A Daisy Resolution

It's true, time slips through all of our fingers, and looks like mine have giant gaps. However, it is once again that idyllic time when dreams of what can be accomplished in the next year, and as I sit in my pajamas on New Year's Eve at 10pm (Yes, I'm super-cool), I have a moment to think about what New Year's resolution to make.


I heard once that if you write down goals, you are more likely to accomplish them. So, let's give it a whirl, after all, the most it could cost me is personal shame and public embarrassment as I publicly announce (to all four of you who follow this blog) what I hope to accomplish next year.

1. Do a WEEKLY blog entry
2. Spend less than $500 total on clothes and shoes for the year--It would be a miracle if I spent less than $1,000 over the year, but I'm going to aim high (or low as it may be) and we will see where I end.
3. Store less stuff--This actually means "have" less stuff. Okay, so goals are supposed to be measurable and whatnot, but there is only a couple hours until midnight and all I know is that I don't want to complain about not having enough room for all my "stuff."
4. Read a book once/month--Cheater alert: I started this goal this fall, but it's good enough to carry on into 2010. My current read is Ike: An American Hero, a 700-page monstrosity of a biography on the late Dwight D. Eisenhower. Did I mention that I'm super-cool?
5. Stay out of debt--In 2009, we paid off my student loan, my car, and my credit card. Let's keep the good times rolling. I wonder if I can go through 2010 without accumulating another dollar on my credit card. Well, at least if I can do #2, I have a stronger chance to accomplish #5.
   

Maybe, I'll make this entry a homepage as a daily reminder of what my goals are, which in the end should either motivate me or cause me to implode into myself and become a puddle of failure. Either way, I won't be in the same place I am today!

Hello 2010!

Organizing the Glove Box

I feel like opening the glove box is done at my own risk as receipts, napkins, travel mugs, and who-knows-what-else comes billowing out. I stuff my glove box with whatever, and then of course, when it becomes important for me to find those important pieces of paper: registration and proof of insurance, I am buried in years worth of oil change receipts.

Then I came across an idea in Real Simple magazine. Take of those accordion files made for receipts or coupons and use it to organize the glove box. I found a small, plastic accordion file at Target for about $4. It even has a little zip lock compartment in the front! So, here is how I cleaned out the glove box:

1. Pull everything out of the glove box.



2. The first thing to go back into the glove box is the owner's manual to the vehicle.



3. In the VERY FRONT of the accordion file, place your current proof of insurance and registration.



4. Then, in the different sections, put the receipts of any car work done



5. Throw away any trash, and file any car work over one year old in your home with other home records--but get them out of the glove box.



6. Stick $2 change in quarters in the zip lock pouch for those unexpected tolls and parking meters.



7. Decide on the other 3 or 4 important items you want in your glove box. I have a tire pressure gage, napkins, phone charger, and an emergency poncho (because my parents gave it to me. Yes, I live in the desert and have no need for an emergency poncho, but I feel like as soon as I toss it, I'll find myself in a situation where I'll inevitably need it)

Thoughts on John the Baptist

Mark 1:6-8 (New International Version)
"And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And this was his message: 'After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.'"

I was reading through Mark and came across these verses and they made me think about how John the Baptist was freed up from everyday burdens that tend to entangle us.

1. His clothing is simple--Not that we all need to reduce our closets to one outfit, but I have mentioned before that I can waste 20-30 minutes each day trying to figure out what to wear. John kept is simple. He wasn't concerned if people had seen his outfit before or sit staring at his closet wondering what would impress others.


2. His meals are simple--Sometimes we eat what we want, not what we have, or what we can afford. Yes, we live in American where we can eat anything we want at any time we want, but really, feeding our impulses can cost us at least $400 a month in eating out, instead of settling for the PB & J or spaghetti that is in my cupboard. Plus, at least its better than bugs.


3. His lifestyle is simple--No car payment, no house payment, no credit cards. He lives with what is within his means. Revolutionary.


4. His message is simple--Jesus is coming. John isn't busy explaining all the intricacies of doctrine and theology. His faith revolves around the promises of God, and his focus is just a Savior.
   

Of course, as my friend Sam would point out, John the Baptist did end up beheaded, but I think I can learn lessons from how he lived his life.

Local Treasure Hunts

It seems like no matter what size city we grow up in, that famous phrase comes from our lips: "There is nothing to do here." My sister has an acquaintance who calls Tucson, "Nothing to Do-son."

The truth is, there is usually something going on in our own backyards, but we need a sense of adventure, be open to some creativity, and ready to explore.

I like to google the word "Festivals" + the city I live in + the year. So, "Festivals Tucson 2009." And thanks to the Internet, we have found some local treasures.

• St. Demetrios Greek Festival (September) $3 Entry Fee
  
  
• Tucson Celtic Festival & Highland Games (November) $12 Entry Fee ($10 if you bring a non-perishable food item)

• Winterhaven Festival of Lights (December) Free

I have also googled "Things to do in Tucson," and the first website that came up was from Trip Advisor. Of course! People travel to the cities we live in and post what to do around our towns, sites to see, and restaurants to try. Reap the benefits of the tourists' work; I like that. Trip Advisor listed museums, hiking routes, farmer's markets, and artisan neighborhoods and shops, all low cost or free to do.

Then, there are always the wonders of Facebook. It is amazing what suggestions you can get by simply posting your status as, "What is there to do in Tucson this weekend?" or "What is your favorite thing to do in Tucson?" Then, you get the local flavor:

• Rooster Cogburn's Ostrich Ranch $5 Entry & Feed Fee



• Disney Lane (near Christmas) Free

Happy exploring, and I hope you fall in love with your back yard!

The $5 Jewelry box

I have to credit my friend, Kat, for this stroke of brilliance. I was getting the tour of her house when I encountered the way she stores her jewelry in her closet. She had taken a peice of foam core, hung it in her closet, and hung her jewelry there for storage and display. And here is the brilliance of it:

• Everything is neatly displayed, making it easy to decide what to wear.
  
• Necklaces are not lost in a nest of knots.


• Takes up no shelf space, like a clunky jewelry box, and clothes can be hung in front.


• It's cheap

So, I decided to copy my friend and bought the supplies:

• A piece of foam core ($2.50 at Target)


• Push pin tacks ($1.99)

One added perk is that I had to go through all of my jewelry, and I ended up finding pieces I had forgotten that I owned. I cleaned out old and outdated jewelry, untangled necklaces, and set aside the pieces I wanted to keep. I really was limited to the space on the board, so it is actually a great way to limit how much jewelry I am hoarding.

I laid the board down on a flat surface, arranged my jewelry on it, and then placed the push pins where the jewelry is to be hanging from. Then, I removed the jewelry from the board, placing everything in the same order on another flat surface, so I didn't forget where I had placed all the jewelry. Then, hung the board in the back of the closet with a hammer and three small nails. Finally, I hung all the jewelry up. The foam core may not be as thick as the push pins, but it works.