chestnutcurls: (curly)
[personal profile] chestnutcurls
The weather is wonderful today- partly cloudy, cool and breezy. Leaves are starting to appear on the ground. It's like fall is shouting, "Here I am!" I've never been so glad to see it. :)

I forgot to mention that our Sunday school class is starting an abbreviated version of the Crown Financial Series. Evan and I wanted to take it when it was offered to the church in general, but ironically, it cost $55. :P This time it's free. I'm really looking forward to it, since this is the area in which he and I probably need the most work. Last Sunday, as an intro, we talked a little about 401(k)s. I don't have a 401k for several reasons, the main one being that I'm quitting work in several years anyway (God willing). However, I do have a good savings account and save part of every paycheck. I'd always wondered how the heck most people could afford to save and contribute to retirement. Evan pointed out that two-thirds of Americans don't have a savings account. I couldn't believe that was true, but I started asking friends about it, and he seems to be right. I can't imagine not having savings to fall back on in an emergency. Then again, when we're all 75, my friends will be living large on their retirement millions and Evan and I will probably be forced to move back to a little apartment. Oh well. :)

My latest book recommendation is The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. I read the whole thing in two days. It's that good. I was so into it last night that I got way behind in my cleaning.

Monday is typically my cleaning and organizing night, and lately it's become stressful. I'm trying to figure out how my stuff and Evan's stuff will all fit together, but more than that, I want it to all be organized perfectly from the beginning. (Yes, I am Monica Geller.) Of course, this is a ridiculous goal and usually has me in tears by the time Evan comes over from work (around 8:30 pm). Last week he arrived to find me crying because I couldn't find a perfect place for a cassette tape case. He couldn't help but laugh, which was the best thing he could have done because then I laughed too. I think living with him will do me a lot of good. :) At the risk of being wasteful, I think we're going to get rid of a lot of old things once we get new things (like towels and kitchen stuff). There's just no room for all of it, and most of it is pretty decrepit anyway.

Speaking of old stuff, many of my dress shoes have decided to fall apart at the same time. My beautiful black Rampage heels, for which I get compliments every time I wear them, have broken straps. They're only a year old! :( I'll figure out some way to fix them, but in the meantime I can't wear them. Also, my Steve Madden wedge heels are starting to look run-down. What good does it do to buy more expensive shoes? I think a trip to Payless will be in order soon.

I have a good life. :)

(no subject)

Date: 2004-09-14 07:50 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] my-everafter.livejournal.com
Steven and I need so much help managing finances as well! It's my biggest area of weakness- I'm not disciplined at all.
I get really frustrated by cleaning/organizing too. I often wish I could be on that show "Clean Sweep!" So someone could just organize everything for me. lol Anyway, the key is to get rid of old stuff so I think that you are on the right track. Now if only I could do that... ;P

(no subject)

Date: 2004-09-14 08:41 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cafemusique.livejournal.com
One key that is helping me at the moment is kind of twofold:

1) Relax. Accept that you're not the world's greatest housekeeper. Take your time.

2) Aim to clean in 15-minute segments, at least once a day.

I'm not always successful, but my kitchen is beginning to look more presentable...when some garbage goes out the door tomorrow, it will get even better.

(no subject)

Date: 2004-09-14 12:42 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] chestnutcurls.livejournal.com
Yeah, it's a process! It's taken me years to throw stuff out the way I do now. I used to be such a pack rat.

Thanks for relating!

(no subject)

Date: 2004-09-14 02:39 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dirtbird.livejournal.com
Hmm... and I'm still half-pack-rat-cat-etc.

(no subject)

Date: 2004-09-14 08:07 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] helenangel.livejournal.com
When you get rid of it, donate it to the Salvation Army. It will do them more good than Goodwill.

(no subject)

Date: 2004-09-14 12:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] helenangel.livejournal.com
Goodwill just turns around and sells it in their stores. The money generated by the stores now is more to perpetuate itself than to actually go towards any initiative (at least in Memphis- in Detroit they generate enough money to do a lot of stuff). The Salvation Army sells some stuff in the stores but generally distributes it to disaster areas and homeless shelters (stuff like towels and blankets anyway) Don't give to the American Red Cross- those people are thieves. There's a lot of corruption in it and the top people are making a lot of money off of donations.

The sad part about charities is that once you do a lot of work you find out where donations are really going. Some charities are dying, some are becoming corrupt, and others are structured so what you give will directly help someone.

I can tell you right now that Hurricane Relief donations sent through grocery stores gets there a LOT faster than any other means (and don't get me started on what a sham the Red Cross is here). How they do it is the store will then take your money out of the inventory in a store down there and the store down there makes a bulk contribution to distribution areas. I volunteered to help with relief distribution in Frances-hit areas but because of Nicholas I couldn't. =(

(no subject)

Date: 2004-09-14 01:05 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] chestnutcurls.livejournal.com
Wow! I never knew any of that. Thank you. :) The sad thing is, I usually decide where to take things based on how often I go there. I don't want to be tempted to buy my own stuff back. LOL.

(no subject)

Date: 2004-09-14 08:11 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] laura8225.livejournal.com
I haven't read The Secret Life of Bees yet, but a few of the women at my church have. They've told me a few times that I just have to read it. I will eventually. I'm so glad you enjoyed it as well!

(no subject)

Date: 2004-09-14 12:43 pm (UTC)

(no subject)

Date: 2004-09-14 08:13 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] stacye13.livejournal.com
Shoes - there is a repair store on Union that I use sometimes to save favorites - Galtellis Shoe Service. Try them!
Monica - do you have a secret messy locked closed?!?!

(no subject)

Date: 2004-09-14 08:22 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] stacye13.livejournal.com
eerrr, closet that is...

(no subject)

Date: 2004-09-14 12:44 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] chestnutcurls.livejournal.com
I don't have a secret closet, but I have a few secret parts of closets and things. And under my bed. :P

(no subject)

Date: 2004-09-14 09:44 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] zonneschijn.livejournal.com
Do y'all have shoe-repair places over there? They do here, but I've never had to use one. By the time I'd need to, the shoes are totally falling apart anyways. LOL

(no subject)

Date: 2004-09-14 12:46 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] chestnutcurls.livejournal.com
Yeah, but sometimes it's less expensive to buy another pair of the same shoes. :P It depends.

shoe repair

Date: 2004-09-14 12:58 pm (UTC)
From: (Anonymous)
Actually, shoe repair is REALLY cheap. I have never had to pay more than a few dollars to get my shoes fixed. (unless you are talking about Birks, which is a whole other story, but still cheaper than new ones).

love the brens

em

(no subject)

Date: 2004-09-14 10:23 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dorkiness-halo.livejournal.com
I loved that book also :)

(no subject)

Date: 2004-09-14 11:37 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] thetenthshadow.livejournal.com
Love that icon of you in this entry Brenda...very pretty. :)

(no subject)

Date: 2004-09-14 12:47 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] chestnutcurls.livejournal.com
Aww, thanks! I've had it a while, but I haven't used it much.

(no subject)

Date: 2004-09-14 01:35 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] thetenthshadow.livejournal.com
You should definitely use it more often. But eh, I'm biased. :)
Give Evan my best!

(no subject)

Date: 2004-09-14 01:51 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mzspearz.livejournal.com
I love how you celebrate fall :)

Also, what is that book about?

(no subject)

Date: 2004-09-14 02:10 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] chestnutcurls.livejournal.com
Evan asked me the same thing and I said, "I don't really know if I can tell you." :) It's kind of complicated. Here's (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0142001740/qid=1095196183/sr=8-1/ref=pd_cps_1/103-9631098-6795029?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) a link to the Amazon page.

(no subject)

Date: 2004-09-14 05:15 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] angelic-1.livejournal.com
Getting rid of old stuff is good. Geoff and I gave ours away to places like the salvation army etc. That way we were not being wasteful because someone who is not as well off as us is getting blessed by it.

As for the savings thing - that doesn't really amaze me much. Some people are very fickle with money and don't tend to think about the long term and things like that. Geoff and my savings account is a little sad at the moment but at least we have plans and goals and it will look good once the tax for this year is paid :)

As for the orderly house - yeah it doesn't work. I tired it and it doesn't work. And then wait until kids come along. I wonder how a small baby who can't so much as move an inch on the floor can create so much mess! heh

(no subject)

Date: 2004-09-15 07:44 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] chestnutcurls.livejournal.com
Yeah, that might be the hardest thing for me when I have kids! :P I guess I'll just have to reconcile myself to the fact that the house will never be perfect. Ha ha.

(no subject)

Date: 2004-09-15 05:38 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] angelic-1.livejournal.com
You mentioned you were like Monica - I wish there was one more series of friends so I could see how she coped with two kids to mess up her house! hehe

(no subject)

Date: 2004-09-15 06:50 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] danialand.livejournal.com
I've read The Secret Life of Bees and it was really good! I agree, it's one that you can read through really fast :)

I went through a phase were I wasn't doing much fiction reading...but over the last year I've been reading a ton..I'm not sure what brought it on. :)

(no subject)

Date: 2004-09-15 07:45 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] chestnutcurls.livejournal.com
Stress relief, maybe? :) I find that reading relaxes me a lot when I'm really busy.

(no subject)

Date: 2004-09-15 11:13 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] danialand.livejournal.com
I guess that's true for me too!

(no subject)

Date: 2004-09-15 05:34 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] glass-of-gold.livejournal.com
lol Maybe crying over a cassette tape case is indicative of being stressed out. XD

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