Saving log - 4$ tip box (starting anew!)
Spending log - 2$ coffee, milk + 13$ lunch chirashi

I must have semi-overdid it in the gym "classes" this week, everything's stiff - legs, stomach, arms right at the side of my armpit. Didn't even think I had muscles there. But my upper arms don't jiggle. Managed to drink water and eat salad for dinner, but I got caught with an afternoon cookie. The cookie was worth it.

Needed the relatively expensive chirashi (strewn sushi). Its brain food and I needed my brains today. I managed to finish the first draft of a very complicated company match calculation (company shall remain nameless, but not link-less, I'll be mean that way). Sometimes doing these things is like having a proctologist do a root canal - not only are are you screwed in an unexpected way, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

But I'm happy that its done, and now I can concentrate on catching up.

Like Ima Saver, I'm finding that my big check is taking soooooo long to get posted. A piece of it was supposed to post on Friday and it still hasn't. What gives? I mean its a big check, but cripes its coming from another bank, and not a tiny one at that! I found a partial explanation on the bankrate.com site.

Got the TIAA-CREF 1099 form that had all zeroes on it. I moved the 403B money into an IRA so it was sheltered on both sides. Cost more to mail it than I'll be using it.

Saving log - $3
Spending log - $3.50 breakfast + 5$ lunch

Well, it was a winter horror show disguised as wonderland. We got about 3 inches, which wasn't bad, except for that we are on a ridge (no matter which way you go, its down an icy hill), and Seattle drivers can barely drive in rain, not to mention ice. !!! It was beautiful, though, quiet and everything covered in white.

The office opened 3.5 hr late. Luckily DH could drive me to work, and MILs old car actually lived in Bozeman, MT before we got it. Its tires were thick with a nice heavy tread and well balanced. Drive it cautiously and you could get anywhere.

Actually got to work about an 1.5 hrs before the office officially opened, so I just played hooky at a coffee shop and served myself some relatively frugal treats - spare time, coffee, pizza bagel, and the newspaper. I wish I could start every day as nicely. The day was great, as it always is when not everyone comes in. These days, there are a couple of people that I don't want to hear from at work.

Gym class again. Lost a pound, so I'm at 190 - close to getting back to where I was right before Thanksgiving. Exciting! But because of the ice, I just wanted to get home, so I took my old bus - no long mile walk from 8th Ave NW. It turns out that the trainer and her fiance are starting some money moves on their own. That's great - I can share some info and it makes the conversation less about me, me, me...

I monitor my money and accounts online, which is problematic when the hard drive got upgrade. Tonight was the night I got my financial accounts in order. Yet another 1099 came in - my tax folder is filling up slowly but surely.

Savings log - $4 tip box
Spending log - 2$ coffee, milk + 6$ lunch* + 7$ groceries for potluck dish

*Lunch was a vegetarian foot long, I cut it into quarters and will eat 2 quarters today, 2 quarters tomorrow.

My assistant has a job interview tomorrow. I wish her luck. I'll be sad that she's going, happy for her, and pleased if she gets something permanent. It's interesting - I was once a temp long ago, and thought that my boss would be upset. (the control freaks were) Sitting on the other side, we all know that a temp job is just that - temporary. People move on and well they should.

In the gym today, I saw a *lot* of new people. It was hard to find space on the machines. Some looked lost, some looked confused with their spreadsheets, some looked a bit arrogant, some grunted loudly when they did their exercises . I guess I'm jaded. I give them all about 3 weeks, and joked with my trainer about it.

My trainer was very excited about my resolutions...and informed me that if I kept up with the 10 minutes/night goal (3), it was 60 minutes/week which would be equivalent to goal (1). And since I already have the yoga mat, its free - as cheap as it can be. Last night I did do my 10 minute calisthenics - 20 each of stomach crunches, leg lifts, scissors, cobras, swimmers, a plank. (I'll see if YouTube has some video.) 10 minutes is just fun enough.

Dec 29 - yesterday
Savings log - 4$ tip box
Spending log - 2$ coffee, milk + $7 pho lunch

Dec 30 - today
Savings log - $2000 (DH paid me back the 2K I loaned him in April)
Spending log - $12 (breakfast & tip) + 54$ (groceries and 40$ cash)

I went and did it. I packed up many of my size 18 and size 20 clothes for donation. It filled two garbage bags. As I was pulling out the pants, dress, tops, etc, I remembered it was a darn lucky thing that I got much of this stuff at the thrift store or at Ross Dress for Less. Nothing I "recycled" cost more than 40$, so I didn't feel that I was taking a heavy duty financial loss. Yet another good reason for hitting the garage sales and not paying full price for anything.

But it was scary. Now it means that I have to at least maintain my new shape, otherwise I'll have to re-buy everything all over again.

I did keep a couple of things. My soft, worn size 18 jeans with the peekaboo rips. It makes a gangsta fashion statement. I kept an XL black turtleneck because I just bought it in September, its warm, and it'll hide any muffin top. There are a couple lightweight animal print pants that I like, and, well, summer's coming back. They hang and float on me and they feel pretty good on the one 90 degree day in Seattle.

Saving log - $4 tip box
Spending log - $1.50 coffee (didn't drink my milk yesterday) + 7$ lunch

Walked to my bus stop on a near solid surface of black ice. Thanks, Yaktrax. You still have to be cautious, but those rubber springy things really work! Crossed my usual black ice intersection with a lot more confidence.

Succumbed to the holidays: I gained 1.5 pounds for Christmas. I can lie to myself and I can lie to the trainer, but it appears that my body has the last laugh during the holidays. At least I enjoyed that little bit of chocolate.

Still was a crazy work day today but the work piles are backing down, so I'm catching up. The highlight of weirdness came this afternoon when one of our campaign managers told us that one of his companies had a penny drive.

Fine, we said.
Oh no, you don't understand, he said. You will be processing 5000$ ... in pennies!

They were rolled (pwhew, I guess) and were put in boxes and boxes, filling a dolly cart to a height of about two feet. About a third came in cardboard boxes the size and heaviness of a large brick - 25$. The other two thirds were loose rolls thrown in boxes, and even a large money bag. Yikes! I never thought I would see a half a million pennies in one place. Actually, the claimed count was 5003$, so 500,300 pennies. Maybe.

The campaign manager managed to get them all in his car trunk, but he could have sworn that his front wheels never touched the pavement.

The COO came down to our safe just to see what a half a million pennies looked like. The manager who brought it asked how we were going to process a half a million pennies and I joked that we were going to dump them in a pile and roll around naked in them. And why bother with the safe, anyway? If the pennies disappeared, all we would have to do is check the hospitals for thieves with hernias.

Seriously, if it wasn't for the massive amount of energy it would take, since it takes 1.4 cents worth of metal to make a penny, the scientist in me would have much preferred to extract the $7000 worth of zinc and copper from the $5000 pennies.

Sigh. Fun's fun. I'm sure that the bank that we normally use would basically wipe their collective eyes from laughing, then charge twenty percent for the privilege. Its either a run to a friendly credit union and a coin counter, or to the nearest US Treasury office, where they would weigh them. Hard to imagine a coin counter that would handle a half a million pennies.

N.B. we didn't get those pennies out of the safe and in the bank until June of 2007. You want a penny drive? Write us a check!

Merry Christmas! I got a warm winter coat and a hoodie sweater. The XL sweater he got me is too small - I think DH got tripped up by Junior sizes. I'm using it as a goal. Who knows, I might get there!

We have another Christmas tradition. If we get something, we have to give something away. Since I got a coat, I went to the closet and put a couple of fleece jackets out for the thrift store. DH and I filled a bag.

As long as I was in the closet, I pulled out a black cashmere wrap coat that I bought 22 years ago. I wore it often when I was in my first year out of college in Chicago (bought it when I was 23). I loved that coat, especially its feel - large and enveloping, impenetrable by snow. (It laughed at snow.) Its the nice one that I wear if its very cold and its very formal - a very rare conjunction in Seattle.

Last year in November, I tried it on. I was very depressed that while could get my shoulders in this coat, my stomach stuck out. It didn't fit, and I seriously thought of giving it away last Christmas. My first trainer suggested a visualization goal. I thought about that coat. Bizarre that it was a coat and not a bikini!

Today it fit. Even with a sweater on.

Savings log - 4$ tip box
Spending log - $2 coffee, milk + $7 lunch

Gym today. I gained a 1/2 lb (190 lbs) but I lost another inch on various parts of my body (upper arms, thighs, hips, waist, chest, calf), so total inch loss was 19 inches. Best of all, I lost 1% of body fat. I'm now at 35% body fat, which is considered high average. I'm now not at unhealthy. Whee! Burning 5 calories with the happy dance.

HR printed up their first draft of how PTO (paid time off) was supposed to work - as written, it looks like you can only "cashout" if you are leaving and with "management approval", not on a yearly basis. Can't say I think any of the management approval part, when theoretically PTO is supposed to be ours. And we all know how much management will approve of anything done that costs money, even if we are a non-profit and therefore money is less of an object. Time for a clarification.

Have a 6 month CD with ING that will mature in early January. Decided put it back in regular savings. I thought of adding it, in a controlled way, to either the t-bills or to my stocks.

Nearly a no-spend day. I ate the other half of the footlong sub I bought.

Felt logy at the gym today, but I managed to finish. A woman in the locker room tipped me off that the Goodwill on 65th/8th has a killer Monday night sale.

Saving log - 1$ in tip box
Spending log - 2$ coffee, milk

Thrift store, yet again. Got size 14 gap jeans in the current style, which I can get into but are quite tight. I suspect that that brand runs a tad small. Maybe in three weeks it will be a bit looser. They look okay if I wear a large something to hide a seriously large muffin top.

Also picked up a medium sweater, and a large top. The large top was a bit of a surprise - it seemed to be a bit smaller than the medium top.

2.99$ large top + 2.99$ medium top + 5.99$ jeans + tax = 11.71$

I'm treating these pieces as goals to get into eventually...a bit like an entrance strategy. Its nice to buy the items at the thrift store, especially if you expect to chase smaller sizes on the way down. You feel a bit different about the items that are a bit large for you.

Now I have to begin to think about an exit strategy about the XL pieces and the size 18s. There is one pair of soft, worn, full of rips jeans that I still love even if they are 18s, and I'll keep them until they hang around my knees. The rest? Time to think about putting items out for donation.

Which is pretty much how my spending went today. $2 again for the coffee and the milk, and I'm about halfway through the protein powder the chiropractor gave me as a gift. Lunch today was the $4.36 curry special - Fridays are the best ones because every vegetarian curry is on special. Then I bought 2 plastic shaker cups ($4.99/each) - one for work to get the protein powder in the milk, one for home to use to make salad dressings.

Had gym for the third time this week because I had one session/week for a couple of weeks. I'm thinking that I'd like to buy a couple of sessions for DH at his gym. He claims he exercises and he does know about the machines, but when he told me that he injured the back of his knee pushing 300 lbs, I wonder if its male stubbornness. And his body doesn't seem to change. I'll have to be a bit cagey, though.

I also worry about him for other reasons - he is the exact opposite of me in terms of sleep. Sleep apnea, disordered sleep, having to use sleeping pills to get to sleep, snoring...the big trifecta of bad sleep. He takes Ambien, and I worry that he actually does sleep eat. The kitchen's not a shambles in the morning, but a cupboard or two is open and things have been rearranged.

$1 in the tip box. My Paypal account made $1.25 this month.

Actually made it to work today. The office opened 2 hrs late in honor of the ice. Actually it was even more confusing - we were to assume that we were to start 2 hrs late, but to call back 45 minutes before the opening to check if the decision had changed.

Sigh. Home in North Seattle was iced over, and DH had the car. In other words, no way was I was going to make it on time in a mere 45 minutes.

As for moi, I assume that the decision makers at my workplace are insane and so far I have not been disappointed. I figured that the office would open and the message would not be changed. So I started off a full 2 hours before the office opening. I waited a good 45 minutes before a bus, stuffed to the gills, stopped.

During that time, one bus drove past and two training buses drove past. Now I can understand that this is a perfect training opportunity for driving on chains in the snow, but in the words of my co-worker, "why not train for the full effect and pick up hundreds of crabby, cold passengers in the snow?"

And again, to my fellow passengers...why are each of you bringing tens of pounds of crap in a backpack, insuring that you are a double lump in the aisle, pickpocket bait to a pro, and a pain in the ass to other people? I'm sure you didn't use all or even any of the crap you brought. I went fiscal commando again today, and hung my MP3 player and keys from belt loops, keeping everything in inside pockets.

Lo and behold, I was accurate. We started and the message was never changed. Never bet against insanity

But one great, amazing piece of news. The trainer weighted me again today. Between last Wednesday and today (Tuesday) I managed to lose .75 pounds. How did that happen? I'd like to think its the red wine, the gravy tastings, and the three slivers of pie. A girl can dream.

Tonight I got a handwritten condolence card from the vet. Now I'm va klempt again. Talk amongst yourselves.

Savings log - $3 in the tip box. I now have 40$ and its time to hoof it to the bank.
Spending log - 1.50$ coffee + 4.50$ veggie sub sandwich

Am watching the Packer/Seahawk game, and I'm more of a Packer fan. Rats is the summary.

We only got a couple of inches in Seattle, so off to work I went. The commute was pretty light because everyone north of us was snowed in. Tonight I did a crazy thing and did my 8th Ave NW walk. Crazy because it was snowing a bit, there was plenty of ice and I was watching cars slip and slide around. I took it slow and discovered that my balance was much, much better than it had been in a long time. I'm never going to ice skate, but at least I'm not going to be as afraid of ice as I used to be. Tomorrow morning will be the acid test though. Everything will have frozen up good and solid and since I live on a ridge, its downhill no matter how I go.

But at work today I found that I'm in command for the rest of the week. My boss was going to come back today from the East Coast but was detained.

Giving my sister 8 months of a fruit of the month club for Christmas. Sounds silly but the fruit was fantastic. I knew I wouldn't have time to participate in cyber Monday, so I ordered Sunday night.

Not much saving today.
Spending - 1.37$ coffee (no milk in the deli) + 11$ chirashi (figured I needed the brain food this week).

Weighed at the gym today. I'm at 190, so very, very close to the goal of under 190 by T-day. I guess if I took off my shoes, I'd make it! The goal for this holiday season is not to gain weight.

Yet another extremely rainy day and yet another bowl of pho. Because I was off today, I had a bowl at a pho place in my neighborhood that I wanted to try.

Am bringing a wild rice pilaf for Thanksgiving Day potluck. All it has to be is at room temperature. No fuss or production. Our host's kitchen is of average size. Sides that double as big production numbers are just plain rude.

I'm getting used to the house being quiet when I get home and am getting used to not having an audience when I take a bath. I still see my cat at the patio door though.

Saving log - 0$
Spending log - 1.75$ coffee, 6$ lunch

Got the rest of our department's temp staff trained, up and running. Just in time because we now have plenty of money and pledges coming in.

Canceled today's gym class yesterday (so I wouldn't get charged). I found it hard yesterday to get through the day when folks were asking me how my weekend went. I just wanted a couple of days to compose myself. Besides, because Thursday is not igoing to happen, we scheduled for tomorrow morning.

Tomorrow's my day off. All I really have to think about is what dish to make and bring. I have Friday off and so does DH.

My sick and vacation time is turning into PTO (paid time off) on January 1. Good news - we're getting it at 100% par. We can also cash out a week's worth each year. Since I'm healthy as a horse, I have about 350 hours of sick time. I'll have to figure out the most frugal way to play this.

Savings log - 2$ tip box, 50$ into ING, 35$ into a DRP.
Spending log - 2$ coffee/milk, 10$ lunch

(11/8)
Savings log - 2$ in tip box
Spending log - $2 coffee & milk, 5$ tuna sandwich and chips

(11/9)
Savings log - 3$ in tip box
Spending log - $2 coffee & milk, 11$ chirashi

On my new bus, I managed to get a glimpse of the trees. The starlings are back, nesting like they did in mid-fall amongst the yellowing maple leaves, looking like large black pears.

Why so late? The birds seem to congregate on the trees that are half de-leafed. More branches, more space. This year the trees were a bit more stressed and yellowed sooner, but they must be dropping their leaves only now.

Lost one pound - I'm at 191. My new goal is to be under 190 for Thanksgiving. Hee hee - so I can get seconds. Actually, it's my last exciting show for friends - I started gym class the week before Thanksgiving last year. Many of those friends hadn't seen me since.

It was the first really rainy, really low cloudy day of the season. Today Seattle resembled nothing more, nothing less than the old timey science-fiction description of the surface of Venus - murky, dark and rainy. I love Seattle during these days - it keeps the amateurs away.

There's only one problem: traffic. If you can't drive in the rain, why are you driving here? I admit I hate driving in the rain; I'm on the bus. This morning, I dodged a bullet and picked the right bus to make it to work on time, but tonight it took 45 minutes to get out of downtown because of crazy traffic. Its times like these that I really love my new headphones. Not once did I hear: "I'm three feet further than the last time you called," cellphone call.

Busy again today, and I kept my assistant very busy today. Right now we are at comfortably busy, which will soon turn into swamped in a couple of weeks.

Saving log - $3 in the tip box, $7.91 in T-bill interest, $75 into savings from checking.
Spending log - $2 coffee/milk, $8 lunch of kung pao chicken. The fortune cookie? "You will be in good health for most of your life."

The big news at the gym is that the gym is being bought by a couple of partners. My trainer introduced me to one of the owners who was enthusiastic and very chatty and was happy to hear of my progress.

Went as the trainer today for Halloween. I had a ball and got a lot of compliments. My favorite was the owner of the little deli where I get my cheap coffee: "I didn't know you worked there", and a couple of flirts (can I get some free personal training?). What more can you want from a Halloween costume? My trainer went as a little kid with footie pjs. Didn't matter - she still created a workout that kicked my butt.

I did however spend some money on the costume - black pants and that medium black zippered top. The nice part is that I will be using them as gym clothes or kick-around clothes.

Almost had a nearly no-spend day. I just spent on the coffee and the milk (2$). We had a potluck and that took care of lunch.

If you laughed, that dates you!

Got the new headphones in the mail tonight. Okay, they are only 3X more expensive than ear clips and ear buds that I've cheaped out on, but they sound many times better, they fold up with a little bag, they deaden other sounds (not so good when I'm playing in traffic), they won't fall off my head and are they're more comfy.

And the bass is fantastic. At least from a woman's amateur perspective.

Spent again the usual 2$ on coffee and nofat milk, 7$ on bibimbap (I sprung for an egg on top for an extra 1$).

Got weighted and measured at the gym. Didn't lose any weight, so at 193. I'm at the back end of my cycle, so not gaining is a win, if you know what I mean. I did lose a bit more on the inches.

We totalled the inches from all body parts since November. I now have two waist measurements - the narrowest part (I have an empress waist) and at my belly button - so depending on which waist measurement you take, I've either lost an amazing 16 inches or a freaking amazing 18.5 inches.

I'm going for density. I'm going to be the densest woman I know.

Finally, a little more about the real me. I'm not really a professional poet, but I did manage to sell a few here, here and here. I threw the links out because the sentences underneath the poems are accurate, so you can get a bit of info about me on the sly. Sister, in addition to holding down the farm, does pottery, photography, and makes soap in Milwaukee. Another fun fact: we don't look alike or act alike or handle money alike (clearly) but we do sound alike. Exactly alike. Freakishly alike in tone, timber, and accent. Like a right and left speaker.

Back to finances next time.

Added a little bit more to the tip box, so I put 50$ in the bank.

Spent 2$ for the coffee and the nofat milk and 4.50$ for curry lunch.

Nothing much else on any financial front. We're supposed to be converting from Sick/ Vacation/ Catastrophic to PTO at work by January 1.

Gym today, the trainer turned the dome upside down and I could stand, balance on it for 1 minute.

This fall is different than last fall for two reasons: no titanic flocks of starlings in the trees (yet), and now Seattle traffic is so bad that a little rain causes a titanic traffic jam. Its now faster to walk out of downtown than it is to take the bus. I'd rather have the starlings.

Thursday -
2$ in the tip box
7.70$ earned from T-bills this week, sent to ING.

Had breakfast coffee at a morning meeting, so only spent for a bibimbap lunch (6.50$).

The timeline firmed up for the first large quantity of pledges and money for this year - a week from now Monday.

Generally I try to make a week's worth of prepared food on Saturday and Sunday, but Thursday night I made the fixin's of lentil soup. DH fetched some carrots and more lentils (3$).


Friday -
8$ in the tip box (40$ total for the month)

I felt like a rich woman, so I splurged and spent on chirashi for lunch (11$) in addition for the for black coffee + no fat milk (2$)

It was a good day for my DRP stocks - KO went up $1.80/share; MMM went up $2.07. I write it now to cheer me up should they drop just as steeply. 3/4 of my stocks are close to their 52 week highs, only MMM is at its midpoint, bouncing back from its dip.

Put 300$ in a surprising place - in my PayPal account. Its paying at 5.02%.

Put out some small fires at work today. I feel bad about giving my helper a totally boring icky data job, but its important and it will help us... a lot.

Walked home from 15th Ave NW, 7 blocks further than I normally do - I have been doing off and on these past two months, but I figure this will be one of the last times this year. We go back to regular time either this weekend or next, which means walking in the dark.

So the chiropractor said that he had something for me--
A bill? I joked.

A lot of protein powder. Free meal replacement powder to mix in water or a drink. As a woman, it doesn't excite me as much as, say, a fur would but it is the thought that counts. And my thought is that sweet snacks are easy to come by, but protein ones are not. Not to mention it does free me up to not have to think of the second lunch. I can drink the second lunch for free. So girly loss but frugal win.

I thanked him, tried some this evening, and split the powder between work and home.

Went to Uwajimaya for lunch today ($5.40). They're having the 10% off everything sale, and it is getting cold, clammy and gray, so I picked up the wakame and clear soup packs. ($6.08) Come January, amongst the piles and piles of paper, something soothing to drink will come in handy.

Got the new passport back. Positively charming and informative - I can see why I get protein powder instead a fur.

Caught up on the credit card bill, so it was only 78$ this month. An even nicer feeling than saving money is not being beholden.

The 24K got into Vanguard today.
Put 4$ in the tip box.

Saw .06 on the gym carpet. It took all of the fortitude I had to not run over and put in my pocket. I'm positively embarrassed to mention it here. The trainer's boss loved the idea of my Halloween costume, so they'll get the top and a spare name tag that I can mock up with a label maker. Heh heh heh. This will be the cheapest costume I've come up with in a long, long time.

Lost two more pounds in the last two weeks or so. With any luck by Halloween I'll be under 190 lbs.

2 Drp optional cash purchase slips, insurance invoice (regarding the chiropractor), light bill, a Schedule K-1 from dad's estate. No taxes owed.

I have to tell you that my heart gave a little jump when I saw the letter from the executors - I thought that the bid from the second property came in (early) and I would have to eat crow from my sister. I'm pretty sure that the bid would come in in late October - November.

Light bill was 61.67, a bit smaller than last year

Wrote a 35$ check to one drip, 40$ to another.

Watershed moment at work today, which was again crazy. On my white board I wrote the best advice I ever received about my job:

"No one dies if it doesn't get done today."

Don't get my wrong. I work hard and I'm sprightly about my timelines. Its just that if you let your co workers jerk you around, well, I can get jerked around very, very hard. The things that have to get done "today" usually mean that you are helping someone else get their work done "today". Have got to prevent that!

Gym: Held a plank position (very tough on the side abs) for 50 sec. Twice. Last night I came up with an excellent idea for a Halloween costume, which I ran by my trainer. I would go as a trainer. They have a specific uniform, and I asked her whether it would be possible to borrow a top. She laughed and thought it was a fun idea - bonus points for the self referential aspect of it - and for another irony. Halloween falls on a training session, so I would have to remove my trainer costume and put on my gym clothes to train, then put the trainer costume back on. The only snag in this is that tops are hard to come by. I'll have to think about the name tag, too.

So at the foursome lunch (16.50$ - one of us had a birthday so the other three bought) today, conversation turned to my new bed, the sleep number part, and the adjustable foundation part. Then it turned to how much it cost. I told them and the other three blanched, looked stricken like they were suffering from heartburn. Choices, guys. I don't have a car (which I still really don't need), and I rent. But I like to get 7-8 hours of sleep, which is going to happen to be a 1/3 of my life.

Planned the move of the 24K out of ING to Vanguard. Since it is a taxable account, and not part of an IRA, it should be tax and fee efficient, without a lot of trading. I picked the S & P 500 (VINFX) index fund, with the capital gains and the dividends reinvested. If I remember right, stocks get bought and sold at the end of the quarter - aka the "witching" hour - so the index matches the market. In other words, nothing's bought continuously.

Talked a little more to co worker/ DJ about what I would be writing on the internet radio station. We apparently have 4-6 weeks or so. He plans to switch things on when everything's ready, a luxury that maybe a regular radio station doesn't have. My assistant has been cranking along. Soon I'm going to have the opposite problem - keeping her busy.

Been walking home from 15th Ave NW about 80% of the time now, but since its getting dark more quickly, that'll soon change because I really don't want to be walking that long and far after dark. Another choice. The chiropractor suggested going back to the gym 3x/week, rather than just 2x.

Saturday morning, DH and I mixed it up and had dim sum at the Hakka Chinese place. (25$) Good, but not celestial. Anyway, this is what I got in my fortune cookie--

"Next month will be your most profitable month of the year."

I'm taking that as a sign that there will be movement on the second property.

I've always gotten great fortune cookie fortunes, no matter the situation. Eating by myself, eating in large parties where you pick the cookie that points to you. I've never gotten confusing ones, or evil ones, and I never needed the "in bed" phrase to make one of those slips entertaining. One of those karmic quirks, I guess.

Bought a couple of months worth of canned cat food for my now-19 year old cat. 23$. We used the self-checkout line; the checkout voice noting "cat food" drove DH insane. And yet I must be even more optimistic this year than last.

72$ for groceries - I bought a cartload this time, and we also got meat and cold medicine which always hikes things up a bit. There was a great deal on frozen corn, peas, and green beans - .78/lb.

Last night I got out of the bath and as I ran through the skin care ritual (slapping on a fair amount of body lotion), I took a look at myself in the mirror.

Actual, genuine booty.

It was a bit like seeing an old friend at a college reunion, aged a tad from celluite, but you could see the resemblance and "she" brought back great memories.

Gym class: the trainer demonstrated and asked me to lie down and chest press an iron bar. I could do it, but after about few repetitions I asked how heavy it was. "Two more reps, and I'll tell you", she said.

It was 45 pounds.

Before lunch, my DJ coworker/friend (whom I wrote his bio and who discovered this blog) asked me if I would write more content for his startup Internet radio station. I'm excited about this as I agreed that I would, but boy, oh boy, I have noooo idea what to charge, what favors to ask, or even what I got myself into.

As I was walking home, I realized a deep irony. During the day, he works for me; at night, I'm going to be working for him.

The 24K finally made it into ING, the 6K for the bed/trainer made it as a payment on the credit card. According to my checking account, I'm newly poor and naive again.

Not much on any economic front. But the 75$ front of the month pay yourself first payment made it into savings. Just waiting for over 24K to get sucked into ING...seems to be taking days longer than my other deposits. Guess ING is trying to figure out whether this deposit is a joke or not.

Several co workers today and several yesterday joked how "I'm just wasting away." Why is everyone noticing now? Another co worker even told me that she joined because of me..she saw me head out 2-3x week every week for months.

My trainer told me that if I get ahold of them first to tell them to tell the gym that they joined because of me, for every four people that come in like that, she will give me a freebie training session. My balance and my form and even my endurance during the exercises seem to be improving geometically now.

I'm hip-deep in crazy at work. The number of questions and advice is picking up, and the money itself for our non-profit is starting to roll in.

Today was the day my 6 month CD matured, so as a noon-time errand, I stopped over to my brick and mortar bank to release it into my checking account. A teller did the deed, but then came the questions:

"Can I interest you in taking out another CD?"
-a quick check at the current 6 mo CD rate was 3.4%; 12 mo was at 4.6% with a bump rate. Umm, no.

"Don't quote me on it but there might be a change in a few days at the first of the month."
I told her that if its advertised on the website, I'll see it.

"May I see a second form of ID? You are transferring a lot."
I showed her my butt-ugly drivers license.

"Perhaps I can interest you in a credit card?"
I slowed her down by asking for a brochure.

She tried - I have to hand it to her. The bank got the use of 30K for 6 months...who wouldn't want another hit on that pipe? But right now, 6K to the bed & the personal trainer, the 665$ in interest to ING and probably to the chiropractor, and the 24K to Vanguard.

Anyway, I came home and told DH that he was now sleeping with a woman with over 32K in her checking account.

Another crazy thing I did was go to work, shoveling emails, and the craziest was that I actually worked out. The trainer took pity on me; we went slow and just did the machines.

Nicer than the first reckoning...

Lost 4 lbs, (I'm 194 with the shoes on), I lost another inch in various places. Now I'm officially below 30 BMI. And with the chiropractic - I'm 5'8" and no one questions it.

Since December, I've lost 18 lbs of straight fat and gained 7 lbs of muscle.

Time to keep going - it took years to get to 200, it'll take years to drop it.

Chirashi sushi for lunch today - $15.

So let the waiting begin.

Today DH drove me to work...just because. Because this is the first rain of the fall, the drivers were crazy and it took us 45 minutes to get into downtown Seattle. Hwy 99 was packed, the Fremont Bridge was packed. The only route that wasn't packed was 15th Ave NW, it was just slow.

And since it was cool and cloudy, everybody got the same idea for lunch: curry. Big line for the curry special. Found out from the curry place owner that he uses corn oil, so not so bad.

Talked with the trainer about the possiblity of splitting with my friend (yesterday's lunch partner). She told me that it was up to me and they have done it in the past. The "bad" news after the corn oil good news is that she told me my daily caloric intake was supposed to be 1400 calories, not the 1600-1700 that I was aiming for. Hmmm, it might be amazing that I've lost the few pounds that I did.

I'm still psyched about the size 14 jeans. I've been joking and laughing at work and I just seem ... brighter and a bit more extroverted. Best 18.99$ I've spent this year.

Talked with the lawyer friend about the possible sale of the second property with the WiDNR. He told me that usually the government price is market value + 10% or so, and thought that right now they would give us probably the best price. Here's hoping, but not hoping too hard.

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