My credit card bill is massive this month, but it's all because of my car repair. Luckily, I have the emergency fund to fall back on. It is quite nice to have that safety net - I've never had it in the past. Now comes the task of building it back up again. Speaking of car repair, I updated the totals in my previous post. It makes me sick to see how much they charged me vs. what they should have charged me.

More snow today! We're expecting 5-8 inches, and it's been falling all night. I hope we don't get that much. I made it to work this morning, though, and on time, so I'm pretty pleased with myself. The bus showed up this time (though 20 minutes late)!

I'm doing great on my driving challenge - I've only driven to work twice so far. I will not be able to meet my savings goal because of the car repair, but I can live with that. I'm still putting away $75, which is better than nothing. I'm doing fairly well on my eating out/Target/groceries challenge this month. I have about $42 left to spend.

With two weeks left, though, I hope I can make it. I'm going out with friends tomorrow night to celebrate St. Patty's Day, but we're going to avoid the crowded Irish pubs. Hopefully we can have a good time rather inexpensively.

A friend of mine is about to have a baby, and I'm so excited! I bought a gift a few months ago when baby stuff was on clearance. I am looking forward to the phone call!

Otherwise, not much going on...this is a slow month, and I'm greatful for it.

This is for Russell (and anyone else interested in car repairs):

- Lube, oil & filter ($29)
- Tire rotation ($24)
- Replace exhaust flange ($70 labor, $32 parts)
- Exhaust replace, converter back ($100 labor, $125 parts)
- Replace LS inner tie rod ($199 labor, $74 parts)
- 4 wheel alignment ($90)
- Brake adjust & clean ($50)
- Belts R&R - A/C belt ($50 labor, $70 parts)

- Supplies $47
- Disposal $2.50

That's the repair shop's list on the invoice. $900 total WITH a $92 discount. Ouch!

Unfortunately I have no idea how to properly link photos, but I have a great one showing how much snow we've gotten overnight. I couldn't get my car out of the driveway, so I hiked to the bus stop, only to wait an enternity and never have a bus show up. I went back home and have been in bed ever since! Delightful.

Not much to report on the savings/spending front. I've been lying low after shelling out the $900 for my car. It runs so much better now. I'm hoping it will last for at least another 20,000 miles. Pretty please?

Yikes, thanks for that article, DivaJen! I've been without Excedrin since Monday. No super excruciating headaches to speak of since then. I will definitely start limiting myself more - is that why my massage friend is always telling me my stomach is bad??

Good news:
I had a job interview yesterday and it went quite well. I'm not sure if I want the job, though. It would be slightly more interesting than what I'm doing now, but I can't see myself staying there forever, either. It may give me more graphic arts and Macintosh experience, though, which appeals to publishers. We'll see. They are going to let me know in the next couple of weeks. If it's more money, I'll definitely take it.

Bad news:
I brought my car in to the shop last night (finally). Russell will be pleased to know that I am no longer attempting to asphyxiate myself by driving the Deathmobile. However, the shop called this morning and it's going to cost $900 to fix (and that is WITH a AAA discount). Ouch. I was expecting it to be high, and I have an emergency fund to fall back on, but I am still bummed. I hate handing over my carefully saved money for something like this.

I may decide to use my tax refund for a Mexico trip instead of using it to pay off part of one of my college loans. I am tired of being practical! and I want to go to Mexico!!! I guess we'll see how I feel once I have the money in my hot little hands.

I have a potential opportunity coming up. I'll post more when I know more.

What a relaxing weekend. Dinner with the in-laws was wonderful - they opened up more than usual. I should have stayed out of the stores yesterday, though. I bought a magazine, a book, and a cookbook - tsk tsk! Also picked up the dreaded Girl Scout cookies and some crafting things. I'm way overbudget, as always. I rarely plan for these "others" like books and beads and cookies. They just happen, and then I scramble to cover the deficit. It's a recurring theme.

I was thinking about using my tax refund for my college loans, but you know what? I'd much rather go on vacation. I found a beautiful, secluded beach resort in Mexico that is just what the doctor ordered. We'll see.

I was going to attempt to live without Excedrin for one week...and failed miserably on the second day. My head was just killing me yesterday. I haven't touched the bottle today, though, so here's me, trying again. I want to make sure they aren't just rebound headaches.

For mjrube94 (my favorite devil's advocate):
1) SO is all for moving. Especially somewhere warm and by the ocean. He misses it, too.
2) There are other schools in other places, namely Canada. Brrrr. I found a few other schools in Los Angeles, and they are options, too.
3) I'm still researching all the schools and options...but I will definitely do my research on placements.
4) This particular school has two sessions - Tues/Thurs full day classes and four-nights-per-week classes. If I took the night classes, I could definitely work a day job, and that's what I'd do.

Having said all that, I'm not sure that I will definitely set off in this direction, but it's simmering in the back of my mind. Also simmering is the idea that I should move out east (since that's where the publishing jobs are) and give this publishing thing one more shot. I'm also considering throwing up my hands and staying home all day (not really, but it would be nice).

Yesterday I was completely despondent, thus no post here. "In a funk," as another blogger put it. I need to sit down and sort through all the things going on in my head. Buy new car or fix my car? - Buy a house here or move elsewhere? - SO wants to get married, do I? - Publishing career or give it up already? - Mexico trip or save money? AAAARRRRGGGGGG!!!!!

Thank God for Fridays (and the weekend).

Since this publishing job thing isn't really working out too well (unless I move out east), I have been daydreaming a bit.

Today I stumbled across a professional makeup artist school. Being a makeup artist is my second chosen profession. I used to do makeup for all the school plays and have done makeup for weddings, parties, etc. I love, love, love makeup.

I'd have to move to Hollywood and shell out $12,000 for a 12-month program (four nights per week). After that, though, I could do theatre makeup, or movies, or fashion shows. It would be so awesome to do prosthetic makeup - I built my Halloween costume one year, and it rocked.

I probably wouldn't make any more than I am right now, I'd have to move to LA, and who knows what kind of work I would find after I finished the program. Still...it's tempting...and hard to make that leap. SO is already all for it!

Thanks for the support! I guess I did do pretty well with my goals for February. Hopefully March will be better.

I think you're right, baselle, taking the bus will be a lot easier once it is lighter and warmer. I was horrible about taking the bus in January because of the weather. March is a notoriously bad weather month in MN, too...hopefully this year will be different! We always get at least one huge snowstorm in March.

My smaller college loan is going to take a little more to pay off than I thought. Somehow I had calculated the outstanding bill to be about $400 less than it is. I still think I can pay it off by August, if I am diligent.

I'm going to a movie tonight with a friend at a cheap theater and hoping dinner won't be too expensive. I'm trying to watch my diet a bit better, too, so I'll be avoiding the theater candy (and that extra cost).

I chose a restaurant and printed my $25 Entertainment Book dinner gift certificate because SO and I are planning a date night for later this month! Yippee! The old

Guthrie Theater is closing after 43 years and reopening at a new location, so we'd like to take in Hamlet before the old theater is closed.

One of my infamous spending cycles is threatening to ruin my March goals. I can think of all kinds of crap that I want to buy, and the urge to buy it all is SO ridiculous. Resist! Resist! I'm really good at justifying it, too - like yesterday, when Almay wrote back to me and said that yes, they have discontinued my favorite moisturizer. I promptely went to eBay and purchased a few bottles of it. Granted, they were $5 cheaper than in stores, and I'm going to have a heck of a time finding it now that it's not being made, but.... *sigh*

FEBRUARY GOALS:
~ Pay double on my smaller college loan: YES
~ Change Roth IRA setting: YES
~ Cancel extra credit card (discovered in credit report): YES
~ Limit groceries/Target/eating out to $220 (was $370 in Jan): NO - went $107 over the goal, but better than Jan
~ Drive to work no more than 4 times: NO - drove 7 times, but better than Jan at 12 times
~ Have $1000 in emergency fund by March: YES

MARCH GOALS
~ Pay double on my smaller college loan
~ Limit groceries/Target/eating out to $250 (was $327 in Feb)
~ Drive to work no more than 5 times
~ Put $300 into savings
~ Donate $25 to one organization of choice

I've done a few crazy things already and it's not even March. I ordered a set of hypnosis for weight loss CDs, since I almost called in "fat" this morning. Not really, but NOTHING in my closet fits and I am sick of it. If the CDs don't work, I have one year to return them.

I bought several hair products that I had run out of from an online discount place. I had to order $50 worth to get free shipping. I don't know why free shipping was so important to me.

I ordered an Entertainment Book per retire@50's post. I'm hoping we can find some good deals in it. I did get $10 off and the $25 restaurant coupon, but still, not something I desperately needed.

Finally found out that my massage friend is trapped in another country (I don't quite know why), so that monthly expenditure is zapped for the time being.

AAA renewal is up in March too...haven't used it for a couple of years but I feel better about driving my car when I've got it. I have used it with this car more than once.

March is a long month. I need to reign in my spending already! eep!

I drove to work again yesterday (didn't get out of bed until 7:15am). Booooo. SO brought me to work this morning, even though I got up early enough to catch the late bus. I don't know what my problem is. I go to bed around 9 or 10 and still can't get up in the morning.

I went from one extreme to the other. In my last job, I couldn't get people to stop talking to me. I was a veritable unlicensed psychologist for my boss. At my current job, people won't even look at each other when they pass in the hallway. They either plod around with zombie-like stares or travel in packs. It's totally bizarre. Happy medium, anyone?

I've still been looking at Mexico vacations (thinking May now) and used cars (thinking I should take my own to the shop). I probably shouldn't do anything until I bring my car in and find out how much it's going to be to get it back into relatively good shape. Then decide on everything else.

Life! It gives me a headache.

Our party was nice. Not too many people could make it, but the mojitos and snacks were worth it. I wasn't feeling that way the day after, but the body is amazingly good at healing itself. I might lay off the mojitos for a while though.

A little too much drama for me this weekend. I am a definite drama-avoider until it involves me directly. I'm just prepping myself for the next time it comes around. Sometimes I'd like to move away from everyone and live in a quiet cabin in the mountains (ocean view required). I didn't grow up with extended family around, so I am new to this constant-family environment and the drama that comes with it. Ish.

Spent more on groceries than I intended, but we won't have to go again this month. We spent what I thought we would on the party, but a little more on beverages. Oh well, liquor keeps, and at the rate we normally drink it, it should keep for a long time.

I'm about $20 over on my groceries/eating out/Target challenge. I also drove to work this morning because I had to carry a homemade cake in. That brings my driving total up to 5. No more driving for me this month! All I have left to pay for is rent, a prescription, and my credit card bill (in full).

Rest of Today
Colder. Mostly sunny late in the morning then becoming partly cloudy. Highs 5 below to zero. Northwest winds 15 to 20 mph with gusts to around 35 mph. Wind chill readings 25 below to 35 below zero.

Tonight
Colder. Mostly clear. Lows 15 below to 20 below zero. West winds 5 to 15 mph.

For those of you who don't know what -31 windchill is like -- you walk out the door and it's like someone has just punched you in the chest. The air is sucked right out of your lungs. Your lips immediately begin to crack, your eyes tear up, and even though you've got on a jacket that is qualified for -30 degree weather, the icy wind somehow manages to snake its way through. The 10 feet from your door to the car feels like miles. Your legs immediately start to feel like blocks of ice. Any exposed skin immediately begins to feel like it's burning.

I can see how people die so easily and quickly in the Arctic.

Keep in mind, however, that this is not bad. Where I grew up, it gets to -90 with the windchill. They cancel school on those days (go figure!).

This morning I frittered away some time looking at ocean-front property in Oregon. A dream, perhaps, but one I'd like to make reality, STAT.

Have to buy some beer and perhaps some groceries in preparation for our party tomorrow. Less people are coming now than we originally thought, unfortunately, but the up-side of that is that we can spend less on prep.

Groceries/Eating out/Target: $30.30 left. So far, doing well with my not-driving-to-work challenge.

Yesterday I bought four sweaters for $20. Not bad. I am quite pleased with myself.

I haven't taken out cash for a while. I am tempted to keep myself in check by not taking out cash. I like having it in my wallet 'just in case' but then 'just in case' turns into 'gone in two days.'

We were supposed to get slammed with snow today, but not a flake has fallen (I'm not complaining).

Perusing a billion different makes and models of small SUVs...I made an Excel chart to keep track of what autos.msn.com says about each model's reliability for years 1998-2005. It's been very helpful. Now if only I could find one of the reliable ones for $10,000 with less than 50,000 miles. or even 60,000 miles. Not an easy task.

I found a 2002 blue Mustang on craiglist.com with 44,000 miles on it for $9500. People, this is my car. I have been pining for a Mustang forever (and preferably one in blue). I've daydreamed about rims, the sound system, the exact color... I hate the new design, though, so it's going to have to be an older one. I wish Mustangs were a little better in snow and got better gas mileage (though this one is a V6, so not as bad as the V8). Hmmm.

I was checking out all the small SUVs around me on the way home yesterday, and liked the Nissan Pathfinder and the Toyota Highlander too. I'll be looking them up today. The CR-V looks like a toy car next to them.

SO and I are having a joint birthday party this weekend (he's a February baby too). We need to come up with vegetarian appetizers and decide just how many mojitos we're going to make. I'm looking forward to it.

The cookies turned out great! I would have made a double batch if macadamia nuts weren't so darn expensive.

I bought a pair of dress pants for $6 and a sweater for $7 at Old Navy the other day. I love the sweater, so I'd like to go back and get another one in a different color before they disappear. Not in the budget, but how can I pass up $6 pants, when all of mine are tight? You can't beat that.

Speaking of tight pants...I feel like a hibernating bear. I need to get some sort of exercise regime going on here, and kick the carb addiction. Only a couple more months of winter!

I drove to work again this morning. Boooo. That is number four this month. Can I go the next nine work days without driving? We'll see.

I am so tired. I've been having nightmares every night this week, which doesn't lend itself to restful sleep. Throw in the furry monsters who insist upon tearing apart the bedroom at 5:00am every day, and the result is a very crabby me.

SO made me breakfast and lunch this morning...very sweet. I'm going to bake him white chocolate macadamia nut cookies tonight.

I now have $42.28 left in my eating out/Target/groceries category. Doesn't seem like much for only being halfway through the month.

I love edmunds.com. I think their information is so incredibly helpful.

This morning while driving through the freezing rain (the roads were sheets of ice), I noticed a Honda CR-V next to me that was spinning its tires like mad. It could hardly get going. The tires didn't look threadbare. My car had no problem getting going because it's so heavy. It made me think twice about the CR-V...maybe I should just get my car fixed.

Still haven't heard from the massage lady. Her phone is not accepting voicemails anymore either. Strange. I guess that will save me $80 this month if she doesn't call or show up. Hear that noise? It's my back muscles screaming in protest.

I have $61.14 left in my groceries/eating out/Target money for this month. It would be so great if I could hit that goal and not go over!

I have driven to work three times this month already. It will be hard to stick to the goal of four times, but I am trying. I sprinted to the bus this morning and made it. Bus culture is such an interesting thing. I always have entertaining stories after riding them.

Still wishy-washy about the car thing. Should I fix mine? Should I look for a new one? I'm sure SO and my FIL would help me look. It's such a daunting task for me, and I can't figure out why. Maybe because my parents only went car shopping once, for me. All the rest of their cars came from relatives or friends. I hate being around salespeople because I always wonder if they are trying to pull a fast one.

My sister is doing a charity event so she asked me to donate. Not in my budget, but I am going to contribute anyway to support her. I should also start contributing to other things (NPR, my former employer, NARAL, wildlife conservation organizations, breast cancer research, etcetcetc) but I'm not there yet. I suppose even an occasional contribution would make a difference, though.

Looking forward to this week - nothing is planned whatsoever until Saturday night.

What happens when SO goes to the grocery store without me? He comes back with Fritos, popcorn, chips, chip dip, donuts, the most expensive olives, a huge box of chocolate...

I'm not complaining about the chocolate, of course, but I never buy donuts, and I always get the cheapest olives. Oh well. At least he got some things that we needed, too.

Thanks, baselle. It's easy for me to feel like a complete weirdo sometimes. I do want to buy a house someday, just not here. and I'd sooner do that than get married!

The massage lady did not come last night. I will have to call her today to find out why. I'm pretty sure I had the right date written down.

Yesterday I went through every month of my budget and shuffled things around to make sure I only spend what I actually earn (crazy concept!). We'll see how that works out.

Work is soooooo slllooowwww today!! I am trying to keep busy but it is hard to find something interesting to read/do. The last couple of weeks have been super busy, so I shouldn't complain about a lull!

The key to not spending? Not having any money in my wallet. I can't buy lunch, or chocolate, or beverages, nor can I pay for parking. I'm trying to hold out until the 15th to take out any cash, too.

I have already consumed all the chocolate I brought today, which probably amounts to two or three Snickers bars (eep!). I'll attribute that to boredom and stress.

Frugalocity for today:
~ bringing breakfast, leftover bean soup, chocolate, and pop from home
~ taking the bus (finally!)
~ avoiding my favorite internet shopping sites
~ making more mini-savings goals for the rest of the year to prevent myself from spending and show myself how much I can save

Got a bit of a case of Jonesing going on - my friend is planning to buy a big, pricey home. They're already talking about having four TVs, a new computer, new furniture, etc etc etc etc. They make a lot more money than I do, but still...I hate feeling so behind people my own age. I know I shouldn't compare myself to others, but it's hard not to. Especially when we have the same background and same education (except mine was way more expensive!).

All this talk of home buying makes SO want to buy a house. I'm so afraid that if we do that, we'll get stuck here forever. He is dropping hints about wanting to get married, too. Yikes! I must be the only woman on the planet who doesn't relish the thought of marriage!

Tonight the massage lady comes - yay!

Thanks for the birthday wishes!

I had a fabulous birthday. SO and I had a delicious long lunch with my former boss (she paid). He and I went to Ikea afterwards and chipped away at a gift card we received for Christmas. I got a new dresser! I am so excited! After Ikea, we went to dinner with another couple at a great Thai restaurant (SO paid for me). Back at my place, we had ice cream cake, and I got a few very nice gifts. All in all, it was a great day. The sun was even shining - what luck! The art institute was closed, so that's why we didn't go there.

The concert on Friday was excellent, and we did eat dinner at home beforehand. I got to catch up with an old friend there, too.

We went to Brokeback Mountain on Saturday with another couple (SO had free tickets) and I paid $11 for concessions for both of us. It was a good flick. Heart-wrenching, but good.

I stayed home all day on Sunday. A migraine was building and culminated on my birthday, but I squashed it with drugs and some alternative therapy that my massage friend suggested. She's coming again on Wednesday, so I'll have to tell her that her suggestions helped.

So, not much spending on my part this weekend. It was so nice to have three days off. Wouldn't you know it, my co-workers didn't even notice I was gone! and my cube is right by theirs! Nuts. I'm glad I decided to spend the day with SO and friends instead.

It was sooooo nice to come home last night, open the door, and have the scent of dinner waft over me. I should use the crockpot more often.

Frugal things I've done lately:
- made Bisquick garlic cheese biscuits to go with the crockpot black bean soup instead of stopping at the grocery store for garlic bread
- directed the car HOME last night instead of going to any store
- baked cookies
- got a ride with SO this morning
- am resisting the urge to buy a hot chocolate, even though I am freezing at my desk, and can't have food products in my desk anymore because of critters in the office

Tonight I'm going to try to eat dinner at home before going to a concert with SO, instead of eating out.

This weekend I am going to try to eat all meals at home, even if friends stop by (I'll cook for them).

On my birthday on Monday, I'm planning to go to the art institute instead of shopping. We'll see how that works out. SO is taking the day off, too, so that will be fun!!

Need to keep plugging away at the jewelry-making, so I get better at it. It's easy to get frustrated.

Also need to practice being calm with the cats, even if they eat my bagel with cream cheese off the counter and lick crumbs off of the cookie sheet. They are just being cats (dog-like cats, really).

Groceries/Eating Out/Target ($220 goal): $54.37 spent

Driving to work goal (4/mo): one down

Tonight's dinner is simmering away in the crockpot. We'll be dining on black bean soup. I altered the recipe a little, and will toss in some corn when I get home tonight. I hope it will still be good.

Preparing tonight's dinner this morning made me late, of course, so I had to drive to work. I was still 15 minutes late anyway. I'm so glad I took next Monday off. I'm having so much trouble getting up in the morning!

I'm trying to convince SO that we do not need to buy each other birthday gifts. We have a large Ikea gift card left over from Christmas. I think it would be fun to go together and pick out presents - they'd be free, and we wouldn't feel deprived. He seemed to think that was a good idea. My birthday is first, so we'll see. Neither one of us is rolling in the cash right now, so it would be nice to do it that way. We certainly don't love each other any less if we don't buy birthday gifts. Besides, we might throw a joint birthday party later this month and invite all of our friends.

Ditto with Valentine's Day...I'd rather make dinner together and give him a big batch of homemade cookies than go all out!

Four other birthdays this month...ack!

Friday at 3:15pm, can't ask for much better than that...except Saturday and Sunday, of course.


The weather is beautiful. We're at 46 degrees, and might hit the record. Tomorrow there is a chance of rain - not really ideal for skiing, but we'll see. The forecasts have been pretty wrong as of late.

My hair really looks great, and the highlights that were already there are peeking out more than they were before. I'm trying not to get down about the fact that no one (except my SO and boss) has noticed (not even my best friend!). Or maybe they have noticed and had nothing good to say. I was a little paranoid earlier this week about it looking like early 90's soccer-mom hair (no offense to soccer moms, but I'm not one). I'm over it now. Who cares! When I have more cash, I'll go to my colorist and get big slashing rockstar highlights put in, and no one will confuse me with a soccer mom.

I went through categorizing posts, and realized a few things: I'm sick more than I should be, I spend way too much money, and things rarely turn out like I expect them to. Interesting.

Spent $40 at Michaels this weekend on beading supplies. Tsk, tsk. Spent $12 at the grocery store. Another $55 used up at Target, mainly for groceries. I need to stay out of Target next month, period.

We had the in-laws over for dinner last night. That's all I did all weekend, that and beading. I made a couple of things for my mom, which I hope she'll enjoy.

I'm thinking about using part of our Ikea Christmas gift card on a dresser for myself. I've been using a tv armoire for the past 5 years, and it is starting to irritate me. The cats get inside and throw everything to the floor (plus, having no drawers makes it pretty tricky to keep things neat). We'll see if I can find anything nice. Luckily, it will be free to me.

Getting my hair cut tonight at a new salon. I decided not to go to my regular styist because she does incredible things with color and it would be way too tempting to get new highlights. I don't need to spend $90 on my hair right now. So, just a cut (most desperately needed, since I've been wearing my hair in a ponytail for weeks).

Probably more eating-out spending this week....ever feel like you are just swept away by what other people want to do? I enjoy seeing people, and it normally revolves around food, but sometimes I just can't have them over to my house (lunch dates, for example). Plus, I'm going skiing with the gang this weekend, which I'm not super thrilled about but doing anyway. I'm sure it will be fun...I'm just afraid I'll break something.

I am giving my emergency fund priority over the Deathmobile. Maybe it will get fixed sometime this spring!

I'm so happy with my credit score. They even have my largest student loan listed twice, so once that goes away, it should get higher (I hope). Given my age (only nine years of credit history), student loans, and no mortgage, I'm pretty pleased. Maybe once I am ready to apply for a mortgage, it will be closer to 800.

My head is feeling a bit better today...but I am going to attend a grade school choir/play thing tonight. I hope it isn't loud. Who am I kidding? More Excedrin, down the hatch. I should really buy stock in Bristol-Myers and Procter & Gamble (makers of Puffs, of which I must use a dozen per day).

I wish ING was extending the temporary interest hike to its current customers. I have nothing more to add to my account for the time being.

My outstanding loan balance is just under $14,000 now - yay! I should get it under $13,000 by the end of May. Progress.

Head hurts today. I decided to stay home rather than inflame it further by dragging myself to work. Lying down seems to be dislodging the hatchet in my forehead, somewhat..that and a hefty amount of Excedrin (which my masseuse friend keeps telling me to lay off of because it's hurting my stomach). Sigh.

I'm invited to a friend's birthday party tonight. It's supposed to be low-key, just a few people in someone's home, quiet. We'll see how I feel later. My friend's birthday gift still hasn't arrived in the mail. I think she will be upset if I don't go.

I'm tempted to take advantage of the Victoria's Secret online sale. I stopped in the store last weekend and they only had one style of bra on clearance, but they have everything online. Have to spend $100 to get free shipping though. I'm going to think about it for a few days. I'd rather get the sale price now than have to pay full price down the road.

I'm reading a library book, Women in the Material World, published in 1996. It's interviews and photos with women in 20 different countries. Fascinating, and disturbing. It says that in Albania, a bride's parents give the groom a bullet to show him just how much power he has over his new wife (their DAUGHTER). So many of the women walk hours each way to buy food for their families, and they scrub their clothing on rocks in dirty river water. I'm far too lucky...not only because I have a car and a laundry machine, but because I can be true to myself and not have to allow any man to dictate how I live my life. How I value my independence and freedom.

Still haven't decided about the vacation. Thanks for your input, though! I was surprised by the general consensus! SO just applied for his passport, so it won't get here for a while. If we can't go in February, I'm not sure about March (spring break partiers, ish), so it might not be until April. The whales will have left the Sea of Cortez by then, so we might as well go anywhere. I'm a little bummed about that. I wish he had applied for his passport sooner.

I am so proud of Chile. They elected their first female president. Not only is she fighting for women's rights, she is agnostic, unmarried, and has two children from two different fathers. Impressive for a country that is so deeply religious! I wish that would happen here!!! When will we be as smart as Chileans and elect a female president?? Or even a person of color, for that matter?!

This morning I was all set to get to work early for once. I even caught the earlier bus, and was so proud of myself. It snowed overnight, though, so the roads were treacherous. A car gently slid into the bus, so we had to wait for a squad car. While waiting, another car rear-ended the one that hit us, and moments later a van careened headlong into the driver's section of our bus. It was moving fast. Luckily, the driver was unhurt, but there was debris everywhere and he was very upset. Everyone on my bus crammed into the bus following us...it reminded me of riding the bus in Chile...tight quarters! I ended up getting to work 20 minutes late. Oh well. Tomorrow is another day!

Ok, this is a no-brainer for all the smart, frugal people who visit this site, but SO and I have been talking about taking a vacation next month to Mexico for a week to celebrate our birthdays. It would be great if we could find an awesome deal and not spend much. I'd like to see the sun again, get some sand between my toes, and watch the gray whales. I haven't had a real vacation in 3.5 years.

HOWEVER.

This doesn't jive with my $1000 emergency fund plan, or my need to fix my car. I should really spend the money on those things instead.

The problem is, I don't want to. I have three weeks of vacation this year. I'm going stir crazy in the frozen north. Winter is depressing. But the emergency fund and car fix are more important financial issues, right?

*sigh* "You only live once," SO tells me. Yes, but....

Ahhhhhh, the weekends. Where do they go?

Friday night: Stopped at a craft store and picked up yarn on sale and a few beads at 40% off. I plan to crochet a new hat. Mine is looking a little ragged. Also stopped by the grocery store to grab a few things I forgot, and spent about $17. Won't shop at that grocery store again - way too expensive.

Saturday: Cleaned, did laundry, made vegetable noodle soup from scratch, and baked the best brownies ever. Went to bed early. Didn't leave the house!

Sunday: SO wanted to go out to breakfast, so we did. Also spent a fair amount at Target. I crocheted for a while, cleaned more of the house, and made vegetarian stroganoff for dinner. We played Scrabble (no keeping score, but I did great!) and again, went to bed early. I sent in a rental insurance quote request, so we'll see what they come up with.

I could NOT get out of bed again this morning! What is up with that??? The bus was very late on top of it, so I was 15 minutes late for work. The good work news is that I will be getting an evaluation and potential raise before mid-year, and then again at the end of the year! I guess I'd better start getting to work on time.

Not one piece of jewelry made all weekend...I'm rather bummed about that. Won't have time to try again until Thursday.

Looks like lost of people went grocery shopping yesterday - me too! I spent more than I meant to, and good grief, we have a lot of food now. I need to do some meal planning. Didn't buy a lot of fresh produce because it all was either ridiculously expensive or looked nasty. Ahh, winter.

SO went to the doctor yesterday and he just has a viral infection. I am glad he went. I half-expected the doctor to send him off to the ER, but he didn't, thank God. He should be over this illness soon, which is good, because I've discovered I'm not a great caretaker! I can be for a few days, but after that, I can't take it.

Yesterday I ordered the latest Spanish-language Shakira CD and the book DivaJen mentioned from amazon. I love, love, love Shakira, but only when she sings in Spanish. I am so happy that she put out a new Spanish-language CD. I'm also interested in trying the migraine/SAD therapy book - maybe it will help. Seriously, winter in the tundra sucks. I haven't seen the sun in weeks, and it is really getting to me. I take Sam-e, which helps, but doesn't replace the sun! I'm not the only one who misses it:

link.

I bid on a couple of beading magazines on eBay, but lost. I'm not too disappointed. I don't need to spend the money anyway! I started reading the book about starting your own in-home craft business last night. It is pretty good, and should help me make a decision.

Quiet weekend in the forecast! I just want to stay home, catch up on laundry, cook a little, bake a little, and make jewelry. Shouldn't be too difficult!