$1,000

$78: This cute blouse.

$799: This great mod bookcase.

$99: These so cute shoes>

And, I'll give me $20 to SaveDurfur.org.

Wouldn't it be nice?

I'd sure like to have a balcony, with a little couch outside. And a giant hot tub inside. And a new wooden bookcase that I find a really great deal on.

Saving is Good

Not long ago, I signed up for an ING Direct savings account. This is different from my Chase account in that it is actually fun money. The Chase account goes to the government come April. :p
Anyway, I thought it would be good to be saving for something. That's usually a good motivator for putting more money in a savings account.
So I'm officially saving for a Mini Cooper.


Why not aim high and have the convertible in mind?

she's back

You know what? I'm good right now.

I could use a bookcase, though.

First Steps...

Today I started the first steps on taking the PHR exam in December (deadline for registration is October, so this seemed a sensible timeline).
*sigh*
How come self-improvement is never fun?

Dressing the part

I have said it before and perhaps I will say it again: My big "dream" or "vision" or what-have-you when I was growing up was to have a cool job where I got to wear nice clothes. Yes, part of this I'm sure had to do with my love of Barbies, or maybe it was the other way around... Any way, I have finally come to the point where I am holding things that I would like to accomplish or be away from myself. In other words, I am becoming aware of specific actions that I am taking or not taking so that I can continue to tell myself that I am not that person. I continue to look in the mirror and think I don't look like the person I thought I would be so I must not be. A lot of this for me also involves fitness and maintaining a healthy weight range. I have made so many strides in the past few years that have caused me to be more healthy. But why am I unable to take this last step? The answer finally came to me this week. I was waiting for someone else to give me permission. I was waiting to feel some sort of outer change, before I felt that I deserved to change the way I wanted to. I am now reminding myself that no one can change me but me. I am the one getting dressed in the morning. I am the one not working out consistently. I am the one that brings less-than clothes into my home. I am the one that refuses to shop at stores where I know I will find high-quality professional clothing. I am the one that says that I must get in proper shape before I can spend any real money on clothing. I am the one telling myself that I am just being vain and that it isn't worth the extra money.

Today walking into work I saw a women waiting in the lobby to visit someone. She was wearing a full grey suit with a collared shirt underneath. I thought wow, she must really high up in her company. That assumption just from a 5 second glance. If that much is determined in a 5 second glance at a stranger, then how much power am I missing out on daily by not dressing the part?

Feeling Accomplished

Something somebody said today reminded me of my 43 Things list, floating out there aimlessly in the interwebs.
When I logged in, I realized I had (subconsciously perhaps??) actually accomplished a fair number of things I had posted. That was tremendously satisfying!
So now I have to sit and think of some other impressive things I want to accomplish, other than opening a ROTH IRA, which I added today...
Hmmmm...

Things I'm going to do on July 31.

Monday is my review, which means that July 31 should be one awesome paycheck. It should include my raise and a retro-active raise from my actual anniversary date. I should have some spending cash. What will I do with all that extra money (not including the new paycheck with extra money twice a month)???

1. Take a big chunk of debt off of my mastercard.
2. Buy the shelves Dondi has prescribed for my living room.
3. Buy a second nightstand.
4. A new mattress.
5. A couple gallons of paint.
6. Tune-up my bicycle.
7. A new laptop.
8. Dance lessons.
9. Hebrew lessons.
10. JDate membership.
11. Some sort of fabulous new outfit.
12. More training sessions with Nate.

I'm not sure what else is on my list, but I'm pretty excited to be flush with cash. Hooray! Hooray! hooray!