Whiskey or Yarn

That is the question. In reality I must have both.

While rarely posting, I am still sorting my ideas around frugal living and having it all. All to me is good drink, plenty of yarn, and the time to relax and enjoy both. Thankfully, I have taken a job where I get paid while allowing enough free time to crochet. I have reasoned out that I can easily get three hours daily to work on my projects. Usually, I can have a complete hour at a time.

The issue, hence the title, is whether or not I can reasonably afford to have both good whiskey (or liqueur) and as much yarn as I need. I have quite a collection of yarn. It is just not enough for a large project and often I make one item then frog it (rip it rip it - apart) to make another. It's making the decision to buy all 20 plus skeins at once to make the scarf, dress, blanket, that boggles me. The error of waiting means ending up with mixed lots (and varying colors or textures).

I'm not waiting on the whiskey. Not! I will trade down a few dollars and for the month of January I drank the really good stuff - Elijah Craig, Makers Mark, Bulleit - instead of Ezra Brooks (at half the price). I have been gifted six bottles of the good stuff. This is it, until my birthday and the holidays. I have been frugal enough to make it last years. Or two, at least.

Back to the choice. It's not really an issue of finances, as much as deserving. Do I deserve to have as much yarn as I desire? Am I willing to pay to have what I deserve? How long will I put off getting what I believe I deserve? Where and how do I need to shift?

I am still working on those questions. Until then, here is how I made the decision:

I buy yarn regularly. I generally wait for a sale, but still have been unwilling to purchase as much as I want or need due to the above. Today I found a good deal. I can justify each item financially (as a great deal). I can justify the purchase by paying half with money earned and saved for stuff I want. The other half will be absorbed in my contentment and commitment to delay any further yarn purchases until March 2015. (This might be a useful Lent focus. I just started to panic.)

Oh happy day! Here's what I love:

Women's Peaked Hat - January challenge The Crochet Crowd

Gift for my son

Another peaked hat

Peaked hat

Slouchy hat

Peaked hat, some more. This became a favorite this month - January 2015

Squishy scarf - for my Z!

Give me a break!

We finally had a bit of rain in the early morning (4:30 am) and the temperatures dropped into the 70's. When I stepped out to check the plants for water (there wasn't that much rain), I saw my peppers had set fruit today. Yes, between dawn and 10 AM, they decided to grow while the conditions were favorable.

This Tospy-Turvy planter is watered daily, and still it wilts. It has just been too hot. This week I placed the patio umbrella over the potted plants to shade them from direct sun. Wilt. With no control over the temperatures, I do what I can and let go. That's a farming/gardening lesson, anyway.

Today, summer feels stifling, like when I was a child. I grew up hating summer vacations. It meant long hot days at home with my mother and a continually growing list of chores. We rose early in the mornings to beat the heat and then spent the remainder of the day sitting still. I learned early to read, write and think. No, we did not watch the boob-tube. We had a complete set of Funk and Wagnalls encyclopedias. I digress...

I almost booked a flight to San Francisco. I haven't received a start day for the last job offer. I haven't gotten an interview where I thought I had the hook-up. And no reply to my text. Only form replies acknowledging my other applications wait in my inbox. Travel seems the easy and exciting answer. That is what I love to do. Drinking my coffee and journalling, I am startled.

I want a massage but think it is too expensive. I'm out of tequila and saving my last shots of Glen Livet for National Scotch Day (July 27, 2012). I hold on to every dollar I get (after charitable giving), and am incredibly frugal with every nickle. Yet, I easily rationalize the airfare, transport, and food/yoga/fun in the city. This is bigger than priorities. It speaks to what I believe is important. What feeds my heart and soul. What I truly want in my life - to travel, write, and drink beer. (I'm out of beer.)

It has been a RUDE summer. Too hot to work outside. Too dry to grow efficiently. Too much, just too much.

If I had been employed I would have been inside for eight plus hours of the heat. I would have had less time and energy to devote to worrying about my garden. However, I may have been willing to water more since I would have had a steady income.

Today I realized all the years I dreamed of being home in the summer to tend my garden have come true. This was not what I expected. Time, yes. But that's all.

Still, I am thankful for my time to be in my space. I love being at home. And even though the paint sits in the corner and the mulch stayed in the bag, I know that fall will be here as well. I pray I am working, but between shifts I will pull weeds, dig hostas, till the garden, roll the compost. The forecast has us just below triple digits so I will do what I can. Just like the peppers.

When it's too hot to move, we will quietly wilt in the shade. Hydrated and exhausted reading a good book and pondering life (which I must confess, is part of my dream).

For this is what we do. Put one foot forward and then the other. Lift our eyes to the snarl and smile of the world once more. Think. Act. Feel. Add our little consequence to the tides of good and evil that flood and drain the world. Drag our shadowed crosses into the hope of another night. Push our brave hearts into the promise of a new day. With love: the passionate search for truth other than our own. With longing: the pure, ineffable yearning to be saved. For so long as fate keeps waiting, we live on. God help us. God forgive us. We live on.

From my favorite book - Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts.

What are you reading this summer?

Tomorrow, National Scotch Day, my new writing project, and *he-he* what I did buy.

✿ڿڰۣ(̆̃̃ღ Lucky Maria! ღ(̆̃̃ڿڰۣ✿

Running out the door tonight I checked the mail. Not just junk, but an exclamation, “LUCKY MARIA!” My first thought was really, a new lover? No, it was some trash to borrow $5000 and head out shopping, or some other such foolishness.

Though I have never been attracted to the random announcement of my luck - fliers, spam, bulk mail, etc - I notice now how very much we are bombarded with insistence to spend, spend, spend. Walking along I realized that even if I had won $5000, I have no need to buy anything. In fact, as you know, I am working diligently (at least in my mind) to rid my world of extraneous stuff.

Now the notion of a new lover was rather tantalizing. I’ve updated my profile on one of those personals sites and while there have been a couple of responses, not nearly as many as I expected and not at all the level of interaction I am seeking. Ah, patience, you say. Thankfully, I have plenty of that. My biggest obstacle is the “newness” aspect. I’d rather not visit my old stomping grounds - broken glass and all.

I am going to pass on the concept of luck and recognize I am responsible for making a difference in my life.  If I expect different people to show up, I will have to look in different places and not settle for the same old thing. There are nearly 125,000 people around here. Surely I can find a few who might enjoy dinner and a glass of wine.

I am traveling, so the whole world is available.Somewhere out there...

“Hard Economic Times”

“Hard Economic Times” seem to affect those who have lived in an extended fashion more than those who have managed their lives and finances close to the belt.  If while in the concept of plenty we are living large, enjoying the fruits of our labor, playing keep up and catch up with the Joneses, we can expect any type of economic crunch to become “hard economic times.” 

My thought this morning began as I was hanging the laundry in the bright sunlight.   Not about the clothes themselves, but the clothes pins.  We are marketed all kinds of bag closures – magnetic, giant plastic frames that say “chips,” “cereal,” or “bread.”   If we were to look around we could save our precious dollars and use what we have – clothes pins, paper clips, binder clips, anything used to hold things together.  Mostly we have to look around.

We (Americans) have become content to watch the news and forget that we are a part of the world.  Our attention is heighted only as we feel the effects of economic stress personally.  So the fact that the rest of the world has been dealing with wheat and rice shortages, rioting even, doesn’t hit home until Sam’s Club and Costo limit bulk purchases of rice (and it makes the evening news, even though it is a sham).  The price of wheat affects the price of beer.  The cost of fuel – petro - becomes evident in the cost of all staples - bread, milk, anything moved down the road by vehicle to the grocer.

So, it’s time to tighten our buckles, yes?  Perhaps for many, but let’s visit the others who have lived within their means.  As this is subjective, I will define “means” my way.  In my opinion, living within one’s means, includes giving, saving, and expenses that stay below 80% of the net income.  Sad that we are able to borrow based on the gross, but must pay back based on the net.  Understandably, there are expenses that arise and reach into the formula, except that giving and saving must stay systematic. 

Giving acknowledges that we belong to a world greater than the one we face on a daily basis.  Giving reminds us that we have the means and opportunity to support others.  Giving can restore our sense of humanity and community.  We give in love out of self interest, knowing that as we give to others we give to ourselves. 

Saving allows us a little extra cover.  Imagine crawling into bed with the blankets and sheets that reach over the sides.  When you turn in the night, the warmth stays around you.   That’s savings.  It’s not about the amount, but rather, the intention of setting aside for another time, different choice, or next opportunity.

The net income is what we started with, having shared appropriately with the federal, state, and local governments (parking, dues, insurance, and retirement – maybe).  I am positive it takes a great deal of forethought to maintain balance between what one earns and what one spends.  We are inundated with choices, opportunities and pressure to hand over our hard earned cash.  Find absolutely no judgment here regarding how your money is spent.  I have plenty of spending errors I am correcting as I clear my space.  However, in being thoughtful of the economic front we must at least bring our attention and awareness to how, when, where and what we spent.

Take a moment to honestly examine where the money goes.  Rediscover your cash like a long lost lover.  Explore its value; inhale its essence; admire the remembered pleasure.  Think, “Would I give you over so freely, again?”  Without holding both the value of our cash and what it takes to receive it we allow money to slip through our fingers unnoticed, unaware.

“Hard economic times” will have less impact on those who become and remain mindful of both their needs and the resources to meet them.  As we bring focus on our behaviors we have the first tool for change.  Hard economic times require change.

One Hundred Promises to Myself

They say that most people have already abandoned their New Year’s Resolutions, or will soon in the coming weeks.  That says more about the choice of resolution than the people who make them.  When we decide to do well for ourselves we are immediately invested in the process.  With all the information and support on goal setting available, the most important element is, “What’s in it for me?”  If we are not to be the winners in the end, the whole program is destined to fail.  Yes, we may get organized, loss the weight, earn or save more money; but for whom?

Resolutions are really promises to you.  They are the statements of how you choose to show up in the world, how you will shape your life and life experiences.  The beginning of the year is merely an opportunity to review and establish another pattern of movement.  As I recognize my connection to my family, friends, neighborhood, community, and world at large, I acknowledge that that which I do for my own growth and healing extends to the healing of others.

This year I took on a commitment toward zero debt.  As we move toward more electronic management of information, those of us who push paper for a living are effectively being made redundant.  Before that notice arrives and while I am (thankfully) employed, it seems to make the most sense that I make my escape from the obligation of debt.  With this particular focus, I am conscious not only of my spending but also of the resources available to me from friends, families and neighbors.  How easy it is to run to the store to make a purchase rather than to ask if an item is available for loan (or gift).  In the past, my neighbor and I made regular exchanges of food, clothing, tools and services.  There are also plenty of websites set up for this very purpose.  We can sell or trade our excess; buy another’s. 

The most challenging aspect of this commitment is my enjoyment of shopping, both online and in stores (garage sales, booths, etc).  I love a deal, a bargain, stuff.  I have more than enough of everything – food, books, purses, clothes, shoes, linen, soap, and toys.  Because I have enough, I have decided to begin to use what I have.  I make my own body balms with oils and butters (avocado, shea, cocoa).  I have collected wonderful handmade soaps over the years along with some favorite body washes.  As much as I would like to replace those that are running low, I will merely move on to a new fragrance. This month I explored the pantry and cooked lentil and bulgur soup; served it buckwheat pancakes.  It was most excellent.  Next we had tomato sauerkraut soup.  I actually have a large collection of lentils (dal) and enjoy fashioning my own versions of Indian dishes.  I have already made the investment.  It is time to collect.

Staying connected with my financial commitment means walking away from items that attract me.  Today that means garden bulbs on sale.  I plan to grow food to support my family and friends.  We planted fruit bushes last year that we hope will produce this year.  I already have plenty of flower bulbs for the beautification of my yard and have seeds harvested to be planted in the spring.  What money I have available will go to purchase crop seeds.  In the spring I plan to plant radishes, spinach, lettuce, kale, onions, garlic, herbs, potatoes and tomatoes.  Sometimes my draw to flowers is not only their beauty, but my success in growing them.  This year, I will push beyond my comfort zone and plan according to my vision.

From the review of this single resolution – to be debt free – I am addressing shopping, spending, cooking, family and community involvement, gardening, organizing (using current supplies and resources), and a daily appreciation for my job.  I am thankful for the life I have chosen, with its simplicity and myriad opportunities.  None of us know what the future offers, but we can each find ease in the journey.  What’s in it for me?  I am all about the ease and the effort; the opportunity of growth – shifting and changing. 

In love and light…