Manic Monday #1

Well, the day started off true to Monday. Woke up late, rushed kids to school, got to meeting screeching in at the last minute, worked on "stuff" all day without feeling like I got anything done & now it's over.

Do you ever wonder why Monday's are the way they are? I mean COME ON! Coming off a nice weekend and getting started all over is just not fair sometimes.

The Bangles tune keeps going through my mind.
It's just another manic Monday
I wish it was Sunday
'Cause that's my funday
My I don't have to runday
It's just another manic Monday

So, my biggie for today is this. I got a credit card from Advanta for my business 6 months ago. I got it to consolidate debt since they were offering 0% interest for 15 months and 7.99% apr thereafter. What a good deal right? WRONG! I got my statement in the mail and looked at my apr, well low and behold it says it's 32.18%!!! Can you believe that! What the heck! I dig out all my paperwork for it and make the call. Wait 25 minutes on hold only to be greeted by someone I can barely hear and understand. Then as I proceed to voice my concern over the rate increase, this guy doesn't even made a sound. I repeatedly had to ask if he was there. "HELLO..." So he says they sent a letter back in October. Nope, I never got that letter. So he says they are resending it. I'm mad. I call Attorney General Consumer Complaint line. She says "you must have signed something." I applied online.... Says the Feds are going to be looking into this because it happens alot. So I get out the fine print and guess what? It says they have the right to raise the rates for whatever reason they see fit, whenever they want! They can change it from fixed to variable for whatever reason and whenever they want! This is legal criminal activity! OMG! How in the hell did I ever miss seeing that on the offer letter. Crap!

So I guess my lesson for this manic Monday is to slow down....read the fine print 2x....and remember the BBB saying "if it's too good to be true it probably is." BEWARE OF ADVANTA!

Simple Abundance Sunday #1

On my birthday in 2000, my Mother gave me the book “Simple Abundance – A Daybook of Comfort and Joy” by Sarah Ban Breathnach. This year I am reading the book on a daily basis as it is intended. I had not done that in previous years, rather occasionally opened the book and read a passage here and there. This year I plan to follow the path of Simple Abundance. I will be blogging on what I’ve gotten out of a weeks worth of readings on each Sunday.

One of the best things that I’ve gotten out of this book so far is to be grateful daily for everything in my life that there is to be grateful for. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ve been grateful each day for my life and everything in it, but it is now on a more simple level. I’ve purchased a pretty journal and it is to be my gratitude journal. I will write in it each night at bedtime. I’ve learned that it really is simple things that I am grateful for that make me most happy. My daughters kisses, my oldest sons texts, my middles sons hugs, piano lessons, my husbands compliments and advances, dancing around the house, laughter and my online community.

I am reminded in some of the readings to be my authentic self and that this book will help me recognize and embrace that.

I am encouraged to find my acre of diamonds. To continue to dream, create, believe & fulfill.

This book was written during hard times. We are in hard times now as well. I was moved by the daily reading entitled “The Prosperity of Living.” In it is quoted a passage from Ladies’ Home Journal October 1932 edition. It encouraged readers to remember that “The return of good times is not wholly a matter of money. There is a prosperity of living which is quite as important as prosperity of the pocketbook.” “It is not enough to be willing to make the best of things as they are. Resignation will get us nowhere. We must build what amounts to a new country. We must revive the ideals of the founders. We must learn the new values of money. It is time for pioneering—to create a new security for the home and the family. . . .Where we were specialists in spending, we are becoming specialists in living.”

Isn’t that great! We are going t make it through this recession. We will come out strong and I believe with better values all the way around.

Real life is busy! There are constantly things getting in the way and taking time and attention. I’ve learned that I need to accept this. To live the “right now” and not put things off till tomorrow, like that game of trouble with my daughter.

Now I’m off to go write in my gratitude journal since it’s pretty late. I know I’ll be adding to the list that I’m grateful for Marion berries and Marion berry pie! Yum!