Money Money Money

I've been meaning to post for a couple of days now... though don't seem to have found the time. The main problem has been the two late nights I've had in work the past two days. On Tuesday night we had our much delayed "Christmas" staff night out, which was an occasion in which a few of the MPs me and some of my colleagues work for stick their hands in their pockets and buy food and drink goodies for everyone. This cost an enormous amount of money, but I think they can afford it.

Though my MP can't, as he is currently facing some rather large invoices. I know all about this simply because I open the mail, and my MP doesn't mind in the slightest that I am aware of the situation. All of us in his office do. He really doesn't care that there is no divide between his private life and his life in work. Just the chaotic way he lives, and always has done.

In my life, however, things are not going too badly. At the weekend I travelled to Ipswich to go watch Swansea play Ipswich in the FA Cup 4th Round. My friend is a big Swansea fan, and I thought I'd go along for some excitement. In the end it wasn't all that entertaining a match, but the atmosphere from the Swansea fans was excellent. I've always loved getting involved in the atmosphere, chanting and singing, though I understand that a lot of people don't. As with a lot of things in my life, I find the socialness of the situation quite fulfilling. It's nice to feel a temporary sort of bond with a lot of people you don't know who really care about something that isn't that important, really. It's a lot of fun. Perhaps not as good when you lose (as Swansea did) but... never mind. Maybe next time. At least it didn't cost much.

The most annoying part of this week has been the fact that I bought a present on lastminute.com on Sunday in the vain hope that it would arrive home by Tuesday for my mum's birthday. I naively assmed that a website that prides itself on "last minute" thoughts would be very good at delivering things to time. It's not unreasonable to assume, and even the website promises immediate despatch, that they should be very good at getting the process in gear quickly so that "last minute" problem is resolved quickly. They didn't. It still hasn't arrived.

Though what did arrive back home was a nice surprise in the form of a cheque refunding, at long last, a lot of money which the taxman has owed me for nearly 18 months. It seems I finally found a sensible employee who read my letter properly, read the evidence, and realised they'd made a mistake. The sad thing is that my refund will just join my pot of money which will just get spent on the sickening cost of living here in London. Though it may actually be the difference between staying afloat and sinking into depressing overdraft. Which is something my chain-smoking, valium-taking, alcoholic friend is not avoiding.

Then there is the mystery of the expensive electricity bill. I'm not actually in the house for around half of the week. Yet the bill is massive, despite the fact we have no immersion heater, no electric fires, and take all the energy saving measures we can (nothing ever on standby, lights off when no one in the room, chargers switched off when not in use, etc.). I can pay it, but I'm a little worried that my housemate may soon tell me he has no money left until the next loan instalment. Which is not for two months. And then I won't be able to pay things.

I'm really fed up of worrying about money. But ever since I came to London I've had little choice. Seriously, I am now beginning to wish I never took this course, or gave more consideration to my fleeting desire to transfer course at the end of second year. That would have been sensible now. At least it's now February. Only four months to go...