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But I play one on the Internet

by Mir on October 4, 2008 in Job? Huh?, Retail Therapy

Evidently I missed my calling as a financial advisor. I’m absolutely SUPER at it, by the way. Here goes: Don’t spend what you don’t have.

You’re welcome!

If you require more information than that (so demanding), well, might I suggest this excellent article by the AP’s Heather Lalley, which happens to feature some heavily-edited sound bites from yours truly.

Alternatively, I can break it down for you into just five easy steps.

And while we’re talking about money… you do know about DonorsChoose, right? You can pick the project, the school, the teacher you want to support? It’s a great approach to a great cause (bettering our nation’s schools, and you KNOW how I am about this topic), and while there are plenty of bloggers running challenges in conjunction with this, I just hope you’ll find something that inspires you to give a few dollars. If you need someplace to start, check out the BlogHer Contributing Editors’ Challenge for ideas.

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Comments { 13 }

A fitting conundrum

by Mir on October 3, 2008 in It's not a regret, it's an "experience", Retail Therapy

I love Fridays. It’s the one day of the week I allow myself some unstructured time. Monday through Thursday, it’s all work while the kids are in school. And Saturday and Sunday, all family. But generally I can sneak a few errands in on Friday before the kids get home.

Today I needed to go to the post office, because for SOME reason when I give prizes away on Want Not people actually expect me to mail them out, or something. I don’t know. People are so DEMANDING. And although I have all the makings of a home office here in my, uh, home office, I do need to leave the house to do that. (Dear Stamps.com: Your software is incompatible with Macs. You are therefore compatible with extreme suckage. Love, Mir.)

And as long as I was headed out, I thought perhaps I’d go run some other errands. And seeing as how it’s been rather nippy here, in the mornings, suggesting that cold weather is indeed coming, I decided to go shopping for some pants. (more…)

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Comments { 50 }

Wii for you, Wii for me

by Mir on September 19, 2008 in Offspring: ecstasy and agony, Retail Therapy

So. Um. Hi! It turns out that the whole thing where my kids wanted to win a Wii and I acted like “Hey, what a great idea, good luck with that!” so as to cover up the fact that I had ALREADY purchased a Wii for them—designed to be a Big! Exciting! Unexpected! Christmas present—has totally bitten me on the ass.

Surprise!

Yep. Some of you already guessed it, though I just found out yesterday: They won the Wii.

Now, there was a long conversation amongst the PTA about what this MEANS and whether it’s FAIR and while I know some of you have differing opinions, I just have to ask you to trust me when I say that it has been discussed TO DEATH and determined to be okay by everyone. My Christmas plans are hosed but Chickadee really worked for this (including hitting up teachers for donations, the little capitalist). (more…)

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Comments { 58 }

I need a nap

by Mir on September 16, 2008 in Health is overrated, Retail Therapy

Because I’m doing an event for a client tonight, I have OF COURSE come down with a case of the creeping crud. Naturally. Because I am me. And I can’t even blame it on the kids, because neither of them are sick. Although they’re very sympathetic, each in their own way.

Monkey: Oh, Mama, are you not feeling well? Here, I’ll hug you and make you ALL BETTER!
Chickadee: Um, Mom? Gross, I think your nose just dripped on your shirt.

Feel the love, people. But then please, for your own safety, use some disinfectant afterward.

Anyway, I am dragging myself around the house this morning, aided by the miracle of Sudafed, which has stopped my nose from dripping on my shirt, at least, but has turned my brain to squishy goo. I am just thinking verrrrrry sloooooowwwwwwwly. (more…)

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Comments { 30 }

Nearly as exciting as the High

by Mir on September 2, 2008 in It's not a regret, it's an "experience", Retail Therapy

Hmmm, let me see. Where did we last leave off? Oh! Right! I said “Tomorrow I can tell you all about what country bumpkins do when they have a child-free day in Atlanta.” And of course by “tomorrow” I meant TODAY, which is technically two days later, but that’s just how it goes.

(Hey, I was still recovering. And time is a fluid concept, dude. Peace.)

ANYWAY, yes, my husband and I had all of Sunday spread out before us to have a Big Day in the Big City and Otto really wanted to go to the High, and I really wanted to go back to sleep for about three days, and so naturally we compromised and went to Ikea and Trader Joe’s, instead.

What? (more…)

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Comments { 30 }

Mixing work and friendship

by Mir on August 23, 2008 in Friends, Job? Huh?, Retail Therapy

I had grand plans for this afternoon—plans that did not, in fact, involve the computer—yet somehow it’s nearly dinnertime and here I am. I had several hours all to myself today, too. Poof! Gone! Not sure what happened there, but I strongly suspect it involved PathWords. And in case y’all are unaware, you know Aimee? Aimee who comments here all the time? Aimee is a PATHWORDS NINJA. I could play PathWords for a month and never get anything near what she scored. I strongly suspect she cheated.

(Confidential to Aimee: Haha! Just kidding! I’m sure you’re just brilliant!)

(Confidential to everyone else: Total cheaterpants, that one.) (more…)

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Comments { 17 }

Astroturf would’ve been easier

by Mir on April 28, 2008 in It's not a regret, it's an "experience", Retail Therapy

The kids were off with their dad this weekend, so Otto and I immediately set about making fancy romantic plans for ourselves. You know the sort—a run to the hardware store, a few hours spent cleaning up the office, meal-planning for the week and fetching groceries, and a trip to the local flooring place.

What? You don’t express your love for each other through home maintenance? Pfffft.

Actually (and this is probably more about me than you wanted to know) (sorry!) the very idea of tearing up the carpet in our living room really does get me all hot and bothered. (Oooh baby!) There are many, many things I love about this house, but you have to understand that when I first stood in it slightly over a year ago one of the first things out my mouth was “Well, the carpet in here has got to go. OBVIOUSLY.” (more…)

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Comments { 56 }

If only funny came in a wrap dress

by Mir on March 26, 2008 in Job? Huh?, Retail Therapy

There aren’t words to adequately describe how completely ANNOYED I was when I dashed off yesterday’s post, and even as I wrote it I thought to myself that folks would probably suggest I take a nice hot bath or perhaps half a bottle of Xanax and go have some quiet time. But no, it turned into One Of Those Things where my extensive premeditation was “GAH!” and yet it turned out to be a piece that went over really well.

We’ll not discuss the times I slave over a piece of writing, convinced it’s marvelous, and the reaction is a resounding chorus of crickets chirping. It’s a Murphy’s Law application to writing for an audience, methinks.

And we’ll also not discuss the pressure (OH THE PRESSURE) of following up after such a post, when I know deep in my insecure little heart that whatever I say today will not be as amusing as yesterday. Alas. (more…)

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Comments { 36 }

Sometimes it doesn’t take much

by Mir on March 6, 2008 in Ottomatic For the People, Retail Therapy

This Love Thursday, I’d like to acknowledge that I married the sort of man who will tell someone “we just ordered my new computer and I’m dancing!” and then—when they say “I’d like to see that”—makes a video and posts it to the internet.

Truthfully, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Laughter is good for the soul, and Otto will be nourishing my soul with his utter dorkitude for a long, long time.


Happy Feet from woulda on Vimeo.

 
And while Otto is obviously my one true love, yesterday’s dance led to remembering another favorite LOVAH of mine. (more…)

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Comments { 38 }

I can haz style?

by Mir on December 13, 2007 in Haven't been hit by lightning yet!, Retail Therapy

I am sincerely afraid to open my Discover bill this month. Oh, it’s true that I never spend much on anything. But a little here, a little there… it adds up, particularly when getting ready for Christmas. And a 1,000 mile car trip with two kids. And when finding such awesome deals at Amazon that I cannot possibly let them pass by.

At this point I am pretty sure that my UPS man curses my name every time he pulls up at my house. (But, hey, it’s not MY fault that when you order a tub of Legos from Amazon, they send each brick individually, for a total of 750 boxes on the doorstep.)

This is, of course, why the bathroom pipes staged a coup; because it’s a truism that you never find yourself in the middle of an unexpected home repair when you have some extra money lying around. It’s as if the appliances sense that you’re low on cash, and suddenly BOOM! everything breaks. I have been stopping on every trip through the kitchen to whisper sweet nothings to the washer and dryer, so great is my fear at this point. (more…)

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Comments { 36 }
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