Christmas budget

When you live frugally you don't really need one.

Is there some reason we all get so carried away at Christmas? In my own family I was stunned to see what expensive and technologically-advanced presents the kids got. One of the cell phones I saw has a price tag here of over 500 euros for the cheap version! A 5-year old got a computer...

Karoline's answer to that: No words. Jaw on floor.

At the grocery store there was a woman complaining that she spent over 300 euros just for the party she was having at her house. 

Karoline's answer to that: Ever heard of a pot luck? That's where everyone brings a dish to pass. BTW I also had a Christmas party at my house so I feel like I can give my two cents on this one. I think people forget that the P in Party is for People! (If it was about food we would call them Farties, and who would come to one of those?!!)

Here's what I got for Christmas.

A pair of boiled wool slippers. That's what I wanted. That's what I asked for, and that is what Santa brought me. The hearts on them were a special surprise. Sure, I got some other things too, little fun things (a long zipper that turns into a purse, a yogurt maker for the family, a thermos). And a big candy bar in my stocking.

Know what? It was a great Christmas.

What I REALLY wanted was a few days off. And I took them. I plan to take next week off too. I needed a break.

We decided to go away for a few days since Sweetie has some days off too. First we looked at warm places but decided against them because we only want to go away for 3 or 4 days. Then we looked at cold places, which were pretty cheap. We found hotel packages in the mountains for about 250 euros for a long weekend for two adults.

Today we decided we would instead go to Bologna and visit Sweetie's aunt who hasn't seen our little Sweetie yet. There is a nice spa nearby. That means our expenses will be something like 36 euros for a day at the spa (18 euros each, baby gratis) and gas for the car and whatever we eat out. This way we save money and, more importantly, spend time with an aunt we really care about but never see.

When you put the emphasis on the good stuff-- people and relationships, you can't help but save money and feel happier in the process. That being said, a 500 euro cell phone might actually bring happiness as well, but I have never tried it.

PS Have you watched the Charlie Brown Christmas special lately? It's just as a propos this year as it was in 1965 when it came out. C.B. whines about how commercial Christmas has become and that people have forgotten what it's really about. Lucy wanting a modern pink aluminum tree, well that dates it, but only a little. 

It may not look like it

But I have lost 5 pounds in the last week because, presumably, I have started running again (15 minutes per day) and stopped eating meat.

Hooray for short runs!

Interestingly, one of my new students, a marathon runner, when she heard I was running 15 minutes per day, said something like "all you need to do is increase that to 30 minutes per day and you'll be all good." What she didn't realize was that 15 MINUTES IS PERFECTLY FINE, ACTUALLY.

Perfectionism is the enemy of fitness. There is no minimum or maximum time to run. Run what you feel, baby. The trick is to feel what you run.

Now that My Ship isn't Sinking Anymore

I'm starting to think about my role as the director of the Association. Am I really cut out to be the director of an Association that is NOT sinking? Where will I get the adrenaline now that we're not getting sued every two or three days? Running an organization that WORKS is so new to me.

Then again, the reason that it is working is that I am not really running it. Other people make it work. I've been thinking about who else could run it eventually. About a year ago I couldn't think of anyone stupid enough. Now I can think of a few really good people who would be great and wouldn't have to sacrifice nearly as much as we did (I'm talking about me and my partner in crime, D.T.) and they could probably make it run nicely into the future.

First thing, I think the person should be retired. That way they have some money coming in already and the time on their hands. Also, they should be smart and organized. All of these characteristics are things I don't possess but admire (Money, Time, Smarts, Organization). They should be friendly and have an easy time delegating authority. No control freaks allowed!

The search is on. Although I have not finished yet. I have some short and long-term goals to take care of first.

1. Pay off all debts (January 31, 2012)
2. Cultivate a positive and continuing relationship with an accounting office. Learn how to do as much as possible in-house. Make sure ALL past taxes are paid (even those from before my time. We get odd bills once in a while from like 8 years ago saying we haven't finished paying. Ugh!)
3. Get the carpets cleaned (they are DISGUSTING).
4. Create an emergency fund.
5. Automate our processes (Don't know what that means but it sounds like a good goal).
6. GET FUNDING from local and regional gov't.
7. Plan to move out of our building into a cheaper one with easier access.
8. Pat for our entire cinema series with corporate donations.

When this is done, maybe I can retire, too! I've got lots to do to get even close, but one by one I'll knock these off of my to-do list. And will keep you in the loop in the process. My new mantra is "You can do anything in 18 months" since that is how long it is taking us to pay off our debts (and we were seriously in the hole). After that, anything is possible.

Organizing from the inside out

Today is Monday. My favorite day of the week. I decided this year I would keep this day free for me. I teach 3 hours in the afternoon, but in a pleasant place with nice people and a fireplace. I spend Monday morning getting my ducks in a row for the week. I do my new habit of menu planning for the next week or so, I pick up the house, create a schedule for my free-lance work, and make something big and slow in a pot.

Today I am making bean soup. Cooking is a great way to keep me on task because it gives me frequent breaks (for stirring), so I can leave the computer and come back feeling refreshed.

Today I am feeling optimistic about the week, about the holidays. It's all good.

Tomorrow is Saint Nick's day. Here in Trieste he gives big presents to kids. But in our house he will be the Swedish St. Nick, the one who fills your shoes up with little treats. We'll save the presents for Christmas. Saint Nick is also coming to Baby Parking tomorrow, so he already got little Sweetie a little something to open tomorrow with her other teeny friends. Friday she sat on Santa's lap like she knew him all her life. She went to bed SUPER late last night, which bothered me last night, but today she is sleeping in, which gives me even more time to think about my day.

Have a good one!

The 15 minute rule worked

From Tuesday to Saturday I ran 15 minutes per day, which means I ran 75 minutes more than last week when I ran 0 minutes.

Go me.

You try it, too! Go you!

Did I read that right?

Is it TRUE that WALMART is trying to use the ole "but we're just a poor mom and shop" argument to complain about Amazon's not paying state taxes??? NOT KIDDING. In the NYTimes on Friday. Of course now I can't find the dang link to it just now. Tomorrow...

Now I shake my finger at you, Walmart and say:

SERVES YOU RIGHT FOR BULLYING EVERYONE ELSE OUT OF BUSINESS AND THEN GETTING BEAT UP BY THE BIGGER BULLY.

But, really, using the Mom and Pop shop law?

Tacky!

Can't really choke down that meat anymore

I'm glad I read Eating Animals. But if you do, beware. You will stop calling it MEAT and start calling it Animal.

Hmmm. I had a buffala pizza. Haven't even entertained the thought of meat since Thanksgiving (I ate the turkey because I had to honor the beast and he was already dead).

I think I'm going plant-based for a while.

Did you know that all flu viruses come from chickens and pigs? Eww.

We got in the PAPER today!

and Santa came to our library! Two great things. 18 months ago the articles about us were Not positive. THIS time there was a big picture of the turkey from our Thanksgiving dinner* (18 months ago that could have been my Head with the way things were going) and a Big Announcement about Santa coming to our library for a visit.

Man, that sure made my day. Plus I was quoted and I HAD actually SAID what was written. That was unexpected. My name was spelled wrong and a couple of other details were mixed up, But no biggy.

Our Christmas party was a huge success, by the way. Santa was the the Bello of the Ball of course and now our big events are done for this year (Halloween, Thanksgiving and our Cookie festival today are pretty close together as far as planning goes). We had an all-volunteer clean-up task force so the woman who does our cleaning (and has for the last 15 years or more and so was used to the place not having much action) won't cry.

All is good.

Plus, a couple of weeks ago I checked our bank account and I almost had a heart attack of joy! There was a LOT of money in there (compared to the usual negative 10,000 that it averaged when I first started looking at it). The only credit I can take for this is that I know how to convince people I like and who are smart to volunteer and thank god one of them knows how to deal with money stuff!

So basically it's OPPOSITE YEAR. Yeah!

*They were quite happy about the turkey picture. At the dinner, a lot of their guests had their picture taken with it because you don't see a lot of whole turkeys getting baked here.

You can do anything for 15 minutes

That's my philosophy this very busy week. I decided to start running again to jump-start my immune system. Today was the fourth day in a row that I ran for over 15 minutes first thing in the morning. I used to run lots more, of course, but that was a couple of years ago. I have not run consistently since I got pregnant, had a baby, and let a year go by.

So now 15 minutes a day is pretty good. I ran the same route each time and took Luna, my dog. How nice to run with her again. The first day it took us 19 minutes to do our loop. Today it took us 16 minutes. When we get below 15, we'll just have to add on a chunk.

I hope to do a longer run this weekend but the important thing is that I started a great morning habit this week.

And I am starting to be able to breath through my nose again.

Coincidence? I hope not. Or, if it is, just don't tell me.