Long trip. Strange trip. Exhausting trip.
Many changes in the past several months. Many, many, many. I bought a house. I’ve acquired a mortgage. I’ve joined the homeowners’ association. I’ve had two people I know and one I knew of, commit suicide. I’ve had to deal with an increase in costs and a decrease in both “fun money” and a decrease in income. I’ve madly searched for other jobs, but now with summer coming on AND students out of school AND the economy in a general funk, there’s nothing on Craigslist but MLM schemes and “office work / accounting” deals to facilitate money transfers from foreign countries.
The Home Front: I’m on the HOA board, and this year almost every one of the residents has to paint their exterior (detached cottage homes…the owners have to take care of the structures, not the association. On the flip side, if ever I get utterly fed up with these people I can buy a tract of land and just have my cottage moved over there, so taking good care of my home’s structure is not pouring water into the ocean.) I’ve found the paint and the color I want to use, I have a general idea of what I’ll need to do for prepwork (powerwash, light sanding, priming), and I’m signed up to help two of my neighbors paint their lower stories so that I can get their assistance painting my own house…but I don’t have the money to purchase the paint. (Damn!!!)
The Money Front: I still have a job, even though there’s been both a rate cut and an hours reduction since the beginning of the year. That’s making me a wee bit edgy. I’ve looked into mortgage adjustment, I’ve looked into lower-costing healthcare, and I’ve tried to find ways to get rid of cable TV while still keeping my highspeed internet and unlimited long distance phone plan. It doesn’t look doable, sadly (and irritatingly) enough. Though I may just pitch the cable TV entirely, get only internet through my current provider, and go with Vonage for the phone. That will more easily let me have separate-charge records for the high-speed internet, which is a) necessary for work and b) tax-deductable because it’s a work expense.
The Fitness Front: I’ve been walking more, which is good. It doesn’t boost the cardio too much, but it does tone the muscles. I’ve also noticed my knees clicking a bit less since they have a few (yes, only a few) less pounds to carry about. I’m also thinking of starting the Power 90 workout, partially for my own fitness benefit, partially as a way to get ready for the AIDS Lifecycle next year. After supporting two of my friends as riders for the past several years, I’m going to try becoming one myself. (I have no idea if I’ll succeed. Fundraising has always and ever been my weak point; and there’s a floor of $3,000 in pledges for a rider to be allowed to participate. I also have never ridden long distances before, and don’t currently even own a bike. So, yeah, a few obstacles to overcome there…)
The Day-to-Day Front: It’s been very warm the past few days - low 80s - and will be that warm today and tomorrow. Then there will be a local cooling-off period, and temps will drop back down to the high 60s and we’ll have some cloud cover. Still, I don’t have event staffing this weekend, so I’m painting my nails with an utterly outrageous color. I have several bottles of Sally Hansen’s Nail Prisms, and I think it’s time to use them :D
Posted by Laughing Muse • 373 views • Share this link • Newer • Older
