Lady Songbird asked for tips on saving money in the new economy.  There's just one: Cut out all the crap you really don't need; i.e. stuff you just WANT.

Here's how I'm doing it:

-sexy hair.  Costs me 80 bucks a month for cut, color, shampoo, conditioner, and the five other products that will make my hair stay straight. Nine dollar Preference will have to do.

-nails.  I have chewed and picked my nails 'til they bleed since I was three and my pacifier was"lost" in a move.  The only thing I have found that stops me is acrylic nails. But that's 30 bucks every two weeks.  I'm bleeding as I type.

-bottled water. Sure, it tastes better than the swill that comes out of the tap, but it's not any better for me. They picked up the fountain last Thursday. The dog has already claimed the space.

-newspaper.  Hubs always reads it at the office anyway.

-that addition to the house renovation?  Um, no.

-all auto-renew subscriptions. Added up, they're about 50 bucks a month.Whoa.  'Way too much.

-sending Thing One care packages. Zingerman's may go bankrupt because I stop sending him goodies.

-food.  I only buy what I need for that day. No planning ahead because food always spoils before I cook it all. Mainly because until this "situation," I rarely cooked.Now it's every night.  To the distress of Thing Two, who loves take-out.

-vacations: Don't go on them. Need that money for shuttling Thing One to and from school. Fine with me.  Getting ready for them makes me nervous anyway (She says, trying to convince herself).

-stuff for church.  I usually buy whatever I need to do my Sunday school lessons for the kids and never ask for reimbursement.  I won't ask to be reimbursed; I'll just do lessons that don't require craft materials. Darn kids don't need crafts anyway.  All we had was dirt.

-stop sending huge chunks of $ to my favorite charities.  Small amounts will have to do.

-books, music, dvds.  This is the hardest one.  I will just not buy any.  I have lots and will have to be content with that.  There is no way to make that funny or clever.

-clothes.  Don't even THINK of buying anything unless it's pants for Thing Two.

-Christmas.  The Things didn't get much last year anyway, so I don't think it'll kill 'em to just let 'em sleep late and feed 'em honey-glazed smoked turkey.

_A/C stays at 78.  When it finally gets cool enough to turn on the heat, it should be at 68. Basically, if you're comfortable, you're not doing it right.

Do you think I sound ENOUGH like a Pharisee? I already have one blood sacrifice.  Do I need another?

I've been on this kick for three weeks.  How much longer do you think I can do this?

Thing Two's  band is playing the above music plus others from suspenseful military movies in concert later this month, accompanied by clips compiled by a trombonist who is also an aspiring filmmaker.


So here's the thing:  it's not you guys; it's me.

Does it sound like I've broken up with Xanga? Not really.  I'm just sick of the way I write.  I can only stand myself in short bursts, which means...Facebook.  I realized that much of what I write here is negative. My Facebook updates are as well, but at least they're short. 

However, I have been horribly remiss in visiting your sites. I will try to do better. I must warn you, though, that if a post bends toward the political, I will not usually comment.  I have had it with the mudslinging on both sides and refuse to get into even a civil debate on valid issues.

I intend to write in Ben and Jerry in November.

We haven't heard much from Thing One since his crush turned him down for a date. Bless his little heart. But he gave his first math lecture last week at his junior seminar class.

The renovation has slowed to a crawl.  I've been sick with a flu-like virus for a week, and Hubs has been forced to stop building cabinets in order to sand doors and walls, which is really my job. But the little powder room should be finished by Sunday afternoon!  Pictures when it's done. This is the one John Pinnet could not visit.  Don't know John Pinnet? I'll go get a video and come back.  Wait right there.

Sorry I've been neglectful.  I'm working full time, as one of our lab techs moved.  That means I'm learning how to pour up models, trim them, and make clear retainers.  I also still run to the front and to the clinic if they need me.

Also, a friend's six-year old was diagnosed this week with t-cell leukemia.  She is an oncology nurse, so it's ironic.  We set up a website for info and to schedule our doing cooking, cleaning, care giving for her other two, etc.  But on the bright side, Thing two is still enjoying band, AP Music Theory, AP Biology,and PreCal.  Here is the band director who used to be the drum major for the University of Alabama Million Dollar Band. Around here, that's cause for awe.  And even I am pretty amazed at what he pulls out of these kids. 

Here's a picture that my decrepit eyes thought was Mr.P conjuring a ray of light while conducting a Samuel Barber piece,but it turned out on much closer inspection to be a POLE. Crap.