Beauty

[FindingMyJoy]

How did everyone do on Black Friday?

After I fell off the no-buy wagon earlier this month, I really FORCED myself to really stop and think about every temptation. I was quite impressed! At Target, I only bought gifts for others. The only thing for me was a bottle of milk since I drank the last of it yesterday and a box of cold meds. The sheer abundance of dvds on ridiculously low prices usually catches me but not this year! I knew thlat I would have major buyers remorse if I did buy them since I would watch it maybe once or twice then it would collect dust.

Kohls was about the same. There was a lot of temptations around but I stuck to the items on my list! I left there with only 1 large bag. In comparison, other years, I easily fill 2-3 large bags. My sister was surprised when she saw how little I bought this year.

Also a HUGE thing for me - I totally skipped Bath and Body Works! Their sales always lure me in to buy multiple candles. Not this year! I made myself look at my stash - I have 10 unused 3 wicks collecting dust. This is on top of 2 that I have been burning already.

I took advantage of this clearer thinking, I went ahead and cancelled ALL auto deliveries I have with QVC including the Bare Minerals one that was to be delivered next month. I have NO need at all for anything in the kit since honestly, I haven't used much from the kit I received a couple months ago. I also went on HSN and cancelled all auto deliveries there except for 1 that I pushed out several months to see if I ever would need it.

The boxes from my earlier online splurge haven't arrived yet? I expect them early next week. I really should just open the items that are gifts and the rest don't even open just return. If I keep them, they are going to be tainted with stupid guilt and shame since I didn't need the items, was just at low point and needed a pick me up. I'm clinging to the Compacting bandwagon, wishing to clear my thoughts so I can have a guilt free December!

[just bee]

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@dosey wrote:

When my alarm rang this morning, I turned it off and fell back to sleep.  It wasn't until I heard the new message ping on my phone that I woke up. I slept for 14 HOURS!  No one woke me.  Today is a busy day.  It takes two days to prepare the Thanksgiving dinner.  So far, I have boiled the eggs for deviled eggs and made a pumpkin pie.  The pecan pie is in the oven.  After that, I will make a cheesecake.  Tonight, I'll chop the celery and onion for the stuffing and clean the turkey (oh so gross).  What are you doing for Thanksgiving?  Do you eat the traditional meal?

Last night, we watched a program about the Pilgrims.  It was the most truthful telling of the story I have ever seen.  Roger Rees played William Bradford.  At the end, there was a dedication to Roger.  I did not know that he died this year, did you?  He was a terrific actor.

Time to prepare the cheesecake.

 Mmmmmmmmmmmmm... cheesecake.  I told Better-half I wanted to bring something to work for Thanksgiving and he picked up a monster pecan pie for me.  A strange choice, I thought, but it actually worked out well.  A little pecan pie goes a very long way...

Sleep is a good thing.  Your body will let you know when it's time to take time off to do some maintenance.  Think of this as a scheduled shutdown.  Take advantage and trust your brain/body.  Some minor repair work was done while you slept.

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[just bee]

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@dosey wrote:

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@just bee wrote:

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@dosey wrote:

Congratulations, just bee!!!!  

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Thanks!  I've been cleaning house so I haven't had an opportunity to celebrate.  Had the carpets cleaned yesterday and the house smells like a big wet dog this morning.  Speaking of dog, I feel sorry for him.  If the smell is strong to me, he must be suffering.  He couldn't eat breakfast.

I hate carpet.

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Our carpet looks terrible.  DD is going to have friends over during the Christmas break, so I think we will clean them within the next couple of weeks.  One day, I am going to replace the carpet downstairs with hardwood.  One day.

I hear ya!  But we have so much sand in these parts -- wood is really not a smart option for us.  The carpet cleaners told Better-half to hang onto our carpet and put off buying new because carpet like ours was made to last 30 years whereas NEW carpet is now guaranteed for only 12 years.  I now hate new carpet.

Spoiler

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[just bee]

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@DL2843 wrote:

Just Bee Congratulations on finishing your degree. 

I am still working on Compacting. I have made a few purchases. At least they have been thoughtful. I do get frustrated when I purchase a long looked for item and it is not up to snuff. I almost never return products. Each item takes so long to use up. Knowing all of that has kept me mostly on track.

is anyone else having trouble posting since the change in the forums?

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and I wish all of you thoughtful, mindful shopping bargains.

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Thank you!  And I'm still pouting a bit about the forum changes, too.

[just bee]

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@dosey wrote:

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@just bee wrote:

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@dosey wrote:

Thank you for the kind words, everyone.  I am trying to push through this but just can't.  I feel terrible and cannot believe that my sister is gone.  Black Friday is almost here.  DD and I usually have breakfast around 6:30 a.m. and then go to the mall.  She is really looking forward to going and is excited about the holidays.  I do not want to go.  I don't feel like doing anything.  I'll go because DD wants to, but sleeping sounds so much better.

To say your plate is full would be an understatement.  You need to prioritize.  The box of broken figurines (you didn't kick it when it arrived, did you?) and the bumper can wait.  Find a spot in the garage for the box and worry about it next year.  Maybe you can make a mosaic with the broken pieces.

It's time to focus on your family and the holidays.  Sounds like everything's happening at once (it always happens that way), so just get through it as gracefully as possible.  Remember: You're building character here.  Next thing you know, it'll be spring.

I think it's fortuitous that you were reminded of the TV repairman.  When I was little my mother moved us to Rogers Park, which was a predominantly Jewish neighborhood in Chicago.  When things are falling apart and I feel overwhelmed I always take a moment to think about those who faced the unimaginable.  People survive some terrible things.  I don't know how they do it.  But I know you'll get through this rough patch because your family's counting on you.  We are, too.  We missed you.

So figure out what you'll be wearing to the mall.  Remember: No eyeshadow.

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I'll never forget Mr. Krafsner.  I have remembered him throughout my life and can picture him with his tool box.  He was always smiling.  My mom said his wife suffered from emotional problems and rarely left their home.  I'm glad they made it to the US and hope the rest of their lives were peaceful.  That was quite a generation.

DD and I are going to continue the Black Friday tradition and start with breakfast at 6:30 a.m.  She is really looking forward to it.

I am not going to give the knick knacks a second thought.  Part of making the claim is proving that everything was packed securely.  I cannot do that because the boxes used were too small in my opinion, so I am going to left it go.

The bumper is the last thing on my list.  That will be repaired after Christmas and after the MRI and CAT scan.

Yes, no eyeshadow.

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Do they even teach kids about this?  What does the average history class look like these days?

Sounds like your priorities are set for the rest of the season.  Well done!

[just bee]

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@aprilskies wrote:

I am striving for a small bag. Haven't gotten there yet. I don't carry a lot of things anymore.  Once I am ready to ditch this bag, I will look for a smaller one. There are items that I must have with me at all times. Like a nail clipper for when my nails break.  I cannot stand jagged nails, they make me crazy. So there a few items I cannot be without just yet. 

Just Bee, no bag at all, even for work? That must be liberating. 

My mother only carried a bag for work.  She waited tables and needed something to hold her tips.  Any other time, she just carried a small leather wallet in her hand.  Last night I licked the sour cream off the serving spoon and turned to Better-half's mother to say: "My mother used to do that and I never understood how.  Now I do it." 

@Yup, I gave up the whole purse thing.  I do carry a small tote to work because I cart food and bottles of water with me.  And a big Ziploc full of hard candy to fill the jar at work.  Also my collection of pens.  And the @#$%&* phone.

But my lip balm, car keys and teeny wallet are in my scrubs pocket.

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[just bee]

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@aprilskies wrote:

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@dosey wrote:

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

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I hope your cheesecake turned out delicious.

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Rule 276: All cheesecake is delicious.

[just bee]

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@aprilskies wrote:

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@just bee wrote:

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@aprilskies wrote:

Just Bee - I have a LG 47 inch tv. I do like it but the sound is terrible. At least on mine. 

Dosey - good to see you posting. I cant even imagine what you must be feeling. Good that your daughter is dragging you out and about.  It gets you moving even when you dont feel like it. 

Findingmyjoy- one step forward 3 back you say, too funny, exactly how I feel.  I think it is in our blood. 

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This Hitachi sure lived a long time.  I just don't feel like shopping for a new TV.  But I suppose it's time for the new technology.  Ugh.

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Honestly, Just Bee, you will love the smaller thinner tv's, although they are getting a bit too thin. Lol.  sometimes I feel like one of my kitties can go behind it and knock it over. But, I love the fact I can move it around myself and makes the room seem lighter.  But, nothing lasts like those old tv's.  Those things took a beating and kept on ticking.

Try slickdeals.net.  These are deals people find around and post them.  Sometimes you can find great bargains on there, especially tv's this time of year. It is random though. 

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Oh. I know.  The prices have really come down on the new sets so there's no reason to avoid this.  Unless I want to be one of those non-TV people.  But I am of the generation of kids who grew up on the thing.  I remember our first color set.  It was glorious.  Good times, good times...

[just bee]

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@dosey wrote:

My favorite Christmas song is "We Need A Little Christmas."  However, I mess up the lyrics all the time.  Why can I not remember the lyrics?  So I just printed the lyrics and am singing it to prepare for Black Friday shopping.  I've added a few spiffy Broadway-like dance moves to give it a little oomph.

Haul out the holly . . .

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Ooooh...  Maybe we should start posting our favorite Christmas music here.  I've already started listening to it on the car radio.

[just bee]

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@geezerette wrote:

@dosey,

I’m so sorry to hear about your sister.  It must be very painful for you and your family.  It’s so hard to lose any family member, but losing a younger sibling is especially hard.  You can accept it easier when it’s someone older, but not so when it’s a younger person—somehow that just doesn’t seem right.  It’s hard to feel thankful at a time like that, but sharing memories helps to ease the pain.  It also helps to make us remember what really is important in life and not to let the little superficial things get us down.

@just bee,

Congratulations!  It must feel strange to finally be a free woman.  And for heaven’s sake, don’t use your time to clean house, do frivolous stuff—better yet, do nothing at all for a while, a long while.  You deserve it.

As for your TV situation, we had to bit the bullet this past winter.  Our old tube television was fine, but our satellite system needed replacing and it seemed silly to replace that with an old TV.  The new ones have their advantages and disadvantages so I don’t really have a recommendation one way or another.  We do use our TV a lot, but we don’t watch what most people do.  Business news mostly, then regular ‘news’ (I use that term loosely) and I watch a lot of PBS.  I could make do with just free stations if we lived in an urban area.  And if my husband used the internet, he could do without TV altogether.   If we were younger, more tech-savvy and living in the city, we probably could live very well without conventional television.

Having dealt with illness, death, and not the least, a new puppy in the last few months, I’ve re-discovered that most of what is being promoted as ‘necessary’ in modern life is not. However, the spending money part--if it's on something you really want to do--is totally different!  Yep, I can justify anything!

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New puppy? 

Details?

(It's always wonderful to hear from you, G!)