Are there countries where you can pay for a Covid booster shot? In the UK I paid for a flu jab recently but it seems there is no option to pay for a Covid booster. You either meet the Governments criteria for a free shot or nothing.
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Received my Covid (booster) vaccination and the flu jab this morning.
Just back from the city (the dubious delights of public transport), where I purchased cream, organic milk, and collected (some of) my bread from the French bakery (despite writing my order in their diary last week, they had forgotten to put it aside for me today, and were suitably mortified and apologetic - these things happen - today, they demonstrated that next week's bread order has been duly inscribed in the diary for next Saturday; anyway, they managed to find one of the two loaves I wanted - I'm fine with that until next week).
While examining the serried ranks of cream (in M&S, their cream tends to be pretty good once I can no longer lay hands on the organic stuff), I overheard a father say in a very well remembered tone, a tone where affection, wry amusement and a small degree of exasperation were all closely combined (while addressing a person who was clearly his daughter): "You're a 70 year old disguised in the body of someone of 17", whereupon I had to smother a grin.
Just back from the city (the dubious delights of public transport), where I purchased cream, organic milk, and collected (some of) my bread from the French bakery (despite writing my order in their diary last week, they had forgotten to put it aside for me today, and were suitably mortified and apologetic - these things happen - today, they demonstrated that next week's bread order has been duly inscribed in the diary for next Saturday; anyway, they managed to find one of the two loaves I wanted - I'm fine with that until next week).
While examining the serried ranks of cream (in M&S, their cream tends to be pretty good once I can no longer lay hands on the organic stuff), I overheard a father say in a very well remembered tone, a tone where affection, wry amusement and a small degree of exasperation were all closely combined (while addressing a person who was clearly his daughter): "You're a 70 year old disguised in the body of someone of 17", whereupon I had to smother a grin.
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I am off to my local Nisa store now just a short walk thankfully. Used the 'too good to go App' to hopefully get a bag of cheap food for next weeks work lunches. As long as its not a bag full of sweet stuff I will be happy.
M&S is too rich for me! I will take what I can get in the cheap bag.
My wife sent a bunch of photographs of my girls gorging themselves at the mall in the Philippines. I need cheap food!
M&S is too rich for me! I will take what I can get in the cheap bag.
My wife sent a bunch of photographs of my girls gorging themselves at the mall in the Philippines. I need cheap food!
Actually, the quality of food in M&S is pretty good; their fruit and dairy have always been good, and, I have also found organic chickens there, on occasion.
I think I’d have had them on different days. Maybe have a slow day and an early night.
Here work stuff is on my mind. I’m off tomorrow, but will go and get some work done this evening.
However, I have now had both, and, while I'm feeling tetchy and tired today, I expect that I should be fine tomorrow, and, better still, now have the protection afforded by timely administration of vaccines.
That is the plan.
However, I had a really good, long, sleep last night - actually, I was out for the proverbial count.
An early night in a warm and welcoming bed seems to be the plan for this evening, too.
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Chatted with Decent Brother for around an hour earlier today; he received both of his jabs over the past week, but a few days apart, and admitted that he had felt a little tired.
My sympathies.
However, in my case, I imagine that I was pretty tired having received the flu jab and Covid booster.
I decided to finally step up my game. I’m nearly 50, but I want more money in my life, so I’m going mad lol, when I ‘finally’ get a new Mac I’m going to set up an eBay store, and try to make a success of it, not quite as risky as a full blown business and I can do it part time next to my current full time job. And it‘ll help me wrap my head around business bank accounts and capital etc. I’ve seen a course I’m going to take to help me, and then learn it as I go. I need to care for my elderly mother too and ideally I would like to quit the full time 9 to 5 job, and do an eBay sellers job as and when during the day.
I hope my stress levels can cope with it.
Excited and nervous, but time I did something with my life and try to make a success of it. You ‘can’ make good money from it. I have the mindset of I ‘will’ make a success of it. If nothing more then supplementing my salary.
I hope my stress levels can cope with it.
Excited and nervous, but time I did something with my life and try to make a success of it. You ‘can’ make good money from it. I have the mindset of I ‘will’ make a success of it. If nothing more then supplementing my salary.
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Good luck.
Better bouts of sneezing than coming down with Covid.
However, on a more serious note, the very best of luck when caring for your mother.
I've been that soldier, and it is not always easy.
Remember to take your own needs into account, as well, and be kind to yourself.
Yeah I’m on my own mostly with her. It IS stressful, but just about managing, she calls me by my dads name constantly these days, she had a stroke earlier this year. I see the eBay thing as doing something for myself too. If I can make a success of it then maybe I can free some time up for myself.
In true Internet fashion, I want to both say good luck and give some unsolicited small business advice!
- Two of the most important "courses" you can take are basic accounting and principles of marketing (note that marketing is different from selling). Skills and knowledge in these areas play a critical role in running a successful business and, perhaps most important, in assessing what other people tell you. If you are located in the US, community colleges offer these classes for very low cost.
- Maintain a level of skepticism about information offered by paid seminars, especially anything that talks about "wealth building" or "foolproof system", YouTubers, and self-proclaimed gurus.
- If you have a public library near you, ask a librarian for recommendations of books on launching and running a small business/sole proprietorship. Again, if you are located in the US, Nolo books are a great resource; many libraries hold its books in their collections.
- Other websites I recommend are Investopedia's Dictionary and sba.gov .
Thank you all!
Yes, the single most important thing is that no one got injured, just some shock but that’s it. Not bad for a rainy day accident on an interstate at full speed. Took quite a few hugs to comfort my wife once she safely arrived at home, but that’s one of the good parts of marriage: we’re here one for the other.
Insurance will cover all costs except for $500. According to a friend damages are for about $5000-$10000 so I won’t complain about $500. Will get an actual estimate next week.
Thanks for that, I live in the UK, but I'll check out what advice I can find. Should be alright with finances but will need to look into taxes etc.
All the very best with your next venture, test it out alongside your job and see what the potential is longterm.
Life is too short not to do a job you enjoy and that is something that is on my mind a lot lately too. I work for a company that is full of complete idiots, experts in the ‘Peter Principal’ and many who hide at a level where their incompetence lays undetected. It’s people like me that have to deal with them. I’m paid well and that is about the only thing that keeps me there at the moment, but I’d love to do something less stressful and something I’d enjoy. I’m a mechanical design engineer which always seems to excite people when they ask me, but it’s become drab and routine after 20 years. I may go into a different industry and design for medical or aerospace and get away from automotive. 2024 may be the year of change!
Thanks! I have always been into tech, worked in IT for 8 years then in an internet provider tech support for about 9 years, was then made redundant as they closed the site but I moved into a totally different industry and job after, been in it for about 5 years now but it’s boring, it’s for a huge company though so you get the medical and pension and perks etc and my boss likes home working, only need to go in half a day a week which for caring for my mum has been a God send. I enjoy selling stuff on eBay though, so why not? If it works out I can be my own boss and have the platform to use. As you said it’s something I can do alongside my current job.
I need that new Mac first though lol. Been saying that for ages now. Time to make it a reality. It going to do it all on my iPad! It’ll drive me mad haha.
Are less stressful jobs out there? I’ve never found one. Part of that is the level of responsibility I have. But I also believe it’s part of who I am. I tend to get far too absorbed in my work (just finished working this evening).
Anyway good luck with the search.
My actual job responsibilities and tasks aren’t stressful most of the time, it’s the people. I think company culture is very important and something that can attract the right people. Unfortunately my company pay no attention to this and outside of my own department, it’s full of backstabbing egos. I’ve raised my concerns with HR in the past and a couple of people have been removed which has slightly improved things, but others then fill the void. A good colleague of mine is due to hand his notice in soon and I may have to follow him for my own sanity. I’d even take a pay cut at this point I think.
Company culture is important. We used to have quite a good one. Since Covid we lost a few key personal and the working from home has fragmented the company somewhat.
We also employed a few absolute idiots. A while back, but fortunately they are no longer with us.
As part of the management team we are aware and are trying to change it. But it’s much harder to change culture than it is to say address a training issue etc.
I think it’s the younger people particularly that are the issue. When WFH became a thing it was on the understanding that you had to come in at certain times etc. Now you just get told sorry I’m not coming in that day.
They need to realise that sometimes you need to do what you have been asked not what you want.
Good luck with the job hunting. But finding somewhere with the right culture I think will get harder and harder.
The WFH thing has been a problem in my place since Covid, but not necessarily because people are taking the mick, more because those that can't work from home are jealous of those that do. It wasn't an issue when we had to but the company have let some of us continue to do it, and others have been told no. My role requires me to travel a bit and I often need to work off-site. I tend to WFH one day a week, I will be doing it twice this week. I work for the group so my boss is based in Holland so it causes contention at times because I enjoy different perks and rules lol. Sometimes it is nice to just be able to get work done without interuptions and confidential meetings can be done without others earwigging half a conversation they shouldn't be listening to in the first place. It is also nice not to be sat on heavy slow traffic for 90 minutes a day too.
I tend to go in the office 2-3 times a week. We are all supposed to go in twice a week. Many don’t.