more on 2014 goals

Time to continue the annual resolution process.

Start with one of the most common and traditional goals - lose 14 pounds.  I was reading that you should limit this goal to 5% of your current weight.  This is slightly more, but I like having the goal be 14 in '14.  While I would love to lose a lot more, this is more realistic.    We are redesigning the Light Weigh group to start in January with on line meetings.  This group helped me before (but I regained weight when we stopped).   I've also restarted the running in the right way - I'm dong the Couch to 5K program with some friends through a facebook private group - this has helped keep me accountable and motivated.  I've signed up for the Ice Age Half Marathon again.   I'm optimistic and positive about this change.

Another common and traditional goal is financial based.  Overall my finances are in good shape - thanks mainly to delegating much of that to my financial planner.   But where I get sloppy is the more routine day to day stuff.   Last year I wasted about $175 on bank fees mainly on late payments - very frustrating for me.  I had the money.  There is little to no excuse for this waste.   So I'm setting the 2014 goal to be no more than $50 in bank fees.   I've added a 45 minute tasks every other week to my calendar to keep track of bills and updating quicken -- hopefully this will help to keep things in sync.   Also on my 2014 list is to get a new personal laptop.   The one I have is old and slow, and to be honest I know I would update my quicken more frequently if it wasn't such a hassle to work with that old laptop.

A third goal for myself is pay closer attention to my food usage.  I've been trying to eat healthier and cleaner - with less processed foods.   I also find I sometimes overbuy when its a good deal and then the stuff gets wasted.   I'm going to set a 2014 goal to spend $30 per week on groceries - this comes to about $130 per month (and note in 2013 I averaged $32.50 per week so this is not a big change) .   This is a bit hard to track and qualify because I don't break out my purchases - anything purchased at Aldi or Pick n Save is "grocery" and often those purchases include non grocery items - for example I just purchased 80 pounds of water softener salt with my last Aldi stop.    And anything purchased at Target type stores are Household, even if it includes grocery food type items.  Plus as I try to move even further from packaged food to more unprocessed foods it could have an impact on this number.   The ongoing resolution to eat cleaner is a higher priority than the grocery totals so this goal by go by the way side.  The goal's main focus is really to help stop me from overbuying and wasting foods. 

Last goal set up this one - spend $400 per month on Household.   The Household category is a bit of a catch all for me.  In 2013 I averaged $417 per month - so again this is not a huge change.  But in this category I also tend to over purchase, and with my on going goal to declutter the house - the year of use it and/or lose it - another tracking point will be to watch how much I'm spending on Household.  This number can greatly be influenced by the category selected - so I have to be careful that I'm not just reclassifying things out of the catch all category.   And up front I'm going to exclude a planned TV purchase.  The current one is about 12+ years old and is starting to go.   Normally a TV purchase would fit into the Household category - but I don't want that large purchase made once every 10 years, or so, to impact these numbers.

And don't forget the weirdest resolution ...  for the next year I will not purchase soap until Nov 11, 2014.

That should do it for me - so in summary:  this is the Year of Use It or (and) Lose It
and my goals are:

1. Lose 14 pounds
2. Keep bank fees under $50 for the year
3. Average $30 or less per week on Groceries
4. Average $400 or less per month on Household
5. Do not purchase soap before Nov 11

Those are the measurable goals.  I will (try) to post an update each month - that will help keep me accountable and also help me focus on the on-going numbers so that I can see when I stagnate and need more focus or need to change things up.  I have a google doc spreadsheet going to help me track this.

The unmeasurable goals are to live a healthier life - need to get back in shape for the hiking trip and general overall better health and to prepare the house for selling (declutter, organize and stage, and landscape).  This second goal is a long term goal - 3 to 8 years out.  But I do want to keep a focus on it and to have my annual goals help lead up to it.   By reducing my Household purchases this should reduce the amount of 'stuff' in the house, etc.

2014 - The Year of Use It or (and) Lose It

I wanted a theme for my 2014.  If your a regular reader, you know I considered The Year of Reduction but discarded it because I've used it before (and it really hasn't worked). 

I'm calling this year The Year of Use It or Lose It.   I've posted about needing to reduce the amount of clutter and excess that I have in the house.  And as in most year, I also have goals for weight lost - so the Lose It fits in nicely with that.

I'll post more when I have more time - right now I'm in the thick of organizing the Christmas stuff and making decisions on what I can part with.   But I've made up my mind for my year's theme and wanted to get it out to the world.

December Time for Myself Review

This post deserves more than its going to get for the last Time for Myself for 2013.   I will try to get a more meaningful wrap on this challenge, but its a crazy time at work and Christmas is closing in faster then ever so I can't get to it now.

So just the basics - its another stop in the Chicago Botanical Gardens.  This time for their Christmas Lights - which has been on my minor bucket list for at least 2 or 3 years and possibly longer than that.   It was nice - and if they were closer I would say do this every year.   Luckily for me I arrive shortly before dusk was begining to set in so I was able to do some walking around before it was dark, and still able to see the Christmas lights at the peak against the darkening sky.

But they are expensive ($25 to park, $12 to see the indoor Christmas trains) and it's a drive (80 miles?) and they only light up a small area.   Now the area they do light up is stunning.  Its worth a stop in if you are already in the area.  And while the parking is outrageous - they don't charge an entrance fee so if you can find someplace close by to park and walk then it worth it (did that in the summer). 

Wonderland Train- Cute

Outdoors in the Japanese Garden - bitterly cold that day

Snow falling captured in the spotlights

Gorgeous Tree

Laughing Selfie

Love, Love, Love that blue sky

Me, Wally and the mouse in my house

It made me happy to find this email.  I had sent it back in October of 2001 - just a couple of weeks after I had adopted Wally.  I went looking for this write up shortly after his death (in March of 2011) but it had been rolled off my yahoo email history.  I thought I had lost it forever.  I'm so glad I found it!

 Here’s a little sorry about me and Wally that you may enjoy…..  

 Sunday afternoon I was doing laundry and Wally kept trying to get between the washer and the wall. I couldn’t figure out what he was doing, in fact I thought he was just stupid because the ironing board was in the way and he would never fit. But right about then, a little mouse that he was trying to reach ran out and tried to get into the closet across from the washer. I screamed a high-pitched yell that even surprised myself. I wanted a chair to jump on and a broom to wave at the mouse. Since no chair was nearby, I instead jumped and high-stepped around, continuing to yell things like “you don’t belong here!!” and “Get out of my house!!” to the mouse. All of which did nothing but make the mouse run around more and scared Wally. The mouse quickly ran back under the washer, Wally kept a vigil watch and I went outside to plant bulbs in the garden – I did not want to be in the house. I stayed outside until I left to go to Don and Jane's for dinner.  

 After coming home from Emily’s b-day dinner I sat in the living room. The laundry was done but I had no desire to get near enough to take it out of the dryer. While I was sitting there and trying to get my courage up, I hear this “squeak, squeak” and in strolls Wally with the mouse in his mouth. I jumped up on the couch and Wally sat down right in front of me, keeping the mouse in his mouth the entire time. The mouse was still alive making squeaking noise and whipping its tail around Wally’s whiskers. I quickly yelled and jumped from the couch over the coffee table and beyond Wally, ran into my room and put on a pair of shoes. If I were to face this creature I need to have shoes, it would kill me to have it touch my toes. I ran back out, closing the bedroom door so it wouldn’t get in. Wally had guessed that I was yelling at him and let the mouse go, so we had the mouse running around the living room, and Wally and I chasing it, with me making the most noise, followed by the mouse and Wally getting into the spirit of things with several load meows.  

 The mouse hid under the couch. I tilted the couch and called for Wally to “Go get him!” and Wally ran under the couch and chased the mouse out. I ran into the kitchen and retrieved an empty butter tub to try to use to catch the mouse. So now you have me running around bent over with the butter tub near the floor, but jumping up and away as soon as I actually get near the mouse. I needed more space between me and the mouse, so I quickly searched the basement for a box, all the while Wally is chasing the mouse around the family room. I can hear the two of them running around and making noises as I frantically search for something to catch the mouse with because I was not going to touch it directly with any part of my body.  

 Just as I was coming up from the basement, Wally chased the mouse to the front door. I joined the two of them and slammed the shoebox upside down over the mouse and scooted it back so I could open the door and lifted the box so the mouse could run outside.  

 I picked up Wally to thank him and give him a little love. He was a happy boy and wanted to kitty kiss me but he had just had a mouse in his mouth and I had to push his face away. He had to settle for some kitty treats instead of a kiss, that will have to wait until he brushes his teeth!

I'm Blue ..... but in a good way

This color test has been going around Facebook.   My results are Blue - and they match up pretty well with my personality - but I'm also sure the write ups are like predictions from Astrology, Horoscopes, Tarot, Psychic Readings, etc --- all generic enough to fit any personality.

Here's the test if you want to take it yourself - http://www.quotev.com/quiz/1366538/What-is-Your-True-Color-Aura/

Your Aura is Blue!

Personality: Blue’s are very loyal and can be the truest friend any aura could hope to find. On the inside, blues tend to be emotional and even a bit moody. However, you know that other auras depend on you, so you put on a strong front. They tend to live a quiet but enriching life. Blues are very giving of them and is hard to let go of relationships. They believe the key to living a good life is simple: Be as honest with yourselves and others as possible. They value the truth over everything else. Blue will remain loyal to those who are honest with them, even if their honesty hurts. Compared to most other auras, blues handle the truth very well. They take every event into stride. Blues are the calm spot in a sea of chaos. They think that the solution to most problems is open communication; they wish that people would be more real with each other. A Blue personality uses its five physical senses to access information. An emotionally driven personality, you need to be liked and accepted. It is one of the "needs" that can cause apprehension in your personality. You are a polite, cooperative person who seeks to create conflict-free surroundings. You possess highly developed powers of observation. Family is important to you and you sometimes find yourself in the role of being a caretaker. You are conservative, reliable and trustworthy - you are quite trusting of others although you are very wary in the beginning until you are sure of the other person. You are not impulsive- you always think before you speak and act and do everything at your own pace in your own time. You take time to process and share your feelings. You are genuine and sincere, and you take your responsibilities seriously. You have a deep need for peace and harmony in your everyday life. You appear to be confident and self-controlled, but may be hiding your vulnerable side. You are generally fairly even-tempered, unless your emotions take over - then you can become either moody and over-emotional, or cool and indifferent. You are sensitive to the needs of others. While you are friendly and sociable, you prefer the company of your own close group of friends. You are a rescuer and love to be needed. You can be rigid - you like to stick to what is familiar to you- you stubbornly do things your way even if there is a better way. Untidiness and unpredictability overwhelm you. You don't like to draw attention to yourself. While you don't like to have discord or conflict in your life, you are often the cause of conflict with others; you can be quite manipulative but in a very subtle way.
You make a loyal and faithful marriage partner and you are an honest, trustworthy and sincere friend. You are aware of others feelings and sensitive to the moods of others. You are approachable and friendly, always making people feel welcome in your life. You have a thirst for knowledge in order to gain wisdom and appear knowledgeable in whatever area interests you. You can be too cautious and worry about every little thing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Love Life: Relationships are your top priority, and this includes love. You are most happy when you are serious with someone.

Yellow: Too annoying to even take a liking to

Pink: You are very lucky if Pink even pays attention to you, their reputation may be in the way to start a relationship with them

Green: Another perfect match for blue! They have one of those personalities that make you want to be around them all the time.

Orange: They believe they are way too good for blues, which is not true at all!!

Purple: Without Blue there would not even be a purple, they are the best bet at finding your soul mate

White: Their studies get in the way from every flirtatious move you make to them

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Perfect Color Love Match: Red: Committed and Passionate they are definitely a good mate 
Friendship Color: When you and purple are together no one can stop you!
Color Opposite:Your color wheel opposite is Orange. Orange people may be opinionated, but you feel they lack the depth to truly understand what they're saying

Words that Describe Blue: Emotional, Affected, Sensitive, Peaceful, Tranquil, Connected, Spiritual, Experimental, and Deep

 

Purpose of Life:Showing Love to Other People

Time for Myself Updates

This is very overdue - but it has been an on going focus.  So even if I'm not posting about it I've still been actively making it focus.   So here is the summary for a number of missing months.

August - The big one was Stonehedge.   I've wanted to see this since I was in grade school.  On my trip to London, I made sure we included this.  My niece was abivolent about going but understood I wanted it included.   She was not impress - I was.   Although it is just a bunch of rocks - it rocks!   very cool and I'm glad I went.  This was on my bucket list!
The little one for August was going to Cave of the Mounds.  This is another spot I've wanted to see for a long time.  I'm not sure why - but its been on my Wisconsin bucket list.   After camping at Governor Dodge State Park we made a stop on the way home to see the Cave.  It was not spectacular but I did enjoy it, and I'm glad I went.   I would go again - and make some extra time to explore the trails above ground.  

September - Two little one - but they fit the idea of Time for Myself almost perfectly.   The first was volunteering at Ironman Wisconsin. I used to do more things by myself and this was good to have the day to myself.  I had the opportunity to contact the niece, nephews, and/or sister's family - but I choose not to, and just keep it solo.  Volunteering for this type of stuff makes me happy - I do love the free stuff (shirt, food,

etc) and I love seeing the athletic power of an everyday person completing something as challenging as an Ironman.  The second thing was choosing to skip book club in September and instead go see the Captain Philips for free.  First, I love movies and my frugal side especially loves free movies, and second the book club group had been growing tiresome to me.  The original September host had to cancel and asked me if I could host - I am so glad I choose not to accept hosting.  It would have frustrated me - at a very low level - but it wears away at that threshold of what you can put up with.  And the movie experience was near perfect.   This was a late preview - they had already had many previews in our area - so that meant there were not a lot of people.  At some of these previews its jammed with every seat taken and often times jerks are taking saved seats while people are getting popcorn, etc.  It has happened to me in the past and that is highly frustrating -- anyway there was none of that going on this night.  The movie was great (Oscar buzz) and seeing it in a theater enhanced the experience.  The big screen helps, but also the crowd reaction to key scenes enhances the watching experience.  It was a great choice for me personally to choose the movie over the book club.    

October - Another small Wisconsin/Milwaukee bucket list item - the Whitefish Bay Pumpkin patch!  This was added to my list many, many years ago.  My mother first told me about it.  It used to be one gentleman in Whitefish Bay that carved hundreds and hundreds of pumpkins - they would be on display near the WFB Library and you could drive by.   Now its become a mini fest with food and bands.   The night I went it was cold and I got a hot cider to sip as a walked around.  The band was good.  Overall a night night.  I'm glad I went and will be back.  Next time I'll probably coordinate with friends.




November - this was another month with 2 small time for myself events.   The first was walking through the Milwaukee Holiday Lights after a book club dinner at John Hawks Pub.  It was a nice walk - with good friends - on a crisp, cold night.  The only thing that could have made it better would have been a little snow on the ground.  Many of the lights are cheesy and snow would have improved them.  This had been another item on my Milwaukee bucket list.  And again - nothing major, but something I wanted to do and with this challenge I did it.   The second event was seeing the Catching Fire (Hunger Games 2) movie on my terms.  I saw it early Sunday morning - 9:15 am show -- not sure why that timing

greatly pleased me.  I'm guessing because to many that was 'too early' for a Sunday morning.   I got to see it opening weekend -but did not have to be in a overcrowded theater.   And I really enjoyed the movie - it made me tear up at several points.  I've read the books but its been a while so the movie was fresh.  I now need to reread the books - and have already requested it from the library - should get it before Christmas.

So the overall is - these things are still happening, which is a very good trend.  I need to be good to myself and these little things do make a big difference.  

I have a few things targeted for December - with a little luck you'll actually read about close to when they happen and need to wait a couple of months.

Weirdest Resolution

This is the weirdest resolution I've ever made.  But before I get it to it some background info....

I feel a bit overwhelmed with the volume of stuff I own.   I've written about my clutter before, and my attempts to reduce it.  I am conflicted by my frugality and not wanting to get rid of something that is still usable, and also conflicted because I still want to pick up 'good deals' even if I don't need it right now.  I've also written about my Zen side that makes it hard for me to donate my stuff when I'm not sure it will be treated with love and respect.  That's a whole different challenge to deal with. 

So back to the weirdest resolution ...  for the next year I will not purchase soap until Nov 11, 2014.

Weird!

I know - very weird.   But I have so much here and its time to use it up and reduce the stock pile.  I have a deep love for Bath and Body Works scented shower gels.  And my frugal side kicks in when the have a good sale and stock pile too much.  So I'm going to do something about it.  I'm not going to add more - I'm forcing myself to use it up. 

This includes the shower gels, bar soap ( have a ton of that too, especially gift and travel sizes), shampoo (I have a lot of travel size), and hand washing soap.   This does not include laundry soap, dish washing soap.

I can use it up, throw it out, or gift it away; but I can't purchase more until next year's bday or if I run out before that.  I will accept soaps when they are given to me or included with other items. 

I need to get rid of anything that doesn't work for me.  Some soaps try out my skin too much.  But it does me no good to keep them - so if they don't work then git them out of the house - donating, trashing, gifting are all possible options but they can't stay here. 

I am going to make one exception - holiday scented shower gel.  These do add to my enjoyment of the season.   And my frugal side kicks in to say I should purchase these at the super discounted day after Christmas sale.   Otherwise I would be purchasing them at full price around Thanksgiving - and that would bum me out.   So I'll do a check on what I've used up this year (I have more than enough for this year, maybe even enough for 2014) and see how much remains - then make a decision on if I need to purchase more for 2014's Holiday Season, or if it can wait till the 2014 day after Christmas restock.