October 18, 2009
Let’s talk about the West Village in Dallas. It is one of my favorite areas of the South. Great shopping, great food, great crowd. If I am in Dallas, it is a rule that I eat at Mi Cocina. It is my favorite mexican restaurant. Mi Cocina is by no means a “dive.” The food is fresh fresh fresh and I never leave feeling like I just ate a pile of grease. The signature drink of the restaurant is the “Mambo Taxi” and, to be honest, just one will have you mambo-ing all over the village. Michael and I ate and shopped Saturday afternoon. We sat on the patio at Mi Cocina and people watched. I found a great dress on sale at Banana Republic. It was a great day.

Let’s talk about the West Village in Dallas. It is one of my favorite areas of the South. Great shopping, great food, great crowd. If I am in Dallas, it is a rule that I eat at Mi Cocina. It is my favorite mexican restaurant. Mi Cocina is by no means a “dive.” The food is fresh fresh fresh and I never leave feeling like I just ate a pile of grease. The signature drink of the restaurant is the “Mambo Taxi” and, to be honest, just one will have you mambo-ing all over the village.

Michael and I ate and shopped Saturday afternoon. We sat on the patio at Mi Cocina and people watched. I found a great dress on sale at Banana Republic. It was a great day.

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July 15, 2009
This week, I have had a major wake-up call. Let me tell you what is going on: I was denied a student loan for graduate school on Monday. First of all, I have never, ever had a credit card, nor have I had any major outstanding debt- no car loans, no mortgages, nothing. The only debt I have are student loans. I freaked out. Why in the world would I be denied a loan?  I have always been a little afraid of money. I have never checked my credit report, because I guess I think it may bite me. I do not make alot of money, but I do not spend alot of money either. I cannot tell you the last time I bought a pair of shoes. I think I bought some last summer. Anyway, my sister convinced me to go to freecreditreport.com and look at my credit. Tuesday morning, she walked me through the process. Well, it just so happens that there are open lines of credit from cards and banks all over the country, that I have never opened. My credit report is a MESS!!! I started having literal chest pains sitting in Andrea’s office. Companies I have never heard of had outstanding balances. Keep in mind- I have NEVER had a credit card. There were about twelve lines of open or revolving credit. Some had a zero balance, but it still is not good to have that debt/credit ratio. Also, I am apparently still on my ex’s credit cards. I could see everything he was paying and what he owes on every card! Thank God he pays his bills on time!  Since yesterday, I have been consumed with trying to get this fixed, but it looks like it will take months! I have been naive about money. I thought if I just had very little debt, then my credit score would be fine. Not that simple. I don’t even know how some of this stuff got in my name. So- long story short(ish)- I will be checking my credit often to make sure it is all ok. I am getting married in two months and I hate to be bringing this mess into the marriage. I signed up for a service that will alert me every time something new appears on my report.  So, even if you are like me and intimidated by this stuff, go look at your credit report and KEEP looking. Someone (as is my case) could have opened a credit card in 2003, and charged $7,000 dollars on it, and you may never know. 

This week, I have had a major wake-up call. Let me tell you what is going on:

I was denied a student loan for graduate school on Monday. First of all, I have never, ever had a credit card, nor have I had any major outstanding debt- no car loans, no mortgages, nothing. The only debt I have are student loans. I freaked out. Why in the world would I be denied a loan? 

I have always been a little afraid of money. I have never checked my credit report, because I guess I think it may bite me. I do not make alot of money, but I do not spend alot of money either. I cannot tell you the last time I bought a pair of shoes. I think I bought some last summer. Anyway, my sister convinced me to go to freecreditreport.com and look at my credit. Tuesday morning, she walked me through the process. Well, it just so happens that there are open lines of credit from cards and banks all over the country, that I have never opened. My credit report is a MESS!!! I started having literal chest pains sitting in Andrea’s office. Companies I have never heard of had outstanding balances. Keep in mind- I have NEVER had a credit card. There were about twelve lines of open or revolving credit. Some had a zero balance, but it still is not good to have that debt/credit ratio. Also, I am apparently still on my ex’s credit cards. I could see everything he was paying and what he owes on every card! Thank God he pays his bills on time! 

Since yesterday, I have been consumed with trying to get this fixed, but it looks like it will take months! I have been naive about money. I thought if I just had very little debt, then my credit score would be fine. Not that simple. I don’t even know how some of this stuff got in my name. So- long story short(ish)- I will be checking my credit often to make sure it is all ok. I am getting married in two months and I hate to be bringing this mess into the marriage. I signed up for a service that will alert me every time something new appears on my report. 

So, even if you are like me and intimidated by this stuff, go look at your credit report and KEEP looking. Someone (as is my case) could have opened a credit card in 2003, and charged $7,000 dollars on it, and you may never know. 

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April 30, 2009

If you ever want to cut yourself, watch this video instead.

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April 27, 2009
Perfect little Bellabug.

Perfect little Bellabug.

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April 23, 2009
georgiegirlnyc: The Georgie Girl jury has been out on whether or not I like rompers.  Then I stumbled across this beauty and was completely won over.  And for only $45 it’s a steal.  Unfortunately they are sold out of my size.  Boo hiss. Spied on LuLus.com. If you are a recessionista like me you should consider bookmarking this wonderfully cute but affordable online store.  Although, I wonder what the quality is like…..  MUST HAVE NOW.

georgiegirlnyc:

The Georgie Girl jury has been out on whether or not I like rompers.  Then I stumbled across this beauty and was completely won over.  And for only $45 it’s a steal.  Unfortunately they are sold out of my size.  Boo hiss.

Spied on LuLus.com. If you are a recessionista like me you should consider bookmarking this wonderfully cute but affordable online store.  Although, I wonder what the quality is like…..

 MUST HAVE NOW.

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Regret.

Today, I sent a child to the principal, and I am second guessing myself. He has such a beautiful spirit, but he just would not do his work today. After several warnings, he still sat at his desk with his books closed. I knew his mother, who died of cancer a few years back, and my heart is full for him. I find myself wondering if I am harder on him because I knew his mother. His father is kind of a mess, and I want so badly for this child to succeed. I don’t want to break that beautiful spirit, but I also don’t want him to sell himself short.

I may find him in the morning and talk with him- one on one. Again, my heart is full for him.  I don’t know why this is going on the blog. It is just the central focus of my thoughts tonight. I want to be a life-giver to him. I need God to show me how to do that.

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The Year of Magical Thinking is Joan Didion’s memior about grieving her husband’s sudden death. It is beautifully written- honest, somber, witty, and oddly comforting considering its subject matter. You kind of need to be a bookworm like me to enjoy this one because it is heavy, and there is no clean story arc. So, if you are just into Grisham (sp?) and Sophie Kinsella, sit this one out. However, if you think of yourself as a true lover of literature, then you will appreciate the purity of this book. And then you will start over and read it again.

The Year of Magical Thinking is Joan Didion’s memior about grieving her husband’s sudden death. It is beautifully written- honest, somber, witty, and oddly comforting considering its subject matter. You kind of need to be a bookworm like me to enjoy this one because it is heavy, and there is no clean story arc. So, if you are just into Grisham (sp?) and Sophie Kinsella, sit this one out. However, if you think of yourself as a true lover of literature, then you will appreciate the purity of this book. And then you will start over and read it again.

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Getting Mother’s Body is about a young black girl from the south who gets pregnant and goes to retreive some jewlery from her dead mother’s body. I know, I know, it sounds weird, but it is hilarious. I Lol-ed and Col-ed (cried out loud) several times in the book. Anybook which opens with “Where my panties at?” is a classic to me. It is rather obscure, so you will need to order it from Amazon or the like.+

Getting Mother’s Body is about a young black girl from the south who gets pregnant and goes to retreive some jewlery from her dead mother’s body. I know, I know, it sounds weird, but it is hilarious. I Lol-ed and Col-ed (cried out loud) several times in the book. Anybook which opens with “Where my panties at?” is a classic to me.

It is rather obscure, so you will need to order it from Amazon or the like.+

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Books.

You guys know that I love to read, so I want to let you guys in on a few great books that I’ve read within the past year. I am saving for an Amazon Kindle, so maybe I can save money (and trees) in the long run. Anyway, above are three of my favorites.

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April 22, 2009

Bandwagons I Have Joined as of Late.

1. Being broke. Obviously, I love it. I cannot get enough of poverty.

2. Chili with beans. I used to be a no-beaner. People change.

3. Whistling.

4. Finishing books that I start. I actually have not allowed myself to buy a book for two weeks, so I can finish the three or four that are halfway finished.

5. Listening to music in the car instead of talk radio.

7. www.thedailybeast.com. Especially “Book Beast” and “Big Fat Story” on there.

8. Plain M&Ms. I used to be an “all nut, all the time” girl, but I am diversifying.

9. Andrea Brooke Emswiler Sherman. My sister is one of the funniest people I know.

10. Shaving my legs regularly. Not sure how long I will ride this one out.

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