Slacker, Yes I am...

Sorry for the sporadic posting. I am a slacker.

Well, everything is fairly normal here. Thankfully, the business bank balance is starting to look healthy. I have to register to pay G.S.T. (Canadian Goods and Services Tax - if you gross more than $30,000 in a calendar year, you have to register for it and pay it) in February.

So that's a good news/bad news sort of thing. As I said, it's gross, so it doesn't take into account your numerous expenses, or how much saved money I put into the business in the first place. But I am earning a living wage. And since I took the Self-Employment Course, that wage was subsidized, up until now. Now I'm on my own.

Not having a safety net makes me nervous, and I'm going to miss the extra money. I haven't been much of a Frugalista lately, and after Christmas I will have to become one once again.

I am living at my parents as they are wintering down south. Is it normal for a 41 year old woman to squat at her parents' house? Probably not, but I've never liked being called normal. I am also looking forward to living on my own again, but it really doesn't make any sense to when there's an empty house.

Speaking of down south; this is how my journey had started in the first place. What a difference a(n almost) year makes! It was January of last year when I was visiting my parents in Palm Springs that I decided on this journey. A year later I'm living somewhere different and working full-time as a massage therapist. I met an agent that wants to see my book when it's finished (projected completion date - end of Jan, first 50 pages edited by end of Feb). I am booked to visit Belize in May. I am very excited about that. And I have lost about 60 lbs so far. I need to lose a lot more but it's a good start!

Oh, and I'm traveling down to Palm Springs to visit the 'rents on Wednesday - yay! Can't wait to leave the winter wonderland that we call Canada. Even if it is only for 2 weeks.

Anyways everybody, have a merry merry festive season!

I'm in Debt to my Belly Belly

Went to Weight Watcher's tonight, lost some more weight. But I'm in debt to my belly at the moment. I owe it money. So far, I should have $267 saved in my Belly Belly Belize account. I put the $160 in. I just got a commuting cheque today for $90. So if I put that in I only owe it $17 and I'll be all paid up.

That's not too bad...

I also did an account today of how much money I have spent on my clinic so far. Not including rent, which I will track down the landlord tommorrow (he's elusive, you think that he'd want to get paid!), nor including the sign I'm having made; I am -$1,321.48 in the red so far.

Adding onto that the rent, damage deposit, and sign, and the grand total so far will soon be $2102.88. Sigh. At least I have all of my equipment!

And for starting up a business, that's not too bad. Just being a Frugalista is not possible right now. I miss my Frugalista bank account. Once the business is up and running, I'll have the two accounts to build up (Belly Belly Belize and the Frugalista account). I look forward to prosperity again! 

Book, Belly Belly and Miscellany

I have had an eventful week. I met up with an old friend, her partner and her kids in Okotoks. They had me and a couple of other friends over for a BBQ. And they let me crash there overnight so I could have a little tipple.. It was lovely having a social life again. I then drove to Calgary the next day to meet up with another high school friend for coffee.

I am going back to Calgary tomorrow and staying at the same old friend's house. There's an event that we're going to called Gallery Calorie, it should be a lot of fun!

I went to a writer's group in Lethbridge that meets once a month. I met a whole bunch of nice people and hopefully I will get a critiquing partner out of it. There is a fiction sub-group that meets once a month and that is this Tuesday coming up. Progress, progress!

As for the belly belly; I joined the gym this week and have been twice so far. I went to Weight Watchers in Lethbridge and had lost 3.5 lbs, it's a start. Just a drop in the ocean of what I have to lose, but I'm at the beginning of this journey!

I also found a premises to operate my business. I wil be moving in there at the end of the month!

So things are going well so far. I think I have made a positive change in my life by moving back to MediumSizedTown. And hopefully, it will be Belize in a few more years!

Belly Belly and MediumSizedTown

Well, last Thursday I went to Weight Watchers. It was in a small town north of MediumSizedTown. Unfortunately, it was the last meeting they were holding due to low enrollment numbers.
But the former group leader gave me the intro book and I (and my mother) have been counting points. The next meeting is in Lethbridge this Wednesday.
Also in Lethbridge, I have a Writer's Group Meeting tommorrow.
And tonight, I am looking at a premises in town. I think it would be ideal, but the price has got to be right too. I have seen one other place that is not quite right, but the price is very affordable.
Plus, last weekend I met up with old friends and had a great time. Drove up to Okotoks and had a barbeque. I stayed over and then went to Calgary the next day to have coffee with a friend.
So, my life is looking up. Now I just have to get writing more regularly and then finally get published and I will be well on track for Belize in 2015!

Sorry it's Been So Long, This Will Be a Mixed Bag

Okay to start out with I have to say that I did have quite a Frugalista Count-down in the past month. Living expenses, moving, etc. I am still waiting on EI. So I now have a balance of $3,555.19. That's a loss of $1311.33. And I may have to lose some more later when opening up my business.

So a week ago, we loaded up the UHaul and moved everything back to MediumSizedTown. Then I went back to Medicine Hat for a week and worked at the bar until the end of the month. I camped out in my house until Monday.

But, I am now living at my parents, and things are going quite well so far. I told my mother about my plan to retire in Belize and she thought it was a good plan. So that's all out in the open now.

As for SSgt Blue Eyes, it turns out he wasn't here. I recently talked to him online and he just was returned to that regiment and there wasn't a job for him on the battlegroup. So he stayed in Germany.At least we've cleared that up now. And happy that I haven't seen him. Even happier he hasn't seen me at my enlarged state.

This may be delusional self-talk, but I think I finally have my relationship with him under control. It is never
going to be more than it is. I just have to keep realising that fact and it will all be fine.

About my belly belly; I've always been big girl, but I did ALOT of grief eating after my brother's death. Now that I'm back in MediumSizedTown, I'm joining Weight Watchers. There's a group in a town 20 mins north of here that meets on Thursdays. So here I come Weight Watchers. And there will go the belly!


As for starting my own business in MediumSizedTown, I've enrolled myself in a self-employment course that people who are unemployed can take. That starts in Lethbridge on the 21st of June. It's three days a week and you can continue to collect unemployment insurance for up to 26 weeks even though you are unemployed - you don't have to claim any income.

Anyway that's all for now - more later.....