Sunday, September 28, 2008

Everything in moderation....

Thank you everyone for your encouraging comments on my last post. I've checked e-mail through out the week and it felt great to hear from you. I didn't get a chance to read blogs, but hopefully I'll have some time tomorrow morning to read and comment.

moderation - a change for the better
easing, relief
alteration, change, modification - an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another; "the change was intended to increase sales"; "this storm is certainly a change for the worse"; "the neighborhood had undergone few modifications since his last visit years ago"
disembarrassment - something that extricates you from embarrassment
breath of fresh air - a welcome relief; "the new management was like a breath of fresh air"
(My favorite definition)

What I learned this week is to try to do everything in moderation. I've been concentrating on NOT checking my bank balance everyday, or my 401K balance (as this is slipping thanks to the folks on Wall Street and in DC). I've tried to set up my savings and spending on automatic to help me along.

I'm also making sure I'm eating in moderation as well. That has kept my mind off finances a bit and I have refocused my attention on my health. I've been feeling a bit sluggish and I'm hoping that dropping a couple of pounds will help me feel better.

I will continue to blog in moderation. I will say that when I blog, I'm clearer on my goals personal finance. Taking time away from the computer did allow me to do other things. So, moderation is certainly the key to a well-balanced lifestyle.

My September goals are shaping up...
I'm reading (and almost done) with the book "A Year Without "Made in China": One Family's True Life Adventure in the Global Economy " . A fast read and very interesting on how many things that we use in our homes that are "made in China".

I still only have 3 No Spend Days and 1 No Drive Day...and I only have two more days to complete.

I have not painted my daughter's old bedroom, and I doubt I will finish in the next two days...
but I believe it's been a good month.

I will post my October goals in the next couple of days. (So I will post more than once this week! oops!) But that's okay too. My choice.

6 comments:

Giraffe Spender said...

Sharon,

I love your blog...you always manage to touch a point of relevancy in my life...or in this case, my daughters!

Chicka-Doodle, who is all of 7, is VERY irritated by the stamp or tag that reads "made in China". She really has a hard time with her American Pride and not seeing "Made in USA" nearly enough. She spent a day counting how many things in our home were "made in China" - not searching, just being mindful of what was in her hand - and she counted upwards toward 30. She then turned 7 again..."what? were YOU made in China? was I? was Mammie? (grandma) Why is is so much in America "made in China"?"

So...you say it's an easy read...on any level, comprehendable by a 7 year old smartie pants?(with adult supervision, of course...)

Good to see you every Monday - it's something to look forward to!

Blessings,
Tif

Anonymous said...

Hey Sharon!!! Look who's back!! :)

Aaaah, I see, I see what you mean with doing things in moderation. Excellent advice!!

Well done with taking care of your health!

And not checking on your 401K balance everyday!!

Don't worry too much about your investments Sharon. Shares are like that. They go up and down, but over the long term they usually grow.

20 years from now we'll probably just smile about the "financial crisis" we're having now.

If you're invested in a broad range of shares, i.e. your investments are well diversified, you have even less to worry about. :)

Enjoy your book, and well done with reaching (most of) your September goals!!

How is Ben and the rest of the family doing!!?

Francois

Sharon said...

@Tif,
Yes, I believe your 7 year old could read this book! How astute of Chicka-Doodle...sounds like she'll be doing GREAT things some day! As always, thank you so much for your kind words! :)

@Francois!
Yes, I'm back. And will probably be posting all day...ha,ha.
Family is good, except for my oldest daughter...just posted about her.
We had a good week, I lost 2 lbs. and Ben had more walks than he could have ever dreamed of. How are you doing?? When are you getting married?

Anonymous said...

@Sharon

Aaah good good good good!!! :)

I saw your post about your daughter - sorry to hear about the heartaches! I hope her (and your) heart will heal soon.

It's going well here! Biggest stress is I'm negotiating a buyout of one of my partners in property I own... oh man, if only I knew property ownership was going to come with all the hassles...

I'm getting married in January!! :) We've got a venue, paid the deposit last week. The fiance is stressing much more than I am!! Dress, flowers, makeup, meals, sometimes she gets all worked up about it. Luckily my main responsibilities are honeymoon and organizing the "for after the wedding" parts, like place to stay, furniture, etc. :)

Take care Sharon! I'm glad you're doing OK!

Francois

p.s. Give Ben a good head ruffle for me!

Sharon said...

Francois!
Ah, January is a great month for a wedding...Weddings can be stressful with all the prep, and you have a great job of planning the honeymoon..something that you both can enjoy! Joe took me to San Francisco and Hawaii..he planned the whole thing, which I loved. We had a great time.

Hope the real estate deal works out in your favor...

RTC said...

Hi Sharon,
I'm glad you are finding a balance. The exercise sounds great! Sorry to hear about your daughter's heartache. I have found that teaching really helps. When you are surrounded by 25 students you don't have time to think about anything else while you are at school!