Work, Taxes, Quality Life

I hadn't been able to find the time nor the inspiration to write. Somehow, something else will take my attention and time away from blogging. School has started (again!!!) and we are into the 3rd week of the new school term.

But seriously, when I look deeper, I am not super duper busy. Just that the new American Idol season has started; I am doing my Lead Climbing course (6 lessons 3 hours each = 18 hrs) every Wednesdays; been bringing worksheets home to mark more frequently (cos everyone is rushing to complete the syllabus in view of the amount of time lost due to the school's anniversary celebrations & musical rehearsal); Amazing Race 9 will begin in March; continuation of Rescue Diver lessons... and the list continues. And I am supposed to learn driving, possibly after I complete the Lead Climbing course first.

Work has been ok so far, still keen to go to school each day, which I suppose is still a good sign. Afterall I have to remind myself, no work, no money equals to no holidays and pitiful liquid assets. I had received my HK income tax and to my horror, my taxes come up to a whopping HKD23k, which has to be paid over 2 instalments (the first which is due end of Mar @ HKD17k, and the balance later in the year). Drats that's like over S$4k, but then again, life's been pretty good and comfy in HK, so it's a payback to society for what it has given me. D's taxes are at least two times higher than mine, which means he feels the pain even more.

Hopefully the local govt here puts the money it has collected from us into good use, like providing for better care to the old folks I see always begging along the streets of Mongkok. It hurts to see them, reminds me of my granny, so I do give them some whenever I see them. I know some people will say that we shouldn't give them money as this will encourage them to beg even more, but heck what you think, that's the least I can do for them anyway.

D & I have decided to be more thrifty these next few months, more so than before due to the taxes we have to pay. In a way, it is good that we aren't going on any major holidays these next few months. Maybe a short dive trip during the Easter hols, or maybe climbing in Krabi... no firm plans yet.

My concept of work is basically to fund my/our next holiday... not very ambitious , very short-term. To me, it's just something I have to do, to fund a relatively good standard of living and to lead a useful life. I don't intend to use work to define who I am, I know some people whose work/career is their life and if you take it away (or if they lose it), they will be lost. So waking up each day, and still not dreading the fact that I have to work today, I count these as blessings that I am able to enjoy myself and my life even more in these last few years, and most importantly, I get to enjoy these things with D.