[to those who'd ground me, take a lesson back from me]
My car, the ever-reliable Caoimhe, has in her reliable way decided to announce that she intends to retire soon. This has prompted a good long, close examination of my finances (mostly tracking spending) that's leading to a realistic and workable budget. It's not pretty, but it feels really good to feel strong and healthy and confident enough to start facing up to one of the toughest parts of adulting.
A month of asking myself every time I consider opening my wallet, "can I do this and go to MJ", particularly when splurging on exactly one thing that has already paid for itself in mental health benefits and still having only saved a grand total of $100 (and having just finished the one month in which I'm allowed to work OT), combined with having to do all of the research needed to get a car loan, lower my credit card interest rate (almost entirely old debt from before I moved here), and renegotiate my student loan payment, has led to the recognition that I can't make the numbers work. Now that I have a plan, I should be able to go to the wedding I've been invited to this summer, and to BP and/or con.txt next year (if they're having BP) and never have to skip anything again because of money...as long as I don't go to MJ. Super not-happy (SUPER), but I'm glad I did finally learn that I can in fact have nice things as long as I give myself enough time and am thoughtful about where else my money goes.
(Which of course I figure out after the cancellation deadline. Oops? But if you know someone who needs a membership transfer, I seem to have a spare one.)
My one splurge was signing up for a learn to skate class at the local rink, which also offers an adult learn to play hockey league. It's a combination of amazing and awful (SO OBVIOUS I hadn't been to the gym for months, and that I haven't grown any athletic talent; I'll probably do another round of this before trying the hockey league), but it's gotten me back in the gym as well. With the class we get three passes to open skate, but the weekend ones are crowded and not great for beginners. When I switched departments in November, I was told we could pretty much set our own schedule, and I work literally across the street from the rink. So this week I'm testing out leaving at 3 on Wednesdays to ice skate. It sounds so ridiculous, but when my mother said she thought it was a great idea because of the huge change she's seen in my mental health since I started skating, I decided to just embrace it. Why not use the flexibility that I'm fortunate enough to have? (I did not tell my boss I was requesting the change for ice skating; she didn't ask, anyway.)
Also since I started that, a friend and I went to a contra dance the local folk art society hosts monthly (it's fun, and having done some English country dancing when reenacting definitely helped), and a coworker and I have started a weekly long walk by the river (to be increased in frequency when the days are longer). Tonight I went to the free weekly meditation class the yoga studio offers. This is not what my life looked like three months ago, and it's not much of a life yet, but start where you are and all that.
This is probably the first time since 1991 that I haven't dreaded February. I'm actually kind of excited. So that's what's awesome here. What's awesome where you are?
This entry also exists at http://ainsley.dreamwidth.org/828963.html. Comment whenever and wherever you prefer.
A month of asking myself every time I consider opening my wallet, "can I do this and go to MJ", particularly when splurging on exactly one thing that has already paid for itself in mental health benefits and still having only saved a grand total of $100 (and having just finished the one month in which I'm allowed to work OT), combined with having to do all of the research needed to get a car loan, lower my credit card interest rate (almost entirely old debt from before I moved here), and renegotiate my student loan payment, has led to the recognition that I can't make the numbers work. Now that I have a plan, I should be able to go to the wedding I've been invited to this summer, and to BP and/or con.txt next year (if they're having BP) and never have to skip anything again because of money...as long as I don't go to MJ. Super not-happy (SUPER), but I'm glad I did finally learn that I can in fact have nice things as long as I give myself enough time and am thoughtful about where else my money goes.
(Which of course I figure out after the cancellation deadline. Oops? But if you know someone who needs a membership transfer, I seem to have a spare one.)
My one splurge was signing up for a learn to skate class at the local rink, which also offers an adult learn to play hockey league. It's a combination of amazing and awful (SO OBVIOUS I hadn't been to the gym for months, and that I haven't grown any athletic talent; I'll probably do another round of this before trying the hockey league), but it's gotten me back in the gym as well. With the class we get three passes to open skate, but the weekend ones are crowded and not great for beginners. When I switched departments in November, I was told we could pretty much set our own schedule, and I work literally across the street from the rink. So this week I'm testing out leaving at 3 on Wednesdays to ice skate. It sounds so ridiculous, but when my mother said she thought it was a great idea because of the huge change she's seen in my mental health since I started skating, I decided to just embrace it. Why not use the flexibility that I'm fortunate enough to have? (I did not tell my boss I was requesting the change for ice skating; she didn't ask, anyway.)
Also since I started that, a friend and I went to a contra dance the local folk art society hosts monthly (it's fun, and having done some English country dancing when reenacting definitely helped), and a coworker and I have started a weekly long walk by the river (to be increased in frequency when the days are longer). Tonight I went to the free weekly meditation class the yoga studio offers. This is not what my life looked like three months ago, and it's not much of a life yet, but start where you are and all that.
This is probably the first time since 1991 that I haven't dreaded February. I'm actually kind of excited. So that's what's awesome here. What's awesome where you are?
This entry also exists at http://ainsley.dreamwidth.org/828963.html. Comment whenever and wherever you prefer.