february 2014

does the shortest month of the year deserve a shorter goal list? nah. here are my hopes for february.

work
* be on time
* hoard my time (vac, sick, comp)

wallet
* continue to save money (in anticipation of opening a savings account)
* pay more than the minimum for my credit account
* patience. i want to knock out my credit debt first (at least the small balance) but i know i'm supposed to stay diligent in saving for my emergency fund ($1K).
* continue to think about ditching cable - i pay almost $90 for internet/cable. ridiculous! ...and downgrading my internet. it's all about the benjamins - at least when you're starting out!
* returns: target, office depot, etc.

home
* finish hanging art
* diy under-cabinet lighting
* diy new wreath for entry
* take "leftovers" to m/d's
* set up filing system, file cabinets, etc.
* tackle the laundry room
* tackle the coat closet
i bought some "tall" cabinets from target last weekend and redid my room, except for hanging art. i still need to tweak some things but i think it's almost there..almost done. :)
body
* 10 reps/day push ups
* 20 reps/day air squats
* 30 reps/day sit ups
* 5 min. stretching/day (minimum)

fun
* super bowl party with young pros/young marrieds
* family dinner to celebrate my dad's birthday - i'm making boston cream pie cupcakes

other
* read & ship: historic preservation book, landscape architecture magazine
* dry cleaners
* more donations to durham rescue mission pile is growing, as is one for goodwill!
* valentine's day - friday 2/14
* two year anniversary of our 2nd first date - monday 2/24

it may be hump day and my work day is far from over, but man! i am definitely looking forward to the weekend - especially since it's a long one! what makes this weekend even sweeter? the extra pay check coming my way on friday. since i'm a list-maker, here's what i'm hoping to accomplish friday through monday:
1. open a traditional (branch-based) savings account
2. take cardboard/boxes/big plastics to recycling area
3. trips to rescue mission/goodwill, dry cleaners
4. take remaining items to my parents' house: art, ladder, empty bins, big ladder, etc.
5. invest in a decent shredder
6. invest in a file cabinet (2-drawer)
7. trip to staples: haning file folders, manila file folders, assorted clips, etc.
8. sort/purge/organize: low desser, last tub, work nook
9. hardcore clean session
    a) empty cabinets & drawers / wipe down shelves, doors, etc.
    b) reorganize cabinets & drawers
    c) vacuum
    d) clean bathroom / install new shower head
    e) attach ironing center to wall in lauy room
    f) install additional shelving: laundry room, coat closet
    g) basically - fix laundry room to function better
    h) miscellaneous things that need to be done...
10. hang out with my favorite guy
11. catch up on sleep, laundry, general nonsense
12. meal plan / cook 

i know the list is hefty but i firmly believe it's all doable. i just need discipline and stamina. here are my good intentions for january 2014!

work
* enjoy time off: 1/1 new year's day & 1/20 mlk, jr. day
* be on time, more often
* finish hand-drawn map project
* hoard my vacation hours
wallet
* open savings acct (need at least $300) - emergency fund
* make a sizeable payment on one of my accounts
* returns: belk (makeup), target (wall nails)
body
* 12 for 12 monthly exercise challenge, month #1: reps/day - 10 push ups, 20 air squats, 30 sit ups
* get more sleep! go to bed earlier!: 10:30 bedtime sunday - thursday & 11:30 bedtime friday & saturday
home
* finish hanging art
* diy under cabinet lighting (command strips & string lights)
* diy wreath for front door
* shelving/redo laundry room
* invest in a GOOD shredder
* invest in a file cabinet (or 2)
* sort/purge/organize
fun!/other
* bowling league starts monday 1/6! not enough people + delays so N & I asked for refunds* girls' day out @ shen yun (chinese dancing)* read & ship landscape architecture magazine
* read & ship historic preservation book
* take a load of in-season clothes to the dry cleaners

i have a feeling 2014 is going to be a really great year. starting fresh..take a deep breath..and dive right in! it's my life - no one else is going to live it for me!

two thousand fourteen
financial health:
* FPU Baby Step #1: $1K in the bank
* 0% on Chase ends in October: Pay off balance before interest kicks in
* pay off LLC balance by December
* save, in addition to the Emergency Fund, to be able to pay car insurance in full again in July
* in addition to EF, put at least $500 into a separate accountphysical health:
* 12 for 12 Monthly Exercise Challenges
* train/run in at least 2 races
* cut down/eliminate soda consumption
* drink more H2O!
* quit (for real) & celebrate
* lose some flab/10-15 pounds
* go to bed earlier! Get more sleep!

spiritual health:
* attend worship service and sunday school at least 2x/month
* read 4 Jesus-centered books (that I already own)
* add a devotional to my life?

love life
* find more time for him
* cook more
* kiss more
* more overnights (just sleep people!)

general stuff
* read/return HP book & LA magazine to their owner
* redo/restyle my old bathroom at my parents' house
* sort/purge/organize what's left of mine at their house
** file cabinet?
** additional shelving?
* sort/purge/organize more of my stuff
** file cabinet(s)?
** add shelving to laundry "room"
** adequate storage in coat closet
** adequate storage in my room/closet
* donate to Goodwill, Durham Rescue Mission
* hoard my vacation/sick days

"a year from now, you'll wish you started today." -karen lamb

As 2013 winds down, pause for a moment of reflection. How did this past year turn out? Was it everything you hoped for? More or less? What changes do you want to make in order to make 2014 stellar?

As I look back on the year that will be "last year" in just over a day, I feel really good. Did I stick to my monthly challenges? No, but I haven't had candy since March (chocolate doesn't count). Did I gain some financial ground? Yes, deciding to move was a huge part of that as was taking Dave Ramsey's "Financial Peace University." And I did pay off my car. I find the blue days are fewer and fewer and the desire to be an asset for my new town (job) much more desirable and the added bonus of being able to sleep later by showering at night doesn't hurt.

I have a day to ponder my intentions for the new year...what do I want to get out of this life in 2014? Hmm...

time

holy cow. it's already nearly the end of 2013! time certainly does flies! well, i'm officially living in my new apartment and loving it! i'm still getting settled, organized and getting things hung. also, it's time to decorate for Christmas...the tree is up with lights but no ornaments yet. this week, i'll work on finishing decorating for the holidays (at least my little tree at work is up and decorated) and over the weekend, do my cards to send out on monday. next weekend (12/21), we're gonna have another family christmas meal since neal goes home for christmas every year (& we missed him at thanksgiving this year too!). i don't know when he and i will have "our christmas" - maybe that friday.

anyhow...i split the previous post and this one into two because they just didn't really seem to go together. boys being buttheads (and acknowledging prior butthead-ery) and monthly goals. not exactly a winning combination. hehe.

here are my intentions for December 2013.
regular life...
* Christmas in the Park event with work: F 12/6
* mail book/magazine back to L.S.
* take clothes to dry cleaners
* finish hand-drawn map project for work (this will probably turn into a january task)
* church @ bay leaf
* finish "nesting": organize, decorate & purge
* THE NEW FAMILIARS @ tir na nog Th 12/19
* office closed: T 12/24 - Th 12/26

holiday...* decorate: tree, DIY wreath/garlands, etc. i skimped on decorating this year - only lights on the tree, no ornaments; no holiday wreath on the door (mostly b/c ECU played on 12/23)...
* finish Christmas shopping (grandma & neal)
* finish wrapping gifts
* do DIY gifts* ship gifts by 12/16
* do cards & mail by 12/16
i wish you and yours a blessed holiday season! Merry Christmas!

past relationships

 

in recent weeks, I've had 2 exes reach out. I put off one of them..mostly since I refer to him not by name but as "douchey dude." the other? the other one was referred to as "the great love of my life." remember him? he's still married and doesn't live in nc, so I figured he was safe. one thing I get joy from reconnecting with past likes/loves/etc., is when they apologize for being buttheads. he confessed that he did in fact love me and screwed up with me. I loved him so much back then so it was nice to know that the feelings were, in fact, reciprocated. but, we were young back then and I think, quite honestly, that the way and the magnitude of my love was too much for him. so he married someone else. I hated him for a long time, which I told him. but, it's water under the bridge. if I hadn't loved him the way I had, I don't know that I would know that I am capable of loving a man that much. can I say that I love the boyfriend like that? honestly, no. but, it's situational. the boyfriend has always treated me well, with respect and love. he doesn't use and abuse me like brad did. he doesn't ignore me or only see me when it's convenient for him. he makes time and wants to spend time with me. quite honestly, I've probably been more of the guy of our relationship. but, I do love him and I do care about him. and, when thinking about the prospect of getting engaged and married, I wouldn't want to be married to anyone else. is that enough? I hope so...because it's all I got. has reconnecting surfaced old feelings? probably. but, even if he hadn't gotten married and I wasn't in a serious, monogamous relationship, it probably wouldn't work. I'm a lot of who I was in my 20's but I'm also a world away of my younger self. I firmly believe and hold on to the ideal that if I hadn't done the things I'd done, dated/spent time with the people I shared my time with, had the experiences I had (awesome and utterly sucky)...I wouldn't be who I am, I wouldn't be where I am, and I certainly wouldn't know what I know NOW. life is about decisions and using your decisions to trudge forward. and so, I trudge forward into the last month of 2013.