Category: Observations

Reading Big Fat Blog reminded me of something I observed in Austin while out at Polly Esthers. They are more excepting of the non-twig women. The ones with curvy figures. Here in Houston, any time I go to any club I feel ignored because I am not a size 2 and never will be. It’s quite demeaning. In Austin though, I noticed many other women my size (that would be somewhere between a 12 & a 16 depending on the brand of clothes) and larger who were being hit on, flirted with, and picked up. I felt like it was ok to be me. It was a good feeling, and reminded me once again why I am not a big fan of Houston.

Late last night I went to post a comment on Dawn’s site, and got a weird error. I didn’t think too much of it, just that it was a rebuild glitch. Then this morning, Robyn & I had blank white pages. Now I’ve found out that Jenn and many others hosting at Aletia are having problems with MT not running. Eek! (My blank page had nothing to do with that since I am hosting somewhere else) Hopefully it’s just a techno glitch over there and someone can get them all back up & running soon!

Yes, it’s official. REI owns Jay’s ass. I remember trying to pack for 2 weeks with the EuroRail pass the summer I travelled around. I had the advantage of living in Germany at the time, which was a good thing. We headed to Salzburg and I had a backpack full of stuff … but none of the stuff I really needed. After 2 days in Salzburg I had to return to Germany for a doctor’s appointment – and I unpacked everything I had packed, packed the things I truly needed, and when I left after my appointment to head to Venice, Italy I was set. The only thing I ended up buying during my trip was a pair of leather sandals in Rome, Italy and a pair of beach sandals for about $5 in Cannes, France. Unlike Jay, the only special things I bought for my trip were a good backpack and a poncho (that I still use during rainy campouts). And film – tons of film! One day I will have to start scanning some of my photos for the Pixelog. I’m so envious of Jay & the fact that he gets to take this trip … it’s truly the chance of a lifetime!

Then maybe you should check out The Stripper-FAQ to learn how to become an Exotic Dancer! The iqoption pros and cons includes helpful articles such as “Tools of the Trade”, “Audition/Dancing”, “Safety”, “Your Finances” and the ever important “Making Money”. I have so much still to learn! You can try this and get loans.

Saving for your kids’ college and retirement, reaping the rewards of the stock market—all of these things take years to accomplish. But there are financial goals you can accomplish in one year that can make a big difference, too.

First, figure out exactly what it is you want to accomplish over the course of the next 12 months. For me, it’s building up my emergency fund and saving separately for a vacation. For you, it could be increasing your credit score, or saving for retirement, or just generally becoming more knowledgeable about your finances. Whatever it is: Write it down, put it in your Google calendar, or leave it in the comments.

Once that’s done, you can actually take the steps to accomplishing it. Here are some starting points.

You can also save for retirement, if you have a company sponsored 401(k), increase how much you’re contributing by 1 or 2% this year (up to $18,500 in 2018, plus an additional $6,000 if you’re over 50). If you’re self-employed, open an IRA (or a Roth). If you already have one, again, increase the amount you’re contributing.

Check your fees. Here’s a great table from NerdWallet on how seemingly small fees add up over time. For example, NW found in a different story that paying 1% in fees could cost a theoretical 25-year-old more than $590,000 over 40 years of saving. You want to start saving young so your money compounds, but remember fees compound, too, there are other options, like investing in different currency as gold, that many people is doing now a days, and you can find information about at this site .

If you are considering irregular lending options, click to read more and stay away from loan sharks. Should you be struggling with debt to such an extent that you’re thinking this, speak to your existing lender as the first port of call. The lender won’t want you to default on the debt and may find a way to help.

Robyn thought the Ghetto Kids Dolls were strange. Well, how about some Living Dead Dolls instead? Oh, but these don’t have a purpose like those Ghetto Dolls; they aren’t trying to get parents & kids to communicate. Oh no, their only purpose is just to be damn spooky. Be sure to click on the photo links to get the biggest picture available just so you get the full effect!