Layout:
Home > Archive: September, 2007

Archive for September, 2007

Last day of the month!

September 30th, 2007 at 05:26 pm

Well, September is gone and October is here already!...

El Salvador celebrates Children's Day on Oct 1st...so, for all of us who are kids at heart: HAPPY CHILDREN'S DAY!

Yeah, it's tomorrow, but we are celebrating today!...I bought Ale 1 present (got a plush bear for free!) and yesterday I took her to the mall, because she's a member of the Club Prensita (this is a children's insert in our local newspaper, which is published 2 times a week)...by showing her card at the newspaper stand at the Children's carnival, we got free tickets to the Fairly Odd Parents show (next week)... each ticket costs $10, and, since her membership was free...of course, the idea was to lure you to the mall, but, we just enjoyed the freebies and then left....Not that the weekend wasn't spendy anyway...Nanny's daughter was hit by a car (luckily, she only had bruises, not even a broken bone!), but, still, I thought it was only fair to give Nanny the week off so she could take care of her daughter...she takes such good care of us when WE are home sick, that it just seemed the right thing to do...so, on Friday we had to buy fast food...$8..OUCH!...this wasn't planned, but niece was supposed to pick Ale up and take her home for lunch, then drop her off at the daycare...but sis and niece went to the eye doctor yesterday and they didn't make it on time, so I had to rush out of the office to go pick up Ale, feed her and then drop her off at the daycare...and I only have 1 hour for lunch!...I was still 15 minutes late!...Oh! and I got a call during lunch that an urgent document had arrived for processing at work!...nearly chocked on my hamburger!!...Oh, and we went to the children's theater festival...we saw The Sand Boy...it was really nice...that was another $6...AND we went to church for a musical...total for that was about $7 (that includes the pupusas which Ale ate, and I still cannot believe that she ate them only 2 hours after having dinner!...she's eating like a termite lately! -which is a nice change from her near-anorexic eating habits, where she will eat if you put the food in front of her, but will totally forget if you don't!...I guess we are in for a MAJOR growth spurt this time!)

Got paid $100 from one of the earlier translations yesterday...I will go make a payment to the cc tomorrow...

Add another $100!

September 28th, 2007 at 03:08 pm

or thereabouts...English text tends to be shorter...

I'm getting there!

$2,274.29 !

September 27th, 2007 at 08:55 pm

This is the total (after taxes) that I have pending from my translations...
Of this, $490.70 are from the "special package" which I had set aside as the would-be Disney money...so $1,783.59 would go towards debt...I'm tempted to make it $1,750 or even $1,700 and using the other money ($33 or $83) on some other stuff...I still don't know...I guess it will depend on the overall situation when I actually GET the money!

You know you're in financial trouble...

September 26th, 2007 at 05:37 pm

(or, at least, you SHOULD know) if, when speaking about replacing a phone burnt by a power surge, you say: I know I could get a cheap phone, but, I NEED one with caller ID because of my creditors...

We were having this conversation about a terrible thunderstorm we had a few days ago and,cousin mentions she needs a new phone because hers got "fried" during the storm... sis and I said we NEED a wireless phone (in addition to our "normal" phone downstairs) so that we do not have to rush downstairs whenever there's a call (one of this days, someone's going to fall down the stairs trying to get to the phone!...that'd definetely be more costly than the $20-$22 wireless phone!)...still, we have that as "a plan" at the moment....

then cousin says: Oh, I know I could buy a regular phone for $5-$7, but, I NEED one with caller ID, so I know not to pick up when it's creditors calling...

sis and I just looked at each other...

FITI again!

September 25th, 2007 at 08:47 pm

It's that time of the year!...the International Children's Theater Festival (FITI) opens this Friday...Woo-hoo!...
I've identified 5 shows we could attend...
the opening piece will be The Sand Boy...the story of a sand boy in love with a mermaid...
Ale's pretty excited, too!

Add $34.48!!

September 24th, 2007 at 11:40 pm

more translations!!! woo-hoo!!!
keep them coming!!!

The tickers

September 24th, 2007 at 03:46 pm

Those tickers that we all love so much...I was introduced to them by Divajen!...

just making sure SHE gets the credit!

(they are very helpful and, so cute!)...

notice mine aren't moving?....well, I HAVE been making payments, but, since the calculation was done on pending balances, I have to wait until I get the statements with the new balances to update!... I know I won't see much progress (if any!) until mid-October or November, when 1. most of my translation payments will be due and 2. I get my year-end bonus at work (about $1,000 this year!)...oh, yes, we'll DEFINETELY see some progress then!

spendy weekend! - and paella!

September 23rd, 2007 at 05:22 am

I spent $37 stocking up on spices, toilet paper, powdered milk, detergent and other things...it's ok, I won't have to spend as much the next 2 or 3 months!...

Funny thing: they had saffron, at $0.25 for a package that normally costs about $2.50...so, I decided to make a paella...

I bought some shrimp, some clams and some Spanish chorizo....it all cost me about $5, and I'll add some leftover chicken....guess WHAT I forgot??...THE RICE!!!...how do you make paella without rice? ...well, you really can't!...the good thing is I still had 1lb in my cupboard...the bad thing is I don't think that'll be enough!... Frown I'll see if the little corner store is open tomorrow morning....I really don't want to go all the way back to the grocery store for a bag of rice!...

Spice sale!

September 21st, 2007 at 08:45 pm

well, one of our toy customers is having a special sale (open only to employees and suppliers!)...so, I bought spices...pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, basil, oregano, cinammon powder, vanilla extract, and other stuff... I really stocked up!...some of this stuff sells for $3.00 each, and I got it at $0.25-$0.50 each!...yay!...we are also stocking up on toilet paper, detergent and tooth paste today!...
they do this sort of thing about once or twice a year...we like to take advantage of it!

Another one!

September 21st, 2007 at 06:49 pm

This is a "small" one...a contract...should bring in about $30-$40

Our first toy sale of the season!

September 21st, 2007 at 06:14 pm

We already got a pre-order for about $2,250....they are still making their final-final list of children, so the number may go up or down (they give toys to the employee's children 0-12, so if a child turns 13, s/he exits the list...newborns are added and, of course, if employees have left/been hired, there's changes in the numbers....)
We should be getting the final list on Tuesday, at the latest!

I need to spend $18,000!!!

September 18th, 2007 at 11:49 pm

well, our office does...and guess who's been charged with the shopping!! Smile

...they already gave me a list!
2 printers
1 "office set" (desk, return, chair + filing cabinet)
1 conference room
4-6 chairs....

think that's going to do it??...we'll see!..
problem is,I'm used to getting top value for my $$$$, so I may end up spending a lot less!!
(I'd love to have this be a problem in my personal finances...having surplus $$$, that is!)

woo-hoo! new "gig"!

September 18th, 2007 at 09:23 pm

sooo, today I get to go to someone's house to help them translate a PowerPoint presentation for some high-ranking govt officials...
We'll see how much this earns me in the end...but, right now, I want as much as possible to put towards debt...(and, I need to work on being patient, because I'm not seeing any $$$ until mid-Oct/early Nov!!)...all this could be my Xmas present to myself!! Smile
...who knows, there might even be enough for Ale's bike!

ok, $12 , that's not too bad...

September 18th, 2007 at 08:12 pm

that's what the new passport will cost (up from $9.71)...so, that's not TOO bad... I thought they might go to $20 (at least!) from all that they were saying...we'll see, as they have submitted the proposal for the increase before the Legislative Assembly, so now it has to be ratified....if mine were about to expire, I could get a new one for $9.71...but, they have issued this new regulation, that your passport has to be renewed on the month that it expires (December, in this case) ....and I doubt it'll take them so long to ratify...though, who knows!...the Legislative Assembly is not known for being fast at that!

New wardrobe!

September 18th, 2007 at 05:30 pm

Notice that I've been saying my old wardrobe is in shambles and I will soon need to replace some items??...guess what! a colleague's wife said to me a while ago she had some clothes she no longer uses and would I be offended if she offered them to me...and, yesterday, she brought me a bagful of clothes...and they ALL fit!...so, now I have a new pair of jeans, a new skirt and 7 new shirts...both dressy and "weekend" ... Smile
and all the items were "so me" ...and free!...

I feel much better!

September 16th, 2007 at 06:02 am

Took a warm bath and slept for about 2 hours in the afternoon....from all the typos I've made in just these 3 rows (which I already corrected) I can see I busted MORE than 3 brain cells!...I think I need more rest, so...BYE!


zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I think I busted 3 brain cells...

September 15th, 2007 at 11:46 pm

I hope they were ones I didn't use much! LOL!...28,198 words in 4 days (and only about 3-4 hours per day! on 2 of those days!!) ...$1,014.66 (after taxes)

~$1K??

September 12th, 2007 at 04:14 pm

I've just landed this translation job that could bring around $1,000....I haven't been given a deadline, but they said preferably this week...I may not be ablo to do it alone, mind you, so that $1,000 might be split, but, still....
ok, back to my dictionaries and glossaries! (I want to make sure I have all I need!)...I'll be using my lunch hour and, also, will leave at 5:00:00pm!...oh, and since Independence Day is Saturday 15, we will get the afternoon off on Friday (guess who'll be working like crazy?!)...
I have a high-interest cc with $2,600 on it...
wish me luck!

Ale on debt and cc's

September 11th, 2007 at 03:54 pm

Of course, Ale is all for saving right now (with the Disney trip on her sights!), but I explained to her paying down debt comes first...

so, here's our conversation:

A: so, first we pay debts.
MI: yes.
A: then we travel, no, then we make sure you don't go into debt again...Mom, we should just shred the credit card, that way you can't use it!

(LOL! I wish, but, local norm dictates you HAVE to bring an intact cc to be able to close a cc account. Otherwise, they make you wait for new plastic --AND CHARGE YOU FOR IT, so I'm taking good care of my cc, but it's "grounded" and cannot leave the house!)

Happy Numbers

September 10th, 2007 at 10:00 pm

I've been doing "happy numbers" - which is what cousin and I call it when we make numbers based on the best-possible scenario (which is, of course, the worst way to prepare for anything!)...and, if I managed to make an average of $400/month with translations, I might actually be able to be debt-free by mid-2009
.... oooooohhhhhh!!!

Dreaming is free!

Total for the weekend:

September 10th, 2007 at 05:12 am


of course, it'll be at least 30-45 days before I actually GET the money, but...

They were very happy with the job (the end customer), and said they'd probably have some more next week...(this was a new customer for the people that sub-contracted me, so that means THEY're happy, too!--of course, if they hadn't been impressed by the first translation I did for them, they would never have trusted me with a new customer!)

YAWN...I'm going to bed!

Closing for the day!

September 9th, 2007 at 06:10 am

LOL!...it's 11:07pm...I sent my last work of the day at 11:04...4 minutes after my self-set cut-off time!...woo-hoo!...only 12 pages to go and, from what I've seen, I can have them ready before noon.

I then have to work on some other stuff, but that is not as urgent...I might even stay with Ale at a friend's b-day party tomorrow (was thinking of just dropping her off if I was still swamped!..now I'm thinking it would be a nice nap!LOL!)...

speaking of which...I gota go ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ now!

Will update total wordcount for the weekend tomorrow!

CAUTION!!! BRAIN OVERLOAD!!!

September 9th, 2007 at 03:40 am

I went to bed late, and got up early-ish (ok, so 7:30 instead of 8!--it's SATURDAY!)...managed to translate most of the day --minus a 1 hour break to rest/bake some honey bread...yum! Just like grandma's! And I didn't want Ale to feel TOO neglected!...
I'm almost done (in every sense!)...I'm going to go watch TV to soothe my brain a bit...
I still have stuff to translate, but, I will work/send that tomorrow before noon! (they need to have the docs tomorrow at the latest, so they can put them all together --they gave us half and the other half they gave to another translator!--make them look like there was only 1 single source, print it, bind it and present it to some VIP's before a mid-morning meeting on Monday, so....)

Good thing it deals with stuff that I know (and I mean KNOW, as in: this was "our business" 2 jobs back!)

Ka-ching! $$

September 8th, 2007 at 06:34 am

$127!!!... ~$114 after taxes...for 2 hours worth of translations!!...woo-hoo!!

Big translation for the weekend!

September 8th, 2007 at 01:32 am

woo-hoo!...I haven`t seen it yet...itīs supposed to be a big one!...If it really is as much as they say it is, I will take Ale either to the Museum for an art lesson ($1) or to the LIonīs club for swimming ($2)-weather permitting...because that gives her something nice to do (as opposed to watching me peck in the computer!) for 2 hours....and I can take my laptop and work while I wait for her! ...

Whatever $$$ I get paid for this one will go towards debt!

Anona

September 7th, 2007 at 07:53 pm

Have you ever seen one? tasted one?...

I looooove anonas (and they are in season now!)... and they're cheap...AND, there was a recipe for anona cheesecake in the paper yesterday...I think I'll try it!)...sounded positively exotic and sinful!

New monitor!

September 7th, 2007 at 05:49 pm

(at work, don't worry!)...I can actually see what I'm writing without squinting and/or slouching now!!...they sure took a long time, but they are finally here!-- I've already updated our asset inventory!!...we are all Smile

LOL! Funny story: I plugged my monitor, but could not get it to work...I had to call my boss to help...he asked if it was on...(I gave him the evil eye)...and then...he chuckled and just closed the laptop and...voila! the image came on!...duh! ...I'm technologycally-challenged!

About that trip to Disney....

September 6th, 2007 at 09:48 pm

Some time ago, ex-hubby called and said we "needed to revisit some long-buried converstations"...uh??
Turns out he wanted to talk to me about:
1. A promise he never fulfilled (and, in my mind, I just thought: which one of them all??-- lucky I decided not to say it!)
2. His airline employee ticket benefits will end next year and, he will save 2 (space available) tickets for Ale and myself to go to Disney if we want to. Now, mind you, he isn't Ale's dad (warning, because if he were, this next thing would be petty!)...I have to pay for the tickets...about $300/each (taxes and fees INCLUDED)...which is a lot less than the regular fares from ES to Miami, which generally fluctuate between $599 and $649 (tax and fees NOT included! which means they come up to $750-$875!)..

so, it's a good deal...the problem, of course, is: it takes more than plane tickets to get there!!!...I've been doing numbers and, I estimate I'd need at least $1,300 (including plane tickets!) to even consider it a go...Ale, of course, thinks we can make it...I'm not so sure...

Mainly, I'm still having trouble paying down debt...I expect to "catch up" in November, and, be up to date with everything + pay a cc in full...but, that will leave only about $45/month (which is my current minimum payment on that cc, and which I'll allocate to other payments starting Dec 2007)...

I've investigated and, the best dates for us (based on school schedule and potential flight availability) would be:

Between March 13-19
May 1-5
Between June 21-28

June would be my preferred option:
1. Ale is on vacation
2. Her birthday is June 26. It would be cool if this were our last day at the parks!
3. It's further away= more time to save
4. I receive a small bonus in June

The problem? ex-hubby said ticket benefits end June 2008...so I don't know if that means:
1.tickets must be purchased before June 1st
2. tickets must be purchased before June 30th
3. tickets must be used (travel finished) by June 1st
4. tickets must be used (travel finished) by June 30th.

I've already asked about this and also about the exact price (since we are space available, price isn't subject to seasonal changes!)

So far, we have $121 in our Disney account (which I set up back in 2004, and should be nearing the $1K mark, but I had to take out the money to pay down debt about a year ago!) and the ~$12/pay period from my salary increase ....and I have decided that the package of translations to be paid at $0.03 go towards this, too...I estimate all these would get me to the $600 mark (once collected)...so, I'd have the plane tickets...Have to find a way to earn the rest!

Of course, the REAL challenge is to do THIS while keeping the same targets I had for paying my debts!! (which is why I added the other ticker ABOVE the Disney one!)

Keep tuned for updates!

Salary increase!

September 5th, 2007 at 10:34 pm

well, they just announced a salary increase of 2.7%...after taxes, that comes to about $12 more per pay period for me...I'm goint to put this towards our Disney trip (more on this later!)...starting 9/27!!

woo-hoo! great deal!

September 4th, 2007 at 04:04 pm

well, the guys that have been handing me translations wanted to know if I would agree to work on translating the comments from some feedback forms for a series of trainings they are working on (they're interpreting at the seminars and feel too burned out at the end of the day to tackle this!)...it's easy, and I'm used to this sort of thing (used to do the same thing for the trainings at the Other Place I worked before!)...so, I know the handwriting is sometimes terrible, but I also know how to decipher it...these would be "small" jobs, really, depending on what the people write it might come to $15-$20 per day (after tax), working for 2-3 hours each day (I can do this from 8pm to 11pm, so I don't sacrifice my time with Ale)...and it's just until Sept 28....so, let's do the math...let's say $15 X 18 (working) days (not sure if they will have seminars on Saturdays or not) = $270....not bad!! ...of course, I would most probably get paid towards the end of Oct/ beginning of November, but, hey, as long as they do pay, I don't mind that much!


<< Newer EntriesOlder Entries >>