Hey, Mrs. Conat, I just got an email about how I helped your room!

Did you write that?

Yeah, I think there was a push to get each center to show good numbers or some such. It's the only way they can document results unless they do a body fat percentage test on everyone, and I don't think that's feasible.

Anyhow, I also suspect that this particular center was unusually toxic in a number of ways. YWWMV.

In a new one for me, at the library tonight there is a homeless man who has, among his other belongings on the table in front of him, an air freshener. It's touching, but also not helping (I hate artificial smells).

(I hate artificial smells).

One of my neighbors uses a lotion that stinks of fake roses. I despise fake floral smells.

It looks like I've missed the window to get in on the health insurance discount thingy, anyway. The deadline to join up is February 28, but the deadline to get a voucher for a biometric screening if you work off-site was January 16. So unless they give me a special dispensation to use the information already collected a month ago by my doctor, I'm out for this year. Weird - I didn't want to do it, until I found out I probably couldn't, and now I want to! So contrary.

Yay offer letter, Jessica! Did I say yay to Plei, too? Yay, Plei!

Zen, Is any of the stuff you could craigslist or eBay?

Oh, absolutely. I am resisting doing that because it's a pain in the butt, basically. That's one of the many things I want to have done more than I want to do.

But I was shocked and appalled at the money I spent on weekly and monthly basies for essentially nothing, just to cheer a moment in my bleak workday, or keep me from buying an ouzi, instead.

This, exactly. I was spending a lot of money on useless stuff just for a momentary lift of my spirits. Generally by the time I got the item home, I'd already forgotten about it. Lots of shoes, lots of clothes, a shit-ton of books I'll never actually read. My MO now, when I think I want something, is to walk away from it and wait. If I forget about it, I didn't want it; if I remember it the next day and still want it, then I might buy it. Mostly, though, I forget. The Amazon wish list helps too; instead of buying a thing, I put it there and tell myself someone else can buy it for me.

Note, not sticking to the budget, that I'm not going to even try to do until after Iceland

I'm so excited for you all going to Iceland! My BF and I talked about going to see the eclipse, but we don't have the money this year, alas. I hope you take many photos and share them with us!

Food is definitely our biggest money waster -- we just eat out or get takeout much more often than is financially desirable.

This is supposed to be The Year I Learn to Cook For Real. We'll see. So far the progress I've made is in re-organizing my tiny tiny kitchen so it's actually useable as a space to cook, instead of just being counter-space to drop mail on and a microwave.

I will not stop Netflix, TiVo, or home internet unless I lose my job. Those 3 total $75 a month which still cheaper than cable.

I keep thinking I should cut cable, but I don't want to. I don't want to go hunting for the shows I want, I want them delivered to my DVR. The cable part of the bill is only about $68 anyway. Cutting home internet is right out, and I pay for the fastest speed Comcast (*spit*) provides because I need it for work. I should take that extra bit off my taxes, I guess.

When Hubby was young, his mother would put a pot of soup on the stove and say "We're eating this till it's gone." They diligently ate and ate, wondering when it would be gone. They were not pleased to discover her refilling the pot in the middle of the night. I believe the pot got thrown out into the yard.

That's a great story, though.

I am talky meat tonight. I think that means I'm feeling better.

She's the kind of person that exhausts you to death with too much unnecessary information to set the scene, too much irrelevant background information, repetition, and refuses to understand "I don't know, can we get back to you?" She is circular to the point where even when you give her the answer and settle it, she begins to reiterate all the irrelevant information and gives more background information (that you already just heard, because you were a part of that conversation) that is now moot. ETA that she also talks so much and so fast that you have to be extremely rude and firm to interrupt her.

Oh, so you've met my sister.

So the question begs, Zen, how the fuck do you deal with your sister?!

she also talks so much and so fast that you have to be extremely rude and firm to interrupt...

I have too many people like this in my life. They all think I talk too much, because I will say "Nancy?" 31 times in a row until I can get my comment into the conversation. 31 times! That's a lot of hot air to bloviate at high speed.

Last Boss I had was such a talker, it took me days to find a moment to ask her important questions about how to get things done. She made my ears hurt and she wasted my time.

My big meeting today about a potential new contract for my company went well. There are still some more steps to go through before I know if I'm the company that gets the contract, but it looks promising and could be a very good thing for the business.

That's great, Drew!

Good news Drew! I'll continue to send the ~ma.