7 Quick Takes: Vol 12

1.
My life is a series of quick takes right now. Blips, blurbs, small explanations all strung together in some make believe semblance of order and reason. I feel bad about that in the context of this blog sometimes. I let myself feel guilty for not being a super badass blogger, posting new content every couple of hours. Then I remember that it's me and 17.3 people reading it anyway, sooooooo I can probably let myself off the hook sometimes. Yea. Sometimes.

2.
My fabulous neighbors (they're in #4) are back ... kind of. They've successfully broken into the house ... 3 times, I think. The bank secures it, they kick a door in. It's tres bizarre, and slightly scandalous. Their nephew/roommate is also randomly showing up on my doorstep offering to "sell me" "rolled change". I should probably be nicer ... or more hospitable ... or something. I'm not.

3.
Vanessa Carlton and I are friends. We don't chat on the phone or share birth announcements or anything, but she's on my iTunes constantly today so ... well, you know, we might as well be friends.

4.
The entire neighborhood currently smells like the burning garbage of a chemical disposal facility. The aforementioned "nephew/roommate" is to blame. He moved into another house around the block and is now polluting the entire town (village? township? state?) with noxious black smoke. From what, I haven't a clue. This tree hugging, everything recycling, non-paper towel/plate using girlie would likely have a stroke if she knew.

5.
I'm almost 3 weeks gluten free, with the exception of one night when I had this awful idea that I could eat pizza just.this.once. and get away with it. Yea, not so much. Lesson: learned. I'm vacillating between loving every minute of it and being convinced there isn't a single thing in the entire world for me to eat except corn quesadillas and carrots. I will get over it, I hope. Your suggestions are greatly appreciated.

6.
I have to go to the grocery store tomorrow ... and Costco ... and probably Gordon's ... and to the gas station for ice. All in enough time to finish cleaning my house (the plans for which get shorter and shorter ... just close the office door? Suuuuuuuure.), change my clothes, and get ready for ...

7.
MY BIRTHDAY PARTY! It's tomorrow. If you're in town, stop by. There will be cake, which I can't eat. Joy. There will be beer, which I can't drink. Double Joy. There will be trampolining and bonfires, which I may not have the energy for without the other two. Oooooh boy! A number of my college friends (past and present), family, and assorted insundry others are coming by. That part I'm pretty stoked about. I don't really like this birthday all that much, but I'm hoping to cope with it ... with a little help from my friends.


What's going on for you this week?


Simply,

Em.

7 Quick Takes: Vol 11

1.
We have a house guest (again). I am trying to walk the fine line between being hospitable and enabling. This little voice tells me I should give without asking, always. Its friend reality is bogged down by one too many late nights watching Law & Order, skeptical of everyone's intentions, not ready to trust blindly. I'm vacillating (internally, of course, I'm not a total jerk) between being a gracious host and being irritated about schedule and routine interruption now that we finally seem to have made something work. Argh, human emotions! Why can't you be simpler? More graceful? Less selfish? I'm trying, I swear.

2.
I should change my name to Mendel, because somehow I have managed not one, but two different hybrid sweet pepper species. It would seem my little lovelies have been cross-polinating themselves (well, I'm sure the bees have something to do with it ...) like mad. We have yellow banana peppers, sweet green bell peppers, and now tiny yellow bell peppers and giant long green banana peppers. Ei yi yi. It's pure prolific pepper craziness out there.

3.
I am at the end of my first full week (there was also half a week before that, but then I skipped some ... ) of green smoothie drinking. Are you a fan? Have you jumped on the liquefied greens bandwagon? I'm not cool enough to be drinking just blended greens, but the addition of fruit is helping immensely (and the more I read online, the more I realize I am unintentionally ahead of the game as far as the greens outweighing the fruit goes). The first few mornings it was all I could do to talk my brain into letting that glass of slime anywhere near my mouth, but once I got past the, "Oh no! I'm about to drink a glass full of liquidy green stuff and that cannot possibly taste at all better than say ... pool algae or pond scum", I've been doing just fine. I'm starting to love them, honestly. Liquified spinach: A Great Way To Start The Day.

4.
I have an appointment with the dentist in an hour. I am far less than thrilled, knowing the cavity fairy has been here and I'm going to need fillings. Most people don't enjoy the drill or the potential for pain, but really I cannot stand the numb mouth feeling. I hate that big fat lip, cheek biting, drooling all over yourself craziness. Hate it. My anticipation anxiety is not liking it either. I'm also not a fan of that much unproductive time. Do you think I can get away with catching up on podcasts and reading email on my Blackberry while I get my teeth drilled?

5.
I have a birthday coming up (in 20 short, short days), and I am not coping well with it. Although I appreciate whomever suggested we 'age gracefully', I am much more inclined to tantrum my way begrudgingly instead. I do not like this birthday so much right now. The fact that I'm (for real) not eating gluten (again) kills the only anticipatory happiness there was ... about cake. If there weren't people coming over to celebrate, I may just lock myself in my room until the next week.

6.
There used to be something here ... honestly ... and now it's gone *poof*, bye bye. Blogger ate my 6th Quick Take, and my tired brain cannot remember what in the world it was in the first place. Booooo.

7.
I saw some really rockin' things happen at church last week. I want to write about them, but I'm still trying to figure out which venue is the right one. Oh, self, one day you will write freely and with joy regardless of content or location ... one day.



Simply,

Em.

ps, Check out more Quick Takes Fridays at Jen's blog.

7 Quick Takes: Vol 10

1.
You know those perfect (feeling) days? The ones where everything falls into place, and you can't help but smile constantly about it? A week ago Friday was one of those days. We took a day trip to our hometown (which is only 25 miles, fyi) for the annual art and craft fair. We wandered the streets looking at handcrafted beauties while I made notes (in my phone, teehee) about new craft projects for the house. I ran into no less than 10 people I knew. Hugging ensued. It was warm and sunny, but not unbearable. The crowds were there, but not in any ridiculous fashion. We finished up at the art fair in near record time without feeling rushed and took a few minutes to share an elephant ear. Are you familiar? Fried dough, dusted in sugar and cinnamon? Yes, please! Instead of carnival food (except our fried dough friend), we decided on a local hometown hot spot for lunch. The bill was likely less than it would have been, the food was amazing, and no one got food poisoning from some crazy carnie in a tin wagon (which kind of terrifies me, in general). After lunch, we drove out to the beach to stand in the face of amazing beauty with our toes in the sand while a friend's little girl played her heart out on the slides. The way home from the beach included a stop at the best ice cream stand in the whole town (and once we got home, a nap came next, thank G-d). It was just a perfect day, full of snapshot moments, good laughs, and great friends.

2.
The 4th of July was equally fun. We ate an early dinner at home, headed to the lake, saw some old friends, met some new ones (thanks again to the biker's for letting us park in their yard ...), watched some spectacular fireworks, and then had some sparkler fun of our own once we got home. Only at my house will 20something boys get so blasted excited about $1 store sparklers.

3.
I'm working another part time job at a place I worked at previously to cover someone's maternity leave for 8 weeks. I don't know if it'll really only be 8, or if she'll change her mind and want to not come back. I have to leave at the end of 8 anyway, because the teaching year starts then, but regardless I find myself secretly hoping that she decides to stay home with le bebe for awhile. I'm getting old and becoming a softie, I think.

4.
Yesterday, Be and I had a our first "date" in a terribly long time. My mother had to attend a work meeting on the other side of the state (about 2.5 hours), so Be and I tagged along and had amazing fun while she was at her meeting. We strolled through the Swedish homegoods mega store, IKEA, dreaming of kitchen remodels and comparing counter top qualities like we are even remotely close to that kind of project funding (hahaha!). We ate at my favorite Middle Eastern place (which they only have on that side ... boo), a first for Be. The food was awesome, the service amazing, and it was just the two of us ... chatting, sitting quietly, not listening to anyone complain about anything. After picking up my mother once her meeting concluded, we even squeezed in a stop at a local East Side grocery that was tripling coupons (There will be more on this soon ...). We don't even have doubles here ... ever, so I was terribly excited (and super nerdy) about the whole thing.

5.
I am well on my way to a little more organized and a little more scheduled. I'm kind of stoked about it. We had a sweet organizing system and routine before we moved here, and somehow my brain thought you could use the same rules in a giant old farm house as you could in a tiny 700 sq footer. I was mistaken, obviously. There is much more to clean here; more space to wreak havoc on. The plan for keeping 700 sq feet looking pristine does not lend itself well to a multiplication of grandeur. Somehow, though, my brain kept trying to follow the same rules, the same timelines, the same systems ... and losing. I'm not saying the whole thing needed to be scrapped, but some changes needed to be made across the board. I have finally stopped putting them off. Yes!

6.
I' going to try making cherry jam ... probably Sunday. Be afraid, as I am of all things liquid, sticky, and molten.

7.
My nose hurts. Just on the right side. It's sore, apparently, because in some fit of sleepy craziness, I pulled (and quickly, with some force) my teeny tiny nose ring out. I've had the darn thing for 4 years (I think ... maybe more ...), and never have I caught it on something in a way that could possibly pull it out. It sits flush with my skin. It's hard to take out when I want to. It's not awful, just sore. The scarier thought ... what in the world was I dreaming about?



Simply,

Em.

For more Quick Takes Fridays, check out Jen at Conversion Diary.

The Everything Post

Where have I been all this time?! My goodness how one day turns into 7 before you even know it. I've had all the things I wanted to post floating around in my head, but it's officially 937 degrees Fahrenheit here (ok, high 80s, probably low 90s today) and when it's that hot I want to do nothing but find a semi-reasonable place to sit (like the basement, in a corner, where it's 'cooler' ... by 2 or 3 degrees) and not move a muscle lest the Niagra Falls of sweat come forth from all parts of me at once. I hate being hot. Hate it. This is why we live in MI and not a warmer state. I would melt. It may happen this week, and I have the mop at the ready in case. Here we go, everything all together now ...

Some Quick Takes
1.
I already told you it's hot, but it begs repeating. I do not like sweat rolling down the sides of my face because I'm standing still washing dishes in less than completely sanitary tepid water because I may just die if it were any warmer. I would really like a breeze, any breeze, even a hot one, to cut the density in the air. We do not have air conditioning, lest you think I'm complaining about hot weather for fun. I know there are many of you that survive much hotter temperatures also without AC, but seriously ... I can't take it. We don't have AC for a number of reasons.

1. It's reaaaaaallllly expensive for my electric bill.
2. It's not so fantastic for the environment with all those AC units pumping out exhaust and such.
3. If we did, I would not be able to control myself and we'd likely have it set at 35 degrees from March until October, bringing us right back to point number 1. When AC is involved, my rational mind desolves to putty and I have no self-control. Total abstinence is out only sound option.

2.
I don't like to cook when it's hot, but this morning I convinced myself to get a roast into the crockpot since I was awake anyway and eventually we'd have to eat. I'm calling it a gold star day just for that. Haha.

3.
I had an unforutnate accident on Sunday that now requires a dentist's appointment and a lot of my conscious attention as to not show anyone the monstrosity when I speak. It doesn't hurt, but come Friday, at the dentist, it likely will. Thank heavens for dental insurance.

4.
The summer semester started yesterday. I promise I was not intentionally skipping class. I really honestly thought it was a T/R class, not a M/W one. Not until the email hit my phone from another girl asking where I had been did I go look at the course schedule. I've been convinced for months that it was on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Ooooops.

Some Shopping Round-Up
I went to Costco and Meijer on Friday. There weren't any super amazing deals I needed to get in on, we were just out of a couple things that I had been putting off picking up for ... more than a little while. I did manage to get one box of half-price minus $1 coupon Snickers ice cream bars, and a raincheck for 12 more. Now, to find coupons ... Em is hot and needs ice creams!

Some Simple Sunday
What's better on a Sunday, especially Father's Day, and most especially when it falls on the longest day of the year ... than a late evening trip to the lake? It was hot. We were melting. We piled in the car at 9pm and headed to the lake for a quick swim. A little chilly at first, sure, but once initially submerged, swimming was heaven. It was like magic. Not hot. No longer puddling into your shoes. Just cool and marvelous, plus the beginnings of a sunset while we were swimming made for an marvelously simply Sunday.

Some Menu Plan Monday
M: Sausages on the Grill, Chips

T: Crockpot Beef Roast, Potatoes, Greens & Spinach Salad

W: Hamburger Helper (which I don't like, fyi), Greens & Spinach Salad

R: Fried Chicken Salads, Cut Veggies

F: Survivor Night ... eat what you can find, or starve. I will likely be having milkshakes ... and pudding ... and other things that don't hurt one's already hurting post-dentist teeth.

S: Pork Chops, Noodle Side, Steamed Veggies, Green Salads

U: Zuppa Toscana

Some Gratituesday
For more Gratituesday, check out The Heavenly Homemakers.
Today, I'm grateful for ...

... warm weather that helps my garden grow, even if it makes me terribly uncomfortable.
... cool swims at dusk.
... ice cream.
... self-employment.
... the appreciation of the women I work with.
... crunching on ice cubes, even if it's horrible for my teeth.
... dental insurance.
... Be, who although I currently look funny, still loves me.
... the tiniest hints of a breeze.
... getting up early of my own volition.
... schedule switching.
... the AC in my car being functional.
... a cool basement to retreat to.
... the library, full of great books, for free!
... money in the bank, bills paid.
... a clean house, easier on the hot weather sanity than a dirty one.
... grace.
... every day, hot or not, that I get to live in this perfect world.


Wasn't that wacky? So long as I don't melt, regular posting will resume. If, instead, I turn into a giant puddle of crazy, I can make no guarantees.

Simply,

Em.

7 Quick Takes ... Sunday: Vol 8

1.
Sometimes life happens, and things don't get posted on time ... or even written. Friday was one of those days, but the reason why is kind of exciting. I was asked to give the keynote address at an awards banquet honoring the highest honor given to girls in Girl Scouting, the Gold Award. I earned a Gold Award in high school, and was asked (kind of last minute ... like Monday afternoon ... oops) to be the keynote speaker because of it (and according to the woman who called me, "because (I) wouldn't have a problem speaking in front of a large group on short notice"). It was a really good time. My speech was well received. I did not fumble around like a crazy too much, and I got a pretty yummy (and free!) dinner out of the deal. The downside, the speech was oh, a hundred or so miles from my house, in the early evening, so most of my usual Friday bloggy time was spent getting ready and driving (and putting the finishing touches on my speech ... who loves the last minute?! Em does.).

2.
I skipped church this morning so I could finish writing my group research paper, and although I've only been going to church regularly for ... oh, a month, I'm kind of sad I wasn't there. I know I can listen to the podcast and check the bulletin online, but really ... I just like being there. It's the highlight of my week, and I'm regretting terribly not getting up and going anyway. Now I have to wait another 6 days. (Wow, on 2nd inspection, I never ever would have counted myself in the category of people disappointed that they missed church ... something has come over me ... something not so awful, maybe ...).

3.
We added even more plants to the garden yesterday. There will be a garden post forthcoming in the near future, which I'm terribly excited about. We swung by the greenhouse yesterday and I fell in love with some clearanced kale and chinese cabbage plants. I mean, in love. They were calling to me. I looked at them longingly, walked away, perused the remainder of the section, wandered back to them, stood looking at them like a 2 year old, and finally decided to just bring them home. We don't have any greens growing since my lettuce didn't so much make it ... stupid paper seed cards anyway.

4.
The beloved Red Wings did not win the Stanley Cup. I should offer congrats and well dones to the Penguins, but I'm not that cool of a person. I'm pouting.

5.
We had a fabulous time Thursday at the minor league baseball game. Not only was my favorite band playing after the game, but it was as well "Thrifty Thursday" at the ball park. We scored $5 admission tickets (instead of $9.50i) by agreeing to bring our own chairs and sit on the lawn. A number of food items were marked down to $2 instead of the regular exhorbinant park prices or $4, $6 or more, and you could get hot dogs (which I don't eat ... ick, but other people do) for $1! Some friends joined us on the grassy knoll, and we had an all around great time. Not that I'm the biggest baseball fan in the world, but we may have to check out future Thrifty Thursday events there for some super cheap entertainment.

6.
The spring semester ends Wednesday. Yay! The bad news: the summer semester begins on Monday. Yikes. Ugh. Why in the world idd I agree to take spring AND summer classes? Am I a crazy person? I'm happy one semester is almost over, but I'm wishing for a much longer break than 4 days. These are the moments when I wonder to myself, "why in the world am I still in school?"

7.
"So the eye needs light to see, so the soul needs labor to comprehend." --Philo

I will try to remember this next week when I'm cleaning my house top to bottom in preparation for the party we're having Saturday.


For more 7 Quick Takes, probably posted on time, check out Jen's blog.

Simply,

Em.

7 Quick Takes: Vol 7

1.
I'm toying with the idea of another blog (as in, in addition to rather than in place of). There are approximately a million things I want to write about all around a common theme, but it is one that although linked to the thematic direction of this blog would likely overtake the parts that it is not so connected to. I don't really want that. GSF for me has been a place to be grateful, seek simplicity, and practice frugality. This new idea would be grateful and likely connected to the reasons for which I seek the simple over the complex and the frugal over the luxurious, but would be far less practically oriented (fewer GDAs, coupon breakdowns, recipes, etc). I don't think I want a replacement, just an alternate place to also write. You could read both if you wanted, but at least you'd still have options. Now, to decide the name (this part takes me the longest of anything ...).

2.
I'm learning that my body doesn't like commercially produced fruit juices. It used to be just orange juice, which I blamed on the ridiculous citric acid to actual soluable fiber ratio. Then it was anything orange juice made an appearance in ... Mountain Dew, for example. Now I'm also having problems with grape juice (and if that ... then, wine? noooo!). Before I call it quits entirely I think I may drag my juicer out of the cupboard as the fruit crops start to come in and give making my own a go to see if the problem is the juice itself or the commercial process (and assortment of unnecessary crap ingredients). Then the question becomes ... how to store already homemade juice for once the availability of fresh fruit diminishes?

3.
Remember my favorite thing about Sundays? Yea. Apparently not this week. My schedule (I even hate the use of the word 'schedule' in reference to a Sunday) consists of meeting a friend for church, then driving to our hometown for an early afternoon graduation open house, then driving across that town for a late afternoon graduation open house, and then making it to my cousin's wedding reception. Argh! That's pure craziness, but the prospect of eating cake three times in one afternoon/evening does have me a little twitterpated (I loooooooooove cake!).

Now, to figure out 2 frugal graduation gifts and a frugal wedding gift. I should consult my gift closet, but it's currently stocked only with plastic cups and Halloween candy. Hmmm. I have 2 days to figure this out, my lovely friends of the interwebs, and I would adore your help in the comments section. (pretty please ...?).

4.
Not that it's all that exciting to anyone but me, but the data for my summer research has been tabulated and analyzed. Those of you who've been involved in research projects like this know the sigh of relief I'm breathing right now knowing that all the (f)tests and ANOVAs are done and accounted for. The remainder of the paper still needs to be written ... the results and discussion portions, but really I'm just glad we only had a few data hangups getting to here (mostly involving spelling inconsistencies in responses ... which the computer does not like at all). I do need to write the rest of this paper before Monday (is it Friday already?! My word!). Also fabulous, the data analysis proves our hypothesis, which is way cooler than it not.

5.
I want to go here, please. I may have to start fundraising once I decide when exactly would be the perfect time to go. My initial thought is of course ... winter, because winter in MI is less fun than winter in Morocco and vice versa for summer since Rabat is in Northern Africa. I really want to volunteer abroad, and have for quite awhile. I just hadn't found the place that felt right. Just imagine ... Em walking down a tiny market street, eating the most amazing hummus and falafel purchased from a street vendor, speaking Arabic to cute little kids, and working with the local women's group on organizing actions. Beautiful. I am so in, as soon as I find $6,000.

6.
I am really hungry to lo mein thanks to a conversation I am having this very minute online while writing this post. I loooooove lo mein almost as much as I love cake. It's my first and favorite pick at every Asian resto we've ever been to, and the more I talk about it right now the more tempted I am to gnaw off my own left hand. I also haven't eaten lunch yet. Hmm. Now, to find some fabulous Chinese noodles ...

7.
The mailman was nice enough to bring me a $27 (and change) check this week from the good people at Inbox Dollars. This is the first time I've actually received money from them, so they finally get to go down in my "Absolutely Legit" column. I click through some emails, they send me some money. I am ok with that arrangement. Mostly, I was just excited to get free money in the mail. If you want in on the deal, feel free to click the link on my right sidebar under 'Places I Dig' (or just google it if you're not as comfy with referral links ... I care not either way).


For more 7 Quick Takes Fridays, check out Jen's blog.

Simply,

Em.

7 Quick Takes Friday: Vol 6

1.
This quick takes comes to you live from the university library where I am trapped before 8am on a Friday tabulating data for a research project. I do not like this library. I do not like tabulating data. I do not like 8am on Fridays. That's a lot of not liking in one paragraph. We are currently waiting for our third group member to arrive, and as the time ticks past her expected appearance time, I tend to get a little more irritated. Em does not like people who cannot read watches or plan in such a way as to not inconvenience others.

2.
"Worry does not empty today of its sorry. It empties today of its strength."
That's a Corrie Ten Boom quote, and a fabulous one at that. It came to me in an email, tucked away on a sidebar, not at all part of the primary message. It struck me the most though. I am a worrier, more so of late than usual. I get heartburn or pull a muscle in my chest, and I immediately start to get anxious about having a heart attack ... not so much in a hypochondriac way, but in an "I must evaluate and spend tons of conscious energy on every single possibility" way. I worry about our health, our money, the house, the tender little plants trying to take root in the garden, the economy, the environment, religion, relationships, burned bridges, potential opportunities, the pets, whether we'll end up with kids or not, if I'll have to walk to class in the rain again, zombie apocalypse, budgeting, aspartame, pesticide, GMOs, imperialism, skin cancer, world politics, my family, driving in the snow, and tetanus.

This is of course not an exhaustive list, but it is entirely exhausting. Corrie Ten Boom is absolutely correct, worrying zaps every bit of strength that could be better directed at accomplishing things, building relationships, loving people, and the like. I am trying to learn to give this anxiety away. Yea ... let's just say I need more practice.

3.
I'm working on changing our diet around a little, hopefully to include the increasing availability of fresh produce and whole foods as the seasons allow. I'm trying to find a balance between sustainable practice (buying locally and in season) and increasing our regular intake of fresh whole foods. I do not know how to strike this balance when it isn't summer, so any of your suggestions (from those who hail from states covered in snow for what feels like 11 out of 12 months a year) would be greatly appreciated.

4.
I am exhausted. I am not entirely positive why. I've been sleeping a solid amount, more than usual in most cases even though I've been getting up earlier. I start strong, but within a few hours I'm ready for a nap and by late afternoon I don't want to even think about moving. It's an all encompassing exhaustion ... don't even want to think about holding my head up anymore tired. I'm eating enough calories/protein. I'm sleeping ok. I've even been getting more exercise between walking and playing Farmer Em (which should increase my energy), and yet ... still completely zapped. Ick.

5.
As promised, I must include another reference about hockey. The Adored Red Wings have made it to the Stanley Cup Finals. The first game is tomorrow, and the coverage should be on your local NBC affiliate. Really, you should be watching ... and rooting for the Wings lest you be drug into town square for tar and feathering. I suppose you could support the Penguins ... but ... eh ... I don't know if Pennsylvanians even do that. I kid, of course ... but not really.

6.
I'm currently reading a biography of Maria Montessori (not the one linked, an actual book). Ah yes, love love love all around.

7.
I have zero plans for the weekend. This is slightly unusual, and makes me nervous that I'm forgetting something. Maybe I'll spend some time napping or reading in the sunshine (assuming we get sunshine this weekend ...). Or, maybe I'll clean the office. I don't even know what to do with myself. It's one part terrifying and one part pure excitement. Do you have plans for the weekend?


Simply,

Em.

ps, for more 7 Quick Takes Fridays, check out Conversion Diary.

Quick Takes: Vol 5

1.
I turned down a job interview yesterday. Well, to be honest, I accepted it last week and canceled it yesterday. Although it is probably a rockin' cool job (which in my book means it directly serves the underserved and in turn makes zero monies ... haha), I had a terribly heavy heart about the whole thing from the moment I agreed to the interview. I also have another job, you see, working with high school kids. I love that job (even though it also pays something similar to zero monies ... ) in 100 different ways, and I had a conversation with the boss this week wherein he explained some really amazing expansion efforts that we will embark on in the fall. That = rockin'. This job that I love has a wacky schedule, though, one that is entirely contrary to having a regular 9-5 kind of place of employment. Every Monday and Wednesday, for example, I have to be at the high school from 3-530pm. Almost every weekend from September to February I have to leave with the kids for their weekend program at 10 or 11am. It's not impossible to make the schedules work, and it's what I did when I worked at the free clinic as well as had this high school job, but it nearly so. And then there's the guilt ... guilt about leaving one job for another, guilt about not giving the kids my full attention, guilt when my house falls apart because I'm gone 12 hours a day. Ugh.

So, I thought about it, I talked about it, and I spent a good deal of time in silence about it. The decision: Step out in faith that we will make things work some other way. I am absolutely called to work with these amazing kids, and who am I to stand in the way with my silly ideas that we have more income? Ha. Yeeeaaaa.

(ps, immediately after I cancelled, my brother whom I was unaware had applied for this position, nor did he realize it was the one I was interviewing for, got an email back from the boss indicating they would have an opening for him to interview ... niiiiiice.)

2.
We are gardening this weekend! I am stoked. Be's dad is coming over to rototill (hooray sharing resources!), and then we're heading to the greenhouse to peruse the plant selection. I know, starting seeds indoors from last year's crop would be oh-so-sustainable and frugal, but ... well ... we didn't get around to that so much this winter. Oops. The plants will come out of a mini-windfall we didn't remember was on the horizon. Usually, I take them out of the grocery budget.

3.
My father had open heart surgery a couple weeks ago, and as part of his recovery had to meet with a dietician yesterday to better plan his meals. While he was staying with us, we implemented a meal program per the instructions given by the doctor, and to keep track of all of it, I made him a handful of charts and exchange lists to make planning easier. Apparently, he took this to the dietician and she told him I "missed my calling". While I appreciate the compliment, I think my 'future dietary consulting' business would likely have to be completely by phone because I'm hardpressed to believe people take dietary advice from the ... uh ... not so svelte (fluffy? husky? squishy? well-insulated?). I'm still laughing about it.

4.
I am off school for a whole week! The classes I'm in right now run Monday and Wednesday (mornings! boooo!). The campus is closed for Memorial Day on Monday, which means we last had class on Wednesday and won't have it again until Wednesday. This also marks the halfway point in the semester. Yes!

In other school news, my project group landed a solidly good grade in a field of otherwise not-so-good grades. I'm pretty stoked about it.

5.
I don't like being undercover. Soon, very soon, I want to be able to scream from the rooftops about who I am. That time is not yet, I don't think, but any day now would be nice.

(ps, I am not a secret agent, nor delusional about being one, luckily. The vague quality is intentional ... hence, the 'undercover'. I wish to share with you soon, lovelies. Very soon.)

6.
I am kind of mad at our compost pile. It didn't do anything wrong. I mean, it's a pile of composting food ... what can it really do wrong? I'm just irritated with the method we're using (the patented 'throw all your crap in a big ole pile in a corner in your yard and ... wait'), and that as the composting endeavor has grown, so too has the gigantic pile of decomposing goodness tucked in the corner of our backyard. I also don't like the turning in order to get to the good stuff nor the winged onslaught that you have to fight through to take care of it. I would really like to shift to a tumbler system, and I have some ideas for making it pretty inexpensive. Now, to fit a 50 gallon plastic drum into the backseat of a '96 Chrysler Concorde ...

7.
I absolutely adore Be this week ... well, the last two days of it at least. I will spare you the mushy details.


What's going on in your neck of the woods?


Simply,

Em.

PS, More Quick Takes at Conversion Diary.

7 Quick Takes: Vol 4.

For more Quick Takes Fridays, check out the Conversion Diary. Good stuff, I promise.

1.
I am so absolutely livid this very moment that I don't know if I'm going to make it through this post. To make a long story short, an organization was supposed to pay me a very large amount of money (ok, large for me ... probably not really at all that large for the rest of the world) in a very specific timeframe. When that deposit did not appear as promised, I called them on the day it was supposed to post (they're usually early, which is even more befuddling), and was told that they "Um ... er ... uh ... forgot." WHAT?! You forgot to do your job?! Your one and only job, to pay people, and you forgot to do it?! Awesome. Great. Fabulous. I was then promised it would be fixed right away and taken care of overnight. When I checked my online bank this morning, nothing. When I used my 'bank on call' phone number, thinking perhaps my online banking was less cool or up to date than the other (uh, wrong, by the way ... desperate times, etc etc), nothing. When I called my bank's customer service line to see if they perhaps could see something I could not (a super pending, not accesible to my screen yet something) and then sat on hold for 30 minutes while they dug through a million records and places looking for the deposit, still ... nothing. Now, no bill paying, no grocery shopping, no ... anything until this deposit shows up. Greeeeeeat. Thanks.

(insert elevator music or a dancing monkey show to entertain you during the time I've gone to calm myself down before all of my 7 Quick Takes turn into bitter rants about crap I don't like)

2.
I had great fun yesterday chatting with an old friend over far too much coffee. There are nothing like solid friends, the people who know you (crazy or not), love you, and listen to your chaotic ramblings or not-so-hilarious stories. My thanks to him for the evening. It was a good reminder that even though we spend less time together than we did in undergrad, the friends made in college, in struggle, in intense circumstances, are still the best ones around. Good friends are good for the soul ... like chicken soup without the having to kill chickens part.

3.
My next door neighbors are being foreclosed on, or at least that's what we hear from their insane screaming at each other (when they aren't running their semi-lucrative narcotics selling business, that is). There are four houses on this side of the block. The one to the left of ours has been empty for months, also a foreclosure. The one on the far other end has been empty since long before we moved here 2 years ago. It is owned outright, but the foundation is crumbling under an otherwise really nicely remodeled house, and the owners decided to move rather than spend the enormous amount of cash lifing a house and repouring a foundation would take. I suspect one day it may just fall over. Now, the house between that one and ours will be empty as well. We keep talking about how sweet it would be, if we had the cash, to buy one or the other of the lots next to us so that we would have enough acreage per the township zoning ordinance to keep animals here. I wonder how low the prices will go ...

4.
Have you heard about the giant public debacle that was the 'Oprah Sends Millions of People to KFC for Free Chicken' event was? KFC stopped honoring their coupons, instead offering "rainchecks" for "later dates", which I suspect probably means ... never, because they "underestimated" the response. This is Oprah we are talking about here. When she says "Buy this (insert car, book, fashion accessory, etc)!, people do it post-haste. Did they not consider an even greater response if she said, "Go get this for FREE!"? This has spurred a hilariously wonderful selection of internet ramblings, especially between KFC and El Pollo Loco (which we don't have here ...). For your giggling pleasure ...



Oh! And!



Ahahahaha. I am endlessly entertained by corporations battling each other online. Nicely done!

5.
Be was released from the care of his surgeon on Wednesday, after 18 months. He will continue on a 'maintenance regimen' at physical therapy to make sure he doesn't regress for awhile, but the PT has written his 'permanent restrictions' so they believe it likely that nothing will change much. On the one hand, a huge sigh of relief that he has healed enough after 2 surgeries and countless thousands of hours of physical therapy that he no longer requires the constant attention of a surgeon. On the other hand, mildly difficult for him to handle because it means the status of his knee is probably as good as it gets. This is not the same as before the accident (obviously), and he is having a bit of a time coming to terms with that. When he still had doctor's appointments, there seemed to still be a chance that the knee would somehow go back to the way it was, its strength, stability, functions, etc.

This release also means a number of other implications regarding courts and trials and lawyers, but nothing I can tell you about. Big ole complicated mess, it is.

6.
The Red Wings (if you don't know who that is ... we may have to talk ...) won their series last night 4-3, meaning they move on to the conference finals against the Chicago Blackhawks on their road to the Stanley Cup finals (Please note, when following that link, who is pictured holding the Stanely Cup last year ... oh yes, the Wings. Note also, the number of times they have won the Finals through the history of the cup. Yea, we rock.). Hockey is the only professional sport that I watch, because I am from Michigan, and it is required here by law that all residents watch, love, and defend the honor of our adored Red Wings. I'm more of a college sports fan, which also stems largely from being a Michigander and attending a Big 10 school. Go BLUE! As such, there will be much tension and anxiety as the Wings try to make it through to the finals. There will likely be cursing, popcorn throwing, and if we're lucky some jumping up and down. It is Stanley Cup season in MI ... it's what we do.

I just spend a solid 10 minutes trying to find you the YouTube of a hilarious McDonalds commercial that runs in Michigan which lists the things we love here. Driving cars, working on cars, snow, and our moms are all on the list. Hockey also appears ... 5 or 6 times in the course of the commerical, and is the only thing that is repeated. It's terribly funny ... er ... true .... er both, probably.

7.
Did you know the US Postal Service hates recycling? Yea. They do. No lie. Apparently, they made it illegal for you to reuse a Priority Mail box for shipping other things, even if you turn it inside out or cover all the previous markings. That's annoying. Thanks for not loving the planet, Post Office. Thanks a ton. I'd suggest we all send them letters in protest, but if the rest of your local Post Office's are anything like mine, I doubt they would ever get delivered ... to themselves. The telling of the trials and tribulations of dealing with our local Post Office will be saved for another day, probably right after the next time I stop by to mail something and they are randomly "closed" because the 1 lazy, lonely guy that works in our tiny Post Office hates 1. people, 2. work, and 3. working with people.

What's going on in your life this week? Write a Quick Takes! It's fun times.


Simply,

Em.

7 Quick Takes: Vol 3.

1.
It's been a little quiet around here this week. There wasn't even a Gratituesday post (which are my favorites, by the way). The new semester started this week, and very honestly, the new 830am class is just about killing my time management ability. I am not an 830am kind of girl. 830pm? Sure. We are pals, but not it's early morning twin ... not at all. That and the shortened term (6 weeks instead of 15) have had me a little busy this first week readjusting my schedules and the like. The menu has been saving me, though. I managed to make 3 dinners on Tuesday night (Tuesday's, Wednesday's and Friday's for us, and another pan of each of Wednesday's and Friday's for friends whose baby was born on Monday) plus 3 trays of cookies in the span of just a couple hours. Of course, I had to burn the palm of my left hand on the last tray of cookies, because ... well, things just can't go that perfectly.

2.
I have heartburn again. I am not liking it at all. I really should stop eating things that trigger it. I know what the triggers are (spicy food, grease, garlic, citrus, citric acid, and all things citric acid is hiding in, tomatoes, and on and on), but darn it if those aren't the things I like to eat most. Ugh. I do not like this feeling one bit, and I am hoping that one day I learn to stop doing it to myself.

3.
Also on the list of things I should not do: watch the movie Deep Impact late at night by myself (which I'm doing right.this.very.second.). Not only is the thought of an Extinction Level Event enough to get my overactive imagination primed to bring a night's sleep full of awful dreams, but I cannot help but cry during the last few minutes during the exchange between mother and daughter on the crowded expressway. If you haven't seen it yet, watch it with Kleenex handy.

4.
I feel like our gardening adventure may already be behind the ball this year. We decided not to start seedlings inside this winter because we hadn't figured out a way to prevent a repeat of last year's greenhouse disaster. We are still trying to decide if we're going to use in-ground methods or raised beds this year which means neither the rototilling nor the raised bed construction has started. I know we are at least a week or two away from the last risk of frost here, so I don't feel sooooo bad about not having a solid handle on the plan yet, but when others in the area start posting about their early crops going in the ground I start to get a little envious and a little more anxious. I spent the majority of this afternoon working on my canning knowledge so I at least felt like I was making some progress toward our garden goals.

5.
Be and I finally had a solid conversation on faith this week. It went ... oh, about 100 times better than I thought it was going to. We have always been a little gun shy about discussing these things. Ok, maybe I've been a little gun shy mostly. I don't know why necessarily. I can't really explain whatever was compelling me to keep quiet way back when we started this adventure. Be was most amicable to talking and listening, sometime I'm hoping we'll be doing more of in the future. I'm still not really ready to talk specifics here, but know that it went really well and I'm happy about it.

6.
I started putting $1 bills in a box when I clean out my pockets at night. In a cash only, zero based budgeting household, even $1 bills count, but I've been trying to discipline myself into putting whatever I have from the day's spending (usually one or two of them) in the box regardless. I am not yet convinced that they will stay in there forever, or even that they will make it to the savings account, but I have high hopes that they can at least be a mini-emergency fund for those little household things that come up occasionally. I haven't counted it, but in the last week or so I think I've put in at least $8 or $10. That's a start of something, for sure.

7.
I have an entire month's worth of coupons that have been cut, but not yet put away in the coupon binder. How in the world did that happen? Wanna come over, bring your horribly behind coupon filing, drink coffee, and put them away together? It could be a party or some such ... a very nerdy, kind of crazy, possibly a little odd coupon-y party. I'm thinking ... is now good? No, probably not, as it's 3am and all. Tomorrow, then?


Simply,

Em.

For more 7 Quick Takes Fridays, check out The Conversion Diary.

7 Quick Takes: Vol 3

1.
Mashed potatoes with cream corn on top may be the ultimate comfort food. I made some last night, and the leftovers are sitting in front of me now in a place I like to call carb heaven. Oh. My. Word. Pure looooooove.

2.
I have to go back to classes next week. This does not make me all too excited, honestly. I'm just starting to get into the 'no class' routine of reading mass quantities of library goodness, making homemade dinners without the pressure of schedules, and enjoying the sunshine (if it would ever stop raining here ...). The thought of returning to the drudgery of non-expressive thought and unoriginal research makes my stomach turn. Please, no. This happens every time we have a semester break, because I have the time for my brain to start protesting the torture it endures the remainder of the year. My soul is not nourished by this program anymore and it tries to revolt and cast doubts on my continuing any time it has the chance. *sigh*

3.
I picked up new library books on Wednesday. I have Plain & Simple and Everyday Sacred by Sue Bender, Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller, and The Third Jesus by Deepak Chopra. I already finished the first Bender book, and although my intense fascination with the Amish remains, my curiosity was not at all satisfied by the style of her prose. It's fragmented in parts, more a personal journal than a published piece of literature, and it is kind of deterring me from reading the other one if her writing style is going to be the same. I'm also reading Long Way Gone: Memories of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah at the same time. Babies killing babies often gets too intense and I need a less brutal literary break to recollect.

4.
Speaking of books, I would really (reeeaaaallllyyy) like bookshelves in the office. I have 3 little cubbies on the hutch over my desk that currently hold my top 25 books, but the boxes and boxes of other favorites stored in the back of the office closet are aching to be out in the open as well. Book shelves, however, are not in the budget currently. Maybe I'll get garage sale lucky this summer and find a set in need of the touch of handy Be that will do the trick. Keep your fingers crossed for me, ok?

5.
I'm thinking about trying out a new church experience. I hesitate to write about it because I'm not yet ready to explain it to the world (even though my neverending urge to write and be public about everything is fighting me) ... the choices, the possibilities, the reasons. Can a girl just do something new and not have to explain herself to everyone and their brother? Not here. Not in the CNK (the airport designation for my town if we were to get an airport ... haha). Not in this house for sure. The power of judgement and influence is strong, especially subconsciously, and although not an excuse really, is something I am desperately working to get over.

6.
After 2 years of composting at this house, and after much complaining about the entire process, my little brother suggested today that we get a tumbler. Surprise! He is the last person on the planet I thought would advocate for composting in general, let alone in cooler manners than the giant pile method we use right now. Perhaps the green revolution is getting to him as well ... hooray!

7.
2 different rewards programs I really liked are either going away completely or changing so radically that they're much less fun than before. Walgreens has announced the end of the EasySaver Rebate program, and since we don't have a CVS nearby, here's hoping either the Register Rewards deals they come up with are amazing (though will be a lot of money out of pocket) or that I can get a grip on the Rite Aid Single Check Rebate program instead. Goodbye free and easy Walgreens fun. (sad face!) Speedway, in turn, is changing their Speedy Rewards program to increase the number of points required for gift card redemption as well as changing the kinds of things you can get giftcards for. Boooooo. Knowing this in advance, my whole family cashed in our 50,000+ collective points last night before the new system rolled out this morning. Hello Speedway cash, hello free money, goodbye program I liked a whooooole lot.


For more 7 Quick Takes Fridays, check out Jen's blogging at Conversion Diary. Just click the graphic at the top and head on over.


Simply,

Em.

Seven Quick Takes Friday: Vol 2

Has it really been a week already? Wow!

1.
I took THREE final exams on Thursday. THREE! That should not be allowed under international human rights laws. The good news: they're done. The bad news: I have no idea how I did. In celebration of the end of the semester, a lovely taste of summer by the good people at Bell's Brewery and a hilarious picture. I call it "The Triumph of Good over Evil".

2.
I've had the same bank deposit sitting on my desk, ready to be dropped off, since the 16th. Yiiiikes. I should probably do that now that my brain is not limited to reading theory, thinking about theory, and trying to write 17 pages worth of nonsense about theory. It's only an $18.76 deposit, but it's something!

3.
Speaking of money, I have an entire basement full of empty pop cans to return for the 10c (each! seriously! move to Michigan!) deposit. We're taking bets on how much cash that will turn into. The lowest one is $90! Huzzah that's a lot of empty cans! Now, to stop dreading the 48 trips to the return machines from the parking lot ...

4.
I'm going to Kmart today. They're having Super Doubles. I think I may be more excited about that than about finishing my exams. This may make me an official frugal crazy person. Or, it may make me skip to my car with a cart full of free goodness. Only time will tell ...

5.
My office is a disaster again. I think this happens everytime I have a ton of homework. Things just get ... left places. The collection of empty Diet Coke cans tells me there was late night paper writing going on in here recently, and the 2 inch stack of uncut coupon inserts makes me cringe. I do not like "Disaster Office" at all. Perhaps I will do something about that. Or, perhaps I will ignore it until after the weekend since I don't have to be in class on Monday!! (Can you tell I'm stoked about that? I mean, really, how many quick takes in one post need to be about school?)

6.
I kind of want to cut my hair off again. Be thinks I should. I wanted to grow it out until I could pigtail braid it (think Pochahontas, not preschool), but it's getting heavy to have up constantly and there isn't much else I can do with it. My heart hurts a little at the thought of starting over, but really I just look like an uptight English School Teacher right now with my flipped up quasi-bun. Perhaps something short and cute? Spikey? Springy? Why does warm weather always make me want to cut my hair off?

7.
I really wanted to eat cookies for breakfast. Since no one else was up to catch me doing it, the temptation was intense. I overcame, however, and will now promptly have cookies for lunch! Yahoo!

For more Quick Takes Fridays, check out Jen's blog.
Simply,

Em.

7 Quick Takes: Volume 1

For more quick takes and other amazingly sweet content, please check out the Conversion Diary!

1.
I've never done a Quick Takes Friday before, but I'm a list maker at heart and a girl with a terrible addiction to bullet points, so I'm hoping to become a new regular. I've been reading Jennifer's blog for awhile, and it rocks. You should check it out. I'm compelled on occasion to talk about non-frugal life stuff (is there such a thing?!), so hopefully if we stick to quick takes I won't bore you to death with thesis research ideas or the politics of living in a house full of grown-ups (should that be in quotations? Perhaps.). Ha.

2.
Hoooray! Today was the last day of classes for the winter semester. I still have exams next week, and a weekend full of writing take home exams (by which I mean a weekend full of putting off writing take home exams until Monday ...), but for a solid hour after class let out this afternoon I felt like dancing (or popping the top off an Oberon ...). Hoooooooray no more classes ... until May 4th.

3.
My car is broken. Again. Boooooo. This afternoon, on the way home from school, we noticed an odd noise coming from the front passenger wheel well. This is another installment in a continuing saga in the recent past about my glorious '96 Chrysler Concorde and its steering/drive/wheel problems. Be thinks the "CV Joint" is shot. I think I don't want to know either what that is nor how much it costs. In the interm, until he fixes it (and thank goodness for not having to hire a mechanic!), no el Concordo driving for me.

4.
I really love peanut butter blossoms. In fact, I had one just.this.second. The 3 dozen is no longer 3 dozen for sure, and the family consensus of the Unintentional Baking Day extravaganza is that 1: I should be more regular and intentional about them and 2: I need a new Honey Wheat Bread recipe.

5.
My coupons are a mess. I have a veritable ton of inserts that haven't been cut yet and a huge stack of coupons that have somehow been cut but not yet filed. They're driving my internal perfectionist c-r-a-z-y. The upside, I cannot bring myself to go shopping without them all being in perfect order so I'm surely not out spending grocery budget money. The downside, I'm also paying less attention to the ads and as such have fewer GDAs (that's Great Deal Alerts if you're new here ...) for you fine folks. I hear there are free things to be had this week at both Meijer and Walgreens, but unless a magical elf comes and files my coupons or I get a flying carpet to replace the broken car, I'm not going anywhere. Shop for me, lovies, so I can live vicariously through your deal hunting.

6.
It's beginning to feel like spring time here. My car thermo told me it was 66F when I got out of class today. 66! In Michigan?! In April?! Praise be! Warm weather makes me want to grow things ... which makes me want to organize seedlings ... which makes me remember that we need Be's dad to come by with the rototiller (hidden frugal tip: always borrow what you can and save the cost of buying your own ... with in reason) so we can add compost and be ready to plant after the temps stop dropping into the 30s at night.

7.
Today is the last day to enter my very first blog giveaway. Have I mentioned how blasted excited I am about it? Seriously? Super elated to be able to 1: blog for you in the first place, 2: begin a second year at GSF, and 3: give you sweet streamlined cookbooks as a thank you. There's still time for entries until midnight EST, just check out the blog-iversary post for details.


Ooooh numbered lists, how I adore you. This has been fun!


Simply,

Em.