I've been scaring up some clutter the last couple days, haha.
Friday: I took the copy writing program down to the lobby and deleted the craigslist ad. I got two spam responses to that ad - weird cuz I have never been spammed via craigslist before.
Today: Took 10 bottles and cans back to the store - 50 cents, baby! Also took a honey jar back to the honey guy hoping to get a refill. I didn't get a refill but he did take the jar. I told him jokingly that it would be 50 cents, and he laughed and then gave it to me! Nice, cuz the honey had gone up $1 since I last bought it.
I'm also doing a quick partial defrost on my freezer AGAIN. That's twice in one week. The defrost is definitely on the fritz.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Thursday Oct. 29th
Today I took the stack of papers to shred to work with me. I shredded all but three or four - the shredder was getting full and started to make some weird noises, so I figured the last few could wait for another week. But I got through a good 20 or 30 old bills and promotions, so I'm pleased to have that out of my house!
Results: Got the rent check today, plus about $75 in late fees! AND I got a notice from my mortgage company telling me the new payment - it's going DOWN!! Last year when it went down I continued to pay the same amount as the previous year, applying the difference to the principal. This year it will be twice the amount going to the principal!
Oh, I also figured out something really cool with my credit cards. I called one last week to do a balance transfer, and they gave me a really low rate on new purchases, and told me about their cashback program, which is currently giving 5% back on groceries and restaurants. I suddenly realized I could use that card instead of my debit card to pay for groceries, and then immediately make a payment to the credit card to cover the purchase. I get cash back, my higher rate balance may decrease depending on when the purchases post, and my minimum payment is covered! Just another way to stretch the dollars until my income increases.
Results: Got the rent check today, plus about $75 in late fees! AND I got a notice from my mortgage company telling me the new payment - it's going DOWN!! Last year when it went down I continued to pay the same amount as the previous year, applying the difference to the principal. This year it will be twice the amount going to the principal!
Oh, I also figured out something really cool with my credit cards. I called one last week to do a balance transfer, and they gave me a really low rate on new purchases, and told me about their cashback program, which is currently giving 5% back on groceries and restaurants. I suddenly realized I could use that card instead of my debit card to pay for groceries, and then immediately make a payment to the credit card to cover the purchase. I get cash back, my higher rate balance may decrease depending on when the purchases post, and my minimum payment is covered! Just another way to stretch the dollars until my income increases.
Additional Results
Yesterday I forgot to mention one other result. On Monday night I went grocery shopping after rehearsal. When I got to the train I realized that the checker had not rung up the chicken I bought. When I got home I called the store to tell them and give them a credit card number, and they said "It's free." Because they made the mistake of not ringing it up, I got to keep it at no charge! Made my night - $7.25 worth of free food. Nice!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Today's Declutter
Woohoo, what a burst of energy! I've been feeling down today, and was just listening to a CD while watching the sky clear and become a beautiful blue, and I was suddenly taken with the urge to give away a copy writing study program I bought years ago and never finished. I never received the final section of the course because you had to finish the rest first, so I didn't think I could sell it. It was on the bottom shelf of a rack which holds videos. I pulled all the stuff from the bottom out, and found not only the copy writing program, but also some real estate stuff, a study book for a test I took almost four years ago, and some self-talk tapes. I got the program ready to take to the lobby, then started tossing. Five or six pages of real estate handouts went into the recycle bin, along with a very old list of foreclosed properties. Another paper went to the shred pile, and one fax went to be filed. The real estate booklet went to the closet with the other real estate stuff and one page of notes.
Finally, I recycled 15 unopened letters from the copy writing company (!), including one with a very old message from my boyfriend which added to cheering me up! I took the program down to the lobby, then decided I could sell it for $25 on craigslist, since it was incomplete. So I brought it back up and listed it. If there's no interest by tomorrow, I'll take it to the lobby!
I also cleaned the dust off the test book with a damp rag, then proceeded to clean off the TV and computer screens, and the bathroom mirror. I feel much better for the little burst of declutter energy!
Finally, I recycled 15 unopened letters from the copy writing company (!), including one with a very old message from my boyfriend which added to cheering me up! I took the program down to the lobby, then decided I could sell it for $25 on craigslist, since it was incomplete. So I brought it back up and listed it. If there's no interest by tomorrow, I'll take it to the lobby!
I also cleaned the dust off the test book with a damp rag, then proceeded to clean off the TV and computer screens, and the bathroom mirror. I feel much better for the little burst of declutter energy!
Another week gone...
What a week, though! This will be a results post. I don't remember much about my decluttering, just envelopes and junk mail mostly, but I made a ton of money trading on Thursday and Friday! Apple had good earnings and shot up $10 the next morning, then went down a bit. On the following morning it was up all the way. I got in and even when the market took a dive at the end of the day I was still up $200. Got out the next morning with about $300 gross. Then that day I got into another option that gapped up $2 in the morning. Since I bought 2 of this option, I made over $400 gross! This was all in my IRA account, so I can't use the money, but still, I'm getting better at trading :)
This past weekend I volunteered at another PAX workshop. Such a great company. I came away feeling wonderful as always. There's something so fulfilling in giving of my time and energy. It takes me out of myself and my daily issues and just feels good.
Then Monday night we nymphs had our first rehearsal. We drilled through the music for two hours. It was GREAT, so helpful. I feel like I really have it now and it just needs a little tweaking. I'm going to try singing along with the CD today just to see. Afterward a couple of us started discussing costumes and got all excited about how fun it will be. I hope we end up in the same cast - there are two casts for this show and hopefully we will find out this week.
Tomorrow I'll be shredding the junk I cleared out last week. I'm doing some mental decluttering this week as well, by not dwelling on things that go wrong and instead focusing on things that I feel good about. Like this blog :)
This past weekend I volunteered at another PAX workshop. Such a great company. I came away feeling wonderful as always. There's something so fulfilling in giving of my time and energy. It takes me out of myself and my daily issues and just feels good.
Then Monday night we nymphs had our first rehearsal. We drilled through the music for two hours. It was GREAT, so helpful. I feel like I really have it now and it just needs a little tweaking. I'm going to try singing along with the CD today just to see. Afterward a couple of us started discussing costumes and got all excited about how fun it will be. I hope we end up in the same cast - there are two casts for this show and hopefully we will find out this week.
Tomorrow I'll be shredding the junk I cleared out last week. I'm doing some mental decluttering this week as well, by not dwelling on things that go wrong and instead focusing on things that I feel good about. Like this blog :)
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday
Before I forget, a couple weeks ago I recycled the last key to my old car, that I donated to charity a couple years ago. I kept forgetting to put it in the proper, so I'm just adding it now.
Sunday: I took 11 bottles back to the store for the deposit.
Monday: I paid a bill and recycled the envelope and inserts.
Tuesday: Recycled a TP wrapper, and some tinfoil. Got in a cleaning mood today and am reading another Don Aslett book called "No Time To Clean." Maybe it will help me figure out the fastest way to get and keep my place clean.
Sunday: I took 11 bottles back to the store for the deposit.
Monday: I paid a bill and recycled the envelope and inserts.
Tuesday: Recycled a TP wrapper, and some tinfoil. Got in a cleaning mood today and am reading another Don Aslett book called "No Time To Clean." Maybe it will help me figure out the fastest way to get and keep my place clean.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Saturday Addendum
Forgot to say that after my awful trading on Wednesday, I came up with a plan to limit my losses. This helped my trading a lot the next two days :)
This Week
I've been decluttering a lot the past couple days. Hard to remember back to Sunday, but I'll try.
Sunday: I continued the cleaning spree - took my shower curtains (big tub, need two), dust rags, and MOP HEAD (yes, it's one of the cloth washable ones!) to the laundromat. Don't remember if I decluttered anything, but I usually at least throw something in my recycle bin so chances are I did.
Monday: I paid a bill and recycled the envelope and inserts.
Tuesday: I don't remember what, if anything, I decluttered Tuesday.
Wednesday: I don't remember what I decluttered. Probably recycled an envelope or newspaper. Seems like I do that almost daily.
Thursday: After work I went to the grocery store, returning 5 cans and bottles and recycling 15 or 16 plastic bags. I may also have recycled a newspaper, don't remember.
Friday: I paid two bills and recycled the envelopes and inserts.
Saturday: On Friday I was feeling energetic and wanting to clean up the piles of paper clutter in my living room. So this morning after going to the farmers' market (where I found all the veggies I was looking for to make pork roast), I buckled down and got started. It actually was surprisingly easy to get going. I took tons of stuff out of envelopes and into piles for filing. Also moved some files into a box and cleaned out a bunch of useless papers to make room for the new stuff, which I then filed. Long story short, I recycled 42 envelopes and several inserts, 8 sample Christmas cards sent by a non-profit hoping to solicit an order, and 10 or 11 newspapers (I lost count), and have an inch-thick stack of papers to shred.
I also recycled an old quarterly report from stock I no longer own and about 20 pages of my cash expenses (with receipts) from 2003 - 06. And I removed 6 expired credit cards (!) from my files and cut pieces off each to throw away. THEN I changed the cat litter, and took that, the garbage, and the paper recycling out, as well as dropping off some unused recipe cards in the lobby. I proceeded from there to the grocery store to return 11 bottles.
When I got home I chopped and sauteed onions and chopped carrots for the pork roast. It's in the crock pot now.
Feels GOOD to get all that work done and cook something yummy for movie night tonight!
Results: Whoa. Well, first of all, it's cold out and we have heat! This is the most wonderful thing, because in the past my landlord hasn't turned the heat on till mid-October and even then he's been stingy with it. So I've been warm all week and am thinking it's a new trend! It's supposed to be a very cold winter here, which is actually good in terms of heating, because when it's really cold the heat stays on, and when it's mild it goes on and off.
I have traded four days this week. The first two days were extremely frustrating in that I kept getting in at the wrong time, so could not get out profitably. And Wednesday was a huge up day in the market, which made my sideways stocks even more frustrating. But on Wednesday night I got to spend some time with my guy, and I guess I needed to see him, cuz on Thursday nothing bothered me! My trades did better, and that continued on Friday.
On Tuesday, we had our first Ariadne rehearsal. I was a bit nervous cuz my music is nowhere near learned. I needn't have worried. There was ONE guy who knew his part. Everyone else had train wrecks at various points. It was crazy fun. This is fantastic music, the story is funny, and everyone is so talented. It is going to ROCK! There's not a weak link anywhere. Not only that, but we have incredibly talented conductors. I'm so excited to be part of this show!
Let's see, what else? Oh, I received a $5 coupon for my next contact lens purchase! This was the result of a damaged contact about a month ago, which was replaced. I guess they forgot to send the coupon till last week. Free money - I'll take it!
I got calls from a couple of friends I hadn't heard from in awhile, just to say hi and see if we could hang out soon. That was nice :)
Finally, back to trading, I got approved in a third account to trade options. This is an account with lots of money in it, so I will be able to do options on more expensive stocks that move a lot daily. I can just feel the money pouring in next week when I get started!
What a great week! Looking forward to more of the same!
Sunday: I continued the cleaning spree - took my shower curtains (big tub, need two), dust rags, and MOP HEAD (yes, it's one of the cloth washable ones!) to the laundromat. Don't remember if I decluttered anything, but I usually at least throw something in my recycle bin so chances are I did.
Monday: I paid a bill and recycled the envelope and inserts.
Tuesday: I don't remember what, if anything, I decluttered Tuesday.
Wednesday: I don't remember what I decluttered. Probably recycled an envelope or newspaper. Seems like I do that almost daily.
Thursday: After work I went to the grocery store, returning 5 cans and bottles and recycling 15 or 16 plastic bags. I may also have recycled a newspaper, don't remember.
Friday: I paid two bills and recycled the envelopes and inserts.
Saturday: On Friday I was feeling energetic and wanting to clean up the piles of paper clutter in my living room. So this morning after going to the farmers' market (where I found all the veggies I was looking for to make pork roast), I buckled down and got started. It actually was surprisingly easy to get going. I took tons of stuff out of envelopes and into piles for filing. Also moved some files into a box and cleaned out a bunch of useless papers to make room for the new stuff, which I then filed. Long story short, I recycled 42 envelopes and several inserts, 8 sample Christmas cards sent by a non-profit hoping to solicit an order, and 10 or 11 newspapers (I lost count), and have an inch-thick stack of papers to shred.
I also recycled an old quarterly report from stock I no longer own and about 20 pages of my cash expenses (with receipts) from 2003 - 06. And I removed 6 expired credit cards (!) from my files and cut pieces off each to throw away. THEN I changed the cat litter, and took that, the garbage, and the paper recycling out, as well as dropping off some unused recipe cards in the lobby. I proceeded from there to the grocery store to return 11 bottles.
When I got home I chopped and sauteed onions and chopped carrots for the pork roast. It's in the crock pot now.
Feels GOOD to get all that work done and cook something yummy for movie night tonight!
Results: Whoa. Well, first of all, it's cold out and we have heat! This is the most wonderful thing, because in the past my landlord hasn't turned the heat on till mid-October and even then he's been stingy with it. So I've been warm all week and am thinking it's a new trend! It's supposed to be a very cold winter here, which is actually good in terms of heating, because when it's really cold the heat stays on, and when it's mild it goes on and off.
I have traded four days this week. The first two days were extremely frustrating in that I kept getting in at the wrong time, so could not get out profitably. And Wednesday was a huge up day in the market, which made my sideways stocks even more frustrating. But on Wednesday night I got to spend some time with my guy, and I guess I needed to see him, cuz on Thursday nothing bothered me! My trades did better, and that continued on Friday.
On Tuesday, we had our first Ariadne rehearsal. I was a bit nervous cuz my music is nowhere near learned. I needn't have worried. There was ONE guy who knew his part. Everyone else had train wrecks at various points. It was crazy fun. This is fantastic music, the story is funny, and everyone is so talented. It is going to ROCK! There's not a weak link anywhere. Not only that, but we have incredibly talented conductors. I'm so excited to be part of this show!
Let's see, what else? Oh, I received a $5 coupon for my next contact lens purchase! This was the result of a damaged contact about a month ago, which was replaced. I guess they forgot to send the coupon till last week. Free money - I'll take it!
I got calls from a couple of friends I hadn't heard from in awhile, just to say hi and see if we could hang out soon. That was nice :)
Finally, back to trading, I got approved in a third account to trade options. This is an account with lots of money in it, so I will be able to do options on more expensive stocks that move a lot daily. I can just feel the money pouring in next week when I get started!
What a great week! Looking forward to more of the same!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Saturday
Today I decluttered an envelope after paying a bill. I never did make it to the farmer's market, but I did clean. I just put some clothes and shoes away and swept all the floors, but what a huge difference it's made! Oh yeah, I dusted some too.
It's amazing what cleaning up dust bunnies can do for a place. It feels decluttered even though it was just dust bunnies. Hurray!
It's amazing what cleaning up dust bunnies can do for a place. It feels decluttered even though it was just dust bunnies. Hurray!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Friday
On Friday I recycled an envelope and insert. I'm doing a lot of that these days, might be time to start decluttering bigger stuff :)
Today is cleaning day! Got a lot of mess and dirt to deal with and am not in the mood but it needs to be done so a little discipline is in order. First though, the farmer's market!
Today is cleaning day! Got a lot of mess and dirt to deal with and am not in the mood but it needs to be done so a little discipline is in order. First though, the farmer's market!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Wow, time flies!
Well. This week I decluttered most days but it's been a flurry of activity so I'm not sure what I did when. I know I forgot Saturday what with volunteering and needing to get some sleep. So here goes as best I can:
Saturday: Forgot.
Sunday: I tossed two old duplicate menus from my favorite sushi place. Then I tossed another old menu when I got a new one (different place).
Monday: Hm. I don't recall.
Tuesday: This was great. On Monday I was wishing I had more cash available so I could trade options on higher priced, volatile stocks like Apple. Then I got this great bolt from the blue about three shares of very expensive stock I owned. I bought it cuz someone once said it would be the next Berkshire Hathaway. Okayyyy, but it's not there yet and it's just been sitting in my account for a few years, tying up money that could be better used for trading options. So I sold it Tuesday and got into Apple!
Wednesday: I paid a bill and recycled the envelope and inserts.
Thursday: I recycled a candy wrapper.
Results: Wow, I am getting so many unexpected free days to trade. It's kind of great! On the one hand, I want to work cuz money is important :) But I am making enough to pay the bills, and it's really cool when I get a day free to watch the market so I can find good entry and exit points, and just learn about it all. So anyway, I've had time to do that this week!
I also started learning my music for the opera today! It's BEAUTIFUL. I get to sing a really gorgeous part, and it's hard as heck but I have some of it down pretty well already. I'm only in two scenes, really very little to sing, but it's good stuff! I'm going to have to work at it cuz there is no place to take a breath and it's got some awkward leaps into the stratosphere. This is my first true foray into coloratura territory and I am so looking forward to it!
Oh yeah, I also figured out that I really really love the man in my life :) That should be a given, but it came as a surprise to me today when I saw how much feeling was there. I've been unhappy in the relationship and while reading had a flash of insight as to why. Turns out I'm afraid of loving him more than he loves me cuz that's happened to me so many times before. So I've been shutting down the love. It was good to notice and good to feel my heart open up, even though it can be scary. I think my closing down affects him negatively, so if I can stay open and loving, we might both feel happier.
It's funny because the other night I dreamed of another guy I know, in a romantic context, and woke up feeling great cuz it was such a romantic and beautiful dream. Made me feel like love is right there for me if I choose it. Well, today I got to choose it.
It's been a great week!
Saturday: Forgot.
Sunday: I tossed two old duplicate menus from my favorite sushi place. Then I tossed another old menu when I got a new one (different place).
Monday: Hm. I don't recall.
Tuesday: This was great. On Monday I was wishing I had more cash available so I could trade options on higher priced, volatile stocks like Apple. Then I got this great bolt from the blue about three shares of very expensive stock I owned. I bought it cuz someone once said it would be the next Berkshire Hathaway. Okayyyy, but it's not there yet and it's just been sitting in my account for a few years, tying up money that could be better used for trading options. So I sold it Tuesday and got into Apple!
Wednesday: I paid a bill and recycled the envelope and inserts.
Thursday: I recycled a candy wrapper.
Results: Wow, I am getting so many unexpected free days to trade. It's kind of great! On the one hand, I want to work cuz money is important :) But I am making enough to pay the bills, and it's really cool when I get a day free to watch the market so I can find good entry and exit points, and just learn about it all. So anyway, I've had time to do that this week!
I also started learning my music for the opera today! It's BEAUTIFUL. I get to sing a really gorgeous part, and it's hard as heck but I have some of it down pretty well already. I'm only in two scenes, really very little to sing, but it's good stuff! I'm going to have to work at it cuz there is no place to take a breath and it's got some awkward leaps into the stratosphere. This is my first true foray into coloratura territory and I am so looking forward to it!
Oh yeah, I also figured out that I really really love the man in my life :) That should be a given, but it came as a surprise to me today when I saw how much feeling was there. I've been unhappy in the relationship and while reading had a flash of insight as to why. Turns out I'm afraid of loving him more than he loves me cuz that's happened to me so many times before. So I've been shutting down the love. It was good to notice and good to feel my heart open up, even though it can be scary. I think my closing down affects him negatively, so if I can stay open and loving, we might both feel happier.
It's funny because the other night I dreamed of another guy I know, in a romantic context, and woke up feeling great cuz it was such a romantic and beautiful dream. Made me feel like love is right there for me if I choose it. Well, today I got to choose it.
It's been a great week!
Friday, October 2, 2009
Decluttered all week!
Monday: Recycled an envelope. Also defrosted the formerly auto-defrosting fridge. Apparently the auto-defrost timer is kaput.
Tuesday: Recycled a newspaper.
Wednesday: Recycled a sale flyer and a play program.
Thursday: I recycled a teabag wrapper.
Friday: Paid two bills and recycled the envelopes and inserts. Also recycled a menu left under my apartment door.
Results: I am working! There's lots to do and I'm really enjoying the people I'm working for. AND I'm doing real trades now. So far two wins and two losses. This weekend I'm volunteering for PAX's Celebrating Women workshop. I love the opportunity to be generous with others! To find out more about PAX check out this link:
Making Sense of Men
Tuesday: Recycled a newspaper.
Wednesday: Recycled a sale flyer and a play program.
Thursday: I recycled a teabag wrapper.
Friday: Paid two bills and recycled the envelopes and inserts. Also recycled a menu left under my apartment door.
Results: I am working! There's lots to do and I'm really enjoying the people I'm working for. AND I'm doing real trades now. So far two wins and two losses. This weekend I'm volunteering for PAX's Celebrating Women workshop. I love the opportunity to be generous with others! To find out more about PAX check out this link:
Making Sense of Men
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