Mid month goal check:

15 NSD

I’m currently at 11 NSD and working on making the rest of the week/end count too.  I’ll hopefully exceed this goal since  I can’t currently think of anything I NEED to buy.

4 new job applications

I have two bookmarked, it’s on the list for this week right after I call on my insurances.

31 MOAN days (stopped tracking this when I got sick)

Well crap, I forgot to track this (again). I’ve been trying to work outside or inside every day. Hauling laundry, scooping leaves, cleaning or just walking the dogs.

5 EO days

So far I’ve had 2 days, both this last weekend

Other goals:
-finish bootcamp

Final night is tomorrow, I’m kinda sad to see it end. Okay, really sad. I’ve learned a lot and it’s been a great investment.

-clean out my gutters

Done and let me tell you: disgusting!

-hang Christmas lights

Not going to happen, I need a second person to help so I don’t fall into the rose bushes and the gutters are not the strongest. Next year!

-10 blog posts

This one makes 8

-make contact with nat. mag. editor

Still waiting to hear about the pictures for this magazine. Getting antsy!

-send all cards and presents by the 15th

Nearly succeeded on this one. I have one card and two large envelopes to mail. Hopefully all done by tomorrow.

-finish moving all the dirt

Done!

-1 NaNoWriMo party, 1 Meetup party

Had the NaNoWriMo party, unfortunately I’m going to skip tomorrow’s Meetup party. It’s the final webcast for bootcamp and that takes priority.

-attempt a $0 grocery budget

So far a success with not a single penny spent!

-make a decision about job #2

Eh fail.  I was going to drop this job entirely and just resign myself to Netflix like everyone else on the planet but with job #1 slashing hours 20% I’m going to stick it out.

-pick up another assignment from job #3

I’m stuck on this one too. I need to think of some good ideas to pitch to my editor.

-finish prep work for job #4 training

Still a fail, damn math…

-get my inbox to 0

Working on it! I’m currently down to just six but they’re all things I need to take action on. Sigh.

The month is half gone and I’m halfway through my challenge of spending $0 on food or drinks for the duration. And, oh lordy, have I been whining about it!

It’s not because I’m hungry (don’t say starving unless you want to debate hunger versus starvation with me) or deprived or even out of options. I have a variety of meals and still more in the pantry.

I’m just spoiled. I want more variety. I want what I want when I want it without any worry of the cost.

Basically, I’m a huge whiner.

Luckily most of this whining goes on in my head otherwise I’m sure someone would have strangled me by now.

While driving to and from the Bay Area this weekend I passed approximately 2,000 In & Out Burgers. Actually one just said “Out” because the sign was broken. Hmmmmm burgers. Hmmmm fries. Both things I suck at making on my own at home. Plus me and hot oil is not a good combo. Not a safe combo.

Instead I pulled out my little travel ice chest and had a pb&j.  Have I mentioned the pb&j project? I don’t think so… Oh well, another post for another day. This challenge has meant a few subtle changes to my routine. First is that I immediately throw away all grocery store circular ads. Without reading them. I can’t delude myself into thinking I can go into one and buy shampoo on sale. Ohhh no. In fact the one time I did go in (to cash in coins) I was staring at the floor the entire time. Why, oh why, is the candy display next to the CoinStar?!?

So I don’t look at ads. I also don’t plan my menus. I know, this is counter intuitive to the project but I do feel I need a bit of freedom. Otherwise I rebel, if only against myself. It’s been pretty cold here in California so I’m drinking more hot tea at home and coffee at work. I swear everytime I pass Dutch Brothers coffee the employees there are giving me sad eyes.  I miss their brand of caffeinated crack…

Instead of thinking what restaurant sounds good, where I should pick up a taco (yes the voices are still screaming for tacos), I think about the options I have at home. Should I have the leftover lasagna or make a burrito?  Lemon chicken or a salad? Lemon chicken on a salad? Once I start focusing on what I have, not what I cannot have, my mood improves.

I’m also a crafty little scavenger. I remind myself of the squirrel from the Ice Age movies. Cute little guy, a little obsessive. I took home the Thanksgiving ham from work. My grandparents gave me persimmons which I have no idea what to do with and my parents gave me lemons and avacados.

Sidebar: if you have persimmon recipes, particularly those involving cookies, send ‘em my way!

I cleaned. I know, not a huge surprise but I did empty the fridge, wipe it down and restock. Threw out some stinky food. Used up some other food. Overall tried to be a better cook and consumer.  Next week I hope to tackle the freezers and then the pantry. Oy. The pantry.

Finally, I am so thankful for two ungrumpy old men who enabled me to eat out this weekend without spending. Although I left a clause in the challenge that last weekend would not count since I was on the road both my Grandpa and Old Man Adam were kind enough to pay.  I did have a great time visiting with everyone, drinking, playing games, drinking, losing games (badly too), drinking and sleeping in.  If I ever get two more days off in a row I’ll have to consider coming down again.

But for now I’m working on bootcamp homework and eating dinner at home.

that’s directed at the universe by the way.

Let’s recap this completely fucked up week, shall we?

the water bill came in with a lovely notice telling me exactly how much my costs are going up next year. Thanks.

my chicken shit neighbors called animal control on my dogs for barking. Without any time or duration information, an ounce of proof or ever approaching me to say “hey your dogs bark!” Yes, absolutely freakin’ shocking that dogs bark. To them I say: bite me.

the final cost for my monthly insurance is sent to me. I throw up in response. Represents a 30% increase in my monthly bills.  And if I want to see a doctor or get medication the costs are even worse.

and then my review at work. Yay! you’re doing such a great job, you’re so efficient we will now proceed to cut your hours 20% because we can. We can’t, or won’t, come up with any other possible tasks for you to do, you’re just so talented, dammit! Oh shucks. Oh but we gave you four weeks notice of when you’ll be fucked so… yay?

I’m tired of being a grown up. Of being responsible.

Really, I am.

Here am I, 25 years old, with a house I can actually afford, a college degree and the student loans to prove it, no consumer debt, and a load of grief.

I can’t find a job that will guarantee hours at a livable rate of pay.  I can’t even get an employer who’ll partially cover the sky high costs of medical benefits, recognize legal holidays or pay acceptable holiday pay.

And of all the thing I didn’t do, I never took loan money and went to Europe, I didn’t even upgrade a computer when I needed to, buy nice furniture when I wanted to or do damn near anything on credit. And then I didn’t declare bankruptcy to sweep my money mistakes away.

I finished high school and college on time, I work hard and it doesn’t matter worth a damn.

So I’m tired of being responsible and putting my money aside for a rainy day only to have it pour on me when I’m doing it all right. I took a job with growth potential instead of lazying about on unemployment.

Yes, I’m tired of the government swooping in to save the distressed and stupid among us but even more than that I’m tired of seeing those people prosper while the ones that toil and strive get nowhere.

I have four jobs. I am constantly promoting my freelance work, practicing new skills or keeping my house in order (financial house, work skills, etc.). I am signed up for coaching, training, volunteering and free work. And I’m stuck in the mud spinning my wheels.

But what is there to do but keep spinning until I get traction? There is no other viable alternative.

Although my narcissism dictates that everyone cares about everything I do, I did think it would be a fun exercise to write about this last weekend and all the things that happened. I tend to cram a hundred things into two days, let’s see how this weekend stacks up:

1. Go out shopping for the last few gifts – I hit Salvation Army, Goodwill, JCPenney, Walgreens and Jo-Ann Fabrics. Since my secret santa and a few people getting said gifts may read this blog no pictures yet.

2. Finish my Grandparents’ 12 Days of Christmas Gift Basket:

There’s candy and flavored almonds and a doll and game cards and china and all sorts of goodness all in 12 gifts. Each one has a tag so there are no early opens:

3. Despite being super hungry and tempted I came home to eat instead of having a pretzel at the mall. I “rescued” a nearly whole ham from our Thanksgiving potluck. This totally counts as a $0 grocery day since I got it free. Look at all that meat:

4. I cut off all the fat and saved the meat in a tupperware container

5. Small pieces of the ham went into an omlet

6. I caught my piggy bank doing his upchuck thing:

7. And took the change to dump in a CoinStar machine.  Put in over $40 so I got back a $10 giftcard

8. I washed, sliced and prepped red peppers to be roasted

9.  Looked at recipes for red pepper dip… still looking for one that doesn’t require me to buy any extra ingredients.

10. Turned a basket of walnuts into Christmas decorations:

All you do is take about 4 inches of wire, put the ends together and twist it until the very end is a loop.  Then insert the pointy end into the walnut. There’s a natural groove there where the walnut was attached to the tree. Then attach a piece of ribbon and hang.

11. I finished decorating the entryway mirror

12. Checked in on the dogs and their busy weekend:

13. Cleaned the gunk from the gutters.

14. Used the leaf blower to clean up the sideyard

15. Made cookies for NaNoWriMo party. From scratch.

Okay, okay but I scratched the bag open. All by myself.

16. Picked up 7 books that I had on “the list” for series I’m attempting to complete.

17. Attended NaNoWriMo wrap up party

18. Wrapped presents for my Secret Santa, Pat, Tanya, Katie and my parents.

19. Stopped the puppy from drinking water straight from the Christmas tree reservoir. It’s so hard to say no to this face:

20. Cleaned up the Christmas carnage.

Okay, so maybe a tad short of 100 but still a plenty busy weekend for me!

It’s December 4th and when it comes to my goals I’ve taken all the names and I’m ready to start kicking the asses!

So far my only expenditure has been the cost of two chiropractic visits, $80.  I decided to prepay for my next visit today so I can rack up more No Spend Days. The goal this month is 15, I think… *pulls up list* Here we go!

15 NSD  —-> so far I’m 4/4 (budgeted spending doesn’t count
4 new job applications  ——> working on this right now, I should have my new freelance information up by Monday
31 MOAN days (stopped tracking this when I got sick) —–> pretty sure I’m at 3/4 (today I’m going to clean but maybe not MOAN level)
5 EO days ——> GREAT news on this one! One of the events I was anticipating spending money at was the wrap up NaNoWriMo party. Well instead of going to a restaurant we’re back to the ML’s house for a potluck! Potluck I can do cheap! Tomorrow night is ice cream with Tres but we might eat from my freezer, I have yummy stuff here too.

Other goals:
-finish bootcamp —-> going well, the webcasts this week were fantastic, I’m really getting my monies worth
-clean out my gutters —–> scheduled for tomorrow (runs to google to check weather) Whew, clear and 60 degrees tomorrow. Just need my bucket, gloves, scooper and the ladder!
-hang Christmas lights ——> going to assess hanging options while I’m on the ladder, hoping to get this done Sunday
-10 blog posts ——–> a little behind but this one makes 2
-make contact with nat. mag. editor ——> working on it, I am collecting the photos I want to submit in a folder now and want to get my online portfolio polished up before contacting her. Also, new article comes out on Tuesday the 8th.
-send all cards and presents by the 15th —–> doing pretty good on cards, just a few more that I need envelopes for before sending. Presents however, this might be a close one
-finish moving all the dirt ——> again, a task for this weekend if I can borrow my neighbor’s wheelbarrow
-1 NaNoWriMo party, 1 Meetup party ——-> RSVP’d for both
-attempt a $0 grocery budget ———-> so far a WIN at $0 spent but man, this is hard!
-make a decision about job #2 ———–> still thinking, thinking… thinking
-pick up another assignment from job #3 ————–> working on a few pitch ideas
-finish prep work for job #4 training —————-> gah, epic fail so far. I need to take a 12th grade level 20 minute test. Harder than it seems since my brain is mushy mush when it comes to math.
-get my inbox to 0 ———> trying! I eliminated about half of the emails in my box, still processing the last 30 or so.

Now, for the details because that is where the devil is:

Obviously my biggest challenge is spending $0 to eat and drink in December. What was I thinking? Surely this would be a better challenge for a non-holiday short month like February? And no, Valentines Day is not a holiday, it’s a scam.

The biggest challenge has been silencing my inner me. Our conversations go something like this:

me: tacos?

I’m pretty spoiled, even though it’s just me at home. Usually if I want something for dinner that’s what I have, whether or not I have other food already cooked or if I’ve gone over grocery budget. I tend to justify. A lot. And put things in the freezer and never take them out. Whoops.

So far this month I’ve really enjoyed the meals. Breakfast is usually a toasted english muffin, I had to use idiot proof organization here:

See? Right there by the toaster.  And actually, since I had eggs for breakfast this morning I decided to have toast for dinner. Apparently “a watched pot never boils” translates to “unwatched toast burns and smokes up the kitchen.” I shrugged and scrapped the burnt stuff off in the sink.  Lunch so far has been a quart (I think) of soup from the grocery store. Originally I lamented $5 soup but until I can make another batch of Chicken Tortilla goodness, this will do. And that means just $1.25 per day on lunch.

I finished up the brownies by sharing at work. Made these for Thanksgiving and my brownie-lovin’ cousin never came over so I could share.

You can’t see from this angle but when they were about halfway done I threw a handful of chocolate chips on top. ‘Cause I’m fancy like that.

Dinner has been leftovers, a bit of this and that. I have lasagna in the freezer that I’m thinking of making this weekend. There’s a second lasagna, a whole chicken, enchiladas… it’s clear I’m not going to starve on this budget, even if I don’t get a taco.

When I was growing up this was my brother’s favorite book so I heard it often. And thoughts of this book kept running through my head today. Here’s what contributed to the bad:

A Bad Attitude

Not mine, for once. A co-worker who was more than a little angry at the boss and kept spouting off comments like “she should do this herself!” and “I’m just not going to do it, that’ll teach her!”

Uh, no.

That will teach YOU when you’re unemployed.

Really it began at 8am and continued until well after noon and after about an hour I was begging for mercy. I’m not the person you’re annoyed with, I can’t help you. Stop. Whining.

A Bad Perception

I had a lot of work to get done today and that normally puts me in a very good mood. I like being productive and knocking out projects left and right. Because of the hard work I did last week my monthly statements went much smoother this month.

And my co-workers didn’t seem to understand that I was busy. Granted I was working and not complaining about work so maybe that threw them off. But while I opened and processed my statements a co-worker asked me to do the rest of the mail.

Oh-kay.

Not a big deal, it takes two minutes, max. But if you’re spending ten minutes on the phone every hour (conservative estimate) planning your weekend, you have plenty of time.

The one personal task I needed to accomplish today was drop off payment at my chiropractor’s office three blocks away. Normally I’d take my afternoon break and walk over. Not today.

A Bad Offer

Feeling a bit bad for the complainer and hoping that I could get out of the office and a little longer break I offered to drop off the bank deposit in the afternoon.

The road to hell…

I made said offer when the mail arrived at 11am. I was still processing my monthly statements, have a thick stack of phone bills to review and at least half of my monthly invoices are late meaning there are dozens of calls to make in order to close books Monday by noon.

And while my co-workers take long lunches, chat about their busy jobs and call friends, spouses and kids every half hour I’m in work mode. iPod on, processing as efficiently as possible, taking phone calls and emails as they come.

Then my iPod dies. Not a dead battery even, some random malfunction that I’ll need to fix tonight.

Then my co-worker asks me to copy the checks to be deposited so I can take them to the bank.

Sure, I say. Stupid, Kelly, very stupid.

She gives me the checks at 3:15. I copy them by 3:45 (25 deposits, most with 3-6 checks each). I leave at 3:47. The merchant teller closes by 4:00. I’m in the bank by 3:55. Hand over the checks. Hear my phone beep. It’s the office.

“Wait, don’t deposit those! We forgot to stamp them!”

*facepalm*

The teller managed to reverse the first deposit she’d processed and I returned to the office. Didn’t get my break to run my errand. Didn’t even accomplish the task. Did waste a lot of time doing someone else’s job while they chatted, texted and lazed about all afternoon.

Is it any wonder that the traditional business environment is fraying my last nerve?

If you followed my progress in goals last month (hint: scroll down) then you’ll see my big FAIL was grocery shopping.  Gah. I could probably work in the kitchen for four or five hours and come up with enough meals for six months! They might not be good but… anywho.

The December goals are varied and reflect the changes that I need to be making right now.

-finish bootcamp
-clean out my gutters
-hang Christmas lights
-10 blog posts
-make contact with nat. mag. editor
-send all cards and presents by the 15th
-finish moving all the dirt
-1 NaNoWriMo party, 1 Meetup party
-make a decision about job #2
-pick up another assignment from job #3
-finish prep work for job #4 training
-get my inbox to 0

And the big goal:

-attempt a $0 grocery budget

A little more on this one… it seems that even while my pantry shelves and freezers are over-a-flowing, I keep buying food that’s a) tastier or b) easier. Which totally defeats the purpose of having a nice stock of food if it’s never consumed or by the time I pull it out the layer of frostbite is thicker than the food itself.  So, the goal entails not spending a single penny on foodstuff.  There are a few exceptions (come on, you know me!):

-the aforementioned NaNoWriMo party may be held at a restaurant and thus I will order something. Something small.

-My weekend visiting parents, grandparents and friends means some eating out. I will hope to eat breakfast on the way and a few meals with my grandparents but then I’ll probably have to eat out. (these count as two days, btw)

-two “free pass” days wherein I can have ice cream with Tressa, submit to the call of a taco or have a Christmas pity party (I hate holidays. They suck.) Thankfully I finished NaNoWriMo with the win 36 hours early so I had my celebration lunch on Sunday. Hey, I survived 30 days and 54,000 words without a single coffee shop sit down.

Coffee.

*tear*

Unfortunately the $0 budget means that I can have coffee if it’s a) made at home, b) made at work or c) stolen.  This is gonna be a long month.

Blog: at least 6 posts

This one makes 8!

NaNoWriMo: Kick-off party, at least one write in, complete 50,000 words by December 1st 12:00 AM

And DONE! I finished the month with just a smidge over 54,000 words, went to a halfway mark party and the kick-off party. Next up: wrap up party! We do like to party…

Grocery Budget: under $200

Epic FAIL. I think Mint said my total was around $300 but that might be including the dog food which comes up to $40.  Either way I don’t regret the decision to eat yummy food for Thanksgiving even if I didn’t have guests.

Christmas shopping: purchase rest of gifts and pull out cards

Getting there slowly. I’m wishing planet earth turned sloooooowly. Still need to find a few things. I did pull out the cards and as of today they’re completed and most of the envelopes are addressed too.

Boot camp: complete tasks as assigned, track savings

Week one went really well! I managed to get my FICO score and credit report and I’m working on ways to improve “the number.”  Also saw two webcasts and took a ton of notes. Week two and three are a work in progress.

No Spend Days: 15 complete NSD, 5 CSD under $10

NSD: 9

CSD: 11

SD:  10

Thanksgiving: no nervous breakdown

And DONE.

Sleep: get some

Heh. Epic Fail.

Coffee: try not to get blood in my caffeine system

WIN!

As much as I am loath to admit it: I am a collector.  I keep magazines well past the month or year they arrived and often save pages with the intent of using them for inspiration “some day.”

While I’m nowhere as bad as my parents, I won’t subject you to those pictures, I do need a better way of organizing interesting things for my reference, and hopefully share some of the fun things I’ve found.

Introducing “My Links”

Different from the blogroll of fun sites I visit, the links category will bring up interesting, innovative or just awesome things I come across. Make no mistake, I have not been scouring websites and catalogs to locate such finds. These will mostly come secondhand from magazines or friends, the occasional perusal of a store or website.

So, for the inaugural edition, a website for people like me, unbreakable glasses for the frequently tipsy and fresh fruit from the farm.

I can’t spell worth a dam.  And quite often the word I’m thinking of using is nowhere near the one that I want to be using.  Enter www.onelook.com, a great site that gives access to dozens of dictionaries from Websters to specialized medical tomes.  You can pick your definition from your favorite site or get one look at every definition.

Next, when you and the friends get together to celebrate that perfectly worded research paper and break out the wine,  Govino Wine has a solution for a common problem.  Whether clumsy, drunk or just bent on destruction, expensive stemware can take a beating.  Govino glasses are stemless, shatterproof, reusable, recyclable and only $3 apiece.

And lastly for today, in the chill of November weather and facing a long winter ahead, some spring and summer planning.  Pick Your Own is a site that aggregates orchards and farms that encourage hands on picking in one convenient location.  The site operate year-round and a quick search brings up every state and a few international locations with current produce like apples, pumpkins, winter squash and late season raspberries. Christmas Tree farms are also listed, organic farming is noted with a green link.  The site also gives easy to follow canning and freezing instructions, hints on finding low-cost supplies and provides contact information for the farms.

*yes I know the difference between “dam” and “damn” but feel free to correct me in the comments section anyway