I recently discovered a new website that I think EVERYONE can benefit from. http://www.mint.com. Sign up, it will literally only take you 3 minutes, and it's free. Halleluia!
I try to keep a good handle on my finances. Mounds of student loans and living in the bay area means that I always need to know what my finances are looking like at any given time, lest I overspend. I update my checkbook pretty frequently, and recently set up an excel spreadsheet to track my expenses in. These worked well enough until MINT entered my life.
You can set up your mint account to pull information from some or all of your accounts. Every time I use my debit card, mint records it. Every time I deposit money into my savings account, mint records it. Heck, mint even lets me know how much debt vs. income I have, and how many days I have until I need to pay my credit card. Any expenses that mint is unable to classify on its own, you can place into a category (e.g. food/dining, personal, healthcare, etc.). Mint has all sorts of graphs and pies to keep track of how much you spend on each of your different purchase (for instance, I realized I'm eating out at Ratto's too much for my own good!).
Every wondered how your spending habits measure up to others? Mint can tell you that, too. You can select any of your spending categories, and a city to compare your expenditures against. Then you can find out how much, say, an average Oaktowner is spending on shopping (way more than me) or paying off loans (waaaaaay less than me). Another great feature about mint is that it can tell you about ways to SAVE money depending on the types of purchases you are making.
And finally, mint.com is just plain cool. It's got a streamlined, easily accesible interface, and it doesn't take a tutorial to figure out how to navigate through its pages.
Try it out! You'll be thanking me (no, I'm not a mint.com spokesperson, I swear).
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
Is there an OCD side of you?
I am the first to admit I'm a huge nerd. The silly, trivial things that can make me happy are something I usually keep to myself for fear of ridicule. But there are some things I just can't keep to myself.
Today I got soooo excited when I found the following:
http://www.realsimple.com/realsimple/browse/organize/0,21771,6502030000-Issue_Date-desc-95-1-25,00.html: Gotta love Real Simple. Looking for a way to keep track of your bills and when to pay them? How about good ideas of Christmas gifts for people? How about a cleaning schedule that tells you how often you should clean different areas of your home? You can find it here!
http://www.printablechecklists.com/: this one is less exciting since it's more geared toward adults with children, but still has lots of different categories of checklists.
I don't know what I find so gratifying about making lists, checking things off lists, etc, but it's absolutely cathartic. Yes, I am the biggest dork in the universe. But admit it: you're going to download some of these, aren't you?
Today I got soooo excited when I found the following:
http://www.realsimple.com/realsimple/browse/organize/0,21771,6502030000-Issue_Date-desc-95-1-25,00.html: Gotta love Real Simple. Looking for a way to keep track of your bills and when to pay them? How about good ideas of Christmas gifts for people? How about a cleaning schedule that tells you how often you should clean different areas of your home? You can find it here!
http://www.printablechecklists.com/: this one is less exciting since it's more geared toward adults with children, but still has lots of different categories of checklists.
I don't know what I find so gratifying about making lists, checking things off lists, etc, but it's absolutely cathartic. Yes, I am the biggest dork in the universe. But admit it: you're going to download some of these, aren't you?
Friday, February 15, 2008
Major life changes are keeping me busy!
I've been terrible about updating my blog recently--but I am not without excuses! I was out of town the first portion of February, back east celebrating my mom's birthday and meeting my friend Steph's new little baby.
Since I returned this past Sunday, I've been wishing I was an octopus with eight hands so that I could take care of everything I need to between now and the beginning of March.
I am pleased to say that I have accepted a new job position with another company, and will start mid-March. However, I'm travelling to Las Vegas and Phoenix within the next two weeks for two different tradeshows, making a presentation in front of 100 people (I'm terrified), and writing another article on cool roofs. And that's in addition to wrapping up all the little tasks here and there to transition workload to others. Please, send me some words of encouragement! I need them.
When I am able to make a little time for myself (hopefully this weekend), I will recap my trip and job transitioning in more depth.
Adieu for now.
Since I returned this past Sunday, I've been wishing I was an octopus with eight hands so that I could take care of everything I need to between now and the beginning of March.
I am pleased to say that I have accepted a new job position with another company, and will start mid-March. However, I'm travelling to Las Vegas and Phoenix within the next two weeks for two different tradeshows, making a presentation in front of 100 people (I'm terrified), and writing another article on cool roofs. And that's in addition to wrapping up all the little tasks here and there to transition workload to others. Please, send me some words of encouragement! I need them.
When I am able to make a little time for myself (hopefully this weekend), I will recap my trip and job transitioning in more depth.
Adieu for now.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Second post of the day....on persistence
Today was one of those blah days....a day where I was having trouble not wallowing and feeling discouraged. Thank you, Matthew for sending such inspiring quotes about persistence (which I need to do in many areas of my life right now). Here are a few of the ones I found particularly provocative:
1. Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them - every day begin the task anew. Saint Francis de Sales
2. That which we persist in doing becomes easier, not that the task itself has become easier, but that our ability to perform it has improved. Ralph Waldo Emerson
3. We are made to persist. That's how we find out who we are. Tobias Wolff, 'In Pharaoh's Army'
4. If you can solve your problem, then what is the need of worrying? If you cannot solve it, then what is the use of worrying? Shantideva
5. Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight. Benjamin Franklin
6. There are admirable potentialities in every human being. Believe in your strength and your youth. Learn to repeat endlessly to yourself, 'It all depends on me.' Andre Gide
Without persistence, I could not have made this adorable baby booty for my friend Stephanie's baby, Issac (born yesterday):
or this elliptical machine, which I haven't used yet, but I swear I plan to (I have to give Matt a nod for helping with this torturous task as well):
**And a special thank you to Kathleen for knowing to play the New Order song that never fails to cheer me up at work, and to Monique for her brilliant brainstorming of short-term goals**
On a completely different tangent...Saturday, Matt and I went to the DeYoung Museum, and here are some photos from our trip....
And this is why she is my favorite poet...
A Pretty Song by Mary Oliver
From the complications of loving you
I think there is no end or return.
No answer, no coming out of it.
Which is the only way to love, isn't it?
This isn't a playground, this is
earth, our heaven, for a while.
Therefore I have given precedence
to all my sudden, sullen, dark moods
that hold you in the center of my world.
And I say to my body: grow thinner still.
And I say to my fingers, type me a pretty song.
And I say to my heart: rave on.
I absolutely love this poem. It is from Mary Oliver's book of poems entitled Thirst, which came out in 2006. This is so evocative to me, something I could have written myself. She reminds me of why I love poetry, and I why I feel compelled to write. Sometimes regular prose just doesn't convey the feeling and meaning you want it to.
From the complications of loving you
I think there is no end or return.
No answer, no coming out of it.
Which is the only way to love, isn't it?
This isn't a playground, this is
earth, our heaven, for a while.
Therefore I have given precedence
to all my sudden, sullen, dark moods
that hold you in the center of my world.
And I say to my body: grow thinner still.
And I say to my fingers, type me a pretty song.
And I say to my heart: rave on.
I absolutely love this poem. It is from Mary Oliver's book of poems entitled Thirst, which came out in 2006. This is so evocative to me, something I could have written myself. She reminds me of why I love poetry, and I why I feel compelled to write. Sometimes regular prose just doesn't convey the feeling and meaning you want it to.
Friday, January 18, 2008
My Newest Obsession (thank you, Steph)
Not all blog posts are created equal. Today's is going to be short and sweet. I have a new obsession that I need to share with everyone else I can think of: http://www.etsy.com/.
Not only do I want literally EVERYTHING on this website, it has also inspired me to move forward with some of my own creative ideas. Could I turn my new knack for knitting into something profitable and pleasing to others? How about my love for journals of all shapes, sizes, and varieties? I've always wanted to learn to make stationery...now could be the time!
That said, don't be surprised if I start saying I'm too busy to be social...I could seriously see myself becoming engulfed by this drive to be crafty. I've always had this fantasy of going into business for myself...something creative-minded. I love the idea of running my own website, boutique, or blog. Maybe I actually have the willpower and the wherewithall to make it happen. Who knows...
I'm curious...what is your fantasy job?
Not only do I want literally EVERYTHING on this website, it has also inspired me to move forward with some of my own creative ideas. Could I turn my new knack for knitting into something profitable and pleasing to others? How about my love for journals of all shapes, sizes, and varieties? I've always wanted to learn to make stationery...now could be the time!
That said, don't be surprised if I start saying I'm too busy to be social...I could seriously see myself becoming engulfed by this drive to be crafty. I've always had this fantasy of going into business for myself...something creative-minded. I love the idea of running my own website, boutique, or blog. Maybe I actually have the willpower and the wherewithall to make it happen. Who knows...
I'm curious...what is your fantasy job?
Friday, January 4, 2008
Real East Bay Winters
Today has been what I would consider my first “real” east bay winter experience. Last winter, I was told by my boyfriend and my coworkers that the season was uncharacteristic, and that normally, rain falls steadily and the winter months are damp and grey. Since I didn’t see much of that happen, I didn’t get my first real “taste” until this year. Now I know that the rain can come down just as hard as it can in the summer months back in good ‘ole Connecticut.
As it happened, I was working from home this morning awaiting the arrival of a super-cheap elliptical machine I just ordered (let’s hope it doesn’t fall apart the first time I hop on it!). I sat comfortably at my work station in my bathrobe and faux-fur trimmed slippers while wet, rainy weather-clad people stood morosely waiting for their bus to come (have I mentioned that I live directly above a bustling bus line? I’m finally getting used to the constant hum of AC Transit outside my window). There were veritable swimming-pool-sized puddles on the sidewalks, and it looked like the River Thames was flowing down MacArthur Boulevard. I thanked my lucky stars that I did not have to brave the weather trying to get in to the office. There is only limited parking available (for a price) at my office, so in recent months I’ve been bussing it or carpooling. My carpool buddy has been out on vacation all week. I might have joined the morose masses were in not for the 60-pound hunk of metal I was waiting to have delivered.
When the UPS man finally dropped off my machine, he looked at me (still in my bathrobe and slippers), and said, “I wish I was in your shoes today.” I realized for the first time today how much this crappy weather sucks for delivery people. I mean, we all know that they are out in the elements every day dropping off our precious parcels, but maybe we don’t give it much thought. It was raining cats and dogs, and this delivery had to lug my package out of his truck. I thanked him and told him I thought I could get the thing upstairs myself. Then I told him to have a good weekend. He gave me a look as if to say, “Thanks, people don’t say that kind of thing to me very often” and told me to do the same. I then proceeded to nearly break my back getting my package upstairs. Heck, I don’t need to assemble that thing now—it was work out enough getting it into my apartment!
The kitties were happy to have me at home with them. They literally stepped on top of each other, scrambling to be on my lap as I worked at my laptop. Yes, that’s right, I said kitties. Matt hasn’t taken Violet yet, but tonight she goes to his house. Fiona will be sad to lose her play buddy, but I hope she can make due with her human. I swear, cats really do sleep 20 hours of the day. They slept a majority of the time I was here during the day, and yet they usually sleep until I go to bed around 11:30 p.m. too. They only decide that they are energetic when I turn out the lights. Yes, I know…they are nocturnal. I wonder if there is a way to train them not to be.
The other day I was lamenting the fact that my new 5-year diary (which I expressly requested for Christmas) allows only enough space to write about 5 abbreviated sentences. If the diary allowed any more room, it would be the size of the ten commandments tablet, and not the cute, compact book size that it is right now. I’m still getting used to this whole blogging thing, so it didn’t immediately occur to me that I can summarize the day’s events in the hard-copy diary, and then keep a more detailed account of my life online. I still worry that all of the computers in the world could go kaput, and I might lose all of my memories. But I’ll give this a shot.
Poor Matt had his titanium implant at the periodontist yesterday, and has been relegated to eating only tepid, mushy food (think: lots of jamba juice) for an undetermined amount of time. That said, I’ve got to go prepare his pasta and refrigerate it so it’s cool by the time he gets here.
Here’s a message to all: don’t fall out of a tree on your face when you’re ten…or at any age. It could haunt you for a long time like poor Matthew. :(
As it happened, I was working from home this morning awaiting the arrival of a super-cheap elliptical machine I just ordered (let’s hope it doesn’t fall apart the first time I hop on it!). I sat comfortably at my work station in my bathrobe and faux-fur trimmed slippers while wet, rainy weather-clad people stood morosely waiting for their bus to come (have I mentioned that I live directly above a bustling bus line? I’m finally getting used to the constant hum of AC Transit outside my window). There were veritable swimming-pool-sized puddles on the sidewalks, and it looked like the River Thames was flowing down MacArthur Boulevard. I thanked my lucky stars that I did not have to brave the weather trying to get in to the office. There is only limited parking available (for a price) at my office, so in recent months I’ve been bussing it or carpooling. My carpool buddy has been out on vacation all week. I might have joined the morose masses were in not for the 60-pound hunk of metal I was waiting to have delivered.
When the UPS man finally dropped off my machine, he looked at me (still in my bathrobe and slippers), and said, “I wish I was in your shoes today.” I realized for the first time today how much this crappy weather sucks for delivery people. I mean, we all know that they are out in the elements every day dropping off our precious parcels, but maybe we don’t give it much thought. It was raining cats and dogs, and this delivery had to lug my package out of his truck. I thanked him and told him I thought I could get the thing upstairs myself. Then I told him to have a good weekend. He gave me a look as if to say, “Thanks, people don’t say that kind of thing to me very often” and told me to do the same. I then proceeded to nearly break my back getting my package upstairs. Heck, I don’t need to assemble that thing now—it was work out enough getting it into my apartment!
The kitties were happy to have me at home with them. They literally stepped on top of each other, scrambling to be on my lap as I worked at my laptop. Yes, that’s right, I said kitties. Matt hasn’t taken Violet yet, but tonight she goes to his house. Fiona will be sad to lose her play buddy, but I hope she can make due with her human. I swear, cats really do sleep 20 hours of the day. They slept a majority of the time I was here during the day, and yet they usually sleep until I go to bed around 11:30 p.m. too. They only decide that they are energetic when I turn out the lights. Yes, I know…they are nocturnal. I wonder if there is a way to train them not to be.
The other day I was lamenting the fact that my new 5-year diary (which I expressly requested for Christmas) allows only enough space to write about 5 abbreviated sentences. If the diary allowed any more room, it would be the size of the ten commandments tablet, and not the cute, compact book size that it is right now. I’m still getting used to this whole blogging thing, so it didn’t immediately occur to me that I can summarize the day’s events in the hard-copy diary, and then keep a more detailed account of my life online. I still worry that all of the computers in the world could go kaput, and I might lose all of my memories. But I’ll give this a shot.
Poor Matt had his titanium implant at the periodontist yesterday, and has been relegated to eating only tepid, mushy food (think: lots of jamba juice) for an undetermined amount of time. That said, I’ve got to go prepare his pasta and refrigerate it so it’s cool by the time he gets here.
Here’s a message to all: don’t fall out of a tree on your face when you’re ten…or at any age. It could haunt you for a long time like poor Matthew. :(
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