Life in general

I woke up this morning, but not in time to make to the workout class I wanted to get to. I didn't exactly set the alarm or anything, but I wasn't going to make a big deal if I didn't make it. I did workout the other day. It was actually twice in one day. I was proud of myself. I am going to try to do that since I have my PCOS condition. I have to work twice as hard to get any results because of that. Anyway, my goal this summer is to go at least once per day, but to try to go to the gym twice per day. I think that today I will work on the apartment instead. It needs it.  

I am quite happy these days since my son has come home...or I had to go get him. I am still happy none the less. Everything is okay at home, but the household is a mess. I really haven't been keeping up with the chores and stuff. I do really need to keep up with this stuff. How are  we supposed to take care of our future ranch or land if we can't take care of a stupid apartment? I am going to try harder to take care of our household.

I am not sure what we'll be doing on my micro time with my baby. I think I will try to look for things that are not expensive. Since John was stuck paying for some weigh-scale tickets ($850) that he was given and the owner of the truck verbally said he would take care of when John got hired, we are nor hurting for $, but it did sort of take a chunk out of my summer money and it couldn't hurt to be thrifty about it. 

It is sad about the celebrity casualties these past two days. They certainly were unexpected. I don't understand, though how the general public can be so heartbroken about it. I can understand sending condolences, but to actually go somewhere  to be seen by the media to physically show that you "loved" them. What is the point of that? I don't think that I would ever do that because yes these artists were apart of our lives in music or movies or television, but it's not like I knew them personally. It's not like these people knew them personally either. This brings to mind when Elvis passed away and they had that sort of parade route to his gravesite? (I remember seeing a recording being shown on television.) Why would we be so heartbroken over someone we did not know personally? That is just a little something I don't understand, but then again I tend to hate the general public anyway. So there you go. :-) 

   

Fw: Wealth Junkies

--- On Fri, 5/29/09, Wealth Junkies <editor@wealthjunkies.com> wrote: From: Wealth Junkies <editor@wealthjunkies.com> Subject: Wealth Junkies To: benedettacargile@yahoo.com Date: Friday, May 29, 2009, 8:00 PM Wealth Junkies Want A Lower Bill? Ask For It Posted: 29 May 2009 06:32 AM PDT This article was syndicated from: Wealth Junkies Want A Lower Bill? Ask For It One of the simplest methods to reduce your bills is to call your service provider and ask for a lower rate. It doesn't always work, but there's no harm in asking — and if you can convince the rep you speak with that you're considering canceling, there's a pretty good chance that they'll be able to offer you some kind of promotional rate or retention offer just so that they can keep your business. Are You Bluffing? One of the key factors in getting a discounted rate is that your service provider, whether we're talking about cable or cell phone or something else, wants to keep you paying a monthly fee. Company representatives are able to offer discounts — but only if they think that you're going to move to another service provider or drop the service entirely. If you even suggest that you'll keep paying your current rate if you don't get a discount, you won't get the break. That means you'll either have to bluff your way through the conversation or be prepared to actually cancel your service if you don't get what you want. Canceling may not be a bad idea — before you try to negotiate a lower rate, check around to see if any of the other service providers in your area can actually offer you a better deal for switching. At the very least, you'll be able to ask your service provider to match their rate, and you definitely won't have to worry if a rep decides to call your bluff. Keep Trying Just because one rep tells you that you can't have a discount doesn't actually mean that you can't get it. Even simply calling back and speaking with a different rep can get you a different answer at many service providers. You may also find that the issue is the level of the representative you're speaking with — if you can move up the ladder to a manager, you'll likely find that a higher-up has the authority to offer far more discounts. If you get a 'no' at any point, it's worth your while to keep trying. Of course, you want to be polite about it. If you get multiple 'no's, it's probably time to move on. And being nice throughout the entire process can make it much easier to get a rep to help you out. Anyone that you speak to over the phone has probably had to deal with more than a few impolite customers and won't be inclined to really help another customer that falls into that category. Just keep calm, even when you're asking to speak to someone's manager. A surprising amount of decision-making power rests with whichever rep you wind up speaking to over the phone — a rep can choose to refuse a request, and you can get an entirely different answer if you call back and speak with another rep. That makes politeness even more important, because if it's a situation that is purely at the discretion of the rep, you want the rep on your side. You are subscribed to email updates from Wealth Junkies To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. Email delivery powered by Google Inbox too full? If you prefer to unsubscribe via postal mail, write to: Wealth Junkies, c/o Google, 20 W Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

Just B Yourself: "So called" Friends

Just B Yourself: "So called" Friends

Here is my attempt at writing a song/poem or whatever...I was disappointedly and sadly inspired by the woman who killed her son because she didn't want him to have the same life she had when she was growing up.. Here goes...

PLEASE
I only love you,
I do what you say
Why would you hurt me?
Why in this way?
What were you thinking?
What did your conscience
tell you to do?
Did you even know
You didn't have to
hurt me that way?
You even could have
given me away.
Please Mommy don't do this.
I'll do better next time.
Just don't hurt me again
and I'll be a good boy.

"So called" Friends

I need more friends... I thought I had a lot of friends, but noone calls me to hang out. Nobody calls me to see how things are going. I don't get messages on myspace or facebook. (Actually I do from one person, but I probably annoyed her recently at a convention. Sorry. Didn't mean to.)Noone calls me... Is it me or is it my husband? I understand that he has offended some of my friends, but it was never intentional. He just tries to be funny and it doesn't always work. (Somehow that really tends to occur around MY friends for some reason. I guess he's just trying too hard because my friends are MY friends and ho doesn't know everyone very well yet. He hasn't been given much of a chance either.) (Now I understand that my friends didn't like my ex very much either and that's okay now because I REALLY don't like him either.)
My husband, though is one of the best things that has happened in my life. He treats me like a princess and with love. He loves me so much he can't stand to be away from me. He treats me the way a wife should be treated. Now. Enough of defending him.
Here are some bullets that give me clues as to why I think my "friends" don't want to be around me...

• I know that I also don't really call everybody either, but I have tried to have a get together before and nobody showed up or they "couldn't" come.
• None of my friends (other than who were in the wedding party) showed up for my wedding.
• I WAS asked to be a bridesmaid for who I thought was a really good friend, but then I was told I couldn't be one after all when I couldn't afford to buy the dress. (Now they probably thought it was pretty crappy that during the weekend of the wedding my family was able to go to Sea World and do other things, but I was only able to do that when I got my 401K distribution check from my old job a few days before the wedding; otherwise, there was no way we could even afford to GO to the wedding.) (I have sort of gotten over this, but it still hurt my feelings.)
• My husband set up a surprise birthday party for me this past March and the friends that ARE still living in town didn't show up then either. MY HUSBAND MADE THE EFFORT TO DO SOMETHING FOR ME AND THEY DIDN'T SHOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• I ran into some friends at a restaraunt not too long ago...wasn't invited to sit with them...they told me they would call me to do something later...they never called.
• One friend is getting married next month...I sent him a message asking when and where it is going to be...you know so I can set the time aside for HIM...He replies with (direct quote) " Benny I'm sorry but I had to cut our guest list down to 500 to save money.........I'm waiting to see if more people decline so I can start sending more invites to friends.....I'll keep you posted"...I question how good a friend I am in this case. Obviously not very. Now it seems that it's not only toward me, but right now I feel like it is.

Now I understand that if someone is obligated to do something else for whatever...I understand obligation...been there and done that, but this really tells me where I stand in their lives. I also understand that life does get in the way, but...what the hell?

You know what? That's okay. I have one really awesome friend right now and we are like two peas in a pod.

Now I'm not gonna be a total bitch when and if I see these people in my future. (As a matter of fact I will see a couple of them this morning.) I will be civil and a lady about things. I just wish that people would get over things and be an adult about whatever has happened in the past. If you love someone (as a friend) enough then past issues would be past issues.

Since I have written this, my goal is to not dwell on the past anymore and focus on my future. I am going to work on making more friends, becoming an even better music teacher, being the best wife and mother that I can be, saving money for our future ranch/home (Yes. Ranch...I want a horse and fainting goats! LOL!-) I want to have the best life that I can have.

If you want to be a part of my life then you are welcome to be, but don't pretend to be my friend. If you have an issue with me then let's talk about it. Don't let it fester and continue to be an issue.

Fw: Touching Short Story......

--- On Wed, 3/25/09, janiel hayes <hrhjrh@msn.com> wrote: From: janiel hayes <hrhjrh@msn.com> Subject: Touching Short Story...... To: "annette forsberg" <nettlu60@comcast.net>, "april monigold" <gr00mer@hotmail.com>, "Benedetta Cargile" <benedettacargile@yahoo.com>, "cherre henderson" <kmmfa@msn.com>, "Gary Hayes" <pitag@comcast.net>, "Gayle Connolly" <gayle306mayberry@yahoo.com>, "jacque porter" <ggroomer@hotmail.com>, "melissa gregori" <melsy@grandecom.net>, "Sabrina Kliewer" <sabrina.kliewer@baldwin-telecom.net>, "sandra hayes" <slh4045@comcast.net>, "Ruth Bogard" <ruthyossiportia@yahoo.com>, "Sean Brannen" <spbcpa@sbcglobal.net>, "Stacee Taylor" <staceemt@yahoo.com>, "wanda" <roadjunkie@the-i.net> Date: Wednesday, March 25, 2009, 10:17 PM                     A Cup of Tea.                   One day my mother was out and my dad was in charge of me.                   I was maybe 2 1/2 years old. Someone had given me a                   little 'tea set' as a gift and it was one of my  favorite                   toys.                   Daddy was in the living room engrossed in the evening                   news when I brought Daddy a little cup of 'tea', which                   was just water. After several cups of tea and lots of                   praise for such yummy tea, my Mom came home.                   My Dad made her wait in the living room to watch me bring                   him a cup of tea, because it was 'just the cutest thing!'                   My Mom waited, and sure enough, here I come down the hall                   with a cup of tea for Daddy and she watches him drink it                   up.                   Then she says,  (as only a mother would know..  :)                   'Did it ever occur to you that the only place she can                   reach to get water is the toilet?

Fw: Wealth Junkies

--- On Thu, 4/9/09, Wealth Junkies <editor@wealthjunkies.com> wrote: From: Wealth Junkies <editor@wealthjunkies.com> Subject: Wealth Junkies To: benedettacargile@yahoo.com Date: Thursday, April 9, 2009, 7:44 PM Wealth Junkies 5 Tips To Cut Your Grocery Budget Down To Size Posted: 09 Apr 2009 01:05 PM PDT This article was syndicated from: Wealth Junkies 5 Tips To Cut Your Grocery Budget Down To Size There are days that even a dedication to coupons isn't enough to keep your grocery budget where you can easily afford it. There are steps you can take beyond the basics, like meal planning, though that can help you cut your food budget. A little thinking outside the box can be enough to move you towards cheap, yet tasty eats. Plan around staple ingredients: Planning out your meals for the next week isn't enough — it's too easy to wind up buying some ingredient only needed for one dish that you won't use again until you feel like having that dish again. I try to plan meals that rely on similar ingredients: for instance, I'll make chicken noodle soup and baked macaroni and cheese in the same week, so that I can just buy one bag of noodles. Keep snack foods on hand: Getting into cooking at home can be a real boon to your wallet, but it's easy to slip up when you just want a little rather than a full meal. Rather than grabbing something at the nearest vending machine or buying lots of unhealthy snack food, keeping simple snacks like popcorn or cereal on hand can help manage not only your food budget but your health as well. Double your cooking: It may sound counter-intuitive to cook more food in order to cut down on costs, it's a relatively simple approach. By doubling batches of favorite meals and freezing them, you can effectively have your own tv dinners on hand for a fraction of the cost. On days when you're just too busy to cook, it's just a matter of pulling something out of the freezer. Invite friends over: Once a week, I share a meal with friends. We rotate responsibility for main dish, side and dessert — it's easier to plan for all of us, and I've actually noticed that I wind up spending less on those nights, even when I'm responsible for the main course. Stock up on spices: Buying in bulk can bring down the overall cost of your groceries — but trying to eat what amounts to the same thing every day can make it harder to stick to a meal plan and a budget. But it is possible to make each piece of chicken in the giant pack you bought (or anything else bought in bulk) seem like a different meal, if you have a variety of spices on hand to help you differentiate. These tips are just a starting point, of course. Depending on how much you want to cut your budget by and how many family members you need to feed, you may get varying results out of each tip. But it is possible continue cutting your grocery budget after you've taken care of the low-hanging fruit, like making a shopping list and getting the right coupons. Each of these tips comes from something I actually do to help manage my grocery budget. Do you have any tips that have helped you cut your grocery budget? Please share in the comments. You are subscribed to email updates from Wealth Junkies To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. Email delivery powered by Google Inbox too full? Subscribe to the feed version of Wealth Junkies in a feed reader. If you prefer to unsubscribe via postal mail, write to: Wealth Junkies, c/o Google, 20 W Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610