My Brain is Running Away with Ideas

Ever since I made the decision to get myself financially in order to buy a house-or more likely a condo-my brain has been running rampant how I'd like to decorate. Jump the gun much, self?

I have a bunch of house items already-including a love seat, dishes, and one bedroom set-most of which are hand-me-downs. So I made a decision to buy myself a new bedroom. The furniture I have now will go in my guest room after some refinishing. I’m dying to pick out my own mattress since I’ve always had someone’s old one. I already have a bed in mind. It’s a gray upholstered beauty from World Market. At the moment I want to combine it with navy walls, white furniture, and yellow accents. Navy & gray and gray & yellow are both very hot right now according to Apartment Therapy.

I've even priced out chest freezers. Because I'm insane.

On the bright side, he imaginary decorating help ease the anxiety of OH MY GOD I’M SAVING FOR A PLACE—I’M A GROWN UP and everything that goes along with it. And it's an excuse to comb the far reaches of pinterest and the rest of the internet for stuff I like.

I do need to stop looking at realtor pictures of pretty places online because I get sad when they’re sold. I do need to keep current on the cost in my area, though. Don’t I? Perhaps I should set up a parental control to help.

And now to end on a completely different note-how is next week November?!

We're Off to See the Wizard...

The Wizard of Oz is one of my favorite movies. I've watched it so many times that not only do I know all the words to all of the songs, but most of the dialogue as well.

Sidenote: have you ever wondered where the red-bricked road out of Munchkin Land goes? It's one my great unanswered movie questions.

Anyway... My favorite exchange between Dorothy and the Scarecrow is just before she lets him down off of his pole.

Dorothy asks: ...can't you make up your mind?

Scarecrow: I can't make my mind. I haven't got a brain--only straw.

Dorothy: How can you talk if you haven't got a brain?

Scarecrow: I don't know. But some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don't they?

So. Effing. True.

Money/Work Blahs

I'm having one of those days where my brain is going around and around in this vortex of BLAH and all I want to do is go home. I'm feeling very stuck. This feeling comes and goes for me, but today it seems especially bad. This time it's centered around money and my work situation.

A couple of weeks ago my aunt got new furniture, so I asked for the old stuff as I was planning on moving out and finding an apartment in the new year. To which my uncle says, "Why not look into buying?" So I said "why not?" and contacted my friend's mom who's a realtor. She sent her finance guy my way and though I can't buy now, told me what I need to do to get into a position to do so.

I need to reduce my fixed monthly payments-ie other loan debt like my car and student loans, make more money, and/or get a cosigner.

I refuse to get a cosigner for a mortgage. I'm not buying a place with someone and I can't ask a family member to take on that responsibility for me. It seems unfair to ask for someone to take on that kind of responsibility when they wouldn't even be living in the house.

So right now I'm waiting to hear back from the bank about whether or not I'm approved to consolidate my private student loans. If that happens (I should hear later this week), then my monthly payments will decrease and I can pay off my federal student and car loans faster, plus save for a down payment. Luckily, for a first time home buyer you only need 3.5%, so it won't take me the next 5 years to make this happen.

The make more money part is getting tricky for me. I'm really really really hating my second job right now. It's getting harder and harder justifying having the extra cash for how tired and frustrated I'm becoming. Job number one is a great company, but as a not-for-profit I know I won't be making what I'm worth here. But I'm also afraid to go somewhere else and 1) Hate a more corporate environment or 2) fail.

So that leaves me with either finding a new primary job which would enable me to quit job number two (even though it's scary) or toughing it out. I also really want to start free lancing, but between the two jobs and getting my yoga teacher certification I'm so zapped of energy I don't enough concentration to work on it.

I'll figure it out. I always do. Just had to get some of this out of my head.