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Monday morning rant: On being intellectually starved

January 6, 2014 by Jana 2 Comments

This post is kind of ranty. You’ve been warned.

Last week, my husband sent me a link to a Yahoo! Finance article about this guy, Ken Ilgunas, who graduated from college with a decent amount of student loans, moved to Alaska to work (with a 6 month AmeriCorp stint in Mississippi), lived super cheap and paid off all of his debt in just a couple of years. Good for him. Not a very original story but I give the guy props for not wanting to live in debt and doing what he needed to do to make sure that didn’t happen.

I can’t fault him for that. So kudos to you, Ken, for sucking it up to not be saddled with student loan debt. I can’t imagine Alaska at certain times of year was all that fun. (And am I the only one who wants to know how he handled that whole midnight sun thing? Because that would be interesting. He might have covered it in his book. I don’t know. I haven’t read it yet.). He displayed a good work ethic and desire to live debt free that maybe more of us should show.

But it kept going.

I'm not really sure what a picture of Rarity from My Little Pony has to do with this post but it looked appropriate. Also, she's my daughter's favorite. — I’m not really sure what a picture of Rarity from My Little Pony has to do with this post but it looked appropriate. Also, she’s my daughter’s favorite.

The story continued with how Ken decided he was “intellectually starved” from being on the road (more on this in a bit) and felt the need to return to grad school. And not just any grad school. Duke University. After a couple of years in Alaska, I’d pick somewhere warm, too. But why Duke? Was it the prestige? He claims it was because the school had an affordable liberal arts Masters program (let’s pause for a minute here and say this…a Liberal Arts Masters degree? I’m all for higher education but Ken. Really? You couldn’t pick something practical to further your education? What the hell are you doing to do with a Liberal Arts Masters that you can’t do without one? Hell, I have a Masters in Public Policy and it was hard for me to put that to use. And it’s a practical degree. Sort of) but I have other opinions.

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It’s been 6 weeks: My (somewhat) triumphant return

January 3, 2014 by Jana 9 Comments

In case you haven’t noticed, my posting has kind of taken a break over the last 6 weeks. I’m not apologizing for it, because it was necessary, but I figured maybe you’d like to know what’s been going on. So here goes.

The last 6 weeks have been pretty big for me. For starters, I found out that my mentoring program, Bloggers Helping Bloggers, is going to be part of FinCon14 and a bigger part at that. I can’t reveal too much right now but I’m ridiculously excited and honored that Phil thinks enough of what I do to ask me back this year. Also, the conference is in New Orleans. I’ve never been there. And I. Can’t. Wait.

Speaking of my mentoring program, I’ve also been working on some huge changes for that. This year, particularly the next few months, it’s getting a major facelift. The site is being renovated, we’re changing the name to Blog Mentoring Network because it will represent more of what we do which will also include a blogger training class AND podcaster mentoring. The training class launches in February with registration starting next week. I’ve been working like a crazy person getting that ready, as well as some new, fun freebies and services we’re adding to the program. Those will be ready when we have our new site unveiling in March.

So there’s been that.

too much to do — For more hilarious gems like that, make sure you’re following me on Pinterest. Link in the sidebar.

Let’s see, what else have I been up to? Right. I’ve been battling a depressive episode and that kind of sucks my ability and desire to do anything that I don’t have to and has been drowned in compulsive pinning, online Amazon shopping, naps, yoga pants, and binge watching Prison Break and Justified (anyone else watch this show? I love it!). The last week or so has gotten better and I’m finally able to do things that are not sitting on my couch. Or at least, things that are sitting on my couch but are productive.

For instance, I’ve decided to do an Instagram project this year. Every day, I’ll be posting a meaningful song lyric, handwritten in whatever pen I can find on whatever paper I can find. I’m doing this for a number of reasons, the least of which is making myself do something, no matter how small, creative every day for an entire year. You can follow along by finding me on Instagram (@saysjana).

I’m also putting the finishing touches on the site for my pioneer project. That should go live by the end of the month. You’ll be able to follow along with the project on the site, Instagram and Pinterest. It’ll be a combination of blog posts and craft/DIY ideas that I try and it’s probably the most ambitious undertaking of my life. So very pioneer-like, right?

And finally, I’ve spent the last 6 weeks being a very overachieving mom. My daughter and I have done a number of crafts, all found on Pinterest, during the holidays. Craftiness is not something that comes easy to me but the child loves them so I’m putting forth tons of effort for her. Maybe more than I needed to. Because in addition to puzzles (big ones), we made gumdrop fudge (it’s disgusting), reindeer cookies, elf donuts, grew a candy cane garden, decorated ice cream cone Christmas trees, had a Zumba birthday party, and the tooth fairy had to make 2 visits. I’ve also been organizing my sewing supplies for the pioneer project.

Of concern: I have a ridiculous amount of yarn for someone who cannot knit or crochet. I need to get this under control. Stat.

For those who are wondering, I did also set goals for 2014. I’m not going to share them because really, they’re boring to everyone who’s not me. But this year more than others, I’m confident in my ability to achieve them. I’ve put the proper mechanisms in place to achieve them. That includes making them big and audacious but also realistic. This is the first time in a long time that I have not set myself up to fail. Which is a huge victory. And I’m proud of that.

I don’t plan on taking another long break anytime soon, and I’m stoked for what I have coming up this month on all my projects. I hope you’ll follow along (if you plan on doing the song lyric project, please use #profoundlyrics).

Now you all know where I’ve been. How about you guys? What have you been up to? Any projects or ventures you’d like to share?

Very Interesting Blogger Interview #2: Eric from Narrow Bridge Finance

December 9, 2013 by Jana 2 Comments

About a month ago, I launched my Very Interesting Blogger series. Up first was my good friend Tonya from Budget and the Beach (you can read her interview here). Then I took a pretty long break from blogging and decided the best way to start again was to share what I’ve learned about other bloggers. You know, because they’re definitely more exciting than me (seriously, the amount of pictures I take of my dogs is an indicator that I really need a life).

For this interview, I had a little chat with Eric from Narrow Bridge Finance. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Eric at FinCon (all 3!) and he is probably the most diverse person I’ve ever met. He’s lived quite an interesting life thus far, and has several rather unique hobbies (also, he’s getting married and moving to a new city–head on over to his blog or Twitter and congratulate him). I asked him about two of them:

Me: You’re a very versatile guy, Eric. You work, you blog, you do other stuff like DJ and organize flash mobs. Can you tell us a bit about the last 2? What exactly do you do when you’re working on them or at an event?

Eric: DJing and flash mobs are both fun side projects that bring in a little extra money here and there. The flash mob business is one that I came upon accidentally a few years back, and after quite a falling out with my former business partner, I took the reins on my own.

Most of the flash mob planning business is taken care of online and by email. I get everything planned remotely beforehand and then, on flash mob day, show up with the big speaker system and video camera to make sure everything goes off without a hitch.

DJing is a little more hands off. I don’t actively search for gigs, but when the come to me I show up with my own mixer and music collection to help everyone get their dance on! You can hear some of my mixes for free in the iTunes store or at DJYofi.com.

I’m having a hard time picturing you helping others get their dance on and you not joining in. Eric likes to get his groove on, y’all. I’ve seen it at several FinCon parties.

Me: What made you start DJing and organizing flash mobs? How long have you been doing it?

Eric: I always thought dance music was fun and enjoyed putting together playlists and handling the music for get togethers and parties in college. A couple of years later, early in 2010, when I finally had the money for the real DJ equipment, I gave in a bought a mixer. The rest has just been a lot of fun!

I went to my first flash mob because I thought they were super cool, and quickly befriended the guy who planned it and joined in on the fun. We planned a few more “just for fun” mobs before people started approaching us to help them plan for special events. When I figured out people would pay me to run mobs for them, I didn’t say no.

How can you turn down someone paying you to organize chaos? You don’t!

Me: Do you do it for fun, to earn money, or both? If you do earn money doing it, at what point did you decide to make the switch from hobby to income earning opportunity?

Eric: I started both DJing and flash mobbing just for fun. I figured there was a way to make money as a DJ if I pursued it, but most of the time I am playing for friends and don’t worry about being paid.

I had no idea flash mobs would become such a big part of my life when I showed up to the first one, but when the opportunity to make money doing something I enjoyed, and turned out to be really good at, came knocking, I turned the hobby into a professional business with an LLC.

That’s pretty amazing. Always a good thing when you can make money from something you love.

Me: Tell us about your favorite memory from one or both of those gigs.

Eric: My favorite flash mob memories go back to the first few. I remember being excited and nervous as I started dancing in the mall on Black Friday at the first mob I ever planned, and the same feeling a few months later when I did my first choreographed dance flash mob.

My favorite memory DJing was the first time I had a real crowd at an event in a club. I had a couple hundred people dancing, part of a crowd of six hundred, and more and more people kept making there way to the dance floor. Then I dropped the bass and they all started jumping up and down together. So much fun to see from the stage!

Those are definitely great memories! I imagine it’s also a little powerful to realize people are dancing because you told them to. Or maybe that’s just me…

Me: What advice would you give someone who’s thinking about picking up DJing or organizing flash mobs as either a hobby or a paying job?

Eric: My biggest advice for a new DJ is to hustle and get your name out there. Practice a ton and focus on making the crowd dance, and nothing else, and people will always have fun and want to hire you.

If you want to start planning flash mobs, be prepared for a lot of time and stress. It is harder than you think. I decided I did want to help people plan their own mobs and wrote a short workbook that can help anyone, step-by-step, plan a flash mob. You can check out the workbook on how to plan a flash mob or just try to plan it on your own. But don’t forget any detail, or you will learn the hard way what can go wrong at a mob.

The fact that there is a workbook on how to plan a flash mob makes me incredibly happy. Thanks for sharing and participating in the interview series!

Let’s do the Thanksgiving shuffle!

November 19, 2013 by Jana 10 Comments

Back in my personal finance blogging days, I would play a game that I totally ripped off from my favorite morning show. I called it “Money Shuffle” and I would go through my iPod, pick the first 5 songs that came up and then relate a personal finance story to each song.

I have decided to resurrect that game. It might have something to do with the fact that I heard it on the radio this morning.

For this version, though, we’re talking about Thanksgiving. Because it’s next week. Also, it coincides with Hanukkah for the first time in about 47,000 years and won’t happen again for another 86,000 years. Or something like that.

I might be off a bit on the numbers.

But I’m not off on the fact that Thanksgiving is next week. It’s my favorite holiday, and it’s particularly my favorite holiday to host. I love cooking Thanksgiving foods, having my family in my house is delightful (I swear, there’s no sarcasm there. I really do like having them), and in my house, Thanksgiving remains the official start to the Christmas season. No buying anything Christmas in my house until Thanksgiving has passed.

Insert angry rant about too much focus on shopping and the fact that Thanksgiving is all but erased. Definitely a soapbox issue for me.

However, much like my family on Thanksgiving day, you’re here for the food. So we’ll focus on that. And the fact that we’re going to play a fun game. Thanksgiving shuffle.

I’ve selected 4 songs at random from my iPod and assigned a Thanksgiving food to each. I don’t necessarily have a recipe for all of them, but if you do, please share in the comments.

Here we go:

I Hate Everything About You by Three Days Grace–I give this honor to canned cranberry sauce. It has no business being on my Thanksgiving table except for the fact that one of my in-laws prefers it to my homemade kind and gets sort of upset when it’s not there. But it grosses me out. The solid, ringed, gelatinous mass screams “I’m vile! Please don’t touch me!” yet there it sits, a revolting blob among the deliciousness of everything else. All for one person. You’re welcome.

Burn It To the Ground by Nickelback–Fine. Judge me for having Canada’s other shame on my iPod but any song that can work in the phrase “bat shit crazy” is okay by me. The epicurean honor for this song goes to deep fried turkey. Or, more accurately, the reason I will not let my husband deep fry a turkey. He’s accident prone. Even more so than me. And I’m pretty sure that if he attempted to deep fry a turkey, something would catch fire and burn completely to the ground. Even the fire department deserves a day off, husband. So no deep fried turkey for you.

Get Stoned by Hinder–Okay. PSA. Don’t get stoned before Thanksgiving dinner. You will probably eat everything at the table and therefore anger everyone else since there will be nothing left. That said, I totally get high off of stuffing. It’s my favorite Thanksgiving food, particularly the way I make it, which is my own version of Rachael Ray’s stuffin’ muffins. These are the reason I immediately change into yoga pants after dinner and also maybe just thinking about them is making me a little hungry. I swear I’m not really stoned.

Goodbye Earl by by the Dixie Chicks–A song about two women poisoning one of their abusive husbands and then hiding his body. I got nothing. But here’s my recipe for sweet potatoes. It’s my Nanny’s recipe and it’s delicious. Warning: it makes a tremendous amount of food. If you’re not hosting 75 people or an NFL team, half it:

Nanny’s Sweet Potato Pie

Ingredients:

6 large cans Bruce’s yams or sweet potatoes
1 package dark brown sugar
2 jars marshmallow fluff
4 tsp cinnamon
2 sticks sweet butter or unsalted margarine
2 20 oz cans crushed pineapple in juice
1 package mini-marshmallows

Directions:

Drain and mash the yams or sweet potatoes, first by hand then with an electric mixer (I use my Kitchen Aid stand-up mixer).
Melt the butter or margarine, and combine with sugar and cinnamon.
Mix butter, sugar and cinnamon with the fluff. Add to mashed yams and mix well with electric mixture to make it creamy in texture.
Add the crushed pineapple with some of the juice. Mix well by hand.
Spray a 13×9 inch pan with cooking spray and pour the mixture in (leave a little room for expansion).
Bake at 350° for 30-45 minutes, until the top begins to look slightly solid and the rest is bubbling.
Add the mini-marshmallows to the top and cook until the marshmallow melt slightly and brown, but are not burned.

3 reasons why I clean (even though I don’t want to)

November 14, 2013 by Jana 9 Comments

To know me is to know that I loathe housework. As in, I’d rather do pretty much anything instead of clean or do laundry or cook or basically do anything pertaining to keeping my house in order. I’m not a neat freak by nature (despite years of my father trying to turn me into one) and keeping my house clean takes work. Work that I’d rather not do. Because I feel that my energy is better spent reading or playing with my dogs or hunting the mouse that’s moved into my house and is currently taunting me with his Houdini-like escape escapades.

Pretty much anything but domestic work.

However, it has to get done. I can’t afford to hire staff (believe me, I’ve looked into it) so that leaves only me to do all the work. An in addition to the fact that I not only can’t stand it, I’m not very good at it either. You should have seen the fight I had with my vacuum a few weeks ago.

Long story short, the vacuum won and I spent the rest of the afternoon on the couch.

But my house (and my child. Let’s not forget about her) needs to be clean. And I often have to take a moment to remind myself of the reasons why I have to get it done.

My anxiety

I’ve talked before about how my anxiety levels rise when I’m surrounded by clutter. Something about seeing the mess and chaos causes my mind to start thinking that way, too. Then depression starts to set in and it gets even uglier and I’m unproductive and sad and it’s just unpleasant for everyone around me. So, to ward it off, I organize and clean the areas of the house I’m in the most daily (kitchen, living room, my office) and at least once a week, I go through the bedrooms and the bathrooms. I don’t like it but the feeling of calm that I get when I’m done is worth the effort.

Country living

You know how I live in the country now? And you know how when you live in the country you have to contend with bugs and rodents and spiders and all kinds of disgusting things that are attracted to dirt and garbage? Well, I dislike rodents and spiders more than I dislike cleaning so I do my best to keep things as tidy as possible to prevent those fuckers from seizing control of my house (you know the mouse I mentioned earlier? We might be locked in a battle but I will prevail). Cleaning is probably the cheapest form of pest control there is. So I’m all for it.

My child

My daughter did not ask to be here. As such, I have a responsibility to provide her with a clean home and clean clothes on a daily basis. I couldn’t live with myself if she came home from school to a dirty, hoarder-like environment and went to school with smelly, stained, and filthy clothes. Whenever I don’t feel like doing her laundry or vacuuming her room, I think of the part in Big Daddy where Julian’s teacher tells Sonny that Julian is the smelly kid in class. I don’t want that. So, I force myself to do the chores I need to do to prevent that from happening (and I don’t just newspaper to clean things up). Also, it sets a good example for her that this is how you maintain a house (note: my husband helps, too. I’m not the only one who cleans. For instance, he cleans the bathrooms. But that is born from an argument we had 13 years ago and I’m really, really stubborn).

Please don’t be mistaken that I live in a house that’s at the cleanliness level of say, a hospital or museum. It’s not that clean. I mean, compared to a number of houses I’ve been in as a probation officer, it’s immaculate, but in reality, it’s just your average house of average cleanliness. But it works for me.

And that’s what’s really important.

Monday morning rant: On being intellectually starved

It’s been 6 weeks: My (somewhat) triumphant return

Very Interesting Blogger Interview #2: Eric from Narrow Bridge Finance

Let’s do the Thanksgiving shuffle!

3 reasons why I clean (even though I don’t want to)

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