I’ve always had good teeth.
Not a perfect smile, but perfectly functional teeth. I’ve never had “American White” teeth, but they aren’t heavily stained either.
All in Goals
A Pair of Glasses
While classroom work became much easier again, sports became problematic: I came to rely on the improved vision I had when wearing my glasses and having to take them off for Taekwondo or school sports started to give me anxiety. I couldn’t see the kicks or punches coming during sparring or the balls thrown at me during the traditional volley, basket, and football sports.
Financial Check-In: Debt Free
Not going to lie, I was really down for months as I steadily progressed towards this situation. There were some really dark moments where I questioned everything I was doing. Were all these sacrifices really going to be worth it? Would I ever get to that moment where I paid off my credit card? Would I ever know life without debt? Would I ever move forward with my life again?
Married Again
When I broke up with my ex-husband, I swore I was never going to get married again. I was never going to twist and shape my life around another human being. And I was certainly never going to move to another country for another person again.
I ate my words.
Because I got married again.
Passion Project
With my interest in writing, it probably comes as no surprise that I had a blog as soon as they had been invented. “Weblogs” were one of the first flexes the average, everyday internet user had to begin expressing ideas that were never going to get published in mainstream media.
Financial Check-In: Debt Repayment
I didn’t follow the exact steps Dave Ramsey outlined. Instead of creating an emergency fund, I decided to throw all of my money into paying off my credit card.
This was working for a while.
That is… until an emergency occurred.
Chapters of a Relationship - Part 2
It wasn’t that I was onto the next chapter of my life when the e-mail came through. It’s hard to describe where my head was at: I was in Canada holding my mom’s hand during her first round of chemo. I mentioned it to her in a passing comment and both of us had left it at that. The excitement of finally being free wasn’t there. The people I thought I would celebrate the transition into my new life didn’t want to come with me, and step by step, more parts of my old life were left behind.
Chapters of a Relationship - Part 1
I feel like I need to dedicate a blog post to this subject because it happened. It was a significant chapter in my life and it forever altered the direction of my life. Before, during, and after the relationship ended.
New HQ
We knew we would miss cooking meals for our guests of recipes that were a part of Rachid’s family. On the other hand we wouldn’t have the stress of repairs to be responsible for after a day at the beach which would give us more time and space to spend with our guests, answer e-mails more promptly, and continue working on our social media marketing and advertising.
Book Review: Total Money Makeover
I recently relistened to Dave Ramsey’s book “Total Money Makeover” because I remember it being pivotal to how I spent my money after completing University for my nursing degree. At the time I was $40,000 and then some in debt because of student loans despite living at home for most of it.
TL;DR I am super broke now, I need some motivation, and I’m working hard to get my finances sorted out again.
A Time to Reflect
I’m questioning my former self because it feels like most of these goals don’t feel relavent anymore. But then, the whole world has changed, and I’ve adapted to it, and so I shouldn’t be so hard on myself.
Here We Are
If the first half of 2020 was slow to start and almost halted in its tracks, the second half of the year went by at lightening speed.
Gift of a Chromebook
The first family computer entered our house around 2000/2001. We were a techy family even in the 1990’s, having had desktops (with and without internet) for my dad’s business and work since the late 1980’s. But he was sick and tired of us “accidentally” moving icons around or deleting important files on the work computer.
Mop Top
My hair and I have had a funny relationship throughout my life.
Blogilates & Me
Blogilates and I have an on again, off again relationship that spans over 8 years.
Walk 3/51: Fistral to Pentire Headland
At the time of my early explorations, everthing I did had to meet the government allowance for movement and exercise: 1 hour a day, and only if I could walk to it. And I’m not about to start a GPS tracker from where I’m actually living, so Fistral Beach it is.
Walk 2/51: Fistral to Towan Headland
Not only has the COVID-19 pandemic been a weird time full stop. It’s been a weird time to try and accomplish goals, especially ones that involve exploring.
Freedom
Having a driver’s license and a car is freedom.
Yes, there are financial obligations to having a car, like insurance, fuel and repairs. But the freedom you have in exchange is worth it.