The following is a brief thing I wrote for a contest...
Let me know if it's worthy of winning. The point was to write some ways that are best for saving on gift giving during the holiday season...
"It may seem there aren't many ways for saving during the holidays- there's always someone who sneaks out of the woodwork that you have to buy a last minute trinket or two for. However, here are some things I've picked up along the years of being on the program and needing to save as much money as possible!
First- you can make an online photo album for close family and friends and they can choose to print out copies of pictures if they enjoy them! If you're like most people, you have some availability to a digital camera, or a local pharmacy that will make you a photo cd (which aren't as costly as they seem) and you can upload the prints (or if you're a little less computer savvy, enlist the help of a friend) and there are plenty of sites out there that will let you create FREE albums and SHARE them with people on you email lists! It's a great gift because pictures can say a thousand words without spending a THOUSAND dollars!
Another option is to bake! I work at a school, and therefore I have two departments' worth of colleagues. I like to go and make them my special sugar cookies! Because they are made with LOVE! Most of us already have the basic ingredients, such as, eggs and butter, so just buying the mix shouldn't set you back too far! Also, I just cam e across a friend who made chocolate covered pretzels for next to nothing!
Lastly, I like to get back to basics. Remember how when you were a kid, your teachers would give you construction paper and have you make cards for your family? Well, this is something like that. You can choose to buy some simple stationary and write some heartfelt holiday wishes for your friends, family and co-workers, and dazzle them up by decorating them! It doesn't have to get too over the top, even if you just have construction paper, markers, scissors, and glue you can go a long way. Think about the person who is getting it and decorate accordingly.
People will love their personalized gifts and enjoy that you put effort into getting them something rather than passing by a store and ordering up a gift card or a dozen! That can be costly and it shows lack of imagination. These are some of my favorite ways of saving for the holidays. Enjoy!"
Let me know what you think!
Monday, December 28, 2009
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Reflection Time
The year is coming to a close and what better way to end the year than with a post reminiscing about the good, bad, and the in between that happened this year in my life.
As a disclaimer, I don't want to dwell on all the terrible things, so when I get to the bad I am going to try to keep it as brief as possible even if at this point in my life I might think they outweigh the good.
To begin my birthday was amazing! January 31st was a wonderful day, crisp weather, high spirits! I had a gorgeous dinner with gorgeous friends and my lovely brother! I couldn't ask for more! What a special way to start the year. February I went to Virginia with my brother and we went skiing for a weekend. Although, I am not a prolific skier I will never forget the sight of my brother whooshing down the face of the mountain he had gone up to "slowly" come down with my cousins and my uncle. The thrill of him coming down at high speed and the absolute terror I felt because I didn't know if he'd be able to stop! Two emotions that ran parallel only to see the sheer joy on his face when he stopped at the bottom and told me he'd pretty much had enough... Amazing. (especially because he was skiing with a bum leg!)
Spring came with not many ups and downs, I had a lovely time playing at game nights with my great friends! How much laughter we shared at each other's expenses remains the best part of our nights together. Reminiscing about silly comments and piggy-backing off of each others retorts, as well as some deeply considered rhetoric on our beliefs... I'll always cherish those moments no matter what.
Finally the summer! What a BLAST! A journey pretty much on my own to discover who my true friends are! I went and spent a magnificent week in Orlando! I rode all types of roller coasters, ate all sorts of food, endured all sorts of embarrassment as a wet me tripped and fell in the queue of the Mummy ride! But it was divine because I was among friends who share a common past and the love of Disney things with me! I also got to experience Sea World for the first time ever and boy, did I make the most of it! I rode MANTA! But more importantly I touched a dolphin! It was a trying task but I made it! Tip to tail! Then I flew to Texas where I spent a lovely week among what I think are my best friends and a couple days later I find my hostess is never speaking to me again, but I haven't the slightest idea why. (She recently got married and I wish her the best) I only wish she'd feel strong enough about our friendship to have told me what had gone wrong as I completely in the dark about it and quite upset, but oh well, that's life. Regardless, I can honestly say my summer was amazing, but not as amazing as next summer I will be in EUROPE!!!
Then we come to the beginning of this school year. So many great things! I went back to school early for some special training and it turns out I got so much more than I had bargained for! I got great friendships with my new team since I would be teaching 7th grade language arts- but wait! Suddenly, I am am welcomely thrust into another department- foreign languages! I am the school's new FRENCH TEACHER! What a delight. I love my french students and I am utterly excited about the prospect and as the time has gone on, it has proven super positive! It's been a lovely experience! A few bumps in the road, but I am able to surpass them, and try to better myself and my students as learners!
I am so excited about my new subject and all it entails and the wonderful projects I am doing with them!
Now for the bad, which suddenly feels like it all fell upon me in a matter of moments and I feel like if it is coming in waves and I can't get my head above to right myself and get away from it all!
My father- the bread winner of my home, is in dire straits and isn't getting any work (not in the US at least) and due to that our financial circumstances have quickly declined and I am in no position to fix it, try as I might.
My brother lost his job, just when I needed him to help me out, helping out the family, most.
My poor mother, lost her mother and her eldest sister in less than a year.
I have been sickly so much this year, I can pinpoint the dates, Sept., early November, Thanksgiving, Christmas... I can only hope that I don't get sick again for the new year or my birthday. I also want to be over this cold pronto.
Also, (and I think this might be culprit as to why my immunity is so low) my wallet being stolen. I can't believe I gave those thieves a friggin' burglar Christmas gift basket!
Anyway in between, I live my life day to day, thankful for the little things, like a good movie (I cried while watching Mr. Holland's Opus), baking cookies for my family at midnight on Christmas, or listening to "Tiny Dancer" while writing this post.
I am grateful I have been blessed with my life regardless of how it pans out. Take it one day at a time is my motto. It's the only way to seize it!
I hope your holiday is fantastic and you can reminisce about the great and not-so of this year and look forward to the new year coming upon us!
As a disclaimer, I don't want to dwell on all the terrible things, so when I get to the bad I am going to try to keep it as brief as possible even if at this point in my life I might think they outweigh the good.
To begin my birthday was amazing! January 31st was a wonderful day, crisp weather, high spirits! I had a gorgeous dinner with gorgeous friends and my lovely brother! I couldn't ask for more! What a special way to start the year. February I went to Virginia with my brother and we went skiing for a weekend. Although, I am not a prolific skier I will never forget the sight of my brother whooshing down the face of the mountain he had gone up to "slowly" come down with my cousins and my uncle. The thrill of him coming down at high speed and the absolute terror I felt because I didn't know if he'd be able to stop! Two emotions that ran parallel only to see the sheer joy on his face when he stopped at the bottom and told me he'd pretty much had enough... Amazing. (especially because he was skiing with a bum leg!)
Spring came with not many ups and downs, I had a lovely time playing at game nights with my great friends! How much laughter we shared at each other's expenses remains the best part of our nights together. Reminiscing about silly comments and piggy-backing off of each others retorts, as well as some deeply considered rhetoric on our beliefs... I'll always cherish those moments no matter what.
Finally the summer! What a BLAST! A journey pretty much on my own to discover who my true friends are! I went and spent a magnificent week in Orlando! I rode all types of roller coasters, ate all sorts of food, endured all sorts of embarrassment as a wet me tripped and fell in the queue of the Mummy ride! But it was divine because I was among friends who share a common past and the love of Disney things with me! I also got to experience Sea World for the first time ever and boy, did I make the most of it! I rode MANTA! But more importantly I touched a dolphin! It was a trying task but I made it! Tip to tail! Then I flew to Texas where I spent a lovely week among what I think are my best friends and a couple days later I find my hostess is never speaking to me again, but I haven't the slightest idea why. (She recently got married and I wish her the best) I only wish she'd feel strong enough about our friendship to have told me what had gone wrong as I completely in the dark about it and quite upset, but oh well, that's life. Regardless, I can honestly say my summer was amazing, but not as amazing as next summer I will be in EUROPE!!!
Then we come to the beginning of this school year. So many great things! I went back to school early for some special training and it turns out I got so much more than I had bargained for! I got great friendships with my new team since I would be teaching 7th grade language arts- but wait! Suddenly, I am am welcomely thrust into another department- foreign languages! I am the school's new FRENCH TEACHER! What a delight. I love my french students and I am utterly excited about the prospect and as the time has gone on, it has proven super positive! It's been a lovely experience! A few bumps in the road, but I am able to surpass them, and try to better myself and my students as learners!
I am so excited about my new subject and all it entails and the wonderful projects I am doing with them!
Now for the bad, which suddenly feels like it all fell upon me in a matter of moments and I feel like if it is coming in waves and I can't get my head above to right myself and get away from it all!
My father- the bread winner of my home, is in dire straits and isn't getting any work (not in the US at least) and due to that our financial circumstances have quickly declined and I am in no position to fix it, try as I might.
My brother lost his job, just when I needed him to help me out, helping out the family, most.
My poor mother, lost her mother and her eldest sister in less than a year.
I have been sickly so much this year, I can pinpoint the dates, Sept., early November, Thanksgiving, Christmas... I can only hope that I don't get sick again for the new year or my birthday. I also want to be over this cold pronto.
Also, (and I think this might be culprit as to why my immunity is so low) my wallet being stolen. I can't believe I gave those thieves a friggin' burglar Christmas gift basket!
Anyway in between, I live my life day to day, thankful for the little things, like a good movie (I cried while watching Mr. Holland's Opus), baking cookies for my family at midnight on Christmas, or listening to "Tiny Dancer" while writing this post.
I am grateful I have been blessed with my life regardless of how it pans out. Take it one day at a time is my motto. It's the only way to seize it!
I hope your holiday is fantastic and you can reminisce about the great and not-so of this year and look forward to the new year coming upon us!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
I AM...
A Statistic. I can't believe it but it's true. As I live and breathe and manage through this debilitating migraine of stress; I am going to recount how I became the lead character in every one of the forwards every girl has ever received.
My father asked me to go pump gas for him (stop me if you've heard this) and gave me his debit card which I tossed in my wallet and left the house.
I arrived at a local BP gas station and pulled the card from my wallet, threw the wallet in the cup holder and got out to swipe the card.
I leaned against the car and I felt it move, I see a car behind me and I thought for a split second they burgled me but then hesitated and thought they'd probably hit my dad's car. I round over to the passenger side and sure enough the door looks like it was closed improperly and I open it and VOILA! My WALLET IS GONE!
I didn't get a good look at the car, just a charcoal sporty mazda, or nissan. I immediately call 911. I'm livid with myself. WHY DIDN'T I LOCK THE GOD DAMN DOORS!
The cop arrives and she asks to see the video footage, I watched in SHOCK as the thieves (who I wish nothing but future harm and explosive diarrhea, and cancer on them and their families) circled my car not once, not twice, but thrice! Before they actually lined up beside me and took my wallet. I mean it was a matter of a minute or two, and I didn't notice until the very end!
I cannot unsee these images. I feel like if in the video I would just turn around, I could stop them. Or if she played it from the beginning video Elaine would lock the doors.
Not only did they steal my license and my debit cards, they stole my social security. The end all be all. I strongly believe that our fingerprints should be our social security. If someone does like on the tv shows and the spy movies and clones them, I'll worry about it then but a friggin' 9 digit number that is now in someone else's possession? Too easy.
As I called one of the debit cards (I have 2, one I use and one that has been out of service because there are 0.04 cents in the account), the one with 4 cents reports that I used it already halfway on the other side of town! I couldn't believe it!
Who am I angriest at? Myself. I knew better, what was I thinking? Not just the doors, but I know better than to carry around my social.
Another thing I noticed in the short amount of time it took for my world to crumble. When you call your banks to cancel cards they ask you for ALL the information that you regularly carry in your wallet (except for the social) but they have everything else. In my case, if they wanted to counter my calls to the bank with calls of their own -- it would be CAKE.
Name? Done.
Address? Done.
Social? Done.
They don't ask those "security questions" unless you've forgotten something you ask them to go that far...
I feel so utterly helpless. Alone in my misery. Holiday ruined.
I feel like they can show up at my door any minute.
What makes it worse is that a couple of people have said, "well, be thankful you're ok." Really, I know that's the truth, but c'mon! I'm not particularly digging the fact that for the rest of my life, I'm going to be scrutinized for everything I do in case a FALSE me is trying to get away with something. Boy did I give some assholes a FANTASTIC Christmas gift!
Yes, I am grateful that I am alive, I wasn't harmed any physical way except for being totally mind-fucked and having a subsequent headache for the rest of my days.
My father asked me to go pump gas for him (stop me if you've heard this) and gave me his debit card which I tossed in my wallet and left the house.
I arrived at a local BP gas station and pulled the card from my wallet, threw the wallet in the cup holder and got out to swipe the card.
I leaned against the car and I felt it move, I see a car behind me and I thought for a split second they burgled me but then hesitated and thought they'd probably hit my dad's car. I round over to the passenger side and sure enough the door looks like it was closed improperly and I open it and VOILA! My WALLET IS GONE!
I didn't get a good look at the car, just a charcoal sporty mazda, or nissan. I immediately call 911. I'm livid with myself. WHY DIDN'T I LOCK THE GOD DAMN DOORS!
The cop arrives and she asks to see the video footage, I watched in SHOCK as the thieves (who I wish nothing but future harm and explosive diarrhea, and cancer on them and their families) circled my car not once, not twice, but thrice! Before they actually lined up beside me and took my wallet. I mean it was a matter of a minute or two, and I didn't notice until the very end!
I cannot unsee these images. I feel like if in the video I would just turn around, I could stop them. Or if she played it from the beginning video Elaine would lock the doors.
Not only did they steal my license and my debit cards, they stole my social security. The end all be all. I strongly believe that our fingerprints should be our social security. If someone does like on the tv shows and the spy movies and clones them, I'll worry about it then but a friggin' 9 digit number that is now in someone else's possession? Too easy.
As I called one of the debit cards (I have 2, one I use and one that has been out of service because there are 0.04 cents in the account), the one with 4 cents reports that I used it already halfway on the other side of town! I couldn't believe it!
Who am I angriest at? Myself. I knew better, what was I thinking? Not just the doors, but I know better than to carry around my social.
Another thing I noticed in the short amount of time it took for my world to crumble. When you call your banks to cancel cards they ask you for ALL the information that you regularly carry in your wallet (except for the social) but they have everything else. In my case, if they wanted to counter my calls to the bank with calls of their own -- it would be CAKE.
Name? Done.
Address? Done.
Social? Done.
They don't ask those "security questions" unless you've forgotten something you ask them to go that far...
I feel so utterly helpless. Alone in my misery. Holiday ruined.
I feel like they can show up at my door any minute.
What makes it worse is that a couple of people have said, "well, be thankful you're ok." Really, I know that's the truth, but c'mon! I'm not particularly digging the fact that for the rest of my life, I'm going to be scrutinized for everything I do in case a FALSE me is trying to get away with something. Boy did I give some assholes a FANTASTIC Christmas gift!
Yes, I am grateful that I am alive, I wasn't harmed any physical way except for being totally mind-fucked and having a subsequent headache for the rest of my days.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Immune-system fail
I can't seem to stay healthy! Just when I get to thinking I've recovered from some debillitating illness, I'm down for the count again! I know everyone has all these remedies and I follow some and for the most part my dad has got it right, "a cold with medication lasts 7 days and a cold without meds lasts 7 days." But I feel like I have 3 days in between before I'm out again! And I am not a happy kid when I'm sick! I mean I doubt anyone loves being sick, but I am (hate to admit it) a Whiner!!
I was just starting to feel better from my stuffy nose and coughing and stuff and now I'm getting these blinding migraines! Come on! What did I do to deserve this?
So I think I'm done whining... Just wanted to get it out there in the world, I'm not the portrait of health. But I will keep trying my darndest to recuperate and stay recooped!
Done with being sick! F-that!
Thumbs down!
Thanks for your well wishes!
I was just starting to feel better from my stuffy nose and coughing and stuff and now I'm getting these blinding migraines! Come on! What did I do to deserve this?
So I think I'm done whining... Just wanted to get it out there in the world, I'm not the portrait of health. But I will keep trying my darndest to recuperate and stay recooped!
Done with being sick! F-that!
Thumbs down!
Thanks for your well wishes!
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