yesterday I made a long list of things to do, and actually crossed off most of them. I was so thankful to have a day 'off' to tackle this stuff! the desk is cleared off, bills paid, the car drives much better with new struts and an alignment (she's at 140,000 miles... hang in there, girl! we've got a ways to go!), money was moved around to accomplish today's coup (more on THAT in a moment), afternoon bubble tea splurge, and VHS-tape-living room-YOGA! the husby and I watched the DVR'd 24 2-hr movie last night, and it was almost more fun for me to watch him watch it than enjoy the actual movie - he does love his 24, and the trailer for the next season totally lit him up.
I was supposed to hit the studio early this morning, but our session got pushed back 'til this afternoon so I did a lot of girly things that got pushed out of the way yesterday: the hair is freshly colored! woo-hoo, thank you Loreal Preference!! the toenails were trimmed, buffed, and painted Beautiful Berry while watching '13 Going On 30'... I forgot how fun that movie is. I'm sipping delicious hot green tea while downloading episodes of an anime series I'll be writing. and... drumroll please... I just scheduled our last payment on our second mortgage. TAKE THAT, debt-snowball!! We've been so blessed, and are excited to add this to the list of things we're thankful for this holiday season.
I was thinking this morning of some of the things I've/we've done this year while watching our budget and trying to be intentional with money... here's a sampling:
* I stopped getting my nails done at salons. except before I got married.
* I have a love of lip product. it's true. but I vowed to not buy anything NEW while I still had tubes laying around. and that's how I discovered how much lip balm/lipstick I already own. that goes for lotion, too. *edit* and shampoo. and soap. in short, I've realized that I have a lot of most things if I just look around to see it.
* I started ordering water when eating out. it's become such a habit that now, to order something else, is a treat.
* I make more coffee at home and take it with me, rather than just hit up Starbucks for a grande soy latte. which I love. ;)
* I cut some travel expenses by taking my own food and being a part of a hotel reward system that lets you earn free nights.
* I remain gym membership-less. I miss it... I'll look forward to having one again soon.
* I cut my personal shopping a lot this past year. Not that I didn't go get something when I needed it or anything.
* I married someone who likes to cook, so we eat at home way more than we go out to eat now. that is a total score.
do you guys have ways you like to save money?
I've got to head out. hope everyone is having a good day!
-m.y.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
campfire
we just got back from a really great night of hanging out, sharing ideas, cooking hotdogs, and eating s'mores in Memorial Park with friends. such a good idea, T & W! I'm really enjoying our small group, you guys. at some point I put my camera in my pocket and forgot to take it out again, but I did manage to grab a few shots:
next time, there WILL be kum-ba-ya. oh yes.
next time, there WILL be kum-ba-ya. oh yes.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
oy.
oh my gracious. what a week it's been. we've continued our 'Couch-to-5K' routine, and all I can say is wow. Ow. I mean, good and all but holy moly what has happened to me?! I've apparently seriously neglected my body in the past... oh, year and a half, and much like a friend who's been blown off one too many times, this girl is ticked. and rickety. I'm not kidding, between the running and reading who knows how many pages of narration to accompany economics and accounting courses this week, as well as a training course on 'fatigue prevention' for an energy company thrown in for good measure, my body/mind is having a tough time of it. I should invest in aspirin. and then we bowled today with a group from church, which was a great time and I loved it. except for the part when, after I'd thrown a killer strike, I did a super-cool, excited, dorky pseudo-cheerleader jump with a twist of exultation... and felt something in my back say 'Hell No.' um, yes, I heard it CLEARLY. of course, I'm way too cool to be the old lady who grabs her back and starts moaning and causing a scene. so I jump around some more to convince everyone how awesome and young and spry I am. that sounds so sad, but it's true! I just sucked it up, affixed a smile to the front of my head, carefully sat down, and nonchalantly felt around to make sure a rib wasn't poking out of my back or anything. and then, because I am a genius, I bowled some more. see how tough I am, Coach Daddy?! I can totally play hurt! my second game was definitely not as good as my first, but HELLO. I was SECRETLY INJURED.
we left the bowling alley and came home. I grabbed one of those fantastic aromatherapy hot pads you heat up in the microwave, and hobbled to the bed. where M wanted me to rub his knee. Knee was apparently also surprised and a little peeved at being asked to bowl today. M eventually proclaimed that we had to go do our run for the day. we were supposed to do it this morning, you see, but the alarm went off and cuddles & pancakes just sounded better to us back then. lesson learned - though I am NOT a morning person, it really is good to get the running portion of the day over with early, before you're tired and broken down. check. mental note made and circled in red. we went to the park, where I gingerly stretched and wondered if I would make it a lap. walking. it's a valid concern - I'm telling you, communication between the body and I has been pretty hostile the past five or so days. we took off around the track... and though it wasn't easy, or pretty, I did the whole thing. and my back seemed to loosen up the more I breathed (gasped for air) and relaxed into it. at the end of our 20-30 minutes of alternating walking/running - that may not seem very long, but it is a 'Couch-to-5K' and we're working our way up - we high-fived and staggered to the car. I forget how it came up, but the words 'hot tub' were mentioned and then there was a lot of affirmative grunting and before we knew it, we had plans to meet M's parents for dinner and then go back to their house for the bubbly soak. I had a delectable veggie plate... that wasn't as healthy as it sounds, but whatever, there was bowling AND running today, and the Bells have a flipping fantastic hot tub. as the jets hit my back, my eyes rolled around in my head and the word 'riches' tumbled out toward my husband, who was angling around to get his hips worked out.
now we're back home - he's in the bedroom reading, and here I am blogging the discovery of physical limitation and age. sigh. I'm sure I'll have some very wise observations to make as all of this continues and we keep on 'keepin' on' in search of good health. the truth is, it was a really wonderful day, and I love my life. but no joke, I need an aspirin and the bed.
*whisper* and the heatpad*
we left the bowling alley and came home. I grabbed one of those fantastic aromatherapy hot pads you heat up in the microwave, and hobbled to the bed. where M wanted me to rub his knee. Knee was apparently also surprised and a little peeved at being asked to bowl today. M eventually proclaimed that we had to go do our run for the day. we were supposed to do it this morning, you see, but the alarm went off and cuddles & pancakes just sounded better to us back then. lesson learned - though I am NOT a morning person, it really is good to get the running portion of the day over with early, before you're tired and broken down. check. mental note made and circled in red. we went to the park, where I gingerly stretched and wondered if I would make it a lap. walking. it's a valid concern - I'm telling you, communication between the body and I has been pretty hostile the past five or so days. we took off around the track... and though it wasn't easy, or pretty, I did the whole thing. and my back seemed to loosen up the more I breathed (gasped for air) and relaxed into it. at the end of our 20-30 minutes of alternating walking/running - that may not seem very long, but it is a 'Couch-to-5K' and we're working our way up - we high-fived and staggered to the car. I forget how it came up, but the words 'hot tub' were mentioned and then there was a lot of affirmative grunting and before we knew it, we had plans to meet M's parents for dinner and then go back to their house for the bubbly soak. I had a delectable veggie plate... that wasn't as healthy as it sounds, but whatever, there was bowling AND running today, and the Bells have a flipping fantastic hot tub. as the jets hit my back, my eyes rolled around in my head and the word 'riches' tumbled out toward my husband, who was angling around to get his hips worked out.
now we're back home - he's in the bedroom reading, and here I am blogging the discovery of physical limitation and age. sigh. I'm sure I'll have some very wise observations to make as all of this continues and we keep on 'keepin' on' in search of good health. the truth is, it was a really wonderful day, and I love my life. but no joke, I need an aspirin and the bed.
*whisper* and the heatpad*
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
another story of "excessive debt and overly rapid expansion"
from Wallet Pop... but I think the original story is from the Wall Street Journal:
Steve & Barry's set to throw in the towel
Posted Nov 18th 2008 7:15AM by Zac Bissonnette
Filed under: Deals, Bad news
After a meteoric rise followed by a swift decent into bankruptcy, Steve & Barry's caught a lifeline when Bay Harbour Management LLC agreed to purchase the company's assets back in August. Bay Harbour hoped to keep 150 of the company's 276 store open. But the sagging economy appears to have dashed those plans.
The Wall Street Journal reports (subscription required) the company "is set to announce this week it will go out of business, according to two people familiar with the situation." All 5,000 employees will be let go after the liquidation, and the company's brand will probably be sold for next to nothing and live on in a much reduced capacity. For example, I could see Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) acquiring the brand to bolster its value-oriented fashion proposition.
What's disappointing is that the Steve & Barry's concept -- reasonably fashionable apparel at ridiculously low prices -- resonated with consumers and was delivering strong sales growth in an extremely difficulty retail environment. With a less ambitious expansion strategy, the company might well have survived and had a bright future.
For now, it's a case study in the dangers of excessive debt and overly rapid expansion.
this is a sad day for fans of S.J.Parker's 'Bitten' line, which was cute and super cheap. does she sell out of another store? anyway, it caught my eye, because of the last few lines. Steve & Barry's was doing well... they just had a lot of debt and had grown too fast to ride out this rocky time. which brings me to my comments/question: I get that the gov wants to prop up certain sectors to keep the economy going, keep people employed, and boost consumer confidence. however, it stands to reason that businesses need to re-evalute what has apparently become The Way to do things. as unsexy as it sounds, why don't we try Growing Slower. Keeping Enough Capital At The Ready. Not Building Our Lives On Credit. I've read and listened to people poo-poo such ideas, saying that such business practices would slow things down horribly. but honestly, do I want to grow my business fast, or well? do you trade steady, sustained progress for the stress of all of your profits going to debt payments while you finance employee paychecks? I understand that banks need to be able to lend, both to consumers and to businesses, but the largest lesson from this whole debaucle is that people across the board were carrying too much debt, without the funds to back it. it seems as though Those Who Are Spending Our Money To Fix This are so... well, fixated on trying to create credit streams and encouraging people to rush back into using them that they're skipping the part where we acknowledge that rampant credit use is part of what took us down to begin with. and THAT omission, in my opinion, has as much to do with current consumer confidence as anything. it's hard to have confidence in these guys... even now, Mr. Paulson and Mr. Bernanke are defending what they've done so far to Congress. people are befuddled. meanwhile, as the media continues to try to scare the fire out of all of us about everything 'plunging!', I choose to believe there's a bright side. maybe consumer numbers are down simply because people realize they don't need as much, maybe they're choosing where to put their money more carefully. in short, maybe Americans are acting wiser than the Fed. which gives me hope that there may actually be good fiscal change in this rough time.
I'll close with a real display of my ignorance. I am completely perplexed about the recent stories of Houston's looming economic troubles due to a dwindling 'energy cushion'. were energy companies not make record profits just two months ago? are their bottom lines THAT affected by monthly trends? when companies are that large, is the concept of 'laying aside excess, or building a huge emergency fund for a rainy day so you can have some stability, run your business and pay your employees in the event of 6 months of rockiness' just a ridiculous idea that doesn't translate when you're dealing with markets and billions of dollars?
Steve & Barry's set to throw in the towel
Posted Nov 18th 2008 7:15AM by Zac Bissonnette
Filed under: Deals, Bad news
After a meteoric rise followed by a swift decent into bankruptcy, Steve & Barry's caught a lifeline when Bay Harbour Management LLC agreed to purchase the company's assets back in August. Bay Harbour hoped to keep 150 of the company's 276 store open. But the sagging economy appears to have dashed those plans.
The Wall Street Journal reports (subscription required) the company "is set to announce this week it will go out of business, according to two people familiar with the situation." All 5,000 employees will be let go after the liquidation, and the company's brand will probably be sold for next to nothing and live on in a much reduced capacity. For example, I could see Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) acquiring the brand to bolster its value-oriented fashion proposition.
What's disappointing is that the Steve & Barry's concept -- reasonably fashionable apparel at ridiculously low prices -- resonated with consumers and was delivering strong sales growth in an extremely difficulty retail environment. With a less ambitious expansion strategy, the company might well have survived and had a bright future.
For now, it's a case study in the dangers of excessive debt and overly rapid expansion.
this is a sad day for fans of S.J.Parker's 'Bitten' line, which was cute and super cheap. does she sell out of another store? anyway, it caught my eye, because of the last few lines. Steve & Barry's was doing well... they just had a lot of debt and had grown too fast to ride out this rocky time. which brings me to my comments/question: I get that the gov wants to prop up certain sectors to keep the economy going, keep people employed, and boost consumer confidence. however, it stands to reason that businesses need to re-evalute what has apparently become The Way to do things. as unsexy as it sounds, why don't we try Growing Slower. Keeping Enough Capital At The Ready. Not Building Our Lives On Credit. I've read and listened to people poo-poo such ideas, saying that such business practices would slow things down horribly. but honestly, do I want to grow my business fast, or well? do you trade steady, sustained progress for the stress of all of your profits going to debt payments while you finance employee paychecks? I understand that banks need to be able to lend, both to consumers and to businesses, but the largest lesson from this whole debaucle is that people across the board were carrying too much debt, without the funds to back it. it seems as though Those Who Are Spending Our Money To Fix This are so... well, fixated on trying to create credit streams and encouraging people to rush back into using them that they're skipping the part where we acknowledge that rampant credit use is part of what took us down to begin with. and THAT omission, in my opinion, has as much to do with current consumer confidence as anything. it's hard to have confidence in these guys... even now, Mr. Paulson and Mr. Bernanke are defending what they've done so far to Congress. people are befuddled. meanwhile, as the media continues to try to scare the fire out of all of us about everything 'plunging!', I choose to believe there's a bright side. maybe consumer numbers are down simply because people realize they don't need as much, maybe they're choosing where to put their money more carefully. in short, maybe Americans are acting wiser than the Fed. which gives me hope that there may actually be good fiscal change in this rough time.
I'll close with a real display of my ignorance. I am completely perplexed about the recent stories of Houston's looming economic troubles due to a dwindling 'energy cushion'. were energy companies not make record profits just two months ago? are their bottom lines THAT affected by monthly trends? when companies are that large, is the concept of 'laying aside excess, or building a huge emergency fund for a rainy day so you can have some stability, run your business and pay your employees in the event of 6 months of rockiness' just a ridiculous idea that doesn't translate when you're dealing with markets and billions of dollars?
Monday, November 17, 2008
silver platter
I have effectively had my butt handed to me the past couple of weeks. Only I really know what that means, but it has to do with anger and fear and control. As I grow older, I really enjoy seeing changes as they've occurred in my life over time, especially behavioral changes. Which is why it's very pointed when I find myself back in old ruts of thinking. Boo on that. What strikes me this time around is how exhausting it is to be stuck obsessing about the actions of others, how drug-like anger is and how easily it takes hold. Whenever I feel this way, it always seems accompanied by the choice to either insert myself into the other person's situation or completely withdraw, and I sway between the two, wondering which is the best way to walk. These days, I tend to stay right where I'm at, stewing but trying to carefully avoid missteps and allow time and God to work things out. Which is progress, but it's still damaging to my insides, the stew of stubborn thoughts and feelings. I do know that there is a third option... something people close to me like to call 'detachment'. From coping.org:
Detachment is the:
Ability to allow people, places, or things the freedom to be themselves.
Holding back from the need to rescue, save, or fix another person from being sick, dysfunctional, or irrational.
Giving another person "the space'' to be him or herself.
Disengaging from an over-enmeshed or dependent relationship with people.
Willingness to accept that you cannot change or control a person, place, or thing.
Developing and maintaining of a safe, emotional distance from someone whom you have previously given a lot of power to affect your emotional outlook on life.
Establishing of emotional boundaries between you and those people you have become overly enmeshed or dependent with in order that all of you might be able to develop your own sense of autonomy and independence.
Process by which you are free to feel your own feelings when you see another person falter and fail and not be led by guilt to feel responsible for their failure or faltering.
Ability to maintain an emotional bond of love, concern, and caring without the negative results of rescuing, enabling, fixing, or controlling.
Placing of all things in life into a healthy, rational perspective and recognizing that there is a need to back away from the uncontrollable and unchangeable realities of life.
Ability to exercise emotional self-protection and prevention so as not to experience greater emotional devastation from having hung on beyond a reasonable and rational point.
Ability to let people you love and care for accept personal responsibility for their own actions and to practice tough love and not give in when they come to you to bail them out when their actions lead to failure or trouble for them.
Ability to allow people to be who they "really are'' rather than who you "want them to be.''
Ability to avoid being hurt, abused, taken advantage of by people who in the past have been overly dependent or enmeshed with you.
I would very much like to follow this pattern of relationship, as I think it is the most loving to everyone at the end of the day. While the word 'detachment' sounds cold and aloof, those are the last adjectives I would use to describe my comrades who seek to practice it.
*****
I am reading!! Seriously, it's something to cheer about. I began life as a voracious reader, and in the past five years have fallen off to the point that I honestly believe my vocab/memory/concentration skills have atrophied. I read our 242 assignment, Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore, last weekend - it was FANTASTIC - and have moved on to C.S. Lewis' The Great Divorce. I'm thankful to feel my brain pulling abstract thoughts together again, to be pulled into a story. It does feel like training a bit, though - my mind wants to wander. or skip the descriptive stuff to get to the plot point. training.
Speaking of training, my husband pulled a very grumpy me from the warm bed this morning to go for a chilly walk/run in our nearby park. We began the 'Couch-to-5K' running plan... which essentially starts by telling you to alternate walking and running 90 to 60 seconds each for 20 minutes. I would love to be able to report that I feel the glow of accomplishment, but the truth is my legs itched from blood rushing into still slumbering and sluggish veins, my feet felt like lead, and I now have a headache. I'm glad I was pushed to do it, though. My body isn't happy with me, and I miss feeling more centered and connected to it.
*****
We saw Quantum of Solace last night. We heard from LontheGrill and her hub that they were a tad confused about the plot, so we watched the last 20 minutes of the first one to brush up before heading to the movie theater. We thoroughly enjoyed it... so action-packed!! and I'll say it... D. Craig is a fine, fine man.
*****
from The Great Divorce:
"What do you keep on arguing for? I'm only telling you the sort of chap I am. I only want my rights. I'm not asking for anybody's bleeding charity."
"Then do. At once. Ask for the Bleeding Charity. Everything is here for the asking and nothing can be bought."
Detachment is the:
Ability to allow people, places, or things the freedom to be themselves.
Holding back from the need to rescue, save, or fix another person from being sick, dysfunctional, or irrational.
Giving another person "the space'' to be him or herself.
Disengaging from an over-enmeshed or dependent relationship with people.
Willingness to accept that you cannot change or control a person, place, or thing.
Developing and maintaining of a safe, emotional distance from someone whom you have previously given a lot of power to affect your emotional outlook on life.
Establishing of emotional boundaries between you and those people you have become overly enmeshed or dependent with in order that all of you might be able to develop your own sense of autonomy and independence.
Process by which you are free to feel your own feelings when you see another person falter and fail and not be led by guilt to feel responsible for their failure or faltering.
Ability to maintain an emotional bond of love, concern, and caring without the negative results of rescuing, enabling, fixing, or controlling.
Placing of all things in life into a healthy, rational perspective and recognizing that there is a need to back away from the uncontrollable and unchangeable realities of life.
Ability to exercise emotional self-protection and prevention so as not to experience greater emotional devastation from having hung on beyond a reasonable and rational point.
Ability to let people you love and care for accept personal responsibility for their own actions and to practice tough love and not give in when they come to you to bail them out when their actions lead to failure or trouble for them.
Ability to allow people to be who they "really are'' rather than who you "want them to be.''
Ability to avoid being hurt, abused, taken advantage of by people who in the past have been overly dependent or enmeshed with you.
I would very much like to follow this pattern of relationship, as I think it is the most loving to everyone at the end of the day. While the word 'detachment' sounds cold and aloof, those are the last adjectives I would use to describe my comrades who seek to practice it.
*****
I am reading!! Seriously, it's something to cheer about. I began life as a voracious reader, and in the past five years have fallen off to the point that I honestly believe my vocab/memory/concentration skills have atrophied. I read our 242 assignment, Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore, last weekend - it was FANTASTIC - and have moved on to C.S. Lewis' The Great Divorce. I'm thankful to feel my brain pulling abstract thoughts together again, to be pulled into a story. It does feel like training a bit, though - my mind wants to wander. or skip the descriptive stuff to get to the plot point. training.
Speaking of training, my husband pulled a very grumpy me from the warm bed this morning to go for a chilly walk/run in our nearby park. We began the 'Couch-to-5K' running plan... which essentially starts by telling you to alternate walking and running 90 to 60 seconds each for 20 minutes. I would love to be able to report that I feel the glow of accomplishment, but the truth is my legs itched from blood rushing into still slumbering and sluggish veins, my feet felt like lead, and I now have a headache. I'm glad I was pushed to do it, though. My body isn't happy with me, and I miss feeling more centered and connected to it.
*****
We saw Quantum of Solace last night. We heard from LontheGrill and her hub that they were a tad confused about the plot, so we watched the last 20 minutes of the first one to brush up before heading to the movie theater. We thoroughly enjoyed it... so action-packed!! and I'll say it... D. Craig is a fine, fine man.
*****
from The Great Divorce:
"What do you keep on arguing for? I'm only telling you the sort of chap I am. I only want my rights. I'm not asking for anybody's bleeding charity."
"Then do. At once. Ask for the Bleeding Charity. Everything is here for the asking and nothing can be bought."
Saturday, November 8, 2008
capturing the moment
dog on his bed, sleeping in the sunlight streaming through the window. me with grandma's afghan on the couch, reading a book. cat curled up beside me. and husby in the other room Alphabetizing and Organizing the Music. the sound of various songs and artists drifts in (currently, it's the Breeders), accompanied by his singing voice. he also talks to the Music. we have had english muffins and french press coffee, and so far I am in love with this day.
Friday, November 7, 2008
friday is wOOt!
for grins, here are a couple of links to some samples of locally animated and produced educational dvds I've gotten to be a part of... the first, Money and Making Change, is geared toward ages 6 and up, and Earth Science is targeting grades 5 and up. I get to voice a penny and a globe, respectively. :) the Rock 'N Learn team is really great, and I'm so thankful to get to work with them.
other bands I remember listening to then were Toad the Wet Sprocket, Edie Brickell, the Indigo Girls, Tori Amos, the Lemonheads, Pearl Jam (honestly, I just loved the song 'Daughter'), an Irish band called The Waterboys, the Sweet Relief album.... and I have NEVER fallen out of love with Journey and the BeeGees.
and can I just say... youtube is flipping addictive. I've spent the last... however long... looking at things like the video below. 10,000 maniacs - mtv unplugged was my ANTHEM one summer in college, and I remember listening to other albums and songs, like Verdi Cries, and being so so melancholy in the way only high schoolers/collegiates really get. it must be said that I'm pretty sure write softly's REM post influenced me a little in my searches... m. stipe and n. merchant were friends (some think they dated, but I dunno) and liked performing together.
other bands I remember listening to then were Toad the Wet Sprocket, Edie Brickell, the Indigo Girls, Tori Amos, the Lemonheads, Pearl Jam (honestly, I just loved the song 'Daughter'), an Irish band called The Waterboys, the Sweet Relief album.... and I have NEVER fallen out of love with Journey and the BeeGees.
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