LOL!...well, no, not really, but, at least now the places in the cementery and the funerals are all paid off! Yay!...officially, July would have been the last payment, but, I called the company and the lady that handles billings told me I had 2 options:
1. Make only the June payment ($35.33) and then finish paying in July (another $35.33), or
2. pay $42.18 and finish paying NOW!...

guess what I did?? (the difference is for debt insurance, taxes, interest and fees!- OUCH!)...
....now, the cementery lot is ok (fits 5, and only mom and dad are there at the moment), but the funeral services were 3, so that leaves only 1 paid for/available....and there's still 4 of us! (sis, Ale, niece, nephew and myself!)...and while some would rather shut their eyes to the possibilities, we all WILL die someday!...

you've read my rants about my cousin and the $1,ooo in phone calls her son made on my line...this is VERY old news (this was in January of 2006!)....and how she had only repaid $300....well, she gave me $100 towards this debt yesterday!!...
I am truly amazed!... I honestly thought this was going to be one of those times when she promised and "something came up" at the last minute!!...
I just HAD to tell you all!

1. Control expenses and make sure total is at or below budgeted amounts for category/month, any “leftovers” in categories will go towards debt!...tsk, tsk...haven't really been taking good care of this, but, I KNOW I've been putting money towards debt like crazy!...I also know I've been spending on silly unnecessary stuff...like pizza on the weekends at least once a month!

2. Continue to lower my overall debt - I started Jan 05 with ~$17K and Jan 06 with $~11K (with ~$8K for a loan and ~$3K in cc debt)... Jan '07 started with $16.5K …. Expect to pay about $5K this year- not counting interest! doable as per my projections!...

3. Start my own business– formally: E-Spiral is the name, translation is our business (G-d and Ale are my partners!)… and contact at least 4 new potential customers per month, so as to find 50 pages of translations per month in 1Q07, getting to 150 in 4Q07…. From Jan – July: 40% of each job will go towards debt, 40% back into the business, 10% into savings (to fund my Freedom Fund!) and 10% to the Padre Vito Guarato Home. From Aug-Dec 07 percentages to be 30,40,20,10 ….hopefully, I’ll be able to quit my current job by mid 2008!! hmmm, I actually stopped this when I got the new job...re-starting now that I feel more "settled in"...I actually have new contacts!
4. Help Ale earn/save $25 for her savings account by 071231! still at $5...have 6 months to help her come up with $20!....

well, I still haven't been paid for the first one (payment is due on 6/30), and already got more translations...the first one was billed at $74 and, this one was much longer, so it'll be $261!...
I'm $150 from recovering my "missed" salary payment...and about $700 away from undoing the damage that missed payment caused!...still, I already allocated the money and, hopefully, I'll be able to catch up on all my debts sooner than I expected...I see God's hand in all of this, because I had prayed for $600 before the end of this month and, if other payments come through as well (my $172 from income tax return and $100 that I've been promised by cousin towards her debt...we'll see!)then the total would be $607!...I'm going to start praying/giving thanks for $250 in translations each month...

I don't know if I mentioned that during our trip to the northern zone our translator was a guy that used to be my best friend at school...(very long, painful story...the short-short-short version: he slept with my boyfriend!)...
back to the present...so, there we were and, all that hatred that I felt for him at one point? GONE!...all the bitterness? GONE!...you know what? forgiveness IS liberating! (I just don't think it's entirely a matter of will, you have to be emotionally ready to let go!)...well, the thing is he came to our house, we chatted for hours and hours and got up to date and, the next day he sent me an email apologising for what had happened over 12 years ago! (I didn't expect that, honestly, if I invited him into my home that meant everything was over)...so, anyway, I wrote him and explained that, from the moment I had invited him, it was because he was forgiven and, that we both knew we ALL had some sort of "fault" in all this, if only in not knowing how to handle all that was happening...so...we are friends again...I don't think we'll ever be "best" friends again (though, who knows? ) ...and, since he' s working on translations now, he sent me some work that he didn't have the time to finish...so, this week I get $74 for that work and, he already knows I'm available from 5pm onwards to do translations!!!...so, besides a renewed friendship (which is priceless) I already got an economic benefit out of the whole thing!

Or, as the song says: No estaba muerta, andaba de parranda!!...lol!..not exactly...

please be patient if you see a lot of typos, the "s" on my keyboard is not working properly!...

As most of you may (or may not) know, I started a new job in April of this year...some days I have little to do....others I have a regular workload and, only occasionally do I have lots to do!...it feels SOOOO weird!...really, it IS weird...most days I'm home by 5:30pm (if you can believe that!)...the monthly pay is only slightly better, but, there's a mid-year bonus and the end-of-year bonus is almost double what I got at the other place...plus, if you take into account quality of life, then it's definetely worth it! (also, if rumors are true, then this was definetely the right decision at the right time!...apparently the other place is going to let go 500 employees before August!)

So, I'm trying to enjoy my time here and not go crazy....my file is perfectly up to date..including the docs that arrived this morning, thank you!...my Outlook Inbox is practically free already (most things have already been taken care of) and I only keep "active" things there...and never for more than a week!...my desk is clean at the end of each day...((cue music from The Twilight Zone))...

Ale is a much happier child, we have time to play and read and watch TV together before bedtime...she just finished her Preparatoria and is ready for the 1st Grade!...since I didn't want her vegetating for 6 weeks, I enrolled her in summer camp at a local club and, she's taking swimming lessons, tennis, karate, ballet and arts and crafts on a rotating schedule from Mon-Fri, 8:30-12:30....her afternoons are blissfully free, so she can rest or play or generally enjoy the art of just 'being' for a change....she's chosen to teach Nanny to write in cursive!...

We have also acquired a new pet...a cat, who now has the un-original name of KITTY...HELLO Kitty is her full name! ...she's a total sweetie....if you are wondering what Fiona (our dog) thinks about this new creature in our house....well, Fiiona thinks Kitty is her puppy...she keeps "cleaning" her (eewwwww, the poor thing ends up covered in dog drool at least 3 times a day!) and steers her out of trouble...literally, the cat cannot take a step without Fiona directing where she should (or shouldn't!) go!...I predict the time is not far when Kitty will teach Fiona the meaning of "giving someone space!!" LOL!...but at least things are peaceful in the house!...
Well, guys, I'm sort of defying all those "no expectation of privacy" warnings that keep popping up on my computer...(no internet service at home...the bills caught up with us!...when you live paycheck to paycheck -- and at minus $200/month!, missing one salary payment has a HUGE impact!...Hoping to report progress soon!)

see? I knew that'd get your attention!!...actually, I DID go on a shopping spree...for stuff I NEED (new shoes for Ale AGAIN!...size 2 this time!!) and a pair of pants for me (to replace ones that nearly disintegrated in the last wash!)...I decided yesterday was a great day to do that, as a popular dept store was having a "yellow tag" sale...meaning for two days only you got 30% already discounted prices on select merchandise...I got Ale 2 pairs of shoes (1 "everyday", 1 tennis shoes) for $26 and, the pants I found were $25 original price, but ended up costing me $12.50....there was other stuff I would have wanted (3 other pairs of pants, all gorgeous, all similarly priced)...but, I really didn't NEED that...I can wait to get that later on, when things have stabilized more financially ...

I finally went to get my severance check and, it turned out it was more than I thought it would be ($600 instead of $200!)...BUT, regulations required me to endorse it to the employee coop due the loan I have with them... I had much better use for that $$ (applying it towards higher-interest debt!)....oh, well, at least that means I owe the coop nearly $1,300 instead of nearly $1,900!!... gotta look on the bright side, right??

Because I didn´t have my regular income in April, I´ve fallen behind with some payments...rent (I should have had March paid off by the beginning of April, but, I used the rent money to pay for Ale's school and transport)...1 cc (used that $$ to pay for groceries), the bank loan (used that for gas and the nanny)...so now of course I´m trying to play catch up (have half of March rent paid off, so I need to pay for April and half of March by the end of May!)...on a month when I also have to pay for Ale´s school books for next school year (they have to be ordered by end of May, else they won´t get here before the beginning of August!)...Thank God May is a 3-pay period month! (new job pays every other Thursday, so I will get paid on the 3rd, the 17th and the 31st)...this feels so strange!...my old job paid on the 15th and the last of the month!...
Anyway, I have been working my numbers and, between paying for the renewal of my car registration and Ale`s school enrollemnt fee, school supplies and Spanish books in July, it´ll be a good six months before I´m able to catch up totally (meaning I´ll be up to date AND making progress, I already paid the cc, but, because of the many fees for missing that 1 payment, only $7 went towards debt!)
Oh, well, it´s worth it, because by 2008, things WILL be very different!

well, you've read about it, beware of "free" gifts, they might end up costing you $$...

We got a free tank from one of my cousins...it had two ornaments and 2 plants, the filter, a lamp and a fish net...we had to buy sand and a glass to mount the lamp...while it wasn´t all too expensive, it´s still out of budget...($15)...we filled it and it´s working now...we are just waiting a whole day so we can move the fish (and our mermaid!) into it later today...we did not use bottled water, see, but used water that had been "sitting" in our pila for two days, so it should already be free of clorhine...we just want to make sure it´s 100% safe by waiting the customary 3 days before putting them in!...it looks so nice!!!...of course, Ale chose pink sand, and Clau wanted purple sand, so we bought 4lbs of each!...the guy at the store tried to get me to buy gray/tan sand, but, my poor fish are so gray themselves, they would be invisible in that!...so, the move is scheduled for tonight!....I´m so excited!!!

ok, so I asked God for a new job:

1. which paid more than what I was earning...from $12K to $16K per year, gross earnings...and less deductions!!!

2. where people appreciated and recognized my work (it was recognized and appreciated at my previous job, I just didn´t want risking falling into a job that didn´t!)

3. close to my home (5 blocks...I´d say that´s close!)

4. which allowed me more time to be with my daughter (I cannot stay in the premises beyond 6pm without an escort...I leave the office between 5 and 5:30...which means I arrive home between 5:10 and 5:45...at my previous job I left between 6:00 and 8:00...and it took me anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour to get home, depending on traffic!)

5. Interesting, so I wouldn´t be bored or feel like quitting....

So, I just wanted to give Him public thanks for giving me this new job!

Only about a 100 times, I think!...
well, my best friend called yesterday because they need some translations at the place she works. I quoted her $570 (it is about 40 pages)...since it's over %500, she has to get two more quotes...so, now I'm waiting to see if I will be the one to get the assignment or whether someone else will give her a better offer ...I hate waiting!!!...it would be SO great to get it!!

sold some toys and my share (of profit) is $49! woo-hoo!!

I thought I had 9 vacation days remaining and, according to the HR system I have -2?? meaning I have taken 2 days MORE than I was entitled to??...NO!...so, I wrote to them to try to clarify it....I mean, I want to be PAID for those 9 days -as per local law!

just a reminder

well, it's official, I am starting my new job on April 2nd...yay!!!...Part of me is really excited...of course, part of me is sad to be leaving my "children"...
one of my bosses made me cry yesterday (the one that has helped me with Ale's school)...he made sad puppy eyes at me when he said "I'm so happy for you"...

I'm also a bit mad at the other admin, because she is indignant that "they don't care" ("they" being our bosses)...and, I know that is not the case...but, I cannot tell her because obviously I cannot tell her about the 1001 ways in which they have proven their appreciation to me (plus, that would probably just make matters worse!)...oh, I need to let that go, I cannot really do anything about it...

So, I have two weeks to clean my desk and finish any pending tasks...also to bring the other admin up to speed on my tasks/responsibilities...OUCH!...she's going nuts as it is with all the travel arrangements not only for our unit (22 people) but for 2 sets of consultant teams (6 and 4 people, respectively), plus all the travel arrangements for people that are coming for interviews... It would be simple enough if people would make up their minds as to what they want....she hasn't been in the best of moods lately and, I guess the perspective of dealing with all the admin stuff on her own is not too appealing...

well, my taxes have been filed and supposedly I should be getting $173.00 before May...which is fortunate because I have to pay for Ale's school books in May, and they cost $200...so, now I need a 3 page translation to cover the rest!...

well, we had our bi-monthly meeting yesterday and, sure enough, they casually mentioned that the rules of the game will soon be changing when it comes to our monthly bonus (based on X index on performance, which has been constantly achieved for the last 3-5 years, and which has meant a monthly bonus of $120 for all employees...the bonus will soon be based on Y index, which is consistently lower than target...those $120 could very easily go down to $30 or less per month!)...I mean, it makes sense, the idea is to make everyone work towards improving Y index, but...O U C H!

They didn't announce a date for it, so it might still be a couple of months away, but, at least WE get a heads up....other areas will be hit without warning!

the good news is: I'm the chosen candidate for the open position!!! yay!....


the bad news is: they take my current salary, without the $120/month bonus, as the basis for their salary negotioation!!... me no like!

Oh, well, I guess I have to wait until I hear from them again - if I ever make it out of the Ac celerated Improve ment W orkshop...we seem to be working from 8 through 6:30 every day...and, just to give you an idea, our morning break today was at 11:50am....and lunch was served at 1:00pm!)...more on that tomorrow, as it has been a very interesting experience and definetely worth blogging about!

my sister´s best friend´s mom is here for a visit...after 26 years!...we three sat in our living room yesterday afternoon and just chatted and chatted and chatted...of love, life, death and everything in between...it´s funny because she remembers us as children, and we remember her as "a grown up" and, at this stage of our lives, we are just "women" and I guess we understand each other a lot better than we ever did!...

She brought as all presents...a nice outfit for Ale, a pencil case for her pencils, and a watch....

some outfits for sis (I still haven´t seen them) and niece and, even some for me! ...so now I have two new blouses that fit perfectly and pants, which I need to fix (not surprising, sis and I are always doing this, becuase we are short, all our pants have to be adjusted!)...they´re nice leisure clothes...which is an extra luxury for me!

...still, I´m $25 short to make it to next payday (Feb 15!)....I think I can collect that from here to Tuesday!...we´ll see!

I just read the news this morning, ES tax forms have changed!...rats! ....just when I was starting to understand the old ones!...oh, well, I hope the changes are for the best and will make things easier!... (I already printed the explanation off the local newspaper site!)...in the meantime, I cannot even start thinking about doing my taxes because the company hasn't given us our tax retention letters...

I forwarded the news to our payroll dept!...(it was during our lunch break, so it should be OK!) :P

the lasagna nanny made yesterday was such a hit, there were no leftovers!!!...and, there were only enough leftovers from day before yesterday to pack 1 lunch: Ale's... that means I have to buy my lunch today....unless there's a Work Unit lunch and somebody decides to invite me, but, I'm not counting on it!...oh, well, I'll try to keep it as close to $2 as possible!

yes, I know, we are all individuals and that means we ARE all different...however, the mentalities of nanny's daughters really baffles me!...

Daughter #1 - the eldest who just graduated from high school has gotten a job at a bookstore...it pays minimum wage ($175) + commissions (so, now I will have to switch from buying at the branch in mall X to mall Y, but that's ok, they're both close to my office!)...anyway, she wants the money to pay for her university, as she wants to become an engineer....

Daughter #2 - the one that had a baby at 14...is currently going to night school to get her high school diploma...working as a maid, making $30/week...she wanted my cousin to take a credit line (in cousin's name) so that she (Daughter #2) can get a 25" or 27" TV...never mind that the family already owns a 17" TV, but has no refrigerator...

Now, nanny herself would never even think about asking me to get a credit line in my name to buy something for herself...at most, she asks me for small "loans (rather, advancements on her payment, which I discount in smaller amounts...she never asks for more than $50 and, I discount it by $5/week, for example)...

Now, I know that having gone through High school instead of quitting after 9th grade - the way she originally wanted - changed Daughter #1's outlook on life and of her own potential, but, still...you'd think having a baby would have made Daughter #2 more responsible with money...

I'm really looking forward to seeing how Daughter #3 will turn out! (she's 12!)

Ale is so funny!...she brought home the proofs for her school pictures...here's a collage I made:

She obviously wants the group picture, too--which I haven't seen...the package costs $15, and it includes 1- 8X10 individual, 1- 8X10 group, 2 wallet and 4 passport size pictures....we chose the picture we like best (we liked the same one!)...and I said to her: ok, right now I don't have the money, and I have to see where I'm going to get it from, but, don't worry, we'll find it...(meaning re-allocate it from somewhere else)...she looked at me very anxiously and said: but, not from my piggy bank, right??...LOL!...I love it!

we made $56, which means we have the $$$ to buy the tubs of glue we need (we had each already contributed $20 for the paper and 12 tubs of glue), cover the entrance fee ($3) and still had enough left to buy $2 cards for our cellphones...not a bad deal!...Ale bought a plush bunny and, afterwards, when we went to the supermarket, she bought a book and a set of 24 colored pencils...

...through numerous initiatives and fierce competition, the company employees were able to raise over $16K for the Telethon...the owner matched our $$$ 2X1...so total from the company will be almost $50K...of course, thanks to the PR fairies, the employees' donation was the first one of the event, so it got a special mention in the press!...

Still, it IS a good cause and, they HAVE built new centers not only in the capital city but also in some of the other major cities....

well, we are going to take our last notebooks (about 50-75) to the flea market...they have already been stored for over a year (from past Jan 06 to this January 07) and who knows if they'll survive another year in good enough condition to be sold...we are also taking a boxful of stickers, and the returned glue...I'm going to be taking some old books to see if they sell and we are also taking some sandwiches....Ale has declared that she will NOT bring any toys this time...wish us luck!

UGH! the school didn't accept the generic white glue...they want X brand-name...the one we bought was $1.28/tin...the one they want is $2.75/tin....now, this is just white carpenter's glue and,it's being used for kids crafts...

anyway, we need to bring the replacements between today and tomorrow, which means there's no time to sell the ones we have first...which means WE have to shell out the money and then find a way to recover at least part of it!...rats!...plus, the profit on most of those school packages was about $10-$15....with this, it goes down by $1.47 per package (for preschool packages)...$8.53-$13.53....

I'm not a happy camper today!...

our faucet in the kitchen started leaking all of a sudden...BADLY!...so we called the plumber...we also asked him to fix the basin in the downstairs bathroom, which looked like it was about to fall off! (I had already declared it off-limits for Ale...she might have broken her foot!)...total was $40!!!...O*U*C*H!

Oh, well....the way that faucet was leaking, I'd probably would have spent just as much on next month's water bill!