I can't believe this year is OVER. In the past I used to be sad at this time of the year. There would be a whole lot of moping and EATING. It seems like this time of year was twice as hard because I also have the birthday looming...another measuring stick. I once said to my mother, it is not fair that I have to start the year off with getting older! It seems that most people I know are settled in the year before getting another year older. Maybe that is why Paul isn't all worked up over his birthday in August. BECAUSE it's AUGUST! So the new year (and birthday) is the whole measuring up of your life achievements over the past year and then measuring up of the looming non-achievements...that inevitable stuff on your to do list. So, what used to be my to do list. Well, honestly now when I am about to tell you it seems silly. I've actually always had something going on it my life. I really wasn't a home body or lazy. But this evil time of year made the things I didn't have seem like nothing else was worth it. However, this year is different for me. Sure last year was different for me as well but it still had that "new car smell". You know me the pessimist I couldn't think that last year was finally when I could stop worrying about the inevitable list of what I did. Well this year I can honestly say that I am happy for what I have. Is it perfect at this point? Not exactly, but is anyone's life perfect? No. I still have some figuring out to do regarding work but that essentially brings me to the point of this post. No silly new year's resolution. It's not a resolution for me...it's a way of life. I have proven to myself in the last month that I can conquer my worst habit....spending. Folks, my Jew Fund increased three times more than it was at the beginning of the month. (sure there was a little cheating like the car money and Christmas money but I still managed to save half as much on my own) Oh yeah the point, I guess I need to get to it before Taller stops reading. Okay here it is. I am going to seriously devote myself to my book and to help me I am going to post it on here. If it never gets published at least I have it written and that will be a great accomplishment. So...yes Taller more words to come. I have actually started my January 1 post which will be the beginning installments of the book. I can't wait and don't worry I will inevitably get writer's block or someone will piss me off...so there will still be random rants like you are used to. Happy New Year All and seriously don't sweat the end of the year...you have many more to make it right for you. It all didn't have to happen in 2009, 2010 is 365 days of opportunity.

Bah Hum Bug

So who knows what is up this year with Christmas. One minute Paul and I are exchanging gifts and the next we aren't. So I've decided to make an executive decision and say no to Christmas gifts between Paul and I. I mean next year I'm getting my ring so who cares this year! Also, how many Christmases did I sit around moping that I didn't have someone to share Christmas with. So having Paul at my parents house (being put through that torture with me) is gift enough for me. So I am giving him a card stating ... "Money was deposited into the Jew Fund in your honor" and "Us being together is gift enough for me!"

Shopping ...

So as we all know from my previous blogs I have decided to tighten the purse strings....yesterday I met up with a friend to exchange Christmas gifts and then do a little shopping. I am happy to report I spent $0.00!! I'm telling you this new found obsession with increasing the Jew Fund (my savings account nickname dubbed by Taller) has given me a whole new outlook on actually buying stuff. I now look at it like ...REALLY? Is this worth it? Okay here is an example of what I am talking about. I was at World Market and they had this little stationary section 40% off. I am a SUCKER for those little diary books, planners and such. Well there was this one little book that when you opened it it was a file folder system on one side and a little notepad on the other. I, of course, found this magical. Then I remembered...wait. I already have the CUTEST coupon book. I made it! So back down on the table it went! I will post some pics of it later today. Too lazy to dig for the camera right now. But trust me it is cute, it was made with some of that infamous scrap book paper I bought.

This is my BESTEST Christmas Gift!

This is my only pic of me and Marissa and I think it is ADORABLE. And look finally ME AND PAUL!

New Office Decor

Well since the whole office is getting a makeover and my dearest lunch buddy got me the most awesomest lamp (yes awesomest is a word) I have decided to revamp my office. Change it up! Really I just want to be surrounded by black and white damask! So I asked my dearest lunch buddy to help me redecorate since we all know that is her thing and her passion to decorate and immediately she throws out brilliant ideas for replacing my Monet painting with some black and white damask art. I will post a before and after and show off Taller's brilliance!

Nieces and Swords

A memo was emailed out to everyone in our firm this week. The memo states that with our new remodel that they want our personal office decor to be limited to a piece of framed art. Well Pissy Pants (former attorney I worked with) bought me a nice framed Monet painting which is apparently okay to have up. However, I am holding strong on keeping my memo board with my nieces up. Apparently it is okay for new associates to have swords and posters of Saddam Hussein with bullet holes in it hanging proudly in their offices...however nieces...THOSE are not corporate friendly.

Well as you all know, I am hard headed and I'm not taking my lil girls down. It's not like they are ugly kids (you know you know people that show you pics and you are like DAMN I mean awww cute). My nieces are ADORABLE! So I'm going to keep them up until they threaten me with more than a memo. HELL NO THEY WON'T GO...is my stance for the moment!

White Girl Fro

I have naturally curly hair which I have dubbed white girl fro. It's really a term of endearment to my curly hair. I have learned to except the fact that my hair is stubborn. I have spent hundreds of dollars on straighteners, chemical straightening, etc and the curly hair still lives! So luckily I now have a man in my life that loves me and my white girl fro. Actually, now it's kind of annoying because he always wants me to wear it curly. He says that he hates the flatness of straight hair and that it looks horrible on everyone so everyone should stop wearing it that way. Do you realize how happy I am when my hair is completely flat? OVERWHELMED WITH JOY. But a mere two secs out in the Florida humidity and all that hard work is ruined =( (This actually happened to me last week, I straightened my hair because he was sick and I knew he wouldn't notice to make the comment "why do you keep doing that to your hair" and I got to work and BAM...RUINED because of humidity. HUMIDITY IN DECEMBER! Get me out of the south!!!) But everything became clear as to why Paul doesn't like "flat" hair. We recently went to see his high school friend and he pulled out their yearbook. Let's just say that 80s hair doesn't even describe these Italian girls with their BIG hairdos. I seriously cracked up. NO WONDER! Sorry babe, I'm not wearing the 80s bangs!! Betsy you're right...men totally do not understand fashion.

Money Madness Update (Thurs Dec 10)

8.29 (Lunch with Jenn B because Taller ditched me...something about Hey Zeus but whatever)
5.35 (Walgreens - Cough Med, Cough Drops and OJ for me...BOO PAUL BOO)
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$13.64! REALLY?

Money Madness Update (Wed Dec 9)

Before I post my spending from Wednesday...let me just say...that Paul being a baby...I mean sick has really put a damper in my week. First the Publix purchase and now this...

15.48 Steak-n-Shake

BOO PAUL BOO!

Money Madness Update (Tues Dec 8)

$0.00! YAY!!!

Car Woes...Finally Mellishia is on TOP!

So every car I have ever owned has perished in some big catastrophe that wasn't my fault and in the end I am the one that gets SCREWED! Finally, Mellishia has received some justice. I have a new VW Jetta and it was dinged in the parking lot by a work truck's door. There's a small dent and a few scratches. I was told by this construction company to go to a particular car repair shop and get an estimate and that they would cut me a check for the amount of damage. Well Saturday in the crappy rainy cold holiday traffic I drove over to Orange Park to get the estimate. Well like typical car shops the guy overestimated me (the girl) and said that it is 705.00 worth of damage. Once I received this estimate I was pretty positive that my chances of getting the check cut directly to me were over. I was sure they were going to say that it was too much and that they are going to have to submit it to their insurance. So with reluctance I email the woman I have been dealing with the estimate and she just emailed me back stating that the estimate was fine and that they are going to cut me the check. So $705 is mine! VW is going to fix it for FREE! YAY MELLISHIA WON!!!

Money Madness Update (Mon Dec 7)

So Monday expenditures....

$2.29 Sbux (tea refill & cookie in repayment for Alex's help unpacking)
$0.54 Sbux (tea refill)
$31.48 Publix (cold meds for Paul, soup for Paul)
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$34.31 DANG being sick is EXPENSIVE!

Money Madness Update

Okay so this weekend was the BIG test! Guess who passed? THIS GIRL! These are my weekend purchases....

$16.89 at Publix (Bread, Milk, Taco Fixings)
$3.15 at Blockbuster (Season 4 of Entourage)
$30.00 Gas for the week

So when setting up my budget Gas, Groceries and Bills are necessary expenitures...so as you can see...I only spent 3.15!!! That is a Mellishia World Record!!

Why does everything cost MONEY?

So I've spent like 4 hours going over my bank statements. Let me just say I didn't have dinner because I lost my appetite. Seriously, I thought that I have been doing well. I mean my savings account increased over the month so all is good right? WRONG! I WASTE SO MUCH MONEY!!!! Paul is of course like where does the money go? What do you do? I said...woah let's not go there. I don't need a lecture on how I need to spend less. So I've said this in the past (ahem Taller, I know what you are thinking...wait did you stop reading...too many words...if only I could make my blog shiny....) but I am totally serious now. I am going on a cleansing. My bank account is on a diet. But instead of losing "weight" I plan on packing on the pounds ... well dollars in the US... ha ha that was my British joke. I think I will go through serious withdrawals over the next few weeks but hopefully I will make it through alive. PRAY FOR ME TALLER!!