Well, “Just One Cup January” went over pretty well with only one cheat day out of 31. I must say, I can’t wait to try the coffee from the new coffee maker at the office. However, I’ve now grown to only need just one cup of joe to get me thru the morning now that I’ve been doing it for over a month. I now supplement that second cup with a smoothie I make at home and take to work with me. Gets me thru the morning and provides protein and energy I need to make it thru my lunchtime workouts. Strawberries, Mango and Pineapple plus low fat yogurt, coconut milk and protein powder (that normally tastes like chalk) makes for a pretty delicious mid-morning snack. If I’m feeling REALLY crazy, I’ll throw in a banana! I know…crazy stuff…living on the edge.
So, when I set out do to this “one resolution a month” crap I had really awesome ideas for each month. Unfortunately, I have already broken two of my February resolutions…and it’s the nearly the 3rd day of the month. Dammit.
My original February resolution was “Frugal February”. Granted, I don’t go crazy spending money all the time, but here lately I’ve had some events in my schedule that have required me to spend a lot more than I normally do. Honestly, it’s totally screwed my monthly budget. Christmas was a given…I knew I was going to be poor after the holidays. I like giving gifts – I like wrapping them even more. So I found myself over-buying just to use up the wrapping paper I had bought (that was super cute). January rolled around and my friends and I threw one of the smoothest, classiest baby showers I’ve been a part of thus far. Again, Lindsey was broke. And then the lovely state of South Carolina reminded me that I needed to pay my car taxes…great. My Jetta may have been a bucket I dumped cash into every three months fixing crap that shouldn’t have broken given the age, mileage and maintenance I kept on her…but the property taxes were about $100 less than my new rig. Another large purchase included my 3 month visit to my girl Ashley for cut and color which in turn sent me to a really cute boutique in Charlotte where I forked out WAY too much for a dress for my class reunion. I never would have spent the money I did on this dress…but I got caught up in the atmosphere and the dress looked really hot on! Needless to say, I needed a reason to be really cheap and have “Frugal February”…but I already screwed that up…
Payday is tomorrow and I HAD to buy things for another baby shower this weekend so, I did what everyone else in America does – I charged it. Let me tell you…me + Target + AMEX = bad, bad, bad news. I got all the things I needed to make 48 cupcakes, punch, gifts, etc. However, as I was unloading my cart (it’s a buggy, but some people make fun of me for saying that – so there) at the register I found things that I unconsciously loaded in my cart (buggy). A 3lb bag of Jelly Belly’s, a 2 lb bag of gummy bears, a HUGE bag of frozen fruit for smoothies (I needed more), nail polish, a new book, and new headphones (mine crapped out Monday). Granted, I probably can justify the headphones and fruit, but who buys 5 lbs of candy!?! The lady at the register said “for your children” (note the plural)…and all I could do was hang my head in embarrassment and lie. “Yes, they love candy”. Moral of this story: Target ruined my Frugal February.
My second February resolution idea was “Fresh February”…which would essentially ruin Frugal February or any chance of saving any money. I eat really well…most of the time. Lunches usually consist of a Lean Cuisine or soup. Snacks in the afternoon are fruit or a 100 calorie “something” around 3:00. Dinner rotates between quesadillas, soup and grilled chicken salads. Boring, I know…but it’s really hard to cook for one! That’s my excuse. Back to my resolution, I was planning on eating nothing but fresh fruit and vegetables – no meat, no processed food, etc. And I was doing really well – until today. This week has been a blur at work. The end of our sale and the end of 2011 pricing was Monday, our order entry person is going on vacation all next week, and I was in Chicago the end of last week…all leading up to a REALLY busy week. In my haste and frustration I made an executive decision for the office – we were going to Salsarita’s for lunch. TECHNICALLY, it’s advertized as “fresh, fast, Mexican”…but I’m not going to neglect the delicious burrito in a bowl and not give it some meaty love! And so I threw “Fresh February” out the window.
I had a thought to have “Frustrated February” where I would try not to get frustrated at work all month – but …read above. That idea left as fast as it entered my head.
And so here we are on the eve of the 3rd of February and I’m stuck trying to come up with a February resolution. After a lot of thinking I have one!
“Friendship February”.
Being the friend with no significant other, children, etc., I am usually the one that travels to see all my friends across the state. I’ve been slacking lately – mostly because I’m broke…but I’ve been busy too! My usual Friday and Saturday nights consist of me patronizing McHales in Rock Hill at least once a weekend with the same crowd. Every now and then we get a wild hair and make the journey uptown Charlotte to spend twice as much on a beer and stress over how we’re going to get home. (PS: it’s about a $60 cab ride back to the ‘Hill). Regardless, I have a LOT of friends in the Charlotte area that I don’t get to see because I’m so stuck in my ways on the weekends. I have even more friends in Charleston that I miss out on seeing during my 3 day visits “home”. I try my hardest to make the rounds when I go, but I always miss out on seeing someone and get slapped on the wrist after they realize I’ve been home and haven’t visited.
SO…in the month of February, my resolution is to spend more time with my friends that I have neglected to make time for, invite out, or travel to see. Yea, it may force me to spend a little more cash but, if I can manage to buy $15.00 worth of candy at Target on credit…I think I’ll be okay.
Thankfully, my class reunion is in February and some of my besties and I have a beach house on the Isle of Palms for a few nights where we will get to spend more time together than we have probably EVER had the chance to do!
So to all my friends, beware…I’m coming to visit, asking you to come out, and stopping by this month.
Love y’all!
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