Cloud 9....

I am soooo happy right now! I submitted my draft report yesterday and my close-out meeting went fabulous this morning! My boss was very happy and pleased with my presentation and work product especially with the tight deadline. So so happy! I had my whole family praying for me to do well and I aced it!!! Yes!!!

I cannot wait for the weekend. I am definitely going to get myself to the movies. I am behind and there were some good movies that came out over the last couple of weeks. 

I can't wait to see my nephew in his Ninja costume for Halloween! He's such a cutie pie and just a great 4 year old. Love Him! 

Chitown is on Cloud 9 right now!!! I am closing out this month on a strong and positive note!!!!

Chitown Down But Not Out....

I am struggling...4 straight days with a terrible headache and I have been working like crazy!!!! I finally got my draft report approved and sent out this morning and I will have a close-out meeting tomorrow. I felt so awful last night, my eyes were twitching, my head was hurting and I was super nauseous . I got home around 9pm, took a shower and I was asleep by 10pm and that's not me at all. I am a total night owl. I didn't even eat dinner. I just couldn't wait to get into the bed and go to sleep.

My godfather was back in the hospital after falling on Sunday and dislodging his trache. He'd just had surgery on Friday so that was a bit of a scare because he was having trouble breathing. He's back home and resting. I love that Man. His walk in life is not easy having survived throat cancer but no longer having the ability to eat or drink. Puts a lot of things in perspective.

I am looking forward to the weekend so I can just relax. 11 more days and then I have a week off for vacation. It's been a tough couple of months but I am still managing to keep a smile on my face.=)

Massage...

I just had the most AMAZING massage and it was FREE FREE FREE!!! My Mom knew I was having a hard time with work and she could see me working from 8-8 weekdays and on the weekends. She made the appointment for me. She is the BEST!!! So thankful!!! =)

The massage therapist was excellent. She said my shoulders and neck were so tight and I feel so much better. Woo Hoo!!! Giddy!!! 

Weekend...

I survived the long weekend!  I worked until about 8:30 Friday night and worked all weekend with the exception of going to my nephew's swim practice and a birthday dinner/outing for a friend on Saturday.  I came back into work after Church yesterday and worked until close to 9pm.  The good news is I got my report drafted and I think I might have set a record.  What took me close to 2 months to complete earlier this year, only took me 3 weeks.  I spent a week in Madison, managed a team of 9 people to get all of the work completed and then I scrubbed the data last week and now I am under the gun to get my draft approved and out this week.  I am proud of myself because I know that with my Team Lead under a lot of pressure to meet the month-end fiscal year reporting, I was probably the best person for the job to Lead this Review.  Hopefully the rest of the week will go smoothly and I will finally have a nice weekend after working 3 weekends in a row.  Chitown might even get herself a massage!  Oh yeah!!!

It's funny how people can make such a profound impact on you when you are young.  I was probably in 6th grade when my sister's high school volleyball coach told me that I was "probably the most talented kid she had ever met but I was able the most laziest kid she had ever met!"  That struck such a nerve with me and I made a compete 180 and got myself together.  The next two years, I was in the National Junior Honor Society after not turning in most of my homework in previous years, I graduated in the Top 5 of my high school class and I graduated from Northwestern University having played Division I Softball and earning my degree in Economics.  Now I am a VP, Lawyer and I am on a great path.  One thing I can say about ME is that Chitown is NOT LAZY!!! =)

I hadn't been out in so long with my friends for dinner and dancing and I love, love, love to dance. It's probably the only time I like to wear heels because I get to dance. A birthday was the perfect opportunity to boogie!!! I had a blast. We went to a place called Alhambra Palace for dinner and then walked down the street to a place called Red Kiva for more fun and dancing. Alhambra had a belly dancing troop that put on a performance from about 8:30-10:00pm. The performance was pretty cool and I had a good time.  The most important thing is that my friend had a great time and a great birthday. I was sooo pooped, I had to sit in my car for a good 20 minutes before I could even drive home Saturday night. =)

I am trying to figure out how in the world I am going to pay my credit card bill off at the end of the month. I am looking at a shortage of about $100-$200. I have the cash but I don't want to deplete all of my cash resources. Adding in the weekly counseling sessions is costly but I will be fine going forward and the sessions have been pretty awesome to get me back on solid footing.

Hope you guys had a great weekend. That's about all folks. This will be the last super busy week but I am in the homestretch and I will be free to relax this weekend. Yeah!!!

Loss of Classmate...

I got home this evening to find out my high school classmate died after giving birth just 9 days ago. She was so ecstatic about being a mom and you could tell she was already in love with her son. My heart is heavy. She had a beautiful and positive spirit. 

It's a wake up call not to take people and time for granted. A person can literally be here today and gone today. Not just tomorrow. Tell and show the people who matter most to you that you love them. Let go of the foolishness and stuff that doesn't matter. Be happy. 

Vacation....

I woke up this morning with vacation on my mind. I have a week off from work next month during the week of Veteran's Day and two weeks at Christmas. I need to find myself on a beach somewhere. I made it to FL this summer but the trip wasn't as relaxing as I'd hoped and ended pretty badly so I am not counting that as vacation, rest and relaxation. If I can't make it to the beach, I would love to go to a spa as well. I'll have to look into some options after this busy week is over. 

Saturday was good. I finally had some "me time" after working 6 days in a row. I did some laundry and gave myself a manicure I watched the first and second episodes of Scandal. Awesome!!! I went to get a pedicure and then I was off to see my parents and nephew. Perfect day!

I am rolling out of bed so I can make it to Church and then I have to hit the Library or Starbucks to do some work. Mom is cooking Sunday dinner so I'll be grubbing well this evening. 

Happy Sunday!!! =)

Bitter Sweet....

I got some great news today. All of my bloodwork came back clean and there are no issues with my kidneys or my liver!!! Yes!!! 

The not so great news is that my Mom just told me my godfather is in the hospital. So I will be heading home from Madison on Friday and going straight to the hospital to see him. He's an amazing man. I get my love of dance from him. He is an African Dancer and can even walk on stilts. He had me and my sister in African dance classes at a young age. My Mom isn't a people person and she's a pretty good judge of character. She absolutely loves my godfather. He's my Dad's childhood friend and he's near an dear to me and my sister. 

My godfather had throat cancer and has a permanent trache so he can't eat or drink. He's kind of pulled away from everyone in the last couple of years. Living with a permanent feeding tube in your stomach and not being able to swallow even water is a very hard existence and life. The measure of his strength cannot be understood. I am very proud of him and I love him very much. 

I know it's hard on my parents. They're 65/64 and funerals are becoming commonplace for classmates and known associates. Our neighbor of 20+ years was just laid to rest last week. It's scary facing the reality that my parents are aging. I am thankful for every call I get to make to them, every visit, every time I get to kiss them on their foreheads, hug them, tell them I love them and have them tell me back and know without a shadow of a doubt they do indeed. Thankful! 

Madison, WI Trip...

Day 3 of the review project went well and we are on Target for a Friday finish. I have a great team with me even if not all of my co-workers are well versed in commercial real estate. The hotel is nice. The company is great. The work is interesting.  Good things all around. 

Here is the view from my room of Lake Monona. =)

September 2013 Summary...

My net worth took a slight dip this month. I cannot complain considering I had close to $1,200 in car and house repairs to make. I could have done a little better on my personal spending but all in all, it wasn't a bad month. I did a little emotional eating out but that's slowed down once I settled down. Below is a snapshot from Networthiq and a Budget Breakdown for September.

 

• Housing: Met plan.
• Utilities: $19 over plan with last month of $18 WW subscription
• Transportation: Met plan with very slight $8 deviation. 
• Personal - Blew the budget by $308. Below is a breakdown. 
• Clothing & Shopping: $123
• Entertainment & Hobby: $94
• Food & Dining Out: $682
• Grocery & Household: $310
• Personal Care & Spa: $116
• Tithing & Offerings: $30
• Miscellaneous: Over budget by $904 with needed $1,150 in car and home repairs. 
• Education/Business: Met Plan
• Credit Card/Debt: Met Plan with $806 towards principal

Let the Weekend Begin...

The weekend is finally here but this week flew by so fast.  It was a busy busy work week but productive.  I will heading to Madison, WI on Sunday afternoon for the week.  I am leading a review up there so it should be interesting and a learning experience. This is only my second review to Lead and this one is an onsite review so I will be representing the team. Fun!

It's Homecoming weekend for Northwestern so I have a few events to attend including an alumni softball game tomorrow. That's going to be fun. Looking forward to seeing some of my old teammates. 

I am working on my September Financial Summary so hoping to post that by Monday.  The results are already posted on Networthiq. You can click on the net worth link to the top right of the page. All in all, I had just a $100 dip in my net worth which isn't bad considering I had close to $1,200 in car and home repairs for the month.

Performance reviews will wrap up by the end of the month and I will know my bonus and raise (if any) soon. Bonuses pay out in the middle of December.

My Dad met with his cardiologist yesterday. He will go for an Eco and Stress Test on my birthday actually, December 2nd, and then they will determine if he will need a defibrillator and/or pacemaker. We are hoping and praying that the meds strengthen his heart so he won't need another surgery. My Dad has been through so much since 2009. We all have really.

Have a wonderful weekend! =)

Doc Appt & Helping Others....

I get a kick out of helping others and doing for others. I almost think I get more out of the deal in the end. My Mentor asked me to talk with his niece who is a student at Yale. I've been communicating with her over the past few weeks via email and phone and got her resume into the right hands at the Bank. I think she a great hiring candidate and the people I spoke with today were impressed with her resume. The Bank has several training programs that give you a solid financial and banking foundation. Heads of both major programs have her resume in hand. I think it also helps that I stepped up for one of the Heads of the Business Banking program when he asked me a couple years ago to participate as a Mentor in the Bank's work-study program. I still work with my Mentee and he's now a senior in high school. I am helping him get ready for college now. 

The doc visit went pretty good today. She moved to a new office which is really nice. A little further away but still downtown and only a taxi ride away. I never had to give more than 2 viles of blood before but they took 5 viles from me today to test my kidneys and liver. After three, my arm was screaming Uncle! I should have the results back on Tuesday. 

It's Family Thursday which means I get to spend quality time with some of the best people on Earth including the love of my life, my four year old nephew. 

Too blessed to be stressed! =)

October Already....

It's October already.  Wow!!!  Time is flying by and I'll be bundling up for Chicago Winter soon.  I love all four seasons and Fall is my favorite.  Things have been good but super busy.  The weekend was fun. Went to the movies Friday and Saturday, went to see my nephew swim, had brunch with the family and then had an unexpected visit from an old friend Saturday night which turned into Sunday morning.  It was a good time catching up. Church on Sunday, some cleaning up and then Sunday dinner with the family.  Good times.

I kicked off my review project on Tuesday so work will be busy busy for the next few weeks.  I leave for Madison WI on Sunday and will be working onsite there for the week.  Then it's a long Columbus Day weekend and I am looking forward to having some downtime and fun.  Before I know it, it will be November and I'll be decorating for Christmas. Yeah!!! I am such a holiday nerd. =)

I am doing well with my finances.  I will post a September Summary this week.  Onward and upward. Staying on target and staying on plan. Freedom tastes good!!!

Almost Friday...

Thank Goodness!!! I am really looking forward to the weekend and getting the opportunity to sleep in on Saturday and Sunday. I am going to stay up and do a deep clean on the condo this evening and then enjoy a very relaxing weekend. The weather is supposed to be amazing. One day I am going to plan a Fall Wedding. Fall in Chicago is awesome!!!

I am staying up and staying in good spirits. I have the most amazing family and friends. They really make my life seem rich. With them, I can escape the moments of loneliness that comes from living by myself and being quasi-single in the city. They love and support me 100%.

I think I am going to take my computer to Best Buy this weekend to see if they can repair it and do something about the virus I think is on my computer. I've made it over a year with my work computer and iPad but I really need a PC at home. Fingers crossed they can work a miracle. My mom has a new copy of Windows 6 so I am hoping they can get Vista off and install the new software. Then I will be ready to go and that will buy me another year on getting a new computer.

Hope you guys have a wonderful day! =)

Hit a Wall...

Boy oh boy did I hit a wall today. This month has been grueling with work off the chain and things going on in my personal life. I treated myself to lunch and then came home to pass out for about 3 hours. I just wanted a cat nap so I could go to the park but I was out for the count. Completely exhausted. 

I enjoyed lying there and relaxing. Something I don't do too often and probably not often enough. It's usually GO-GO-GO until I pass out. 

I am working on my weekend plans already. lol. I want to have some fun this weekend and I may try to get a massage. My Mom gave me a gift certificate so I'll try to get an appointment for Saturday to get some of this tension out of my neck and shoulders. Church on Sunday and I may try to check out the new movie Baggage Claim coming out this weekend. 

I had a plumber come out yesterday to rod the condo main line so I have full use of my kitchen again. Now I can cook a little more and take leftovers for lunch. That would save me some moola if I could bring my lunch at least 2 times a week. Thumbs up! 

Now it's back to working out. I am starting Insanity next week so that's a solid 60-day program. I'll be done by my 36th birthday in December. I'll be in the best shape ever and that's the best birthday gift I give myself. Good health and happiness. Cheers!

Hump Day...

I had Jury Duty today. I was sitting there doing some work and hoping to get called and dismissed early. Well I never got called and we were dismissed at lunchtime. Perfect! I did my duty.

Now how shall I spend the rest of my day?!?! I need to work but it's a beautiful day. There's no law against working in the park or outside somewhere else. Fun!

Finance & Fitness Update...

I wanted to come by and give a quick update. Things are going well but it's been a crazy few weeks with my Dad in the hospital, the marathon, more car issues and usual working/life. 

Good news is my Dad is doing great and my car is doing better. I finished the half marathon in 2:31, two minutes faster than my time in 2011 so I'm pleased. 

Spending has been so so but I haven't done horribly at all despite all the craziness the last couple of weeks. I've been successfully experimenting with some less expensive hair products so I've managed to cut down even more. 

I managed to cut my spending a little over the last month so I didn't have to use my entire $1,000 eFund for the $1,050 in car repairs. My CC bill gets paid at the end of the month and I should have roughly $500 leftover in the eFund. 

After taking a week off, I have to get back to working out and figuring out what's next for me. I think I'll go back to the Insanity Program from Beach Body. 

Day 13 Finance & Fitness Challenge....

Good Morning!

My Dad is still in the hospital.  He should be discharged today and will have to go back in 3 weeks for a stress test.  There is a high likelihood that he will need to get a defibrillator and possibly a pacemaker in the next 3-6 months.  It's just been a scary few days. He's on a diuretic to remove the excess fluid that was building in his body and he's feeling much better and breathing easier.  You look at him and he's the picture of a healthy 65 year old man so it's hard to imagine someone with a heart of gold having heart problems.  I know he's looking forward to coming home today.

The last week has been chock full of spending once my phone almost died from accidental drowning and things with my Dad.  I went grocery shopping yesterday to get fruit and staples so that I can try to eat a little better this week. The Chicago Half Marathon is this coming Sunday and while I am nervous, I will show up and do my very best.  I am a little sleepy from being in the ER at the hospital until 4am on Sunday morning. Still trying to get back on schedule. That's all folks.

Day 12 Finance & Fitness Journey...

Today was a crazy day. I got up and there was a thunderstorm so I couldn't run outside. Instead I did an hour walk/sprint workout on the treadmill and another hour of Shaun T. My Dad was admitted into the hospital last night after some shortness of breath. Can't take any chances with him after quintuple bypass almost 2 years ago. I bought lunch but ended up picking up pizza for the family.

Day 11 Finance & Fitness Journey...

Expensive eating out day.  Once again I ate out every meal. I did manage to get up that morning to get in a 40 minute Shaun T workout.

Day 10 Finance & Fitness Journey...

I finally got my Proactiv Cleanser. I didn't bring my lunch or dinner and ate out every meal. I know...not good. No exercise either.