Hi. My name is Bethany O'Neil. I have a problem with money. Specifically, I spend it. Sure, I spend it on bills, mortgages and car payments. But really, I live to spend it on lovely things, things that make me happy and fuzzy on my insides. Things like jeans and shoes and Starbucks...oh Starbucks. There are few things in life that I love more than Starbucks. If Starbucks were a person, I would be arrested for stalking it. If there were a 12-Step program for lovers of Starbucks, I would be the President. And the Vice-President too. Perhaps even the Sergeant-At-Arms. You see...my obsession with Starbucks pervades my daily life. I've spent at least 4 minutes just blogging about it. Perhaps this merits it's own blog, at some point in the future.
But anyway. On to the point. So I spend money. Approximately 30% of the time, I remember to write down financial transactions in my check register. Well, lets be honest. 30% is a generous estimate. Recently, however, with the economic trouble we've all been noticing lately, I began to contemplate my spending habits. You can tell I'm getting to be a grown-up because I started thinking that maybe we should start being more fiscally responsible. One day, whilst reading my Shape Magazine, I read a little blurb about a website called www.Mint.com. In that moment, my financial life changed. I went straight home and visited this online miracle site. Within minutes...blammy. All of my financial transactions in one central location, downloaded daily and compiled into the most pleasing pie charts and graphs one could ever imagine. Next, one is eased into the idea of a budget. Before you know it, your finances are in perfect order. But that isn't even the magical part.
The really magical part is that somehow, your brain just switches into this new mode called Financial Responsibility. For instance, this morning, I was really craving a visit with my most cherished, loyal and encouraging friend, Starbucks. As I drove in the 24 degree heat, I could almost feel the hot, slightly sweet liquid love sliding down my throat, supplying me with the courage to face my day. But then, Mint.com overtook my free will and wrestled me into submission. I envisioned what my pie chart would look like if I gave in. That little tiny pink sliver entitled "Coffee" would get just a tiny bit bigger, and my favorite red column, the red one entitled "Net Worth" would get just a fraction smaller. So I happily drove to my office, poured myself a cup of the drip coffee that someone had so generously prepared and loved every drop of it. I loved it especially because I knew that my pie chart was congratulating me, cheering me on from wherever it resides in Cyberville.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Some Truly Random Musings...
Yes, I am blogging at work (which I ALWAYS do) but this time it's legit...I'm waiting for my email messages to convert over to some sort of new-fangled blah blah system thing. Progress is being made, completely without any effort on my part. Thus, I shall take this time to yammer on about what is, essentially, nothing.
First, I wish to note that it is a brilliantly sunny day today! I am the head cheerleader in the I Love Snow Club, but even I am happy to enjoy the fresh clean air and the sparkly snow.
Work seems to be going well these days...I'm putting in a super, super effort, hoping to force my boss into adoring me. Yesterday, he told me that I did a good job on the year-end financials. Today, he went out of his way to say good morning to me. Most exciting, he smiled at me when I said something exceptionally witty about the water cooler. Perhaps we are turning a corner in our More Hate Than Love Relationship.
Since I frequently fill the space of this blog with chatter about my pets, I should mention that my oldest and formerly fattest cat, Blue, has been pronounced as a severe diabetic. He is now a scrawny little old man, but it would appear that he is on the mend. It's his own fault. Some have mistaken him for a small, white, pot-bellied pig because he snorts when he eats and he eats enormous amounts of cat food. His rock-n-roll lifestyle, inevitably, has led him to the point of being on a serious diet and being subjected to insulin shots twice a day. This is a great trial for me, since I occasionally have to give him these shots. The vet bills from this little hiccup, in addition to the vet bills for Lucille O'Neil's ear infection have nearly caused our financial demise. A small speck of my soul regrets having so many dang animals...this speck is increasing in size, at present. What ARE we thinking.
Also, I really owe it to my wonderful husband to close with a few words about him. I sense a small seed of resentment due to the fact that I chatter endlessly about nothing and rarely mention him. So this is for you, Muffy. Every once in a while, I'll hear something or see something that makes me think about my life before you. And while so many of those memories are good and happy and are a big part of who I am, the life that I have with you is nothing in comparison. It's almost as though the day I met you, life started happening in HD. (Aren't you proud that I threw some technical jargon in there??? ) Everything else pales in comparison to the times that we have together. Every minute with you...happy, sad, boring or exciting have woven together to make our life together. I am so proud that we have taken our lives and fit them together, worked through hard times and shared the best times. I'm proud of what we have made together and can't wait to keep building on what we have. Even when I'm unreasonably irritable and snap at you to stop drumming on the dashboard or flossing your teeth in bed, I love you more than anything in the world and could never, ever imagine a life where you weren't there with me. xoxoxo
First, I wish to note that it is a brilliantly sunny day today! I am the head cheerleader in the I Love Snow Club, but even I am happy to enjoy the fresh clean air and the sparkly snow.
Work seems to be going well these days...I'm putting in a super, super effort, hoping to force my boss into adoring me. Yesterday, he told me that I did a good job on the year-end financials. Today, he went out of his way to say good morning to me. Most exciting, he smiled at me when I said something exceptionally witty about the water cooler. Perhaps we are turning a corner in our More Hate Than Love Relationship.
Since I frequently fill the space of this blog with chatter about my pets, I should mention that my oldest and formerly fattest cat, Blue, has been pronounced as a severe diabetic. He is now a scrawny little old man, but it would appear that he is on the mend. It's his own fault. Some have mistaken him for a small, white, pot-bellied pig because he snorts when he eats and he eats enormous amounts of cat food. His rock-n-roll lifestyle, inevitably, has led him to the point of being on a serious diet and being subjected to insulin shots twice a day. This is a great trial for me, since I occasionally have to give him these shots. The vet bills from this little hiccup, in addition to the vet bills for Lucille O'Neil's ear infection have nearly caused our financial demise. A small speck of my soul regrets having so many dang animals...this speck is increasing in size, at present. What ARE we thinking.
Also, I really owe it to my wonderful husband to close with a few words about him. I sense a small seed of resentment due to the fact that I chatter endlessly about nothing and rarely mention him. So this is for you, Muffy. Every once in a while, I'll hear something or see something that makes me think about my life before you. And while so many of those memories are good and happy and are a big part of who I am, the life that I have with you is nothing in comparison. It's almost as though the day I met you, life started happening in HD. (Aren't you proud that I threw some technical jargon in there??? ) Everything else pales in comparison to the times that we have together. Every minute with you...happy, sad, boring or exciting have woven together to make our life together. I am so proud that we have taken our lives and fit them together, worked through hard times and shared the best times. I'm proud of what we have made together and can't wait to keep building on what we have. Even when I'm unreasonably irritable and snap at you to stop drumming on the dashboard or flossing your teeth in bed, I love you more than anything in the world and could never, ever imagine a life where you weren't there with me. xoxoxo
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