Blogtober day 22 out of 31.

Everything came to a screeching halt it seems as soon as I found out that I was doing well with midterm grades at university. Since then, I have been taken off the very dangerous unit that I worked in at a mental health agency due to medical concerns for me. I have only worked two days this pay period and the biweekly cycle is half over. I have yet to receive a call from HR on where I need to go and what my new position will be within the agency. I asked to be full time or at least have a minimum of 24 hours a week, but I am hoping to get more hours than that. I will find out Monday at this point about where I will go for work. So more waiting and more anxiety.

I leave for Oregon Monday morning so I will be anxiously waiting for a phone call while I am away. I am excited for the Oregon trip to see family and to go shopping. I got paid for all my extra overtime today and received a direct depot of $1,419.00 for two weeks. It may not be much to some, but for me, that’s a LOT. I budgeted the funds; most going toward bills. As I was driving to the two banks I use from Diego’s house, I had the peculiar thought of driving straight toward the casino with my $1,400 bucks and seeing how I would do….

I shoved that thought right out of my brain and I went to the credit union to pay on my car and personal loan. Then to my other bank to withdrawal $660.00 to use for my cash envelopes. I figured if I can correctly use the cash, I can save whatever is left over. For example, if my bill is $37.25, and I give the cashier $40.00, I planned on spending that $40, so I will pocket my $2.75 in change toward savings. While shopping in Oregon, I will do this over and over again, adding up the price tags and guesstimating how much it will cost. I will always over estimate so I’m surprised and excited when I get some cash back.

I budgeted $200.00 for the outlet malls. They have stores such as Nike, Columbia, North Face, Ann Taylor, Michael Kors, Coach, etc. And they are all the clearance racks so it’s all quality products for pretty cheap. I will have to be very picky with what I purchase because I can spend $200 in the nike store alone! But then again, Diego has a budget of $100 for me for Christmas so if I want something, I can ask him if it can be my early Christmas present. If I go under budget, guess I am getting that sheet and comforter set off of Amazon for Christmas from Diego instead of clothes I probably don’t need.

I do really want another Columbia vest and maybe a good rain jacket from North Face. But like I said, I really don’t need anything. Well I do need spandex pants, socks, and tank tops, but I can get those at Walmart for a fraction of the price.

I talked to Hermine, my nana’s best friend, to ask if we were still on for Monday and she is sobbing on the phone because I believe her son in law just passed away unexpectedly. I asked if it would be too much if we stopped by and she insisted we came by before they made funeral arrangements in the afternoon. I think we will stop at the store beforehand and give her nice flowers and a sympathy card; it’s the least we can do. My nana’s birthday would have been 10/24, and we are visiting her best friend 10/25 so I know it will be rough.

I gotta bring down my Mariner’s hat for my grandpa because he became a bandwagon-er fan of that team when they almost made the playoffs for the first time in 20 odd years. My dad said he could have the red hat and my grandpa said the Mariner’s aren’t red! So he refused a free red hat from his son. But he certainly would take a free gray, blue, and white baseball cap from his granddaughter! I am more nervous seeing my own family than Hermine, who is relative by love, not blood. I think it’s because we all know my grandma doesn’t have much longer with us and I’m not sure when the last time I see her will be.

I budgeted $260 for my new two tattoos that I am getting in a week on Halloween. I am getting the opera faces, one sad and one glad. They will go on my chest next to my collarbone. Diego and his sister got tattoos today from the same gal. I may not need all that money, but I think $200 for tattoos plus a $50 tip is more than enough.

I have a lot of homework I need to get done so I should get on that so I don’t flunk out. Don’t worry. Nothing has been late as of yet so I think we are good. However, I better get on my stuff so no more funny business happens.

Much love and God speed to all.

Dani