You Call it Quirky, I Call it Good Planning

Sometimes I write with my left hand. I also apply makeup, eat, and do other chores with my left hand.

But, I am not left handed.

I practice using my left hand in case my right hand ever gets lopped off.

Mock me if you will, but it could happen. I use the occasional power tool. I’m more than occasionally clumsy. And I’m a big fan of having a plan B. So practicing writing, typing, and eating with my left hand makes absolute sense to me. I’ve gotten more than one strange look regarding this particular subject, and that’s fine by me.

Know why? Yesterday I hurt my right hand. I’m not really sure how, but it’s all bruisy feeling & apparently there was some bleeding caused by a small cut. I was in the theatre. Since I was busy, had already dropped a few things & bumped my head at least twice, I didn’t even notice until I took off my glove. Yeah, I cut my hand through the safety glove. I’m THAT clumsy.

And now, today, my hand still aches. Typing hurts, but not as much as the constant clicking of the mouse, so I’ve switched it over to my southpaw. Because I’m a planner, people. Except I don’t know how to make it southpaw friendly, so I’m left clicking w/ my middle finger. It took a few inutes, but I’m used to it now.

Try writing/typing more with your inferior hand. It wakes up the brain cells, & your dominate hand will appreciate the break.

The Retronaut. cool site. random pics like this.

The end.

P.S. And yes, I’m in the midst of changing the look of my blog. I haven’t designed the header image yet, so it changes on its own for now. So at least there’s some variety until I find a design I dig. If you have a design you’d like to submit for my header, feel free. If I use it, I’ll write an ode of awesomeness dedicated to you.

A Deal’s A Deal

A couple of months ago I was trying to come up with blog ideas & asked my friend Kresha for ideas. We were eating at the time so most of the ideas stemmed around food….and the world’s best cookie. I’ve made a lot of homemade cookies. I’ve eaten a lot of homemade cookies. I’m a cookie connoisseur. I have a few faves, but had yet to have the world’s best. She, naturally, as many cookie makers do, claimed to have the best. I told her if they were as good as she says, I’d write about it.

Fast forward to today.

I get a request from Kresha for my address. I come home after a long night of rehearsal to find cookies & a recipe in my mailbox. Since it was post rehearsal & i was hungry, I ate half of one before seeing the note about heating it in the microwave. So the other half went into the microwave as directed.

& I can say this: while I can’t rank it as top cookie ever, I can rank it as top cookie bar ever…since technically it was a bar. It’s my new fave for two reasons: 1) it tastes awesome & 2) it has 4 ingredients.

A cookie that tastes that good & only has 4 ingredients? WIN.

So there it is. A deal’s a deal. Kresha makes a darn good cookie bar. maybe even the best. This post doesn’t really do it justice…but, come to think of it, she never specified that I had to write a GOOD blog post.

The end.

UPDATED:

Technically the recipe belongs to Eric, Kresha’s hubs. However, she made the batch that I received. So they both get credit. Unless they don’t want to share the accolades, in which case they can have a cookie duel. I’d be happy to play impartial cookie judge.

Small Talk is my kryptonite

(pre-publish update) I started this post last week. I never finished it.  I’m posting it anyway. Mostly cuz La-Kresha said she wanted to see more blogs. :

So I’m sitting here at Starbuck’s waiting for a fellow lighting designer to come bring me a key to one of the theatre’s I’ll be living in for the next month and the lady beside me is totally having a conversation with her purse. She’s also had a conversation with each of the baristas (one of which is wearing a bow tie, awesome) and I’m doing everything in my power to stare at my computer screen and look busy because I’m afraid we’ll end up talking about coffee. or cats. or the weather.

Oscar Wilde said it best. “Conversation about the weather is the last refuge of the unimaginative.”

Once a guy asked me to name a few things I enjoyed…we were stuck in a very generic line of “getting to know you” questions & I was bored. So I answered with bagpipes. I freakin’ love bagpipes. I can’t remember what else I said I liked, but I’m pretty sure the bagpipes are what scared him away. Oh well. I can’t help my love for celtic music. I also like funerals. I didn’t tell him that, though. But let me tell ya, a bagpiper at a funeral = awesome.

 

Ooh…my lighting compadre just arrived…time to talk lights. He skips the small talk, too. We get along well.

 

(pre-publish update) I can’t even really remember the point of this post. Except maybe if you talk to your purse I may try to avoid you. Even though I talk to my computer & other inanimate objects all the time. I just don’t do it in public. Or that maybe if you see me looking at you but not speaking, it’s because I’m trying to think of something to say. It’s not that I don’t want to get to know you (unless you look like a psycho – stranger danger!), I’m just socially awkward & figure that you’ll run away screaming if I start into a conversation about bagpipes. or funerals. or geodesic domes. I like them, too.

Perhaps you should pick the topic. as long as it’s not weather or politics, I’m in.

The end.

 

There’s More to Life than Bacon

Alternately titled: Things I love Thursday.

Guess what, reader(s): It ain’t just bacon or coffee, despite what you people may think. I was asked the other night if I get tired of being associated with bacon. Sort of.  On the one hand, it’s proof I have awesome taste in meat. On the other hand, it IS weird to hear “I had some bacon & thought of you.” There’s a lot more to me than my meatatarian ways. For example, many would be shocked that I actually eat very little meat. At least by comparison. to me five years ago.  As much as I would love to munch on a slab of bacon, these days I love being healthy even more. High blood pressure is for suckers, yo. So is high cholesterol. Avoid it if you can, even if it means giving up the salty goodness of dead pig consumption.

ANYWAY

Since I need to get back into writing, I’ve deemed Thursdays  “Things I love Thursday” to help give you, my reader, insight not only into me, but insight into all things awesome.

Thing I Love (besides bacon) Numero Uno:

Receiving random emails & postcards for no reason other than to say hello. I have a friend who used to live here but now lives in Hotlanta & sends me random emails for no reason…other than (I assume) to say hello & to make me smile. Today I got an email titled “Can Ya Dig It?” & the only thing in the body of the email was this video:

That’s right. My first received email today was Sammy Davis, Jr singing “Shaft.” Yes, yes I CAN dig it, thank you very much.

Send your posse fun random emails for no reason. It’s good times. Another friend does the same, but on a wider scope (sends to a group of us & not just me, which is fine, too) & usually also adds social commentary. Equally entertaining, but sometimes slightly disturbing. Like this one:

That is a video I DO NOT LOVE, whether poppa daddy tells me to or not. Receiving the email itself: still good times. & now i get a kick out of sending random emails to my peeps for no other reason than to say hello. Note: Don’t send chain emails & try not to send forwards of anything reminiscent of a ”hang in there” kitten poster…unless you’re sending the email to a cat stuck up in a tree. Though I think said cat would be too busy to read your email if it’s hanging on for dear life 30 feet up in the air.  Point: come up with your own randomness. Your friends will appreciate you.

**updated before this post even published**

Sender of the scary “do what daddy says” video just sent this gem.

chicka chicka wow wow. You’re welcome.

Thing I love (beside coffee) Number Two:

Twitter. Why? No Farmville.  No long rants. No entire news feed filled up with videos of the band you had 15 years ago that I have to hide forever. With twitter, say it in 140 characters & get out of the way. It’s beautiful. & a couple of the people I follow come up with the best.hashtags.ever. Or, shall I say #besthashtagsever. 

Plus my audience on twitter (for now) is smaller & more diverse so I can get as random as I want to…in 140 characters or less. & though I haven’t truly figured out how to block a follower yet (directions are for sissies), I have figured out how to be random enough to get certain strangers to unfollow me, and that’s fun in & of itself.

They’ll follow me cuz I follow James Altucher or I mention stuff like “sales training.” BAM, immediately I’ll get notified of five new followers that are directly related to money & want to sell me something. They’re hoping I’ll do the twit pro quo & follow them back. Instead I talk about bacon. Or carnies. Or zombies. Then they go away. You may use that trick if you like.

So feel free to join me on twitter if you like. Just be prepared for zombie carnies.

Thing I love (besides zombies) #3:

This place called the Factory in Downtown Kernersville. It has fun local shops & a thing called “Wine Down Wednesday.” I like to go when I can. It’s got a sweet little vibe to it that I hope expands throughout K-Vegas. Plus I get to listen to the friends play the fun music.  They have a little band called Charity Case & all their proceeds go towards getting fresh water to those in developing nations. & here’s a photo:

Good music, good times, and khaki pants.

P.S. They’re playing at The Factory again on Sept.23 from 7-9. Come enjoy a glass of wine, listen to some tunes, and drop some cash in their tip bowl. That cash will go to a great cause. & you’ll have a great time. I call that a win win, people.

What 7 Days of No Spending Taught Me

Ok first, if you’re a WFMY viewer that caught the story on tv & don’t know me personally, here’s a few things about me:

I own a home so I have a mortgage. My car is paid for. I have basic cable. I own a dog. I don’t budget as well as I should.   Sometimes I use a credit card. My spending habits are not horrible, but there is definitely room for improvement. I could spend less & give more, & I could save more.

I did this experiment because Tanya asked me to. Plus, I love a challenge. I also thought it would be a good way to evaluate what spending habits need alterations since I have a little debt that I need to get rid of before I get into financial trouble…again. I’ve been there before, & I’d like to not go down that road again.

That was a long time ago. In my early 20′s I was in a situation that ultimately led to a really crappy credit score. I couldn’t even rent an apartment on my own. I got out of the situation, found some people that needed a roommate, got a second job, and started climbing out of the hole. It took a long time. One of my jobs was as a waitress at a fish restaurant (i hate fish) and they would let us take home the leftover baked potatos when they overprepared…and many nights that kept me fed.

I don’t eat a lot of baked potatos these days.

So now you know that I know what it’s like to be crazy broke. I also know that it’s possible to climb out of that debt hole, and that it’s possible to do it without filing for bankruptcy. I’m a firm believer that if you borrow it, ya gotta pay it back. No matter how long it takes or how much interest it costs. I made the bad choices, I had to pay for them. It’s called accepting responsibility.

Bad habits are hard to change. Yes, I fixed my credit. I went from not being able to rent a studio apartment to being able to buy a home. I finally got almost completely out of debt (except for the mortgage) and stayed out of debt for a few months…but I didn’t completely fix my spending habits apparently, and I now carry a little bit of debt again. Blast that credit card.

So. That’s why I did this experiment…that, and like I said, Tanya asked me to.

Here’s what I learned:

1) I have more than I need.

2) I waste a lot of money on frivolous things.

3) I need to be more thankful for the things I’ve got, even what we Americans consider basic needs. Globally there are people that don’t have electricity or running water. I heart air conditioning.

Here’s what I plan to do going forward:

1) Spend less & save more (duh!)

2) Bring my lunch to work more often.

3) Find more free activities to do.

4) Give more, cuz my needs are more than covered.

5) Not use my credit card.

Here’s how to cut spending (which you probably already know but may be a good reminder.)

1) Evaluate. Evaluate where you’re spending your money right now.

2) Plan. Plan. Plan. Plan your meals, your trips, your activities.

3) Shop wisely. Use coupons, make a list before you go to the store. Comparison shop for everything. Everything. Get the best deal out there. It takes extra time but will save you money.

4) Learn to cook. Seriously. Everyone needs a break from cooking, but if you eat out more than you eat in, then you need to learn to cook. There are PLENTY of websites that will give you recipes & directions. It’s not rocket science, people, and you can save TONS. If you plan your meals in advance & use similar ingredients nothing goes to waste & your taste buds won’t get bored. Tomatos can be used MANY different ways. & if you know how to cook you can eat healthy. It really doesn’t cost more to eat healthy. Eating healthy will save you money in doctor bills. Just sayin’.

5) Don’t get a gym membership (or any other membership) unless you plan on using it at least 3 times a week. If you’re not using it that often, your hard earned money is essentially going into some other dude’s pocket & he’s getting rich off your slackness. You can walk & run & do pushups for free.

6) Buy only the plan you need. This goes for your phone, internet, insurance and cable. If you’re paying a ton of money for channels you never watch or are finding yourself in front of the tv more than doing more useful activities, then cut it. Your hard earned money is once again going into some already rich dude’s pocket while you’re sitting on the sofa. You can watch WFMY on basic cable. You’re welcome, WFMY.

7) Budget. I probably should have put this more towards the top of the list, but I didn’t. I highly recommend Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace program. Following his advice got me out of debt last year…and though I’ve faltered a little I know if I get back on it, I’ll be out of debt again in no time. Make your money work for you. Budget.

8) Drop your bad habits. I’m just sayin’. I’m talkin’ about the stuff that’ll kill ya in the end, not coffee. Just buy cheaper coffee. If it’s an addiction, pay the money to get the help you need. You’ll save more than just money, you’ll save your life.  I smoked for 16 years, so I know it’s tough. I will always be an addict, I will always struggle with my desire for nicotine.  So I know. It’s hard, but you have to do it. That is all.

9) Give. Give & you will get. Trust me on this. Be generous. Volunteer. Take a meal to a friend. Buy someone a coffee. Whatever. Just give. You will make someone smile, and that’s worth more than money.

10) Realize that you really cannot buy happiness. Happiness is free, and is not found in food, clothing, or anything else inanimate you bring into your house.

11) Find free stuff to do. Check out Smitty’s Notes, Digtriad, YesWeekly, GoTriad, and any other handy website you can find. Use social media to your advantage.

12) Barter. You have skills that your friends do not, and vice versa. Trade out those skills. I paint some walls for my electrician. He’s going to add some outlets for me.

13) Forget about everything I just said & get a sugardaddy. That’ll work, too. (I kid, of course, though kudos to you if you find one. Ha)

If you just use common sense you’ll be all right. You already know most of this stuff anyway. Just apply it.

OOH! If you’re struggling financially right now, above all the other stuff I said, remember this. You’re not alone. You can fix it. Hold on to your hope, your faith, and your sense of humor, cuz you’re gonna need ‘em…way more than you will ever need money.

This officially ends the NoSpend blogfest. It’s been fun, but I’m ready to write about other topics. Like zombies. Money isn’t really important during a zombie apocalypse. Perspective. You’re welcome.

Day 8 – Oh wait, I’m FREE!

(post written 7/4 for a WFMY story that concludes on 7/18)

It’s the 4th of July! Hooray & hurrah! It’s time to go to the K-Vegas Parade w/ all my peeps & watch the kids scamper for free candy. Good times. & I can spend money again, woohoo! Celebratin’ my freedom in more ways than one today. woot. I’m taking my Starbuck’s card to grab an iced coffee on the way to the parade.

Head downstairs, get in car, put key in ignition. Turn key…nothin’. Turn key again…nothin’. WHY IS MY BATTERY DEAD? Am I SERIOUSLY going to have to buy a new battery? THAT’S gonna be my first purchase after seven days of no spending?? REALLY?? & WHY is it dead? sigh. & then I realize I left the dome light on after videotaping the gas gauge & last entry for the story. awesome. just. awesome.

Diva alert text sent to the others: “My car battery is dead dead dead. Enjoy the parade.”

Elesha texts back: “We’re leaving the house in the jeep right now. Want a jump?”

Me: “Yes please.”

Once again, Elesha & the family save the day. That’s three times in 8 days. We push my car out of the garage & get it positioned so her hubs can attach all the necessary cords. Turn key. Engine turns once & stops. We chat for a bit. Their 4 year old waves at me from the back of the jeep. He’s wearing spiderman gloves in 80 degree weather, cuz that’s how he rolls. I love their kids. Turn key again. Engine turns over…turns over again…& it all finally catches. Battery revived! woot!! Happy dance. I close the garage door & follow them to the parade. I skip Starbuck’s in case I can’t get the battery started again after picking up the coffee. We park & head to the parade.

It’s really hot. I’m really thirsty. The first thing I buy after 7 days is not a new car battery (thankfully) but a diet coke from Ms.Winner’s. $1.59 well spent. I do not really regret that purchase. Kinda wish I’d packed my water, but hey, a diet coke is better than a car battery. And I did kinda predict it what with my dream and all. Maybe I’m psychic. Or maybe I really missed diet coke.

We sweat as we watch the deliciously bizarre small town parade, complete with old man in a baby costume who asks one of the diva hubbies if he’ll be his daddy (really, seriously), get pictures made of the madness, and head back to the cars. Elesha’s jeep & my car are the only ones left in that parking lot & somehow I’ve managed to park in the one spot of shade. Today is a good day. Old Blue struggles to start, but the engine turns over & we go our separate ways.

Still mentally in “no spend” mode, at least as far as food goes, I come home and eat lunch. It’s too hot to mow & I don’t do yardwork on holidays anyway, so I decide to go shopping. It’s a holiday, I want something festive. I go to Target…nothing. I go to Rugged Warehouse…nothing. I go to Maurice’s…nothing. I go to Kohl’s…nothing. Ok, so each actually had stuff that I COULD buy, but somehow I’m not in the mood to actually spend the money. Nothing seems worth it. It’s all suddenly too expensive, or I don’t want it enough, or it doesn’t fit right…whatever.

Ok, time to prepare for the annual Diva cookout. I bring the deviled eggs. Also a tradition. I still have plenty of eggs left so I whip those up. I decide I want to make something else but I don’t feel like going to the store. What’s left in the ol’ fridge, I wonder? Not much. Not much at all. I have a half jar of salsa, cheese in the cheese drawer, meat in the freezer, fozen veggies, and a fridge door full of condiments. Check the pantry. Why do I have so many crackers? OOH, black olives. I take the cream cheese, colby cheese, salsa, hot sauce and black olives, and make a dip. Bland. Add fajita spice. Much better. Cheese spread & crackers it is.

Put the cheese spread & deviled eggs in the fridge to chill. Sloth on sofa for 30 minutes. Change clothes. Go to cookout.

Due to rain, the cookout has become a cook in. The men manage to get the meat grilled before the rain starts. I skip the meat due to having VIP tickets to the Dash game (free food & beer, THANK YOU.) At 7 we head through the rain to pick up our friends & head to the game.

I feel bad for the regular seat holders. They’re all huddled under the sheltered area waiting for the rain to stop. Total troopers. The rain doesn’t seem to dampen their spirits at all, though. We head upstairs to a very nice, dry room with a full bar & tons of food. mmmm, bratwurst. Thanks kind season ticket holder for giving us your seats!!!

The game starts at 8:40. We have the best seats in the house. Directly behind home plate, perfect view of the the game & a double rainbow.  Thanks again, friend!  The game lasts until midnight. We stick it out even though we all have to work in the morning because, hello, we want to see the fireworks. We’re tired, but the fireworks are beautiful. I love fireworks. LOVE them. Wish I was a pyrotechnic. Fight game traffic, drive home, go to bed.

Fun-filled day, and thanks to still having food & receiving a jump start & free tickets, it only cost me $1.59.

My friends are awesome. Thanks for gettin’ me through the week, peeps.

Day 7 – All I want is a diet coke

(post written on 7/3 for a story that airs 7/17)

Last night I dreamed I was at the beach, on day 7 of the no spend week, and apparently really thirsty. In the dream I went to a vending machine, got a diet coke, and drank the whole thing in under a minute…& then I realized I was still doing the experiment and got super upset because I blew the whole thing on a stupid soda.

Panic set in & I woke up.

First thought of the day: Remember to take travel mug of coffee to church. Will be there 4.5 hours. Don’t get thirsty.

Second thought of the day: Come home directly after church & don’t leave the house. Gotta make it to midnight.

So I did. Donned the DJ costume & went to church. Listened to the love message again, enjoyed the disco ball, the music, & the people & came directly home. My friend Gina gave me a Starbuck’s gift card (cuz she’s awesome) but I was afraid to go into ANY store, so I’ll save that for another day. Plus I was highly caffeinated by the time I got home (thanks to the church’s free coffee, my mug stayed full.) Changed out of costume into comfy clothes. Still too hot to mow and since my front yard grows REALLY slow (lots of trees & shade) it’s not yet an eyesore to the neighborhood. My half completed walkway may be, but I can’t buy any more pavers yet so that’s just too bad. The bunnies & chipmunks don’t seem to mind that the bushes are completely jacked up & overgrown, so that can wait, too. The backyard isn’t really visible to the neighborhood (yay for overgrown trees) so nobody has to look at it except my next door neighbors, & they’re used to it. cuz they rock.

My house is already uber clean (I mean really, I already did the baseboards) so I decided to actually take a day of rest. It’s RARE. The no money thing has managed to slow me down a bit, but I still managed to by busy all week & usually I’m not home enough to sloth, so today became a very rare Sloth Day Sunday.

Me. Cozy clothes. Sleeping dog. Sofa. Fun movies on ABC Family. All.Day.Long.

By the way. I have basic cable. I’ve had basic cable for years. I refuse to overpay for a gazillion channels that I don’t watch. DVR would be nice, but again, I’d be paying for something I wouldn’t use often. I refuse to be that attached to a tv. I mean seriously. Why am I going to work hard to pay that much money for that many channels so I can sit on my butt & do nothing all the time? Once in awhile, sure…but I refuse to be addicted to television. Take that, Time Warner. It’s about moderation, people.

Oh snap. I just learned something about my spending habits. You win this round, moderation! Target & Starbuck’s are about to take a hit, and so is my massage therapist…& that makes me wanna cry a little bit, cuz I heart massages. Good for keeping the migraines at bay. But oh well. Sorry guys.

So anyway, basic cable means limited channels & having to endure commercials. Thanks ABC Family for having a fabulous lineup. I think it was due to the holiday weekend, cuz that’s rare. No offense, ABC, but I’m not watching the Secret Life of the American Teenager. Gag.

The commercials started to get to me, though. My desire to spend some cash must be stronger than I thought, as even one of those “As Seen on TV” type products got my attention (after they showed the dang commercial 52 times) and I actually thought about ordering it. I didn’t cave, though. I shall not succumb! I shall prevail! And at this point I’ve already forgotten what the product was…proof that I didn’t need the stupid thing in the first place.

Around 8 a friend texted me about getting a drink. I reminded him I couldn’t spend money until after midnight, so he brought the drinks to me. Another evening on the deck under the stars getting eaten by mosquitos. At least I had company. And free drinks. Thanks ol’ pal!

It’s 11:30. Time for bed. When I wake up I’ll be able to spend money again…I wonder what my first purchase will be? I still have some food & still have almost a quarter tank of gas left…hhhmmm.

Maybe it’ll be a diet coke.

Day 6 – Baseboards, Bread, and Brando

(post written 7/2 for a story that airs 7/16)

Originally I planned to get up early and mow my ginormous yard of awesome. It’s a half acre of trees, random foliage, and stuff I call grass but is really more clover & weeds than actual grass. It’s green & growing though, especially after Tuesday’s torrential rainfall, so it needs cutting. Plus some of the leaves from the natural area got pushed into the yard by the river that burst through…I really need to clean out that rain ditch on the outside of my fence so that won’t happen again. I think there are snakes in there, though, & this girl doesn’t do snakes.

This girl didn’t do the yard at 7 a.m. this morning, either. I slept until 9 & it was already too hot to push my lawnmower around all those trees.

I miss the ability to hire a yard guy. I have a guy that usually does the mowing for me on the cheap, but again…I can’t spend any money. Plus I’m trying to take on the yardwork myself more anyway, so I’ve only used him a couple of times this year, but July yardwork might be worth paying for. yeesh. heat + humidity = unhappy Suz.

Opting for indoor chores – cuz, y’know, I can’t go shopping – sigh – I cleaned the baseboards, all the glass in the house (windows included) and dusted all the furniture. Exciting, I know, but indoor air-conditioned chores are better than yardwork any day of the week. I’ve cleaned a lot this week. cuz it’s free. I never clean the baseboards, so I guess it’s good my options were limited.

So when checking my food levels today I noticed some of my fruit was about to go bad. I checked the pantry and found just enough flour & just enough sugar to make a loaf of strawberry banana bread. Normally I’d just throw out the fruit, but this whole experiment has reminded me that being wasteful when I have so much is kind of freakin’ selfish. Either I shouldn’t buy it, or I need to share it. So that’s why I made the bread. Plus, strawberry-banana bread is better received than an almost rotten banana. I’m just thankful I had enough core ingredients to pull it off. Plus I can feed more people w/ a loaf of bread than with a piece of fruit. I didn’t cook it quite long enough though since apparently extra fruit in the bread means extra minutes in the oven. Whoops. The toothpick came out clean, though! Whatever. I just cut around the goo. Noone will ever know. Well, until now.

After my morning of domestication I got ready for church. I had to run lights and play an atmosphere character for this first weekend of The Summit’s “Summer of Love” series. The character: a “classic rock” DJ w/ a touch of 70′s nostalgia. Blue eyeshadow, bell bottoms, wooden heels. Done. & yes, I have all that on hand.

Church fun times took up the bulk of the afternoon. The bread was well received, the heels killed my feet, and the message was great…well worth listening to twice. And I get to listen to it twice tomorrow as well. Plus anytime I get to use a disco ball & listen to a rockin’ version of “Your Love is Lifting Me Higher” is just good times. A lot of my friends go to The Summit as well, so I was able to get a social fix.

OH! And because I was running late (my freakishly thick hair takes awhile to style) I forgot to take a traveler mug of coffee or my bottled water. Sadness. 2 hours into rehearsal & many refills to the 8oz cup of water later I get a text from Elesha: “I’m at Starbuck’s, what kind of coffee do you want?” aaaaah, my angel. A gift from above! Free coffee! I don’t turn down free coffee. Ever.

After church I came home, cooked dinner, and popped in A Streetcar Named Desire. Thank you, netflix. The movie arrived early in the week so I’d been saving it in case I couldn’t find anything free to do Saturday night. Most of my friends went out. Going out requires money. I can’t use any of my money. I stayed in. Again, thank you netflix. If you haven’t seen the movie, you should. Young Brando (delicious.) Twisted story. Great lines. Good times.

Today was a good day. I didn’t really miss going out. I also didn’t really miss the ability to go shopping, but I admit I’m kinda ready for this whole thing to be over. Activity options get limited quick when ya can’t use money.

But hey, at least my house is clean.

Day 5 – Payday!!!

(post written on 7/1 for a story that airs on WFMY on 7/15)

It’s Friday! It’s payday! Woohoo!!! Time to go out & play!!

Oh wait.

I can’t spend any money.

Dangit!

My jubilee is quickly trumped by the realization that I will have very little or no social interaction this weekend unless I get creative.

Fortunately I did sort of plan ahead for that…at least for tonite. I still have way more meat in my freezer than necessary and some raw veggies that need to be used…so a cookout is on the schedule. I provide the meat & grilled veggies, they provide the side dishes, drinks & desserts. Score!

Of course, this means two cookouts in one day. One of my duties at work is to plan & coordinate company events. I wish I could put Facilitator of Fun on my business card. It’s a pretty simple gig now that I have teams to help me. The customer service team did most of the planning for our 4th of July cookout & they did a fabulous job of planning this event. Hamburgers, hot dogs, many sides. Good times. It’s amazing how beach music, cornhole, and permission to wear shorts & hawaiian shirts at work can brighten employee spirits.

So that’s lunch. Hamburgers & hotdogs. Tasty. Tonite’s cookout involves chicken & shrimp, so the all the core meats have pretty much been covered…except bacon. Mmmm, bacon. meat candy. Today is turning into a carnivore’s delight.

In between cookouts I actually somehow manage to accomplish something other than digestion. My bosses will be so pleased.

So I get home, frantically straighten an already mostly clean house and fire up the grill. P.S. it’s a charcoal grill cuz charcoal is better. Here’s the issue, though. I bought a huge bag of cheap charcoal a few weeks ago & have discovered that I made a mistake. I should’ve dropped the 2 extra dollars to get the good stuff. It’s worth it. Unfortunately I still have over half a bag of this cheap stuff to work through. Fortunately I have just enough lighter fluid to nicely soak the coals for a bit prior to lighting. Whew. I’d warned Stephanie I might need her to pick up some on her way over, but all is well. Charcoal crisis averted.

We cook, we eat, we get bit by mosquitos. Standard cookout. I put Stephanie in charge of inviting people so I get to hang out with people I didn’t really know before now. Good times. Note to self: I really need to do this more often.

Somehow even after feeding four other people I still have a lot of meat left in the freezer.

I way over planned in the meat department.

Day 4 – Life is Better with Coffee

(post written on 6/30 for a story that airs 7/14 on WFMY News 2)

I love waking up to the smell of fresh-brewed coffee in an air-conditioned house. Everything is just better with music, fresh coffee, cool air, and hot showers. Who’s a fan of electricity? This girl. I can go a week without spending money, but I’m not sure I could go a week without electricity & indoor plumbing…unless there’s a REALLY good reason, like serving others in a 3rd world country. Seriously. That’s a good reason. Otherwise, not so much. I grew out of my love for camping a long time ago.

We’re very lucky here. I’m just sayin’. I almost hugged my air conditioning unit.

Motivated by last night’s fabulous SYTYCD, I happily went to my 5:30 a.m. workout to discuss the episode & burn some calories. Oh to be a dancer, but alas, no such luck. Or talent. Or coordination. I’m better than Elaine on Seinfeld, but not by much.

Anyway.

Work flowed quickly. All my food was still in the fridge, & luckily there was one frozen meal left for lunch. Otherwise I would’ve had to beg for someone to buy my lunch, as everything else required cooking, and we have no oven. Well, everything except for the cheese, but who can sit there & eat a block cheese? I don’t really recommend it. I loves my cheese, but still.

After work I lugged all my food back home. I’m tired of feeling like a pack mule. Went to spin class, again dreaming of having a dancer’s body, and then came home to eat some meat & watch SYTYCD.

Lots of visits to the YMCA this week. Lots more than usual, but it’s “free” & the only thing there to spend money on is vending machine food. I think. I could be wrong about that. There may not be a vending machine there. Which would make more sense, really. Perhaps it’s just a drink machine. For hydration purposes.

I digress. Again.

So today I learned I need electricity & caffeine. I’m a little scary without them. Release the kraken!

The power outage also helped me remember how blessed I am. Electricity and an endless supply of hot coffee are not rights, they’re privileges, and sometimes I forget that. A good reminder that while I may not have everything I want…I still have more than I need.

I’m gonna go hug my coffee pot now.