Well, I almost made it! I'm down to my last weekday of not eating out. So far this week, everything I've consumed has come from my fridge, freeze, pantry, friends, or unsuspecting co-workers. Here are the high-lights:
Moment to remember: My delicious chili! I've never made chili before; it was surprisingly easy, healthy and scrumptious.
Moment to forget: Forgetting my Nalgene and filling up an empty water bottle with OJ from the fridge in the faculty lounge in order to prevent using the vending machine for a drink.
So, it's nearly the end of the week and I'm running really low on supplies. My only option for dinner is pancake mix. While I love the idea of brinner (breakfast for dinner), I am a little nervous that the expiration date on the pancake mix box reads Sept. 2007.
If I post again soon, I'll be living proof that expiration dates are nothing but cheap threats from major food processing companies to discourage penny pinching teachers such as me.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
a happy day
This morning:
blissful thirty minutes of alone time, outside in the courtyard, with a nectarine, lesson plans, and a plenty of refreshing October sunlight.
This afternoon:
After reading about "special" dreams in The Giver, one of my students says:
This reminds me of this movie called 187. Have you seen it? It's this movie where they don't let people have intercourse unless they are wearing intercourse helmets. And the helmets let you have intercourse, but not with a person, it's like you're having intercourse with the helmet. Ms. L have you ever seen this movie?*
This evening:
delicious cup of homemade chili, made from ingredients in the house and purchased on $20 budget, about to watch Obama face off against McSame...
oh, happy day!
*and yes, this is totally true! I can't make up the things my kids say.
blissful thirty minutes of alone time, outside in the courtyard, with a nectarine, lesson plans, and a plenty of refreshing October sunlight.
This afternoon:
After reading about "special" dreams in The Giver, one of my students says:
This reminds me of this movie called 187. Have you seen it? It's this movie where they don't let people have intercourse unless they are wearing intercourse helmets. And the helmets let you have intercourse, but not with a person, it's like you're having intercourse with the helmet. Ms. L have you ever seen this movie?*
This evening:
delicious cup of homemade chili, made from ingredients in the house and purchased on $20 budget, about to watch Obama face off against McSame...
oh, happy day!
*and yes, this is totally true! I can't make up the things my kids say.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
cash cook challenge
Did you know I started this blog to try and blog my way out of debt in one year?
I quit blogging about money and had to give up that goal. I discovered that my goal was unrealistic and it became increasingly uncomfortable to blog about my finances on the internet. However, I did make progress and paid down one card by 30%...not 100% debt-free, but at least I didn't totally give up!
Motivated by the recent financial, um, DISASTER on Wall Street, I've been reading about finances and found a lot of interesting articles on ways to save money. None of them sound that appealing to me. Most of them require a dual income. Because I'm naturally competitive, I've decided to create my own challenge to pay off my debt. I'll post more about that later. But in the meantime, I need short-term challenges, and little perks along the way to keep me going.
My first mini-challenge will be a grocery store challenge. I looked at what I've spent each week at Publix for the past three weeks. It ranged from $30 to $50.
My goal is spend only $20 on groceries this week and try to subsist off what is in the fridge, pantry and freezer. The rules are:
1. Any food item must come from the $20 budget.
2. Meals must be healthy and balanced. This is not your roommate's ramen noodle diet.
3. Make it fun! Look for recipes and don't just rely on easy-to-cook frozen foods.
The first $4.03 of my $20 budget has been spent. Tonight, I went to Super-Target and purchased 2 Weight Watchers yogurts, 4 Dan-Active cottage cheese containers, and 1 can of Black Beans. After surveying the interior of my freezer and pantry, I've decided to make chili this week using a recipe from my WW "Pure Comfort" cookbook. Tomorrow I will make a shopping list and spend my $15.97 at Publix.
Tonight, I used 1 red bell pepper, leftover chopped onions, frozen peas, 1 can of tuna, mayo and mustard to make these stuffed peppers for my lunch tomorrow. All of which was in my fridge! Looks yummy, no? (Well, they taste good, even if they don't look super appetizing to you.)
Here's to putting my belly on a budget!
I quit blogging about money and had to give up that goal. I discovered that my goal was unrealistic and it became increasingly uncomfortable to blog about my finances on the internet. However, I did make progress and paid down one card by 30%...not 100% debt-free, but at least I didn't totally give up!
Motivated by the recent financial, um, DISASTER on Wall Street, I've been reading about finances and found a lot of interesting articles on ways to save money. None of them sound that appealing to me. Most of them require a dual income. Because I'm naturally competitive, I've decided to create my own challenge to pay off my debt. I'll post more about that later. But in the meantime, I need short-term challenges, and little perks along the way to keep me going.
My first mini-challenge will be a grocery store challenge. I looked at what I've spent each week at Publix for the past three weeks. It ranged from $30 to $50.
My goal is spend only $20 on groceries this week and try to subsist off what is in the fridge, pantry and freezer. The rules are:
1. Any food item must come from the $20 budget.
2. Meals must be healthy and balanced. This is not your roommate's ramen noodle diet.
3. Make it fun! Look for recipes and don't just rely on easy-to-cook frozen foods.
The first $4.03 of my $20 budget has been spent. Tonight, I went to Super-Target and purchased 2 Weight Watchers yogurts, 4 Dan-Active cottage cheese containers, and 1 can of Black Beans. After surveying the interior of my freezer and pantry, I've decided to make chili this week using a recipe from my WW "Pure Comfort" cookbook. Tomorrow I will make a shopping list and spend my $15.97 at Publix.
Tonight, I used 1 red bell pepper, leftover chopped onions, frozen peas, 1 can of tuna, mayo and mustard to make these stuffed peppers for my lunch tomorrow. All of which was in my fridge! Looks yummy, no? (Well, they taste good, even if they don't look super appetizing to you.)
Here's to putting my belly on a budget!singleville: the update
As I blogged yesterday, I went into last night's events with a "What's-the-worst-that-could-happen" attitude.
That all changed when I pulled up to a house covered in McCain-Palin signs. My brain went into panic overload. Abort! Abort! Abort!
What should I do? I didn't have Anne's number to call and cancel due to a sudden illness (conservatitis) It was too late to do anything but take a deep breath and walk to the front door. Immediately I heard a dog's ferocious bark (could he smell my liberal fear?) and began to sweat. This was going to be a long night.
Thankfully, the very nice McCain supporter who answered the door was not Anne, but rather her next door neighbor who politely informed me that I was at the wrong house.
Hoping that would be my only embarrassing moment of the night, I counted down two houses and found myself in the right place. There were some other women from work their with their husbands, so we made polite conversation for awhile. It was kind of awkward, because the deck could only hold so many people. Eventually, we wandered inside and ate (mmm...seafood).
Her son, R, was really great and tried to make me feel like part of the conversation. He looked a lot like Anne, which I found cute. He asked the requisite questions - where did I like to go out at the beach, do I like teaching, do I like sports - typical guy stuff. He told me bit about himself, where he lives, etc. One of his friends was there and they both seemed pretty interested in the baseball game, so I felt a little out of place. I tried to leave when the others did but Anne insisted I stay and chat with her. R disappeared and we found him as I was on my way out.
The one bad thing is that when we found him, he was smoking in the garage. I noticed this earlier in the night, too. I hate smoking. I've never even tried to smoke a cigarette, and I'm really susceptible to the smoke. I woke up coughing this morning. Gross.
Then, as if knocking on the McSame supporter's door earlier in the evening wasn't embarassing enough, I preceded to shove my gigantic (yet freshly exfoliated) foot inside my mouth.
R: Well, it was really nice to meet you. We'll have to go out for beers sometime, when my parents aren't around.
Me: Yeah, I'd like that. It was nice to meet you, too.
R: Finally. My mom has been saying, "You've got to meet my friend Lindsay" for over a year now.
Me: I know. It's a good thing I like your mom, because all the other ladies at work are always wanting to introduce me to their sons, too.
R: (Silence. Then crickets.)
Me: Soooo, um, I guess I'll get going.
R: Yep. Drive safe.
Not only did I manage to insult him by pointing out that his mom is setting him up, but I also pointed out that I'm the big loser who needs the moms of the world to introduce me to potential suitors.
I also didn't do the whole, "Yeah, you should call me," bit after he said let's go out for drinks, to which he would've said, "I don't have your number" to which I would have replied, "Let me give it to you" instead of "You need your mommy to get you girls."
Smoooooooooth!
I have a feeling I am destined for a long, long life in Singleville : )
That all changed when I pulled up to a house covered in McCain-Palin signs. My brain went into panic overload. Abort! Abort! Abort!
What should I do? I didn't have Anne's number to call and cancel due to a sudden illness (conservatitis) It was too late to do anything but take a deep breath and walk to the front door. Immediately I heard a dog's ferocious bark (could he smell my liberal fear?) and began to sweat. This was going to be a long night.
Thankfully, the very nice McCain supporter who answered the door was not Anne, but rather her next door neighbor who politely informed me that I was at the wrong house.
Hoping that would be my only embarrassing moment of the night, I counted down two houses and found myself in the right place. There were some other women from work their with their husbands, so we made polite conversation for awhile. It was kind of awkward, because the deck could only hold so many people. Eventually, we wandered inside and ate (mmm...seafood).
Her son, R, was really great and tried to make me feel like part of the conversation. He looked a lot like Anne, which I found cute. He asked the requisite questions - where did I like to go out at the beach, do I like teaching, do I like sports - typical guy stuff. He told me bit about himself, where he lives, etc. One of his friends was there and they both seemed pretty interested in the baseball game, so I felt a little out of place. I tried to leave when the others did but Anne insisted I stay and chat with her. R disappeared and we found him as I was on my way out.
The one bad thing is that when we found him, he was smoking in the garage. I noticed this earlier in the night, too. I hate smoking. I've never even tried to smoke a cigarette, and I'm really susceptible to the smoke. I woke up coughing this morning. Gross.
Then, as if knocking on the McSame supporter's door earlier in the evening wasn't embarassing enough, I preceded to shove my gigantic (yet freshly exfoliated) foot inside my mouth.
R: Well, it was really nice to meet you. We'll have to go out for beers sometime, when my parents aren't around.
Me: Yeah, I'd like that. It was nice to meet you, too.
R: Finally. My mom has been saying, "You've got to meet my friend Lindsay" for over a year now.
Me: I know. It's a good thing I like your mom, because all the other ladies at work are always wanting to introduce me to their sons, too.
R: (Silence. Then crickets.)
Me: Soooo, um, I guess I'll get going.
R: Yep. Drive safe.
Not only did I manage to insult him by pointing out that his mom is setting him up, but I also pointed out that I'm the big loser who needs the moms of the world to introduce me to potential suitors.
I also didn't do the whole, "Yeah, you should call me," bit after he said let's go out for drinks, to which he would've said, "I don't have your number" to which I would have replied, "Let me give it to you" instead of "You need your mommy to get you girls."
Smoooooooooth!
I have a feeling I am destined for a long, long life in Singleville : )
Saturday, October 4, 2008
tales from singleville
Tonight, I'm being set up. My friend from work, Anne, is playing matchmaker and setting me up with her son. She's a guidance counselor so I trust her guidance, even though I am very aware it's guiding me towards her offspring. She's hosting a dinner party (low country shrimp boil - yum!) but I know the premise is for me to meet him.
She's been trying to get us together for over a year. I think Anne's invite is sweet. Also, it is much less terrifying than the time my stepmother tried to convince me to date my stepbrother. No, I'm not kidding.
There are a lot of ladies at my work who've offered to set me up with their son. "Oh, he's such a catch!" they say. "You are, too!" they assure me. I think they find it odd that after all these years (going on 27 of them) I am, wonder of wonders, still single. Occasionally, I've considered accepting their offers. One of them actually has a son who is Very Hot. But she is Very Crazy and I don't want to go down that road.
Last week, I went to church with a work-friend to meet her grandmother's neighbor. (Note: he was not old, he was exactly my age. And he goes to church with a little old lady - who doesn't think that sounds super cute??) Alas, he looked so much like a cuter version of one of my exes that I spent the whole service trying to remember if said ex had a little brother with a little old lady fetish. Sorry, God.
Dating the son of a friend you work with has it's pros and cons. Right now, all I can think about are the cons. Everything-Is-A-Possible-Tragedy Linds is taking over my brain. What if we don't hit it off? Will she hold it against me? Will things be awkward at work?
However, Oh-Shut-Up-You-Wimp Linds is trying to channel my anxiety. Honestly, I work at a middle school, so how much more awkward could my work atmosphere become? Also, I've known Anne for five years and know she is a genuinely caring, down to earth, realistic person. Chances of her slitting my tires over not giving him the green light are slim to none. Lastly, she even said that if I don't feel a connection to her son, she would love to set me up with one of his many friends! Who doesn't loved being pimped out?
I don't have any expectations going in to this. Honestly, I have not felt like dating at all lately. It's complicated and messy. I'm complicated and messy enough on my own - why add to that equation?
Oh well. Worst case scenario - I eat some free shrimp and Anne keys my car.
Right?
She's been trying to get us together for over a year. I think Anne's invite is sweet. Also, it is much less terrifying than the time my stepmother tried to convince me to date my stepbrother. No, I'm not kidding.
There are a lot of ladies at my work who've offered to set me up with their son. "Oh, he's such a catch!" they say. "You are, too!" they assure me. I think they find it odd that after all these years (going on 27 of them) I am, wonder of wonders, still single. Occasionally, I've considered accepting their offers. One of them actually has a son who is Very Hot. But she is Very Crazy and I don't want to go down that road.
Last week, I went to church with a work-friend to meet her grandmother's neighbor. (Note: he was not old, he was exactly my age. And he goes to church with a little old lady - who doesn't think that sounds super cute??) Alas, he looked so much like a cuter version of one of my exes that I spent the whole service trying to remember if said ex had a little brother with a little old lady fetish. Sorry, God.
Dating the son of a friend you work with has it's pros and cons. Right now, all I can think about are the cons. Everything-Is-A-Possible-Tragedy Linds is taking over my brain. What if we don't hit it off? Will she hold it against me? Will things be awkward at work?
However, Oh-Shut-Up-You-Wimp Linds is trying to channel my anxiety. Honestly, I work at a middle school, so how much more awkward could my work atmosphere become? Also, I've known Anne for five years and know she is a genuinely caring, down to earth, realistic person. Chances of her slitting my tires over not giving him the green light are slim to none. Lastly, she even said that if I don't feel a connection to her son, she would love to set me up with one of his many friends! Who doesn't loved being pimped out?
I don't have any expectations going in to this. Honestly, I have not felt like dating at all lately. It's complicated and messy. I'm complicated and messy enough on my own - why add to that equation?
Oh well. Worst case scenario - I eat some free shrimp and Anne keys my car.
Right?
Saturday, September 27, 2008
remember that dream?
You know, the dream where everyone sees you in your underwear?
Tonight I had a similar experience. Only, I was awake.
I was asleep on the couch. Clad in only boyshort undies and my pajama top - an over sized t shirt with a giant pig face on the front that I've had since I was LITERALLY eight years old - I felt a wet doggy nose pressing against my cheek. Alas, the weakened bladder of my elderly canine was at it again. Bleary eyed from sleep, I stumbled into my flip flops and put Puck's leash on to take him out to pee.
"No one will see me," I yawned. "It's the middle of the night."
Um, wrong.
Actually, it was only about 10:30 p.m. And EVERY SINGLE ONE of my neighbors was in the parking lot watching a fire engine circling the parking lot trying to find the house that called in a kitchen fire.
Puck, still feeling nature's call, bounds over to the bushes and proceeds to pee for a good sixty seconds, completely eliminating any hope of making an unnoticed escape.
So, not only did my neighbors get a good view of my butt cheeks and giant pig-face t shirt, but about six firefighters on Engine 33 did, too.
Tomorrow I am online shopping for adult doggy diapers and never leaving the house again.
Tonight I had a similar experience. Only, I was awake.
I was asleep on the couch. Clad in only boyshort undies and my pajama top - an over sized t shirt with a giant pig face on the front that I've had since I was LITERALLY eight years old - I felt a wet doggy nose pressing against my cheek. Alas, the weakened bladder of my elderly canine was at it again. Bleary eyed from sleep, I stumbled into my flip flops and put Puck's leash on to take him out to pee.
"No one will see me," I yawned. "It's the middle of the night."
Um, wrong.
Actually, it was only about 10:30 p.m. And EVERY SINGLE ONE of my neighbors was in the parking lot watching a fire engine circling the parking lot trying to find the house that called in a kitchen fire.
Puck, still feeling nature's call, bounds over to the bushes and proceeds to pee for a good sixty seconds, completely eliminating any hope of making an unnoticed escape.
So, not only did my neighbors get a good view of my butt cheeks and giant pig-face t shirt, but about six firefighters on Engine 33 did, too.
Tomorrow I am online shopping for adult doggy diapers and never leaving the house again.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
NE Florida's Barack-Through
I'm so proud of Jacksonville!
Not only did we turn out to support Senator Obama at his pep rally yesterday, we turned out in a big way. Ten thousand people inside Metropolitan Park, and eight thousand crowded outside. We waited in the sun and the rain. We bought buttons and made tshirts. We high-fived and chanted and cheered. We welcomed neighbors from all over Florida, Georgia and Alabama.
And finally - he came!
Senator Obama's speech was motivational. He spoke about his plans to change things. He says he will end the war in Iraq. He plans on funding green technology to protect our environment, decrease our dependency on foreign oil, and create new jobs. He wants to give tax cuts to middle and working class families to help stimulate the economy. He will work to provide fair and affordable health care to all Americans. He will fight to make college affordable. He wants to support teachers so they do not have to, and I quote, "teach to the tests."
I agree. Can we do these things? I hope so. I really do. Getting him elected is the first step.
It was truly an amazing thing to know that I was standing in the Florida heat, listening to history happen, listening to the next potential President of the United States ask for my vote. Seeing my community come out in masses to show their support and appreciation for his campaign. Watching little children on their parents shoulders, chanting "Yes We Can!" and hoping in the next eight years, they will sit in classrooms in a much better America than the one we have today.
This day, for me, was inspiration personified.
ps - Here's the slogan I chose for our tshirts. Go see more photos, including me and Janine's Top Model Audition shots, from this wonderful day.
Not only did we turn out to support Senator Obama at his pep rally yesterday, we turned out in a big way. Ten thousand people inside Metropolitan Park, and eight thousand crowded outside. We waited in the sun and the rain. We bought buttons and made tshirts. We high-fived and chanted and cheered. We welcomed neighbors from all over Florida, Georgia and Alabama.
And finally - he came!
Senator Obama's speech was motivational. He spoke about his plans to change things. He says he will end the war in Iraq. He plans on funding green technology to protect our environment, decrease our dependency on foreign oil, and create new jobs. He wants to give tax cuts to middle and working class families to help stimulate the economy. He will work to provide fair and affordable health care to all Americans. He will fight to make college affordable. He wants to support teachers so they do not have to, and I quote, "teach to the tests."
I agree. Can we do these things? I hope so. I really do. Getting him elected is the first step.
It was truly an amazing thing to know that I was standing in the Florida heat, listening to history happen, listening to the next potential President of the United States ask for my vote. Seeing my community come out in masses to show their support and appreciation for his campaign. Watching little children on their parents shoulders, chanting "Yes We Can!" and hoping in the next eight years, they will sit in classrooms in a much better America than the one we have today.
This day, for me, was inspiration personified.
ps - Here's the slogan I chose for our tshirts. Go see more photos, including me and Janine's Top Model Audition shots, from this wonderful day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)