I briefly thought about getting a seasonal job recently. I go into our Old Navy a lot. I literally live 5 minutes from it and am constantly going in to see what’s new, even if I’m only there for a few new cami’s or socks or something. Sometimes I’m not buying anything at all. One of the managers got to recognizing me and I joke around about how I’m there “AGAIN”. She said that now I just needed to work there.  We got chatting about it once. I’ve got a job as a graduate assistant so I don’t NEED a job. But oh, wouldn’t it be fun? So, for the hell of it, I applied and without an interview, she wanted to hire me. The training would have been starting this Friday.

But I decided not to go for it, despite the fact that it would only be for the holidays, oh and think of the discounts! Not only at Old Navy, but at Gap and Banana Republic, too! Even though I’ve vowed not to do any clothes shopping in the near future. I called yesterday to tell them that I decided to not take the job. (Dan is sulking because he wanted the Banana Republic discount like WOAH. He loves trolling the sale racks…) Boo, right? Maybe.  I mean, I was barely going to be able to work at all. Maybe one day a week? Sure, it would have brought in a couple hundred dollars. But it would have been frowned upon  when I went to ask off 9-10 days for our venture to Colorado right around Christmas. When I would be needed the most.  Not to mention that I’d really get started as the semester is winding down and life isn’t easy when semesters wind down. I have lots of projects to get done, etc.

My biggest fear? Disappointing that manager who really wanted me to work there. That’s silly, though. I’ll still go in there all the time…I see things online, then want to inspect them in person, ok? Lol…I shop plenty at Old Navy, by the way, because their clothes are decent and decently priced. If I bought expensive clothes, I wouldn’t be able to afford to replace them regularly.

I have the hardest time just saying, no, not interested. I just see people get all excited and I’m afraid to let them down. It probably didn’t let her down at all. She doesn’t know me personally, and it’s not like I started the job then decided to quit. That’s what I didn’t want to happen. Start the job, hand over the days I need off AND then get too stressed out.

At the same time, I really wanted the job and the discounts… But I also felt guilty for possibly taking a job away from someone who actually NEEDS it. Yes, it would have been nice to have extra Christmas cash on hand. VERY nice actually. But someone out there is more excited about it and needs the opportunity so their kids can have a nice Christmas. I think that will be one of my good deeds for the season — a moment in which I needed to remember that greediness isn’t kosher.

Dan and I aren’t buying each other gifts this year. We’re not doing terribly budgetwise and we’re certainly not poor. But we’ll be spending enough money in Colorado, I am sure. I think we’ll get each other something small, and stocking sized, but that’s about it. It will be a frugal Christmas. A smart Christmas.

You know…I hate talking about things like this…Money and all.

I didn’t grow up very privileged. My father worked, and my mom did not. They were not always fantastically smart about money, but I know they tried their hardest to make sure we had the very best in life.  Well, more or less…the best they could do.  Until we were much older, when I was out of the house, my brother in high school…We were never allowed name brand items. Like…ever. It just was never in the budget. If we wanted something, we kids saved up money from allowance or odd jobs (like babysitting, mowing lawns, etc). We lived when I was young, in a small two bedroom apartment (where I shared a room with my brother). Then we later moved into a trailer, where I lived around 7 years of my life before we finally moved into a house. It wasn’t the most gorgeous house in town. But it was a home. My parents finally had a bit of the American dream…

I was never encouraged to go to college…Not to university for a bachelor’s degree anyway. Sure, community college… But no matter what I decided, paying for it would be on my shoulders. After my grad degree is done? My student loans will be near or over $75000, between undergrad and grad school debt (thank GOD I’ll make decent money and thank GOD that Dan does too and we shouldn’t be dealing with a serious financial issue when it comes to paying them back…oh boy…paying those bad boys off….). It’s been very very very hard.

- – -

Dan on the other hand? While he was never spoiled, and life was never exactly handed to him on a silver platter? He lived a very privileged life. Never excessive and his parents always made sure he was grateful and appreciated the life they were giving him.

And I’m just trying to get use to it all. You see…Dan’s parents helped us pay for the wedding. A ginormous portion of it. I will FOREVER be grateful to them. FOREVER. But then on top of it? A lot of little things. Our pan set from our gift registry, for instance. One of the most expensive things on the registry that I had resigned to buy ourselves.  But…didn’t have to! A wedding gift of a nice kitchen island (that came before the pans and when the pans got here, I about crapped my pants!).  Their friends? They are a little intense as well…not in a bad way… We got a crystal bowl and vase set.  A Kate Spade lead crystal set. Gorgeous and completely impractical (but I probably won’t exchange it for something more useful, to be quite honest…it’s a gift we will be able to carry on for a long time…).

Anyway…

Today! We speak to his parents… And they are calling to tell us about their plans for Christmas. After Christmas, they are flying out to Colorado to spend time with Dan’s sister and brother in law, and his nephew. They said we had three choices for the holidays…Get gifts like normal. Get a LARGE (but what!?) gift for the house…Or get small gifts and they also fly us out to Colorado, as well!

Of course we chose the last one!

But it all feels so awkward at the same time. I feel a teeny bit weird! I mean, I should just be happy and accept it. But it feels weird to tell my family… Do you get what I mean?? I don’t want anyone to feel bad for not being able to give me what his parents have so far been able to do…

I am a HUGE etsy fan…You all know that!  At some point, millions of months ago, I had added this item to my favorites and had forgotten all about it. One day recently, I decided to comb through my favorites and ran back into this lovely gem… BUT it had sold. Thank fully, the seller had another just like it for sale. WOO HOO! It arrived in the mail yesterday and I was SO thrilled.  Its exactly the lucky charm I need right now!

Pearl Horseshoe Necklace by Piggy, $12

PS: I’m hoping to get a summer job for about 7 – 8 weeks. It would start in about a month, but it’s money that will be great to save up. Please keep your fingers crossed for me!

Dan and I are in the process of keeping an eye out for a new car for me. I drive a 1998 Pontiac Sunfire. Which isn’t too shabby, but it’s getting old an we believe it’s having engine trouble. Frankly, we’d rather spend the money to put down on a newer car then spend a fortune on a car that most likely isn’t going to make it through long commutes over the next couple of years. The commutes to goodness knows where, who knows how long of a drive…for my clinicals. (We have no clue where we’re going to live, by the way, when we get to Colorado. Yet, anyway). It has 126, 000 or so miles on it.  Not terrible but we’d feel more comfortable with me driving something newer and a lot more reliable. Especially in areas that I’m not familiar with, should something happen.

Surprisingly, it’s going to take more time than we’d like — back when I bought the car a few years ago, my credit was a disaster an I had to get my car from a place that can over charge you for a car as well as charging INSANE interest rates to it. :p Meaning, I still owe for this POS car. :p SUCKS. But it’s true. My credit is back on the mend and is slowly getting back to normal. Slowly, because of the changes in credit rules — I don’t have even ONE credit card under my name alone…I paid them all off in 2007.  And apparently, not having any credit cards makes a negative mark on your credit. And since the economy SUCKS banks aren’t really giving out cards to people who have a shaky credit past. So…I’m double-y screwed. I can’t get a card because of my credit past and I can’t raise my credit higher and higher without having an open card that I can make regular payments to.  It looks like the place I make car payments to only reports to one credit agency, so while things are getting better, it’s not moving fast enough.

Ok, that rant is done…And had nothing to do with why I’m even writing this post. It was just a bit of frustration.

Turns out, that in the next 6 months or so, Dan’s parents will be looking for a new car for his mom. She right now drives a 2006 Pontiac Vibe. Which is adorable. Has a sunroof. Is fun to drive. And his dad has already offered it to us! (Not for free, duh). It only has 27, 000 miles or so on it. THAT is low, since she has had it since December 2005. She’s driving under 9000 miles a year, it seems. So even if it were nearly a year until we got it, it would still have a mileage under 40,000 miles. We’re very excited. Well, I probably am more than Dan.

His car will be paid off in 3 months, meaning we can put more towards my car, have it paid off ASAP and then I get a new car! I’m way too excited…It’s not the next car I wanted for myself, but that will come next, when I finally have my own real job…. When we finally need something bigger for our future family… Whatev, isn’t this car totally me??

Ok, this isn’t THE car, just a picture that is exactly like the car.  almost! this car doesn’t have a sunroof…

2006 Pontiac Sunfire

found the image on autotrader.com

Posted at Who’s Your  Dachshund:

Being the owners of smaller canine companions – physically at least – we know first-hand how something so small can have such a big impact on our lives. I’m not even going to bother asking if you could imagine a life without your pups. For that reason, it’s only natural that we as animal lovers come together to accomplish something BIG to change the lives of vulnerable animals around the world.

Over the past month, the ten contributors of WYD have connected with nearby animal shelters from Nova Scotia to South Africa; each one filled with incredible people giving abandoned animals the love and attention they deserve. So we figured, why not give each of these shelters a little love and attention of their own?

…collect as many donations as we possibly can by the end of April to split between these phenomenal shelters. You can donate securely using our ChipIn widget below. We will be over the moon with even the smallest contributions

If you aren’t able to contribute financially, there are plenty of other ways you can help spread the word that will be just as appreciated! You can even click ‘Copy’ on the donation widget to get the HTML code that you can use to include the widget in your own blog posts!

THE DIFFERENCE…

Bide Awhile
Tiny Paws Dog Rescue
Midwest Dachshund Rescue
All American Dachshund Rescue
Dachshund Rescue of North America – Maryland Chapter
Dachshund Rescue NW
Central Texas Dachshund Rescue
Second Chance Animal Refuge Society
Kitty and Puppy Haven
FACE Low-cost Spay/Neuter Clinic