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Why Men?

March 16, 2012 Leave a Comment

Yesterday I head out to work and my car would not start. The key would turn but the engine would not turn over. Nothing. Not even a ”err, err”

For those who are familiar with that particular sound, it is the growling like sound when there is no spark to start the engine.  And, yes that is an accurate description of the sound.  No.  kidding.

So after calling BF and my boss explaining my predicament, the boss volunteered to come get me since I only live four miles from work.  I was mad because, I could not even ride my bike because I have a flat tire!  But, yay for my boss!

I suppose I should rely on myself and fix the flat tire on the bike.  I’ve been waiting for BF to do it since last summer.  I should have known better.  I am sure he is doing something really important instead of fixing my flat tire, right???

Whatever…

BF comes home and he tries to see what is wrong.  He puts the key in the ignition and then, to make matters worse, can not get the key out of the ignition.  He wiggles the key and begins to get aggressive with the wiggling.  I’m thinking he is going to break the dang key off in the ignition.

At 11:30 this morning BF is still sleeping.  I am hoping to figure out what is wrong with my car so I can get to work.  Let’s just say I’m more of a morning person that BF is, and leave it at that.  After three hours of trying to figure out what is wrong with the car, the conclusion is that it has dirty battery cables.  Please don’t ask why it takes 3 hours to figure that out.  I told him that is what I thought it was but it seemed like he went about diagnosing this backassward (I’ve always liked that word ‘backassward’).  It took everything I had to keep my mouth shut, because trying to talk to him was impossible.  He was sure I didn’t know what I was talking about, or maybe he just was not listening.   Honestly, I have no idea how the male species has lasted this long.

Today’s win was I didn’t have to spend any money-getting my car repaired.

Now if you could explain to me why men do the things they do, I’d really appreciate it.

Filed Under: A Frugal Life, Frugal Tips

I Was Wrong

February 14, 2012 1 Comment

The proof that someone does read what I write, when I got a tweet stating that yesterday was not President’s Day.  I did not realize this until I had gone through the entire day. It was at 6:00 p.m. that I became aware I was wrong.

This is what happens to you when you have way too much going on in your life.  All the days are blurry.

However, I’m pretty clear today is Valentines Day and 

It’s a carry over from yesterday.  I thought I’d feel better about it.  But I don’t.  Just another day for me.  Another day to hit the books and cram as much knowledge into the gray mass as humanly possible.

I must admit the past two weeks although they have sucked because I don’t have a life and I’ve turned into a hermit, it has been easier than I thought.  Of course I’m only 1/2 way through this hell of five weeks.  There is still time to totally screw this up.

The good thing about not having time is I don’t have time to spend money either.  Dang I miss me some real life transactions.  I did make it

Logo of

Image via Wikipedia

out to Sam’s the other day.  First time in years since I’ve been to Sam’s.  Yeah, some things I buy there are cheaper.  But you gotta watch the prices there.  It is tricky.

In the summer I will graduate and I’ve thought a lot about what I want to do.  I want to leave this area.  This town is too big for me.  I’m a small town girl.  But however, larger towns do offer more opportunities.  Talked to a head hunter today, who know what will turn up between now and July.

If you hear of opportunities for web development lemme know.  After this five-week hell, I’ll be working on my portfolio.  I have to make something happen.

It is exciting and it is scary making these changes.  I’m sure the stress added to my pissy attitude yesterday.  I’ve been on edge.  Probably a good thing I don’t have time to go shopping.  Shopping could help deal with the stress, but probably not in a good way.

I’m rambling but I appreciate you reading.  Some days this little blog is the only measure of reality I have.  I appreciate you being here.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

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Hampton Roads Traffic

February 11, 2012 Leave a Comment

I normally post every morning at 7:00 a.m. But not this morning.  Why you ask?  Because I was stuck in traffic yesterday for about three hours.

Hampton Roads Traffic Jam

Traffic Jam

Yes, three hours

Traffic in Hampton Roads is just a matter of course.  One of the reasons I hate (I never use that word lightly) this       area.  It was not so bad 20-30 years ago but now I think this alone is a good enough reason to leave the area.

I did not get anything done I had intended to do.  I needed to get some homework done and go back into school to get a lab done.

But I was stuck in traffic.  And I had to pee.

This is not a good thing.  I did the pee dance in the car for about half of the three hours.  We played hangman on my kindle fire (thankfully BF had the forethought to bring along) to make the time pass.

The day started out just I had planned.  I woke early at 9 a.m. ( earlier than I wanted to).  I needed to get to DMV because I needed to put my car in my name only (as per my settlement agreement).  I had received a letter earlier from my attorney that the divorce papers have been filed and it is very likely that they are signed.  I’m just waiting to receive my signed copies.

Arrived at the DVM and there was barely a line.

I say barely because for Hampton Roads that means no more than ten people in front of you.  The visit was relatively painless.  Total cost $12.00 and 45 minutes.  I call that a win.

Then since it was still early in the day BF wanted to get one of his errands done.   I’m cool with that until as we were headed through the tunnel (Hampton Roads has a lot of tunnels) we reach a complete stand still.  Within minutes we hear sirens, two fire engines, one ambulance and a trooper.

This is my first traffic jam since arriving back in this area two years ago.

But mind you that is because I don’t go anywhere because 1.  I hate the traffic and I usually need to stay home and do my homework.  Which is really what I needed to be doing instead of being stuck in traffic doing the pee dance and playing hangman.

Yeah, so that is why there was no post at 7:00 a.m. as there had been for the past few weeks.  I like the 7:00 a.m. schedule.  I am going to continue to strive for it.  Unless I get caught in traffic again.

Don’t you hate traffic jams?  What is the longest traffic jam you have ever been in?

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Hello? Who Is There?

February 9, 2012 Leave a Comment
Closeup of a female speaking outside on a cell...

Image via Wikipedia

I no longer have a home phone land line.  I use magic jack as a home phone.  I keep it for emergency purposes and so that I can have a cheaper cell phone service with less minutes.  I skype a lot and that cuts down on phone calls as well.  If I could get away with it I’d skype all the time.

Since the 90′s and caller id it has become even easier to screen calls.  If your name does not show up in my caller id I let it go to voice mail.  I figure if it is important you’ll leave a message and I’ll call you back… or not.  I don’t enjoy talking on the phone and I have very limited time to chat.

Recently though I read about a caller id scam where the spoofers pay a fee to create an account on a website and enter a fake phone number to show up on your caller id.  It looks as though they could be from a bank or credit card company when the call displays on your caller id.

They ask to verify your personal information.  Be forewarned do not give any personal information over the phone unless you are sure of who you are speaking to.  I would suggest you hang up and call the correct company phone number and then confirm that information.  If it was not your institution that called be sure to tell the Representative exactly what happened.

It really makes me sick that someone would spend the energy to do something like this when half the energy could do twice as much good for someone else.  I just don’t get it.  It seems to me the scammers have too much time on their hands.

Be careful and watch your caller ids friends.  Pass this on to your loved ones and tell them too.

Do you have a home land line?

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My Worse Customer Service Experience

February 8, 2012 1 Comment
At The Car Wash

At The Car Wash (Photo credit: Mr Noded)

I have put off posting this.  However, today I have a bit of writers block.  I’m not sure I’d call it writer’s block as much as I have so much other stuff on  mind, like JavaScript, Linux or jQuery, that I can not put two thoughts together and get them to make sense.    If you have no idea what JavaScript, Linux or jQuery is you are probably better off and don’t ask me my brain is locked up between a squiggly bracket and a semi-colon.

It is pretty bad when I have digressed within the first paragraph of a post. Sorry….

The year was 1996, it was a beautiful spring day.  I was on my way to work and I thought since I was early I’d have time to stop by the car wash.  I had a little sports car at the time and requested to have the anti-lock grease cleaned off the wheels.  I happily paid the extra $3.00.

Yeah, I know $3.00 is a lot of money to pay for clean wheels.  This was NOT one of my most frugal moments.  But please note, it was 1996, I was young.  This was before I had transitioned to a frugal lifestyle.

I had my car washed at this particular car wash many time before.  Like usual I looked out at my car as it was  pulled through the car wash. At the end a young female began drying it off to prevent streaks.

I noticed that there was still grease on the wheels.  The fact that the rest of the car sparkled only exasperated the ugliness of the grease.  I walked over to the female and asked if she could please clean the grease off the wheels.  I said please and I was calm.  No big deal, I figured she probably forgot, or maybe she did not realize I’d paid the extra $3.00 for this service.

She responded, “Wash your own F$#%&*! car you lazy M@!$#%& F*&%$#@ N&*%$#!”

Yep, that is what she said.

Ironically, I was on my way to a meeting which I was going to speak about customer service.

Boy, did I ever have a story to tell, now.

I was flabbergasted.  After picking up my jaw I found a gentleman who looked as though he had some authority and asked if he happen to be the manager.  He said yes and asked how he could help.  I explained that one of his employees had just called me every name but a white woman, literally and told me to go wash my own beeping car.

He looked shocked, grabbed a towel and some cleaner to clean the wheels of my car and apologized as he walked quickly to where my car was.  He took my name and phone number and told me that the next wash was on him.

I wasn’t expecting a free car wash out of it really.  I was still in shock actually.

I went on about my day and he called me about an hour later to let me know that the female that had cursed me earlier was intoxicated and was fired.  He just wanted me to know that it would never happen again.  Obviously it really bothered him because he went out of his was to apologize.

If have told this story once I’ve told it a hundred times.I’ve gotten a lot of mileage out of this story over the past nearly two decades.   I have used this as an example when discussing customer service with employees or even in interviews.   The faces on those persons I have told the story to is priceless.

Tell me what is your worst customer service experience?

 

 

 

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Valentines Day Deals

February 7, 2012 Leave a Comment
English: earn money

Image via Wikipedia

Valentines is approaching.  Here are a few frugal gift ideas.  Be sure to check out BeFrugal.com for more ways to save.

GREAT GIFT DEALS FOR A ROMANTIC NIGHT

GREAT GIFT DEALS FOR HIM

GREAT GIFT DEALS FOR HER

 

Note: Cash Back rates can change from one day to the next. These rates were valid 2/7/2012.

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Why Buy?

February 1, 2012 Leave a Comment

What is that makes you want to buy something

Such a first world problem, I know but humor me.

Once you decide that you have a need what helps you decide which product you will use?

Are you one who watching an ad on television and then purchased something because of the ad?

Do you tend to ask your friends or family members about recommendations?

Do you do your own research before purchasing anything?

It usually takes me a long time to decide to buy anything. Heck I can’t make decisions about anything quickly. It takes me forever to make up my mind. I have to weigh the pros and cons. I usually write it all down on paper. This could be a two or three-day process at a minimum. Sometimes it takes weeks, months or even years.

I am not an impulsive buyer. I have a fear of making the wrong choice or at least not making the BEST choice.

I am not a fan of commercialism.

I occasionally will ask a friend for a recommendation  but I am much more likely to do my research.

How we decide to buy has changed in the past decade.

Some businesses get it.  They understand it is about building relationships with their customers.  Some still want to jam their advertisements down my throat.  Watch this video to see what I mean.

I got a phone call a few days ago from a company trying to sell me “real estate customer leads”.  In another life I was a real estate associate broker with a brokerage in another town 200 miles away from where I live now.  I have not sold real estate as an associate broker in over two years and I no longer live in the town they were trying to sell me.  I am sure that fact is plastered all over the interwebs.   It’s on Facebook, google+ and twitter.  I mean,I don’t try to keep it a secret.  I’ve got nothing to hide.  I can not imagine where they got this incorrect information.  Obviously they had not been listening.

My thoughts when I got the phone call was:

  • I can’t believe you don’t even know I have no need for your product and have done so little research about your target market.
  • I just wasted a minute of my cell phone plan on you.

The second one was more disturbing than the first honestly.  The next thing I did was tweet about the phone call so none of my real estate friends will do business with them.  I doubt they would anyways.  My real estate friends are pretty savvy.

I digress.

What does it take for you to show some green bills?  Are you an easy sell?

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Recovering Gracefully

January 28, 2012 2 Comments

You are sure to fail from time to time throughout your life.

Those who never fail never do anything worthwhile.   Preparing for the recovery IF your plans change and embracing failure when it takes you longer than you had anticipated to meet your goals is the key to recovering gracefully.

My plans are usually successful.

Things usually come together easily for me.  I’m determined and resourceful. But there is no way, I can foresee every bump in the road.  Some times my plans don’t hit the mark.

One of the hardest things for me to do is to admit that my plan has failed.  Let’s not sugar coat it, failure IS part of life.  Mistakes happen.  All the good meaning people may tell you all kinds of positive things but failure is failure, period.

That does not mean you can’t start over.  I don’t think just because you fail you should give up.  I’m just saying to realize failure is just as much a part of life as success is.  It IS going to happen sooner or later.  When it does, have a plan for damage control when things fall apart.

My first response when I fail is to take it personally.

But the plan failed, I have not failed.  I only fail if I don’t dust myself off and try again.

One good thing about failure for me is that it causes stress and stress… could mean I may lose a few pounds!

But seriously, everyone fails, as failure is not prejudice and will happen to anyone no  matter their social class or any past success or failures.

Because I am the strong one, when I have found myself at a bottom (I’ve hit bottom more than once), others around me normally think, “Nannette will pull through this and everything will turn out fine.”  I don’t always have that conviction.  Sometimes it is hard to imagine what it is like on top of my game.

Failure builds self-esteem.

Looking back over those times when I did hit rock bottom I realize I lived through it.  Sometimes I am stronger than I think I am. Failure will bring out more determination within yourself.  I am able to learn from my mistakes.

Failure makes you realize who are your real friends.

Real friends will support you at your worst.  This is a gift.

I think you can learn so much about yourself through failure.

But the greatest gift about failure is that once we have experienced failed, we are able to relate to others failures.  This draws us closer to our fellow-man.  There is now way we could know the pain of others had we not had a few scrapes ourselves along the way.  Without hitting a few bumps in the road ourselves there is no way we could help others when they come up short.

No doubt, failure still sucks though.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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My Journey To Blissfulness

January 26, 2012 1 Comment

A new-found blogger friend Sabrina Lovejoy at MuchNeededAdvice.com left a comment on my most recent post  about changes I’ve made recently in my life.

Her comment made me think about how other people around me reacted and react or respond to my decisions to change my life.

Most of the people in my life are extremely supportive.  I am blessed.  My father is always one of the first to tell me he is proud.  My children are supportive.  Sometimes they think I’ve gone off the deep end as they begin to see their mom discover herself again.  My friends are encouraging and always willing to lend an ear when the changes seem overwhelming.

I’ve always been a pioneer.  I am always the first in my crowd to try something new.  I soon find others around me following in my footsteps.  I don’t plan it that way.  It is just MY journey to find blissfulness.  I don’t think about it much anymore I just listen to my gut and go with it.  When I do listen, there comes a knowing what is the right direction for me.

Soon the people who don’t understand my changes drift out of my life.  Others drift in as they discover their own journey to blissfulness.

I will miss the ones that drift away.  It makes me kind of melancholy thinking I may never see them again.  They will always be a part of me.  I would not be who I am now had they not been in my life.  I hope they find blissfulness at the end of their journey.

I’ll probably live a long time, like most of the people in my family.  I am certainly not going to consider living in a fashion that does not make me the most happiest.  I really don’t care if you lead the way or if you follow, but I’d love to share this journey with you, whoever you are.

 

 

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