Love Trumps Hate

With the new election and all the drama, the only way I can process this is to try and make the world a better place. Trump received 279 electoral votes so for the next 279 days (which should bring me to August 15th) I will do a random act of kindness.  Since he is a bazillionaire, I am also going to try and not use much money for this project.

So far:
Day 1- I bought clothes for a family that our school said needed some help (sorry it did cost money but I hope this is an anomaly)

Day 2- Helped a teacher by watching one of her students so she could better help the rest of her class.

I haven't decided what to do today but I am learning that being organized is going to help alot so I will be working on ideas and cleaning today.  I will get my random act in somehow, currently I think I may write a note/letter to someone I feel need a pick me up.

Day 3- Fixed a "to go bag' for a friend who is headed to Nashville for a Tennessee Titans game tomorrow. I made rice krispy treats, apples and deviled eggs for her to take on the trip.  I had all the ingredients at home so, this only cost me time

Sunday Day 4- Took my "extra" boy scout coupons to Food City and gave them out. They were if you spend $20 you get $2 off

Day 5-  Cleaned the playground after school

Tuesday Day 6-  Complimented a teacher about all she did for Homecoming.

Wednesday- wrote Thank you notes for the parents that volunteer for the book fair


Any suggestions?

$10 Weekend Again

Well, last weekend was a washout. JV used the money she had saved to buy some dinner for herself on Thursday (which I don't blame her for) and I used the money for a baby shower gift on Saturday. Then we both ate lunch out that afternoon at a very nice restaurant. So I have decided to "start over" again.
Of course the problem is when I do things with other people. I don't want their fun to be diminished because of my "philosophy" but then again when I do things against it (i.e. lunch at a restaurant) life just doesn't seem to go well.

Anyway, this weekend I haven't bought anything but I did go to lunch with my friend Angela and that was $20. Technically since it involved someone else it doesn't count but I still feel kinda disappointed.

However, on the good side, I have gotten to do somethings that were free that I normally wouldn't have.  On Saturdays @ 10:30 Evergreen of Johnson City has wonderful seminars.  The one this weekend was on Fall Perrenials. The person was extremely knowledgeable and I learned so much.  Plus they also had giveways and refreshments. :-)  Next weekend is there Fall Festival which I can't go to because next weekend is Free Teacher Weekend at WonderWorks in Pidgeon Forge.

I tried to go to the ETSU observatory Open House but got lost and it was dark so I wound up coming back home. I will try again next month.

At the library I got my free DVDs for the weekend and a couple of cookbooks. I also found a book called Zero Waste Home which I am really enjoying.  It is about a family that is trying to cut out on waste and they are doing a great job.  She even has a blog (surprise, surpise) that can be found here.

I think I am going to adopt some of her ideas and incorporate them into my $10 weekend.

Week 2 of the $10 Challenge

This weekend proved to be a little more "interesting" than the one before. Since the challenge was no longer new, it was harder to be as excited as before.  However, we made it through with change in our pocket going jing-a-ling-a-ling (my apologies to the Georgia Satellites)

This weekend had a bit of a theme without knowing it.  Friday night I went to our local high school's football game. Since I am a county employee it was FREE!! WooHoo. Unfortunately, they lost 53-10 but many of my friends were there and it was nice to see the kiddos in a relaxed enviroment.

Saturday, JV and I got up and didn't meet up until lunchtime. We went to Chick-fil-A where we had a card for a free sandwich and cookie.  I got a small drink again (1.44) and then headed off to McKay in Knoxville. While there, JV got some DVDs and I used my credit for some books that were from some of my favorite authors. JV's sister Donna and I like the same type of books so I texted her about the new series I am enjoying.

Afterwards, we went to Dollywood. It was pretty late and we were pretty tires, so we just went into the museum. I must admit it was alot nicer than I had anticipated.  It had many of Dolly's old costumes and letters and you could even listen to some of her older song.  They also had her "Coat of Many Colors" on display.

Dinner at Hardee's was a chicken sandwich with fries and a coke. The total was only $3.23 because I had a coupon. We had a great talk while there because it was completely empty. The talk helped to refocus what these weekends are about. They are to be fun and creatively inspiring. When they stop being that, they should stop.

Sunday was relaxing. I got up and did some laundry, cooking, the usual. However, the Greeneville Astros were having a Teacher Appreciation Night so by showing my pass, I got in there free as well.

Organization Help

My computer gets filled with many documents that get started and forgotten.  One such document is one named "Luxury Items for Free".  Yikes! The cool thing is that there are items that I had forgotten about. 
Here is the list:

Luxury Items for free (or almost free)

• Ironed sheets
• Using good china and tableware
• Good glasses
• Reading on the porch
• Candlelight evenings
• No work Sundays
• No electricity day
• Food prepared just the way I like it
• Playing ribbon with my cat
• Snuggling with my cat
• Dining “al fresco”
• Playing solitare
• Walking in the park
• Massages in the chairs @ Kohl’s, Walmart or Bed Bath & Beyond

I love that I found it again but hate that I lost it in the first place. Fortunately, this blog is one way in which I will be able to find them again.

Another valuable resource I have found is called: The Happiness Project Toolbox

This site is a companion to the book The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

The site allows you to make Resolutions, Lists, One Sentence Journals, Group Resolutions, and save Inspiration pictures and quotes, all for free!! I have really enjoyed using it.  In fact it has helped me keep up with maintaining blog entries, flossing and when I last clipped my cats nails. 

Of course I recommend reading the books, which is great!  Don't forget that your library probably has a copy for free!!! :-)

Car care

At the car wash....shoop shoop... working at the car wash.
One of the things that I have realized is how you look at things.  Millions of people pay lots of money to have their cars hand washed. Me? I get to have it hand washed for free. 

I take my car to my friends house and hook up her hose. I bought some soap and a sponge a long time ago and finally put it to use.

I love that I can go over the areas that get missed otherwise. On my Prius, the little area that is the bottom of the windshield doesn't get washed with the automatic washes.

While getting my gas this morning, I also checked my airpressure.  I cleaned my windshields and emptied all the trash into the can available.

Volunteering

One of the best way that I have found to help yourself, is by helping others.  Maybe it is because I live in the volunteer state, but giving time to organizations that you like it a great way to better your life.  I can not list all of the great things that I have received by volunteering.  Some of the simple things are: free meals, clothing, contests to win prizes, and even a trip to another country.

I never would have visited the Czech Republic without volunteering

Of course, the most important and valuable things that I got were intangibles. Volunteering at the animal shelter gave me lots of puppy and kitty love.  I have made many, many friends. I have also gotten to experience things that I wouldn't have otherwise.

Good Times, Good Friends

The important thing is to volunteer for things that are meaningful to you.  “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”
― Mother Teresa

University Freebies

When I came back to get my degree, I loved going to all the events on campus and learning about new ideas and skills. However, once I graduated, I got caught up in the work world and left all of the events behind.

Fortunately, one of my good friends, took me to see a piano concert at the local university for my birthday.  I had forgotten what a great resource this was.  I picked up an upcoming schedule of events on my way out. WoW! I was amazed at all the happenings- lectures, recitals, concerts, movies...

It was wonderful.  I have already put several on my calendar.

ETSU

• Daily Events

Milligan

• News and Events 

Tusculum

• Calendar
• Museums

Don't put your head in the sand. Get out and try something new!!

The Experiment Begins

Well, it is January 5th,2009 and I am in my fifth day of my experiment on only buying necessities, not luxuries this year. I read the book Not Buying It by Judith Levine last year and was inspired to try the same idea this year. I will try and go an entire year without buying any luxuries.
I must say it has already helped me appreciate the things I do have. Becuase I now must plan in advance (something I hate doing) I get things done more effieciently. For example, I already have my sister-in-laws birthday gift done and her card sent out. She is going to have a fit because I am ALWAYS late with gifts and cards. She even called me today to tell me how excited she is.

As far as the luxuries that I have gotten for free this year.

1. a free blog site ;-)
2. watching Horton Hear a Who on the big screen at our local Hands-0n Museum. I hadn't seen it yet and was earlier debating as to whether or not to purchase
3. Found a free site www.sparkpeople.com for information on exercise and weight loss
4. Since I'm cooking now, I offer extra that I made to friends who were please with the offer. Unfortunately because it was so unexpected, there were no takers :-(

Drawbacks:

1. Friends have asked me to have lunch with them today and I had to say no because I brought my lunch.
2. Feeling a little ungrounded right now