Over Budget

Balanced budget requirements seem more likely to produce accounting ingenuity than genuinely balanced budgets. ~Thomas Sowell

I was working on my budgeting software today and realised that I'm sooooo over budget this week it's ridiculous! It's all my fault too, I blew $150 on shopping for groceries instead of our normally conservative $100. I think it's 'cos the Boyfriend didn't come with me today so I ended up going really crazy, getting stuff that I normally don't get all in one trip, like 2 different types of cheeses, wine, some indian sauce, cinnamon and cumin. That ish adds up man, it's not joke! On top of that, the day before yesterday, I went into Target to get toothpaste & soap and ended up wheeling out of there with $87 worth of stuff that I didn't realise I needed until I was shelf browsing. I'm soooo not spending any more money this week.

Orlando

I'm looking into an Orlando rental for my boss in June. Does anyone know of any good ones that aren't too atrociously expensive? She's going with her whole family, and they need about four or five rooms including a real kitchen and hopefully a swimming pool. While I'm searching, I think that I'll just throw in accessibility to all the theme parks. You never know what you can find when you aren't looking.

Reality

Remember the friend I told you the other day about the personalized pens? Well, it looks like her pen plan is working for some reason. One of the guys that she handed them out to last weekend actually followed up and called her. He even asked her for a date yesterday, so it looks like her plan worked. Now if only she could get the magic pen to give her a wonderful first date then she would be all set. Unfortch, it doesn't work that way.

Appetite

Appetite is essentially insatiable, and where it operates as a criterion of both action and enjoyment it will infallibly discover congenial agencies of expression. ~Marshall McLuhan

I've been craving junk food for the last 2 days. Not because I'm hungry, but because I think I've reached the plateau of my healthy organic lifestyle. I want curly fries dammit! I haven't had fast food in AGES...and I'm fighting the urge---I really am. I just might end up caving one day. In fact, I almost caved last night but the Boyfriend strongly reminded me that I would be ingesting carcinogens just to satisfy my taste buds. When you put it that way...then hell no, I don't want any!

Hopefully this urge will pass. I'm going to snack on some carrots now. And no...do not suggest me to take some Hoodia just to get over it. Lol!

Awake at 310am

You are probably wondering why I'm up so late tonight. No, it's not just my regular night-owlishness, I'm actually quite tired. I'm doing some market research for the Boyfriend's company. He has a short notice meeting with the investors tomorrow morning, and we've been working on it for hours and hours. I finally sent him to bed so he will be at least reasonably rested. I'm probably going to end up sleeping the whole day. Oh well.

Real Estate

I got a phone call from one of my old college buds yesterday. It's a good thing that I haven't changed my number all these years. She lives on a NC waterfront property and knows that my boss does real estate and was thinking of selling. Even with my mediocre knowledge, I was able to tell her to hold on to it for a few more months. The market is slow now, but looks like it will pick up in the next year. Working for a realtor and being in love with one makes me bound to pick up information about all this right? I hope I was right...

Addictions

Beneath all of these addictions is this disease, this control disease which is the mark of our society. ~Keith Miller

I was talking to a fellow nurse the other day, and she was telling me about treating patients with sickle cell anemia. I had told her some of my more harrowing experiences and she mentioned this one fear, that I think everyone with a chronic pain condition has. The fear of prescription drug addiction.

It's so easy to slip into it. I would like to think that I have more willpower than that to take my hardcore painkillers when I'm not sick---but sometimes it can seem so easy to take Vicodin when all you have is a little headache. I think that's where it starts from. A little pill here when you can't sleep, a little pill there when you are depressed...and eventually it's an avalanche of addiction.

Don't worry, I'm not addicted to narcs and I will never be. I've seen too many lives/families destroyed by various addictions and I refuse to become a part of that.

Vacation

I haven't had a vacation in years. I'd really like to sneak off and just run around on a beach for a while. ~Irene Cara

For some reason, I've been craving a vacation like crazy. It's not because I'm overworked or anything, but it's just 'cos the Boyfriend and I have never taken a *real* vacation together. The one I planned last year ended up falling through cos I feel horrendously sick. And the next one after that didn't go through because we got robbed of all our extra money before we even left for the trip. Anyway, so I'm looking at places to head to sometime this summer and I realised that it's going to be a very hot one. I wish I could afford crewed yacht charters, that would be so dope. The breeze in your hair, the salty sea and being out away from everything, yet with all the amenities close at hand. Such a luxury!

Politics

Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied. ~Otto von Bismarck

My other sister, aka the Genius, has a wonderful blog on politics that is written in the open letter format. Somehow, she does manage to make the 'advice' to the different political figures of today both entertaining and interesting.

It's like something Jon Stewart would say...but it's in a blog format so you can read it at work... Check it out here.

http://dilemma2008.blogspot.com

It's so funny that this time last year, I was the only sister blogging--and now I've gotten them all into it and they've all found their own unique niche. I'm so proud of them.

Pens

We have a natural right to make use of our pens as of our tongue, at our peril, risk and hazard. ~Voltaire

Ooooh, my first Voltaire quote. Now I really do feel like a veritable genius...lol!

I was at my friends' house tonight and needed a pen. She had a box of personalized pens with her name, phone number and email addy. I asked her why in the world she would need personalized pens when she isn't a business entity and she told me that they were for when she went out clubbing. Apparently, handing out pens with your contact info is the new status quo.

"He might lose my card...but a pen is not so easy to lose. In addition, he'll hang on to it days after---even after he's discarded all the cards/phone numbers he got that night so I have a greater chance of getting a callback."

Riiiight. Whatever makes the sun shine in your world honey.

Bald Hair

I don't consider myself bald, I'm just taller than my hair. ~Lucius Annaeus Senecae

Apparently Donald Trump wagered his hair against WWE's Vince McMahon. The wager is that they will both pick wrestlers to rep them on April Fool's Day in Detroit and whoever's wrestler loses has to shave all his hair off.

If Trump lost, he would most probably renege. Plus---isn't that a hair transplant anyway? If you cut it off, does it grow back?

Caffeine

Caffeine. The gateway drug. ~Eddie Vedde

Even though I'm not a huge coffee person...in fact, I absolutely detest coffee, there is something in caffeine that is still quite exotic to me. Once in a while I might have a ROCKSTAR, it's like Red Bull but actually tastes much better. They have 32 oz. cans now and the Boyfriend and I tend to split one, with him drinking the lion's share. Although it's really good, for some reason, I don't feel a kick or extra alert or anything. Maybe I'm just immune to all the gunk they put into it because that's my superpower.

Ha!

Sleep

Sleep is a reward for some, a punishment for others. For all, it is a sanction. ~Isidore Ducasse Lautreamont

My creature of habit-ishness extends in all areas of my life, from what I wear, the order I do my dishes and even the way I sleep. Some say it's an element of OCD-ism, but I just say I'm being particular.

All my life, I've been stunned by the ability of my family members to fall asleep anywhere and everywhere. My dad could be talking to you one minute and totally snoozed out the next. It doesn't matter where he is---he could fall asleep on sleeper sofas, floors, cars and even in a pool of water.

The Boyfriend is the same way and has been known to succumb to sleep wherever. As for me...you guessed it, I have to be on a particular spot of my usual bed, in a particular spooning position before I can even start counting sheep.

And that's why I'm awake now. Because my bed was given up to house guests and the couch is so not going to do tonight. *sigh*

Mirrors

I used to look in the mirror and feel shame, I look in the mirror now and I absolutely love myself. ~ Drew Barrymore

Surprisingly, there are alot of women (and men) that feel this way. I was reading an article in SELF magazine that stated that every woman, regardless of her beauty, status or confidence; has something about her body that if she could, she would change in a heartbeat.

I was thinking about that and wondering, what would I change on me if I could? Perhaps my vanity. Yes, I am very vain. So is the Boyfriend. At least I don't have to ever worry about pricking his pride. It's funny how in the morning we are both rushing for the one mirror to preen in front of while getting ready. He wants to shave, I want to take care of my face. I had to buy two additional makeup mirrors just so I could stop shoving myself in front of him and get my full primping and preening time in.

Painting

I know this blog is supposed to be random musings...but sometimes the thoughts waddling through my head are too random, and often don't make any sense. I was waiting for the Boyfriend to finish pumping gas today at the station, and was staring at this mural for the longest time. The colors are blended together so effortlessly that one can almost imagine it being created flawless. Picking paint colors must be a tedious process, and yet true artists manage it so well and create such lovely masterpeices.

And yes, contrary to my Art Appreciation class, I do think everything else that isn't beautiful is junk.

Life vs. Hollywood

There is such a wide disparity between true life and Hollywood.

In true life, when you hit someone in the face with an object, you get charged with assault. This could garner you up to 90days in prison if they press charges as well as a hefty fine. A celeb gets---5 days community service, that she turns into a fashionable catwalk.

In real life, when you drive erratically, over the speed limit and your booze level is above the state's maximum, you get detained immediately, slammed into jail and your license promptly suspended. In Hollywood, you make up some inane excuse and all charges mysteriously disappear.

In true life, when you get stressed out on life and your babies; you call up your mom, have a take the kids for a few days and take a mini-break or vacation. In Hollywood, you call up your mom, have her take the kids and check into drug rehab.

Ugh.

Morbidity

The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time. ~ Mark Twain

As relaxing as this weekend was it did allow alot of time for introspection. For some reason people around me have been a tad morbid and this did nothing to alleviate my morbid musings. I saw the trailer & interview with Sandra Bullock on the movie Premonition and couldn't even fathom how shattered I would be if something ever happened to my sweetie. I don't even think it would be possible for me to live after that...I would just be existing.

The sad part is that noone would really understand the loss and mourn on the same level that I would be on. The connection we have is so amazing, so symbiotic, that it would be worse than losing a loved one, it would be like losing myself.

Dealing with sickle cell, I've always been aware of my morbidity and the frailness of my body. But even those thoughts don't make me want to throw in the towel, settle back and let my fam collect on my death insurance. I know that if it ever came to it, I would fight for life with every ounce of my being.

I guess that's what being alive is all about.

Night Owl

As much as I complained last week, I actually love my new schedule. It's less time on the road, which leaves me with more time to do other things when I get done working...like read, play on the internet, read blogs and watch tv. Tres fantastique.

I'm trying to find a car insurance quote that actually covers alot, doesn't have a huge deductible or a huge monthly payment. It's outrageous how insurance companies profit off every single car-owning hardworker every year. I'm sure if I Googled or ran the numbers they must take in billions. Grrrrrr.

Moving along, as you can see I really don't have much to say. I should just go to bed.

Daydreams

But the wonderful thing about a honeymoon is traveling with someone you love who you can share experiences with. ~ Diane von Furstenberg

There is so much in this world that is undiscovered. I'm fortunate enough to be with someone that loves travelling and visiting new places as much as I do. My current idea is one of the gorgeous Tuscany villas, preferably one in or close to Siena---which is a place that he loves and assures me that I will too.

My sister Kafo had this package deal that you would get a week in Italy complete with roundtrip airfare for two, provided you did a tour of different villas with the intent of purchasing a time share in the future. I could see us totally doing that and checking out the session just to enjoy the wonderful week in Siena.

I really do have alot of time on my hands...I need to go finish my book!

Water

If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water. ~Loren Eiseley

I'm one of those people who actually enjoys drinking water. I love drinking water so much that I crave it as one would crave a cup of tea or glass of wine. "What would you like to drink?" a host might ask me, and my most frequent response is water. I love, love, LOVE water.

The Boyfriend on the other hand has to be encouraged to hydrate. He's from the school of people that enjoy anything and everything BUT water. He's finally gotten into a good hydration routine, thanks to my studious efforts in refusing to buy large amounts of soda/juice and turning it into a treat.

It seems to be working, but when he's at work he's been slipping up, heading back into the bottled drinks. Apparently his office doesn't stock bottled water, and he absolutely abhors drinking tap water, so his solution is to accept the proffered soda & juices.

My solution? I'm getting him a water bottle filter. Hahaha...no more excuses now:)

Alive and

...still reading.

I know you are missing me, but if life didn't stop interrupting, I would be done already...lol

Gifts

I love giving gifts and I love receiving them. I really like giving little kids extravagant gifts. You see their little faces light up and they get excited. If it's a really good gift, I love receiving it, like jewels, small islands. ~Gina Gershon

Unlike Gina, I'm not really good at giving gifts. Well, I am with close friends and family, but anything outside of that sphere and I'm totally overwhelmed. I'm fortunate that my family just comes out to say what they want as a gift and then I get it knowing the exact shade, color and item they want. That way it never gets returned.

I was asked today by my boss to shop online for first communion gifts. Not having grown up Catholic, I didn't know what was acceptable as a communion gift. Hopefully this website won't lead me astray.

Las Vegas

I've never been to Las Vegas, the city of Sin. It's never been my cup of tea, it seems too glamourous, too sacrosant, too urban and miles away from peaceful. My ideal vacation wouldn't be sweating my pores off as I try to navigate the strip and it's awful traffic and my eyes blanching from the glitterati and flagrant, overt sexuality on the streets.

Apparently however there is a side of Las Vegas that you don't see on tv. It's surburbia, away from the strip, away from all the action and gambling. If you've ever thought of investing in Las Vegas real estate, then perhaps a nice home here would be good for you.

Away...

Some books leave us free and some books make us free. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ooooooo! I'm so giddy right now. I found a bookstore on my lost wanderings driving through traffic in an unknown town yesterday called Half Price Books. They sell used books at...duh, half the price and I think I went a little too giddy in there. I found this book that I've been trying to read for YEARS, the last of a 4-book series that is out of print.

In addition to that, my sister Kafo helped me get found after that and I landed at the bookstore that I was originally trying to get to, Barnes & Noble. I walked out of there with everything for my TBR pile that came out since last October (when I put myself on STRICT budget that I've managed to keep).

The Boyfriend somehow got caught up in the excitement and we both Tivo'd American Idol & the Daily Show to climb into bed early and read until...other excitements claimed us;) He's reading The China Study and is quite engrossed in it.

So there you have it. Currently I'm stuck on the Texas range reading about cowboys and cattle rustlers. I finished Warlord yesterday and plan on starting another one this evening. So don't look for me...I'll find you, once I re-emerge from this wonderful land of books.

Babies

Okay, more on disparity...this comes from watching the Fabulous Life of Celebrity Babies, why in the world would you spend $50,000 on a kids bed when you know that your baby is going to outgrow that crib in less than 3 years and it doesn't even participate in the development of his mind? It's not like the crib is going to make him the next boy genius aka Einstein or something. He's just sleeping in it for goodness' sakes! Ahhh!

Disparity

I've been in bed most of the weekend suffering the adverse sickle cell side effects of over exertion and stress. Besides reading, drifting in and out of drug induced delirium and random phone calls to friends and family, the only other thing I've done was watch ALOT of television. I do believe I tapped out and watched everything recorded on my DVR---I have nothing at all left!

When I was done with that, this afternoon I switched to MTV and started wasting time with the Sweet Sixteen remix. It's a glitzy, glam $300,000+ affair that these spoiled teenagers throw in the name of a birthday party and it just brings to mind the wide disparity between American teens and other teens all over the world. While they are concerned about buying gourmet dog food, dog supplies and cute doggie outfits, teens in Sudan are struggling just trying to find food for their siblings. While their biggest worry is finding the perfect $10,000 dress which they will wear for one occassion and discard, children all over the world are struggling to find their parents lost to war, rebels, natural disasters and famine.

It's so pathetic.

Life

Money can't buy you happiness, but it can buy you a yacht big enough to pull up right alongside it. ~ David Lee Roth.

My sisters and I used to play this 'Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous' type game when we were little. We would pretend to be rich and stylish, jetsetting across the world in via a yacht charter to glamorous parties, events and fashion shows. We would hobknob with known celebrities and act all snobbish and stuff, pretending like our shizz smelled like roses and we were oh-so-fabulous. Of course, after the inanity of our act, we would dissolve in hilarity, realising how ridiculous we were acting and how funny it was.

And yet, the more I inch closer to my goal of financial sufficiency, the more I realise that money really isn't everything. It's been said over and over again, and I used to think that poor people said that to make themselves feel better. But it is true. Because you can buy all the entertainment in the world but not true fun. You can buy people to hang out with, but won't find true, die-hard friends. You can buy everything you want and your heart desires but cannot buy happiness.

Solomon was not more happy rich than he was poor. In Ecclesiastes, he pointed out that all of life is vanity. We are bedazzled daily with images of the rich & successful, and wrongly quantify the meaning of life as being prosperous and rich.

The meaning of life, the secret of life, is contentment. Contentment in whatever phase you find yourself, and happiness in the satisfaction of being the best person you can be in every moment you find yourself in. The meaning of life is finding true love, a family and friends that support and have your back no matter where you are or might be going through. The meaning of life is connecting with people, with spirits, souls and beings from all walks of life and forming genuine friendships and associations in this fast paced world. The meaning of life is having a character that reflects the love of God in your life and shines as an edification of his love. The meaning of life is to savor each day you have, each moment like it was your last and live each to the fullest.

These aren't all just trite phrases or idiosyncrasies of youth. That's life.

Budget

A budget tells us what we can't afford, but it doesn't keep us from buying it. ~William Feather

I'm trying to stay really in my budget nowadays, part of my resolutions for this year, but something here and there keeps popping it's ugly head begging me to purchase it. My boss has this financial reporting software that automatically flags everything she buys that isn't in her budget and deducts it from her 'pocket money', which automatically screws with her shopping sprees. It's like getting a bitch slap from your wallet after overspending for something that wasn't an ultimate necessity. It's actually really good, it does help keep her closer to the budget. Too bad it's not good for smaller households, mostly businesses.

I use Microsoft Money for my finances while the hubby uses Quicken. We both love our versions and hate the thought of switching to something new...but eventually with merging bank accounts and household expenses we are going to have to.

Actually, he's going to be using Microsoft Money, he just doesn't know it yet;)

Blogging Survey

I came across this questionnaire today of a lady researching from Australia the reasons why people blog and it struck me as something that a few of you might be able to relate to and reply to as well. Just reading it brought to mind some of my main reasons for blogging, why I started it, and why I still do it even months after it's inception. If you have a few moments to spare, fill out this questionnaire. It's strictly anonymous. Ciao!

Dear blogger,

We would like to invite you to participate in a research study that
investigates blogging practices, motives for blogging and the ways in which
people explore their identity through blogging. This research is being
conducted by Associate Professor Ann Knowles (principal researcher) and Ms
Danielle Williamson at the Faculty of Life and Social Sciences at Swinburne
University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia.

Your involvement in this research will contribute to increasing
psychologists' understanding of blogging, as well as our understanding of
the period of life between adolescence and adulthood.

Participation in this study involves completing an online questionnaire,
which will take approximately 20 minutes. Your response is totally
anonymous and confidential. The questionnaire is located at:
http://opinio.online.swin.edu.au/s?s=1847.

To participate in this study you must be over 18 years old and have a blog
that is at least one month old, that you update at least monthly. Further
details of this study, including the complaints procedure, are provided at
the beginning of the questionnaire.

If you have any queries regarding this research, please contact either Ann
Knowles (aknowles@groupwise.swin.edu.au) or Danielle Williamson (
Danielle.Williamson@justice.vic.gov.au).

Thank you very much for your time. Your completion of the questionnaire
would be greatly appreciated. If you know of other people who maintain a
blog that may be interested in completing this questionnaire, please
forward them this email invitation.

Yours Sincerely,

Danielle Williamson
Faculty of Life and Social Sciences
Swinburne University of Technology

Dear Mr. President

I came across this today and had to share. No words are necessary.

Well, maybe two. Oloshi buruku!!!

Peace

Here's another out of the public scene area for all you people looking to raise your children in a quiet homestead away from the city. Ellijay real estate has listings for adorable houses in Georgia. This isn't like the previous one I listed, with all those daring activities as the mainstay of the town. Here the highlight of the year is the Apple Festival. Yep--it sounds like a Star's Hollow replica to me.

Computer Woes

The computer is a moron. ~ Peter Drucker

You guys know how addicted I am to my trusty desktop. It's been with me for the last 6 years, the same desktop I had when I upgraded upon graduation from college. While some people would get new computers on moving, I preferred to have my computer shipped the whole 3000+ miles from Baltimore to get it here.

It's a DELL, nothing glamourous, just very functional. I know my 'puter, we are almost like twins, from the clackity keys to the large, bulky 21-inch monitor. I'm used to my computer. I lurve my computer.

Of course, over the years I've souped it up considerably. I've added accessories and all kinds of software. Why am I even blogging about this?

Oh yeah, I'm thinking of getting a computer memory upgrade, just to keep Michael up to speed.

Photoshop

I saw an infomercial on Hoodia last night. The chick in the commercial looked like a computer anagram of what a regular person should look like. I think that they just took a picture of her as she is normally, then photoshopped it to make it look like she started at 300+ lbs and lost it. Call me skeptic, but there is no way in hell I can believe that that shizz works that well and so quickly.

Testing

These hard-working immigrants are part of the fabric of our Nation as surely and completely as those who came before them. And from coast to coast in big cities and small farm towns, they are serving as America's economic backbone and as a source of pride and progress for the future. ~ Luis Gutierrez

I was just browsing the 'net yesterday when an interesting story caught my eye. It seems the Department of Homeland Security has figured out another extroneous way to 'tighten the borders'. Apparently, there is DNA testing for immigration. Eventually the plan is for it to get so advanced that they can just tell from DNA samples if you really are American---or not.

Considering everyone except Native Americans are immigrants---how is this supposed to work? This is the kind of stuff your government wastes it money on. Crapola.

Condos

I feel like moving. Wanderlust is hitting me again. Everywhere around me, it seems like even though the real estate market is really dead, people are still buying homes like crazy. I'm still trying to figure out FICOs and improve my credit to even worry about house shopping yet, but sometimes I can't help myself.

The Boyfriend and I were thinking of moving to a whole 'nother place sometime this year. There are some cute Orlando condos that are just begging for my attention. Maybe a trip to sunny FL might be just the thing to get out of this rainy weather doldrum. The thing about condos is that once you start having kids, you have to upgrade---NOT that there is anything to worry about in that direction for a while, but you guys know how much I hate moving. I would hate to move just to turn around and have to move again in 2 years after I've gotten said condo just the way I like it.

*sigh*