The year 2009, however, has been a stinky one.  I started a blog  but lost momentum, we got some of our money woes under control, then John lost his job. My mother was suffering from Alzheimer’s, and then she died. Other friends have had similar years. I guess knowing about the day-to-day lives of over 200 friends, means you are aware of many more troubles of those you know than you were before. I love Facebook but I have to say that I know I would not have been so connected to so many other “its been a bad year” stories without it.  I also am seeing friends falling in love, becoming parents & grandparents and celebrating day-to-daylife.

I am ready for 2010 to get here. I won’t tempt faith by asking how could it be worse, I am hoping for a better year for all of us!

It has been a while since I sat down to write. I have done other things that needed doing. We made a some progress in getting the finances together in a pile. We even met with my friend Donna & her husband Bill to start untangling the mess we have made.  I think the plan will work but our commitment to get there is still ….well, let’s say it lacks steam at the moment. It is overwhelming to have the scary part on the table, know that there is more we still need to face. Then I was too sick on Monday to meet with the two debt guru ( Sorry Donna & Bill ) so we have the debt visable before us & the solution unrevealed…..its like anticipating the punishment you know you deserve before you can be forgiven.

Being side-tracked by bronchitis sure doesn’t help. For the last 5 days, I have not had any energy or focus. Getting myself to the Doctor yesterday was key. Steroids were prescribed and I say if A-rod can take them so can I – just kidding. I do expect the drugs will help me turn the corner in this. I hate being sick- I am used to being the caregiver and while I am also the queen of doing nothing – I call it decompressing thank you! I am now to the stage where things need to be done and it’s bugging me.

Time to go back to bed for a rest….see ya soon!

I have a hard time getting things  done. Does this happen to you?

I have the steps to completion in my head. But taking the first step is holding me back. I take on so many things that I have a hard time doing anything until its URGENT.  This includes simple things like mailing a deposit to the bank. I have minutes I need to post for the HOA, I have letters to write for my Alumni Board , my Christmas tree is still up, I still want to sell stuff, and yet I am really procrastinating about these things. I don’t know why….mid winter blahs?

I can’t believe how much technology we have these days and how quickly it becomes necessary in our lives. I just saw the trailer for he’s just not that into you….  and I had to laugh at the line about being rejected in 7 different forms of media. Even Joe M- the last remaining holdout to cell phones – finally has one. We all talk, text, IM, Facebook, email, chat and stay linked in.

In addition, we have cable, video on demand, mail order movies,  and my favorite TIVO. I have become so fond of my Tivo, I expect everything to rewind or fast forward to the interesting parts. I wish radio worked on Tivo, pesky traffic reports or half heard stories I want to play back.

Then we have programmable thermostats, DVD’s in the car to entertain the kids, remote car starters,  ipods, MP3 and more.  I am sure there are devices we can’t dream of yet, right around the corner – ready to worm their way into our hearts. 

Do me a favor, tell me what you can’t live without and if you dream of some technology advance of your own….

My first blog attempt- August 11 – 2006

Who I am…….

41 year old, twice divorced Atlanta native. I’m in sales and discovering a late interest in cooking, decorating and antiques. To satisfy all these disjointed passions I am an avid ( rabid ) Creative Memories scrapbooker. I have helped a friend who inherited massive amounts of STUFF from three or so relatives, sorting the valuables & sentimentals from the junk, taken space in a really cool antique store where I worked 1 day a month in addition to research and salvage on the items we wanted to sell. My latest adventure is a Taste of Home business. entainwithmary.tohe.com  

I have 80 year old parents – so we are begining to enter the phase of life where I am trying to get my mother to eat better and need go with them to the doctor. To understand the irony of the first – you have to know I’m the second pickiest eater on the planet – Big Brother is the 1st.

I’m living with a guy I’ve been with for three years and he’s a pretty good guy…..if you like guys. His two previous marriages – ( that’s four marriages between us – if you are counting) gave him three great kids. We have had more drama than I like and the hurdles are huge. But no matter – he seems to be a permanent fixture.

I have a great circle of friends – one lifelong bestest friend. And a pretty good life.

I can remember long summer days as a kid. I played outside all day long & until the streetlights came on & the lightning bugs came out. There were visits to neighbors, games with other kids. Days were long. Somewhere in the passing years time begins to speed up & now at 43, time flies.

I work 40 hours a week, try to spend time each week with friends & my parents. I am on two boards & a couple of committees. I am fortunate that my “real job” is demanding during the work day but doesn’t have much “homework”. I also have a personal business as a consultant with Entertaining at Home.  

It seems like we move from one thing to another and barely slow down to enjoy the moment. I love having a full life & wouldn’t change a thing- except more time to savor the moments we have.

Just a random thought on Sunday morning….what do you do to slow down & unplug for a while? Or recharge your batteries?

Part of the 2009 plan is to sell some stuff. I was a Creative Memories consultant a few years  ago   in 1999 – 2001 or so  and now I have a ton of scrapbooking supplies that I really want to sell. I have plenty for my hobby needs & more than a grand tied up in excess stock. I also have a china cabinet that my collection of dishes & stemware outgrew last year & Santa bought me a larger cabinet.

I’d like to sell both for fabulous riches for some cash. I listed the two sales on Craigslist & all the responses seemed to be leading to some type of scam….and the warnings on both sites are grim.

What avenues have you had experience with? Good- bad or indifferent, tell me about it, please.

2009 is the year we are going to get a handle on this money mess.  I read Dave Ramsey years ago, loved the message & still didn’t find a way to start living it. Almost two years ago we SAW Dave & still kept up our spendtrift ways.

Now its 2009 & we are fed up. So ….Like many Americans we resolve to get out of this hole.  It means we need to brown bag lunches ( since we also need a diet makeover in our food this is a good thing), we need to shop more carefully for food & use the pantry items to best advantage. We need to eat out less & make the time to budget our expenses & really make it stick.

It’s not going to be easy but we have to get it under control. I think Dave Ramsey is the way to go. He wants to see a guru at the Credit Union where we bank. I think this is fine but am also worried we are procrastinating on starting….and its only Jan 3.  Already off track by doing nothing…wish me luck!

He says…get out the books and DVD, I too think DAVE is the way to go, tho I still feel we should pursue talking with a professional financial planner to get a starting foothold on some basics…as well as commit to an appointment (doing something) to get on track!

…wish me luck!

4 am and I’m wondering why I can’t sleep again. But its a quiet time to get stuff done Or get started on this blog we dreamed up. Who are we?

We are both 40 something & twice divorced. He has 3 kids from his past marriages. I have none. We’ve been on this journey together for more than 6 years. The road has been far from smooth but we seem to be standing together & headed in the same place finally.

We have lots of work, family & personal stuff to tackle this year. We’d like to get married & before we do we have promised ourselves to be debt free. This is a big hurdle. We have credit card debt, mortgage, parental loans, child support & more bad habits than you can shake a stick at.  But we know we aren’t alone so a blog was born.  Love thru the maddness is our attempt to look at our messy lives, share the laughs & probably a few tears.  So…. welcome to the madness.