I Got a Kindle!

OK, so I am about 2 years later than most, but I got a Kindle for Christmas/Hanukkah this year. 

And I am really excited about it.  Because I love to read.  And this gives me books to read - anytime, anywhere.

I can catch on best sellers, read some new biographies (love them the most), enjoy some silly romance novels, explore the classics....the list is endless! 

And expensive..lol (see the link...any takers?)

But I am trying my best to hold back on my purchases and not have 12 books going at once.  Except for the free classics. 

BTW...can you sell the books back once you are done reading?  That sounds like a great idea!!!

Now I know that I can tackle all those book lists (you know the 100 books you should read...blah, blah) and look even more scholarly. 

And maybe sound like an English professor. 

Or be a famous quote machine.

Or just sit in a brightly lit corner, with a comfy blanket and my cat and read.

with my new Kindle.......

The Holidays did not win the Year

Every year I make a vow to myself to not overspend for the holidays.  And I always break it.  But this year, with the money struggles we have, plus the DS in college, I just could not let the holidays win this year.

So I stopped myself.  So.Many.Times.

At the toy store, I asked myself "Self, do my grandkids really need any new toys, doll clothes or games?"  and my answer? "NO"

At the clothing store, I asked myself "Self, does my DH really need several new ties or could just one or two work?"  and my answer? "NO, just two"

And because we celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas, I had to ask myself these questions over and over again. 

"Don't spoil my DS, can he really use that in his dorm room?"  "What does my Sister really want?"  "Can I find it home made or done by a talented crafter?"

I found myself really enjoying this opportunity to find the best gift for everyone, plus the lesson for myself that less can be more.  The gifts that I gave this year were based on listening to the person whom I was buying for, editing my "need" to overindulge, and trying to find the right place to purchase - be it a crafter, vendor show or regular store.

This year the holidays did not win - my budget did!

Living within my Means

When I was growing up I lived two separate lives.  The life before my parents divorce - filled with nannies (one really, Mary and I loved her so much) , trips to New York for new clothes, days in Philadelphia with my Daddy, swim club membership etc; and the life after divorce - filled with a small condo, walking to school, a working mother and money for not much. 

Even after my Mom remarried, it still felt like we never had quite enough money.  Of course, my Mother was not good with money and I'm sure that accounted for much of the problem!

But as I got older and started to make a good income, I found that I could go back to doing some of the finer things in life - nice vacations, clothing and taking good care of my family.

Times, however, for many of us have changed again and I find myself scrimping pennies and working several jobs in order to make ends meet.  While I am hopeful and optimistic that the tide will turn again, I must also be ---sadly --- realistic.

And I hate being realistic, no really.  Not. joking.

So in order to get the new floor in my office, I saved up until I could pay cash.  Yep, cash - who would think that?  So this means the office project will be going slowly and I will have to save for each thing I want to do.  So after the holidays - curtains and organizing, then a custom slip cover for the chair I am getting.  God know, next post may be about budgeting....arrrrrugh!

It's a step at a time....

living within my means.

Surrounded by Women!

As I am typing this I am sitting at the Torah Fund Cabinet/Council Breakfast for the Women's League for Conservative Judaism.  Now you know that I do not talk much about religion and politics, but I feel that what the Torah Fund does goes beyond those walls. 
The Torah Fund is the scholarship fund that ensures the continuing education of our future rabbis, cantors, and jewish educators for those attending the schools of the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, The Zeigler School in California, the Schecter Institute in Jerusalem and the Semeriano in Buenos Aires.  This schools are supported by the dollars raised via the Torah Fund Programs.
The chancellor of the JTS, Dr. Arnold Eisen, spoke to us yesterday about how he is updating the program to meet today's needs - Internet, blogs and other forms of spreading the teaching.  This is how we will ensure the continuation of conservative Judaism.
If you are someone who is interested in ensuring that we have our Conservative scholars for our children and our grandchildren, then this is a program you should support.
Thanks for reading, and your support.

Time to get off the pot.....

I have been trying to figure out why there are so many blog posts in my head that don't make it to paper and I am still in the midst of adjusting...

to being underemployed
to being an empty nester
to having my DH around far more than I ever expected
to juggling so many things in my life that I forget about me.

But does that stop the "ah-ha" moments that I have that make me want to jot down some thoughts or an I afraid that some of these topics I so need to discuss may hurt someones feelings?

Do I care that much or am I simply afraid?

These are the times that I hate being a Libra because I do weight both sides of an issue for so long that I can get paralyzed.  So I am making a vow...

to be less paralyzed, less afraid.

and write on the topics that pop in my head,

And be ready to face the consequences.