Well, Halloween is now over and I've started thinking about Christmas. It's my favorite holiday of the year! I decided to ask for more hours at work earlier so I'll start them next Monday. More hours=more pay=more Christmas shopping! I hate skimping on presents and I've been blessed with many friends. I want to give them each a little token...I want to get Honeyman the easy chair that matches the pillows on our new couch and that costs money. And I want to put money aside to go on a real vacation next year; maybe a Caribbean cruise. I've never been to the Caribbean but it's always been a dream of mine. I want to swim with dolphins and get tanned as brown as a nut. My sister and I are also lazily planning a girly weekend in Vegas.
All that costs money. Plus I'd like to pay off all the bills that have accumulated and build up savings. So it's off to work I go.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Saturday, October 2, 2010
There...and back again...
So it's been a while since I last posted. Let's see...I'm back at work. I no longer get to hide in the employee breakroom. Instead I am now on the front lines as a cashier in one of the biggest supermarkets in the tri-state area. It's...interesting. I have come to the conclusion that you'll never learn more about human nature than if you are a cashier. I've been lucky so far, as to not have any truly nasty customers yet. Most of them are just mindless; they don't think. Or they think that because I'm behind the register and taking their money, that I'm somehow beneath them. That I'm there to serve. Let's get one thing straight here and now. Yes, I'm a cashier in a retail store. Yes, you are the customer and yes, we will most likely bend over backwards to meet your wishes. HOWEVER, I am a person just like you. I deserve the same respect and courtesy that you expect and demand from me. I can only do so much; I am not a magician. I cannot read your mind. And sometimes, I really don't think your kid is all that cute. Especially when you allow them to roam all over my conveyor belt, pushing buttons that will eventually mess up YOUR order.
I'm a fairly easy-going gal. I am, by nature, a happy gal. It takes a lot to make me snap. But the more I work at my job, the more I realize I'd rather be with animals. :)
On the plus side, I'm making some money again, which is nice, considering that our rent is now $200 more a month. That may not seem all that much but when you realize that my whole income consists of only a disability check every month and only 16 hours a week at a part-time job, you kind of get the picture. On the plus side, I have found a cheaper way to keep myself in smokes! I know, I know--and I don't want to hear it. Smoking is bad, blah blah blah. Trust me, no smoker is unaware of that fact. But I'm not ready to quit yet. I will one day but not yet. In Pompton Lakes, NJ, at 215 Wanaque Street, there is a store called The Tobacco Depot. www.tobaccodepot.org. It is run by a friendly man named Bill. Bill helps you choose a blend of tobacco, taking into consideration the brand you are already used to, then ssets you up with a RYU Station. This is a giant Roll Your Own machine. It puts the tobacco in the cigarettes for you. And since everything is fresh, there are very little additives, if any. A carton's worth costs me about $35. That gives me a savings of $55. And the cigarettes are really good too. I am a fan.
I also re-joined my gym! I will start on Monday. If there's a Planet Fitness near you, go go go! $10 down and only $10 a month! I am the last person I ever thought would want to go to a gym or to miss it when I couldn't go. I whine about getting in shape and all that but the truth is, I'm pretty lazy. But before I was injured, I found myself going to the gym 4 out of 5 days a week. And actually working out! And liking it! I thought of it as my private time because no one bothers you. I compiled a peppy music playlist on my iPod, appropriately titled "Gym", and just started moving.
Then I got injured. And had to be immobile for 4 months.
But now I'm back. And dead set on getting into shape. I just turned 35. I want to complete all of my personal growth goals by the time I'm 40.
1. Lose weight and get into shape.
2. Get and stay out of debt.
3. Save $10,000 in an emergency savings fund.
4. Start a retirement fund.
5. Go back to school.
6. Learn a few languages.
7. Travel outside of the country.
8. Get lots of tattoos.
9. Finally write at least 1 of the books I always dream of writing.
I know that the longer I wait, the harder everything will be so no time like the present. I was lucky to have gotten a settlement before my injury so I was able to pay off my debts. However, with medical costs, I sunk back into the hole. Not as deep as before, but with an income that's not very high, it's still a source of anxiety for me. I plan, once Thanksgiving is near, to increase my hours at work. I just want to get used to working again first.
That's pretty much all I have for now. I'm going to try real hard to keep this blog updated better.
I'm a fairly easy-going gal. I am, by nature, a happy gal. It takes a lot to make me snap. But the more I work at my job, the more I realize I'd rather be with animals. :)
On the plus side, I'm making some money again, which is nice, considering that our rent is now $200 more a month. That may not seem all that much but when you realize that my whole income consists of only a disability check every month and only 16 hours a week at a part-time job, you kind of get the picture. On the plus side, I have found a cheaper way to keep myself in smokes! I know, I know--and I don't want to hear it. Smoking is bad, blah blah blah. Trust me, no smoker is unaware of that fact. But I'm not ready to quit yet. I will one day but not yet. In Pompton Lakes, NJ, at 215 Wanaque Street, there is a store called The Tobacco Depot. www.tobaccodepot.org. It is run by a friendly man named Bill. Bill helps you choose a blend of tobacco, taking into consideration the brand you are already used to, then ssets you up with a RYU Station. This is a giant Roll Your Own machine. It puts the tobacco in the cigarettes for you. And since everything is fresh, there are very little additives, if any. A carton's worth costs me about $35. That gives me a savings of $55. And the cigarettes are really good too. I am a fan.
I also re-joined my gym! I will start on Monday. If there's a Planet Fitness near you, go go go! $10 down and only $10 a month! I am the last person I ever thought would want to go to a gym or to miss it when I couldn't go. I whine about getting in shape and all that but the truth is, I'm pretty lazy. But before I was injured, I found myself going to the gym 4 out of 5 days a week. And actually working out! And liking it! I thought of it as my private time because no one bothers you. I compiled a peppy music playlist on my iPod, appropriately titled "Gym", and just started moving.
Then I got injured. And had to be immobile for 4 months.
But now I'm back. And dead set on getting into shape. I just turned 35. I want to complete all of my personal growth goals by the time I'm 40.
1. Lose weight and get into shape.
2. Get and stay out of debt.
3. Save $10,000 in an emergency savings fund.
4. Start a retirement fund.
5. Go back to school.
6. Learn a few languages.
7. Travel outside of the country.
8. Get lots of tattoos.
9. Finally write at least 1 of the books I always dream of writing.
I know that the longer I wait, the harder everything will be so no time like the present. I was lucky to have gotten a settlement before my injury so I was able to pay off my debts. However, with medical costs, I sunk back into the hole. Not as deep as before, but with an income that's not very high, it's still a source of anxiety for me. I plan, once Thanksgiving is near, to increase my hours at work. I just want to get used to working again first.
That's pretty much all I have for now. I'm going to try real hard to keep this blog updated better.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
New Stuff!
We broke down and bought a new bedroom set last night! I went along with it because I feel we deserve new stuff and want quality things that will last for years. I think The Honeyman was motivated mainly by the fact that if we bought stuff, OTHER people will deliver it and assemble it. I think that idea was the deal maker for him.
We had already bought blue and tan curtains, which we decided to relegate to the bedroom once it became clear that the living room will now be red and brown.
I had already gone out and found a new comforter that incorporated blue and tan.
The blue in the curtains is lighter than that of the comforter but I like them together anyway.
We are big fans of Bob's Furniture so we went back there and bought a bedroom set last night. Ours will not be white, but chestnut.
I think our new place will be very pretty and I also think that after everything we've been through these last several years, we deserve new things. Pretty new things. I can't wait to see everything put together. Now we just have to find a cute dinette set and I have about an hour and a half between doctor appointments today and a giant KMart near the last doctor's office. I was thinking of getting us a new dinnerware set. We use mismatched pieces from different family members and maybe it would be nice to have a brand-new, matching set of our own. So I plan to at least browse. Famous last words...
We had already bought blue and tan curtains, which we decided to relegate to the bedroom once it became clear that the living room will now be red and brown.
I had already gone out and found a new comforter that incorporated blue and tan.
The blue in the curtains is lighter than that of the comforter but I like them together anyway.
We are big fans of Bob's Furniture so we went back there and bought a bedroom set last night. Ours will not be white, but chestnut.
I think our new place will be very pretty and I also think that after everything we've been through these last several years, we deserve new things. Pretty new things. I can't wait to see everything put together. Now we just have to find a cute dinette set and I have about an hour and a half between doctor appointments today and a giant KMart near the last doctor's office. I was thinking of getting us a new dinnerware set. We use mismatched pieces from different family members and maybe it would be nice to have a brand-new, matching set of our own. So I plan to at least browse. Famous last words...
Monday, June 28, 2010
Books! Shoutouts!
A special thanks to Keely at Adorkably Sinful for the shoutout!
I finished the book I last reported reading, "Burnt Shadows" by Kamila Shamsie. Good book, very sad. That was on Sunday morning. Tonight I just finished reading "Blood Vines" by Erica Spindler.
I finished the book I last reported reading, "Burnt Shadows" by Kamila Shamsie. Good book, very sad. That was on Sunday morning. Tonight I just finished reading "Blood Vines" by Erica Spindler.
Woah, Nellie!
So much has been going on! Where to begin...
Friday, we found out that we were approved for our first choice apartment! We move August 1! The complex is right across from a lake that I hope and plan to be swimming in during the dog days of summer!
So for those of you who make fun of "Dirty Jersey", tell me that view isn't beautiful!
When you walk into the apartment, you enter the living room--where there is closet #1...
From the living room, you enter the kitchen/dining area...
After the kitchen and dining room is the hallway. And guess what? There's a closet there too! Actually two, but I'll get to the second one soon...
Veering off from the hallway one way is the bedroom.
<< A WALK-IN closet!!!
When you leave the bedroom and go down the hallway, you come to the linen closet (a linen closet!) and the bathroom.
And that is my beautiful new home! Now, if you know me, you know what we've been suffering in the place we live now. I have a couple pics of my current kitchen...
The above is my ceiling. The last plumber that was here, after WEEKS of telling my landlady it was pouring and that tiles were falling out, said that the problem is in the faucet of the upstairs shower. That basically, the whole wall behind their shower is rotting and will eventually come down. And if that comes down, along with their tub and toilet, it'll come down through our ceiling. Of the five years we've lived here, this ceiling has been fixed anywhere between 8-12 times. Tomorrow I'll take pictures of the horror that is my back room.
So you can imagine how happy I was to see that--even though a lot smaller--the new kitchen was clean and danger-proof!
That was Friday. That night, my sister K and her man D came for a visit and to go to my town's carnival. I wasn't planning to ride on much, considering how screwed up my back is. But I admit I cheated. I went on the swing ride and loved it! Then I went on the Hurricane, which scared the crap out of me! I had my eyes closed half the ride. Then I went on the Gravitron with D and the swings again with K. We took two rides on something I don't know the name of but remember the bitchy-ass conductor. Then we went on the swings again. D won me a cute little flamingo toy, which I've since named Bert. Bert is a very gay flamingo. I don't really know why.
After the carnival, we went to the diner for coffee and mozzarella sticks where I saw the biggest moth I'VE ever seen. We think it was a luna moth.
It was horrible! It's the dumbest phobia on earth but I can't stand moths or butterflies. Moths more so. I FREAK OUT. Horribly so. It's so embarrassing. And this fucker was just banging away on the glass. I think it knew I can't run.
Saturday I went to a barbeque at my friend's house, which is always fun! Sunday we signed the new lease!
Today, The Honeyman was off work so we bought a new couch for the new place! We already have a beautiful couch but:
a) It's huge...
b) We don't know how to break it apart like the delivery guys did.
c) It will take up too much room in the new place.
Plus, Honeyman figured that if we bought a new one, the delivery guys have to deal with getting it into the apartment, not us. Whatever the logic, it got us a beautiful new couch!
Later tonight, I rested with the furbabies while Honeyman went to the laundromat. (Another high point in the new place: on-site laundry facilities!) Turns out he also went shopping and bought a rug to put in the new living room:
Yes, I know it's upside down but it's rolled up and I can't lift it. So tough.
That was my weekend and then some.
On a comical note:
I have two furbabies. Amma is 8 years old. She's a red tabby who's been traumatized by other cats and people pretty much her whole life. I've had lots of animals over the years but she is, by far, the sweetest creature ever. She's so loving. But she's also the most skittish creature ever. We're taking the introduction of Amma and her new baby brother Ozzy very, very slowly.
The Honeyman gets up very early in the morning. This morning, he's sitting at the computer desk while Amma sniffs around the living room as usual. Then she sees her own reflection in the tv. And freaks out, running inside (yes, INSIDE) the couch to hide. And horrible, nasty person that I am, I found this hilarious.
This is my sweet Honeygirl:
Secondly:
We've had Ozzy for about three weeks now. The rescue lady recommended keeping him in his crate for 3 weeks. I suppose that since she didn't have to sleep in the same building as him, she would suggest that. The first night all he did was cry. Understandably. He was torn from his siblings, in a new place, with strangers. The second night, Honeyman is sitting on the bed watching tv. He ignores Ozzy, thinking maybe then the kitten would be quiet, which he is. Honeyman turns his head to look at the crate. Ozzy jumps on on the metal door, hanging on for dear life, throws his little head back, and howls. Honeyman was shocked I didn't hear the little dude outside, where I was smoking. That was the last night Ozzy spent in his crate. There was no way I could let him stay in there after that. That night, he ran all around the room, exploring and playing. At one point, I saw him in one of the two laundry baskets we keep. (One basket is for weekly laundry, one is for crap we'll probably get rid of but should probably wash, just in case...) I thought it was cute so I didn't do anything.
Of course, tonight is the night Honeyman decided to take that basket to the laundromat. Guess what he finds? Little, tiny, dried up poopies. Ew!!!! When a cat poops outside their box, they are either sick or it's a behavioral thing. I know it was a behavioral thing because that first night free, he also pooped inthe crate. I had been wondering why the hell our bedroom stunk. I clean the litter boxes every day. I wrote the smell off to the disgusting room off the bedroom that is a rotten mess from all the rain leakage. Turns out I was wrong. Now that the poopie is gone, the room smells fine. But of course, again being the horrible, nasty person I am, cracked up when Honeyman told me all about this when he got back home.
This is my little Honeyboy:
How could anyone be mad at a little face like that?! Not me!
Friday, we found out that we were approved for our first choice apartment! We move August 1! The complex is right across from a lake that I hope and plan to be swimming in during the dog days of summer!
So for those of you who make fun of "Dirty Jersey", tell me that view isn't beautiful!
When you walk into the apartment, you enter the living room--where there is closet #1...
From the living room, you enter the kitchen/dining area...
After the kitchen and dining room is the hallway. And guess what? There's a closet there too! Actually two, but I'll get to the second one soon...
Veering off from the hallway one way is the bedroom.
<< A WALK-IN closet!!!
When you leave the bedroom and go down the hallway, you come to the linen closet (a linen closet!) and the bathroom.
And that is my beautiful new home! Now, if you know me, you know what we've been suffering in the place we live now. I have a couple pics of my current kitchen...
The above is my ceiling. The last plumber that was here, after WEEKS of telling my landlady it was pouring and that tiles were falling out, said that the problem is in the faucet of the upstairs shower. That basically, the whole wall behind their shower is rotting and will eventually come down. And if that comes down, along with their tub and toilet, it'll come down through our ceiling. Of the five years we've lived here, this ceiling has been fixed anywhere between 8-12 times. Tomorrow I'll take pictures of the horror that is my back room.
So you can imagine how happy I was to see that--even though a lot smaller--the new kitchen was clean and danger-proof!
That was Friday. That night, my sister K and her man D came for a visit and to go to my town's carnival. I wasn't planning to ride on much, considering how screwed up my back is. But I admit I cheated. I went on the swing ride and loved it! Then I went on the Hurricane, which scared the crap out of me! I had my eyes closed half the ride. Then I went on the Gravitron with D and the swings again with K. We took two rides on something I don't know the name of but remember the bitchy-ass conductor. Then we went on the swings again. D won me a cute little flamingo toy, which I've since named Bert. Bert is a very gay flamingo. I don't really know why.
After the carnival, we went to the diner for coffee and mozzarella sticks where I saw the biggest moth I'VE ever seen. We think it was a luna moth.
It was horrible! It's the dumbest phobia on earth but I can't stand moths or butterflies. Moths more so. I FREAK OUT. Horribly so. It's so embarrassing. And this fucker was just banging away on the glass. I think it knew I can't run.
Saturday I went to a barbeque at my friend's house, which is always fun! Sunday we signed the new lease!
Today, The Honeyman was off work so we bought a new couch for the new place! We already have a beautiful couch but:
a) It's huge...
b) We don't know how to break it apart like the delivery guys did.
c) It will take up too much room in the new place.
Plus, Honeyman figured that if we bought a new one, the delivery guys have to deal with getting it into the apartment, not us. Whatever the logic, it got us a beautiful new couch!
Later tonight, I rested with the furbabies while Honeyman went to the laundromat. (Another high point in the new place: on-site laundry facilities!) Turns out he also went shopping and bought a rug to put in the new living room:
Yes, I know it's upside down but it's rolled up and I can't lift it. So tough.
That was my weekend and then some.
On a comical note:
I have two furbabies. Amma is 8 years old. She's a red tabby who's been traumatized by other cats and people pretty much her whole life. I've had lots of animals over the years but she is, by far, the sweetest creature ever. She's so loving. But she's also the most skittish creature ever. We're taking the introduction of Amma and her new baby brother Ozzy very, very slowly.
The Honeyman gets up very early in the morning. This morning, he's sitting at the computer desk while Amma sniffs around the living room as usual. Then she sees her own reflection in the tv. And freaks out, running inside (yes, INSIDE) the couch to hide. And horrible, nasty person that I am, I found this hilarious.
This is my sweet Honeygirl:
Secondly:
We've had Ozzy for about three weeks now. The rescue lady recommended keeping him in his crate for 3 weeks. I suppose that since she didn't have to sleep in the same building as him, she would suggest that. The first night all he did was cry. Understandably. He was torn from his siblings, in a new place, with strangers. The second night, Honeyman is sitting on the bed watching tv. He ignores Ozzy, thinking maybe then the kitten would be quiet, which he is. Honeyman turns his head to look at the crate. Ozzy jumps on on the metal door, hanging on for dear life, throws his little head back, and howls. Honeyman was shocked I didn't hear the little dude outside, where I was smoking. That was the last night Ozzy spent in his crate. There was no way I could let him stay in there after that. That night, he ran all around the room, exploring and playing. At one point, I saw him in one of the two laundry baskets we keep. (One basket is for weekly laundry, one is for crap we'll probably get rid of but should probably wash, just in case...) I thought it was cute so I didn't do anything.
Of course, tonight is the night Honeyman decided to take that basket to the laundromat. Guess what he finds? Little, tiny, dried up poopies. Ew!!!! When a cat poops outside their box, they are either sick or it's a behavioral thing. I know it was a behavioral thing because that first night free, he also pooped inthe crate. I had been wondering why the hell our bedroom stunk. I clean the litter boxes every day. I wrote the smell off to the disgusting room off the bedroom that is a rotten mess from all the rain leakage. Turns out I was wrong. Now that the poopie is gone, the room smells fine. But of course, again being the horrible, nasty person I am, cracked up when Honeyman told me all about this when he got back home.
This is my little Honeyboy:
How could anyone be mad at a little face like that?! Not me!
Friday, June 25, 2010
New Book!
I just finished "City Of Dragons". Excellent book. Now I am reading "Burnt Shadows" by Kamila Shamsie.
I read really fast so I'll have lots of good books to share!
Yay!!!!
We found a new apartment and sign the papers on Sunday!
We can move in July 15th but our lease here is up July 30th so for 2 weeks, we'll stay here and move in to the other place slowly. The new place is a little smaller but:
1. Clean
2. All in one piece
3. The rain will stay outside where it belongs
4. Quiet and all the neighbors like quiet
5. We'll be able to control our own heat--WITHOUT having to tape ice cubes on the sensor to make it kick on
6. I don't have to worry about any ceilings or walls coming down and killing us or the furkids
7. I can take my coffee to the couch every morning and look out over a pretty lake with swans
8. I won't be embarrassed to have people over
9. It's about $200 more a month but worth it
But because it's smaller, I'm going to have to be ruthless about stuff--what to throw out, give away, keep. The majority of my stuff is notebooks/journals, and books. And my sister and I will go to IKEA and the Christmas Tree Shop to look for storage thingies.
Yay! I'm so excited! And so relieved!
And in a little while, my sister and her man are coming so we can go to my town's carnival!
And tomorrow I have a barbeque to go to at one of my best friends' house!
We can move in July 15th but our lease here is up July 30th so for 2 weeks, we'll stay here and move in to the other place slowly. The new place is a little smaller but:
1. Clean
2. All in one piece
3. The rain will stay outside where it belongs
4. Quiet and all the neighbors like quiet
5. We'll be able to control our own heat--WITHOUT having to tape ice cubes on the sensor to make it kick on
6. I don't have to worry about any ceilings or walls coming down and killing us or the furkids
7. I can take my coffee to the couch every morning and look out over a pretty lake with swans
8. I won't be embarrassed to have people over
9. It's about $200 more a month but worth it
But because it's smaller, I'm going to have to be ruthless about stuff--what to throw out, give away, keep. The majority of my stuff is notebooks/journals, and books. And my sister and I will go to IKEA and the Christmas Tree Shop to look for storage thingies.
Yay! I'm so excited! And so relieved!
And in a little while, my sister and her man are coming so we can go to my town's carnival!
And tomorrow I have a barbeque to go to at one of my best friends' house!
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