I'm Going Cold Turkey - Sha

OK, I CAN DO THIS!!!

I just spent the last hour writing down all the information on my credit cards (for information sake) and cutting each one up. That is 9 cards all together (3 store cards and 6 credit cards). Two of the cards were empty - the other 7 practically maxed. Now, I have only my debit card - good news - I have only overdrawn my account once and it was by a stupid mistake (I didn't realize it takes a few days for a paycheck to go through - I was 18) and I'll slit my wrists before I overdraw again.

*I know, bad/gross attempt at humor- but I'm trying to give you an idea about how upset I am about my problem.*

P.S. I do have overdraft protection.

I realized I had a shopping/ going out to eat problem back in May '08 but wasn't really able to do anything about it. I transferred some balances onto 0% cards- but it didn't work, I just charged the old ones back up and added new stuff to the "0 precents". Stupid I know - but, I wasn't exactly thinking about being responsible. I was thinking "if I'm going down I might as well enjoy it". I was depressed, but in a odd way, still trying to stay above water.

I decided to get a second job. It took a few months to get a second job that would work with my slightly weird availability (every other day). I got the part-time position at PetSmart in August. The hours still aren't as many as I'd like to have...but we're in a Recession ...I know - GREAT).

I have got to STOP charging. I have to LIVE on my paycheck. I have to eat at HOME. I have to. There isn't any other options.

Please, Give me Encouragement. And Easy to Make Recipes. :)

Sha's New Year's Resolutions: 2009

I know it's still early for this, but to be completely honest - I made the list at the beginning of last month. Like I mentioned in the last post - I'm a planner and I like to be early on practically everything.


New Years Resolutions 2009

1. PAY OFF CREDIT CARDS.

I had no debt last year. This year it sky-rocketed. I need to pay off all of my cards and cut them up.

2. Buy a CAR.

Michelle's car and my car both broke-down last year in August (2007). We got one car that we share and my Mom and Aunt are awesome about helping me get to and from both of my jobs - it is a hassle on all of us. I really need to get a Car.

3. Work of Training the Pups.

It's a free goal - all it costs is fun "time" with the babies. If I can get them to come when I call the first time, instead of it becoming a game of "Chase the Dog around the yard" maybe I won't be so scared of them getting loose.

(I have a lawn service that comes to my house to do my yard work - they have a bad habit of leaving my gates open - Yes, my gates all have "Beware of Dog" signs on them. I don't know why they keep forgetting I have animals and leaving the gates wide open).

4. ONLY USE CREDIT CARDS if I HAVE To; VET BILLS ONLY!!!

I have a bad habit of using the credit cards on what I want and not thinking about if I have the money. My main thing is using them to go out to eat - I hate cooking!!!

5. If it's possible: Start Saving Money for TX.

I don't think I'll have any money to save for the move, the cards have to be paid off first and my hours keep getting cut at my jobs - but If I can I need to save.

6. RELAX. BREATH. NO BREAK-DOWNS This Year.

My financial problems will work themselves out. They always do. Remember to Live Life this year. My Troubles are going to go away. I WILL SUCCEED! :)

Secret Santas and Christmas Shopping

SECRET SANTA:

I Am Officially done Christmas Shopping - except for the Secret Santa at PetSmart (where I'm a Cashier)!!!

I'm pretty sure what I'm gonna buy. No one from that job reads this blog so I can put it here. The maximum we can spend is $10 - and I'm playing it safe this year - a gift card to the movies - I'm pretty sure anyways - unless I get someone I know VERY well. Here's the reason:

A few years ago, my art class had a Secret Santa Exchange with the maximum we could spend being $15. I put my hand in the pot and I got a guy named James. Now, I know we'd been in the same art class for 4 years together (the whole class had - it was a speciality class) but James and I weren't exactly close friends. I did however know that he loved coffee. So thinking it was a great idea, the next time I was in Barnes and Nobles (about 2 days later) I got him the "holiday" Starbucks coffee pack.

A few days after I bought it (a week or two still from the exchange date) I hear him talking to some of our classmates about how he hates Starbucks coffee. DAMN - my gift wouldn't work- but I was happy that I'd found out beforehand (how embarrassed would I have been if I'd given it to him!).

I ended up giving the "Holiday" coffee pack to our art teacher (who does like Starbucks) and getting James a coffee mug (which he could use with any coffee), a Woodstock beanie toy ('cuz I knew he liked Charlie Brown), and a gift card to the movies ('cuz they can be used for any movie).

It's kind of boring to give a gift from someplace you work (I work at a movie theater), but I can't do a restaurant. Reason:

My sister and I were trying to think of a gift card for one of her friends for Christmas and I suggested Red Lobsters - and my sister says "no she hates seafood". So i said OK, how about Olive Garden - she had her wedding reception there - my sister informed me that her friend's father had picked the place since he was paying for the dinner and that her friend had eaten "butter noodles". Nix the Olive Garden idea.

Nix the Restaurant gift card as a Secret Santa gift all together to be safe.

Good Idea (I hope): A Movie Theater Gift Card - unless they don't like going to the theater I think I'm safe.

Unless you, the blog reader, have any ideas???


CHRISTMAS SHOPPING:

I know some of y'all will think I'm crazy - but I'm usually done with my Christmas shopping by the end of August. I normally start my Christmas shopping at the beginning of August and will be done by August 31st.

I don't know what happened this year but I didn't get started until around the end of September and I just finished tonight.

I had the "human" presents done about 2 weeks ago, but I waited on finishing my "four legged" shopping until today (since the employees get 30% off today and tomorrow only). PetSmart has 30% days only twice a year for the employees - we usually get 15%.

But I'm all finished now! :)



CHECK OUT THE BABIES' (PUPS' and GUINEAS') STOCKINGS; they are FULL!!!

As you can see, Lily can't wait for Christmas to come. Not only so she can open her stocking, but all of her brother and sisters' stockings too! Something in Rhiley's sure has her attention!!!

( That's Madelyne's black booty on the left - she's sleeping)

Things I've Done

Things I've Done

To participate just copy and paste in your own blog, and bold all of the things you have done.

*****If I counted right I've done 33/99******

1. Started your own blog (yay, blog!)

2. Slept under the stars (lots of camping - actually under the stars without a tent? Does falling off a 3 foot platform tent onto the bare ground and seeing the stars count?)

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity (Love all my charities : RDR, SPCA, PetSmart)

7. Been to Disneyland

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis (as a kid, been bite by him too - ouch! Fireflies are nicer)

10. Sang a solo (me sing? Let me paint you a picture instead.)

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea (no, but I've taken a ride on a boat during a Hurricane -yay, Grandma! I was too young to remember )

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (I've tried a lot of different techniques in visual art)

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty (Never been to N.Y.)

18. Grown your own vegetables (LOL, I'll leave that to someone with a green thumb)

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France (No, but I've been to England and seen the London Eye and Big Ben)

20. Slept on an overnight train (Never, been on a real train - just the ones at Bush Gardens. I want to take the one here one day though and see all the leaves when they change colors. Marti's done that and she says its wonderful.


21. Had a pillow fight (what girl hasn't. I think that's as popular a fight as the one over the remote control) :p

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill (from school, not work - who hasn't)

24. Built a snow fort (and snow chairs, and snow men. The snow storm when I was in third grade was amazing. We were out of school for 2 whole weeks!)

25. Held a lamb (yes and goats)

26. Gone skinny dipping (surprised I haven't? lol - that should be next on my list!)

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen an eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language (I tried sign language when I was little; and I took French in high school - I'm not good at all at either of them.) I'll stick to English.

37. Had enough money to be satisfied (I wish)

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David (no, but I've read the Agony and the Ecstasy. It was required reading for my art class and quite painful to read).

41. Sung karaoke (oh, no)

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight (should have been romantic, but wasn't. My bf at the time and I ended up getting into a fight and had to ride home together for hours - not fun)

46. Been transported in an ambulance (I think so - I broke my leg when I was three years old. I went to the hospital in the car. But, I think I had to have a ride home in the ambulance) - Asked my Mom, she said yes, I had to use the ambulance to get home. She also, said to mention that my Aunt had to prove to the nurses that they (my Mom and Aunt) could get me out of the house in case of a fire by carrying me in my "mummy cast" up and down a fire escape - I was 3 and my cast weighed at least 50 lbs.

47. Had your portrait painted (at Bush Gardens - real life one; at Mom's company picnic - cartoon)

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain (Kissing in the rain is sooo romantic. My friend came to visit me from TX for a week when I was 16. I was taking him around to all the historical places in Virginia. We went to Williamsburg for the day and it was raining. We walked around Williamsburg for hours; and he and I kissed under a bridge-it rained the whole day. It's one of my favorite dates to look back on...)

53. Played in the mud (what kid hasn't? One of my favorite books as a kid was Sesame Street's "Nothing to Do". Big Bird's friends are gone for the day and he doesn't have anything to do, until he decides to have a mudpie picnic with his Teddy bear. I loved that book and enacted it often much to my Mother's delight!

54. Gone to a drive-in theater (No, but I work at a regular theater)

55. Been in a movie (No, but I've been in a commerical, on a folder, and on a flyer! - do those count? <-- YMCA when I was in preschool. I was one cute kid, LOL)

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business (I will one day)

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen (Yes, more than once - Girl Scouts)

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies (LOL, YES!!! I love those cookies! My Mom was one of the Scout Leaders)

62. Gone whale watching (No, but I've adopted a whale. And I've seen dophins in the wild. We took the ferry boat in Norfolk to water-side in the rain one day and for some reason the dophins had gone into the bay and were swimming with the boat. They are beautiful.

63. Got flowers for no reason (Yes, from family)

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check (Yes, if it's the same thing as overdrawing your account. I was 18 and didn't realize it takes a few days for a paycheck to go through - Christmas 2004. I bought myself a BIG tv and overdrew the account. DAMN! It's only been the one time though)

68. Flown in a helicopter (had the opprotunity, but, didn't won't to wait in line. I've taken a hot air balloon ride though. I won it.)

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy (Yes, two. Puff-Puff, the dog, I got him when I was in the hospital with my broken leg. I'd broken my leg on the church playground (going down the fireman's pole straight legged). My Mom's work sent a bunch of balloons and the strings from the balloons were wrapped around Puff-Puff's tummy. The other toy is also from when I broke my leg - Lamby. Lamby, was given to me by the Hospital. They gave her to me right before they put me "under". Lamby has a music box inside of her - it still plays. (My Mom commented that it's odd that I kept the toys from a TRAUMATIC experience). I guess I'm odd, LOL.

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar (Yes, french class in high school - salty)

72. Pieced a quilt (No, but I've helped my sister with quilting (I ironned the pieces) . She likes to quilt)

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job (yes and no - taken off the schedule, but not fired. Didn't care, wanted to leave anyway)

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London (Yes, I was 14! I went with my middle school over Easter Break - I got my first part-time job to afford it)

77. Broken a bone (Yes, two. I broke my leg when I was 3 . Think mummy --> it was my upper thigh, the cast went up to my ribs and stopped at one of my knees and the other leg the cast went down to my toes. A whole was cut so I could go potty and a bar went between my legs at the knee. The doctor said to my Mom that it was a good thing I had chubby legs or you would have seen the bone sticking out. I was at the hospital for 11 days while the doctors pulled the bone straight (before they could put the cast on obviously). I broke my arm/wrist, when I was 6 yrs old. I'd gone roller skating and fell. I tried to catch myself and ended up snapping my wrist. And of course it was the one I usually wrote with (I'm a Lefty). I had to use my right hand while it healed. My hand writing looked just as good and my teacher hoped I'd continue using my right hand - I didn't. If feels more natural in my Left.

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle (had the opportunity, I was too nervous. I think I'd try it if I were alone. But trusting someone else...I don't think so!)

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book (No, but I've gotten an honorable mention for poetry at school. And I have some of my poems on www.poetry.com


81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper (yes, my whole class was in it in fifth grade. We made a quilt for Black History Month - February. Each person in our class did a square and then one of the Mom's sewed them all together).

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House (yes, school trip. But I have more fun in the art museums. I especially like going to the art museums on dates - there's no time limit)

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox ( honey there is a Pink monster coming after you!!! LOL, I don't know what that itching medicine is called but my Mom had me covered from top to bottom in it. I was in preschool. My sister and I had it at the same time.

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous (A few. I went to a book signing and met Princess Fergy. I met Simon Bull (artist) at an exhibit..I can't think of anyone else off the top of my head

92. Joined a book club (Book club, Movie club, CD club, PenPal Club - everything when I was little, LOL)

93. Lost a loved one (yes, my grandma and my aunt April)

94. Had a baby (I only have furkids - I don't plan on having any two legged for another few years)

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone (Family Plan)

99. Been stung by a bee ( Note to Self: don't wear flowers or bright yellow it attracts BEES!) I personally hate mosquitos more - they try to eat me alive!

Moose Lodge

My friend, Debbie and I had made plans to hang out on Friday (tonight) earlier in the week. She had gotten together with some of friends of hers a few days ago and they asked her what she was doing Friday. She told them of our plans to get together- and they invited us to come with them to the Moose Lodge.

I have never been to a Moose Lodge before. I was thinking it was a restaurant. But it's actually like a bar/recreation center for adults (at least at night). We had dinner in the main hall and then we went into the next room for the entertainment. Friday is their Karaoke night. There was a lot of singing and dancing and being silly. I cannot sing, so I stayed in my chair and watched everyone else. Debbie's friends were good - they did lots of slow country songs. I did lots of singing from my chair :)

All in all a very fun night!

-Sha

Song, Calendar, and Deja Vu = Wow Moments

I've got a new favorite song.

But, I'll get back to that in a minute. Don't worry, this goes along with the topic, sorta:

I find it funny how I'm introduced to things sometimes. I'll get introduced to something a first time and I don't think too much about it. Then I get introduced to "the something" a second time and I'm like-WOW!!! I guess I'm sometimes occupied the first time (like with my previous blog and the calendar: I heard about the calendar on the radio the first time around 8:45am, and thought it was interesting, but my main focus was getting to work. My brains was doing a count down, going "I hope I have enough time to get to work, I hope I have enough time to get to work" --> I hate traffic). So, anyways, I'd heard the radio announcement about the calendar - but it wasn't my main focus. Then, later in the day, I'm at dinner (7:00 pm?) and I'm introduced to the calender for a second time. The second time I was relaxed, hanging with my friend and my Mom - I had time, nothing else pressing on my mind and I wasn't in a rush). The calender was suddenly presented to me and it was a WOW factor and I was like - this is Awesome!!!

Well - it's kind of the same thing with my new favorite song.

I'd noticed the song on the Cold Case episode called "The Red and the Blue" (Season 4, Episode 11) when it was on TV (probably several months ago). I thought the song was good the first time I heard it on the TV, but I had no idea who sang it. I didn't worry over it, I let it go, and I forgot about it.

Then last night I was watching "The Red and the Blue" on one of my favorite YouTube channels (it had just been uploaded) and the song came on and it was like -BAM!!! WOW!!! "Who sings this?" --> I immediately started checking the comments people make on the bottom of the page to see if someone had mentioned the artist - they had.

The Song is called "Counting My Lucky Stars" and it's sung by Larry Bagby.

You can see the clip from the Cold Case episode here (No, the guy singing is not Larry Bagby. The actor's name is Shaun Benson) :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AesMMnkR6Ec

or you check out The Larry Bagby Band here:
http://www.larrybagby.com/

Nekkid Men!!!!

I was listening to lite 98 on the way to work this morning and the radio jockey was talking about the calender Nekkid Men that just came out in Ashland, VA for A.C.E.S. a non-profit organization.

Hello, Mr. January!

I thought it was a cool idea but didn't really think much of it until I went to dinner with my Mom and a friend. While we were eating a lady from another table came over to us with her auto-graphed calender - the calender was released yesterday and the "models" (men in the community) were at the Ironhorse Restaurant last night signing their month.

The lady asked us if we'd heard about the calendar and if we would like to look at hers. My Mom and I responded at the same time and then we looked at each other. We'd both heard about it on the radio this morning. I freaked out- mainly because it's weird that we both heard it. She freaked out-I think because I was AWAKE to hear it! I had to be at work at 9am this morning so I actually heard the Wake Up Show ( so rare!).

So we looked at the calender - the men are not Super Models - they're everyday guys, but the style of the calender is more fun and it's for charity. No - the men do not show PRIVATE areas!!!! It's tasteful, yet humorous.

I'll probably get the Calendar in Ashland, VA. If you are interested in getting a calender check out the website: http://www.aceshanover.org/ it can be shipped anywhere in the U.S. and the cost of the calendar is only $14.95 + shipping.