I GOT ACCEPTED INTO A CO-OP!!

After many, many hours of research I've finally found a co-op! It was a close call because I found out about it 2 days after their cut off dates for applicants. I called anyway and left a voicemail essentially pleading for them to make an exception. Thankfully they called me back on Tuesday to let me know that they do have room for one more person and that they found my voicemail hilarious.

Tomorrow after work I will be making my first pick up at Mill Valley General Store. I am really pleased with this co-op because they have three different membership levels; veggie, omnivore, and carnivore. I will be choosing the omnivore package. Once a week I will pick up a bag with 4 produce items, 1 meat, and 1 dairy product. It comes to about $17/week. I think that is an absolute steal! All of the suppliers are local and many are organic or organic practicing producers. I am just absolutely thrilled and I will report on what goodies I'll be picking up tomorrow.

New Year, New You

When I was school aged I adored our back to school shopping adventures. New book bag and lunch box, fresh pens and pencils, clean binder that closes all the way, paper without the ring stickers could all send me into a tizzy! The new year could mean a fresh new me. As I walk the aisles of Target I grow envious of all of the new items. They come in such sophisticated designs that I would be honored to sport them!

September does not signify "Back To School" for me but it does mean a new set of rules/guidelines to add on to my existing three. Drum roll please.......

1. To conduct a complete energy audit on the house. This way we can rectify any inefficient issues before the weather gets nearly Arctic.

2. Work our daily. On Tuesday I am starting yoga with Rena, I am committing to not missing a single BBB session on Mondays, and I now own a helmet so I will begin biking to work.

3. I am going to cook 3 healthy meals per week and designate 1 day of each week to be meat free. Due to my funky work schedule "Meat Free Monday" may not fit into my schedule but I will participate in my own way.

4. Blog daily! I am honored that anyone ever reads this blog. I would like to provide those few people with new content to read daily. I will now be including more recipes and my workout journal.

Let's Recap...

I found a website about achieving goals and how to be successful. This list was on a web page and I thought it was helpful information to keep in mind.

1. Identify which goal or thing that you want to do first. Remember to state priority as well
2. Make sure you pick the most important Goal first after that only break it down into smaller tasks
3. After picking the task, Know what this is all about, meaning (RESEARCH)
4. After research, you would realize if you are capable of doing it or you need someones help, then you either ask a person to help / do it yourself
5. Upon deciding to do it yourself or other people doing it, we initiate a JUST DO IT method.
6. Then we track whether we are doing it right / wrong. Whether there is progress
7. Upon completion, continue doing on the next task until you are done. Always remember begin with the END in MIND. What the results you want to see.

Now lets overview the goals that I set for myself at the beginning of August.

1. No purchases unless it is an immediate need and if I do need something I will try to purchase it used or borrow it first.

As far as the no new purchases go I think that I have drastically reduced the amount of purchases that I make and I'm more consciences before buying things. I did buy the outfit from the Gap and I purchased a $7.95 dress at New York & Company but I ended up returning it. I didn't need another dress and I felt bad. I did purchase a pair of jeans at Goodwill but they didn't fit and they aren't returnable. I'll either give them away or try to re-purpose them into something else. I visited the best thrift store in the whole wide world while I was in Carlisle. I bought two lamps, two mugs, a plate, a carry on bag, and a sweatshirt. The total came to $16.80. I am very pleased with these purchases and have needed all of the items except the mugs, plate, and sweatshirt. They came to a total of $4.00. So I did splurge a little.

What I really have to continue to work on is my dining out bill. It is really difficult to live in a city that has so much great food to offer and not take advantage of it. I'm not much of a bar person so I find myself in restaurants more often than not. This will be a real challenge for me.

2. Exercising

I had a really great start this month then I started to taper off. I have done some form of workout at least once a week. So I have increased my amount of workouts but not enough to see any real results. My job at the restaurant is more physical than my office job so that is a positive also.

3. Car Maintenance

I have been keeping my tank no less than 1/2 full and not keeping junk in my car. So far, so good on that one.

Attempting to Do It Myself...

Since I moved into my house in Canton I've been slowly but surely trying to make my room organized and homey. I have a specific color pattern and theme that I am trying to achieve. I have purchased pictures, turned greeting cards into framed pieces that will (hopefully) hang on my walls, and a few random items such as a vintage porcelain owl. I am hoping to get some help on hanging the items and arranging them on my walls so they do not clutter my room but instead enhance the space.

DIY and Ready Made have become my new obsessions. I want to learn how to re-purpose items that I already own and create unique pieces. I am thinking about making a few of the items that I have seen and giving them as Christmas gifts. There won't be much money to blow on gifts and this could be a good way to be creative. I came across this specific article which has some really great ideas that I plan on utilizing.

I've also purchased a recent Groupon for two beginner's classes for knitting or crocheting at Lovely Yarns which came highly recommended by my masseuse. I have wanted to learn how to knit for over a year. Despite my efforts to teach myself I haven't been very successful. It is time for some guidance. I have a strong desire to create something with my own hands. I never felt like I had any real talents. I have friends that are incredibly musical, artistic, or handy, which I am none of. Hopefully I will change that and tap into an hidden talent!

Curvy Ladies Rejoice!!!

Big girls around the world, please just say NO to "Skinny" jeans and unnecessary muffin top!!!

I purchased two pair of "Boyfriend" jeans from New York & Company about six months ago. I absolutely adore them. They are comfy, flattering, and can be dressed up or dressed down. They are still a tad snug in the thigh area, I think the trend was still new and people had a hard time getting away from the "Skinny" jean. I've noticed that the fall line of jeans are a bit more relaxed all over.

I really wanted a new pair but was determined to stick to my no new purchases rule. A few weeks ago Groupon offered a national offer for Gap. For $25 you could get $50 worth of merchandise. With Gap prices being higher than I normally would like to pay I was torn but 50% off is a pretty good deal. I decided that I would allow myself this luxury and purchase only jeans that fit perfectly. No more insisting that I was a certain size. It is time to be real with myself and buy jeans that I can be comfortable in. I want to look good and feel confident without hiding under a baggy dress. I'm still working out but in the meantime I should have a pair of jeans that aren't "for when I lose this weight" jeans. So I purchased a pair of clearance "Boyfriend" jeans for $48.99 (That is no clearance price in my book!!) and a simple grey v-neck t-shirt that is made out of the softest cotton I've ever felt for $7.99. The outfit is so comfy that I wore it the next day. It has an awesome, relaxed look while still being stylish.

I think this purchase was an acceptable one for the level of confidence that I feel while I'm wearing it. It gives me motivation to want my other clothes to fit this way again. In the meantime I have my new favorite outfit!

The Seedy Underbelly of The Farmer's Markets

A few days ago I went to a Farmer's Market in Carlisle, PA. I read every sign posted and realized the difference in the wording between different sellers. Some of the signs listed their produce as organic, others were pesticide free, home grown, or some other adjective. I've always known that not all farmer's certify their crops as organic but they may be grown in such a way. I started to research what exactly defines a farmer's market and how can a person sell merchandise there. I came across this article from the Baltimore City Paper. It helps explain that there are certain vendors that sell produce from the produce wholesaler in Jessup. Essentially they defeat the entire purpose of shopping at a farmer's market because they are selling the same produce that is available at a chain grocery store.

This just proves that an uninformed customer is a sucker! Talk to the vendors at the farmer's markets, find out what practices they follow at their farms, and if they are the producer of everything that they have for sale. Part of the charm of the farmer's market and being a locavore is shortening the distance between the farm and your plate. Take advantage of the fact that you can actually interact with the person that is helping you to nourish yourself and your family!

Cleaner, Greener Baltimore

I've recently discovered a website called Cleaner, Greener Baltimore. I am so happy and so excited that this website exists. It includes a variety of information such as what the city is doing to achieve a cleaner city, how the citizens can help, and what litter cost the city. I really hope that everyone takes a few minutes to peruse this website and check out the "Top 9 Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint". I am really looking forward to going home and seeing which of these tips that I can implement in my own house!

Long Distance Food

"The average U.S. meal travels 1,200 miles from farm to plate."

I am currently visiting my best friend and his wife in Pennsylvania. They are such fantastic hosts that they provided me with a few of my favorite foods ie: Honey O's cereal and with a few healthy organic options for me to try such as black bean and corn chowder.

Last night we went into downtown Carlisle where the farmer's market was being held. I had a great time walking around and admiring all of the fresh food that was available for purchase and reading about the growing practices of each farm. Some were certified organic others were practicing but haven't received their license (which is expensive). I didn't purchase anything due to the fact that I wasn't going to be doing any cooking for a few days. I did get to speak to a farmer from a local farm about their Community Sponsored Agriculture (CSA) program. I am incredibly jealous that the CSA is so readily available in this area. The owner allowed me to peek into a reusable canvas sack that was filled with goodies waiting to be picked up. There were bundles of kale and spinach, various squash, carrots, and other good stuff that I would have loved to take home with me. My friends picked up some information and I really hope they join.

After we left the market we went across the street to The Green Room which they had previously raved about. The motto of The Green Room is "Food shouldn't be bad for you and healthy food shouldn't taste bad". I like this motto! The creative minds behind The Green Room focus on bringing local, organic, grass fed, healthy dishes to the people of Carlisle. They also have an interesting concept to help keep portions in check, every dish is offered in a small or entree size. I loved that. I enjoyed a local, grass-fed pastured beef tenderloin. It came from a farm that is approximately 5 miles from where the restaurant is!

I'm happy that a small town like Carlisle is so open to embracing locally grown/raised food. Now I am set to find out what a big city like Baltimore has to offer!

Becoming More Fuel Efficient

Since getting my oil changed, tires inflated and rotated, and detailed I've been researching other ways that I can get the most out of my car. I already purchased a bike but have been trying to find a used helmet online to no avail. I think I may have to crack down and buy one new. I can't start riding to work until I have a helmet...Safety First!!

Most of the tips that I've read seem like common sense. I think we all know that we should batch together our errands, look into a car share/carpool to work, do not speed, do not store stuff in your trunk, and other similar tips. I guess I thought there would be some deeper level of hints and tricks that would stretch my fuel spending dollar. Here is an article by the Federal Trade Commission on "How to Improve Gas Mileage"

I did download an app on Friday called Fuel Buddy. It will locate you, tell you the cheapest gas in the area, and has a section where you can journal where you last bought gas, how much you paid, and how many gallons you bought. After awhile you will be able to easily calculate your MPG cost.

Do you have any other tips??

Just Call Me Rick Steves!!

That's right folks I'm jet setting across the Atlantic yet again. In less than one month I will be going to London, Berlin, Prague, and Munich. Thankfully I have already paid for my places to stay in London, Berlin, and Munich and I put a down payment on the condo in Prague. I still have to buy my plane tickets, rail pass, and get together some spending money. So somehow I have to come up with about $2k before I leave and I need to have the $700-900 for the plane tickets by Tuesday (only a measly 1/2 of that is in my savings account). I've been told that ticket prices are much cheaper if you purchase them on Tuesdays. I priced the tickets today and they were $944. I checked them about a month ago and they were $744. Needless to say I'm freaking just a bit. I pray to God that on Tuesday the price is back down to $744.

I kind of lost track of time while I've been making bigger payments to pay my loans, which is a good thing. I haven't been squandering my money except to go out to eat (see previous post). As of now I am not going to go out to eat until I leave for the trip. I need to save as much money as possible for the next three weeks. Until I get this money in order I won't be able to really be super excited about this trip of a lifetime. When I leave I want to be worry and debt free!

Meat Free Friday

Today I decided I was going to fix all of the yummy veggies that I had in my fridge. I chose eggplant stew as my meal of the day. The recipe required all of the veggies that I currently had so no additional trip to the store needed! The whole meal is 62 calories. That is hard to be angry at!

• 1 eggplant, cubed
• 1-2 zucchini, sliced
• 1-2 summer squash, sliced
• sliced mushrooms
• crushed garlic
• 1 can of diced tomatoes (do not drain)
• 1 can of chickpeas
• 1/2-1 cup of veggie stock
• 1-2 cups of spinach
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 med green pepper, chopped
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

Saute the garlic, onion in olive oil for 5 mins then add mushrooms. After 5 mins add can of tomatoes. When the mixture begins to bubble add eggplant and let it cook for 45 mins. Add zucchini, summer squash, and peppers, cook for 20 mins. Add spinach and chickpeas. Add the chicken broth slowly throughout the whole cooking process. Serve over brown rice.

I started my meat free Friday with an egg white, mushroom, and cheddar (just a smidgen) sandwich on amazing whole wheat bread. I enjoyed some cucumber slices and hummus as an appetizer while the stew cooked. I'm going to eat some cantaloupe and watermelon that I got from the farm also. For dinner I will probably just eat some more stew or some cereal.

From 2 weeks to 1 month

Initially I wanted to layer in an additional "rule" every two weeks. The more I'm reading about making something a habit you need to do it 7x. So I'm going to continue to work on the initial goals;

• no more purchases
• car maintenance/cleanliness
• time management
• only using the things that I already own
  

So far I've done pretty well with these "rules" but I want to ensure that they are actual habits before I add new things in. So I will add new rules on September 1. More about what they will be soon!

Hot Isn't Even the Right Word...

Ugh, I'm officially over Summer. I'm dying to wear my layered outfits with stockings, boots, scarves, and plaid shirts! Fall weather would be enough for me. I don't need blizzard but I'd take cold over this heat!!

My work has two window A/C units and all day today I thought they were broken because they were blowing warm air. It just turned out that the weather was just that damn hot! The coolest I could get the A/C to run was at 80 degrees. Thanks to my ill planning I wore a pair of pants that had a thermal liner in them. So basically I was nauseously hot all day. I was essentially melting! Now I'm wasting my evening by falling in and out of sleep due to heat stress!

If you come into the restaurant and I look less than put together please forgive me. It isn't even worth doing my hair and makeup when they will melt and frizz by 8:30am.

Eating My Money Away

I've been doing pretty good with cutting back on material purchases, only buying what I need at the grocery store/farm, and doing all that I can to workout as much as possible. What I have been massively failing on is turning down an invitation to go out and eat. I still haven't made any steps to turn my "entertainment" events away from being food based. I knew that this would be the hardest rule for me to follow because I've always enjoyed the company of my friends and I love a great meal that I didn't have to shop for or cook.

On Tuesday I spent $80 going out to dinner with a girlfriend and I met two great chicks that she had brought along. We laughed so hard and had the best time. Salt is just not in my tax bracket and I need to come to terms with that. I spent cash on the dinner so I didn't finance my tuna but that $80 could have been used a bit more wisely.

Tonight I'm going to Bonefish Grill for GNO (Girls Night Out!!) with my dance ladies. I'm so glad that we are all so close and that we have been making a point to see each other so often over the summer. I wouldn't be able to turn down this meal because this is guaranteed to be a laugh riot!

Sunday night I'm going to see "Eat, Pray, Love" with my roommate and our other friend. Afterwards we are going to eat at Woodberry Kitchen. I've been dying to try the food there. They fall into the category of "eco-friendly" and I would like to explore their menu first hand. I just don't know if I will be able to really afford to go out to dinner also. I think I'm just going to have to be a grown up and pass on dinner.

Next Thursday a lovely married couple that I am friends with and absolutely adore invited me to join them at Talara for "Restaurant Week". If you know anything about me Restaurant Week is practically a holiday. I usually go to multiple places that I couldn't normally afford. I won't be able to do that this year but I am going to join my friends at Talara. I don't get to hang out with them very often and I'm excited for them to meet my boyfriend!

Seriously though after these outings I will be suggesting game nights, going to get coffee or a happy hour glass of wine, or some other cheap and non food based form of entertainment.

"Talkin Bout The Car Wash"...

I am very excited to report that my car is not only in
good working order but it is also clean! This week I finally got my oil changed, my tires rotated, fluids topped off, a car wash, and my interior detailed. My boyfriend changed my broken headlight, checked my tag and tail lights, and replaced all of my windshield wipers. I feel like I'm driving a new car!

Now that my car is purged of any junk I am 100% positive that I will not let all that stuff accumulate in my car again. It is so easy to just leave stuff in there and forget about it. I am also vowing to stay on top of my oil changes and regular maintenance. The car is finally paid off and I want to keep her running smoothly for as long as possible! Unfortunately my car is pretty dinged up on the outside so that isn't looking so hot but I drive on the inside and I'm loving the feel of my clean car. I swear it even drives smoother because I don't have all of that junk in the car weighing it down.

As a side note I've also been topping off my gas tank whenever I get around half a tank. That way I am no where close to running out of gas and I'm not dropping $40+ at every stop. I'll be doing more research to see what other steps I can take to make my car more fuel efficient. I'm pleased with the progress I'm making so far though.

Weber's Farm

So I made my first trip to a farm today. I walked around Weber's Farm looking at everything and checking out the labels and prices before I even grabbed a basket. I wanted to make sure that everything I bought was actually grown or made on Weber's Farm. I noticed some of the jams and other jar products said "made for Weber's Farm". I wasn't sure what that meant so I steered clear. Plus it will be a LONG time before we need any condiments in this house! As you can see I got a nice variety of items and paid just a tad over $15!

I'm pretty happy with the quality of the produce that I purchased, the price was definitely right, and the location and hours of the store was great! Now I just need to find a yummy recipe to utilize the squash and eggplant. I'm thinking of just sauteing them with some olive oil and Parmesan cheese over brown rice. I'm sure I have enough to do that and something else. Any suggestions???

Farmers Markets and More

I'm looking to eliminate all of my shopping at a traditional grocery store as soon as possible. I would like to only begin eating food that comes from local farms that doesn't make me pay for their insane amount of packaging, marketing, and brand name. Even if the food is the same price I know it will be of higher quality and fresher than anything I would get at the grocery store.

This week I will be doing some shopping at a few surrounding farms like Flying Plow Farm in Joppa and Weber's Farm in Parkville. Someone just informed me that there are a few Amish markets in Baltimore City and they are open on Thursday and Friday so I will be taking a trip to visit those too.

I'm excited about putting more thought into my food. I want to have "a guy" (or gal) for all of my food needs. I want someone to be my "Sam" to my "Alice"! (Brady Bunch reference alert!!) I love to cook and research recipes. This way if I am putting so much effort into buying the food then I won't want to let the items go bad. There will be plenty of dishes with fresh produce in them! Also, I think my dad will be bringing my freezer down soon so that way I could freeze half of what I cook and save it for a time when I'm feeling a tad lazy!

Wanted: Pedometer

For those of you that don't know Blue Moon Cafe is crazy, redunkulously busy on the weekends! We also work long hours sometimes 10 hours a day breezing right past breakfast and lunch. As anyone who has worked a double in a restaurant knows you eat whenever you can and typically you learn to love room temperature food. Seeing as I can't exactly request a veggie, no cheese, egg white omelet while I'm working I tend to eat a hash brown or a over easy egg on a piece of wheat bread "on the fly".

I know that I do a right smart of walking during a shift at Blue Moon but I've never exactly monitored how much. I would love to borrow or purchase (used of course) a pedometer so I could figure that out. This way I can estimate how many calories I burn in a shift. I could take that into consideration on how much working out I need to do when I get home. Typically I am pretty beat when I get home and all I want to do is take a bath and watch a movie.

Has anyone ever used a pedometer? I wonder how accurate they are. I guess this will involve a bit of research.

Drinking is Not Conducive to a Healthy Lifestyle

So I imbibed a whole bottle of wine last night. It was over the course of a few hours and I had a DD but still not recommended. I had yet to eat dinner once the bottle was gone and I decided that trying out a Stuggy's hot dog was a good idea. For what it's worth I had a $10 Groupon so I didn't pay full price but they were expensive to start with. It was cheaper to get a combo which came with a drink, fries, and a pickle. They had a Boylan soda fountain which is difficult to pass up! Of course I had to have my usual cheese, fried onions, and ketchup dog. I ate the whole freaking meal and downed the soda. That was more calories and fat then I should have had over the course of 48 hours!

Thankfully I'm not prone to getting hangovers so that wasn't an issue. I did sleep in until 7am but continued to lay in bed until 9am. Once I did peel myself out of bed I got right into my workout clothes. I ate the hot dog and fries, now I had to pay for it! I did a 35 minute hip-hop cardio routine (BBB's this is fun, you should try it) and to make sure that I didn't reach for a hot dog and fries so quickly again I did a 10 min abs and back routine. Ugh, I actually feel pretty good after working out but I would have benefited my body more by not drinking a whole bottle of wine, a soda, hot dog, and fries last night.

Next time I'll just say no to a whole bottle of wine and keep my distance from the evil Lord Stuggy!

J'adore Baltimore!

For those of you that don't know me that well, I have an intense love affair with Baltimore City. I know we have a terrible wrap due to a shockingly high murder rate, we are among the worst cities in the country for drugs, and The Wire didn't do much to help our image. I've never seen an episode and as someone who loves this city I can't bring myself to indulge in a show that makes people in other countries think that the whole city is a huge ghetto.

I like to look at the positive. We are filled with tons of unique neighborhoods that bring their own flair to the table, we were just ranked #10 out of 25 of the most artistic cities in the country (that will never make the news though), and Baltimore loves to entertain for free! I can't get enough of all of the free events that take place in the summer. There is really almost no reason to not participate in at least one or two. Last week I watched the original King Kong at the American Visionary Arts Museum while enjoying a picnic with friends. While the AVAM is screening films, entrance to the museum is free!! There are about 3-4 places throughout the city that have outdoor film screenings and all you need is a chair/blanket and a bottle wine. OK you don't really need the wine but it is nice to drink outdoors and not pay by the glass!

Tonight I will be enjoying WTMD's First Thursday concert in Mt. Vernon by the monument. The lovely Victoria Vox will be opening for The Villains. I can't vouch for The Villains but seeing Victoria Vox for free is a real treat! Check out her site where her music streams. I love the design of her site too! She rocks the ukulele and yes there is a rising popularity in the uke.

Waking Up Before the Sun??

What has happened to me? I have been up and feeling wide awake well before the sun is up lately. These are the days that I could be sleeping in if I wanted to! I guess it is best that I get in the habit of "early to bed, early to rise" because of work.

Yesterday was my first day off so I figured I would go for a run while it was still dark and not to hot out...haha! I actually changed into my workout gear and stepped on the porch but it was so muggy out I turned right back around. I would have never made it a block! I did check out what workouts were OnDemand on Exercise TV and I think they have a pretty good selection. I did a abs and buns workout then took Rosie for a walk later that evening.

This morning yet again I was up around 5am. I tried to fall back to sleep but all I could think about was check the temps. We did have a major thunderstorm last night so fingers crossed the temps dropped. I got dressed to workout figuring either way I would do something. Thankfully the weather was LOVELY! I did a 15 min AM cardio workout on Exercise TV to warm up then Rosie and I hit the pavement. We have to alternate running and walking because really I hate running and I have zero endurance. I am trying and that is the important part! So 20 mins later I decided that we did a good job and deserved some A/C. We will go for another walk later tonight and I noticed a few yoga things OnDemand so I will probably try them out.

All in all I am pretty happy with the effort that I'm putting forth so far. It is a good feeling to have worked out, showered, and added to my blog all before 8am. Next week when I get home I'm going to redeem my MAC pass so I can start to go there. I think the working out that I've done this week will at least get me used to moving enough that I won't embarrass myself at the gym!

Unsubscribed and Minimizing Impulse Purchases!

Well I'm officially unsubscribed to every email that I received in the past 24 hours. I will continue to do so but I think I have got most of them covered. It is amazing so see my email go from about 150 emails to 10! I didn't think that was possible.

This proved to be an incredibly difficult task once I received an email from Kate Spade...personally of course! Informing me that she has these for sale pretty much just for me. Thankfully I would never shell out $325 for anything besides a tattoo or a plane ticket!

Frugal Living for Dummies

I purchased this booklet for $.99 about 3 years ago. I've always known that my spending/saving habits needed to change but I guess I wasn't ready to actually change. I have just begun reading this and a few things have really stood out. I'm sure some of it is common sense but I thought the points were rather poignant.

• "Your budget isn't a prison, your debt is".
  
  
• "Getting rid of the contentment thieves enables you to live happily within your means and save you untold dollars in the process". My goal for today is to unsubscribe to every store email that I receive. No more impulsive purchases for 30%off and free shipping.
  
  
• "Purchasing something on sale doesn't mean that you've 'saved' money. It means that you didn't spend it. If you don't put the savings in the bank then it will just be spent on more stuff".


• "Always keep a positive goal in mind. Instead of seeing frugal living as something you have to do, remind yourself continually that frugality is something that you've chosen to do to meet future goals or to live the lifestyle you want". I think by keeping this blog I'm being accountable for my goals and my progress!

I'm only on Chapter 1 so I'm sure I'll be referencing this book in the future. So if you see FL4D you know what it means!

"New" Job

I feel like I need to explain the "new" job. I had worked at a temp staffing company doing HR work since 2007. In June of 2008 I took a 2nd job at Blue Moon Cafe (yes the one with the weird french toast). I have been there for almost 2 years and it has turned me into a morning person. I don't jump out of bed with a spring in my step but I don't mind getting up so early either. The people are good, the place is busy, and the money is great. I've always known that if I could score just a few more shifts I could quit my office job. Not every parent's dream for their child with a college degree but I have to think about what is right for me. I tried to stick it out at the temp service and honestly the job just wasn't me. I was never truly happy and the company itself wasn't incredibly stable.

About a month ago I was offered a 4 day work schedule. Based on what I have averaged in the past I would make more money than I did at the office and I would have more days off. It was pretty much a no brainer for my lifestyle!! I like to have time off and spend time with my friends and family. While working both jobs there would be long stretches with no day off or just one and it was to do something specific. I was burning myself out and I don't know how I did that for two years!

I've done the math a million of times and I still am adamant about setting up a strict budget so I can have an emergency fund in the event that money slows down. The other bonus is that I could still pick up an additional day each week and still have two days off.

My last day at the office was on Thursday, July 29 and my first day at the restaurant was Sunday, August 1. So far I've been right were I need to be to keep up with averaging out for both jobs. So I'm crossing my fingers, flashing my biggest smile, throwing around "hon" like it is the only word in my vocabulary and immediately depositing my money at the ATM a block from work!!

Follow The Rules of The Road!!

Well I was having a delightful "first" day at my new job; things were going great, we were busy, and I was making great money. Then I realized that the meter maids were out in full force!! I got a $52 parking ticket! Before I had even left the restaurant I had spent $52 of my earnings for that day. That is not what I call a good thing on my 2nd day on the road to financial freedom. I also have a $40 speeding camera ticket (95S near the 895 split...hint, hint) that I need to pay. Boo urns!!

I am adding another rule that will take effect immediately, time management. It has never been one of my strong suits and I have always just brushed it off with a comment like "time is a white man's concept". Nothing like turning the topic to a race issue to take the heat off of me!!

I have heard some people say that they are early for everything because they do not want to be disrespectful to others or make someone else feel like they think that their own time is more valuable than theirs. I have never meant any disrespect towards anyone. I just seem to think that I can get almost anywhere in about 15 mins. Sometimes I can...sometimes I end up with $40 speeding tickets. Starting now I vow to be 15 mins early to all future engagements. I will leave the house with time to find a proper parking spot, allot for traffic, or get gas.

Side note, two weeks ago I ran out of gas for the 4th time in my life.
Not a proud moment at all. My best friend brought up an excellent point and it has been on my mind, "You know you are to 'on the go' when you are to busy to stop and buy gas". That is so true! I don't like stopping for gas at night when I'm alone but that just means that no matter how tired I am I need to do it right after work while I have cash and it is daylight.

My time is valuable but so is everybody else's. I need to respect that and allot time for the unexpected so I can avoid future tickets!

Getting A Massage After Work

This is going to be something that is difficult for me to define as a need or a luxury. I am very partial to my massages. I have always kind of had a jacked up back, I frequently get migraines, and am almost constantly am in some level of pain in my knees and back. Since I started going to get massages with Missi Kibelbek I have noticed the knots in my back getting smaller, I have yet to have a migraine, and I have (somewhat) detached myself from my heating pad. So with all of that said, I am thinking that they are good for me. Plus Missi runs an organic massage studio so I know that she is only using products that would fit into my "eco-cleanse".

I think the main reason that I feel a tad guilty about this appointment is because it wasn't originally mine. I had made this appointment for my (now ex) boyfriend. I asked my mom if she wanted the slot but she can't make it. I figured that instead of cancelling on Missi with such short notice that I would just take the appointment. Like I said...my now EX...so it has been a stressful weekend. I am going to allow myself this treat and still not feel bad when I see Missi in two weeks. She will be out of town for over a month so I won't be getting any massages until after I return from Europe at the end of September.

Perhaps after this I will keep it to monthly then every six weeks then knock it back even further to every other month. We will have to see.

First Set of Rules

I am going to start this endeavor by as of today no longer purchasing anything that is not an immediate need ie; produce or sanitary products. I will first use up all of my current supplies before I will pay money for anything...no matter how good the price is. Besides produce I don't foresee the need to go shopping anytime soon.

Exercising has begun as of yesterday. I am house sitting this week and thankfully I have to take the dog for a walk 2x a day. We jogged/walked yesterday and I realized that she doesn't pull as hard when we are jogging. Today we went for a short walk but tomorrow morning before I get ready for work we are going to go for a jog. I think Rosie is a good workout partner! I also have my Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred DVD with me. I plan on doing that after I take Rosie for a jog in the evenings.

I want to primarily focus on these two things for the next two weeks. On August 15, I will begin to take steps to make our house more energy efficient and I will begin to only buy my groceries at farmer's markets and in loose bulk sections. More on that later though.

Wish me luck!

The Divine Miss J

On your marks, get set, GOOOOO!!!!!!!!

The bottle that kind of started it all...

I bought this reusable bottle about a month ago. I thought it was absolutely adorable but I figured if I forced myself to keep it full of water and go with me everywhere then I would be doing myself a huge service. Since purchasing this bottle I've given more thought to the environment and what other small changes can I make.

Let's take a closer look at these goals...

Weight- In the past two years I’ve gained a substantial amount of weight. I’ve talked to my doctor’s about it and thankfully overall I’m healthy. I just need to get to work the old fashioned way to lose these LBs! I’ve always had an overall interest in nutrition, cooking, and working out. I just haven’t always put my knowledge to use. I do not blame anyone but myself. I always have an excuse for not working out or taking the easy route when it comes to quick meals or just plain being gluttonous.

I also would like to find ways of entertainment that do not center on food. Going out to eat is always my fallback plan of entertainment. That needs to stop! I would like to start hosting game nights, join a book club, or some other form of socializing that does not revolve around the presence of food or booze.

So far I’ve invested in a new pair of trainers, three new gym outfits, and have purchased a variety of gym passes thanks to Groupon. I have a 30 day pass to MAC Fitness, 5 classes at Bikram Yoga Baltimore, 1 month unlimited at Charm City Yoga, and a 3 month unlimited pass at MV Fitness. So this should keep me active until January unless I overlap the yoga passes with the gym. Dance classes will start up in October and that will be every Wednesday evening. Also, I am extremely blessed to have a supportive group of girlfriends that are my weekly workout buddies! I’ve known some of these ladies for almost 20 years and my Beautiful Bootyliscious Ballerinas are my <3!!>

My ultimate weight loss goal is 55 lbs! It isn’t going to be easy but the time is now!

Finances- I have not been the most money savvy person. I would live well beyond my means, constantly going out to eat, and plain and simple not being able to turn down a sale. God forbid if something has a red tag on it! The damn thing could be marked down $.35 but it would be in my cart.

Thanks to some assistance by my parents (…I know right!) I got a consolidation loan and I’ve been paying $540 a month for the past 3 years. I’ve also stopped buying stuff that I will “need in the future” and analyzed prices. I’ve done very well to dig myself out of the hole that I was in, +$20K! I will have the last of that debt paid off in November 2011. More than 1 year but considering that the debt is not carrying any interest and principal is actually getting paid, I’m happy with that. Unfortunately I still have a pretty wicked clothing addiction and while I’ve been paying cash for them I still have accumulated too much stuff and am not saving any money.

My goal is to hopefully pay off this loan 2 months early and set up an emergency fund account, a vacay fund, retirement IRAs, and a play money savings account. I want to really compartmentalize my money and analyze what am I busting my hump for?

Simplified Life- This goal is not as specific as the others. Basically I would like to analyze what I can do to make my life easier and make other people’s lives simpler. I know this goal will change and adapt as the year progresses but as long as the end result is a simpler way of life then I will be OK with that.

One aspect of this will include doing more volunteer work. I’ve always been a charitable person but, in the past few years I haven’t donated as much of my time as I would like. I plan on getting back to monthly volunteer activities.

I would also like to scale down on the amount of material items that I own. Things just bog down a space and I don’t need that any longer. I only want to keep things that I truly love.

So far I've already applied to be an ER Victim's Advocate for Turnaround. I've been wanting to do this for some time but I haven't had the time while I was in school or once I graduated I started working two jobs. I've also returned anything in my room that still had the tags attached and I had the receipt for. I also keep a box on top of my wardrobe and I use that to keep clothes that do not fit/I do not want anymore. When the box is full I will take the box to the Family Crisis Center of Baltimore County. They've taken my clothing donations in the past.

Well these are my three main goals that I would like to achieve by August 1, 2011. I plan on doing this in the most Eco-friendly way possible. I will not be avoiding using TP, I will still use electricity (just moderately), and I will still be driving my SUV. I have no intentions on being an extremist and I will not harp on others for what they do. This new project is for my own good. If I encourage someone to do something differently then great!

Oh...Hello there!

Name: Jessie
Age: 29
Occupation: Server
Education: B.S. in Women’s Studies
Married: Nope

Now that you know the important stats let me get into why I’m starting a blog. I am quickly approaching 30 and I have things in my life that I need to change.

There are three main things that I would like to change about myself.
1. Weight/Health
2. Finances
3. Simplify my Life

I’ve been attempting to deal with all three of these things separately with no real luck. Recently I watched an inspiring documentary, “No Impact Man”. This doc helped me realize that if I put more thought and effort into how I lived my life I can succeed not only at my above listed goals but I will be making a huge effort to be “eco-friendly”. Really the goal of the movie was an environmental one but the domino effects were the goals that I’m looking to meet.

I was born on Earth Day (April 22) and I’ve always cared about the earth; reuse items when I can, never litter, and recycle whenever possible. For the most part it was a very casual thing. In the past few years as it has become trendy to be “green” and I have kept away from it. I didn’t want to participate in a movement just because it was the trend. In the past few months I’ve been reading about how to live eco friendly which if done right can also be very cost effective…two birds, one stone! I will be going through what is called an eco-cleanse over the next year. Starting August 1st I will slowly begin to make changes in my life that overtime will help me reach my goals and ultimately lead to a happier, healthier, simpler life!

I will be utilizing this blog as a journal, a posting place for relevant articles/tips, and a way to meet like minded people. I hope to keep this blog interesting and informative but I promise that it will be honest!