My great-Aunt Moni died a wealthy woman several years ago. Best I can recall, all of Moni's money (hehehe!) got donated to charity and the family got to clean out her house.

While cleaning out Aunt Moni's house, the rest of the family found out part of how she got to be so well off: she was frugal to a fault. And yes, I do mean fault!

She had 20 or so tubes of toothpaste, bottles of medications, shelf after shelf of soaps and shampoos, etc. All bought on sale and therefore a great 'deal', but as Aunt Moni lived alone the chances of her going through 20 tubes of toothpaste were slim to none. Seeing as the toothpaste outlived her, the chances were in fact none.

Closets and cupboards and shelves were all filled with value priced expired junk that had to be simply thrown away. An absolute waste of Moni's money.

So, while I would love to die as a relatively wealthy woman, I shudder at the thought of what would go through my family's mind when they were cleaning out my house. Believe me, it's a new perspective!

With this in mind, I'm now making a list of

I don't mean I'm NEVER gonna buy them, mind you, simply that I already have enough and need to use what I have before I buy more. I think I'm going to try to keep adding to this list, but we'll see how it goes.

Lotion.
Holy Crap, anyone cleaning out my house would think a dehydrated burn victim lived there! Granted, I have dry skin, but jeez... I have plenty, and somehow there always seems to be more. I need to go through my house and put all the lotions and creams etc into a box and keep it out where everyone can see. Let the shame out already!

Lip Balm
Apparently the dehydrated burn victim living in my house is also in dire risk of her lips falling off from lack of moisture and malnutrition. And I got 2 more in my stocking at Christmas! I can't help it if folks give it to me, but I'm not buying more until what I have is gone!

Ink Pens
Remeber that dehydrated burn victim with no lips? She has a pen fetish. In my 'office' there is (no joke here), a coffee tin full of pens. Yes, a big #10 can full of pens! I don't even know where they all came from, some I know I didn't buy, some were given to me. And yes, several of them were on clearance *shame*

Note Pads
When you have this many pens, you gotta have something to write on! Again, some I bought, but several were chatchkes from my old job. And the job before that. And college... Holy crap...

Shoes
OK, it's actually not as bad as it could be. I only have 5 more pairs of shoes than DH, and I can honestly say the amount I have might be excessive but it's not shameful. I do, however, have enough. My only exceptions here are that I am looking to buy a pair of black boots (mine died a year ago), a comfortable pair of black leather heels (I lost weight and my feet slide in the pair I have), and hiking boots in case mine die.

Nail Polish and Care
I don't use it and the fumes make me high. Well, maybe that's why I bought it in the first place *evil grin*. I need to resign myself to the fact that my nails are weak and split and are a bit funky shaped so they don't look good when they're long anyways. Done. No more nail crap.

Makeup
This is more because I'm satisfied with what I've got except for mascara. Still can't find a decent mascara. Anyways, everything else performs exactly as I want so I need to stop prowling the ailes of the CVS and Walgreens looking for a sale. Stop it, you've got enough!

Hehehehe!!! Now I have a mental picture of a dehydrated burn victim with no lips with nails done, makeup on, great shoes, writing letters with a nifty pen on a schnazzy pad of paper! This is what folks will think when they clear out my house?!?! Oh, I don't THINK so!!! Gotta clear out some crap!

Just wanted to post my progress on these goals. Still debating on which 2 to add to replace those I've already finished. Can't decide if I want to do the $20 challenge or not. If so, it would have to be from house money since I myself am already saving my ones and change...

* Our net-worth will be in the black by the end of '07. I would set this goal sooner, but there is the possibility of my office closing down at the end of February and debt payment is taking a back burner to stashing cash.

* By the end of February, I will come up with a list of 10 things (or more) I know I can do to make at least $500 per month should I actually lose my job. Anyone want to commision a spreadsheet design? Seriously, do you want one?
Some of these are less ideal than others, and some are down-right weird, but part of this exercise is for me to think creatively. So far I have:
1. Work at the natural foods store. Count discount received on groceries as part of income.
2. Sign up to be one of DH's contractors and deliver free publications for the newspaper. Not ideal.
3. Work part time at dad's cigar store. Not ideal.
4. Take up dumpster diving again/become a more avid Freecycler, and hit the fleamarket circuit. Did this for a month last year and made a couple hundred bucks in a month. Must consider safety issues.
5. Kinda like #4, but more specific: Learn lawnmower repair from DH (or library might be a better option). Buy mowers at yard-sales, repair and resell. DH and his dad did this for several summers and made quite an income. Being female might negatively affect sales.
6. ???
7. ???
8. ???
9. ???
10. ???

* I am going to wean myself from cigarettes. I'm not saying I'm going to quit, as I think the finality of it is what causes a lot of folks trouble. Starting 1/1/07 I am allowed 10 smokes per day. On 7/1/07 the number goes down to 5. I am not allowed to 'roll-over' any unused cigarettes to the next day. I have a cigarette case somewhere that will hold 8-10, so I think I'll start carrying that instead of a pack, just to prevent temptation. Found the case, definitely helpful! DH has decided to quit cold turkey, but DH also smokes cigars and won't be quitting those. For those that are wondering, I'm weaning rather than quitting all together/going cold turkey because I'm not sure how my body or my personality is going to react and I'd rather not set myself up for failure. And 10 a day is a 50% reduction, so it's not exactly a slow start.

* DONE 12/30: I will post a wish-list on the fridge by January 15th. There will be 3 sections: one for me, one for DH, one for the house. I think this will be helpful in keeping tabs on our goals for home improvement, getting ideas for gift-giving times, and maybe (just maybe!) giving DH a little perspective. I just made it on Excel and printed a copy. I put fix up our attic space, a freezer, and a dishwasher under the house column. I have a new camera bag and a better tripod. I'll let DH either see the list or wish for something before I start filling his in.

* DONE 12/30: I will get a library card by the end of January. As a side note, I will use said library card. Went at noon today and got my card. There are two locations really close by, one downtown and one on the way to the grocery store. Maybe I'll start going Thursday nights when DH is playing pool.

This was the list of goals for the new year that I posted yesterday. I have made some progress, so thought I would make an update. I know, I'm ahead of schedule (WOO HOO!!!), but it's better than being late...

* I will post a wish-list on the fridge by January 15th. There will be 3 sections: one for me, one for DH, one for the house. I think this will be helpful in keeping tabs on our goals for home improvement, getting ideas for gift-giving times, and maybe (just maybe!) giving DH a little perspective. DONE! I just made it on Excel and printed a copy. I put fix up our attic space, a freezer, and a dishwasher under the house column. I have a new camera bag and a better tripod. I'll let DH either see the list or wish for something before I start filling his in.

* I will get a library card by the end of January. As a side note, I will use said library card. DONE! Went at noon today and got my card. There are two locations really close by, one downtown and one on the way to the grocery store. Maybe I'll start going Thursday nights when DH is playing pool.

* Our net-worth will be in the black by the end of '07. I would set this goal sooner, but there is the possibility of my office closing down at the end of February and debt payment is taking a back burner to stashing cash.

* By the end of February, I will come up with a list of 10 things (or more) I know I can do to make at least $500 per month should I actually lose my job. Anyone want to commision a spreadsheet design? Working on this one in the back of my head. The natural foods store I shop at gives a 20% discount for employees AND 50% off the prepared food in the cafe, so that is a definite option. And push comes to shove, they're close enough I could walk or bike... I'm also considering something with photography, or maybe making and selling some prints of some of my better shots... Open to other creative ideas from anyone!

* I am going to wean myself from cigarettes. I'm not saying I'm going to quit, as I think the finality of it is what causes a lot of folks trouble. Starting 1/1/07 I am allowed 10 smokes per day. On 7/1/07 the number goes down to 5. I am not allowed to 'roll-over' any unused cigarettes to the next day. I have a cigarette case somewhere that will hold 8-10, so I think I'll start carrying that instead of a pack, just to prevent temptation. Still trying to find that blasted case! I know it's around here somewhere...

Well, since I started out with 5 on the list and have knocked out 2 before the new year even starts (oh, did I say WOOHOO about that yet?), perhaps I should keep a running list of 5 items? Whatcha think, make it an ongoing list of betterment goals? 5 seems pretty doable, not too daunting, but plenty to pick from when I want to procrastinate from one of the others *grin*

Well I was debating about getting around to this, then Paul threw the gauntlet down and posting his. I will meet this challenge head on!

In all reality, the goals are pretty much the same for all of America from year to year. 'Lose weight, save money, enjoy time with family and friends'. A bit vague and over-arching, which makes it easy to feel like you aren't making any progress when you are. Or, like you are making progress when you aren't.

Anyways, life in corporate America taught me about 'SMART' goals, and I think there is some merit to the concept.

Simple
Measureable
Agreed Upon
Realistic
Timed

It's the difference between "I'm going to lose weight and exercise in '07" and "I'm going to lose an average of 1 pound per week by May 30th. I will do this by finding creative ways to burn up 1750 calories and consume 1750 fewer calories every week."

In a sense, it's throwing the gauntlet down for yourself.

So, here are mine. Subject, of course, to revision

* I will post a wish-list on the fridge by January 15th. There will be 3 sections: one for me, one for DH, one for the house. I think this will be helpful in keeping tabs on our goals for home improvement, getting ideas for gift-giving times, and maybe (just maybe!) giving DH a little perspective.

* I will get a library card by the end of January. As a side note, I will use said library card.

* Our net-worth will be in the black by the end of '07. I would set this goal sooner, but there is the possibility of my office closing down at the end of February and debt payment is taking a back burner to stashing cash.

* By the end of February, I will come up with a list of 10 things (or more) I know I can do to make at least $500 per month should I actually lose my job. Anyone want to commision a spreadsheet design?  

* I am going to wean myself from cigarettes. I'm not saying I'm going to quit, as I think the finality of it is what causes a lot of folks trouble. Starting 1/1/07 I am allowed 10 smokes per day. On 7/1/07 the number goes down to 5. I am not allowed to 'roll-over' any unused cigarettes to the next day. I have a cigarette case somewhere that will hold 8-10, so I think I'll start carrying that instead of a pack, just to prevent temptation.

I'm sure I've got some more rolling around in my head somewhere, but I think this'll do for a start.

Had a few things pop into my head to add to my list

* I drive a stick, it's what I learned on. The mileage is better, it's more fun, and truckers and buses full of high school boys all stare in wonderment when I zoom down the highway  

* My boss is only a few years older than me, but is an ex-marine and a former Ultimate Fighter. Lotsa good stories.

* I had a mild form of scarlet fever when I was in fifth grade.

* I represented my state in the 1989 Nationa History Day competition in Washington DC. They mixed up my scores with someone elses, so I will never know how I would have placed.

* I really like plants but have never been a successful gardener. Depressing!

* When I get angry I feel it physically, not just emotionally; it's like a big pit of angry energy. Once my physical energy is spent, I no longer feel as angry. In the past I have dealt with this by focusing my physical anger on crunches and pushups: during my senior year in high school, I was up to over a thousand crunches a day. Now I am considering get an 80 lb body bag to hang in my back-yard.

Stupid peer pressure!

"Make a list, everyone else is!"
"But I don't wanna..."
"Sure you do. All the cool bloggers are doing it..."
"But what if my list is stupid and boring?"
"Make something up!"

After that conversation with myself, I felt a little better about making my list

Some of this is personal, but the text is written in white so you won't be able to see it/get offended by it unless you follow the key commands given

So, who am I?

I’m the only person I know who actually did have to walk uphill both ways to catch the school-bus! I grew up in a rural mountainous area, and our driveway was almost half a mile long, and was in fact uphill whichever way you went.

Never had a lot of friends when I was younger: everyone knew I did well in class & assumed I spent all my spare time studying. Ironically, I just absorb really well and usually just did my homework between classes.

Played soccer for three years in high school on the men's varsity team, since we didn't have a women's team. In the south soccer is a spring sport, so I was out there with all the football players who used soccer as a training regimen. OUCH!

Took ballet, tap, jazz & modern dance from age 8-15. Was up to about 8 hours per week, plus teaching ballet another hour or 2 per week.

Moved out at age 16 to attend my state’s science and math magnet school 180 miles away. There were 65 in my graduating class, we were the largest they’d ever had. 23 of us were national merit scholars, and as a class we were offered a total of over 7 million in scholarships. Since we were required to keep track, I know my personal total was right around a quarter million in offers; sadly, I sometimes feel I accepted the wrong one.

Majored in Psychology with a minor in Violence Studies. The plan was to go to a joint PhD/JD program and work as a behavioral scientist/feeb, but we all see how that worked out.

Played the violin for about 8 years. I gave it up after one grueling and embarrassing rehearsal with the Atlanta Youth Symphony.

Click Ctrl-A on your keyboard to see the personal stuff that is included below

I have been asked to marry every man I’ve slept with. Not that there are that many, but enough for me to find it very odd…

Did actually marry one of them: DH (duh, right?) My first, his second. We got married the day before I flew out for a month in Argentina. Frequent readers may find this interesting: his first marriage ended because she cheated on him…

I am an American Mutt when it comes to heritage, although German and Cherokee are the most prevalent.

I speak butchered Spanish, but find I can read and understand about 50-60% of any romantic language.

Since I was so active as a youth, I now have marginally bad knees and higher than average muscle mass. All height-weight charts say I’m overweight verging on obese, even though I am a size 8 with pokey collarbones and visible ribs. This also makes me say “Dammit Man!”

I love taking pictures. I’m getting pretty good at it, and I’m hoping the list of lenses along with shipping charges I put together for DH will be enough of a hint as to what I want for Christmas DH puts it this way: he could take a picture of a rock and there it is, yup, that’s a picture of a rock. I take a picture of a rock and it’s like it’s art…. See, you all knew I stuck around for a reason!

I love to read, but I get sucked in very quickly. When I first moved back to SC and didn’t have a job, I was up to 3 books or 900 pages a day. For a month. Needless to say I literally cannot afford my reading habit if I had to actually buy books.


OK, I think I’m going to quit now and go read other people’s lists!