Fabulous Friday: "Are You Drunk?"

My work spouse forwarded this to me yesterday and I started laughing so hard my head hurt.

Here's the link: http://eatingtheroad.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/where-should-i-eat-fast-food-edition-flowchart/


There's one for chain resturants and cereals.

Enjoy.

Money Monday: Little Known Facts that Effect Your Credit Score

Found this article yesterday on Yahoo Finance and it's the first time I've ever seen a breakdown of how much certain actions will damage your credit.

Here's the article: How Common Mistakes Effect Your Credit Score
Here is the chart:

Still think this doesn't effect you?

Here's another way to look at (excerpt from the article)

"In order to show just how badly a drop in your FICO score can hurt your wallet, we spoke with members of the home mortgage, auto and credit card lending industries. We presented hypothetical scenarios of a consumer who decided to apply for a $200,000, 30-year mortgage; a $20,000, five-year auto loan and a credit card... they were able to provide an idea of what a borrower who had the following credit scores could expect.

For a Consumer Who Started With a FICO Score of 780:
-Following a 30-day late payment, the consumer's car loan rate would jump nearly 3 percent, costing the borrower $26 more each month.
-Following a debt settlement, the consumer would pay as much as $109 more each month on a home mortgage.

For a Consumer Who Started With a FICO Score of 680:
-Following a 30-day late payment, the consumer would pay $41 more each month for a car loan.
-Following a 30-day late payment, the consumer would pay as much as $95 more each month on a home mortgage.
-Following a debt settlement, the consumer would no longer qualify for a credit card."\

If you own a home and car (or are thinking about purchasing one) that's almost $1700 extra PER YEAR that you're paying because you were 30 days late on your credit card. That's the average person's car payment for 4-6 months.

Something to think about before you charge your holiday shopping without knowing how you're going to pay for it...

Money Monday: Holiday Shopping

The holiday season is upon us. I thought you all might enjoy this as you start looking at your holiday shopping list.

Budget For Holiday Shopping

Personally, I'll be looking at some Amazon.com (Y.M. has me addicted) on Thursday and Friday because of their awesome price matching and shipping straight to my job.

How does barbecue sauce differ from region to region?

How does barbecue sauce differ from region to region?

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Fabulous Friday: One more reason to go on a diet...

Can fatty food make you stupid?
I knew fatty foods made you fat and there are a lot of fat stupid people (see: http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/) ...but I thought it was correlation not causation.

Sigh.

Money Monday: I had to share this...

...because this puts my industruy into terms everyone can understand.

Plus it's funny.


Courtesy of: http://www.zwixy.com

Teach It Tuesday: U.S.'s Smartest Cities

I have to share this

One more reason that Raleigh > Charlotte

:-)

Money Monday: Back-Ass-Wards

I was watching a Dairy Queen commercial and I had an epiphany.

The western world is messed up. In the rest of the world if you are poor, you don't have enough food,you are skinny and malnutritioned. However in the West, especially in America, if you are poor you are the more likely you are to be fat.

Think about it: 99 cent Value Meals at Wendy's, Dollar Menu at McDonald's, 5 for $5 deal at Arby's and pick 3 for $4 combo at Dairy Queen; you can get an entire meal for $3.00-$4.00 from your favorite fast food place but you'll get 850-1,200+ calories with that $1 fry.

But...

If you want to eat a wholesome lunch balanced 400-500 calorie lunch at Whole Foods it will cost you a good $5-$10.

So in the words of Main Thang (that's a whole 'nother blog post...) "Do the math."

You can have a $5 side salad or you can have 5 roast beef sandwiches. If you're broke than obviously you're trying to get the most for your money and therefore Arby's will probably win.

(house)Work Wednesdays: Real Simple's September 2009 Keep-It-Together Checklist

This list is exactky what I needed for this month.

Check it out:
September 2009 Keep-It-Together Checklist

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Teach it Tuesdays: Spell Check...

Thanks to MS Office and phones that complete our words, an increasing number of Americans can't spell for s**t. Unfortunately, I am included in this number.

On yesterday's post I spelled what should have been "their" (as in the possessive) "there" (as in the noun.) This is really sad coming from a former spelling bee champion (it was elementary school but still.)

This is an interesting article about the "lost art" of spelling. http://www.audiblox2000.com/learning_disabilities/spelling_problems.htm

Money Monday: How Americans spent there money

Since this was the last weekend for awhile that I don't have anything planned, (it's wedding season, part deux) so I was getting my life in order. Whilst reading through some emails I came across this one from a work colleague: How The Average U.S. Consumer Spends Their Paycheck.

Now the one thing that is clearly missing from this chart is any debt payments; not the things you charge to you your card every month (like food and clothes) but the cost of your debt (such as interest and fees.)

Either way, this chart is interesting and worth taking a look at. And while you're at it...

Take an hour and look at where you're money's going. I recommend using www.mint.com, it'll change the way you see your money. :-)

Selfish Sundays: Me Time

I have never been one who was obessessed with "me time."

All through college I was constantly with people and my idea of "getting away" was just to switch the group of people I was hanging out with for a short period of time. My over scheduled life plus dorm room and sorority house living didn't exactly lend it self to time with one's self.

But now the tides are turning...

Exihibit A: Two Friday nights ago

In lieu of going out with the crew, I decided to take advantage of Yankee Manfriend being out of the house by having a date with the dog, some chinese food, wine, and a girl double feature. It felt amazing.

Exhibit B: Last night Thursday Night

Though I was tempted with a trip to Blu with the coworkers, a dinner and a movie date with Ms. Symm, and a movie date with Y.M. I decided to put myself first and stick to my original plan for the evening: Be in my pjs and in the bed by 7pm...with a Big Mac and apple pie...and watching the Wedding Planner.

And you know what...I feel much more sane because of it. :-)

Fabulous Fridays: Cellllllebraaaaaationnnnnnn

So my mommy is the new social chair of her department at work. Basically this means she is supposed to bring food and bring celebrations to her department. Here's the challenge though: Because she works for the state government, she's not allowed to celebrate any holidays or birthdays for fear of alienating people due to their religious beliefs. My mommy, quite perplexed on what to do, called me for some advice.

My solution: celebrate fake holidays

You know, like National Doughnut Day or National Relaxation Day. I did a little research and discovered that there's something to celebrate almost everyday.

Here's the list, http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/index.htm, for those days that you can't find anything to celebrate. :-)

Thoughtful Thursday: Where have I been?

Though this summer has been full of "enlightenment," life has been crazy and blogging comes after sleep in the priority list.

I vow to pick up my blogging again in August. :-)

Thoughtful Thursday: Remembering your inner fat kid

Everyone had that awkward stage in life. It may have been when you were 5 or it may be still happening now, but everyone has it. And as awful as it was and no matter how great a job you've done of becoming a better person, I think that it's very important to never forget that stage in your life.

Why?

Because that's where you're humility comes from.

It doesn't matter if you've become a supermodel from being a fat kid or Rico Suave from being socially awkward, you need to always remember where you came from; and more importantly how you felt during that stage.

Remembering when you were, "Fat kid," "Four-eyes," "Pizza face," "Weirdo," "Nerd/Dork/Geek," or "Freak" can keep you from getting to big for your britches and make you a better person. :-)

Fabulous Friday: Closets...Again

It's that time of year. It's getting hot and it's going to stay that way so it's time to put away the winter wear and bring out the sundresses, mini skirts, tanks, and sandals. Unless you're like me and you look in your closet and realize all you own is jeans and black dress pants...then it's time to go shopping. :-)

This week thanks to a sale and a coupon at New York and Company, I was able to get 2 pairs of shorts, 2 shirts, a belt, a pair of dress pants, and some breath mints for under $50. :-)

They are all pieces that will easily mix and match with each other and my existing wardrobe, which is the middle of being revamped. I was only able to shop effectively shop because I had done the steps 3 steps in this "5 cheap tricks to fix your closet" so I knew EXACTLY what I had in my closet and what I needed to round some outfits out.

Read through it and happy shopping.

Thoughtful Thursday: Talking = Overrated?

So yesterday afternoon I realized that I spent a lot of time talking to Stepdog (Yankee Manfriend's 4 year old "puppy.") I mean A-L-O-T.

To you pet owners: You know exactly what I'm talking about.
To you non-pet owners: Don't judge. Pets are an endless stream of praise, love and affirmation and everybody needs that. (Plus pet owners live lover than non-pet owners so :-P)

I ask her questions when I'm thinking out loud. I tell her my to-do list. I ask her if she has to go to the bathroom. I ask her if she would like to go see her aunt Lisa and play with Tank and Delta. I'll ask her if she's already had dinner. I even let her choose her treat if she's been a good girl.

And do you know what I get in return?

Her version of communication: "Woof," kisses, and a whole lot of funny facial expressions. She can only say one thing and yet she always manages to communicate (and get) exactly what she wants.

You can't help but think maybe talking is a bit overrated; maybe it's actually getting in the way of us actually communicating...

(house)Work Wednesday: These are a few of my favorite things

I love to organize things.
I love plastic Sterilite containers.
I love matching hangers.
I love label makers.

And I love Real Simple for putting this into their email: Organize Your Closet Like a Pro

Happy Organizing.

(house)Work Wednesday: Oh that whole resolution thing...

So in an effort to get back on track with my (house)Work Wednesday Resolution I made the following three dinners in the past week or so.

• Chicken Wings (courtesy of Allrecipes.com)
• Parmesan Stuffed Chicken with Melted Strawberries (courtesy of BHG.com)
• Garlic Cheddar Chicken (courtesy of Allrecipes.com)*

* This is the one Y.M. liked the best.

What did I learn in my cooking adventures?

• "Louisiana hot sauce" DOES NOT equal "regular hot sauce" (aka Texas Pete.) If you are going to use Louisiana sauce, then you should water it down OR just don't use as much.
• Flour thickens up sauces if they don't stay on wings (courtesy of my Y.M.)
• You should really buy the regular chicken breast instead of the thinly cut...but if you buy the thinly cut by accident, you can always just fold the chicken in half; then it's just folded, instead of "stuffed." :-)

Money Monday: "On Your Side"

Jumped the gun a bit BUT...

We had some amazing news at work today.

McKinney is "on your side."

and the Press Release

YAY!!!!

Selfish Sunday: "Gentlemen Start Your Engines..."

This weekend I'm slated to do A LOT of work. And normally I would not let anything distract me from doing that work, because I believe in doing what I promised others I will do.

However, when free tickets for the NASCAR race in Richmond became available yesterday morning, I decided that some self gratification was in order. Though I did work in the car...and all of today (Sunday)...I still think it was completely worth it spend my Saturday crossing something off my bucket list since the PERFECT situation arouse.

What was the perfect situation?

Y.M. ended up with an invite to join Neb at the race (since Lisa couldn't come because she was busy with this awesome event) at around 10am; they decided to head up together around noon, leaving me with the stepdog. As they were packing up to go, Mrs. R-D called to brag about how she, her hubby, and his coworkers had gotten free tickets to the race and knew her NASCAR fan friends would be jealous...only to find out that they were on their way there too. So they decided to meet up at the tailgate and then continued packing. Then Mrs. R-D discovered that her group had one extra ticket and asked me to go (HELL YEAH!!!.) One phone call to my mommy to make sure she could watch the stepdog, beer run, and shower later, the three of us are on the way to Richmond for my first NASCAR race. And I didn't have to do anything but sit in the car and not get lost once we got the race. :-) And the whole trip cost me less than $30.

See? Perfection.

Perhaps it was someone from above letting me know that I need to take some me time, especially when I've had a week like this past one...and I really appreciate it.

Teach It Tuesday: Toes

Earlier this week I was late to a meeting at work and there weren't enough chairs so I sat on the floor. During the meeting (of course as I was paying attention to everything going on in the meeting) I starting looking around at the only thing I could see: people's feet.

As I looked around I noticed something: Everyone's big toe was shorter than their second toe. And on some people's feet their big toes were really short, like even with their third toe short.

Now on my feet my big toe and second toe are the same size and if anything my big toe is a little bit longer. I know that some people have longer second toes (like my Manfriend) but I didn't realize I was so outnumbered. This got me looking into what the toe length variation means, genetically and otherwise and this is what Google told me:

• If your big toe is longer than you second, your feet are better built for athletics, particularly sprinting.
• Italians (like Y.M.), Greeks and other people from the Mediterranean region tend to have a longer second toe. Same goes for people of Celtic descent.
• Speaking of Italians...Some Italian folklore says that if you have a longer second toe you are a dominant personality and will be the "boss of the family." (Mob or otherwise...)
• A Des Moines University study of children born in the US and UK showed that those who were born with longer second toes made better grades in school and did well in aptitude tests.
• The same study says that people with longer second toes are highly disproportionally represented in death rows and in psychiatric facilities for the criminally insane.
• More than 90% of the adult population have a longer big toe than second toe. (Although apparently they don't work at my job...)
• And even though it is the most common "foot architecture" to have a longer big toe, it (like having white skin) is a recessive trait.

Go ahead. Look at your feet.

I know you want to. :-P

Thoughtful Thursday: Maybe We Should Be More Like Animals...

This week a lot of animal clips have come through my inbox and DVR that reminds me of how people could learn a lot from animals.

Baby and Boxer


Bella and Tara


Christian the Lion


Do differences really matter?

(house)Work Wednesday: Spring is in the Air

Two Sundays ago Lisa, YM, and NEB went to the Southern Ideal Home Show for a very domestic double date. Plus we won free tickets so why not?

Anyway after an afternoon of searching the fairgrounds for the perfect hot tub, closet organization system, and appliances for my future house, we headed to Cameron Bar and Grill for a late lunch. Lisa and I had the Strawberry Salad and it was amazing...

...so amazing that I wanted it again for my late dinner...but I couldn't justify $16 in salads in 5 hours. Sigh. So instead of getting the salad, I headed to Harris Teeter for the weekly produce trip and went to get all my lunch meats and such. As walked through the deli a light bulb went off in my head: MAKE THE SALAD YOURSELF!!!

Now I know most people might have thought of this, but I am not the type to think of restaurant food as something I can DIY-ify but this seemed like a good start.

Here's how it broke down-

• 1/2 pound of fresh Salad Mix: $3


• 1 1lb tub of strawberries on VIC card special: $1.25


• 1 bottle of light raspberry vinagrette dressing: $2.49
  


• A dash of sugar because I don't like the candied pecans in the original salad: $0
  


• Some feta cheese from my fridge: $0

= 3 Strawberry Salads for $6.74 + tax.

And voila!!!

Isn't it pretty?

Teach It Tuesday: My new "favorite" foods

I went to the doctor a couple weeks back and after some blood test was told that I have high cholesterol. I expected it to be a little high from my awesome college eating habits, but didn't expect it to be as high as it was...especially since I'm in my mid 20s.

Luckily because I am in my mid 20s, there's changes I can make now to get it back down where it should be and keep it there without medication or too much worry about long lasting damage. In honor of my cholesterol enlightenment, here are some facts about it that I hope will help you all out.

• Your cholesterol should be under 200mg/DL and your triglyceride level should be under 150 mg/dL.
• One of the main sources of cholesterol in the human diet is animal fats (especially in red meat and eggs.)
• Foods that are high in saturated and/or trans fat are usually also high in cholesterol.
• Cholesterol is required to built and maintain cell membranes but your body creates cholesterol on its own, so you don't have to eat it to get enough of it.
• A person with normal cholesterol levels should limit themselves to 300mg of cholesterol a day to remain healthy. Those who need to lower it (like me) should stick to 200mg or less.
• If you want to lower your cholesterol, foods that are high in soluble fiber will help a lot.

This is the "increase these in your diet list" from my doctor:

• Soy products
• Red wine
• Oatmeal
• Almonds
• Fish
• Garlic

High cholesterol can lead to a higher risk of heart disease because cholesterol will sit on the walls of your arteries like spackle, making it difficult for blood to flow properly. Ewww.

Here's an additional source for more information: American Heart Association

Money Monday: 10 Commandments- Courtesy of MSN Money

I came across this Financial Commandments for Your 20s and I thought of all the people who I know who need to read this article.

Basically:

1. Thou shall plan ahead
2. Thou shall live WITHIN your means
3. Thou shall make saving a habit
4. Thou shall pay off your credit cards
5. Thou shall start investing
6. Thou shall establish credit
7. Thou shall develop a marketable skill
8. Thou shall cut the financial umbilical cord
9. Thou shall marry wisely
10. Thou shall have fun

I think I'm in good shape but it's always nice to have a easy to understand reminder.

Sabbatical Saturday: Day trips can help you make it between vacations

My Yankee Manfriend and I have been trying to get away for a long weekend vacation for awhile and it just isn't working out and isn't going to anytime soon. Finally we (mainly Y.M.) decided that just because we don't have time for a full blown trip doesn't mean we can't get away for the day and enjoy a change of scenery.

So we woke up this morning and headed to the NC Zoo (which we've been trying to do for the last two years...) Most def a needed break from town after the last couple weeks of work and will tide me over until I can get away for a real vacation.



Secondary enlightenment: People watching at the Zoo might be more entertaining than looking at the animals...but that's another post...

Teach It Tuesday: Hypoallergenic Dog Breeds

I have quite a few people in my life that have pet allergies and quite a few that are pet owners, which can cause a clash when trying to have events or company.

E shared a list of Hypoallergenic Dog Breeds with me as we were looking to see if our friends would have a reaction to the newest addition to their family. Here's the abbreviated version (of dogs I've actually heard of):

Bearded Collie
Bolognese
Fox Terrier (Wire)
Greyhound
Goldendoodle
Irish Water Spaniel
Italian Greyhound
Maltese
Poodles
Poodle hybrid
Pomeranian
Schnauzers
Scottish Terrier
Welsh Terrier
Yorkshire Terrier

For a more complete list and the reason each breed is hypoallergenic go to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypoallergenic_dog_breeds


So will there be a problem? Nope, the little addition is a Pomeranian. :-)

Edit: Too bad Y.M.'s furry child is not on the list...and sheds enough to make a floor length coat every three days. Thank goodness for the Dyson.

house(Work) Wednesday: Medicine Cabinets

Since me and Y.M. have resigned our lease for another year (blah...) I've decided that I need to do a little sprucing up around the townhouse to keep my nesting instinct at bay. (After all, I've moved every July for the last 6 years and now I'm going to miss my yearly redecoration.)

Since saving to pay of student loans is a higher priority than redecorating in the allocation of my finances, I'm always looking for cost effective ways to nest in my rented space.

I saw this on medicine cabinet decoration on Real Simple and I think it would be a cute Saturday afternoon project for the guest bathroom. I think it's too girly for Y.M. (who gets the medicine cabinet to himself in exchange for me getting all the other cabinets in the bathroom) but who knows...he may not even notice it...

Money Monday: Credit Myths in 60 seconds

This came through my RSS from Lifehacker and I thought it was worth passing along.

Money Monday: Career Log

In my RSS feed this week came up a "How To" that I think everyone should do:

How to Keep a Career Log

I have a lot of friends that are in the job market, or are fearfully they soon will be, and are having a hard time with getting their resumes to speak to the people they are hoping will employ them. By keeping a Career Log it's easier to reflect on projects and roles you have experienced that may help you land that next position. :-)

Money Monday: Why do you do what you do?

I am one of those people that is lucky enough to love my job but this post from my sorority sister at Darling Dexter got me thinking because a lot of my friends that are 1-2 years out of college seem to be dealing with this same internal issue.

Just thought I'd pass this along because I think this is a good articulation of a problem a lot of 20 somethings (and beyond) face.

Thoughtful Thursday: Resolutions Revisited

So I thought this Thursday I would look back and see how I was doing on my New Years Resolutions.

1. My Thoughtful Thursday resolution: Do a better job of deciding what I want and making a plan to get there. So far this is going pretty well, I've planned out my 1, 2, and 5 year career plans and discussed them with my boss so we're all on the same page.
2. Fabulous Friday: Resolution #2: Shop more. Check. Spurred by the need to do some shopping for a fabulous weekend in Vegas with my girls, I have increased my spending on clothing and have purchased one item suitable for the 9-5 every two weeks. Additionally, with the help of Lisa's plan to also eat in more during the week (Lisa, her boy N.E.B., my Y.M. and myself were double dating it 2-3 times a week), I've cut my "Restaurant" spending by $50 in both January and February. Yay!!!
3. Sabbatical Saturday: Resolution #3:Vacation more. Already hit Vegas (and was under budget by the way...) with the girls in February and I have a plan to go to Houston and Dallas in June taking care of quarters 1 and 2 of this year.
4. Selfish Sundays: Resolution #4: Take one day a month off to do NOTHING but exactly what I want to do. Sadly this is one that I'm failing on so far. The second half of January and all of February came and went without a day where there wasn't something on the agenda. I guess I'll have to take two days in March...
5. Money Monday: Resolution #5: Track my finances using the Mint.com. CHECK! I love Mint as much as I love Google...and that's saying a lot.
6. Teach It Tuesday: Resolution #6: Take classes. Hmm...I have failed to sign up for any classes so far this year. Need to get on that...
7. (house)Work Wednesday: Resolution #7: Cook more meals at home. In January I cooked my one meal from scratch (Simply Chicken Parm from Allrecipes.com) but in February I didn't cook a single meal and I was supposed to do 2...boo...

So here's where we stand-

• Done (100%)- 4
• Half assed (50%)- 1
• Haven't even started (0%)- 2

My resolution score: 64% completed

How are you doing with your goals?

Money Monday: Haggling...umm...Negotiating

Got this article about haggling prices from Ladies Home Journal (yep...LHJ...I'll admit I get a weekly newsletter from them.)

How to Save Money on Just About Anything

What are things worth haggling for? According to LHJ...

1. Big ticket items
2. Hotel rooms (FACT, saved my crew $300 on a trip to Vegas recently...)
3. Bulk purchases
4. Anything damaged
5. Anything already marked down
6. Healthcare

Selfish Sunday: Rainy Days

Rainy day + stuffy nose day 10 = Changing my agenda for the day from meetings all day to my favorite pajamas + a book + my bed + Advil Cold and Sinus.

Sometimes you just have to take care of yourself. Just sayin'.

Teach It Tuesday: "Did You Know"

I put this as an entry to the McKinney blog (http://www.fivewords.mckinney.com/) but I decided to share it with all of you as well.





My how things have changed...

Fabulous Friday: The new way to shoe shop

I like comparison shopping. I hate walking/driving around to do so. I hate even more when I buy something that is 90% what I want to find something that is PERFECT a week later...usually after the receipt for the first purchase has found it's way to the trash can.

Thanks to the people at Lifehacker I found this site: www.modista.com and it's AMAZING.

1. You can click on a shoe (or purse) that you think is cute.
2. The site shows you the item you selected and then items that are similar to it in shape and/or color.
3. Find something you like better and then click that and the process repeates itself.

And you can look at the prices at of all the items so you can see if there's something very similar for a good chunk of change cheaper. Love it.

(house)Work Wednesday: Cleaning for Guest

No one likes to clean bathrooms. But having 4 people share one bathroom for a week (must get at least two full baths next time around...) means that the bathroom has to be cleaned before our guest arrive.

Here's a quick bathroom cleaning guide from Katie at The Hyper Homemaker.

Bathroom done in under 10 minutes. Love it.

Teach It Tuesday: Stretch Marks...yay...

I'm back from my blogging hiatus.

It's February and the holiday hangover is long gone and it's time to start thinking about getting ready for bathing suit season. I know a lot of my friends are concerned about stretch marks as they have either lost or gained weight rapidly in our post-collegiate lives.

Here's a link from wikiHow on how to get rid of them. I'm a fan of doing #2 with the cocoa butter.

Good luck people.

Thoughtful Thursday: First Class Brains

This quote has hit my inboxes multiple times this week and it's totally worth a really thinking about it for a moment.

F. Scott Fitzgerald said: “The test of a first class mind is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in the head at the same time and still be able to function.”

-Are you first class...or not?

-Are you first class in some areas because you don't care about them at all and you have no opinion or because you care about them a lot?

house(Work) Wednesday: Winter Wonderland

Here in North Carolina we had our first big snow of the season and I felt unprepared. In thinking about how to winterize my life, I started thinking about about frozen pipes. Now like most 20-somethings, I'm a renter and I usually wouldn't even think about the pipes BUT since I just changed my renters insurance policy (to USAA, the best insurance company EVER) and one of the things they mentioned was burst pipes in the winter, it was a little more top of mind.

Here's some tips from State Farm about how to prevent burst pipes that could flood your house, apartment, or condo and cause thousands of dollars of damage to your building and property.

Stay warm.

Teach It Tuesday: Presidential Knowledge

In honor of the inauguration of our 44th president I thought some random presidential knowledge was appropriate.

• The U.S. President serves as both the head of state and the head of government. (In the U.K. the Queen is the head of state and the Prime Minister is the head of government.)
• Obama is the 5th youngest president elected.
• Because of the 22nd amendment the longest a person could be president is 9 years 364 days.
• When the Obamas got home from the inauguration 93 people had put all of their belongs away for them so that when they got back after the festivities their new home was ready for them.
• The plane that George W flew out of Washington on is "Executive One" instead of "Air Force One" since he's no longer the President.
• Even though Obama's oath wasn't taken until 12:07ish, he became President at noon because of the way the 20th amendment is written.
• There have been 56 inaugural parades in Washington, D.C.

Every wonder how much the Pres makes? Here you go, courtesy of Wikipedia

DATE Salary In 2008 Dollars

September 24, 1789 $25,000 $566,000
March 3, 1873 $50,000 $865,000
March 4, 1909 $75,000 $1,714,000
January 19, 1949 $100,000 $875,000
January 20, 1969 $200,000 $1,135,000
January 20, 2001 $400,000 $471,000

There's your knowledge for the day.

And if you live in North Carolina, I hope you had a happy snow day. :-)

(Being) Fabulous Friday: "Sushi is like crack...

... and that sushi was good crack." - My P.I.C. (Partner in Crime) about our maiden voyage to Asuka Japanese and Fusion Restaurant

Sushi's making a comeback. For a twenty-something it can be sophisticated dinner alternative to a steakhouse house dinner. Not to mention it's cheaper and healthier for you than steak (though steak will always be my dining first love.)

I used to not it sushi at all because I didn't want to eat raw food (I know, I know) but once I tested the waters with a California Roll (which has all cooked meat) I was hooked. And the fact that you can pretty much find a place that does "Half Off" or "Buy One, Get One" anytime you have a craving, it made an affordable, healthy alternative.

Thoughtful Thursday: Take a moment a reflect

I was emptying out my email and came back across this email that I thought would be nice for people to think about...

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk,smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.
3. When you wake up in the morning complete the followingstatement, 'My purpose is to __________ today.'
4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat lessfood that is manufactured in plants. 5. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli , almonds & walnuts.
6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
7. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires,issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control.Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
9. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
11. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
12. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
13. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
14. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea whattheir journey is all about.
15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
16. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'
17. Forgive everyone for everything.
18. What other people think of you is none of your business.
19. GOD heals everything.
20. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
21. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch!!!
22. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
23. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________.
24. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.


Happy Thursday.

(house)Work Wednesday: Resolution #7

Note: Sorry for the delay in sending. I drafted but did not schedule this posting.

Finally my last resolution: Cook more meals at home.

Now, I'm not a big cook...like I don't cook at all...and I think 2009 is the year to work on that.

My plan?

Slowly increase the number of meals I cook from scratch at home. This is going to sound awful but I figured out that I haven't made a meal from scratch since September (and when I say "from scratch" Velveeta Mac and Cheese would count...) All my "at home" meals come out of frozen food packages or my Yankee Manfriend makes them for me. So this year I'm going to make sure that every month I will make at least the number of meals that corresponds with the month (i.e.: January-1, September-9.)

With the help of Better Home and Gardens, Allrecipes.com, and Shape hopefully I'll stop feeling so awkward in the kitchen.

Teach It Tuesday: Resolution #6

Note: Sorry for the delay in sending. I drafted but did not schedule this posting.

My Teach It Tuesday Resolution: I have decided to go back to school.

No, I'm not talking about getting my MBA (for now at least,) I'm talking about taking classes at the local community college. Taking classes is a good way to keep your brain exercised, learn new things, and meet new people. Last year Lil Lisa and I took graphic design to keep our brains from rotting and it was a lot of fun and only $55.

This year my plan is to take 2-3 classes, one that's in my profession, one domestic, and one totally random one. I'll let you know how it goes.

Money Monday: Resolution #5

On Friday I discussed my resolution to shop more and spend less on food and I'll have to make sure I'm saving enough money to do my Sabbitical Saturday resolution. Now how am I going to keep up with all that?

By doing my Money Monday resolution: Tracking my finances using the Mint.com. One of my Alpha Rho girls turned me onto it is pretty easy to use and very easy to manipulate into my obsessive accounting system that I developed as part of my (SUCCESSFUL!!!) debt busting resolution from 2008.

Hopefully we'll come out of this year in better financial shape for the second year running.

Selfish Sundays: Resolution #4

Without an academic schedule to make me take time off, I think it's very important to make sure that I take time to myself. After all my co-worker was correct when he said "If you're on salary you have to make yourself stop working, because your employer will never tell you when to stop. The more you work, the better value they are getting." And making myself stop working I shall.

Hence my Selfish Sunday Resolution: Take one day a month off to do NOTHING but exactly what I want to do.

Things that I'm not allowed to do on my "me day"-

• Pay my bills
• Run errands
• Work
• Clean

Acceptable "me day" activites-

• Mani/pedis
• Shopping
• Watching girly movies on my Yankee Manfriend's monster TV
• Lunch dates with my favorite ladies
• Receiving breakfast in bed

Sabbatical Saturday: Resolution #3

My Sabbatical Saturday Resolution: Vacation more

I've been told that I'm a workaholic, most recently by my oldest friend, who I haven't seen in 2 years even though he lives at the beach and is in town for every holiday.

After he said that, I got to thinking about all the friends that I have scattered across the country and my love for going on airplanes...so why haven't I seen them more often? Cause I won't take time off and go anywhere and then in October I'm all burned out at work. There's really no excuse for that when I get 4-5 weeks vacation time a year....

This will not be the case in 2009. My plan is to go on a trip once a quarter in which I take PTO and don't take my laptop.

I've already got this quarter figured out because in about a month I'll be in LAS VEGAS with my girls for a bachelorette party. :-)

My thoughts for the other 3 quarters?
3 out of the USA's 4 largest cities: NYC, LA, Chicago, and Houston

Fabulous Friday: Resolution #2

My Fabulous Friday Resolution: Shop more.

That's right, I said shop MORE. I know you were expecting the cliche, "Lose 20 pounds" and don't worry that's a goal of mine too...but back to the shopping.

I am not one that spends a lot of money on durable goods. In fact, after looking at my finances a larger chunk of my money than I thought is not lost to the NY&Co and Targets of the world but to Whole Foods, Wendy's, and Outback. I look like a pauper and eat like a prince and in the process am essentially eating my hard earned money for a quick fix.

I've decided to that my goal for this year is to downgrade my eating out regime (which should help with the losing 20 pounds thing...) and use that surplus in my budget to upgrade my attire and footwear. Not only will I purchase more clothes and footwear, but I will purchase higher quality apparel, especially when it comes to the five essentials.

Carrie (and the title of my Lil Lisa's blog) say it best: I Like My Money Right Where I Can See It... Hanging In My Closet

Thoughtful Thursday: Resolution #1

So it's a new year and with new years come resolutions. So for the first week of the year I'm going to share my seven resolutions.

My Thoughtful Thursday resolution: Do a better job of deciding what I want and making a plan to get there.

That's all I have for today, going to head back to watching the Private Practice marathon.