I have this friend. Well, I don't know, I thought we were friends. Not close friends, but someone to hang out with and have fun. I started out as her client, though, so maybe she still sees me that way.
Anyhow, let's say this friend is a "baker." She worked for a large, local "bakery" and she made specialty "cakes" that people asked for specifically. I used to "buy cakes" from her twice a week, every week. Then, she opened up her own "bakery." However, she still needs her benefits from the larger bakery so she still works for them and has limited hours and limited selection at her own bakery.
This person wants to charge just as much (or more) for her "cakes" as other, more established bakers charge for theirs. Not only that, but for her regular clients, she expects them to order cakes every week whether they need them or not, and expects them to pay whether or not they even get cakes, because she has to pay her rent and electricity bill and what have you every month no matter how many cakes she sells. Now, her cakes are the best, but let's face it, cakes are cakes and there are many good bakers... some of whom have a better selection, better hours, and cost LESS.
Am I obligated to pay MORE just because I am this person's "friend"? And, is it really friendship if you have your hand in my pocket for even MORE money every damn time I see you? (Particularly if I happen to know that your lifepartner is a greedy little troll?)
Because to be honest, I can get decent "cakes" just about anywhere, and the more you push me for more money, the less likely I am to buy your cakes. Just sayin'.
18 September 2011
06 September 2011
School Days
Another day (month? year?), another attempt to get this blog off the ground. Today is the first day of the new school year for my son (who attends a cyber charter school, from home) and for me (I attend college courses both online and in person.)
The challenge, as always, comes down to organization. How can I keep up with my schoolwork, help my boy keep up with his, run after the toddler, and maintain some kind of order in the house?
Recently, I've begun flexible meal planning (thanks to my good friend Misty!) Writing down dinners for the week and then shopping for the ingredients, then picking which thing to cook on each day. It sounds simple, but it really makes a huge difference to not be staring into the freezer at 4pm every night thinking "oh, crap, I don't have any food that goes with anything else." The really great thing is that it doesn't have to be set in stone -- like saying "Thursday we're having a chicken and veggie stir fry" and then finding myself too tired/busy/stressed to want to chop a bunch of fresh veggies. I can still pick an easier meal, but I already know I have the ingredients on hand, which makes a world of difference. No more running to the grocery store at 4:30!
I'm also on a pretty good schedule with the kids as far as getting up, mealtimes, naptime (the baby, not the 12yo!), and bedtime. This is a HUGE change from what I've always done, and again, sounds simple, but has made a huge difference. I'd really like to get even more scheduled so that I have a set time and day for laundry, cleaning, etc.
On a sort-of unrelated note, my neighbors moved out this past weekend. The house next to me is one of those classic Northeast Philly horror stories -- the people who bought it live hundreds of miles away and don't care about the property, so they rent it to people without doing a credit check or making sure that the people maintain the property. The property went to hell in the two years that the most recent tenants lived there. Worst of all, their loud, rude, obnoxious teenagers were always out front cursing and playing loud music -- despite how many times we asked them to keep it down for our kids' sake. Now that they are gone, I feel like I finally have my outside back... I don't have to keep my windows shut for the noise; I don't have to stay inside to avoid them. Yay!
So, goals for this month: get on a schedule for cleaning/laundry, stick to the meal plan, and spend more time outside on my patio/front lawn. Let's see what happens. As always, I do mean to update this blog... not that there's anyone reading it just yet....
The challenge, as always, comes down to organization. How can I keep up with my schoolwork, help my boy keep up with his, run after the toddler, and maintain some kind of order in the house?
Recently, I've begun flexible meal planning (thanks to my good friend Misty!) Writing down dinners for the week and then shopping for the ingredients, then picking which thing to cook on each day. It sounds simple, but it really makes a huge difference to not be staring into the freezer at 4pm every night thinking "oh, crap, I don't have any food that goes with anything else." The really great thing is that it doesn't have to be set in stone -- like saying "Thursday we're having a chicken and veggie stir fry" and then finding myself too tired/busy/stressed to want to chop a bunch of fresh veggies. I can still pick an easier meal, but I already know I have the ingredients on hand, which makes a world of difference. No more running to the grocery store at 4:30!
I'm also on a pretty good schedule with the kids as far as getting up, mealtimes, naptime (the baby, not the 12yo!), and bedtime. This is a HUGE change from what I've always done, and again, sounds simple, but has made a huge difference. I'd really like to get even more scheduled so that I have a set time and day for laundry, cleaning, etc.
On a sort-of unrelated note, my neighbors moved out this past weekend. The house next to me is one of those classic Northeast Philly horror stories -- the people who bought it live hundreds of miles away and don't care about the property, so they rent it to people without doing a credit check or making sure that the people maintain the property. The property went to hell in the two years that the most recent tenants lived there. Worst of all, their loud, rude, obnoxious teenagers were always out front cursing and playing loud music -- despite how many times we asked them to keep it down for our kids' sake. Now that they are gone, I feel like I finally have my outside back... I don't have to keep my windows shut for the noise; I don't have to stay inside to avoid them. Yay!
So, goals for this month: get on a schedule for cleaning/laundry, stick to the meal plan, and spend more time outside on my patio/front lawn. Let's see what happens. As always, I do mean to update this blog... not that there's anyone reading it just yet....
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