June 2, 2009
Blissfully Domestic is giving away one lovely Vivianne Tam HP Mini from Intel.
I hadn’t admitted it here yet, but I’ve been ogling Minis wherever I see them, and have firmly slapped my own wrist a number of times for wanting to pet them … and then own one! Especially since my new laptop from December would be decidedly jealous if I actually went out and purchased a travel sized. But winning one in a contest would be A-ok!
The contest ends at 11:59 PM on Monday, June 8, 2009. One winner will be chosen via Random.org. Please read the official contest rules here.
May 27, 2009
Just when it seemed like things were moving along swimmingly, I got the following notices in quick succession last week:
WAMU Investments: My rolled-over account is still alive, with 2 cents in it.
Ugh! Is it unreasonable that I just want m’darned account closed for good? No. No it’s not. Not long after the letter arrived, I saw that the brokerage account had been converted to a Chase account. Maybe I can get the two cents applied to my credit card balance. 😛
Citibank: My CD expired on May 15th and I have to call or send a letter via postal mail to make arrangements.
Why can’t I just log into my account and click on a box that says: cash out my CD! or Rollover! The CD department had the nerve to question my cashing it out saying, “we have excellent interest rates, and you won’t be earning nearly as much interest in your checking account.”
Uh, I’m not an idiot. I’m not leaving that money in my checking account, duh, and your interest rates are Not Nearly Awesome Enough. Hmph! I was perhaps a little huffier than the situation called for since I was in no mood to hear a sales pitch.
Prudential: A letter in the mail stated that they never received my long-form and that my application was being closed. Lies! I’d already gotten a letter from my employer stating that my increased life insurance was approved and in effect. But I called anyway to be sure, and found that sure enough, my policy is in force. Chalk another one up for wasting my time.
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Emigrant Direct: In a fit of pique, I started to transfer all my money out. Except it gets marginally more interest (0.05%) than ING Direct, and they’ve both peeved me something special with their blockage of Yodlee. So I guess most of that money can stay put. But I feel like locking up about 10K in a CD at 2.25% APY. No, it’s not great, but it’s a full percentage point above my Citi savings accounts.
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Today’s the day. Y’know. The Day.
May 26, 2009
Are y’all tired of clothing posts, yet? How about we change gears to something even more mundane? Groceries!!
That’s right. Groceries are wonderfully life-sustaining and delicious. I’m happy anyway.
The Target run was ostensibly only to get *ahem* stockings, otherwise known as thigh-highs, for my skirt suit. I’m gonna need to be demure and professional-like sometime this week. As you may know.
In the checkout lane, I remembered that last week I promised myself one bag of candy. (What? I never buy candy.) I’ve been suffering from Snickers mini/Kit Kat deficiency. This could turn into a serious problem, and prevention is the best defense! Or something like that. Non-spending fail, but that won’t be what I think when I reach into the candy pocket of the purse and find Transformer Snicker Minis! It remains to be seen if the yellow nougat freaks me out.
As usual, giving this mouse one goody meant that it almost turned into a major case of impulse buying: the baked sea salt and vinegar chips were irresistible, Colby Jack string cheese sounded perfect …. luckily, friend was on the phone with me and told me to Leave Now. I even managed to put the goodies back, as well.
The trip to the local grocery went a little better, nutritionally speaking. Fresh corn on the cob was on sale, 4/$1. Corn = summer, and good deals on corn are even better. That’s what the green beans (1/2 lb), oranges (2), bananas (3), whole wheat bagels (6), and eggs (12) are for. My grocery shopping can be a bit haphazard, if you can’t see a meal in there, not to worry. Neither can I.
May 21, 2009
Friend’s husband, let’s call him A, causes the funniest conversations:
A’s wife: Did you see that Dilbert cartoon A sent me? He asked if that was why I married him.
A: Well, I AM financially stable.
A’s friend’s wife: Well, you know, financial stability is how those nerds get the hot wives. Even the really ugly ones!
A: Hey!
A’s friend’s wife: No, I mean, you know, my husband is a nerd! [Her husband and A work together.]
R: Good job, friend. I think this means you’re the hot one.
A: HEY!! Why are you calling me ugly??
R: Hey guys, how long does your dishwasher take to run a full cycle?
A and wife: Dunno.
A: R, you’re such a calculating person.
R: [pause] Are you sure that’s what you mean?
A: Calculatory?
R: I don’t think that word means what you think it means. Does it? Do YOU?
A: Uhhhh……
R: Ok, did you mean it in a mean way?
A: Uhhhh……
R: Never mind. I’m doing laundry now.
POLL:
Should I sell my 30G video iPod? I haven’t used it since I got my iPhone, but I do not plan to keep the iPhone forever, or upgrade to the latest & greatest iPhone, either.
A fellow train rider offered to look at and buy it.
[I wonder if the iPod function still works on the iPhone if the phone is deactivated. Must go Google this ….]
Edit: According to AppleInsider, deactivated phones can still be used for all non-cellular phone activities, rendering it a default iPod Touch. I won’t be able to restore iTunes or upgrade it, but I doubt that I would bother anyway. Also, it can still access Wifi. Sweet!
May 19, 2009
The comments over at GRACEful Retirement made me laugh a little. Many of the commenters were noting that they enjoy posts of all varieties whether they’re updeat or downtrodden, and that openness is why they enjoy reading blogs.
Not that I’m known for being terribly sunshiney, but posting has been sporadic lately because I just haven’t felt like showcasing my life’s warts and bruises. That’s not to say that what I have posted about has been untrue to what I’m up to, it’s just been more focused because I didn’t want to morph into the Boo-boo-blues Diaries.
But, a quick update on the topics I’ve been avoiding:
1. My family is still driving me crazy. The brother is still only randomly coming through with monthly payments and I’m regretting allowing him back under our roof. It’s not full-house access, but still. Egh. The need to Get Out is ever stronger, and the longer I’m around them, frustrated, the more strained our relationship becomes. And still watching my mom’s mental and physical health deteriorating … let’s just say I’m not dealing with that very well at ALL.
2. Six more weeks to freedom! [or, y’know. Unemployment, and all that that entails.]
3. I’m at very loose ends with regards to my financial goals….
3a. and have been online window shopping way too much. Partly out of boredom, partly because my stuff is wearing out. My go-to flats are nearly destroyed, and … I *need* a new dress for an event later this summer. It’s the last work-related shindig, and I don’t have anything suitable. Never mind that this layoff has zero to do with me or my abilities, not having a job lined up eats at my pride. A lot. [Not to mention, has me privately freaking out a good deal.] So you know, new dress, strong showing, pretend to all the people I’ve known for almost 5 years that I’m poised, confident and polished. Employable!
4. It’s not like not making plans for a few months is the end of the world, but it signals stagnation and boredom on my part. I’m stuck in a purgatory of searching for jobs and contacts, sending in apps, working the network, and coming up empty. Rinse and repeat.
Intellectually, I know I will be fine. I’ve saved, I’ve hunted jobs like a fiend, my reputation in the field is strong and as long as I wait 6 more weeks, I’ll be eligible for unemployment if it comes to that. I can even afford to take a few short vacations, during my down time, provided they’re not extravagant.
Constitutionally, though, it’s hard to go on faith for so long, even backed by a good sized emergency fund.
May 14, 2009
I’m trying to do way too many things at once:
Make travel arrangements for my friend’s high school reunion with only travel dates and no other information, while getting the best price and travel times;
Coordinate a visit to my new nevvie this weekend with another close friend;
That hideous bridesmaid dress has to go to a seamstress 30 miles away SOON.
All this mental chaos leads to my picking up my water bottle and trying to dial it with my left hand while holding the cell phone with my right hand.
In other news …….
* Recently contacted an attorney friend for a referral to an estate planning lawyer, though I said “will and trust” lawyer so as not to imply that I think I have lots of money. He asked for a list of assets and approximate value. Unexpectedly, I was reluctant to tell him. Maybe because I think I should have saved more for what I’ve made? Because I think I should have a bigger, rounder number? Who knows. Emotions are weird.
* I’d really like, if I ever had to replace or modify my eyesight, to have the ability to instantaneously evaluate potential parking spots and determine if they’re big enough. I hate pulling up next to a spot and calculating if I’m too big, or it’s too small and driving away disappointed.
* I miss sprouts. What’s wrong with sprouts that our cafeteria won’t carry them right now? Should I grow my own? Loved this how-to from guest poster Laura at Almost Frugal.
* Of course this is practically the most exciting thing I’ve read all day: Flexo’s post on the 2009 Federal Income Tax Brackets and Marginal Rates. I really like seeing the new tax brackets. Can’t wait to trot out new estimated taxes for my friend’s projected salary.
May 12, 2009
This is really 7 things you didn’t know about me. Different post! Abby of i pick up pennies tagged me for this meme, and since I so rarely open up to y’all *cough* I’m going along with it. Only because I have a batch of particularly weird thoughts this week.
1. I really want to train a dog to come meet me at the train station so I can walk him/her home on nice summer evenings. Walk with him or her, I guess, since a dog that well-trained wouldn’t really need a leash on the return trip. Except for the leash law thing.
2. I am surprisingly self-conscious about writing for an audience. *quirked brow* But once in a while, I turn out something that someone thinks is funny or entertaining and that’s a heady sip of writer’s champagne.
3. Growing up, I was surrounded by people who were smart, funny, weird, quirky, talented, caring, thoughtful and down to earth, or any combination thereof. Also, really mean, snarky, sarcastic, and occasionally petty as teenagers are wont to be, which means we were actually a decently well rounded set of personalities. As we were referred to as the “LA people” by my extended family, the first time I became acquainted with the stereotype that LA folks are shallow, superficial, and occasionally lacking in soul was about three years ago, and I had no idea what that looked like. Thanks to the “Housewives of … ” and other reality shows, now I do.
4. After 8 years of neighbordom, during which time I’ve always been old enough to drive, my lady neighbor still genially waves me over with a “go bounce” invitation to make use of whatever rented bounce house/castle/slide/donut they have up at the time. I’m guessing it’s her version of “hey, how ya doing?” because if she honestly thinks I’m still 13 now, I’m totally doing something wrong.
5. 5 years after graduation, I finally accept that keeping my literature books from college around will not also make me smarter or more literate. And that I’m really probably not going to read them again. Bye-bye, Ernest Hemingway, Henry James, and Chaucer. Fare thee well!
6. I was recently in the same room as former First Lady Nancy Reagan. She looks so tiny!
7. If it takes too long to dial a phone, I might forget what number I’m dialing, who I want to speak to, or why I was calling in the first place. My attention just wanders. One spectacular example of this was thankfully at a study group back in the day, “Hi, may I please speak to Sam? No, Fred! No! John? I’m sorry!”
When distracted, I forget where I am when I answer phones, too. “[insert name of former employer of 5 years ago], may I help … oh! errr … [insert name of current employer].” *sheepish*
Anyone want to tag themselves? Let me know and I’ll link back to you!
