Sunday, July 29, 2012

11 things

I stole this from Kate at http://kate-my-mind.blogspot.com/

The Rules

  • Each person must post 11 things about themselves.
  • Answer the questions the tagger has set for you.
  • Create 11 questions for the people you have tagged to answer.
  • Choose 11 people and link them in your post.
  • Go to their page and tell them.
  • No tag backs.
1. Do you find yourself creepily obsessed with anyone? I often wonder if I'm the only one who didn't outgrow the adolescent crush thing since no one else seems to talk about it.

Yes sadly, I can be creepily obsessed with old flames...not that I want to date them but I love remembering that I got the better end of the deal (or just plain made the right decision to walk away). But then again I can be creepily obsessed with any little nugget of information. You need some information found (or a person, picture) you come see me; I'll probably be able to hook you up.

2. How would you describe your style. Lazy, easy to wear, no fuss. I'm a jeans and tshirt/sweatshirt kind of gal. Occasionally I will wear wedges instead of tennis shoes or a sweater instead of a sweatshirt and maybe even some make up but that's rare.

3. If you could change professions without worrying about retraining, start up costs or similar realistic concerns-what would you do.

I'm with Kate, I'd be a writer.

4. If you could go back to the version of you that lived ten years ago what (aside from winning lottery numbers and other financial gimmicks) what would you tell yourself?

I'd tell her to lighten up that EVERYTHING will work out fine, that you don't HAVE to have a man to live to share your journey with (it's just a bonus), and stop living beyond your means. Keep only ONE credit card and keep it paid off. It's ok to spend money but you don't HAVE to spend all you earn each month. Saving a lot for a rainy day (or a last minute trip somewhere) is totally worth it.

5. Do you like your blogs funny or serious?

I like light hearted, funny, inquisitive, make you feel good, and maybe even teach you something fun. Of course, I'm not real experienced at writing that type of blog LOL

6. shower or bath?

Shower. whose got time for a bath!?

7. Boxer or briefs?

If I HAVE to choose boxers...but I learned this weekend after watching The Vow that Channing doesn't like to wear either!!

8. Word Association:

I don't understand this one LOL I guess I'm supposed to supply both rather than just one.
Birthday = liberating. I swear each year I get a lil smarter, a lil bolder, a lil less afraid of stepping outside my comfort zone.

9.  If you had to choose a Nom de Plume (pen name) other than what you might currently use on your blog or whatever, what would you choose and why.

Sully Manogue.  My moms dad used to call me Shashonia (sp+native American) because he had a touch of native American in him and said I had the most beautiful dark eyes. Well that's too much of a mouth full so when searching for something meaning dark eyes I see that the irish use the name Sully to indicate someone with dark eyes. Well my moms moms side of the family is Irish and their last name is Manogue. So, if I were ever to find a way to let the creative juices flow and write a book I would use the pen name Sully Manogue.  So remember that!! LOL

10. What conditioner do you use? I'm afraid my hair is fried, lol.

I use some kind of olive oil shampoo and conditioner. found it at Walgreen's and of course since it WORKS they dont' carry it and I have to order it from an online drug store. NOT COOL

11. Do you hate me for choosing you? *evil cackle*.

Ummm no...cuz I stole it from you!!!

11 New Things about me:

1.  I went zip lining for the first time this past weekend. SO. Much. Fun.



2.  I've created a new motivational photo.
This is so not sexy.  It shows the 20 lbs I gained back. LMAO...I look like I have an inner tube under my top!!

3. I love words free and scrabble despite continually getting my rear handed to me. It's amazing how limited my vocabulary is and the fact that I have to rely on a dictionary to come up with a larger than 4 letter word makes me cringe. BUT I"m sure once I overcome the foggy brain and fatigue I'll be coming up with some 120 point words too!

4. I was a single pug mama of two for two weeks STRAIGHT! Hubs had to go out of town for work. While the first week wasn't so bad the second week proved brutal. By Wednesday night I was ready to just shove the dogs outside and go to sleep.

5. Not sure you know this (I'm not sure I've publicly whine about this) but my dogs will NOT poop or pee in our yard. They require a walk to do their business. Sometimes I get lucky and they will only need to go a yard or two. Majority of the time though I must walk them ALL the WAY AROUND THE BLOCK for them to see their peeps and do their business.

6. I told Charter to stuff their over priced Internet up their wazoo and switched to AT&T uverse Internet. So far I can't tell the difference (other than the fact that I'm saving 35 bucks a month).

7. I've learned to embrace my curls. sorta. But I figure since I can't fight them (nothing works to permanently straighten it) I may as well learn to love them. Besides, they are kinda cute (wink).

8. I tried Almond milk for the first time and LOVE IT. I hope its as good for me as I remember others indicating!!

9. I have an appointment on Thursday with a herbalist to see what nutrients my body is lacking that would be causing fatigue, weight gain, and overall crabbiness (yes I know the dr determined I was pre menopausal but he didn't tell me about any natural ways other than "eating right" and exercising to better handle the changes). I'm a bit excited because I'd really like to get my body/mind in sync. 

10.  I'm considering taking my treadmill to Play it Again Sports. I don't use it so why not make some money from it right! I just need to find a truck to haul it there with!

11.  I've decided on my next tattoo...just have to save for it (I have a gift cert for a local artist and I'm hoping it will cover most of it)...
My grandpa drew this on an envelope to my gram back during WW2. I think it will go nicely on my arm band!




Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Wow...

Ok. hmmm...not really sure where to start.

Well, the air conditioning went out on my already paid off car. It actually went out about a week before I consolidated all my loans but for whatever reason it didn't phase me. Until it came time to repair it (the over 100 degree days did me in).  The car cost us $2000 to fix. I also had to rent a car for the week so that I could get to from work (useful for someone needing to pay such a large bill).  I was already "planning" on keeping the car for another 3yrs. Now there is no if's and's or buts. 3 years longer; no sooner...4 years if I'm really fortunate! :O)

Last week, during a poor attempt to jog, I pulled something in my foot. It hurts. REALLY bad (this coming from a woman with 4 tattoos). I made an appointment today with the foot doctor. For August 1st 3 pm. Yeah, not sure I can handle the pain for that long.  Someone at work indicated that it might have something to do with planters fasciitis (which I've suspected I might have) and to get insoles for my shoes. They cost 50 bucks. Thankfully they are supposed to be reimbursable from my flexible spending account through work. As long as they are my budget won't take another hit on something not really planned.

Speaking of FSAs (flexible spending accounts which is money taken out of an employees pay check prior taxes for future health related expenditures) they will allow you to use your pre taxed funds for weight loss procedures but not for weight loss programs. I have NOTHING against gastric bypass surgery-it's a useful tool. However I don't understand why my funds can't go towards gym memberships or weight watchers .  Can anyone explain this to me?

Oh and budget. I've closed the now paid off accounts. And although I'm way over my monthly allotment this month thanks to the car (my er fund is depleted) I notice that I'm not making frivolous purchasesand I'm thinking twice about "buying off the cuff" (I'm asking myself "do you REALLY need this or are you buying it to fill a void?"). I did purchase a 99 cent app (cashtrak) for my iphone to help keep track of my purchases.  I can even take a photo of the receipts and download/email the purchases into a excel sheet to my email. Very cool. Anywho, I'm really confident I will be able to make it through the consolidation without starving AND put a lil something extra into the bank. :O) Debt free in three here I come!! woot woot...

Now if I could get back on track with eating healthy AND exercise!!

Saturday, July 7, 2012

As the dust settles...

Ok. I'm calm now. Things have settled in and most payments have been rec'd at their respective places. This coming week I will be making the calls (or sending the emails) to say "thanks for your business but it's time for me to close the account." and cutting up the cards. I can't even begin to tell you how relieved I am. I know that there will be months were funds will be tight (like next few considering I have to put $1700 into fixing my car thus depleting my "Emergency fund") and I will have to say "no" to invites out. I'm good with that because sometimes we have to make sacrifices to get to where (or what) we want. In three years I can start saving for a vacation to either Alaska, Ireland, Italy, or Hawaii.

To help with budgeting I have downloaded an i-tunes app called Cashtrak. It's a very simple app that allows you to input what you spend and on what. It also allows you to upload a photo of the receipt. There is also a spot where you can put how much your monthly budget so that you can do a running total and you can even email yourself a excel spreadsheet of the information you are inputting. 

For those of you not living in the Midwest, the weather has been incredibly hot. We hit (made) a ten day record for CONSECUTIVE days over a 100 degrees. How proud I feel to know that we have set such a wonderful record. I try and remind myself that there are worse places to be in the world to live. I keep reminding myself of the men and women overseas living in tents, utilizing port-a-potties and mobile showers (IF their lucky), thousands of miles away from home that would give their right arm to be in my shoes right now. When I remember this I ask for forgiveness for being so selfish.

I haven't mentioned this lately but I am really happy to be in my 40's. I feel as if life has REALLY started. I feel as if I finally woke up and could actually see all the possibilities available to me that I deserve to pursue. I also feel as if each year I age I forgive myself a lil more. Don't get me wrong; I don't feel like I am (or ever was) a bad person. I've just made mistakes; mistakes similar to those you or any other "average" person may have made. The biggest "mistake" I forgive myself for is not being perfect. Despite what I was grilled into my head growing up NOTHING is perfect.  Life happens. You do the best you can and move on. Sometimes you repeat a thing or two but who hasn't!