Shanae's Weblog

If you don’t have a ticket you don’t have a chance?

discovershanae — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 23:56:32 +0000

I my very first (and hopefully last) lottery ticket for the Mega Millions Jackpot yesterday afternoon. The pot is up to $16 million – boy oh boy what I could do with money like that. And while I hate to think that I wasted $1 something in which the odds are completely stacked against me, I can’t recall many a time when I felt as good about something as I did about purchasing that lotto ticket. My mom keeps telling me that if I don’t have a ticket I don’t have a chance…then she went on and on with this spiel reading about all the people who didn’t claim their winnings and some 19-year-old kid who just won the lotto down south somewhere, and all she really needs to get her life together is $10 million, my sister and I would never have to work another day in our lives, and she would drive straight to Jaguar/Range Rover of Annapolis and buy that “big body Range” and blah blah blah bleck! Needless to say, I was guilted into purchasing the damn ticket because I would finally a chance to make my mom’s money troubles go away and secure this family -and I want to help the family, right? Anyway, the excitement about purchasing a lotto ticket has worn off and now I see myself out of $1 which could be in my wallet right now, with the additional $6.11 I have in it…and I’m wondering, am I supposed to feel bad or good about this thing? The ticket that is? Because I’m not feeling too good right now, but it hasn’t stopped me from praying to God that I win this money playing the devil’s game. Isn’t that something? I’m here, a devout Christian (or so I’d like to think), and I’m asking God to help me do something wrong! Quite frankly, I almost hope I don’t win the lotto…but then that would be crazy as hell, right??? And I don’t think I’m crazy……

Posted in life

Credit Cards, Student loans, Savings Accounts & Looking Good for 1 Week Straight

discovershanae — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 04:11:57 +0000

Okay, so I know I’ve jammed quite a few things in the title but at least you can’t say you were misled! LOL.

I decided to put these events in my life all together in this one post because they all make me feel good.

I know I’ve accepted some debt (the credit card & the student loans) but at the same time I’ve made progress by opening a savings account, which will be used to pay off those loans upon graduation!

And the looking good part – well, who doesn’t like to feel good. When you look good and smell good you feel good. Some people say there’s more to feeling good than just your outward appearance, but I beg to differ.

The point of this post is simply to document the progress I’ve made on my bucket list, but it’s also a time of reflection for me. It’s an opportunity for me to recall an event or experience that I will one day look back on and be able to note my progress.

A Week Without Spending

discovershanae — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:07:04 +0000

Okay, so I did it. I went an entire week without spending and it was an extremely trying time. My strong desire to spend money is sickening. As a result, I’ve decided to analyze my relationship with money. I have to find out exactly what it is that makes me want to spend money because I cannot live my life this way. I’ll always be scraping by or extremely broke if I do not change – and change quickly!!! Right now I’m reading Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin. All over the many many Personal Finance (PF) blogs there are I’ve read that this book can change your life. Well, I’m taking the bait and I hope it will change my life for the better.

Banana Fritters – Yeah, I know…

discovershanae — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 12:47:19 +0000

I made banana fritters for the family yesterday morning. I’m not much of a cook so the mere fact that I attempted to cook something shows great progress. LOL. I have this feeling of motivation after having made the banana fritters. And who knows, I might make something more challenging next time – I’m taking it one step at a time….

Charitable Act #8 Finished!

discovershanae — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 03:07:03 +0000

So I completed one of my 101 goals to complete in the next 1001 days, and I guess I feel pretty good about it. LOL. I finished the task at work, but I never would’ve done it had it not been for this meme. I walked into an office. Placed a deposit in the deposit box. And as I was on my way out of the office I noticed some trash on the floor near the door. I left the office. But when thought about my 101 goals I turned right around, went back into the office, and picked up the trash – which turned out to not be trash at all, it was an important piece of information with a client’s contact information on it.

I found this act significant for me because it is a reminder of the importance of writing your goals down and familiarizing yourself with them. Had I not taken the time to review my goals I probably wouldn’t have remembered that picking up someone else’s trash made it onto my list and I would be a day further behind on my meme and process toward making a better Shanae. Needless to say, I’ve finally learned the importance of writing down my goals and keeping them close to me. I must say, I think I’ve accomplished a lot today

My 101 in 1001 Days

discovershanae — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 16:24:19 +0000

Well, I guess there are several people joining this meme….personally, I’m doing it just to try some self-improvement and see how much I’ve changed in about 3 years. The good thing about this is my discovery of this meme comes at the perfect time. I’ve been looking to make some personality changes (for the better) that will hopefully make me stronger, healthier, smarter, and much much more optimistic in my life as I get older. I suppose there are several other things I could’ve done besides this, but I figure, why not? What’s the worst that can happen? So…I’m ready – I’m jumping in with both feet and I’m actually excited about it! Here is my list of 101 things I plan to achieve within the next 1001 days (that’s about 3 years).

Entertainment

Try wine tasting
Cook something Completed 7-28-2008
Draw a picture
Go to a concert
Discover/Have a favorite joke
Have a photographic portrait taken/Have my portrait painted
Sample foreign food Completed 8-8-2008
Win a competition
Attend the super bowl
Learn to dance – salsa, tango, waltz, anything!!!
Go to the theatre – see a ballet, play, etc.
Go to the zoo
Take a walk in the rain

Education

Visit the Museum of African Art
Read a classic novel
Write a short story
Learn about Feng Shui
Graduate college
Learn French
Learn basic phrases in at least 5 languages
Take an interior design class/lesson
Read Casablanca and see the film, produced in 1942
Join the cultural swap @ gimmeyourstuff.blogspot.com

Adventure

Drive a speedboat
Drive a sports car around a race track
Hire a classic car for a night on the town
Sail in a yacht
Test drive a Ferrari
Try hand gliding
Ride a rollercoaster
Shoot a gun at a shooting range
Try rock climbing
Try paint balling
Go on a road trip – across the country, and see as many landmarks as I can
Go on a safari
Go on a nature walk
Ride a horse
Watch the sun rise and set
Take a hot air balloon ride
Go on a trip by myself

Self-Improvement

Get baptized
Find my soul mate
Have a life coaching session
Give someone a compliment everyday and mean it for 30 days
Right a wrong
Make an inspiration binder
Write a list of 100 things that make me smile
Reduce my worldly possessions to 100 things
Make a list of the 100 things I know I need in my life
Read the Bible in its entirety, following a daily devotional
Make a list of 12 Life Commandments I will live by and not break
Join the Happiness Project @ happiness-project.com and read it daily for 3 months
Keep a gratitude journal for one entire month
Learn not to cry/show my anger when I am upset/angry/hurt

Personal

Write a letter to my future child
Go on a city shopping spree
Have a candlelit bath
Spend one evening a week not watching TV or logging onto the computer
Phone in sick to work and do nothing all day!
As a stranger for a date
Send flowers to mom for no real reason
Trace my family tree
Have my family know I love them every single day
Go naked
Grow something
Get up at 5 am everyday for a week
Make a habit of cleaning my room every Saturday morning
Upload all my music on my PC and donate all the CDs I have
Wear nice clothes to work everyday for a week straight Completed August 18-August 22, 2008)

For the Greater Good – Charity/Charitable Acts

Take part in a marathon or race for a charity
Research a charity I believe in and make the commitment to donate to it once a month for a year
Do something for someone who will never find out
Use energy-saving light bulbs
Give an abandoned pet a permanent home
Give blood
Give my time to charity/Join a ministry at church
Pick up someone else’s litter Completed 7/21/2008

Health and Fitness

Learn the secrets to a healthier life
Get Lasik eye surgery
Exercise at lest 3 times a week
Have a beauty makeover
Have a make up consultation
Receive a full body massage from a professional
Improve my diet by no longer drinking soda/juice and NEVER eating fast food
Lose 40 pounds
Go to a health spa

Financial

Visit a financial planner
Open a high yield savings account on line Almost completed. I joined a credit union on 8-22-2008 putting 50% of my paycheck into the account. Talk about sacrifice – but it’s got to work!!!
Buy property – a condominum, a townhouse, something!
Compare prices before I buy anything
Cut back on all spending – learn the importance of frugality
Buy a lottery ticket Completed 9-20-2008
Find a better paying job
Write a check to myself for $1 million with the supernatural convition that I will one day be able to cash it – if you believe it, you can achieve it
Have a $5000 emergency fund
Take lunch to work everyday for a month straight
Go one week without spending a penny Completed 7-21 to 7-25-2008
Get some credit!!! Finally started. I got a credit card with USAA and I applied for (and received) a Federal Stafford loan. Major things are going on over here. I can pay for school, build some credit, and contribute to my savings account all in one go. I know it’s debt but I don’t have time to feel bad about it now. And I don’t need anyone to remind me of it – I’ve got a mother.
Put my money to work – Join a 401(k), Roth IRA, get a money market account, mutual funds, CDs, something!
Write about each 101 in 1001
Make a new list!!!