Update: February 26, 2011
Almost two months have passed since I started my Project 2011. It started at as this great project for me to accomplish all these goals this year. After two months, it's turning out to be more like me resolving to overcome my vices by tackling one each month.
In January it was to watch less TV. In February it has been to save money and spend less. In March all bets are off because I will be traveling the entire month and who knows what's going to happen.
I decided I need to modify the focus of this blog and this project 2011. The past two months have shown my progress (or lack thereof) in trying to change some lifestyle habits. I kinda like the idea that I'm making myself accountable for these things. It makes me more aware of what I'm doing in my life and what I really need to change.
When I first started this project, there were several things in my life I really needed to change; and those are the first three items on my list of projects for 2011. Also number 10 was getting to be an issue, which we've already discussed. However, although I am no longer watching my Friends DVD's I have moved on to my Will and Grace DVD's which is a little bit like cheating. The point of me not watching Friends anymore was to help with watching less TV in general... sigh.
Rounding out the top four things on which Michele needs to improve is "Exercise."
This is something I just can not get motivated to do! I used to be a member of LA Fitness way back in the day. I would go every single day and work out for about 2 hours! I was in such good shape! Last year, after about four years of nothing, I started walking and using a shake-weight. Not quite two hours a day, maybe 30 minutes if any. I slacked off after only a four months when I got mono and basically couldn't do any physical exercise of any kind for six weeks. Now, I'm back to my lazy-self and barely exercise twice a month. I vow to make April my exercise month. I might have to splurge and join a gym, we shall see...
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
Packing is an up-hill battle
I really tried to pack light for this trip I’m on right now. I forced myself to use a carry-on sized suitcase and I even lightened my purse. Why does it feel like I still brought too much stuff? Luckily W came on this four-day trip with me this time, so when I didn’t have any more room in my suitcase I just added my extra stuff to HIS! I feel like that’s cheating though, right?
I don’t know how in the world I’m going to pack for my three-week trip in March. Especially since I’m going to COLD places. Just now, I was thinking I didn’t even pack enough warm stuff for this trip, because I’m freezing and wish I had more layers. But that would have involved me packing a bigger suitcase, which I was trying to avoid! I guess there really is no way around it. I am a naturally freezing-cold person, and even in Southern California I wear three layers of clothing in the evening.
I’ve already been planning for weeks, what I’m going to pack for this upcoming March trip where I have to go to Northern California, and New England for, actually, almost a whole month. I’m going to be pretty much just wear the same outfit every single day I think – skinny jeans, boots, black turtleneck, cardigan, and thick woolly sweater; and a Pashmina. And a coat. That should keep me warm enough.
The other problem with packing is my excessive amounts of toiletries and hair-styling tools. Especially now that my hair is absolutely impossible to style, I have to bring a blow-dryer, a hot iron, two brushes, and a pick. Not to mention piles of bobby pins and barrettes. Then there’s the five different hair products: shampoo, conditioner, styling cream, root-boost spray, styling putty, and hairspray. Wait, that’s six products. Ridiculous. Add that to my body lotion, face cream, night cream, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, makeup remover, cotton balls, nail polish remover, ear plugs, benadryl, advil, chapstick, and all my makeup! It’s too much stuff! I am so high-maintenance!
One of my trips in November, I didn’t pack the blow dryer. That was my tiny attempt at packing lighter. Maybe that will have to be the case again. Or I just pack that one outfit like I said, because I never end up wearing all the clothes I bring anyway, and that should leave me enough room for my entire bathroom. Thank you very much.
I don’t know how in the world I’m going to pack for my three-week trip in March. Especially since I’m going to COLD places. Just now, I was thinking I didn’t even pack enough warm stuff for this trip, because I’m freezing and wish I had more layers. But that would have involved me packing a bigger suitcase, which I was trying to avoid! I guess there really is no way around it. I am a naturally freezing-cold person, and even in Southern California I wear three layers of clothing in the evening.
I’ve already been planning for weeks, what I’m going to pack for this upcoming March trip where I have to go to Northern California, and New England for, actually, almost a whole month. I’m going to be pretty much just wear the same outfit every single day I think – skinny jeans, boots, black turtleneck, cardigan, and thick woolly sweater; and a Pashmina. And a coat. That should keep me warm enough.
The other problem with packing is my excessive amounts of toiletries and hair-styling tools. Especially now that my hair is absolutely impossible to style, I have to bring a blow-dryer, a hot iron, two brushes, and a pick. Not to mention piles of bobby pins and barrettes. Then there’s the five different hair products: shampoo, conditioner, styling cream, root-boost spray, styling putty, and hairspray. Wait, that’s six products. Ridiculous. Add that to my body lotion, face cream, night cream, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, makeup remover, cotton balls, nail polish remover, ear plugs, benadryl, advil, chapstick, and all my makeup! It’s too much stuff! I am so high-maintenance!
One of my trips in November, I didn’t pack the blow dryer. That was my tiny attempt at packing lighter. Maybe that will have to be the case again. Or I just pack that one outfit like I said, because I never end up wearing all the clothes I bring anyway, and that should leave me enough room for my entire bathroom. Thank you very much.
Bad Hair Day
What do I do? I paid an ungodly amount of money for a haircut and low-lights last week, and I hate it. I gave myself one week to figure out how to style it, and it just isn’t working. Do I call the salon and complain? Do I ask for a refund? I am not going to try to have her fix it, because it’s already too short. I feel like if I’m going to get a bad haircuts I might as well just go to SuperCuts and pay the $16.95 instead of the amount of my car payment. This is my save money month, so it just really makes me sick to think I spent all that precious, hard-earned money on a raggedy haircut and a highlighting job that isn’t even that good. I wanted to go darker, so that’s why she supposedly did low-lights, but you can’t even tell. There’s even one whole section that looks like I still have really bad roots. I am so disgusted.
I literally am just going to go to SuperCuts from now on. I am sick of paying hundreds of dollars for haircuts that suck. I thought I had finally found a stylist at a salon I really liked, and now I’ve been slapped in the face. I’m very disappointed, and now broke, thanks to “Molly” the hair stylist. That haircut and a pricey speeding ticket have set me back half a months pay. Granted I don’t get paid much, but still, that’s a lot of money for repulsive hair and a traffic fine. So far, in “Save-Money-Month” I have saved zero dollars. Unless I count the number of times I wanted to go to Amazon.com and didn’t. That’s something.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Facing Target
I just went to Target. My nemisis. I had to face it though. We were down to our last half-roll of toilet paper; we desperately needed detergent to do laundry; and since both of us have crazy allergies, we're always blowing our noses, and we were also out of tissue.
Sigh. This shouldn't be that big of a deal. Most normal people would just go to the store and get those three things they need. For me, it's not that easy. I once went into Target with my friend KK and between the two of us, we spent $500. How in the world does that happen? At that time, our intention was to sign up for the Target charge card and get the 5% discount on our purchase. Big savings! So we piled our carts full of junk -- I don't even know what we could spend that much money on at Target!
My last big Target trip before I cut myself off I bought four washcloths, a book, and several things I already have plenty of at home: eye drops, benadryl, face wash, moisturizer and lotion. I mean, I could seriously run a drug-store out of my bathroom.
As you can see, I was dreading this trip to Target during my month of not spending money. I knew it was going to be difficult and I didn't want to place myself in that tempting environment.
I starting psyching myself last night:
"Only three items. I'm going into Target, and I'm getting only those three items. That's it, that's all I can get. I can do this! I will succeed!"
This morning, I reinforced myself by telling W that I was going to Target to get toilet paper, tissue and laundry detergent, "and THAT'S IT!" He said, "Why, what else do we need? Do you want to get something else."
AUGH! He is not helping matters here!
So I walked into Target and was instantly drawn to the new purses and scarves strategically placed in front of the entrance. "NO!" A voice screamed inside my head. I turned away and saw a rack of five dollar DVD's. Oooh! I always wanted to see Johny Depp's Crybaby! I then passed the pharmacy section and rows and rows of beautifully packaged vitamins, allergy pills, bandaids, and cotton balls threatened to jump into my cart. In the other direction I saw a new line of glade candles... This was bad.
Finally I reached the household products section and quickly tossed the needed items in my empty cart. As I turned back toward the check-out, I remembered we needed lettuce for salads this week. What do I do?! I told myself that I could only get those three items, but if don't get lettuce, I'm going to have to go the grocery and that could only prove to be more disastrous because at this rate, I'm going to figure out I need a million other ingredients and I'll buy out the whole market to compensate for my lack of excessive shopping at Target! Dilemma!
I practically ran to the food section in Target and grabbed a bag of spinach and a bag of leafy romaine (2 for $4) and dashed out of the store as fast as possible.
Phew. What drama this saving more and spending less is! And honestly, after my hair cut and highlights touch up on Friday (which I forgot about when I made this month the "Save Money Month) I don't feel like my bank account looks any fuller.
Sigh. This shouldn't be that big of a deal. Most normal people would just go to the store and get those three things they need. For me, it's not that easy. I once went into Target with my friend KK and between the two of us, we spent $500. How in the world does that happen? At that time, our intention was to sign up for the Target charge card and get the 5% discount on our purchase. Big savings! So we piled our carts full of junk -- I don't even know what we could spend that much money on at Target!
My last big Target trip before I cut myself off I bought four washcloths, a book, and several things I already have plenty of at home: eye drops, benadryl, face wash, moisturizer and lotion. I mean, I could seriously run a drug-store out of my bathroom.
As you can see, I was dreading this trip to Target during my month of not spending money. I knew it was going to be difficult and I didn't want to place myself in that tempting environment.
I starting psyching myself last night:
"Only three items. I'm going into Target, and I'm getting only those three items. That's it, that's all I can get. I can do this! I will succeed!"
This morning, I reinforced myself by telling W that I was going to Target to get toilet paper, tissue and laundry detergent, "and THAT'S IT!" He said, "Why, what else do we need? Do you want to get something else."
AUGH! He is not helping matters here!
So I walked into Target and was instantly drawn to the new purses and scarves strategically placed in front of the entrance. "NO!" A voice screamed inside my head. I turned away and saw a rack of five dollar DVD's. Oooh! I always wanted to see Johny Depp's Crybaby! I then passed the pharmacy section and rows and rows of beautifully packaged vitamins, allergy pills, bandaids, and cotton balls threatened to jump into my cart. In the other direction I saw a new line of glade candles... This was bad.
Finally I reached the household products section and quickly tossed the needed items in my empty cart. As I turned back toward the check-out, I remembered we needed lettuce for salads this week. What do I do?! I told myself that I could only get those three items, but if don't get lettuce, I'm going to have to go the grocery and that could only prove to be more disastrous because at this rate, I'm going to figure out I need a million other ingredients and I'll buy out the whole market to compensate for my lack of excessive shopping at Target! Dilemma!
I practically ran to the food section in Target and grabbed a bag of spinach and a bag of leafy romaine (2 for $4) and dashed out of the store as fast as possible.
Phew. What drama this saving more and spending less is! And honestly, after my hair cut and highlights touch up on Friday (which I forgot about when I made this month the "Save Money Month) I don't feel like my bank account looks any fuller.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
merci beaucoup
Way back in 2005 I booked a $400 ticket to Paris, France to visit my best friend "Ace." I had been to Paris one time before but decided this time to fit in as much as possible and try to learn as much French as I could in the four months I had before my trip.
I bought two French language self-teaching books, one that came with a CD, and scheduled in hours of study time each day and on the weekends to teach myself the new language. I made flash cards, notes, and even found people on craigslist advertising French for English lessons! I actually did meet up with two different French guys at several different times. We spent an hour each time interacting and sharing lessons back and forth in each of our prospective languages.
That was when I was a nanny for two teenagers that were in school 8 hours a day, and I had a lot of time on my hands. By the time I went to France, I could say several important phrases, and could understand 50% (maybe a little bit more) of what was spoken around me. Of course, after that trip I completely forgot everything and never practiced French again.
Six years later, enter Project 2011! Learn French (again!)
I have finally started, slowly but surely, practicing some simple French phrases again. One of the student workers in my office is from Paris, and she is turning out to be a very valuable resource! This started only last week, but every day so far she's quizzed me with a phrase and after repeating it, she tells me what it means. I decided I'm going to take her out to lunch once a week in exchange for tutoring me!
Tres bien!
I bought two French language self-teaching books, one that came with a CD, and scheduled in hours of study time each day and on the weekends to teach myself the new language. I made flash cards, notes, and even found people on craigslist advertising French for English lessons! I actually did meet up with two different French guys at several different times. We spent an hour each time interacting and sharing lessons back and forth in each of our prospective languages.
That was when I was a nanny for two teenagers that were in school 8 hours a day, and I had a lot of time on my hands. By the time I went to France, I could say several important phrases, and could understand 50% (maybe a little bit more) of what was spoken around me. Of course, after that trip I completely forgot everything and never practiced French again.
Six years later, enter Project 2011! Learn French (again!)
I have finally started, slowly but surely, practicing some simple French phrases again. One of the student workers in my office is from Paris, and she is turning out to be a very valuable resource! This started only last week, but every day so far she's quizzed me with a phrase and after repeating it, she tells me what it means. I decided I'm going to take her out to lunch once a week in exchange for tutoring me!
Tres bien!
Friday, February 4, 2011
Toilet Paper
Upon informing W that I was restricting myself from any Target or online shopping, he replied very thoughtfully, "Well, if you could figure out some way to use less toilet paper, we could save a million bucks!"
This is a true story. I am a girl, with allergies and a small bladder. Therefore I use a lot of toilet paper. I shared this anecdote with some of my male coworkers, and like my husband, they just don't understand! Boys don't have to "wipe" every time they go to the bathroom, so it's a little bit different for us girls. I really, really do try to use less toilet paper, but it's not even just toilet use. For example, I am always blowing my nose, wiping up spilled make-up, or blotting my eyes after using eye drops. Yes, there are boxes of tissues all over the house as well, but sometimes the bathroom, and toilet paper, is just more convenient.
I compensate for this excessive paper use by using cloth napkins, and wiping the counters with washcloths instead of paper towels. Doesn't that even things out? Apparently not.
This is a true story. I am a girl, with allergies and a small bladder. Therefore I use a lot of toilet paper. I shared this anecdote with some of my male coworkers, and like my husband, they just don't understand! Boys don't have to "wipe" every time they go to the bathroom, so it's a little bit different for us girls. I really, really do try to use less toilet paper, but it's not even just toilet use. For example, I am always blowing my nose, wiping up spilled make-up, or blotting my eyes after using eye drops. Yes, there are boxes of tissues all over the house as well, but sometimes the bathroom, and toilet paper, is just more convenient.
I compensate for this excessive paper use by using cloth napkins, and wiping the counters with washcloths instead of paper towels. Doesn't that even things out? Apparently not.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Month in Review
January has come and past; shall we review my progress? I'd rather not. It's pretty grim. I have failed miserably at starting any of my projects except that sad attempt of watching less TV.
To be on the positive side, I did say goodbye to Friends and have not turned back... although I was very tempted to just pop one DVD in this weekend when W was gone and I needed some background noise.
However, did I start practicing yoga frequently? No. I barely made it up the hill on the two walks I took during the month. Really, really sad. Did I venture to utter a French word? That would another big NO. Although, I did read Madame Bovary which is translated from French, so I figured that counted. My sewing machine still sits in the guest room closet, and I have definitely not gone camping. Also, I have set a very bad pace of not spending less or saving more.
That brings me to February's new project:
For one month, I am not allowed to step one foot inside a Target, Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, or any other kind of pharmacy type store. In addition, I am restricted from going to Amazon.com, zappos.com, Southwest.com or iTunes. (Lucky this is the shortest month of the year, right?!) This pretty much means no shopping, except at the grocery store. I mean, the toilet paper is not going to last another week.
This is going to force me to save some money, for crying out loud! Target is the biggest trap ever. I went in over the weekend to get eye drops with a very strict order to myself to walk in only for eye drops and that's it. Why did I all of a sudden spend seventy-four dollars?! That is ridiculous. Enough is enough.
February is all about saving money. Maybe I can distract myself from shopping online by doing some warrior poses instead.
To be on the positive side, I did say goodbye to Friends and have not turned back... although I was very tempted to just pop one DVD in this weekend when W was gone and I needed some background noise.
However, did I start practicing yoga frequently? No. I barely made it up the hill on the two walks I took during the month. Really, really sad. Did I venture to utter a French word? That would another big NO. Although, I did read Madame Bovary which is translated from French, so I figured that counted. My sewing machine still sits in the guest room closet, and I have definitely not gone camping. Also, I have set a very bad pace of not spending less or saving more.
That brings me to February's new project:
For one month, I am not allowed to step one foot inside a Target, Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, or any other kind of pharmacy type store. In addition, I am restricted from going to Amazon.com, zappos.com, Southwest.com or iTunes. (Lucky this is the shortest month of the year, right?!) This pretty much means no shopping, except at the grocery store. I mean, the toilet paper is not going to last another week.
This is going to force me to save some money, for crying out loud! Target is the biggest trap ever. I went in over the weekend to get eye drops with a very strict order to myself to walk in only for eye drops and that's it. Why did I all of a sudden spend seventy-four dollars?! That is ridiculous. Enough is enough.
February is all about saving money. Maybe I can distract myself from shopping online by doing some warrior poses instead.
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