focus. Save for a house deposit, learn stuff, and keep the fitness up. Now, if 2021 could bring that and some crypto action, it's going to piss all over 2020.
Take it easy,
Ash