End of the Year Meme List Thing - December 25, 2025

I've been doing this since 2010! 15 years and I'm the only one who reads this! :D 

1. What did you do in 2025 that you'd never done before?

Collected unemployment. Flew domestic first class.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

No but I'm waiting for my word of the year to appear. 

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

I can never remember offhand but probably.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Yes. :(

5. What countries did you visit?

Stayed in the US but did go to New York state if that counts.

6. What would you like to have in 2026 that you lacked in 2025?

Consistency.

7. What date from 2025 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

November 6 - the day I got offered a new job.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Kept my family afloat despite not having any consistent income for most of the year. And then, after sending out 30 billion job applications, landing a new job that in many ways is better than my last one. Lost 40 pounds on a GLP!

9. What was your biggest failure?

Not only did I not drive but I spent the year depressed.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Nothing specific this year.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

The monthly vial of magic juice that helped me lose 40 pounds and counting.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Honestly? TayTay Swiftorama really surprised me.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Every politician.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Living life. 

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

I went to a LOT of great concerts this year.

16. What song will always remind you of 2025?

"Do you have any kids?" "Yes I have one daughter, how 'bout you?"

17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?

Happier for sure.

II. Thinner or fatter?

THINNER!

III. Richer or poorer?

Poorer than last year because we used up a large chunk of savings to get by - but that'll change soon.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Working lol

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Being sad

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

We went to HMart! We're getting Chinese Dhaba later with Wendy and the fam!

21. What, if any, insight did you gain about yourself in 2025?

It's OK to use medication to lose weight, I'm not a failure. I struggled my whole life with ADHD and finally it makes sense.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Ghosts, still. A lot of shows I liked were canceled this year, so I felt like I wasn't looking forward to much on TV. Drag Race, a little bit. Next Level Chef. And the latest Stranger Things surprised me with how much I actually liked it (I was going to skip it!)

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

Actually I don't know if there's anyone NEW on the list.

26. What was the best book you read?

Everything Is Tuberculosis. You Gotta Eat. Aftertaste. How to Keep House While Drowning. Also several romancey books because they were very comforting (and...spicy, just a lil).

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I realized I could get certain things out of my system by making "mix tapes" using the various digital thingies (because old) and that was fantastic. Also I did a fun Spotify game with a friend and her friends and I definitely heard a BUNCH of new stuff that way.

28. What did you want and get?

A NEW JOB

29. What did you want and not get?

I can't tell you.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?

I never have the brain to watch movies anymore, which is ridiculous because I WILL binge-watch certain TV shows....

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I didn't really do anything. I am 52 now.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Getting a job sooner, I guess. 

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2024?

I got dressed EVERY SINGLE DAY (except one or two deliberate pajama days).

34. What kept you sane?

Threads, Dollar Tree, the fact that I had to focus on job hunting.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Ugh there's this one """famous""" person and I fell down a rabbit hole for a while. I kicked that habit though and may never go back.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

* waves hands *

37. Who did you miss?

Long-distance friends and all of my co-workers that I actually liked. (Also realizing that some of those co-workers were NEVER my friends and that missing them was a waste was eye-opening.)

38. Who was the best new person you met?

The new job crew.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2025.

The job market is bullshit. BULLSHIT. But if you can get the right combo of words on your resume, you might be able to get a job. 

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

"Fuck you and your untouchable face."

End of the Year Meme List Thing - December 19, 2024

 I've been doing this since 2010!

1. What did you do in 2024 that you'd never done before?

Broke a bone! (TWO!)

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

No but my word for the year was "Release" and in the end it was very appropriate.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Probably.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Yes. Yes yes yes. Awful.

5. What countries did you visit?

Didn't leave the US this year.

6. What would you like to have in 2025 that you lacked in 2024?

Trust.

7. What date from 2024 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

October 29

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Did a multi-leg trip all by my own self. Also survived so much awfulness including the aforementioned broken bones.

9. What was your biggest failure?

I still haven't driven. <- ugh, same.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

YES I ABSOLUTELY DID. Also I got diagnosed finally with ADHD (which is STILL not 100% formal but is real and true)

11. What was the best thing you bought?

All the Dollar Tree shit (this was the year I became full-on obsessed with DT). All the perfume. It was a fun consumerism-y year in that regard.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

[redacted]

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Every politician.

14. Where did most of your money go?

The broken bones (thankful for supplemental insurance).

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Dollar Tree, lol.

16. What song will always remind you of 2024?

Hot to Go!

17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?

Sadder.

II. Thinner or fatter?

Fatter 

III. Richer or poorer?

Poorer.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Driving.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Putting in effort at a job that didn't care about me.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

As always, Hmart!

21. What, if any, insight did you gain about yourself in 2024?

I have ADHD! But I knew that.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Ghosts, probably. Felt like there wasn't a lot of exciting TV this year. I watched Jeopardy almost every day though.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

YES. 10000%.

26. What was the best book you read?

Sharks Don't Sink: Adventures of a Rogue Shark Scientist

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Probably Chappell Roan lol I was late.

28. What did you want and get?

New friends with specific interests related to mine!

29. What did you want and not get?

To be employed.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?

I don't think I really watched any movies this year.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I spent it mostly depressed. Turned 51. Had plans that fell through. Went to La Semilla.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Still being at my job? Not breaking bones?

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2024?

No shoes.

34. What kept you sane?

Not much, I tell you what.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

IDK there were a few cute TikTokers.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

The fucking election fuck fuck fuck.

37. Who did you miss?

So many people.

38. Who was the best new person you met?

Angela and Keke!

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2024.

Don't trip and fall when you're over 50 because shit breaks.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

I heard you like magic.....

End of the Year Meme List Thing - December 24, 2023

I've been doing this since 2010!

1. What did you do in 2023 that you'd never done before?

Went to Scotland!

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

Last year the word that came to me was "Grace" and I held onto that all year.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Last year I said people would in 2022. I can't remember anymore. Some co-workers did?

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Yes. Kari.

5. What countries did you visit?

Scotland and England.

6. What would you like to have in 2024 that you lacked in 2023?

Peace.

7. What date from 2023 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

October 7.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Four years at my job. Planned a whole trip relatively quickly, went, and turned 50. Also going back to therapy. Got back to NYC for a day!

9. What was your biggest failure?

I still haven't driven.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Nothing specific.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

The milk frother! The tickets to Tori, Liz, Death Cab/Postal Service. The ticket to Scotland. MY KITTY. (I mean we didn't buy him, he adopted us, but still.)

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

I have no idea.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

The planet.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Scotland and a new hot water heater.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Scotland! Also Alabama.

16. What song will always remind you of 2023?

What Was I Made For

17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?

Both.

II. Thinner or fatter?

Fatter 

III. Richer or poorer?

Poorer.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Driving.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Worrying.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

Hmart and Chinese food.

21. What, if any, insight did you gain about yourself in 2023?

Ask my therapist.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

The strikes messed that all up, but RPDR UK and Found, probably.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

Yes.

26. What was the best book you read?

Hard to pick a favorite but I'm reading book 70 as I type this.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Uhhhhhhh

28. What did you want and get?

To FINALLY go to Scotland.

29. What did you want and not get?

To not turn 50?

30. What was your favorite film of this year?

Barbie is probably the easiest answer bc it was the only movie I really watched this year.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I went to Scotland and I stood at a Loch and took in the scenery.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

A raise.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2023?

Blankies.

34. What kept you sane?

My kittiebabies.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Mostly it's local drag queens and burlesque artists you haven't heard of.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

War.

37. Who did you miss?

A lot of answers to this question are true.

38. Who was the best new person you met?

I don't know.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2023.

You're never done with therapy.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

Probably something Tori.

End of the Year Meme List Thing - December 20, 2022

I've been doing this since 2010!

1. What did you do in 2022 that you'd never done before?

Went to both Finland and Portugal!

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

Nah.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Not that I can remember, but next year some of them will!

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Yes.

5. What countries did you visit?

Finland and Portugal!

6. What would you like to have in 2023 that you lacked in 2022?

Peace.

7. What date from 2022 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

The end of May. 

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Three years at my job. Travel without fear (including time alone in various cities).

9. What was your biggest failure?

I did not fail this year.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Yep. The Rona got me.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

The new Tivo. The various boots. All the concert tickets. THE STICKERS.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

ME. Always. (also Warnock)

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Good fucking lord alla them.

14. Where did most of your money go?

O's surgery. The new deck. The new washing machine. But also travel-food.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

TRAVELING! Including travel home.

16. What song will always remind you of 2022?

Addition of Light Divided.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?

Happier except also sadder.

II. Thinner or fatter?

Fatter 

III. Richer or poorer?

eh

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Walking outside.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Covid.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

Hmart may be back on the table, as may be Chinese Dhaba.

21. What, if any, insight did you gain about yourself in 2022?

I can travel and it's FINE.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

US and UK Ghosts. Guy's Grocery Games. Abbott Elementary. Stranger Things. 

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

Nah

26. What was the best book you read?

I'm currently reading book 62. I use Goodreads to keep track.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I'm so bad about this.

28. What did you want and get?

Travel!

29. What did you want and not get?

NO RONA

30. What was your favorite film of this year?

Turning Red.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 49. I was supposed to see the B52s but they postponed, so I went out for vegan food with Wendy.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

IDK

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2022?

Jeans and comfy shirts.

34. What kept you sane?

Routine.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Noneathem.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

The midterms.

37. Who did you miss?

Tiner

38. Who was the best new person you met?

Melissa, maybe?

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2022.

Global Entry is 100% worth it.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

I'll come back to this.

End of the Year Meme List Thing - December 21, 2021

This year was such shit. Again.

I've been doing this since 2010!

1. What did you do in 2021 that you'd never done before?

Saw Hamilton, I guess?

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

No and no.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

I don't think so.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Yes.

5. What countries did you visit?

I didn't even visit any other STATES in 2021.

6. What would you like to have in 2022 that you lacked in 2021?

Travel.

7. What date from 2021 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

January 6....I guess.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I did some great stuff at my job and I'm thisclose to finishing out TWO years there!

9. What was your biggest failure?

I feel like my 2020 answers are the same for 2021. This year was just a blurry fail that whipped by so fast....

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

No.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

The mermaid blankies. The treadmill. My new Kindle that is waterproof (although I have yet to take a bath with it). The candle warmer. The tiny ice cube tray. 

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

ME. 

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Oh let's make a list.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Groceries/food deliveries/take out. <- same as 2020 - but also a down payment on some work on the house that will be done next year and the replacement microwave.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

The summer party (and the summer in general, when things were kind of....OK for a hot second.)

16. What song will always remind you of 2021?

Olivia Rodrigo's song came out in 2021, right? Did it? Oh also the new Tori songs.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?

Honestly, happier (incrementally)

II. Thinner or fatter?

Fatter but finally accepting that diet culture is a lie.

III. Richer or poorer?

Richer.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Running around in those brief months after I was fully vaccinated and was sure everything was finally going to be OK.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

*waves hands*

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

I don't know. Thanks to Omicron, I don't even know if we'll eat with friends or just stay home alone. I would LIKE to go to HMart but even that may not happen.

21. What, if any, insight did you gain about yourself in 2021?

Wow does medication help!

You really can get through anything.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

No I guess not.

26. What was the best book you read?

I read 80 books this year and a lot of them were good.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Eurovision that we all watched was this year, right? I liked Eurovision.

28. What did you want and get?

To go to the art museum, concerts, and restaurants.

29. What did you want and not get?

The 2021 I thought we were going to have.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?

Did I watch any actual movies this year? I can't remember anymore.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

Saw Dinosaur Jr. I am 48.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Everyone getting vaccinated? 

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2021?

Elastic waist and soft T shirt.

34. What kept you sane?

Snacks.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

I revived my ASkars thing and have a running joke with a friend in Sweden about him now.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

BBB

37. Who did you miss?

Frances

38. Who was the best new person you met?

Jenny in Sweden!

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2021.

People are so fucking selfish.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

Years go by....

End of the Year Meme List Thing - December 20, 2020

This year was such shit.

I did this in 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, and 2010! At some point I'll fill in the links.....

1. What did you do in 2020 that you'd never done before?

Lived through a motherfucking pandemic. 

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

No and no.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

The year is a blur. I don't think so?

4. Did anyone close to you die?

OtterFreak. Forever missed. What a bullshit year.

5. What countries did you visit?

HAHAHAHA. I was supposed to go to Finland three times for work. Instead I....did not.

6. What would you like to have in 2021 that you lacked in 2020?

FUCKING EVERYTHING. Concerts and restaurants and hugs and everything.

7. What date from 2020 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

December 5 - the day Olli got out. December 20 - the day Olli came back.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Surviving?

I also started another new job and this one has actually worked out so well all year.

9. What was your biggest failure?

2020 was the failure, not me.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Thankfully, no.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

I think I got the air fryer this year? I don't remember.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Fauci!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

EVERYBODY.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Groceries/food deliveries/take out.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Well at first it was the opportunity to travel.

Then it was like...oh guess what, we're going to wear masks and go get take out from Leons.

16. What song will always remind you of 2020?

2020 was the year my kid discovered top 40, ugh. So like....Dua Lipa's hits and the Weeknd and that Lonely Chick song and the song about queens on a throne and...

17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?

Sadder

II. Thinner or fatter?

Fatter

III. Richer or poorer?

Richer.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Living life.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Quarantining.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

I'm sadly not sure this year. We still may get Chinese Dhaba and eat it over Zoom with friends or go outside? No H-mart, pretty sure.

21. What, if any, insight did you gain about yourself in 2020?

You need more than therapy and it's OK to take the meds.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

The gorbidge show of the Masked Singer got me through this year. Also Schitt's Creek (now have watched it 2x through). 

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

Yeah.

26. What was the best book you read?

Why Fish Don't Exist and For Small Creatures Such as We and Nobody Will Tell You This But Me and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.

I read 61 books this year and the year isn't over yet.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Nothing.

28. What did you want and get?

A new job.

29. What did you want and not get?

To travel to Finland.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?

HAMILTON!

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

Slutty Vegan and ice cream fishie. I am 47.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

I mean...no COVID?

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2020?

Comfort.

34. What kept you sane?

I have. No. Idea.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Nah.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

The election!

(Also Covid obvs)

37. Who did you miss?

15 days without Olli.

Josh.

My friends. My life,

38. Who was the best new person you met?

Jamie!

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2020.

Masks protect us all.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

2020, what the actual fuck?

End of the Year Meme List Thing - December 22, 2019

It's that time of year again! And "even if I abandon this blog for 99% of the year, I think I'll always come back to do this."

Away we go! I did this in 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, and 2010!

1. What did you do in 2019 that you'd never done before?

Had a Slutty Vegan burger. Started working at a startup.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I wanted to find a new job and I found a new job.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yep! New babies. :)

4. Did anyone close to you die?

I don't think I lost anyone close to me in 2019.

5. What countries did you visit?

I didn't travel this year.

6. What would you like to have in 2020 that you lacked in 2019?

Ease.

7. What date from 2019 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

Probably my first day at the new job. This year was kind of just an exercise in getting through.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I found a new job in the timeframe I set for myself. I hit goals, I published a ton of shit, I did well even though I wasn't happy about it.

Also I am ending the year having lost 20 pounds - the 20 pounds I put back on over time. I'm close to my realistic goal and I have a stretch goal but I accept that I'll never get to where I was in WW. That said, I'm losing weight mindfully and this time I'm losing weight WHILE having a full-time job (when I did WW I was working fully for myself and had a lot of time to cook/exercise - and I gained it all back as soon as I got a job). I hope this time it sticks. It feels right.

9. What was your biggest failure?

That I didn't vet the new job as closely as I could have. That I still sometimes let anxiety get the best of me.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Yeah but it's fine.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

I always make my biggest purchases in November/December to take advantage of sales. I've had a smartwatch for about 2 weeks and I really like it. I also splurged on an iPhone 11 - I've NEVER had the newest, latest model of pretty much ANYTHING and I am SO PLEASED that I did this. I love it.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

RBG, I guess?

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

EVERYBODY.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Mortgage, savings.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

I got to see a few shows with friends - Garbage and Sleater-Kinney and....was Liz Phair this year? I think so?

16. What song will always remind you of 2019?

Funny you should ask, I just "discovered" that I like Graveyard by Halsey because it's in a Pandora ad, so probably that.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?

Happier? Depends.

II. Thinner or fatter?

THINNER!

III. Richer or poorer?

Richer.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Travel. Leaning into when it's easy and not pushing so hard when it's hard.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Being anxious. Still.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

The same as every year, Pinky - a trip to Super H-Mart, Indian-Chinese food.

21. What, if any, insight did you gain about yourself in 2019?

Therapy is awesome and you learned so much. YOU ARE AN ADULT! WHO HAS VALID THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS THAT ARE OK TO EXPRESS!

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Goodbye to Crazy Ex-GF and Jane the Virgin. Bojack Horseman. This Is Us (I know, but I'm hooked). Uh...I kind of started watching the Masked Singer and it was good stupid fun. The Good Place. Broad City. Pose. Schitt's Creek (I'm on S1).

(To refresh my memory, I checked my Tivo OnePass list and it's a literal graveyard of shows that are no longer on. Sad.)

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

I don't think so.

26. What was the best book you read?

Here's what I gave 5 stars to this year:

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine.
The Library Book.
I am I am I am
The Radium Girls.
The Wedding Date (*the sequels were NOT great)
Once More We Saw Stars (maybe maybe I can say this is the best of the year)
A Dream About Lightning Bugs (I read a lot of musician memoirs - Flea's was bad but readable, Ani's was upsetting, Liz Phair's was REALLY good, but Ben's was my favorite)
Because Internet.
The Starless Sea. (lovely)

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Hahahaha I guess it was Halsey? And I like Lizzo a lot. I sometimes tell Alexa (I currently have a few trial months of Amazon music) to play me a Tori mix. I'm still that girl.

28. What did you want and get?

A new job.

29. What did you want and not get?

A NEW new job

30. What was your favorite film of this year?

I probably should watch more movies - I have Hulu and Netflix and Disney+....but I didn't really. I think I may see Star Wars this week?

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

Went to Iberian Pig with two very good friends and ate tons of delicious food. I am now 46. Whoa.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

If only the new job had been what it was supposed to be.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2019?

Capsule.

34. What kept you sane?

Therapy! (But now it's over.)

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Nyle, maybe?

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

ITMFA!

37. Who did you miss?

I still miss Mikko.

38. Who was the best new person you met?

Olli isn't a person but he's pretty great.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2019.

Adulthood...is a thing....

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

I can't think of anything but maybe I'll come back to it.

End of the Year Meme List Thing - December 10, 2018

It's that time of year again! And "even if I abandon this blog for 99% of the year, I think I'll always come back to do this."

Away we go! I did this in 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, and 2010!

1. What did you do in 2018 that you'd never done before?

Went to Las Vegas. Bought a motherfucking houuuuuuuse.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I don't tend to do this.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

I don't think so.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Mikko. </3

5. What countries did you visit?

I went all over the US this year.

6. What would you like to have in 2019 that you lacked in 2018?

Peace.

7. What date from 2018 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

The day that Mikko passed away. And the day we closed on our house. That's all 2018 is, really.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I was promoted and now I am a BOSS with a TEAM. (Also I bought a house.)

9. What was your biggest failure?

That I let anxiety get the best of me. Though I'm working on it.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Nothing too terrible this year.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Uh, my HOUSE, duh.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

NOBODY.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

EVERYBODY.

14. Where did most of your money go?

A down payment.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Uh, MY HOUSE. Also the travel I did (Vegas, Maine, Boston).

16. What song will always remind you of 2018?

The Arthur theme song, maybe?

17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?

Sadderish.

II. Thinner or fatter?

Fatter.

III. Richer or poorer?

Richer.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Finding that peaceful spot where I can breathe.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Being anxious.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

This is the answer I gave last year: The same as every year, Pinky - a trip to Super H-Mart, Indian-Chinese food.

21. What, if any, insight did you gain about yourself in 2018?

"You should've started therapy way sooner, but I'm so glad you started it."

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Crazy Ex-girlfriend. The Haunting of Hill House. Speechless.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

Yes.

26. What was the best book you read?

Everything Happens for a Reason and Other Lies I've Loved, The Astonishing Color of After, Building a Storybrand, Get In Trouble, Little Fires Everywhere

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I still mostly listen to podcasts.

28. What did you want and get?

MY HOUSE!

29. What did you want and not get?

To paint my house.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?

I don't think I really watched any movies.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

Before it, I went to Boston. After it, I went for vegan gourmet food with friends. I'm old now.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

The biggest, toughest, saddest, most awful thing of the year not happening.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018?

Templatized. (Also Amazon-purchased.)

34. What kept you sane?

Therapy. Literally.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Eh.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

Good fucking lord, what issue DIDN'T?

37. Who did you miss?

Mikko.

38. Who was the best new person you met?

So far my new direct reports win. I wonder how I'll feel about that answer in a year.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2018.

Trust yourself. Ignore impostor syndrome. And go to therapy.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

no.

End of the Year Meme List Thing - December 10, 2017

It's that time of year again! And "even if I abandon this blog for 99% of the year, I think I'll always come back to do this."

Away we go! I did this in 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, and 2010!

1. What did you do in 2017 that you'd never done before?

Began an unexpected new career. Went to Nashville. Tried hypnotherapy. (Didn't work)

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I don't tend to do this.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Michelle! Jen! I think there were more - sorry if I forgot you. (I'll try to come back and update.)

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Vicki. And Roz. I fucking HATE that I have to update with her name. <3

5. What countries did you visit?

None.

6. What would you like to have in 2018 that you lacked in 2017?

Sleep. Clarity. Stability.

7. What date from 2017 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

The summer (the day someone tried to fuck with my career) and mid-November (when I found out that I was not only going to be hired but with a promotion).

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

This entire year was one big accomplishment. In February I walked into a 20-hour-a-week contracting gig as a writer. Tomorrow I begin a full-time, salaried manager position that I earned.

9. What was your biggest failure?

That I didn't talk back more to those who were in my way.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Yes. Antibiotics fixed me right up.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

New mattress (Leesa) and bed. Lots of new clothing. Instant Pot. New toaster oven. Squatty potty! Native Invader! Tori tickets! The kid's new walker (and talker, though I didn't technically buy that). Aeropress.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My kid. My boss!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Everyone else.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Cat and doctor bills, savings, and getting us the FUUUUCK OUT OF DEBT!

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

My job! My Tori road trip!

16. What song will always remind you of 2017?

Up the Creek

17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?

Happier.

II. Thinner or fatter?

Fatter.

III. Richer or poorer?

Richer.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Traveling. Driving. Being brave.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Anxietying. THAT IS SO A WORD.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

This is the answer I gave last year: The same as every year, Pinky - a trip to Super H-Mart, Indian-Chinese food.

BUT ALSO this year I have 11 days off in a row from before Christmas to New Year's Day!

21. What, if any, insight did you gain about yourself in 2017?

I'm powerful as hell and smart and amazing.

22. Did you fall in love in 2017?

Sure.

23. How many one night stands?

I think it's time to delete this question.

24. What was your favorite TV program?

Jane the Virgin, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Shark Tank, BoJack Horseman, The Handmaid's Tale, The Americans, Orphan Black, Last Man on Earth

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

Yes. But I didn't know them last year.

26. What was the best book you read?

Fresh Complaint. Some Bright Morning I'll Fly Away. The First Rule of Punk. Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies. The Almost Sisters. Lilian Boxfish Takes a Walk. The Bright Hour. Hunger. The MaddAddam trilogy. The Family Gene. You Are a Badass. March x 3.  Fates and Furies.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I mostly listen to podcasts.

28. What did you want and get?

A job!

29. What did you want and not get?

An actual vacation with my family.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?

I watched Moana and the Secret Life of Pets a lot.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 44. Went to Nashville. Ate, drank, and saw Tori!

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

This was a really satisfying year.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2017?

Adventurous.

34. What kept you sane?

Some of my friends.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Nobody, really.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

Yeah so.....

37. Who did you miss?

HRC. Vicki.

38. Who was the best new person you met?

My boss. :)

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2017.

You never know where an opportunity will lead.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

I'll have to get back to you.

Aldi Haul Vlog for March 2017

Yep, I'm that person who now vlogs her grocery hauls and posts them to YouTube.

But I was always that person who catalogued her thrifted finds obsessively, so this isn't really all that different (dig back enough and you'll find a few thrifting vlogs that I made too).

SOooooo....today my family went to Aldi for a few things. We didn't buy a lot of necessities, we did buy a lot of snacks/treats, and I have mixed feelings about this but a lot of it will come with me to work so it's OK. Cheaper than going out to lunch for SURE.

We spent $65 (after $5 coupon, yeehaw) and got a ton of stuff. I really do like Aldi a lot, even if the whole "Last time I was here I bought this delicious thing and now it's not here anymore" angle gets a bit tiring.

Afterward, I went with a friend to the new Sprouts. It. Was. Overwhelming. I've been to Sprouts before but I chalked up my freaked-out too-much-stuff feeling to the fact that the main store I used to go to is near a friend's house and it's too far away for me to buy anything of substance (I used it to run in and grab some prepared things for lunch - some veggie sushi or a snack grouping of feta/olives/hummus/pita). Nope, it's an overwhelming store. The price signs are confusing. The aisles are tricky and small. The store layout isn't logical to me. Many items are WAY overpriced. And I wanted to buy some organic strawberries but once I got past the suburban mom who needed to look into EVERY SINGLE PINT (for what?) I looked into ONE pint and it was full of fuzzy white mold so I noped out.

HOWEVER. Sprouts does carry vegetarian items that I cannot find anywhere else - I picked up the Gardein pulled "pork" buns and a single-serve frozen veggie lasagna (that wound up costing more than I thought the sign said, ahem). I also got some organic potatoes, some seitan, some fancy hummus that was on sale (I was going to make some - I mention that in the video - but this was cheap  enough to buy instead of making it), and some blueberries that were a dollar and I was like OMGADOLLAR and then when we were at the car my friend pointed out that they were only a half pint - I think Aldi had a whole pint for less than $2 (and these weren't even organic) so boo to that but I'll still eat and enjoy them. Sprouts will probably be a store we go to for VERY VERY specific items (or for things on sale) but I have way too many other good grocery options to make this a regular part of our rotation. (My brain said to me "I'm already juggling Costco, Aldi, YDFM, and Kroger -  you want me to figure out if this store's prices are comparable to ALL FOUR OF THOSE STORES? Nope." The bulk bins are very enticing too except I watched a little kid dip her fingers in one that held dried oatmeal when her dad wasn't looking....)

Yay haul videos!

Costco Haul Vlog - February 2017 - (PLUS a look at our overboard grocery spending)

Yet another big grocery trip - we spent almost $300, PHEW! But we hadn't been to Costco in a full month, and it was time. Here's my vlog of my Costco haul:


For $300, we bought lots of snacks, a bunch of fresh fruit and veggies, some frozen stuff, some pantry items (my kid is set for mac and cheese for at least a month, if not more), and some health and beauty items (I'm particularly excited to see if the Kirkland contact lens solution is acceptable - which I suspect it is - because that will save me quite a bit of money over Target's house brand). The video has details AND prices, so please watch.

According to Mint, we definitely went a bit overboard with grocery shopping in February, and I'm trying to figure out exactly how we went off the rails. We started off the month with a big trip to Trader Joe's, and that certainly didn't help. This was also the month I discovered Aldi and my pantry shows it - I think that my spending at Aldi will come down as I get used to it (and I also bought a $20 steam cleaner there). There was a trip to Whole Foods, but that was primarily vitamins, and another trip to Rainbow Natural Foods, but that was mostly for household items.

What really got us, of all things, were quick little trips to Kroger - we made ELEVEN trips to Kroger in February, and that includes me going for a short walk and spending $3-$8 in a trip, but it adds up for sure. I also bought food to bring to work, which is new - frozen meals and snacks to keep me away from restaurants, food delivery, and vending machines.

We didn't go to YDFM at all in February because I'm the one who usually goes but instead I was at work and my husband was busy and didn't have time. I think we need to do more YDFM and less Kroger though.

I used all the rebate apps, but most of that cash still hasn't come in yet because of cash-out thresholds. Still, that saved us or will eventually save us money. (I really like Mobisave because it's an instant cash out - even if it's just 10 cents.)

I want to keep our spending for our family of three to about $100-$150/week, and we busted that, but I guess what I'm writing around is that some of our spending at grocery stores wasn't food, and I probably should figure out if our grocery budget means "all spending at any grocery store" or "food only."

In any case, we had a lot of fun at Costco and hopefully we're set for groceries for a while to come.

Second Aldi Haul for February 2017 with VLOG!

This time I had my wits about me to actually vlog my Aldi haul unlike last week...


A friend and I went back to the new one that's a little further away but...NEW! Plus they still have the $5/$30 coupons (and while I brought one with me, the cashier had one that she was just scanning for everyone, which is super nice).

This time I tried to be a little more discerning and not buy All The Things but...I still did, a little. I definitely got more snacky stuff but also things to bring to work.

I'm planning a Costco run on Tuesday (first of the month) so that also kept me from buying too much.

Disappointment: They didn't have the goat cheese and spinach frozen pizza that we bought A WEEK AGO and LOVED. Also the noodle bowls turned out to be a limited item so I bought five (basically what was left) and will plan to hoard them if they ever show up again in the future.

Frustration: Figuring out the coffee. They do have organic/single source/whole bean, but I still wasn't familiar with the options. It's a little more expensive (barely) than Costco but I was going to buy it because now that I have my new job I don't brew coffee at home as often so don't need two pounds. But in the end, the Costco concept won and I will just buy two pounds of whole bean and freeze some of it.

Total spent (after $5/$30 coupon) - $45.

I really like Aldi now. I still think that other stores can beat Aldi on certain items, but for an everyday shopping trip, it's fantastic.

That said, I also went to Kroger afterward - Kroger's cage free eggs are cheaper than Aldi's cage free eggs (Costco beats all but I haven't yet been able to be comfortable buying so many at once). I also bought Sargento Breaks that were on sale (yep, I could've made my own Sargento Breaks but...sale, plus they had the sweet ones....) and picked up some freebies from either Kroger's Friday Free Coupon deal or a Best Customer deal - free pretzel crisps, Chobani Flip (plus I had a digital coupon, plus Ibotta - I bought four.....), and Cambpell's YES! soup (only one variety was truly vegetarian - even the tomato soup had chicken in it, boo). Also avocados (had a 75 cents/2 coupon). And a frozen meal (Mobisave!). (I used Ibotta, Mobisave, AND Checkout51). I only spent about $30 there. Not bad at all.

Aldi Haul (but no vlog) - OMG I GET IT NOW - February 2017

So as you know from a previous blog post and vlog, I finally went back to Aldi for the first time in eons and was...moderately impressed. It was OK. It was fine. The store itself was a bit small and crowded, and I didn't see an extraordinarily grand number of healthy/organic items. But my friend Jen and I agreed that the store that was about to open a few miles away might have a better selection, and we made a plan to go check it out.

(By the way, the store is called Aldi. Not Aldis or Aldi's. ALDI. THERE IS NO S. Thanks.)

That store, in Tucker, GA, just opened a few days ago, and today we went over. The store was, as new stores are, shiny and clean, but it was also BIGGER than the closer store and it definitely had a wider selection of organic produce and other items. It also seemed like things that were out of stock at the closer Aldi were plentiful at the new store.

And so I shopped. And shopped. And shopped.

I couldn't find the energy to make a haul video, and my husband wanted to put everything away, but I snapped some pictures and will tell you about the things I bought in this Aldi haul. In short: I'm now impressed and I can see an Aldi-Costco-Kroger-YDFM synchronicity building.

Two jars of fancy salsa (one mango peach, one black bean and corn) - $1.99 each
Unsalted almonds - $4.99 for 14 oz.
Two jars of Indian simmer sauce - Jalfrezi and Tikka Masala (my husband was VERY excited about these) - $1.99 each
String cheese (not sure if this is an amazing price and I think the Costco price is better but we are out and won't likely get back to Costco for another two weeks - 12 sticks for $2.79 **This is a 10 oz. package for $2.79, and Trader Joe's is 12 oz. for $2.99....
And "Caramel Coconut Fudge Cookies" that look quite similar to a certain cookie sold by a certain organized group (I will make a donation or something) - $1.79 and I hope they're as delicious

The Fit & Active 100 calorie snack packs of cookies and the Fiber Now bars (also easily comparable to identical name-brand packaged foods like these) I got to keep at my desk at my NEW JOB HOORAY! to keep me away from the vending machines (and the donuts that apparently appear from time to time) - $2.19 for the cookies, $1.49 for the bars
The two noodle bowls, both happily marked "VEGAN" so I didn't have to squint at the ingredients, are also for work - $1.69 each, which is an unbeatable price compared to Annie Chun's, which are a dollar more at Kroger. If these are good I'll probably stock up (though I think they might be a limited time thing....which is a side of Aldi I'm not as much of a fan of).
And the organic "Intercontinental Super Grains" was an impulse buy - $2.49, which probably is a decent-but-not-amazing price but it looked good and I bought it so there. I was impressed that Aldi carries this type of thing.

Booze! My husband got a Winking Owl Shiraz for $2.89. I submitted the receipt to BevRage under "any red wine" and got a dollar back! (You can download the BevRage app at your favorite app store but then please use my referral code and we'll both get $2! Code: TWVQMIJU  ) I got this "Wicked Grove" hard cider six pack for $6.49. Even on sale, cider at Kroger hovers around $7.50, so this was another good deal.

This is an example of NOT A GOOD DEAL and also READ THE LABELS ALWAYS and COSTCO WINS. These packages look identical, no? Rice rollers, hooray! The one on the left - Bamboo Lane - is from Costco and is clearly marked "vegan." The one on the right - Fusia - is from Aldi. Fusia rice rollers are only $1.29 per package....but they have gelatin, which I don't eat. The four-pack at Costco is $6.99, so SLIGHTLY more per package, but I can't eat the cheaper ones at Aldi anyway so the choice is kind of obvious. My husband is eating them instead. Not a terrible mistake for a buck. Now I know.

My fun splurge - I saw this Easy Home handheld steam cleaner in the Aldi circular last week and was happy to see that it was still available (the store had plenty of them - they also had a garment steamer that I kind of wish I'd bought too). I've already tested it out and it works well. It has a bit of a plastic smell that I hope dissipates, but the steam was powerful and it cleaned my sink relatively well. Nothing miraculous, but it was only $20 and I kept my expectations low.

What else did I buy? Not pictured:

FROZEN AND PACKAGED FOOD:
Unsweetened almond milk (refrigerated) - $1.99 (I rarely see the name brands for under $2.50 but can probably hit this price with a coupon/sale on occasion. For comparison, Trader Joe's has it for $2.99, and it's on sale this week at Kroger for $2.49 but that's part of a larger buy-six-get-$6 sale.)
A quart of organic unsweetened whole milk yogurt that looks identical to Stonyfield for $2.99
A box of whole grain waffles for $1.29 (Kroger has frozen waffles on sale sometimes 10/$10 but I'm not sure if they're whole grain or not, I'll have to check)
A box of "Moo Tubes" which are basically Go-Gurt....which I HATE BUYING but these had reasonable ingredients and no food dyes, and my kid loves them frozen, and, again, I think they're a better price at Costco (Costco definitely has a slightly healthier version) but at $1.79 for an eight pack I gave in. (*I checked - these are slightly cheaper than the Yoplait brand available at Costco but only by a few cents per pouch, and I still like the ingredient list of the Yoplait version better.)
A frozen spinach and goat cheese pizza that was more appealing to my husband than the larger take-and-bake cheese pizza for $3.49
A bag of frozen edamame for $1.69
Three boxes of "fruit squeezies" that are basically Gogo Squeez for $1.89 for four. Kirkland applesauce pouches are cheaper by a few cents per pouch, but these had different flavors (apple peach and...two others, I forget). Another "tide us over until we can get to Costco" purchase.
Cheese crackers (Cheezits) that my husband haaaad to haaaaave for $1.59
Two cans of cannelini beans for 65 cents each
A bottle of organic salad dressing (chipotle ranch) for $1.99
A bottle of Catalina dressing for $1.29
Organic honey for $3.49
A can of mixed nuts that my kid haaas to haaaaave for $2.79 (better price than anywhere else even if it's a ridiculously overpriced item *cough*)
The same pea crisps that I bought last time in the video for $1.39

BREAD
Basic boring whole wheat bread for $1.39
Sourdough square bread for $2.99 (YDFM's sourdough isn't THAT much more expensive and WAY BETTER but we're out of bread so.)

PRODUCE (I still have to figure out if YDFM beats these prices - I think it may):
A bag of Cara Cara oranges for $3.49
A bag of sweet potatoes for $1.79
A bag of organic baby carrots for $1.49
A four-pack of zucchini (out of season but SO GOOD for spiralizing) for $1.99
Two avocados for 99 cents each (eh - they're big ones but still....)
A package of three green peppers (yuck I hate green peppers) for 99 cents
A 2 pound bag of sweet onions for $1.49

HOUSEHOLD
A three pack of scrubbing sponges (like Scotch Brite) for $1.29
A box of 40 storage bags (quart size) for $1.99

AND FINALLY....a cat scratcher that my cats are currently ignoring after sniffing at it briefly because cats for $4.99

And the saddest tale of woe - I was sure I bought their Laughing Cow knockoff (pepper jack!) but it was not anywhere to be found and it's not on my receipt either so I guess I either put it back or the cashier didn't scan it.

But the best part was that because the store is new, they had coupons for $5 off a $30 purchase and a) the cashiers were scanning them for everyone even if we didn't have the physical coupon (because we didn't) and b) my cashier went "oh, you can break up your transactions" so I did two transactions and thus saved $10! (I could've saved $50 but she realized she could break things up when I hit $60 on the first one, oh well. STILL!)

And so in the end I spent about $110 total for EVERYTHING (about $90 on food).

I'm impressed and excited and definitely am going to be shopping at Aldi again and again and again. Not Aldi's. Not Aldis. ALDI. WITHOUT AN S.

Your Dekalb Farmers Market (YDFM) Haul - The Produce Prices Are Unbeatable - Vlog!

Damn, that post header sounds like a commercial....

Basically, I got really caught up in the wide world of major grocery stores. Costco! Aldi! Kroger! Whole Foods! (Side note: I had a terrible awful no good cashier experience at a local WF, and the team responded by offering me a $25 gift card, but I'm rarely at that store so I haven't picked it up yet. When I do, perhaps THAT will be a video....)

Yesterday my husband said he wanted to run to YDFM (which longtime blog readers know is actually our number one grocery store of choice - for a long time it was our ONLY store, with short trips to Kroger for fill-in items) and I hadn't been in a few weeks so I went along - and I fell in love all over again, which happens EVERY TIME I skip going for a few weeks and then return.

I made a haul video because I thought that since the store's policy of no video inside was so strict, I'd be one of the few who did so. I was wrong - there are various videos on YouTube if you dig around, including videos inside the store. I don't know how they got away with it, but they did. I didn't do that - my video is after we got home, showing what I bought.


In brief, when I shop at YDFM I buy almost NO processed items (not zero but not much). I buy largely organic items. The produce prices are, as I say in my commercial-sounding header, basically unbeatable. Organic apples are, at least right now (prices fluctuate with the market), about $1/pound less than what I have been paying at Costco (which I never should've even done but I swear the first time I bought Costco organic apples the price WAS less than YDFM that week) and also I can pick and choose my own fruit vs. buying a big plastic container. The dried mango (I show this in the video) is half the price of what I paid at Aldi and tastes better and fresher.

Stop here and watch the video - the rest of this post is just my random thoughts and you can totally skip that. (If you do watch the video, hop over to YouTube and give it a Like would ya? Or even SUBSCRIBE OOOOOOH.)

Rambling thoughts about my recent grocery travels vs. YDFM

The tempeh? With a coupon and sale, that's cheaper at Kroger, but it's one of those "we're here already, just grab it" foods.
YDFM doesn't sell certain food my family likes to eat that I have to get elsewhere.
YDFM also only has food and sometimes it's easier to go to Kroger/Costco/Target and get not only food but also household items.
Right now Aldi has an unbeatable price on almond milk, for example (even with coupon, sale combo). Aldi also is likely the winner in snack food (though YDFM has some higher end items). But YDFM seemed to beat Aldi on fancy stuffed olives (in the video I show plain kalamata olives - unbeatable price for those for sure).
Costco's giant-ass blocks of cheese beat everyone else - but they're nothing special and certainly aren't organic. Both YDFM and our local Kroger (which has an entire special fancy cheese section) can probably beat Costco if I want something different....at least in a more reasonable size.

It takes time, energy, and gas to go to 5 different stores to save money. I could drive myself crazy trying to catch all the sales. I've started ignoring the Target sales. I've been also skipping some of the buy-X-things-save-$Y sales at Kroger even though they often include freebies or super-cheap things because I just don't have the brain space for that right now.

Also we don't go to Publix at all anymore and that used to be our main store - but there's a rumor I'm getting a Publix in WALKING DISTANCE of my house (right now I can walk to a tiny Kroger that has recently upped its game in the organic/healthy aisles). A Sprouts is opening in about 2 months that's around the corner, and soon after that we're getting a nearby Whole Foods 365 (supposedly a competitor to Trader Joe's). Oh speaking of TJs, as I'd hoped, most of these other stores have finally taken over my desire to go there. I simply cannot be good in TJs - but we do need a few specific things there soon (like the cereal bars my kid loves - no other store has an option that is both tasty and priced well).

This is all stream of consciousness rambling and if you made it this far, I congratulate you. I hope you liked my vlog and grocery haul!

Checking out Aldi for the first time - Vlog of my haul

WHY do I like to both watch and make haul videos of groceries?

Why do any of us do it?

I guess it's because I like to see what's available, what the prices are, what people are buying (I'm nosy!), and what I might buy on my own next trip.



Anyway, I finally went to Aldi with a friend of mine to see if it was as amazing in person as it seemed to be in haul videos and from what several friends had told me. Aldi seems to inspire a LOT of gushy love. Above, you can find my vlog about what I bought.

My overall impression? It's OK. My friend and I (the "we" I'll refer to in this post) did go to a smaller store this time, but we made plans to see if the brand new store (opening in a few weeks) has a better selection of organic/healthy type items. The store we were at was also....not the cleanest? For example, I found organic salad dressing in glass bottles that seemed to be a good price for a quality product - but several of the bottles had drips on them. I didn't buy it.

I also felt the same way about a lot of the items that I felt when I went a few years ago - still a lot of processed food (and I'm not AGAINST processed food but I do try to watch out for certain ingredients). Not a lot of vegetarian options (could be the store? for example, the take and bake pizzas were all very meaty....but maybe a different store catering to a different clientele would have veg versions?). No tofu. No whole wheat pasta. Basically for my family, Aldi could never be our main store. Costco comes closer to that when we combine it with YDFM and Kroger.

HOWEVER, what I bought was all really impressive to me, price-wise. That almond milk is SO cheap and if it's good, I'll gladly switch to it. The "premium ice cream" that's clearly a Ben & Jerry's copycat was half the price of B&J. The plastic bags beat Target's everyday price (I just hope they're good quality). And of course if you watch the video you'll hear just how happy I was about the Zulka. I didn't buy whole bean coffee because I'd just bought a bag at Costco, but the price was comparable and it was fair trade (and maybe even organic? I can't remember) so if I didn't want to buy two pounds at a time, I'd probably switch.

But the "organic" (faux-Annie's) mac and cheese that my kid lives on? Cheaper at Kroger and Costco. The baking soda - I think that's the same price at Kroger. I think the cheap mustard is the same price at Kroger too. I'm not sure if the pea crisps or the dried mango were particularly good prices - I kind of got overwhelmed in those sections and just...bought them. (The kid LOVED the pea crisps though. And she's picky.) Kroger and Trader Joe's both have $3 wine. (Sidenote: Aldi prosecco costs the same as Costco prosecco - $6.99 - and I couldn't tell the difference - my friend bought Aldi, I bought Kirkland, and we had a taste test.) And the plastic bags are probably the same price as Target when Target has a sale plus Cartwheel (which is often).

What I'm saying is that Aldi has potential for me. If I didn't have a Costco membership, it would definitely rank higher for me (and it is closer to where I live). If I didn't want to fuss with coupons and sales, it also would be more appealing - but I LOVE fussing with coupons and sales, and I can do really well at Kroger by doing so.

Stay tuned. In a few weeks we'll check out the new store and I'll let you know if that changed my mind at all.

Second Costco Haul of January 2017 (Vlog)

So....I made a really crappy haul video!

The story is that I made the first half with my phone in my typical dorky way and then put everything from that half away so it wouldn't melt/go bad.

Then I started making the second half and...my phone ran out of room.
I deleted stuff and tried again.
Ran out of room.
Deleted...ran out.
Then I sent a bunch of stuff to Dropbox to clear off more room, and it was taking FOREVER so I pulled out my DSLR and made the second half.
That ALSO took....many tries.
Finally I got a full take that I thought was good enough to post and I did.

We spent $300, yikes.
But $100 of that was air filters, a bathing suit, Breathe Right strips, and *cough* Prosecco.

The rest was groceries both to eat now and to bring to lunch at my NEW JOB HOORAY! Nope. The best laid plans. No job for now. But hey, food.

Enjoy this blurry, shaky video as best you can!

First Thrifting Haul of 2017!

I first tried to vlog this haul.

That did not go well. It was hard to see the clothes and I rambled way too much. I'm just going to do it the regular way, OK?

The details - I went to my favorite doggie-kitty store. I didn't get an itemized receipt but I paid about $17.50 for everything you see below. I only bought things for me and not the kid (I hesitated and considered a really nice Hanna piece but she has some Hanna outfits she got for the holidays that she hasn't even tried on yet so I left it). I was looking for "professional" type clothing to wear to a new job I'm about to start (yay!). And my favorite piece that I found is at the end...

Plain black Gap long-sleeved cotton shirt. Because I can never have too many of these.

Plain black button down shirt from Dress Barn. No gapping in the buttons! It fit well and I thought it would make me look work appropriate.

A surprise- this is Daisy Fuentes (is that Kohls?) and it's really really cute on. It's soft and comfy but not t-shirty. Yes that's a word.

Sarah Jessica Parker "Bitten" jacket! I grabbed this at the last minute and I really like how it fits. I think it will fancy up a plain t-shirt. I also sort of think it goes with the gray pants (below).

All work and no play make me a dull lady. Of COURSE I bought this Hello Kitty t-shirt.

Dress pants from the Gap. One thing I liked a lot about these is that they aren't as aggressively wide-legged as it seems a lot of dress pants are nowadays. I feel lost and elephanty if the legs are too wide.

Hard to take a picture of this, and Photoshop was no help in fixing it, but it's a black A-line skirt that reminds me of another one that I already own (but this one is longer and thus work appropriate, I think).

Last and FAVORITE find. A BODEN cardigan! The thrift store has a habit of marking up clothing they think is "fancy" or "valuable." Sometimes it's very silly, and they apparently don't know about Boden. It fits so nicely and it's so cute (though it needs a good wash - the sleeves are a bit limp right now). YAY!

BODEN FTW!

Costco Haul Video - January 2017 (First trip of the month)

The biggest dork in the universe....

Here are some additional details:

I forgot to mention that we also bought a six-pack of organic hearts of romaine lettuce. (It's hiding behind the kale.)
This trip was to fill in a few gaps in the fridge (and to return the cheese I talk about in the video).
My husband and kid are going to try to go later to YDFM to pick up a few more vegetables, some different cheese, some nice bread....
I think I can get fancier with these videos going forward but I was trying to make this one fast and just get it out there before I chickened out.
The total for everything was about $135, and we'll get 2% back because we are Executive Members.

Tadaaaa.

Target 90% Off Holiday-Christmas Clearance Haul

When money is tight, I get out my shopping itch at after-holiday clearance sales at Target.

Sometimes I go a little overboard. Sometimes I want to buy ALL THE THINGS. Sometimes I get caught up in the OMGSALE. I've tried to be more careful this year. Here's what I got!

Why yes, I am Jewish, and yes, I bought a bunch of Christmas lights. My husband and I discussed ahead of time how we both kind of wanted some twinkle and sparkle in our lives. When we were first dating a thousand years ago, I used to have lights up in my living room. I said hey, if the clearance is 90% off and the lights are cheap, let's get some. ET VOILA! He wanted FOUR - yes four - boxes of red lights (49 cents each). I wanted more color, so I got a bunch of Wondershow lights (most were 80 cents) and one box of Phillips fancy lights (TWO WHOLE DOLLARS).

Then I got:

• A little body wash/lotion set for $3 because I just wanted it. 
• A bag of Ghirardelli peppermint squares for $1.34 (there wasn't a lot of candy left but I also was trying NOT TO BUY CRAP). 
• A big box of not-specifically-Christmas cards for $1.50. 
• A little massager thingie (shut up) for $2.99.
• Three bottles of Method all purpose cleaner in pomegranate scent for 35 cents each WAAAAAAAT. They were hiding in with the regular stuff on the bottom shelf - I knew from two bloggers I follow to keep an eye out (and last year I scored similarly with another brand's holiday editions). I found four bottles and gave one to a fellow bargain hunter who walked by me once and asked if there were more left "No, have one!" "Aw, no thank you." and then walked by me a second time "Are you sure there are none left?" "PLEASE TAKE ONE!" "OK!" (I'm super jealous of people who found other stuff in this line and of hand soap and candles....)
• A bag of decaf Starbucks Christmas Blend for $1.50 - 90% off despite all other food being 70%. I'm attempting to kick coffee for at least January, but decaf isn't the same! And it was whole bean!
• Three rolls of washi tape for 20 cents each BECAUSE HI ADDICTION TO WASHI TAPE. They're cute designs too. I use it when I'm packaging my Etsy orders.
• FIVE EOS lip balms for 89 cents (twitch twitch I so wanted to buy more but restricted myself to five - I like to give these away AND keep them) and four of the hand lotions for 59 cents (I got these last year too, they're awesome).
• An Elf eyeshadow set for 60 cents because I love Elf.
• An Elf brush set for $3 because I LOVE ELF. I had my eye on the 10-brush set for a while but it was long gone. I kind of wish I'd gotten two of these but that's....my hoarder side talking.
• A little tin of Nivea lip balm for 89 cents and ONE Burt's Bees mint mocha lip balm for 98 cents and then I had to STOP with the makeup. (My store also had a ton of Elf nail polish sets and a lot of Nyx sets that I thought were kind of meh for the price.)
• And these little paper loaf pans that you can bake in and then give away for 69 cents even though I bought these before and haven't used them yet I REALLY WILL THIS TIME I WILL.

I spent $31.43 plus tax on all this. BUT WAIT. BEST PART. I paid with gift cards that I bought when gift cards themselves were 10% off! So REALLY I only spent $28.28! AND IT WAS SUCH A RUSH AND NOW MY HOUSE WILL BE SPARKLY AS WILL I.

I wish I could go to the other two Targets in the area (one is in a fancy area and they tuck the clearance upstairs and out of the way and it's OFTEN very well stocked, the other is usually picked over but I like to look) but....I think I did just fine. Scratched that itch.

Happy 2017!

Below is an Amazon ad. If you click through and buy something, I get a very small percentage of the sale. Thanks!

Plans for this blog in 2017

I have moved some of my deeper, more personal writing away to another place, but I still want to use this blog for my catchall randomness. I went thrifting and didn't catalog it here and it felt....wrong! (I wear the brown hoodie sweater from my last thrifting post nearly daily by the way.)

I've been obsessed with Costco for years and a few months ago I FINALLY got a membership as part of a deal from some Mommy Blog Network thing. I paid $110 for the Executive Membership, and I got back $40 in gift cards plus four coupons. I used two of them - a free pizza ($10) and $3 off berries (I think that made the basket of blackberries about 50 cents). Plus, by all accounts I'll be getting back at least $55 thanks to choosing the Executive level. (At the rate I spend money there - plus I take friends and their purchases count toward my 2% cash back - I don't think it will be a problem.) It was a really great deal as far as I'm concerned. I use Mint for budgeting and it shows me that this really has saved us money on groceries and household goods. Also now I eat a LOT of apples. Mmmm. Apples.

ANYHOODLE.

I plan to put some of my Costco rambles here because I like reading about it elsewhere so maybe someone else ALSO likes reading about it. And I'm determined to do at least one haul video in the near future. Remember when I made thrifting haul vlogs before that was a thing? REMEMBER? I'll do it again for Costco. And maybe thrifting too. Maybe I can even monetize it and become rich. Uh, well, or just....do it for fun.

I also will be back here to ramble about other shit as I feel.

I'm still making buttons. I'm still looking for a full-time job. I'm still around.

Here's hoping 2017 is marginally better than 2016?