28 - 36: Snow, Books, Pathfinder, and a Bit of Slippage

"Life is full of banana skins. 

You slip, you carry on."

~ Daphne Guinness

We've had a smattering of snow here, but as it does every year in my neck of the woods it turns to sleet shortly thereafter making it nigh impossible to travel anywhere for a few days.

Ice, ice, baby. 

But you hear no complaints from these lips - I'd rather take a few inches of ice that will melt come the weekend as opposed the six foot piles of snow further up north!

Courtesy of the weather I'm also now nine books down for my one hundred and fifteen book reading challenge. Read 'em and chuck 'em (in the donation bin that is). Success! 

Yet . . . so many left . . . 

O_O

Also, once again I spent a nice weekend free of shopping this past Saturday with friends. We sat around and generated characters for a new tabletop campaign. I'll take that any day over the store. 

However there are some expenditures to report. 

Oh, come on. You saw it in the title right there. *points* "A bit of slippage", see? 

It goes like this - in case you haven't gathered at this point, I'm female. And as such there are certain garments required (or rather shall I say strongly encouraged via society) for me to don. 

Namely bras. 

And when I find myself left with a single sports bra and all others beyond serviceable repair you will bet your heinie I am trucking to the store to acquire a new one. 

Additionally, I'm here to report a purchase made by the husband. With the bluray unable to handle streaming Netflix and freezing up every few minutes, he ordered a Roku to do the job instead. 

That's right, people. A bra and a Roku. I have come clean. 

And I'm still feeling darn proud of us nonetheless. We're only 36 days in for 365 and have purchased a few items along the way (bra, Roku, cat toy, and 2 laptop chargers), but already we've made some massive strides on using what we have and curbing some serious spending tendencies. 

We're buying things when we need them and not frivolously. We're making careful decisions about them as well. In nine days we purchased only three things aside from food and regular housing bills. Three. Things. 

Yes, I know I listed only two just now. But you see, well, ahem . . . 

My true 'slippage' refers to when I was shopping for my bra. I discovered a comfy satin/cotton blend spaghetti strap night gown as I was pushing my cart to the register. My last one had died from years of use and I had decided to not purchase another. After all, shorts and tank tops are perfectly comfortable and my preferred sleeping attire anyway. But some impulsive, rebellious, care-gone-to-the-wind-and-damned-if-I-do impulse took over and that nightie was in the cart and out the door faster than you could blink. 

My one purchase that wasn't thoughtful or considerate in this time. Impulsive. Just how I used to shop (and with big bills to show for it). So I'll be having to keep a close eye on that little thumb biting, shopping imp inside. Argh.

Pay Up Time!

What did I buy on days 28 - 36 (9 days!) of my 365 days of No Buy, No Way, No How?

I am proud (sort of) to report that I have purchased only:

• One impulsive, rampaging against self-imposed regulations nightie
• Bra
• Roku

This comes to a whopping (no, really, it is. Roku's are expensive) total of: 110.00 USD!

Yikes.

25 - 27: Competitive Flossing

"Some people don't like competition

because it makes them work harder, better."

~Drew Carey

I do so love Drew Carey. Though I doubt he had in mind my competitive flossing when making this statement. 

Wuh? What? It should totally be an Olympic sport. Don't look at me like that. 

Hm. Perhaps I should explain this a bit better. 

Since I've been staying away from purchasing material possessions, I've been focusing on what I already own and, not just that, but my own self as well. 

First I began using the media I already had - the countless unread books, the video games, the beautiful outdoors just a few steps away. 

Then I found myself focusing on my body as well. My state of mind changed. My priorities even shifted a bit. With my attention removed from the latest thing I could acquire, I focused on myself more. 

No, I don't mean this in a selfish sense. I did not gobble up all the cookies in the house and leave none for my husband while screeching, "MINE! MINE!" Ahem. At least not this time. But I'm referencing taking care of my body in this case. Focusing on *gestures head to toe* me. 

Sure, I exercised semi-regularly prior to the 365 day challenge, but now I'm doing so with more consistency (I still have a bit of ways to go to be spot-on all the time, I'll admit). Additionally I'm taking time to really take care of myself. 

It began with the floss. 

On a dark and stormy night . . . 

No, I'm sorry. I just felt that bit needed some punching up. I'm not really sure about the state of the weather at the time. 

When I was cleaning out my bathroom closet I found four rolls of floss. I kept buying floss and then rarely using it. Because, let's be honest, flossing is not a highlight of one's day and it's easy to get in the habit of not doing it. 

But thanks to this challenge I'm becoming more frugal and more competitive with myself regarding my frugality. I was determined to use that floss up before buying any more and I began flossing daily. I would use up every bit of that floss (without cheating by tossing it out) and take better care of my teeth. Day one and two was filled with sore gums, but now ahh so much better. 

An Aside: No, I do not have horrid teeth. I have nice pearly whites, but I admit to a laziness in flossing that is probably the reason for why I had to get a few fillings a couple of years back. Ahem. Hey, at least I admitted it! 

In other words, this challenge is beginning to focus my attention on many other areas of my life. Areas that are more fulfilling, more important than the latest bauble or shirt. I'm focusing on going outside, seeing friends more, reading my books and letting them go and so much more. 

I'm excited. Who knows what will come next? 

Pay Up Time!

What did I buy on days 25 - 27 of my 365 days of No Buy, No Way, No How?

• Nothing!

This comes to a whopping total of: 0.00 USD!

17 - 24: Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder?

"I dote on his very absence."

~ William Shakespeare

Did you miss me while I was gone? D-did you even know I was gone? 

Wait a minute...

You all held a celebration, didn't you? Aha! I'm onto you now!

But where in the fark was I? Ah, now that is a rather boring tale actually. I'm sorry, but no dragons, quests, exciting adventures were had by me on this hiatus. Though I suppose I could try and punch up the explanation a bit just for kicks, eh? 

Okay. Settle in boys and girls. I'm going to tell you the tale of . . . The Evil Laptop Charger That Could Not. 

Well, actually the title kind of says it all. My laptop charger died and I had to purchase (GASP! DANG IT ALL!) a new one. Though I would like for my laptop to charge on the very air I breathe and try as we may with positive thinking on that one, it didn't happen. 

So, yes, in the eight days that I have been an absentee I had to spend money on a laptop charger. And not just one. Oh, no. See, I attempted valiantly to hold out on spending anything. When my charger died I filched my husband's.

What? What? Don't look at me like that. I shared it with him, dammit. 

But then that one died too. I envision it did so with a puff of sheer spiteful glee and whatever accounts for giving the bird when you don't have a finger with which to give it. 

And so to Amazon we went. And two chargers were purchased. Sniffle.

However, on the plus side, in  24 days of this challenge I have purchased only three things: the cat toy and two laptop chargers. So, there is that! 

Wooo...hooo? Maybe?

I still feel a bit of a failure. Alas.

Alack.

Ack.

And so on.

Pay Up Time!

What did I buy on days 17 - 24 of my 365 days of No Buy, No Way, No How?

I am proud to report that I have purchased only:

• 2 Laptop Chargers of Better Last A Long Time Damn It Quality

This comes to a whopping total of: 43.85 USD!