Where the Hell Have I Been?

I'm actually a little disappointed in myself lately. Not only have I slacked on Kwabena's blog, but I have slacked here, as well. I would like to write here at least once or twice a week, but it's become less frequent. As I mentioned on Kwabena's blog, I think Facebook has high-jacked my computer time. It's such a time-sucker. It's time to get back to my quality blogging that is so important to me. I've journaled since age 15, and to now not be journaling and documenting my life......I'm not happy about that.

So the first quarter of 2009 is over. I can't say I'm too ecstatic about how March went. I sort of went a little crazy this month. I was doing so well with not using credit and/or debit. I still show restraint, but I've gotten a little sloppy with not using cash only at times. Just the other day I went to Subway and spend $7.00 on my card, just because I wanted Subway (I've totally been addicted to the veggie patty meal with "fire chips" as Kwabena calls Doritos. LOL). Shame on me. Not only because I don't need the bread and junk food chips, but because I should have only bought it if I had sufficient cash.

I also am disappointed that I have not set in motion the will and other estate planning that I know we need to do. Why am I procrastinating on this?? Maybe because it's so depressing to think of putting those types of documents in order, but shit, you know you have to!

And for the month of March, I did not pay extra on my car. :( Part of the fact is that I really just couldn't afford to so. Also, with some of the extra charging that I have been doing on my Visa lately......I need to pay that off first.

Speaking of which, I bought tickets to the Coldplay concert coming up in May... and in June, The Fray is going to be here, to which I bought a ticket! I didn't have the money when I bought the tickets. But, hell, this is Coldplay and The Fray!! My two favorite bands!! How could I pass that up??

I've been doing okay with working out--not as much as I would have liked, but definitely is still part of my afternoon routine. I can't believe how strong I have become! Push-ups....I remember when I could barely do one boy-pushup. Now I do a set of 20, and then a few minutes later, do a few more sets of 10 or 15.....My arms are like "whoa." ;-)

As for my reading goals, I had sort of abandoned my reading these last couple months or so. I would listen to my iPod allll the time (Coldplay and The Fray, baby....), but last night I went to the library and found a whole rack of good, yummy novels! I actually found the latest by Jodi Picoult, my favorite writer, about a family who gives birth to a baby that has this rare condition that causes her bones to break easily (I'm talking "sneeze-and-she-breaks-a-bone" crazy disease). And it's a real disease, too!! Makes me thankful for my little bundle of Kwabena :) I can't wait to lose myself in this novel, though..... I also picked up the Edgar Sawtelle novel that was an Oprah's Bookclub favorite. I'm hoping to jump on that bandwagon, too.....

Next week I go for my 3-month check-up to get my blood drawn. I can only imagine what the results will show. I have done horribly bad over these last 3 months when it comes to cutting back/out on the sugar and carbs. Seriously......why do I do that?? Especially considering that I know that I am slightly insulin resistant. *SIGH*.....I will just wait and see what my labs look like, and depending on what they are, it will let me know if I have totally been screwing myself.

Financially, things are about to get super tight. This townhouse that we own in Hagerstown is about to become vacant (well, my sis is moving out, and my mom will stay there until we can find a new renter). We will be taking a loss with any other renter in there. And rents are crazy low in Hagerstown right now, so some people are just not paying a certain amount to rent right now. One option would be for us to move to Hagerstown, into the townhouse, until we can find someone else to take it. It would be easier to rent our current condo and get asking price to cover this mortgage than to get someone to cover the mortgage in Hagerstown. The only downside is that it's 65 miles away from my job!! Commuting could be torturous (although there is the MARC train.....). Still........But all the benefits would be:

PROS:

• 3 levels......3 BR, 2.5 BA.....(read: room for 2 kids! Sewing room! Office!)
• It's directly across the street from the park; you can actually see the pond from the kitchen window....
• My mom would live closeby so I could see her more often and she could see Kwabena more often, too.
• Daycare would be cheaper. The sitter would be the same provider that raised my nephew (age 14) and niece (age 5), so I know her and trust her. She would be about 1/2 of what our current provider charges (although I am totally happy with my current sitter and would be sad to lose her).
• We'd have a front yard/back yard/side yard for Kwabena to play without fear of stepping in dog shit. LOL
• School system would be better than the school system we're in right now.

CONS:

• The commute is 65 miles to my job, which means I would have to leave super early, and use the MARC train.
• I would miss living where we do now, because we're like in the hub of all the great places around here: Baltimore, Washington DC, Virginia, Bethesda, etc. All these places are only about 30 minutes away. To live in my hometown in the condo, we'd have to drive probably twice that or longer. Not really a big issue, though, because I can totally drive that on the weekends when we want to do those types of activities.....

So, as you can see....the PROS outweigh the CONS....Only time will tell what happens with that property.....

Anyhow, keep you posted!