Money Challenges

A few years ago, I started really trying to apply the Law of Attraction in my life. Someone shared the DVD, The Secret (Extended Edition)
with me long before it made it to Oprah. I haven't gotten rich yet, but the new attitude did seem to help. Now and then an unexpected check would show up in the mailbox at just exactly the right time. And at the very least I felt a lot less stressed when I was focusing on my prosperity instead of my lack.

These days with the failing economy on the news every night, it's a lot more difficult to keep my thoughts in the right place. Money just does not seem to stretch as far. This weekend it really hit me when I was paying my bills.

I get paid twice a month, and usually, the first paycheck goes a lot farther than the second paycheck. Not this month. My gas bill doubled. My daughter's cell phone had an unexpected $75 charge for "data." And my home phone bill had a $27.27 "third party charge."

As cold as it's been, I should not be that surprised by my gas bill. And I am grateful we have a warm home. The "data" charge I'm sure is a result of Camille trying to send pictures from her phone - and we had been told picture mail was included in our plan, but she's been having problems getting it to work. I called and added unlimited data for her for $15 a month, so that won't happen again. She can access Facebook from her phone now, too, so maybe she'll quit trying to bump me off of my computer! And I cancelled one of my extra home phone lines, which will save me about $25, so I'll be ahead in the telephone bills next time.

I wrote a hub about the $27.27. I won't go into that here since I can't figure out how to turn that one into a positive!

My goal for today is to renew my focus on the good things in my life. I'm going to put a sticky note back on my bathroom mirror, to "Think and feel grateful, every day." I'll browse through some of my favorite inspirational quotes. I'll take some time for me, to meditate and relax, before I host a Superbowl event for my support group.

I'll be grateful and giving, and I'll open myself up to receive more. It's really not that hard to do. After all the aggrevation of paying bills, the Universe "sent" me a free computer through freecycle. I bet something else nice is right around the corner :-)

Happy (Belated) New Year!

What a busy holiday this year! Time just flies. We all had a good, good time, but it didn't feel like enough of a break. I'm super busy at work (not complaining though, not in this economy!).

I had one of those strange dreams last night. I was riding in a pickup truck with my mother - in the back of the truck, actually. She was driving and I was talking to her through the back window. We were riding on some country roads reminiscent of my childhood, and wildlife was everywhere - especially deer. I was looking forward, trying to help her spot the deer so one wouldn't run unexpectedly in front of the truck when a saw a huge bear barrelling along the side of the road. I tried to point it out, but Mama wasn't seeing it. I was yelling, "Slow down, slow down," and "Hand me my purse so I can get some video!" But by the time she slowed we were right next to it, then just ahead. It started running after us and in my sleep I felt it reach out and scratch my hand. I woke myself up screaming, "GO! IT'S CHASING US!"

I guess I wasn't really screaming because my husband barely rolled over, but I know I at least said it out loud.

Where the heck did this wildlife theme come from? Dreams are funny things.

Sounding Like a Broken Record!

Sorry to repeat myself, but really, Christmas? Already?

I FINALLY put the tree up yesterday, and FINALLY bought a few Christmas presents Friday. I don't think I have ever in my life gotten such a late start! And with the work week from hell that started with our biggest full moon a week or so ago, I have not found my "Christmas spirit".

I'm hoping to remedy that tonight. I'm hosting "Christmas Karaoke" for my meetup group. My good friend Steve Quinney is the KJ at Fat Daddy's and it looks like we will have a great turnout. We certainly won't sing just Christmas carols, but we will sing, and I bet we'll throw a few "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Holidays" greetings around.

Before then, I plan to wrap, wrap, wrap Christmas presents. The tree never looks right to me until it has packages scattered underneath. (Friends and family, don't get too excited - those packages are going to contain little stuff like socks and mittens!)

I guess I sound like I'm complaining, but I don't really feel that stressed. The trappings are not what's important, and I'm looking forward to the fellowship part of the season. We have enough plans in place that the get togethers will be fun and meaningful. I'm looking forward to seeing friends tonight that I haven't seen in ages, I'm looking forward to visiting with family at the various celebrations, and I'm looking forward to New Year's Eve with my other favorite KJs - TByrd & Teresa.

If we don't connect over the holidays - let's catch up in the new year. No guilt trips allowed :-)

Biggest Full Moon of 2008: No Wonder I’m Having a Bad Day!

Seriously, December 12, 2008 has been insane! Truthfully, the work load hasn’t been that heavy – in fact call volume is a little light today. But everything that has crossed my desk (or more accurately, computer screen) has been a pain in the royal pa-too-tey!

(I sounded that out…have no idea how to spell it, and haven’t used or heard that phrase in ages…but that’s for another blog.)

I know plenty of studies have “proven” that the full moon doesn’t really cause any increase in insanity, thought hospital employees and public servants continue to swear that it does. The researchers claim that it’s all in our heads – we believe the full moon will have a negative effect so our perception is that it does.

The problem is, in my experience, that I usually don’t even know it’s a full moon when things start going awry. I don’t watch the moon phases unless I’m planning a fishing trip. Speaking of which, if the moon can pull those big bodies of water that we call oceans back and forth, then why do we think it can’t have an effect on us human beings, made up of 55-60 percent water?

I had no idea there was a full moon today, until after I observed that things were just not going my way!

My mom first alerted me in an email that there was a full moon; she was hoping it explained the bad day she was having. I experience the “ah-ha” moment that has happened so many times for me in the past. Usually, once I realize there is an explanation for the insanity, I am actually able to cope better and things start going more smoothly.

But not today. It’s just been one thing after another.
I just logged into Yahoo and found this article: Year's Biggest Full Moon Friday Night. Maybe now things will settle down, now that I’ve given the Biggest Full Moon the attention it deserves. Seriously. It just can’t get any worse!