stop procrastinating

I’ve got an up-coming appointment with my financial planner guy… really need to get some things sorted there.

Tomorrow I’m meeting with a friend, who’s a jeweller. Rather than selling the engagement and wedding rings, I’m going to have them remodelled into a pendant. It’ll be interesting to see what we can come up with.

One day, way back in June, I took my friend and her hubby to the airport. As we left her place, she directed me towards the freeway. Unfortunately, a little too late, I realised that we’d entered in the tollway section.

The tollways in Melbourne are electronic. You set up an account with the toll company, and they issue you with an ‘e-tag’, which automatically deducts the toll from your account as you pass through the sensor gantry. I haven’t had an e-tag in a few years, as I no longer use the tollways.

The alternative for those without e-tags, is to stop in at one of the toll company’s service centres, or visit their site online, to purchase a day pass. I decided I’d do the deed online as soon as I got home.

I promptly forgot.

A week or so later, I received an invoice from the toll company. For the original $1.47 toll, plus a $20.00 administration fee. “Right,” I thought, “I’ll pay this ASAP.”

I forgot.

About a month later, I received a reminder… which also happened to be a ‘final notice’. “How silly of me to forget. Better do this tonight.”

I honestly thought I’d paid it. But, yet again… I forgot to do it.

Today I received a nice little comeuppance… in the form of a $100.00 traffic infringement notice from Victoria Police… for failing to pay the damned toll.

In this instance, my procrastination has cost me a hefty $98.53. I paid it immediately. Why the heck didn’t I just do that in the first place??

I finally filled out the form to update my electoral enrolment. Even though I’ve been living here since September. Better late than never, I guess.

The really sad thing is, that it turns out there’s an electoral office just around the corner from where I live… so when I eventually got off my bum to get this done, it was ridiculously easy.

“How embarrassment!”

_{Apologies… possibly only Aussies who saw the TV show ‘Acropolis Now’ will get that joke. Though I’m not sure how many will admit to it.}

So in a couple of hours, that job’ll be completed.

_{Oh… flirty sales guy was there too… hee hee hee ;-)}

... I didn’t touch this goal for ages, because it seemed so insurmountable. I mean, how the heck was I just going to “stop procrastinating”?

Now that I’ve started to think about it as smaller steps, rather than just changing my habits completely in one fell swoop, I’m actually making progress.

This afternoon… one more thing accomplished. I booked my car in to get new tyres! Way overdue (in fact, I’d be surprised if they’re legal now)... but it’s happening tomorrow!

The bonus was that the sales guy is cute, and a complete and utter flirt! I think it’s just his sales manner… but it works, ‘cause he got my business!

For example, I made a comment about how slack I was with taking care of my car:
Him: “We have a special room out the back for people like you”
Me: “What, to teach people how to take care of their cars?”
Him: “No, for spanking”
Me: (giggling) “Ooh, that must be the bonus service”
Him: “It’s only for special people, not everyone gets that offer”

Hee hee hee… how could I not take my car back there? ;-)

Yesterday I went out and bought a vacuum cleaner… although it almost didn’t happen, because I procrastinated so long that I didn’t get to the store until half an hour before closing. Actually, it might have been more like twenty minutes. Anyhoo, I purchased myself a basic vacuum cleaner.

Usually my preference is to buy something that’s really good quality with lots of features (and as a result more expensive), but I decided that as I don’t have a very big place, and will only get about six months use out of it anyway, that I should make the sensible decision and pick something simple. He was nice, but not a long-term prospect (he heh… just kiddin’). ;-P

The vac is still in the box… I’ll unpack it sometime today. The good thing is that I no longer have to borrow my friend’s vacuum… the bad news is that now I can vacuum more often.

... to get to the post office, and sent some photos to my parents. They’ve only been waiting on them for a couple of months… but now the package is on its way!

Today I made it into the motor vehicle registry, and changed my license back to my maiden name. It’s quite bizarre, because as I feel as though I’m claiming back a little of ‘me’ with each change.

Thankfully, the photo turned out not too bad… still a bit of a daggy-looking expression… but the chick taking the photo caught me a little off-guard when she said, “you can smile if you want” just as she was about to take the pic! I was not mentally prepared for that option!

... get to the post office this morning (so Malc, I still don’t know if there’s a hunk behind the counter there or not), and it turns out that the motor vehicle registry is closed on Saturday mornings, so couldn’t update my license details today anyway.

However, I did finally remember to pay the registration for my motorbike… only a month overdue, but never mind. Plus, the main reason I didn’t get to the post office is because a friend invited me to spend today with her in Geelong (about an hour out of Melbourne). I really enjoyed the day… we visited her brother-in-law and his family, and had lunch with two other friends.

The bonus to making this trip, is that I found something to add to Imoeris’ package… when I eventually get to the post office to send it!

... the travel agent tonight. I now have a bit of an idea as to the best way to organise my travel. Think I’m going to get a one-way ticket to the UK, then at some stage during my time there, I’ll get a round-the-world ticket to take me to South America, back to Oz for a visit, and then to wherever else on the way back to London. It’s less restrictive that way, ‘cause I can do it at any time, rather than having to travel within the first 12 months.

Hoping to get a few more jobs done tomorrow and Saturday… at the very least, I’d like to fix up my driver’s license, and make an appointment with the accountant.

Mainly because I’m avoiding work in doing so.

This is what a computer should do first thing in the morning! Click on the link below and then type in your first name…

Click here…