Wow, almost a month since I updated! Goes to show that not a lot has been going on. Well, that's not entirely true.

First, the sad news. A few days ago my last remaining grandparent, my great-grandmother on my mom's side, passed away. While it was not unexpected (she had a stroke last weekend) it has been harder than I thought it would be. I feel like a huge part of my heritage, and, by extension, who I am as a person, is missing now. It's ... unsettling to say the least. And I miss her. I am, however, extremely thankful that I went to Colorado in March and took one last picture with her. The few hours I got to spend with her during that trip will be treasured memories for me always.

In happier news, I am taking a college class starting next week and I'm fairly excited about it. It's a prerequisite for my Master's program. While I'm not actually enrolled for my Master's yet, taking this class gives me something to do (since I am STILL unemployed) and moves me toward the eventual goal. Better to do it now right? Plus I'm really excited to be going back to school. I really wanted to take a French class because I miss speaking another language so much but I couldn't justify the expense on a class that wasn't for anything other than my own personal enrichment. I'll take it later, I'm sure.

On the job front, I'm opening my search up a bit geographically. I'm now looking at jobs in the North East. Specifically, Pittsburgh area. I have friends there and I think I would enjoy it. Since I'm moving in a few months anyway, and I can't seem to find anything locally, it was time to expand the search. I'm also hesitantly open to the South East (except I'd rather not live in Florida). As much as I really love living here in Illinois, I just may have to move. It's been an easier decision to make than I thought it would be.

My total body makeover is coming along beautifully as well. I had oral surgery over two months ago to start a process that is now, finally, complete. I now have a beautiful smile that I love! It was totally worth eight weeks of squishy foods. It's taken me some time to get used to smiling with my teeth but I really love it. I've also continued to lose weight, though not as quickly as I have been. The only pair of jeans that comes even remotely close to fitting me are falling off now. They will have to do though, as I can't justify the expense of new ones at the moment.

That's pretty much all the excitement going on here. My days are pretty boring, just job hunting at the moment. Though there may be some long-term temp work on my horizon. I could use the money, so I'm hoping. Thanks for reading!

Hello dear friends!

It's been a busy week for me. I had a second interview for one job on Monday that I would really love. I should hear back about that soon but I have a good feeling about it. I also had another interview on Tuesday that didn't go as well as I had hoped for. But then one of my temp agencies called with some work for me! Let me tell you, after several months of not working, it was strange to have to get up and go again! It was only for three days but it was really nice. The company I was working for is in a beautiful area and everyone there was lovely. It wasn't difficult or challenging work, but it was work all the same. Yesterday was pure physical labor. I came home sore all over! But it was great to get out of the house and get something done. I forgot how much I really enjoy working, as strange as that sounds. But I'm not the biggest fan of temp work I've decided. Mostly that's due to me really liking the people and the company I was working with and being sad that it was only for a few days. I have another temp assignment on Tuesday for a different company. Money is money and heaven knows I need the work.

On another note, I am still doing really well with finances. It's gotten easier as time goes by to not think automatically about buying things. I make lists and make do with what I have for the most part. I still enjoy it. Now that I've been out of work for over two months things are going to get even tighter for me. Hopefully more temp assignments will come in or, better yet, I'll find something permanent.

Happy Saturday!

First, an update on how I did with last week's challenge. It was harder in some ways and easier in others than I thought it would be. I never realized how often I thought the words "I need to get..." in one day. It was crazy! And it was everything from a pumice stone to nail polish to canned pumpkin. In the end, I did fairly well. I just stayed out of stores! I spent $7 for the week. I had to go to Walgreens to fill a prescription (I considered this a necessity since I was sick) and I found the cat food I get for Furby on sale. All in all, I don't consider spending what averaged out to $1 a day a loss. I think I did really well!

I decided to keep that up, for the most part. Nothing non-essential is to be bought, no matter how much I really want the bright pink sparkly nail polish for my toes. (I had a hard time not caving in and buying that at Walgreens!) Part two of the challenge for this week was that I could get groceries (some of which I really needed, like milk and eggs) but couldn't spend more than $40 total on them. I hit the sale ads for my local store and went with my coupons (I have mad skills there now!) and ended up well below my goal. Yay me! And so I don't find any loopholes for myself, non-essentials are everything except bills, gas, and emergency things that pop up like my prescription. Things that can't be avoided or put off.

In other news (LOL) I have a second interview tomorrow that I'm pretty excited about. I don't want to say too much in case I jinx it though. It's not in the same field I've been working in for the past 6 years but I think it would really make me happy. I also have a job fair that looks promising for Tuesday, and that is in my field. So I'm very hopeful that in the next few weeks I will be gainfully employed once again, but with a new respect for the money I earn and hopefully a new way of living. I think I will be able to keep it up though. It's fun, once you get in the mindset that you are some type of secret agent, pulling a fast one over on the big grocery store chains! **Insert picture of me running around a grocery store dressed as a ninja while shopping. If you know me, you know it could happen!**

Spring has finally arrived here in the midwest. I have to say, it's a nice change. It's hard to feel cute when you are bundled up like an eskimo. Now that I've lost so much weight (53 pounds so far) it's much more fun getting dressed in the morning, which makes spring even better. Furby is enjoying it as well. He now spends a great deal of his time growling at squirrels from my living room window. It's pretty funny to watch actually. He talks big but if I were to try and take him outside you would think I was killing him from the racket he would make. He's a big baby. My mom sent him a bunch of Easter eggs (the empty plastic ones) and he finds great pleasure in smacking them all over the house, which is great until I trip over one. Then I suddenly can't find it because he hides it before I get the chance to throw it out. It's seriously like living with a toddler! Good thing he's cute and cuddly.

So that's all the excitement going on with me right now. I'm looking forward to being able to use my front teeth again (see previous entry about oral surgery) in the coming weeks. It will be nice to bite into a sandwich! And to never have to eat pasta again, hopefully. Happy May everyone!

Wow, two blog entries in one day... who knew?

I'm hopelessly addicted to Twilight fan fiction. Yes, I know this makes me a nerd. And it's not the point of this entry anyway. Tonight I was reading a story by a very talented writer and I was very into it. She really understand the characters, so it was easy to follow along and laugh with the story. Then Edward said something to Bella that a boyfriend from many years ago said to me. It stopped me in my tracks pretty much and I couldn't get back into the story. Hence this blog post.

It got me thinking about how, once you love someone, you are never the same. With this boyfriend, we broke up many years ago and I haven't thought of him in ages, though something did pop him into my mind about a month ago. I haven't even seen him in years. Yet just that one line in a story and dozens of memories came flooding back. As it happens, this particular line was something he said to me from the night we met. I'm not the same girl I was then so it was a bit like visiting a friend you haven't seen in a while. It really made me notice how much I've changed since then. Though my relationship with him ended (and badly at the time) he still changed me in many ways. I loved him and I'm grateful for the impact he had on my life.

So to all of you reading that I love, know that you have changed me as well and that I am blessed for having the opportunity to know you and learn from you!

I've been thinking a lot (hey, I'm unemployed, what else is there to do?) about the way I live my life financially. And I've decided it's time for major changes. You've all read some of them, starting with coupons and cutting corners where I'm able. But now it's time to get drastic. So here's where the challenge comes in. My goal is, starting today and ending next Sunday, is to spend absolutely nothing, except for paying the necessary bills of course. No groceries (I have plenty in the house and don't really need to get anything else. This is also in part to force me to not look in cupboards of food and think, "there's nothing to eat"), no fun things, nothing. It will be interesting, to say the least! That's the challenge. If I get through this week, I will set a new challenge for next week. If not, I will start the same challenge over again, giving myself one day to get staple grocery things like milk and eggs if necessary. But I really think I can do this. I will learn a new way of life and things will be so much better for it!