What do you carry?

Don't you just love seeing what other women carry around in their purse? I do! This past summer I downsized majorly with the size of purse I carry and now try to only carry the essentials. I have had it since May and am doing fine!

Here is what I carry on a daily basis. After cleaning my purse out I have dumped a lot of non-essentials.


1. Planner. It's listed as #1 because it's my #1 essential! Don't know what I would do without this guy.

2. iPhone car charger. I found this little puppy at Quik Trip (a local gas station) for $20 and it has been a lifesaver ever since.

3. Pain reliever. Enough said.

4. Lipgloss. I do not need three of them, but they're all there. I'm such a girl.

5. Three pencils and four pens. Unnecessary? Yep.

6. Wallet. This is a purse in itself. It's a total knock off of the Hobo brand Lauren wallets, which I adore, but refuse to pay $100 for. Maybe someday I will splurge, but this one is from Target about FIVE years ago and I absolutely adore it. When I don't feel like carrying my purse I can grab this sucker and go. Everything is in it and ready to go.

7. iPod earbuds. Also a lifesaver.

8. Loose change and a random clip thingy (what are those called?).

9. A letter I got in the mail from a client. It made my day when I got it and can't bear to take it out of my purse (the star is to protect her and myself from stalkers - yep).

10. Random baggie. I'm sure it had some sort of yumminess in it. I have no idea what though.

11. Compact. Also necessary.

The two other items missing are: 1. iPhone and 2. Book. I always have both with me but somehow they didn't make it in this picture. They're only in my purse if I'm going somewhere.

So, that is what I carry!

What do you carry around on a daily basis? Do you carry an oversized handbag or a medium sized handbag?

Cha-ching! Cha-ching! Money woes...

Source

Remember being in high school and college and going days, maybe weeks without spending a dime? In college there was food service or the sorority house kitchen that we ate all our meals in. We rode to and from places using the bus on campus or hoofing it. Beer was free at the frat houses or house parties we attended (being a girl is good). What did we need money for?

I miss those days. A lot.

This past year I quit my job and have drastically had to analyze my spending habits and although during the school year I can live pretty much the same way as I always had, the summer was a different story. I didn't have near enough savings to get me through the summer without a part time job, but I couldn't start the part time job until July after half of my summer courses were over. Insert problem.

I figured, ok. I can make it. Which I did, I am. Has it sucked? Yes. Am I learning? Heck yeah! I'm realizing all of the silly, stupid things I waste money on. The past couple months have been interesting and I have grown quite a bit. I've used the ol' credit card a little too much, and am excited to get it BACK down to a $0 balance soon.

After analyzing my spending habits and going through it with a fine tooth comb here is what I discovered I could cut back on.

1. Gym. I spend $32 a month on a gym membership when I can get the exact same thing on campus. I'm still debating whether I want to give this up or not because the gym membership is so convenient and the campus gym is so not. I live about 20 minutes from campus, so you see my dilemma. Working out outdoors is not an option for me year round. I live in Iowa. Brrrr.

2. Food. I am terrible at using leftovers and I let a lot of food go to waste. I really need to learn to eat what is in my cupboards before going to the store and restricting myself to $50 a week in groceries. That should be plenty for just me. Somehow, it never is though.

3. Gas. I could be a bit more pro-active here. I always jump to drive and don't think twice about driving all over the place. Some days with a little extra planning I know I could cut out quite a bit of miles.

4. Books. I can't stop buying books. If there is a new book out that I have been wanting to read, I buy it. I used to be so good at utilizing the library, and I am actually getting better again, but I am still bad and buy a lot of books. I don't plan to cut it out completely because I enjoy owning the books and want to support my favorite authors, but there are many books that just sit on my shelf and go unread for years. Yes, years.

5. Kohl's. Yep, Kohl's. That place sucks me in every time. I get those dang $10 coupons in the mail and I just have to go use it! It's a free $10! But, that $10 always turns into $50. :/

6. Drinks. My friends like to go out. I like to go out. I feel sick when I think about the money we spend in bars. It's ridiculous how much drinks cost these days and not to mention it's just not good for you to indulge so much.

Now, not to be a negative nancy, there are many times that I am good at when it comes to dealing with money.

1. Textbooks. I despise how expensive textbooks are. I have no problem emailing the prof before the class starts to see if we can purchase an older used edition online. I am a pro at finding the book for the cheapest price available.

2. Markdowns on clothing. I was in retail. I also majored in fashion merchandising. I can eyeball just about anything and estimate the percent of markup and let me tell you... it's disgusting. That will make you put down that awesome top that is full price almost immediately! Wait for it to go on sale or look for a coupon.

3. Coupons. I'm not the greatest with grocery coupons, but coupons for retail stores? I am on it. Thank goodness for stores that accept iPhone images because I have been known to quickly search for a coupon code while in the store and show the associate to get my discount. Works every time.

4. Parents. Yep, parents. I totally take advantage. Ten years ago I moved out of the house and about four years after that my sister moved out and I think my mother still has empty nest syndrome. She is constantly inviting us over for dinner and urging us to eat at their house. I think she just doesn't know how to cook for just two people after cooking for four for so long. I don't really consider it taking advantage though, because I enjoy my parents company. My dad is a big reader like me, and my mom and I enjoy most of the same shows. It's fun to have quality time at their house a couple times a week and I know they like having us over.

5. Library. Wait, how can books be in both categories you ask? Well, although I think I can do better at utilizing the library, I do still use the library more than the average person (at least I think so). I am constantly putting books on hold and regularly visit three of our local libraries.

There you have it, my strengths and weaknesses when it comes to handling money. I might be missing a few things, I sort of wrote this spur of the moment, but oh well. Isn't it interesting peaking into another person's spending habits? It's like looking into their medicine cabinet while using the restroom in their house. Off limits, but oh-so-interesting. ;)

Where do you spend money unnecessarily? When are you good at finding the best deals?

Ten on Tuesday

Gooooood morning!

Today's Ten on Tuesday are a wonderful set of computer questions brought to us by the lovely Kara over at Chatter! As always Ten on Tuesday is hosted by Chelsea! Thanks ladies!

1. Mac or Windows? (Or Linux for you super geeks!)
Mac girl since 2006. :)

2. What drew you to that operating system?
I knew they were good computers (although really trendy at that time - at least around here they were). I had also been into the Apple store recently playing around with a laptop and the guy totally sold me on a Mac. He was so nice and just going on and on and on about the benefits of a Mac. I am a sucker.

3. Mice – Wireless or Wired? Mouse pad or none?
I'm fine with the mousepad. I'm actually terrible with a mouse now.

4. Other than the Internet – What do you use your computer most for?
Mostly Word. All those dang papers we gotta write for grad school.

5. What’s one computer-related thing you wish you were best at? (CSS, Photoshop, Excel, etc.)
I wish I was better at Excel. I just don't use it enough to be very efficient with it. I would also love to learn more about Photoshop!

6. Describe the first time you ever used a computer.
It was probably in school playing on those really old Apple computers. It was also probably that Oregon Trail game.... ;)

7. How often do you upgrade to a new operating system?
I just recently upgraded my operating system to Leopard, but now there's a new one again? Lion? Supposedly I can get it through my university so I should look into that.

8. Are you a short-cutter (CTRL+C) or a right-clicker?
Total short cutter. I love learning new short cuts!

9. Is computer-use a constant thing in your life (such as using it both at work and home) or do you get a break (because you don’t use them at work)?
I am constantly using computers. Since my phone is a mini computer I practically have one glued to my fingers at all time. I don't mind. ;)
At home I almost always have my laptop on my lap and at work we chart all of the clients activities/progress/goals on the computer.

10. Where do you think the world would be if personal computers did not exist?
Stuck in time?

Are you a computer lover or hater? (This might is probably a stupid question).

Sunday Stroll with Lexi

Hello ladies and gents! How was your weekend? Good, I hope!

Mine was pretty low-key and I loved it. This past weekend was "Tax-Free Shopping" here in Des Moines for back to school and the entire weekend I couldn't stop thinking about happy I am now that my weekends belong to ME. I do not have a boss dictating when and where I have to be somewhere and it feels amazing. Last summer I only had one weekend off a month and after seven years of that, I had finally had enough.

Now, even though I hold two jobs, I have complete and utter control over the schedule on both of them. For the non-profit I am 100% on call, so as long as I can say, "no" I do not have to work. For substitute teaching if I cannot work that day, I do not work. Simple as that.

Anyway. I am feeling all kinds of happiness about that fact. Blissful, even.

Sooooo...This post was supposed to be silent and all pictures of Lexi and I's walk on Sunday, but clearly I cannot shut up. :/

Lexi and I took a wonderful walk and I snapped about fifty pictures. Yes, fifty.

Lucky for you, I'm not going to share them all. Some of them have to be shared though, they are just too cute. :)

PS: They're crappy iPhone pictures so some of the quality is not the greatest.

Ok, I'll shut up now.

Can you spot the butterfly?

Can I talk now?

Yes?

Cool!

Hope you enjoyed this Sunday stroll with Lexi! All of these pictures were taken within one block of where I live... and no, I do not live on a farm. I live near several though! ;)

What was the highlight of your weekend?

The Law of the Garbage Truck

I came across this from a co-worker this week and haven't been able to stop thinking about it. I'm generally a very positive person and friendly to everybody, but I take it very personally when I don't get the same in return. Like, really personally. It is an issue that I need to work on and have been for quite a while. When I come across things like this I fall in love with them... Please read!

All content regarding this philosophy can be found here. It's an awesome, positive blog! Check it out!

How often do you let other people’s nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day? Unless you’re the Terminator, you’re probably set back on your heels. However, the mark of your success is how quickly you can refocus on what’s important in your life.

Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson. And I learned it in the back of a New York City taxi cab. Here’s what happened.

I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, the car skidded, the tires squealed, and at the very last moment our car stopped just one inch from the other car’s back-end.

I couldn’t believe it. But then I couldn’t believe what happened next. The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at us. How do I know? Ask any New Yorker, some words in New York come with a special face. And he even threw in a one finger salute! I couldn’t believe it!

But then here’s what really blew me away. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly. So, I said, “Why did you just do that!? This guy could have killed us!” And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, “The Law of the Garbage Truck™.” He said:

“Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they look for a place to dump it. And if you let them, they’ll dump it on you.

So when someone wants to dump on you, don’t take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Believe me. You’ll be happier.”

So I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the street? It was then that I said, “I don’t want their garbage and I’m not going to spread it anymore.”

I began to see Garbage Trucks. Like in the movie “The Sixth Sense,” the little boy said, “I see Dead People.” Well now “I see Garbage Trucks.” I see the load they’re carrying. I see them coming to dump it. And like my taxi driver, I don’t take it personally; I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on.

One of my favorite football players of all time was Walter Payton. Every day on the football field, after being tackled, he would jump up as quickly as he hit the ground. He never dwelled on a hit. Payton was ready to make the next play his best. Over the years the best players from around the world in every sport have played this way: Muhammad Ali, Nadia Comaneci, Bjorn Borg, Chris Evert, Michael Jordan, Jackie Robinson, and Pele are just some of those players. And the most inspiring leaders have lived this way: Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King.

See, Roy Baumeister, a psychology researcher from Florida State University, found in his extensive research that you remember bad things more often than good things in your life. You store the bad memories more easily, and you recall them more frequently.

So the odds are against you when a Garbage Truck comes your way. But when you follow The Law of the Garbage Truck™, you take back control of your life. You make room for the good by letting go of the bad.

The best leaders know that they have to be ready for their next meeting. The best sales people know that they have to be ready for their next client. And the best parents know that they have to be ready to greet their children with hugs and kisses, no matter how many garbage trucks they might have faced that day. All of us know that we have to be fully present, and at our best for the people we care about.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take over their lives.

What about you? What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by?

Here’s my bet: You’ll be happier.

So, tell me, do you let Garbage Trucks pass you by or run you over?

Stopping to smell the roses

Everyone should have something in life that makes them stop and really enjoy life. Do you know what I mean? Not something obvious like your children, husband or your passions, but something out of the blue. Something random. Something that makes you stop in your tracks and go, "Ahhh, life is good!"

Do you ever stop to really think about the little things in life that we take for granted as we are hurrying from one place to another? Most of the time I am in this massive hurry... for ... what? I don't know! Why am I rushing? I'm always rushing! Even when I don't have to.

During the past couple weeks as I have been working with the clients in my homes from the non-profit agency I have had a chance to really take note of what they look forward to each day and what their days consist of. Most of the things they look forward to are things that the average person takes for granted.

Activities like, going to the library. Going to the flea market to look at antiques. Buying a new shelf for their bedroom. Getting a manicure and a pedicure. Making a trip to the used bookstore. Weekly grocery shopping. Watching The Price is Right. Eating french fries. And ice cream. Having money and spending how you please. Calling a friend and going to a movie.

I know these are things that we as bloggers take note of because.. well, we chronicle our daily lives and notice this stuff. I don't believe the average person does.

This week I took a middle aged woman to get her very first pedicure. She probably shouldn't have spent almost all of her spending money on a pedicure, but it was her choice and you know what? It made her so happy. She was grinning ear to ear and as I caught her multiple times this evening staring at the flowers on her big toenails I knew it was right to let her do that. Honestly? I couldn't stop her. It's her money!

I don't think I have ever seen a woman her age that smile that much and it was such a rewarding feeling! She had such a good night and I am so happy that she enjoyed herself so much! It makes all the tough times so worth it!

What recently has made you stop and really love life?

Books and Bars (3)

I cannot believe we just wrapped up our 3rd month of the book club I started this summer! It means summer is going by way too fast!

You can read about the first three months here and here.

July's book was The Guernsey Potato Peel Pie Literary Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Burrows. We had seven members at the meeting, which is the highest we have had so far, we are growing!

We met at a really cute restaurant in Beaverdale called Tally's. I chose it because they have a fabulous rooftop patio and I wanted to be able to sit outside. Unfortunately, there was rain and storms in the forecast so Tally's closed the roof. :(

Inside Tally's was nice, with lots of twinkle lights and simple decor. It was cute and romantic, and would be a great place for a date! We did sort of sway away from the whole "bars" part of the club this month so we have decided to stick to more "bar-like" places instead of restaurants.

We had quite a heated discussion about July's book and members of the club either loved it or hated it. I didn't care for the first half of the book, but I liked the second half. Everyone seemed to be in agreement with me about that one. Some hated the story and felt that it didn't make sense, and others loved it. It was really a mixed bag!

For August we had a tough time deciding what to read. Several of us had suggestions and some of us didn't care. We decided to throw each suggestion in a basket and draw. The book we drew was the one I suggested! Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda is the book we're reading for August and the bar we chose to meet at is Mullet's in Des Moines.

I'm excited to meet at Mullet's because it's laid back and easygoing. It's a fun place to meet up with friends, and they have a great patio with a fantastic view of the river!

I can't wait to meet up again in August!! Hope the book I chose is good! ;)

What's on your reading list lately?