so when is enough really enough. so many of us are tired of scraping by. just making the rent. just paying the bills (sometimes a day, or a week, or a month late). just keeping food on the table. just getting by. so its not really that hard for us. the utilities dont turn off. noone bombs my neighboorhood. theres food in the store if i can find the money for it. I have plenty of all of the above. i have no children to feed. i have no loved ones to support. just me, and i require little. so when do i have enough? when does my consumer diet start? do i measure my portions? my tv is big enough, i dont need a new one. sure that bigger faster newer shinier one is ON SALE, CLEARANCE even. so that i can trade the sweat from my brow, for the sweat from anothers (well not so much a fair trade, more like a 90/10 split the guy who did the sweating probably makes 1/10th of what i do).

so the onus falls on me. i have to say "i have enough. i am content." Who among us is going to be the first to say "sure ive been here x years, but this time i Dont need a raise." What company is willing to say "Ok you turned down a raise so well create another job".  When do we start the long slow crawl back into the positive and who is willing to make the personal sacrifice to start it?  

Everyone wants to make a million dollars a year, but so many of us are scraping by not quite clearing 20k or less. sometimes more. sometimes none at all, lately. for every person who makes a million though 50 of us are out of a job. we Must ask ourselves, is it worth it, for my dream of consumerism to put 50 people i dont know out of a living? how many backs must i bruise to be truly happy?

So i've decided to stand alone or lead the charge, or just be some idiot out there in left field. Whatever you want to call it. Im content with what i have. Im not accepting any raises. Im not buy new things that i already have. Im working harder to do those little things that make the world better around me. Enough Is Enough, for me.

Who's with me?

Tags: content, enough
Current Location: tampa
Current Mood: content
Current Music: silence

     This has been a long time coming. A lot of people will laugh  and say that the knowledge i try to impart here is common, or that the methods are cheap or pointless. I'm ok with that. My methods ARE cheap and the knowledge is common sense. But common sense isnt so common, and everyone can use a helping hand. If you already know of these things feel free to pay no mind. If you dont you may find a treasure trove of helpful fridge stocking and wallet fattening tips. 

     First off, yes im cheap. The things ill ask you to do will garner you some odd looks and even some dirty looks by some shop owners. But if youre interested in living cheap, dirty looks are free. The things i suggest arent dumpster diving, theres plenty of guides on that. My suggestions are just ways to shave a little here and there.

    First off lets start with condiments. Condiments are your friends, and your bread and butter. Any condiments that are left out are fair game. They stock your fridge, and flavor your food, enough ketchup packets and you can make spagetti. Mayo packets and a can of 33 cent tuna makes you tuna salad (use relish packets to add sweetness and texture, and so on... ) . Keep your eye out for non-standard condiments; taco seasonings, salsa, ranch, and so on.  When you look at condiments look at the cost versus the cost it would be to obtain it otherwise. You like bacon bits? Get a to go box at anywhere with a salad bar and fill up the to go box with nothing but bacon bits (or sunflower seeds or whatever). If the salad bar is 3.99, and a bottle of bacon bits is 3.00 then getting 5 bottles worth for 3.99 is a good deal right? Sure the cashier is gonna look at you funny, but you just got 15 bucks worth of bacon bits for  3.99. This applies for everything. Salad bars are your friends, and you are thier worst enemy.
    
      Salad bars, one of my personal favorites. They have cold cuts and you can LOAD up on cold cuts, cheeses, fruits, nuts, salad dressings (ask for a cup and fill it up, you paid for salad dressing they didnt say how much you could take), salsa whatever you can think of. Just make sure it pays for itself, in most cases you can save at least a few bucks. In some cases you can save a Lot. 

Got to run but we'll follow with more, and feel free to contribute!!

The more ideas and suggestions we get here the happier and cheaper we can all live!  

    Its been a long time since ive had much of anything to say. aside from the usual updates in new living arrangements and employments and such, Id rather expound on an old love that ive rediscovered. I realized that its been years (almost a decade) since i last treated myself right. Regular workouts and proper diet have been a stock joke for me. (theyll remain so but i guess i too must fall beneath the juggernaut of self improvement) So yes im back on a diet, last time i went on the diet i  lost 45 pounds, this time im aiming for a mere 25-30. Of course Ive gained 3 pounds so far on the diet, but i blame that on my reacquaintance with an old flame. I missed that feel of explosive strength i had back when i was invincible. The fast healing and the confidence that no matter what was asked i could do it.I miss the fire in the veins. Im not sure if 10 years of sedentary lifestyle (and a diet that should have complications), and 15 years of smoking (also quit) have had an irreversible toll on my well being. But im Going to find out. Its hard when you start after sitting for a long time to not go for the old benchmarks, that urge drives you to want to put the bar one notch higher. You want to explode on the room, scream your defiance at the years that have been beating you down. Make the world know that I RISE.  But The time isnt yet, for now we fill the tank, start the fire that will spread through the veins. Dust off the gauges and oil the hinges. Let the beast mummur as it wakes, theres plentty of time to roar. Start it up and cough and sputter, spit your blood and feel the years flake off your skin like an old shell, a self you can no longer stand to have a part of you. I can taste that metal bitterness telling me its the right choice.

Its time to kick the tires.

Current Music: Orbital - The Box (extended version)

i can be reached through im mon-friday 9-5 aim: chucknmidgets . sorry for being so out of touch.

    Theres a fine line between good and evil. Some of us waver on either side, but never stray too far into one or the other. Some of us spend our time running from one extreme to the next. A rare few of us choose a side and stick to it. Today i mourn the passing of one who took the good side and never strayed.

    From the first day i met him, jumping at the chance to come home with me hes been the epitome of a good pet. Always quiet, patient , and unobtrusive. He never did beat the bars that held him in, but he never stopped trying.

    Today marks the passing of "The Dude". His passing looks to have been quick, most likely heart related due to a diet that would have felled a lesser creature in days.  He was hands down the best pet ive even had the pleasure of living with. I will miss him dearly.

Current Location: work
Current Mood: Despondent

Kinda strange being calm when your life is flying around you like a tornado. If you havent caught the Monty Python show at the Acrosstown Repertory Theater youre missing out !  Its a good time :}   Between working crazy hours and being at the theater and a change in my living location i havent seen much of anyone lately. Fraid thats gonna continue for a while, the moneys good, the theater demands attention (which i love anyway) and my girlfriend (yep) pretty much gets the rest. Drop me a line if you feel like hanging out, talking, or whatever.

I sit in the midst of the storm
I am not moved
I love the rain
The tears of the gods
I love the wind
The breath of the land
I love the thunder
Voice of the sky

voice of the sky
speak to me in your kind and godly voice
tell me what you see
from your seat in the clouds
point to beauty that i cannot  see
with fingers of lightning


breath of the land
flow over me
inhale the hot dry air
and breathe over me
your cool moist refreshment
your scent so clean
like the scent of water

tears of the gods
purify me
wash away my thoughts
and leave in thier place
streams of cold
leave me fresh
and clean when they pass

I sit in the midst of the storm
I am not moved
I love the rain
The wind
And the thunder.

Current Location: work
Current Mood: calm
Current Music: James Brown - Sex machine

Its not often i say much on a polital vein. But I'm raising my voice about this. This is unadulterated, UNREPRESENTED, UNCONTROLLED TAXATION. On a group of people who are already unrepresented (due to a busted union). Its bad enough that teachers dont get paid well enough, but to add insult to injury is really too much.

http://www.kdhnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=17757

What kills me the most about this whole thing is "The written agreement must be in place before the first day of the employee's service; otherwise, the deferred compensation is subject to a 20 percent excise tax charged to the employee." . This change in regulation was announced the DAY BEFORE most teachers go back to work. On a sunday! Jesus hopped up christ!

But amerika will take it with a grimace. Cause thats what we do.

When are we having the ten million man march on dc for tax reform?

Its always darkest when you have your eyes closed. Over the last week ive been tempted to think my world was a dark and depressing place. I fell into that, my fault. Shouldnt let things get to me like that. So while out for a walk today i finally saw the butterflies flocking around me. Thought i was noticing bubbles on the bottom of a puddle, but on a closer  (and quite smiling) look it was a bunch of frog eggs. Lo and behold they were hatching before my eyes! Awesome! Now frogs arent MY favorite creatures, but im sure theyre someones. Which makes it really cool.
 :}
Saw some pretty flowers. I was also reminded very strongly at how much i missed by driving by everything. The baby horses have shot up since i last saw them, and i got to say hi to my favorite indifferent horse (who never says hi back, but why should that stop me?).

On a side note today has been way too stressfull to be healthy, but ill cope.

Its hard to have a crappy outlook when your'e looking with the right kind of eyes.



Was that the best you had god ? (cause the butterflies and tadpoles were impressive ;P)

Current Location: in the monastery
Current Mood: On the edge
Current Music: pepper - rent

Its been a while since ive said much of anything to anyone. For those of you whove missed me, i apologize, for the rest of you.....What the hell man? thats cold! I assure you i had an amazing reason.
So after a few weeks of having my world tossed around, i return. I think the return journey started today while i was at Sam's club. For those of you who arent familiar with one of my loves in life: i enjoy finding ways to feed myself for pennies a day. Still eating well is the challenge.

Ive done it again !
While this wont beat Grits (the single cheapest food ive EVER found), I was walking through Sams and had a moment of mathmetical momentum strike my meager mind with the meaty force of a mac truck! So i bought 100 hot dogs for just under 10$ (10c a piece), the buns ran me 11c a piece. So for 42c i can have 2 hot dogs which is a (semi)decent meal. Plus whatever cost condiments run me (like im paying for condiments?!?!?!?! fuck that ill just walk up into a fast food place load up and walk out).  MMmmmmmmmm.... Hot dogs.  Lots and Lots of hot dogs.... im gonna be sooo sick of hot dogs.....   but 50 meals for >14$.... cant beat it.

Current Mood: happy
Current Music: Pepper - Sittin on a curb

Thank you to everyone who showed up and munched on cheesecake. It seems like a good time was had by all :}. It was my pleasure to have you all over.

So whats next? ideas? suggestions? someone had mentioned a make your own sushi type thing......   Im always open to new ideas :}. Bring em on.

Current Location: Home
Current Mood: Full (still)
Current Music: apocalyptica - faraway