Saturday, October 31, 2015

200th Entry...

Alright, yay for 200 entries.. Boo for not having posted an entry since July..

And honestly, I'm not sure where this entry is going to go..  So please bear with me..

I am coming up to my 32nd birthday..  Some people make New Year's Resolutions in January.. I make mine every November..

This past year, I've been feeling more and more like I am in the wrong place..  I keep trying to make things "stick" here, like a relationship, or other life choices, and they just don't..  Yes, I may self-sabotage a little every now and then, but I am starting to wonder if this is part of the universes way of telling me I'm meant to do something different, or be SOMEWHERE different..

My mind is so conflicted right now.. 

I've not been following my heart, but with my ADD, that's sometimes a good thing..

I think for my 32nd year, I'm going to focus on myself again, but this time for a totally different reason.. 

My main 2 goals for my 32nd year??

Competing in a figure competition, and 
getting everything in place to have a baby on my own for my 33rd year!!

There are several "sub-goals" to each of these, of course..  I can't be the only one who wants to try to get all their ducks in a row (or as much as possible) before embarking on such huge projects, right!?

So my November goal is to work on a budget and stick to it.. November is a NO SPEND NOVEMBER!!

No Spend November, for me, is:
* Budget out paycheck to ZERO
* Any birthday money is okay to blow
* Any outside income (Doll Baby Threadz income, eBay 
sales, etc) is to be budgeted
* Make at least $200 from outside income

For those that don't follow me on Instagram (what is WRONG with you?!?!), I am taking the next step in my WLS journey and getting a tummy tuck done on the 12th of November.. I will have kept my weight off for over 3 years at that point, so I figure I deserve to get rid of the excess skin..  And to see the abs I know are under there.. :)

So November will be all about recuperating, planning, and working from home.. No workouts (WHAT?!?!?), no full time job (YAY!!!) and no excuses to fail in December when I'm okayed to go back to the gym..  32 will be my year to make more of my dreams come true..

So be sure to stay tuned..

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Well, geez..

I always wanted to turn this blog into a place people could come and learn something from.. Whether it be about ADD, life after VSG, or dating after 30 in a small town.. 

And yet, I can't seem to keep up with life AND blogging.. It always slips my mind.. Even though I have time, I just don't remember that this is here.. 

So, my promise to myself (and anyone who still reads this thing) is that I will make more of an effort.. Life is about to get interesting, as I have a huge project I'm about to undertake, and I can't wait to share it with you all.. 

Until I announce that, which will probably be next week, here is my plan:
* Money Monday's (money 'advice' I've found on the Internet, updates on my savings/bills, etc)..
* Tasty Tuesday's (meal prep, recipes I've loved/hated, etc)..
* Freeforall Friday's (whatever I get requests for, whatever I'm working on craft-wise, etc).. 

Hope y'all will tune in and see what I have in store for you all.. I'm really excited.. 😃

Sunday, February 15, 2015

January Wrap Up.. Just a Little Late..

Well, it's official.. This month went by WAY too fast..

Honestly, it feels like it was just Thanksgiving, doesn't it?!

Well, January has been a month that has been super busy, as you can tell by my lack of posts..  Sorry, if anyone has even noticed.. lol.. I've been reluctant to post while at work, because the tattle tales are always watching (I thought we were all adults here, but I guess I was wrong), so I can only post when I'm home..  Which hasn't been very often, honestly..

Work has been crazy, as you can see by my schedule below.. And sadly, it will not be getting any more sane in the coming months, as the other CNA on night shift has decided to leave.. Eh, good riddance.. More money for me..



Something exciting in my world right now is that I have decided to sell my doll clothes on Etsy!!  While it is a slow process, again because of the tattle tales at work making it impossible to sew on my breaks, I am excited to get more clothes made and start selling them.. I did have my first "official" custom order for a co-worker, and that is being delivered Tuesday.. Yippee!!

January, for me, was supposed to be a month to work a lot and pay off collection bills.. Well, I didn't really think about how much money I'd have to put into fabric for my clothes and such.. And me being me, I may have gotten a LOT of fabric for future projects..  What can I say, old habits die hard.. VERY HARD.. lol.. So while I did pay all of my current bills, plus some extra on my car payment, I did not get any old bills paid off..

February, however, is going to be a month about saving money..  I was going to make it a no spend month, but with my tax check coming, and my trip to VA at the end of the month, I know that will never stick.. And I'm trying to improve my consistency this year..  So, I've got everything budgeted for this month, and my goal for the month is to get 1/2 of a month's worth of bills put away in savings, if not a full month..

Here's my budget:


Tax time is always a favorite time of mine.. This year, thanks to an increase in income, I'm getting back a little extra than last year.. The plan??  To put $1,000 of it towards my car, to pay $436 to pay my car insurance in full (I've never done that before.. Eep!!), take $1,000 with me to VA, and the rest will go into savings for my trip to Nashville in March..  Sounds like a good plan, huh??  Let's hope I can stick with it.. Again, consistency..

Thursday, December 25, 2014

New Venture for 2015..

With all my talk about making and saving money in 2015, I knew I'd need to do something other than work my job to make this happen.. 

This Christmas, I made some 18" doll clothes for a co-worker.. Posted them on FB, and got a couple people asking me how much they cost and if they could get some.. 




This gave me an idea.. I'll sell doll clothes on Etsy!! After looking on Etsy, I noticed a lot of options but I think I could do well with this.. Of course, I plan to make a lot of inventory first, but will also plan to do custom orders (eventually)..

I realize I'm just starting out with making these, and I don't have the special machines that will make these look 'professional' but I have no doubt I will love making these AND make a little money.. Plus, it'll help me get rid of my fabric stash (which has gotten a little out of control.. Hehe).. 

So, 2015 will be the start of Sew Special by Sarah.. Wish me luck!!

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

My Wish To You..

... Is for the end of 2014 to be filled with fun, laughter and lots of love..

And for 2015 to be all you wish it to be.. 

I hope you have a very fabulous holiday (whichever you may celebrate) and let's make 2015 better than 2014.. 


Sunday, December 21, 2014

December is Almost Gone..

Where did the month go??

Hell, where did 2014 go?!?!

This month has been pretty good to me.. I've seen a lot of friends, had a lot of fun, and ate a lot of good foods..

Saw my ex roomie, and did a fun event called #selfiewithsanta.. I never thought I'd get to the point where I could be in big crowds of talking strangers again.. My anxiety used to be that bad.. But it was a lot of fun.. Except when we had to bike 12 blocks on the Thirsty Pedaler to get to Santa.. THAT was a workout.. Lmao, how drunk people do that, I'll never know..

Saw one of my besties and went to a flea market.. Sadly, she has UC so our trip was cut short.. But we are making plans for Tuesday to go see the Lights Under Louisville.. Yay!!

Had our family Christmas get together today.. I sadly woke up late (and had to work tonight) so I only stayed a little over an hour, but it was fun and good food was eaten.. Yum yum yum..

I will be posting some of my Pinterest projects after Christmas.. I'm currently working on two Frozen pajama sets for 18" dolls.. Which is part of my possible project I'm thinking about.. :)

Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!!

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Starting early..

So, my 2015 goals are generally focused on money.. This will be the year I get my ass in gear and pay off bills (including my car).. 

BUT, it's not just about paying off bills.. It's also about saving money for now (I'd love to have my $1,000 'emergency fund' finished by the end of 2015), AND saving for retirement.. 

Last year, on my 30th birthday, I started putting in $15/paycheck into a 403b account.. My job, thankfully, will match 1/2 of your contribution (up to 4% of your salary).. I found this last part out (the 4% part) just recently, so I decided to up my contribution to 2% of my paycheck.. And will continue to up it each year by 1% more.. In most cases, my contribution should be around $25-30/paycheck.. 

If you have the option, at your job, to contribute to some kind of retirement plan, please take advantage of it.. I'm barely making ends meet some paychecks, but I make sure to keep that going in.. Because while it may be hard now, I can work more.. If I end up 80 and broke, I can't get work too easily..

Also, this paycheck is when my auto deposit starts in my savings account.. It's at a bank that I can't physically touch, and has a decent interest rate (.75% APY).. Plus, some of the money I make on the side too..

This paycheck was interesting, as it has all my changes on it, PLUS I had 24 hours of overtime on it.. So, this made my 2% contribution to my 403(b) $59.. Lmao.. Oops, forgot about that part.. Eh, can't hurt me.. 

Got Christmas paid for, and got some ideas to bring in extra income (will talk about that once I get it rolling, since I'm the queen of false starts).. Now, onto working a bunch and starting off 2015 on the right foot (my first paycheck of the new year falls on the 1st)..

Friday, December 5, 2014

Payday Thursday..

So I don't know why I said I was going to start Payday Thursday's this week, as any bill that isn't going to get something turned off (electric, rent, car insurance, etc) isn't getting paid so I can finish Christmas.. 

I know, bad reason.. But I know I will be making enough in the month of January to cover it all and get back on track.. And my plan is that this won't happen next year..

Saving money, and even spending money, on a single salary is horribly hard.. Especially when I find myself spending money to have some fun, which is usually something like a movie.. While I don't usually buy myself clothes (I still hate shopping for myself, even after losing 106 lbs), I have no problem buying stuff for my house, or other people.. 

So this month is gonna be about keeping tabs on how much I spend (besides Christmas gifts) on a 'normal' month.. I will keep all receipts, and towards the end of the month, I will add up what I spent, and where, and use it for my budget for January..

I already have a preliminary budget done, but I'm intrigued to see if I'm accurate.. Probably not.. Lol

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Short and Sweet..

Today is payday..

I'm planning on sticking with "Payday Thursday's" and posting about money on that day every week..

Only 21 days til Christmas!! Holy crap!! 

Gonna go soak my tired body in a bath and then go to bed.. Good night, blogosphere..

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Good bye November.. Hello December!!

It's hard to believe it's the end of November already.. November is always an interesting month to me, mainly bc it's got my birthday in it..

November is usually my month to reflect on how my life has gone in the past 365 days.. Of course I do the normal resolutions in January, but November is usually when I try to make goals to change what I didn't like about the past year..

This year has been a huge learning experience for me.. I've found out that I'm only willing to compromise if the other person in the relationship is too.. And I've found out that saving money on a $23,000 salary is harder than I anticipated.. Just to name a few things..

This year should be full of changes.. I'm starting new hours at my job, so I should be able to find another way to earn more money, whether it be by getting a new job, making things to sell, or working overtime in another department..

Also, I'm thinking I'm gonna take time off from actively dating anyone but myself.. I have so much I want to do, and am sick of waiting to find 'someone' to do them with.. So I'm gonna do them by myself.. If 'someone' comes along, great.. If not, no biggie.. Lol

December is gonna start off with a bang.. I'm doing a squat challenge to start off my 'new booty, new body' fitness regime.. Time to get toned up like I keep talking about..


My main goal for this year will be consistency.. I will at least attempt to do what I say I'm going to do..

Now, here's to the next 365 days!! Let's do this!!

Friday, November 28, 2014

Online Dating: A Review of Zoosk.com

Alrighty, so I've been trying online dating for about 8 months now.. I (stupidly) subscribed to zoosk.com at the end of May, and while I've met a couple guys off of that website, I can honestly say I will never use it again..

Reason #1: You used to be able to reply once to a message without being 'subscribed'.. Now you can't even see a message sent to you without being a subscriber.. This doesn't make sense to me..


Reason #2: The Carousel?! You 'earn' coins by saying if you are interested in meeting someone.. You get a coin for saying yes, and don't if you say no.. Do you really think people are truly honest with this stupid thing?? Dumb, dumb, dumb.. 


Reason #3: Relationship Status-Separated?! Umm, red flag, right?! I've learned the hard way that divorce isn't that hard for a guy, paperwork-wise.. To me, putting 'separated' as a relationship status just means you are too lazy to get divorced, which doesn't usually mean good things for the future relationship.. Again, bad experience might be clouding my opinion on this.. Lmao, don't even get me started on 'Tell You Later'.. 


Reason #4: People can send you gifts, but you are never told about them, and you don't know who sent them.. UNLESS you read EVERY message you get.. Which can be a pain in the ass.. Just tell me 'A Zoosk Member' has sent you a gift.. Is that so hard?! 

Reason #5: This one is more about guys in general than this website/app.. Lol.. Why do I spend all this time writing things if YOU DON'T READ IT?! I specifically put in my profile that if you were out of my area (I even put TRI-STATE area), that I wouldn't respond.. One guy called me a bitch for ignoring him.. And don't get me started on the men that were old enough to be my dad.. Or grandpa! Icky!!


I can honestly say I won't ever go back to that website/app.. I may try a different website later next year, but for now I'm sticking with the 'If it's meant to happen, it'll happen' way and just put myself out there more.. Sounds like a good plan, right?! 

Thursday, November 27, 2014

A Little Early..

So as I sit here (at work, shhhh) trying to figure out why my car payment didn't process, I realize that I hate auto pay..

Supposedly the account I used, which I've been using since I got this loan, is closed.. And since I know it's not, and they don't seem to want to admit fault (gasp!), now my car payment is considered late, and I'm the extra APR fees on the extra amount.. Grr.. I hate that my APR is calculated daily (so I've been told by the Capital One people)..

Most people SWEAR by Auto Pay for your bills.. I am here to tell you that a person with ANY kind of memory issues (I have ADD, and have an out of site/out of mind issue with money) should NOT have Auto Pay set up.. It just costs you more in bounce fees, honestly.. Which I barely have enough money to pay my bills, let alone pay the bank money.. lol

This time of year usually brings up people's goals (or that dirty word RESOLUTIONS), and I am usually one to MAKE goals, but not generally stick to them.. Something always happens, usually my own fault of course, and I get derailed and never get back on track.. Yep, that's me!  I can laugh at this because I know how I am, but in all reality I know I can't keep doing this, as I really do want to get out of debt..  So, here are some of my goals for the next 13 months..

My goals for 2015 (and December 2014) are as follows (as of 11/27/14):
** Stick to 90% of my goals (bc we all know shit happens)..
** Find one new way to earn money every month..
** Put as much money as possible towards Emergency Fund..
** Pay off Ivy Tech bill with tax return..
** Enroll in ASL program at UofL..
** Get down to my goal weight of 175 lbs..
** Pay off as many collections accounts as possible..
** HAVE FUN!!

That's just a few of them, and they have a wide variety of categories.. While I will work a lot at money stuff, I will also make time for crafting, having fun, and furthering my education..  This should be a great year, if I can just stick with all my plans/goals..

So, go enjoy your turkey and stuffing, and all that fun stuff, and try to have a good time with whoever you get to spend your day/night with..  Happy Thanksgiving!!


Monday, November 24, 2014

Changes Are Coming.. Again..

Lol.. So, I've been MIA for a while.. I hate to say that I haven't been inspired to write, as I have, but it's been difficult to find the time to do it.. Well, things are about to change..

New Layout
New Colors
New Title
New Feel to the Content

I look forward to starting this new part of my journey with you all.. Now, to go do some research for some posts that will start back up on 12/1/14..

So keep an eye out, okay?!  :)

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Payday Thursday..

This is something new I'm hoping to keep going on my blog.. Basically to keep me accountable, and to show others how they can save money while I try to do the same..  And I will make mistakes, because I know I am a shopaholic (even if it is with coupons).. But I'm willing to work my booty off to save more money and get myself out of debt..

So, to put it all out there, I made a page of all my debt I owe, and then I will post a monthly tally up with what I have saved towards what..  I plan to use the Envelope System to save towards the bigger ones, because I've gotten burned by paying payments, then the bill gets sold to another company but doesn't reflect my payments..  And the list does include my car payment, my credit card payment and my student loan bill (which will thankfully be put in deferment now that I'm enrolled in school again)..

My budget for May:
  • Rent (for next month)-- $550
  • Phone Payment-- $100 (PAID)
  • Electric Bill-- $200
  • Credit Card-- $150 (PAID)
  • Internet-- $25 (PAID)
  • Car Payment-- $236
  • Gas-- $200
  • Disney payments-- $100 (PAID)
  • Holiday & Garden-- $100
  • Food-- $100
Total Bills: $ 1761/month or $880.50/paycheck

This budget is for the bare minimum of my bills.. For the month of May and June, my goal is to save for my vacations that are in June and July.. Any savings will go towards them and making sure bills get paid while I'm gone..  Yes, I will plan to save my change still.. Yes, I will put any extra towards my excess bills.. But the next two months are going to be about having fun, because after that, I will be working a lot and going to school full time.. So until then, if it's not in my budget, it's not getting bought.. :)

MAY IS A NO SPEND MONTH!!

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

#Whole30 Weekly Recap: Week 1

Well, today is DAY 7 of my #Whole30 experience.. I don't want to call it a diet, because it's more than that..


It is a life changing experience.. Before starting #Whole30 on 5/1, I was back to my "old ways" of eating.. I would eat lots of carbs and little or no good protein.. I ate waffles for breakfast (when I actually ate breakfast, which is a no-no), I'd eat carb-loaded foods for lunch (yeah there might be fruit or cheese in there too, but it was still carb-loaded), and dinner would be Doritos or pizza (or some other not healthy food).. I would also snack all day on Cheese-It's or some other boxed food..  It was getting out of hand when I bought 3 boxes of Cheese-It's and 2 were gone in 2 days (and the other one I didn't like, or it would have been gone too I'm sure)..

While I hadn't gained any weight back (I have been hovering at the 195-197 mark for the past 8 months), I surely wasn't losing any weight, and I knew I wasn't at where I wanted to be for my "goal"..  And while I didn't go into this with the intent to lose weight, I know it will happen..  Cleansing my system of all the processed crap has already helped me lose some inches, and pounds (because I'm a rule breaker and weigh in every now and then)..
 

In the past 7 days I've learned:

* That you can eat "clean" and still feel satisfied..
* That the processed crap, while yummy, really doesn't satisfy your body..
* That I can do anything I put my mind to..
* That "giving up" sugar and carbs isn't really that hard..
* That sugar cravings are a bitch, but they do go away..
* That 90% chocolate bars are F@&!ing nasty..
* That I truly don't miss chocolate like I thought I would..
* That I do miss yogurt and sour cream like I thought I would..





While this past week has been nuts, as the image below is TOTALLY TRUE, I think this is an awesome change and while I do NOT plan to go more than 30 days (who in the world really thinks I can do this while in Disney for a week?!?! or that I would WANT TO), I will probably revisit this a couple times a year..  HOWEVER, I do plan to keep up with the healthy eating as much as I can and will introduce other foods (such as dairy products) after doing this, but more about that when the time comes..


If you happen to follow me on Instagram, you'll be able to see more of what I eat and other random things on a daily basis.. It's fun, and I'm addicted to it.. lol.. So come follow me!!  :)






Saturday, May 3, 2014

Changing Things Up..

So I've noticed in the past couple months, I've gotten WAY too friendly with carbs.. I love them, but they don't love me back, as shown by my stall for the past 6 months..

I was thinking about doing an Atkins style  'diet' to get away from the carbs.. And then I saw something on Instagram about something called #whole30.. After doing my research, I have decided that this sounds like a good idea for me.. 

With the #whole30, you go WITHOUT the following things in your diet: 
* no sugars, real or artificial (except a small amount of fruit juice as a sweetener)
* no alcohol
* no grains
* no beans (except green beans, sugar snap peas or snow peas)
* no soy (which is in A LOT of things, surprisingly)
* no dairy (except clarified butter or ghee)
* no white potatoes
* no MSG, sulfites, or carrageenan
* no 'Paleo-ifying' baked goods, desserts or junk foods

AND no weighing in or doing measurements during the whole 30 days.. Which I've already screwed up.. Lol.. But won't do it again..

What you CAN have: 
* fresh meats 
* fish (canned or fresh)
* fruits
* veggies
* coconut oil and aminos
* eggs
* some nuts and seeds

This 'diet' is something I started on the 1st and will finish the week before I leave for Disney.. This month will be an interesting one, as I'm only 3 days in and I'd kill for a candy bar right now.. But I've been told it goes away.. I plan to do weekly recaps on here, and daily ones on Instagram, so check back..

Talk to ya soon!! :)

Hello May!!!

Wow, where has the last 4 months gone?!?! I can't believe that it's already May.. This month holds a lot for me:

* been 18 months since my VSG surgery..
* started #whole30 on the 1st..
* getting my blog streamlined..
* I'm 6 months away from being 'in my 30s', instead of being 30..
* working on my spending/saving issues..

Just to name a few.. Lol

My goal is to update a couple days a week on non-weight loss stuff (aka money stuff, crafty stuff, ADD stuff, gardening stuff) and then blog randomly about my weight loss and surgery..

So here's to a fresh start.. And hopefully a good one.. I'm getting pretty good at Instagram, so come follow me at @fabchallenge.. :)

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Changes Are Coming..

I've been mulling over some changes for a while.. And while I haven't absolutely decided on all of them, I do know that I will be getting more focused on my entries.. There will be entries about random life happenings, but for the most part, the blog will be focusing on some of the following: 

* Crafting/Pinterest projects
* Learning how to save money
* How to make it on a single girl's salary in a small city

The last one is important to me.. Mainly because all the 'single girl' blogs I've seen are of girls in LA or NYC, etc.. I live in Southern Indiana.. The closest I live to a big city is 30 minutes, and that's just Louisville, Kentucky.. Lol

Everything I read is about how to budget on a single income with a family.. I don't need to know how to buy groceries for under $50/week, I need to know how to buy groceries for under $50/month (you get my drift, right?!)!

It is my hope to help others, as I'm helping myself.. But to do that, I plan to do my research before I even start blogging about this.. Because right now, I'm sure no one would take my advice on saving money, as I'm stupid when it comes to saving money.. So, as of right now, I am planning to start this new 'road' on the 1st of May.. 

I'm going to figure out how to put together a budget.. I'm going to figure out how to get my grocery budget down as much as possible (while still keeping it healthy).. And try to keep it interesting at the same time.. 

So, see ya on May 1st.. 




Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Whoops.. Let's Recap.. Part Two..

We'll start the second part of this entry with lots of pictures.. From my trip to VA..

I can't remember if I posted the pics from my last trip to VA, but I looked HORRIBLE.. It was August 2012, so it was 3 months before my surgery, and I was just so uncomfortable..  My goal this trip was to retake those pics.. And boy was I pleased with them..


Plus, my nephew was added to the pics!! He's so cute!! I didn't realize how much I missed them until I got there.. And then when I left, I cried when I got to the stop sign.. I loved being there and helping my SIL run around after them.. 


 



 



I did a lot of couponing while I was there.. Lol.. What can I say, they have better coupons in VA, and I had to go to some of the stores we don't have in IN.. :)  I got some good deals.. lol

When I came back from my vacation, it was kinda back to the grindstone with work.. This winter has KILLED my pocketbook.. My electric bill went up by $200 a month.. That's $200 I honestly barely have.. So I've been trying to pick up extra shifts, do extra work, sell stuff, to pick up the slack..  But I've noticed that when I get stressed, I like to go couponing.. Not shopping, persay, because I don't buy stuff unless it's a good deal (like almost free).. And that's not helping my money situation.. 

So I've decided that I will stop couponing for a while.. Now, let me make this clear, I will still use coupons, but I am no longer buying for my stockpile.. My stockpile is crazy anymore.. I honestly will not need razors, toothbrushes, toothpaste, cleaning solutions, for at least a year if not longer..  I just need this winter to end, so I can get back to a normal budget.. This money crap is stressing me out..

Well, I think that's it in a nut shell.. I'm trying to work on a giveaway for my Facebook page.. It just hit 100 likes!!  YAY!!  So be on the look out for it.. :)

Whoops.. Let's Recap.. Part One..

It's been over 6 weeks since my last post.. And it's basically because it's been a busy six weeks..

So, let's recap a little.. And to make this not too horrible, I plan to make it two parts.. And have lots of pictures.. Lol

I'm starting to wonder why I'd make "Tax Return Month" a NO SPEND month.. lol.. Especially with my vacation to VA, I needed to spend money on stocking up on stuff.. So, I was HOPING to make March a no spend month.. Well, that didn't work out..

I did get my tax return.. It was about as much as it was last year.. But since I'm behind on a couple of important bills (thanks somewhat to my ex, but mostly because of myself), I paid most of it to them.. I did get to spend a little of it, but not all of it.. Because that is not the grown up thing to do.. Being a grown up sucks sometimes, as I'm sure most of you know..



I am happy that I at least paid off my credit card bill!!  YAY!!  On the other hand, I also used it on my trip.. But I will work on paying it off again in the future..

** I got a Kindle!!  I used my change that I saved up and bought a Refurbished one.. It works just fine, comes with the 1 year Amazon warranty, and cost me $10 less than a "new" one.. I'm okay with used stuff, especially when it saves me money.. I've used it a lot already, and I've read 6 books already!! :)

** My 'goodbye to bad foods' didn't work out bc, honestly, I'm just tired of being so busy.. Yes, I know I could find time to make nice meals.. I know I could make something in the crock pot.. But when it's just me, and I can barely afford frozen food, let alone fresh stuff, it's just easier right now..

** I am still losing weight, just slowly.. I'm at 192.8 right now.. And I hope to get my ass in gear tomorrow and make a workout happen.. I truly wish I had a friend close to me was trying to lose weight also.. My girl, Kristy, tries to stay in touch with me, but she's 8 hours away..

TO BE CONTINUED...