Official August Checklist

AUGUST 2013 GOALS

Month is currently 19% over.
Overall: 9% complete.

CAREER - 0% Complete

Hit target number of monthly illustrations. - 0% complete.
Number illustrations completed - 0% complete.

Make target income for the month. - 0% complete.

Some notes:  I'm probably going to cut back my total income this month since we're moving,

FINANCIAL - 10% Complete

Make target income for the month. - 0% complete.

Keep budget. - 19% complete.
Some notes: None.

HEALTH - 6% Complete

Continue taking thyroid meds. - 19% complete.
Lose 3 pounds by beginning 5k training - 0% complete.

Begin training for a 5k and be able to run one mile without stopping. - 0% complete.
Some notes: Last month, I didn't lose because I came down sick and stress happened.  So this month, I have to be on target.

HOME - 3% Complete

Organize the downstairs closet - 0% complete.
Organize and sort the boxes in the garage. - 0% complete.
Make sure lease has processed. - 50% complete.
Sort items to donate, discard and sell. - 0% complete.
Post sellable items on Craigslist. - 0% complete.
Have a garage sale. - 0% complete.
Gather packing supplies. - 0% complete.
Pack contents of storage areas and infrequently used items. - 0% complete.
Color code, label and number each box. - 0% complete.
Call to have utilities and internet service disconnected from old home and installed in new home. - 0% complete.
Pack the bulk of the house. - 0% complete.
Complete a change of address form. - 0% complete.
Get key to new apartment. - 0% complete.
Do a walk-through of the new place. - 0% complete.
Pack an essentials box. - 0% complete.
Move all items into new place. - 0% complete.
Notify places of our new address. - 0% complete.
Give keys back to landlord. - 0% complete.
Some notes: This list is HUGE because we're in the middle of moving now.  This is also why other areas are getting cut.

KNOWLEDGE - 19% Complete

Continue taking thyroid meds. - 19% complete.

Continue taking supplements. - 19% complete.

Continue daily mental exercises. - 19% complete.

Some notes:  Cutting the book for this month.

PERSONAL - 10% Complete

Continue taking thyroid meds. - 19% complete.

Meditate three times. - 0% complete.

Lose 3 pounds by beginning 5k training - 0% complete.

Adhere to my planner schedule. - 19% complete.

RELATIONSHIP - 0% Complete

Do one date night. - 0% complete.
Some notes: Part of me wanted to cut our date night, but I think we'll be able to work it out, even if it's Chinese on a box in our new apartment.

SPIRITUAL - 25% Complete

Meditate three times. - 0% complete.
Volunteer for T.A.R.A. for 8 hours this month. - 50% complete.
Some notes: I've cut down my volunteering for this month significantly.  8 hours covers my T.A.R.A. Cat Caregiver position that I cannot back out on and the one T.A.R.A. adoption event I have to do to stay on their list.  Everyone else has been notified of our moving situation.

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Check List for August

1. Move.
2. Be 153.4 by the end of August.
3. Select a new book to read.
4. Decide on a date night this month.
5. Volunteer for 8 hours this month.

Final July Check-In

This is going to hurt, but I have some new developments to talk about soon!  Stay tuned!

JULY 2013 GOALS

Month is currently 100% over.
Overall: 98% complete.

CAREER - 103% Complete

Hit target number of monthly illustrations. - 100% complete.
Number illustrations completed - 100% complete.

Make target income for the month. - 108% complete.

Some notes:  I'm going to skip notes for this and update in a journal entry.

FINANCIAL - 100% Complete

Make target income for the month. - 100% complete.

Keep budget. - 100% complete.
Some notes: 

HEALTH - 50% Complete

Continue taking thyroid meds. - 100% complete.
Lose 3 pounds by beginning 5k training - 0% complete.

Begin training for a 5k and be able to run one mile without stopping. - 50% complete.
Some notes: 

HOME - 33% Complete

Organize the downstairs closet - 0% complete.
Organize and sort the boxes in the garage. - 0% complete.
Organize the linen closet. - 100% complete.
Some notes:
Downstairs closet: Sort boxes; sort filing cabinet; reorganize wedding box; weed out miscellaneous items into a box.
Garage: Buy new boxes; sort into seasonal, labeled boxes; remove unsorted miscellaneous unboxed items.

KNOWLEDGE - 100% Complete

Continue taking thyroid meds. - 100% complete.

Continue taking supplements. - 100% complete.

Continue daily mental exercises. - 100% complete.
Read one book - 100% complete.

Some notes:  

PERSONAL - 75% Complete

Continue taking thyroid meds. - 100% complete.

Meditate three times. - 100% complete.

Lose 3 pounds by beginning 5k training - 0% complete.

Adhere to my planner schedule. - 100% complete.

RELATIONSHIP - 100% Complete

Do one date night. - 100% complete.
Some notes: 

SPIRITUAL - 225% Complete

Meditate three times. - 100% complete.
Volunteer for the local pet shelter twice this month. - 400% complete.
Find a new place to volunteer. - 300% complete.
Manage one COT event this month. - 100% complete.
Some notes: 

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Check List for July

1. Triple up on July's home cleaning chores.
2. Sort out July's home cleaning chores into weekly goals.
3. Be 153.4 by the end of July.
4. Select a new book to read.
5. Decide on a date night this month.
6. Volunteer twice this month.

Crapstorm 2013

2012 knocked on my door about two weeks ago.  Nearly every catastrophe that happened last year is happening again.  Losing place to live?  Check.  Huge four-digit car repair bill? Check.  Bad, costly health news?  Check.

Where to begin.

I've always been aware that our living situation was temporary.  I've never been more grateful for what we've got.  Unfortunately, the ride is over.  About two weeks ago, we got word that we would need to be out by the end of August.  Aaron and I have been trying to scrape together every penny to make a successful down payment on a decent place, and we would have had it too if his car hadn't bitten the big one.

Only a day after getting that news, we got stranded in the airport terminal trying to pick up a friend because his car randomly wouldn't start.  A tow truck, a lost terminal card and $1400 later and it's fixed.  There was obviously a lot more than just the starter wrong - some of it we knew about and just had fixed anyway.  Nonetheless, there goes the down payment on a place to live.

Not that that matters much.  The top place on our list decided they no longer take huskies, after telling me on a phone call and  in person the first time I saw the place that they did.  Turns out, next-to-nill townhouses with adequate space in the KC area take huskies.  That's a huge problem since my best friend owns one.  We've started looking at renting houses, but the monthly rent is just too high.  Townhouses here tend to stay just under 1k, but houses almost immediately jump to $1200.  Seems freaking impossible.

On top of the costs, my yearly auto insurance bill came in, so that's another four-digit chunk out of my account.  And I finally went to see a dentist.  That's getting pretty costly too, since apparently I neglected the hell out of my teeth and our dental insurance doesn't cover as much as I wish it did.  Every visit is around $150 for what I need.  Ouch.  That and I do actually have my wisdom teeth.  They're completely impacted.  Insurance only pays 50% of that costly surgery.  That's completely and totally out.  Not happening.  Can't afford it.

A few nights ago, a spring in our mattress poked through.  This isn't the first time it's happened.  We've already flipped our mattress for an impossible spring pop and it's full of duct tape patches.  Aaron patched it last night, but this morning, it ripped through my PJ pants and stabbed my leg.  It wasn't bad enough for an ER, but there was quite a bit of blood involved.  That also means we need to officially buy a new mattress.

With what money?

So I started applying for a second job pretty much anywhere a week or so ago.  I don't know what else to do.  I had a pretty successful few interviews the past week, but of course none of them are anywhere near my field.  Everything in my instincts tells me to just buck it up.  That 80 hour work weeks won't be that tough and that it's really the only option at this point.

But is it really worth it to lose everything?  Right when I was beginning to love my life and get involved with things that make me happy, I suddenly have to cut it all off.  The volunteering, the Circle, the exercise.  When will I have time for it?

If I get a call back for any of these jobs, I have a big decision to make: to turn it down and continue with the goals I've set for myself this year, or to take the job and risk losing everything due to stress and lack of time.

This also includes being unable to complete my needed dental work since they're only open Monday-Thursday 10-5 and I'll have to work then.  It means not going to see an endo because I won't be able to take a few hours off.  It means sacrificing not only my spiritual and emotional happiness but my health as well.  How worth it is that?

At the same time, all Aaron and I have ever done is splashed around in the water, bobbing up just enough to catch a breath before being raked under again.  It'd be nice to get on a raft during this flood.  A second job could provide that.  But at what cost?

I will do a check-in as soon as I can figure out how to manage this explosion.