Gaming cons and public sector finances (related only insofar as they pertain directly to me)
Am debating whether or not to go to Warpcon next month. I like Warpcon - primarily for the people and the socialising more than the scheduled gaming experience, which gets less and less organised (and thus accessible) year after year. David enjoyed it last year and would love to go again, and maybe even not be exhausted this time, which would lead to enjoying it even more. He's also been hoping to get DaveJ and/or Ian or anyone really over to experience it, since it's nothing like what they've otherwise experienced. And it's always great to see John Kovalic, and there'll be other people there I otherwise never get to see.
But we're going to Brussels in January, and I really want to get over to Glasgow to visit Dessie and Bria early in the New Year, as I've been promising to visit for over a year now. This is in spite of the fact that we're guaranteed to be in Glasgow mid-Spring for Audrey's christening. We could combine (and may have to), but it'd be nice not to. David's planning on heading home for the week prior to his birthday when his exams are finished, and of course I'll want to join him for his birthday weekend. Then of course there's Itzacon, which I also thoroughly enjoy, and missed last year.
Itzacon and Warpcon are both expensive cons because of the petrol factor, and the fact of having to stay somewhere for three nights. Even cutting it down to two nights and going home on the Sunday (which I'm loathe to do because it involves starting a 3+hr drive at 7pm after a long, sleepless weekend) it's still a chunk of money. David is a student so hasn't got much, living only on his savings. I'm subsidising David, so haven't got much and we'd both like to go to a couple of LT events next year. Also, although public servants complaining about pay cuts is looked on very angrily by everyone else at the moment, I'd just like to point out that despite my basic salary and productivity payments increasing (increments and Changes in Work Practice agreement) increasing to the tune of €260+ a fortnight (pre-tax), and no longer paying €95 a fortnight pension arrears (also pre-tax) I'm currently taking home €80 a fortnight less than I was this time two years ago (and roster/on-call payments are significantly less, but that's separate to the Government-initiated issues), and that's before the 6-7% pay cut from the budget hits. So yeah, I've no mortgage and kids, but I'm paying for 1.5, maybe 1.6 people (we split the bills equally, but I pay €700 of the €900 rent and buy about 3/4 of the groceries/consumables, as I don't want David to have to be worrying about money when he's studying). Oh, and we're paying the "pension levy" despite not having a public pension. Now, I'm by no means poor, but like many others, I'm just a bit fed up of the demonisation going on.
But anyway, back to the point; ultimately I'm not sure I can justify both Warpcon and Itzacon financially, and have to decide which one to drop. Blegh.
But we're going to Brussels in January, and I really want to get over to Glasgow to visit Dessie and Bria early in the New Year, as I've been promising to visit for over a year now. This is in spite of the fact that we're guaranteed to be in Glasgow mid-Spring for Audrey's christening. We could combine (and may have to), but it'd be nice not to. David's planning on heading home for the week prior to his birthday when his exams are finished, and of course I'll want to join him for his birthday weekend. Then of course there's Itzacon, which I also thoroughly enjoy, and missed last year.
Itzacon and Warpcon are both expensive cons because of the petrol factor, and the fact of having to stay somewhere for three nights. Even cutting it down to two nights and going home on the Sunday (which I'm loathe to do because it involves starting a 3+hr drive at 7pm after a long, sleepless weekend) it's still a chunk of money. David is a student so hasn't got much, living only on his savings. I'm subsidising David, so haven't got much and we'd both like to go to a couple of LT events next year. Also, although public servants complaining about pay cuts is looked on very angrily by everyone else at the moment, I'd just like to point out that despite my basic salary and productivity payments increasing (increments and Changes in Work Practice agreement) increasing to the tune of €260+ a fortnight (pre-tax), and no longer paying €95 a fortnight pension arrears (also pre-tax) I'm currently taking home €80 a fortnight less than I was this time two years ago (and roster/on-call payments are significantly less, but that's separate to the Government-initiated issues), and that's before the 6-7% pay cut from the budget hits. So yeah, I've no mortgage and kids, but I'm paying for 1.5, maybe 1.6 people (we split the bills equally, but I pay €700 of the €900 rent and buy about 3/4 of the groceries/consumables, as I don't want David to have to be worrying about money when he's studying). Oh, and we're paying the "pension levy" despite not having a public pension. Now, I'm by no means poor, but like many others, I'm just a bit fed up of the demonisation going on.
But anyway, back to the point; ultimately I'm not sure I can justify both Warpcon and Itzacon financially, and have to decide which one to drop. Blegh.