Pamper Me, Pamper Me!

That's the focus of today's thousand.
First, I want to see a nutritionist. I doubt my crap-hole insurance will chip in, so I'm budgeting about $100 a week for 2 months which comes out around $800.
And please this fluffy quilted robe.
And both the shave mousse and bathina gift set from Benefit.
Ahh! I feel better already.

Bounce with it, bounce with it.

I have somewhere between $20K and $60K to spend today. Ah, a lovely feeling. I'm trying to keep myself in a place of prosperity thinking. Instead of spending the money, I'm going to make a list of things I really want to see happen next year.

1. I want to easily pay my bills, manage my money, and save a little.
2. I want to give to my synagogue and to Israeli charities at a comfortable level.
3. I want to see the plumbing project in my building completed and pay the assessment with ease.
4. I want to travel to Israel for my 30th birthday and pay with ease.
5. I want to fill my closet with fabulous clothes in a size 14.
6. I want to continue going to the gym and become a size 14.
7. I want to make good use of my new Kitchen Aid Mixer.
8. I want to get a lovely, modern couch for my living room.
9. I want to pay more than is required on my second mortgage with ease.
10. I want to receive money for my writing.
11. I want to be promoted to a level where I am eligable for bonuses.
12. I want to fill my refridgerator with good, healthful food.
13. I want to come together with my beloved.
14. I want to travel to see my sister more over her summer break.
15. I want to study hebrew with ease.
16. I want to have vivid, positive dreams.
17. I want to dance more.
18. I want to laugh more.
19. I want to be tickled more (so when I'm getting a massage I don't fall into a fit of laughter.)
20. I want to have more massages and facials.
21. I want to welcome a MacBook Pro into my life.
22. I want to travel somewhere fabulous that I haven't considered before.
23. I want to have more making out in my life.
24. I want to have something I can mark by going back to Mikvah.
25. I want to be able to treat the people in my life to fabulous outings, meals, and pampering.

And all of that is priceless. It is what I want and it is.

Keep Those Postive Thoughts Moving!

By the end of this week, we are supposed to have further information from headquarters as to whether or not my dayjob contract will be going past end of December. I am imagining myself getting word that I'm to be kept around indefinitely. Long past January 1. Focus with me, my friends! :-)
Meanwhile, I think I'm going to start the $1000 spending again tonight. I'll be back later with some fab spoils!

2000, 3000 - The money is just rolling in.

I did a speaking engagement yesterday and got a $2000 check on the spot. It felt great to be able to talk to 127 corporate employees about bringing their spirituality to work. Their faces lit up when they realized that they didn't have to be an empty shell in the workplace. That along with pictures of family and friends, they could use their breaks for quiet introspection or a nature walk to reconnect with their Spirit. My client, the manager of a small office within a Fortune 500 company, enjoyed my presentation so much that he's going to suggest it to one of his colleagues in the company. Yay!

When the clerk at the bank handed me the receipt from depositing that check, I noticed an additional $3000. Must be the downpayment for the workshop I have scheduled for next Thursday. I'm going to facilitate an offsite meeting for a mid-size company. They're doing week long planning with 25 of their key employees and they asked me to do a workshop on injecting passion into profits. They want their employees to live full lives and they heard that I talk about Spirituality and how to integrate it into your life. I'm doing the workshop with an expert on health and fitness, a financial planner, and a relationship counselor. Companies are really changing their workplaces. I'm so excited to be a part of this evolution!

Now, what to spend the money on. Well, let's see.

$500 - Tithe. I'll add this to my check on Sunday.
$500 - LT Savings. I've got to take care of my retirement. I'll still be up and around then, but I'll probably do this for free. At the very least, I can give the money away to foundations that promote the arts in education.
$2500 - Debt repayment. I feel a lot better now that I don't have to worry about those lingering balances.
$1500 - Hard woods throughout the bottom floor of my house. I feel like I have so much more space and the living room and dining room feel welcoming, cozy, and classy at the same time. I love the look!

I'm off to start my day. Today, it's going to be an inthe office, no phone callse, no emails, write till you drop marathon. I'm working on my first book. It's going to be about my experience with weight loss.

Overhaul!

It's amazing how, when we talk talk talk about how we are going to eat better, lose some weight, exercise, reduce stress and so forth...if we just talk and don't do, eventually our bodies will force us to stop and re-evaluate. Which is exactly what mine did. Now I have one very pissed off digestive system and a higher-than-I'd-like cholesterol level to boot.
Well, there's no time like the present to change. I have been cooking my own meals all week (granted, it's only Tuesday, but still) and making sure I only ingest low-fat, tummy-friendly foods. High-fat is a big no-no from now on, as is caffeine and fast food. Sure, I'll splurge now and again, and I'm committed to coffee on special occasions, but I am kicking a 10+ year coffee addiction and switching over to tea as the way to start my day. I've also got two big bags of potatoes (one sweet, one idaho) that I fully intend to cook up in a number of tasty ways (rosemary sweet potato pizza anyone?) or just eat baked (potato skin is high in fiber!).
This is for real, because I do not want to have the pain & discomfort I had last week ever again, and also, I'd really like for my ticker to keep on going for at least another 40 years. I think I'm going to be one hilarious old lady.

Day 1 $ 1,000.00

I have come upon the $ 1,000 dollar experiment thru Dondi who I work with and must say thank you to her for speaking of it and Leah for allowing me to join the blog.

Well, this will be my first entry in my blog. I am in the market to purchase a new house and am going to do the prosperity game for items that I will fill my new house with.
Well, I know I have to have some entertainment and needed to upgrade my game system so I would get the X-Box 360 .. for $479.64 I must get the bundle, because Burnout Revenge is crack.. hehe.. also I would get Halo 2 for $ 27.82 as well as Gears of Wars and Ultimate Alliance for $ 59.82. Since we will be playing games and building up an appetite, I decided I would like to get some kitchenwares that would make cooking a breeze. So I would need a nice cookware set that would be easy to cook on and it has been a few years since I upgraded my kitchen essentials. Since I like Rachel Ray and her cooking methods and I love blue .. I had to pick up her pots and pans set for $ 149.99.. ooooh so lovely. J Now, I need some gadgets to fill my beautiful new home with.. I love gadgets and gizmos.. I need a coffee pot for $ 149.99 with coffee for my baby and hot chocolate for me for $9.99 each pack , since he loves his coffee first thing in the morning as well as later thru the day. .. Then when I was browsing I saw the neatest item, I just had to have.. it is Paula Deen’s egg and muffin toaster for $ 49.95.. I love poached eggs and love toast.. what a combo.. all in a convenient package.. Woo hoo.. save on counter space. J Well, I believe I did not do badly for my first day.. ooh I cannot wait to play and enjoy the new things I have purchased for our lovely new home. :)

$19,000 to take to the bank

Lucky for me, I have $19,000 at my disposal today. And by at my disposal, I mean... whatever. I get to spend it. I've done some traveling in recent posts, some wedding planning, some down paymenting, and a lot of computer buying.

I enjoyed a show at the Harris Theater this weekend and was going to donate a chunk of money to them, but I'm not seeing it on their site. Their loss. I did get to see Sheketak this weekend, a fantastic Israeli dance troupe. I don't think $19,000 goes to far in the sponsoring of Israeli dance troupes, but that is where it is going today.

It is a magical $19,000 that will bring them back to Chicago and include a lovely cocktail hour after the show with the troupe and 50 of my closest friends. Why not? $19,000 is GOBS of money.

$3,000

A new wardrobe. A foxy one. A hip one. A feminine but not-fuzzy one.

Newbie Taking Care of Myself

Hi all,

My name is Nneka and it's my first time on the $1000 project. I met Leah on the Steve Pavlina boards and asked her to participate. Thank you all for allowing me to be a part of the group. As I go along, you'll learn a lot about me.

Today is the first day of the rest of my life. When I stepped out this morning to start my walk, I found an envelope on my doorstep. The envelope was marked "Take Care of Yourself." When I opened it up there was $1000 in there.

At first I was very puzzled by the message and the cash. It seemed a bit incongruent. Then I realized that I could use that cash to do some things that I've been putting off, so here goes.

• $100 - Tithe. I tithe on all income. It reminds me that God is my Source and that money can materilize from anywhere. This morning proved that to me.
• $100 - Savings. I am nuturing the habit of saving 10% of all income. It wasn't always this way.
• $150 - Get my braces off. I've had my braces on for 7 years. 5 without a visit to the dentist due to a bad experience. I'm ready to get my teeth straight. This is the first step.
• $150 - Teeth cleaning and initial dentist visit.
• $500 - Ticket to Miami for Christmas to visit my parents, brother, and niece and nephew.

Yes! I feel like I'm well on my way to taking good care of myself, so that I can step out and help others.

Have a great day!

$18,000 today? Why not!

Maybe I'm jumping the gun, but I think I'll spend $18,000 today. I pooled my $17K, &16K, and $15K days, so this is where I'm at.

Yesterday I was reading an older copy of O magazine and learned about round the world cruises. 100 days or so on a cruise ship, slowly taking in the world. I'm going to go on one of those. And $18,000 will cover an affordable one. 100 days on a boat to write on my new macbook, get a tan, meet new people, and see parts of the world I've never seen before.

Gonna do a lot of shopping!

I'm going to anticipate a lack of blogging over the next few days and spend ALL MY MONEY TODAY! That is, all the money for the next three days, for a fabulous total of $48,000 today.

I'm going to sneak over to Amazon.com and repurchase the Penguin Classics Library Collection, on sale for $9,999.99. It is a wonderful and decadant collection and how exciting to have 500 books with matching orange and white spines. It makes my spine all tingly.

I'm going to rent Berger park for $500. And I'm going to spend $3500 on catering. You all know why, so I won't go into details.

I'm buying four of these bizarre and cool chairs from Moss Online. A mere $1905 each.

Now I've got $26,381 in my bank account. I'm going to spend it (gasp) on a car. I'm not sure what car or what color or anything. Just that I might be reaching a point in my life where I need a car. Thoughts on what sort of car I should spend that moolah on?

$14,000

I'm gonna budget a very vague idea, it's okay, the universe knows the details.

1 year of gym membership. 12 x $49 = $588
1 year of online WW membership. 12 x $19 = $228
new Macbook, a pimped out one. 1 x $2500 = $2500
1 year of internet services. 12 x $50 = $600
Treatment. 1 x $7000 = $7000

That totals $10,916, leaving almost $3000 for new clothes. I'll take it.

$13,000 and stuff

I decided that I'm putting the $13,000 towards a downpayment on a stand-alone house. I love my condo and love all the neighbors and friends. But I'm ready to be responsible for my own family, but not to be responsible for other families.

God, if you are listening, I am looking forward to completing my term on the condo board and moving towards greater independance. Husband, children, house.

The Little Voice in My Head

So, I was walking back from the store today, with my brain going 110 miles per minute, per usual. And suddenly out of nowhere a voice interrupted my thoughts and loudly, distinctly said, "Diane, you are a good person. Good things will come to you."
Uh, okay. I don't know if that was the voice of my literal father or a more metaphorical father, but whoever is responsible...thanks for the reminder.

random for $2,000

Spa Pedicure
Really nice dining table and chairs
Fabric trim for new living room curtain project
Cat tree that looks like hip furniture
red and black spray paint for kitchen step stool
a free day to sew new kitchen curtains
a way to know which place to volunteer on thanksgiving
lumber, batting and fabric for making my new headboard
new candles

Why not spend $23,000?

I didn't spend the $11,000 that was deposited yesterday, so I'm going to let it roll into the $12,000 that was deposited today. (This is the benefit of observing shabbat on this blog, the money is still deposited, but it wasn't spent.)

So what can a lady do with $23,000 on a Sunday morning? What can she plan? What great escape? What fantastic experience? And can she please, pretty please, plan something other than a trip to Israel or Argentina or her wedding?

FINE.

I'm buying an Airstream Trailer. I found one used for exactly $23,000. Me and my friends are going on a Tim Robbins inspired roadtrip. And if you are insisting that I spend a little less so I can pay for gas or food, then maybe I'll buy this one for a mere $19,500.

So? Who is going to come with me in my Airstream trailer as we putter around the country? We'll write, we'll blog, we'll consume gallons of coffee and eat at a million diners. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it?

"A Couple of Nights Out" for $2000, Alex

Time for a new wardrobe now that I've upped the ante with all my new bags.
With the holidays coming up, I think I will buy a couple of new party dresses to start. This one is gorgeous for $400 with shoes and this one is lovely for $300 with matching shoes.

And what are beautiful dresses with nowhere to go? So I will spend the rest on a couple of fancy, paint-the-town-red nights out. I think we will host a small get-together with a few friends at a downtown night club to bring in the new year, catered with gluten-free tapas. Fun!! I would also go for a night out at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for me and my husband where we will leave half-way during the second half to go ice skating in Millennium Park followed by a couple hot chocolates.

10 is for EVERYTHING EVERYTHING EVERYTHING

Today I am focusing on one simple, big ticket, super fun item. The Red Polder Sofa in XXL from Moss Online. It comes in at $9450. Leaving me with $550 to pay someone to take my old sofa away, move it in for me, a professional deep clean on the ol' condo, and wine & cheese to celebrate my new sofa.

$1000 for me, for me, for me

I think last time I started this I got to $5000 buying things for my new place, so this time I will buy things for me until I get to $6000 when I can work on some rooms I hadn't furnished yet.

A coworker turned me on to this line of purses this week. They are vegan and "Oh, so cute!"
I think there are about 3 that I would get: the Raging Bull Covertible Bag, the Small Depeche Mode Tote, and my favorite, the Bond Street Shoulder Bag. Um, make that 10 because there are at least another 7 I like on this sight too. They are so cute I think I can get rid of all the purses I have and start over. Leaves just enough to get a few wallets.

Wow, who knew $1000 could be spent so quickly!!!

Thanks for that!

I think it was just last night that I was thinking, "I wouldn't mind taking another business trip this winter. Something to shake things up a bit."

Guess who is going to DC ina few weeks? Yep. Just found out. That wasn't long between intention and manifestation, now was it?

Let's keep this spending spree going with $9000

I happen to have $9000 today. Spending it joyfully will help welcome prosperity into my life. Which is already coming. Next week I have to work lunches at nice restaurants and I got paid to do something fun, the check was deposited last night. Something I'd have done for free, hooray! Oh and there is the new Kitchen Aid mixer on my counter and my new coffee filter thing. Both gifts, hooray!

So with the $9000 I have today, I am going to buy some little big things. I'm always coming back to a new couch or seating arrangement in the living room, but I'm not interested in buying that today. Do I want to get traveling? I've done a lot of that, too. Jewelry? Flowers? Books? Bookshelves? Debt reducing?

I know. A sabbatical. A month long sabbatical. I'll buy all the pens, notebooks, laptop, wireless connections, and cups of coffee that I need. I won't worry about bills (because I can pay them out of the $9000.) I'll just take a sabbatical. My job will be waiting for me to return refreshed. I might travel, there is certainly money for that. But I might just be a tourist in Chicago and really explore with new eyes, the city I call home.

Let's say I had $8,000 to spend today.

I'm trying to figure out what to do with today's $8,000. I went to Moss, but didn't feel the love. I did a quick google for Dream Vacation and wound up at a Rock N Roll Cruise featuring STYX. mmmm... not so much.

What ever will I do with my $8000?

There is always my fantasy wedding. So I googled Dream Wedding Dress. (In reality, I want the dress from the movie In Her Shoes.) And I found this, which is nowhere near $8000, but really cool.

And then I googled Fantasy Wedding Dress. Oooh. Mostly, I don't like, but this one? Kind of cool. I'll buy it, just in case I want a fantasy dress at the last minute. One can never have too many wedding dresses in the closet, can they?

If I had a million ($7000) dollars

Amy talking about Spa Day and my Dad's upcoming trip to Hawaii has me thinking that maybe, just maybe, I need a fantasy vacation. I'm gonna go to Club Med in Israel (why not?) with three girlfriends for the week preceeding my 30th birthday in Jerusalem.

The total for four of us, seven nights, in Coral Beach is a shockingly low $3,856 for an all inclusive thing. Holy cow! Can you believe how affordable that is? That is totally within reach.

Now, the flight there and back may not be totally luxurious, but since I already booked my ticket, I just need $125 for the change fee. That leaves just over $1000 for each lady's plane ticket. I think we'll do just fine. And since the bank account will have $8000 in it tomorrow, I can always cover the taxes and transfers at a later date.

Who is going with me?

Agreed. $1,000 is needed.

Today, I'm going to deposi my $1,000 and treat myself to some R&R. All of this book touring has left me feeling a little worn out and there is still a going on, so I need to take time out for some TLC to recharge my batteries.

Massage, manicure, pedicure, leg wax, bikini wax, eyebrow wax, facial, a little time in a tanning bed, maid service to give my apartment a once-over, and a nice pair of boots. Ah. I feel better already.

$6000 brick in a path of prosperity.

I've got $6000 today that needs to be spent on something awesome and fun. And what I'm going to get is a King Size bed from Unica Home. Just go check it out, you lift up the mattress for extra storage and by the time I need a King Size bed, I'll also need the extra storage.

So $6000 towards that totally kick ass bed.

$5000 and a Sunday Shopping Spree

At SOFA yesterday, I saw so many amazing peices of jewelry. Wow. I mean, double wow. I did learn that I want my jewelry to be more on the functional side than on the totally cool and improbably side. There was even a featured group of Israeli artists and my dad said, "Oooh, you'll have to have them design your wedding rings."

I love that my Dad has total faith that I've got a wedding around the corner. It makes it easier for me to replace hope with patience. Anyway, I'm thinking I could probably spend $5000 at Berman's in their Steel Crazy collection on wedding rings.

Because what I am ready to manifest, Sweet Adonai, is a marraige. I love my condo and I love my new Kitchen Aid mixer--two things most women put on hold until they say vows. For some reason, you thought I needed these first. I'm so appreciative that these things are in my life and welcome a husband. (In case you weren't sure, this is what I really want.)

Being Clear With the Universe

So, I realized today that it is hard for the universe to answer your prayers when you aren't really clear on what you want. I'm putting it out there in the most simple terms:
1) I want to keep contracting for my current employer for as long as possible. I like the people and I know what I am doing and the pay is outstanding. I want April to come and I find myself calm, cool and collected because I am making enough money to not even blink when I send that tax check off to the government(s). I want to stay in a contract situation because it allows me flexibility to keep some writing going. I want July to come and I'm still working with the Marketing department to fill some of their key roles.
2) I want to have enough time to learn French. Then I want to take that knowledge, plus the money from my super wonderful contract job and perhaps some freelance writing gigs as well, and go to Paris to visit my cyber pen pal Laurence.

That's all the big (and little) stuff right now. Distilled into two nice, neat bullet points. See universe? I'll work with you here.

$4000

Ah, yes, $4000 on day four. I remember my first $4000 day and what a chore it was to spend that money. Now my imagination has little trouble devising new and exciting ways (okay some are repeats, but they are all exciting) to spend my cash.

I'm going STRAIGHT to Moss Online and buying this $3025 revolving cabinet.

This simple silver bracelet for $440 and this simple beautiful vase for $300 and these simple beautiful stacking glasses. That pretty much takes care of the $4000.

Awesome!

$3000 to welcome prosperity

Today I'm putting $3000 towards prosperity. As a writer, blogger, PR lady, and all around Queen of the Internet, I need a new laptop. I've purchased three or four laptops over the course of this experiment and today is no different. I'm over at apple.com specing out a macbook for little ol' me.

Looks like the MacBook I want is $2,022. That leaves me some cash to play with and I'm going to use it for accessories. Like a printer, extra ink, a cool carrying case, paper, and to pay for internet service no matter where I am in the world for the next year.

Okay, okay. $2000

What can I do with $2000?

• Pay my assessments for one whole year.
• Get 33 fancy pants mani/pedis at the place on Michigan Ave.
• Pay my cell phone bill for two years.
• Buy 40 pairs of jeans.
• Keep myself caffienated for 888 days.
• Go to Chipotle 195 times for a steak burrito bowl, guac, and a soda.
• Take 50 more Hebrew lessons.
• Drink 400 Moodywaters.
• Go on my Mexico trip three more times.
• Pay my mortgage for 1.5 months.
• Send 51 payments to Sallie Mae for my college loan.
• Buy 1183 Mead notebooks.

That's an awful lot of wonderful options, isn't it? Past things on my list have included

• linens (got 'em)
• closet (got it)
• iPod (check)
• Hebrew lessons (check)

So I think I'll put this $2000 towards my 30th birthday. It is a trip to Israel, specifically to be in Jerusalem on my 30th and then to bop around. Tickets are running about $1100 right now. Totally doable and leaves me $900 to play with. I think I will treat myself to the lovliest hotel in all of J-lem. The David Citadel is $300 a night. (Holy shit!) So I'll stay there for three nights.

I'll be back tomorrow to welcome more prosperity and spend $3000 in Israel!

Focus

There's a lot going on in my little world right now. It's 9:30 and I just finished work. I also got assigned one more new position. This is very good, because while other recruiters are not getting more positions, I am, which means (hopefully) I'll be around past the January 1 go live date.
I have a lot of things swirling around in me noggin'. I've been getting horrific headaches and jaw pain from clenching my teeth during the day. I've barely left the house for two days, save for a walk yesterday evening. And I've gotten into bad eating habits again. Not good!
So next month, two of my contracts will be up for renewal (but kind of not--my day job didn't have a definitive end so I am hoping I'll just get to keep going for awhile). AND I had another opportunity come up to make extra cash doing another consulting project on the side. I'm weighing that one, because it would give me a strong foothold if either contract falls through (especially my dayjob). Worst case scenario is that all contracts fall through and I'm unemployed again.
So #1 is to focus on keeping the dayjob. #2 is to make the right choice about taking on a third job. #3 is to take care of myself in all of this.
There's a lot of extra stuff I'd love to do right now--study French, take another art class, and so on, but it would be at the cost of my own sanity. In fact, I need to announce that I'm officially bailing on NanoWrimo, because writing a novel when your company is on the cusp of a joint venture isn't exactly great timing.
Regarding #3--I am going to the gym tomorrow while I'm downtown. I'm getting a massage this weekend. And I'm buying myself a new monitor from Dell for delivery in the coming week. I need to commit to whatever it takes to get me back on a normal sleeping/eating schedule--and that includes focusing (yet again) on exercise.
Maybe I should have Leah call me at 6:00am when she's on her way to the gym and encourage me to go for a run?
I also got a lead on a condo that I fell in love with at first sight. I've never really thought seriously about buying a condo, because I didn't like any of the ones I saw. But this one simply "fit" perfectly. And it has a lot of good, fun energy in it. So I reached out to the owner to get a feel for what he's thinking. I am scared to commit to something like that until all this work stuff resolves a little. So there's that.
Anyway, if this seems convoluted it's because my brain is rather convoluted right now, and I'm trying to straighten it out and focus on what I REALLY want.
Oh yeah, and there's a certain fella I'll be seeing soon that I hope will fall head over heels for me. How could he not? I'm adorable!
Hey, if nothing else--it felt good to write all this out. :-)

With $1000, I will change my life.

I feel the money stress coming back into my life, so I need to wash it away with The Prosperity Game. I know it works, I know it is fun, I know that I just have to ask and allow prosperity into my life.

That said, I have $1000 to spend this morning and I'm gonna spend it.

First, I want another super duper trip to the Mani/Pedi place with a 1/2 leg wax--cause it sure was nice. That is $100 for everything.

Second, I want another pair of Jeans that fit and flatter my body. Those cost $50 each. A small price to pay for an ass that looks nice as I walk through the bar.

Third, I want to cover my next few Hebrew lessons. $40 each and I'll pre-pay four.

Fourthly, I want to pay off that little nagging amount on my MC. So $250 and I'm out of consumer debt.

Fifthly, I need a serious facial and back cleansing and massage. $250.

With the last $230, I think I can take care of my commitments to the JUF for the year.

Tomorrow I'll go buckwild with my $2000. :)

Ask and it is given…

It it so true. I have been sending out vibrations of the home I have been dreaming of since we first moved to Chicago (over three years now). Thinking that we would start seriously looking in the spring, we went to a few open houses. Without knowing anything about the condos. Just browsing to see what was in the neighborhood we were looking at.

And the first place we looked at was perfect. Yesterday, we found out that they accepted our offer. So in just a few short weeks, we will be living in a beautiful two bedroom condo in Ravenswood. Complete with sunroom, deck and secure parking. What more can I ask for? More cabinet space, Washer/Dryer, Central heat and air? Done.

This has truly been a lesson in putting what you want out there and without any other real work getting what you ask for. YEAH!!!!!!