Is it really odd that as I'm getting ready to go to sleep I'm actually thinking, "oh good, in a few hours those people camped infront of Best Buy will be able to go home and sleep in a real bed, in a house, not in a parking lot."
Happy Thanksgiving to you ALL!!!
There is SO much to be thank-ful for... endlessly much. Wait, maybe that's it. They really aren't gadget crazed they just wanted to come up with a really clever way to remind themselves, for Thanksgiving, how thankful they are for the little things like a bed, a warm house, a private restroom, running water, you know, not camping in front of an electronics store.
Sorry, I'm possibly going a bit over board but I'm really in shock by the fact that anyone would camp out for a sale.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
There were SEVEN tents set up infront of Best Buy last night when I drove by. Even worse the Best Buy on the other side of town had several people camped out front in sleeping bags, no tents, just them, the bag, and all the elements (in a parking lot... for several days). I'm genuinely so perplexed...
I bought a turkey for $8, originally $18. The food sales are REALLY good right now. This will be my very first time cooking an entire turkey. I've always just done a breast before. I LOVE Thanksgiving dinner!!! The turkey is just for me and my little family. I will make an entire Thanksgiving feast on Saturday once all the family gatherings are over. Baby Abe will get his very own mashed potatoes/ sweet potatoes. I'm glad I didn't have to camp out in a tent for half a week to get my $8 turkey. Oh, goodness. Those people are crazy.
I bought a turkey for $8, originally $18. The food sales are REALLY good right now. This will be my very first time cooking an entire turkey. I've always just done a breast before. I LOVE Thanksgiving dinner!!! The turkey is just for me and my little family. I will make an entire Thanksgiving feast on Saturday once all the family gatherings are over. Baby Abe will get his very own mashed potatoes/ sweet potatoes. I'm glad I didn't have to camp out in a tent for half a week to get my $8 turkey. Oh, goodness. Those people are crazy.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Just Say NO
One day before the big Thanks-giving sales begin (there are GREAT sales on food right now)
Two days before BLACK FRIDAY
and I'm working in 3 stores today (five stores if time permits)... 4 days off of work after that though!!!
Here's to a full day, and weekend, and week for that matter of saving by NOT spending!
I try and give myself these little pep talks. Do they work? Eh, sometimes...
__________________________
Totally off subject: the spammer comments have majorly increased on this blog of mine lately. Is there anyway to keep these folks away? I'm guessing the answer is no. I still haven't turned captcha (or however you spell that nonsense) on because I HATE filling those darn things out. It pretty much always takes me three times to get one that I can guess correctly on. Blogger does a good job of weeding out the spam anyway but still I'm a bit annoyed by all this fake traffic. Ok, enough grouching for today.
Two days before BLACK FRIDAY
and I'm working in 3 stores today (five stores if time permits)... 4 days off of work after that though!!!
Here's to a full day, and weekend, and week for that matter of saving by NOT spending!
I try and give myself these little pep talks. Do they work? Eh, sometimes...
__________________________
Totally off subject: the spammer comments have majorly increased on this blog of mine lately. Is there anyway to keep these folks away? I'm guessing the answer is no. I still haven't turned captcha (or however you spell that nonsense) on because I HATE filling those darn things out. It pretty much always takes me three times to get one that I can guess correctly on. Blogger does a good job of weeding out the spam anyway but still I'm a bit annoyed by all this fake traffic. Ok, enough grouching for today.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Black Friday
It's Tuesday... right?
There are THREE tents set up in front of one of the Best Buy's (electronics store) in town right now for the black Friday sales. THREE!
SERIOUSLY are these people not going to a Thanksgiving dinner? Do they really have three days of free time to not do anything but wait in a tent in a parking lot in front of a store for a sale?!?!? What is worth that?
Just seeing those three tents is making me not want to buy one single thing until this madness is done.
There are THREE tents set up in front of one of the Best Buy's (electronics store) in town right now for the black Friday sales. THREE!
SERIOUSLY are these people not going to a Thanksgiving dinner? Do they really have three days of free time to not do anything but wait in a tent in a parking lot in front of a store for a sale?!?!? What is worth that?
Just seeing those three tents is making me not want to buy one single thing until this madness is done.
SALES, DEALS, DISCOUNTS
Monday was a battle (to say the least) as I imagine this entire week will be. There are so many things I've been putting off purchasing for so long and all at once everything is on sale with additional percentages off and coupons. It's a smorgasbord of savings!
There's this feeling of super shopper invincibility that takes over when you begin to calculate the savings in your mind. The flashing lights, bells, and whistles seems to declare:
There's this feeling of super shopper invincibility that takes over when you begin to calculate the savings in your mind. The flashing lights, bells, and whistles seems to declare:
"Who cares if you can afford it, or need it, or have a spot in your home for it, YOU WANT IT BY GOLLY! And with deals like these you can't say no."Really wishing I didn't work in retail right now!
Sunday Me
The "who do I want to be" exercise went VERY well. I ended up experiencing the most productive day in a very long time.
The list went something like this:
First I decided that "I don't want to BE lazy and messy." This encouraged me to clean up some things I've left undone for quite awhile and helped me not sit down when I knew I could have been attending to things that very much needed attending to. On the weekend it's SOOO easy to just say, "today's my day off... I'll rest." Resting is good, very good. Everyone needs rest but there are things that need attending as well. And I decided this day that I'd rather not be lazy. It went well!
Then I decided that "I want to BE a good wife." Not so much resulted from this except I said, "I will put on some real clothes, not just jammies before my husband gets home from work. Just so I can look like a real person not a bum and also I will try to be nicer than I've been lately. We're both REALLY tired lately and grouchy.
My next thought was "I want to BE charitable and thankful." This mostly led me to thinking about those things. I'm still thinking about them actually. I was reminded that one of my favorite things about thanksgiving are the annual thanksgiving thank-you notes I write. I'd honestly forgotten about them and so hadn't written any. I'd have been so sad if I'd neglected that tradition.
And "I want to BE a good mommy," was on the list. I didn't do much extra but we cuddled a little bit more than normal and I read him several more books than normal.
It was a very good exercise and I felt the need to update you since I said I would. It was neat not so much making a list of things I wanted to do but rather making a list of who I wanted to be. The things I wanted to do then centered around that list. I felt more passionate about the little things I wanted to accomplish because there was a different sort of drive behind each one. It was really just a small change in mind set but it was really cool.
Also, I didn't spend any money.
: )
...who do I want to be today?
The list went something like this:
First I decided that "I don't want to BE lazy and messy." This encouraged me to clean up some things I've left undone for quite awhile and helped me not sit down when I knew I could have been attending to things that very much needed attending to. On the weekend it's SOOO easy to just say, "today's my day off... I'll rest." Resting is good, very good. Everyone needs rest but there are things that need attending as well. And I decided this day that I'd rather not be lazy. It went well!
Then I decided that "I want to BE a good wife." Not so much resulted from this except I said, "I will put on some real clothes, not just jammies before my husband gets home from work. Just so I can look like a real person not a bum and also I will try to be nicer than I've been lately. We're both REALLY tired lately and grouchy.
My next thought was "I want to BE charitable and thankful." This mostly led me to thinking about those things. I'm still thinking about them actually. I was reminded that one of my favorite things about thanksgiving are the annual thanksgiving thank-you notes I write. I'd honestly forgotten about them and so hadn't written any. I'd have been so sad if I'd neglected that tradition.
And "I want to BE a good mommy," was on the list. I didn't do much extra but we cuddled a little bit more than normal and I read him several more books than normal.
It was a very good exercise and I felt the need to update you since I said I would. It was neat not so much making a list of things I wanted to do but rather making a list of who I wanted to be. The things I wanted to do then centered around that list. I felt more passionate about the little things I wanted to accomplish because there was a different sort of drive behind each one. It was really just a small change in mind set but it was really cool.
Also, I didn't spend any money.
: )
...who do I want to be today?
Sunday, November 18, 2012
being me
It's 8am. The babe's been fed. I've munched a corn bread muffin and am slowly sipping some coffee. A full weekend day lies before me. Sitting in silence, ready to part from the computer for a bit, I find myself asking,
"who do I want to be, today?"
I have all I could ever need, and so much more. And today I'm not asking what do I want to do. Not what do I want to spend. Not what do I need. Not what do I desire. Who you are far surpasses what you want (the desires you hold), what you do, and what you have. And I think truly the purchases I make should reflect who I am.
Who do I want to be...
I think I shall return with a list. It sounds a tad "out there" but I'm really speaking in VERY simplistic terms. It's just the wheels in my mind turning really. Ah, what reading does to me : )
"who do I want to be, today?"
I have all I could ever need, and so much more. And today I'm not asking what do I want to do. Not what do I want to spend. Not what do I need. Not what do I desire. Who you are far surpasses what you want (the desires you hold), what you do, and what you have. And I think truly the purchases I make should reflect who I am.
Who do I want to be...
I think I shall return with a list. It sounds a tad "out there" but I'm really speaking in VERY simplistic terms. It's just the wheels in my mind turning really. Ah, what reading does to me : )
Saturday, November 17, 2012
2013
All this silence has gotten me thinkin...
In 2010 I wrote a blog focused on two separate modes of living. The having mode vs. the being mode. I attempted to not purchase stuff. I attempted to notice that which the world has to offer for our enrichment beyond our ability to own it or capture it. I changed.
In 2011 I wrote a blog (this blog) chronicling my attempt to pay off debt and spend less. I acquired less in 2010 but I still wasted money frivolously on food, toiletries; I didn't budget in 2010.
In 2012 I brought a child into this world, forgot about most all life's processes aside from his, and feel that I lived in a bit of a haze.
In 2013 I'm thinking that the me of 2010 and of 2011 should like to team up, pay off debts AND LIVE LIFE at the same time, thinking, noticing the world, growing continuously.
I intend to make the absolute most of the remainder of 2012 but 2013 is looking pretty good to me.
You know what, I didn't spend one single penny today. It's weird when you're just about to head to bed and it dawns on you that you've accidentally had a no spend day.
: )
In 2010 I wrote a blog focused on two separate modes of living. The having mode vs. the being mode. I attempted to not purchase stuff. I attempted to notice that which the world has to offer for our enrichment beyond our ability to own it or capture it. I changed.
In 2011 I wrote a blog (this blog) chronicling my attempt to pay off debt and spend less. I acquired less in 2010 but I still wasted money frivolously on food, toiletries; I didn't budget in 2010.
In 2012 I brought a child into this world, forgot about most all life's processes aside from his, and feel that I lived in a bit of a haze.
In 2013 I'm thinking that the me of 2010 and of 2011 should like to team up, pay off debts AND LIVE LIFE at the same time, thinking, noticing the world, growing continuously.
I intend to make the absolute most of the remainder of 2012 but 2013 is looking pretty good to me.
: )
Silence is Golden
The holidays are fast approaching. The stores are beginning to get busier and folks are getting grouchy already.
I'm genuinely in denial and haven't begun to even think about Christmas (nor have I budgeted anything for it) but I refuse to let this holiday season be a downer. The holidays are meant to bring joy, wonderment, family togetherness, and a wonderful spirit of thanksgiving and giving. Holiday blahs have no right to intrude!
In an effort to prepare for this upcoming season of... delightful busyness I'm imposing silence upon my crazy already busy life. I've noticed alot as of late that I've been using the TV as background noise (possibly as company). I'm not one to even enjoy watching TV. I'm constantly listening to news radio. The election results have put quite a downer on life and the talk talk talk coming out of the air waves isn't really helping. Thus I am forcing myself to cut out the noise, calm down, and chill for at least a week.
Holly days here we come!
I'm genuinely in denial and haven't begun to even think about Christmas (nor have I budgeted anything for it) but I refuse to let this holiday season be a downer. The holidays are meant to bring joy, wonderment, family togetherness, and a wonderful spirit of thanksgiving and giving. Holiday blahs have no right to intrude!
In an effort to prepare for this upcoming season of... delightful busyness I'm imposing silence upon my crazy already busy life. I've noticed alot as of late that I've been using the TV as background noise (possibly as company). I'm not one to even enjoy watching TV. I'm constantly listening to news radio. The election results have put quite a downer on life and the talk talk talk coming out of the air waves isn't really helping. Thus I am forcing myself to cut out the noise, calm down, and chill for at least a week.
Holly days here we come!
Thursday, November 15, 2012
November...
Still here, living like a crazy person, not sure how ANYONE works full time, takes care of a kiddo, maintains a marriage and a home...
I've VERY roughly gone over October's numbers and it looks like I spent an average of $15.36 a day (not including Chicago; the EF was emptied for that venture). And seriously is November really half over?!?!? I haven't even begun to think about Christmas.
I apologize for my absence but I've honestly been living in a fog of robotic work, chores, sleep, work, chores, sleep... "what, a month has gone by? No WAY!"
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