Thursday, March 16th, 2006

Bodega on Smith St. (water, tylenol) $1.63
American Spirits (Cigs) $8.35
The Park Bar $14.00
Pac Foods (Chinese food)$10.00

One thing I've never been good at is saying no to a social event or drinks out with people, in this event I was asked to go out with work folks, and excusable drinking excursion called "networking". Even nights like last night when all I wanted to do was go home, watch a film and order in Chinese food, I opted to go out. Though I did manage to get the chinese food on my way home, I was a bit tipsy and passed out shortly after eating it...
The weirdly guilted dream came to me in my sleep last night, in one section of my dream (they are like movies, seriously) someone was talking behind my back and I could hear them saying, "that Nicole, she spends all of her money on drinking, she's such a loser, no wonder she never has any money." Partly true, dreams are so funny like that. Though sometimes I need to reprioritize my spending, like I really need new mascara and I just keep putting it off, or I need to save up for a digital camera so I can take good photos for this blog and stop pulling cheesy clip art off google images. Anybody wanna sponsor me for a new digi cam? kidding...But really, just reprioritizing in general is necessary, but also living life, having fun, and networking is part of who I am, if I gave that up, I don't think I'd be a happy person.
Today is St. Patty's Day, and I'm wearing so much green I could puke!! I was getting dressed thinking to myself, why am I such a nerd? Even my hoop earrings are green, and yet I'm not even Irish. It's like I'm a kindergarten teacher and I'm wearing my "special holiday outfit". But, ya gotta love the Irish! I've got some Callaghans in the family and today is a big day for them, a day I also get really nostalgic for Chicago, the parade, the green Chicago River, the drunks... I got off the train at Union Square and walked to work from there, I listened to Sinead O'Conner (suitable for the occasion)on my ipod, and I thought about Chicago, the river being dyed green (though it tends to look green year-round anyway), and then I remembered this drink I loved as a kid, Green River, a favorite amongst Midwesterners.
I almost picked up some Shamrock cookies to bring to the office today, and then I stopped myself, another unnecessary purchase, and they probably wouldn't have even tasted good. At this point it's only 10:30 am and I'm already greened out, I want to go home and change my clothes.

Wednesday, March 15th, 2006
"The Almost Full Moon"

Coffee Settipani Bakery .75
Cafe 28 (bagel w/2 eggs) $2.17
Wollman Rink Central Park$18.25
Taxi $6.00
Russian Samovar $20.00 (vodka, puff pastry)
Taxi $6.00
Jesse's Deli on Atlantic (2 waters, carrots, tortellini)$8.73

Ice Skating in Central Park, finally...We really put it off this year, winter is nearing it's end (almost sounds like rearing its end). The Zamboni cracked into our evening on the ice though, it took a good 1/2 hour out of our skating time, and I of course was thinking, hey I paid for this! I want my money back! Kidding, but I did get the tax call from my father earlier in the evening, and it put me in a bit of a funk. Yes, my dad still does my taxes, if he didn't I'd be one of those assholes running to the mail box at the very last minute. The bad news is I owe the state, i get some cash back on federal, but all of that and then some will go to me paying the gosh darn state of New York, yet another reason to love this gorgeousness of a place. A little vodka at the good ol' Russian Samo patched things up a bit, but my head hurts today, and I stayed up way too late, tried to watch Dazed and Confused, with my boyfriend, but fell asleep after the first 5 minutes. The only financial observation I can make here today, un-clear headed as I am, is that I seem to spend more money and want to go out and have more fun when I'm concerned about money. money money money money blah blah blah blah, i'm cut off for today, with both spending and writing.
Am I growing more self conscious because I know there are a few of you out there actually reading this? I might just need a 3rd refresh on my morning coffee.

Tuesday, March 14th, 2006

Coffee Settepani Bakery .75
Dry Cleaning $14.00
Sunglasses (2 pair) $10.00
Brooklyn Lager (Noose left the tip) $5.00

I'm not one to get things dry cleaned, 1 it's a non-enviornmentally friendly way to clean clothes, and 2 I don't really own nice enough clothes to do that. Though, I am one to get pants professionally hemmed, and that's why I visit the dry cleaners. It's another thing that comes along with the territory of 2nd hand shopping, alterations... I've tried to work the sewing maching myself, and talk about attempting to again at some point in my life, but for now i'll leave the hemming up to a pro.
Melissa wanted to go to American Apparel after work, so I came along for the ride. Have you opened the link to this site, come on! I mean it's like 10:00am, and I have a terry clothed ass in my face, so slutty. I know the guys are loving this stuff though. Doug sings praises to American Apparel, he says it made women feel like it was "okay" and "stylish" to dress like sluts. Anyway, Melissa was just going for a very basic and non-whorish tank top. We came across a sunglass stand on out way out and each got a pair of enormous sunglasses, I'm hoping i get the picture Charlyn took of us in e-mailed today so I can post it for you. I paid for the sunglasses, so she paid for my kitchen-aid orange juicer (.99) and french cookbook ($2) I found at the Goodwill on 23rd where we stopped off, and then had a pint at some bar before heading home. *Oh good I just got the picure e-mailed, here we are!

Monday, March 13th, 2006

Coffee Settepani cafe .75
Cigs $8.00
Laundry pick-up $23.00

This morning got an e-mail from an old friend, not just any old friend, but my old boyfriend, a guy I dated and my "love" from age 16-19. He's reading the blog! I kinda advertise it in a way on my Myspace page, letting my friends on that site know about it, and hoping they take a minute out of their day to view it. I also hope for feedback, and weirdly enjoy the fact that I am letting people become voyeurs into my daily habits and fiscally irresponsible, hopefully and ever-so gradually shifting fiscally responsible patterns. Brian writes in an e-mail to me, that seeing that I'm spending most of my money on food, booze and late night cab rides home, that seems like not much has changed! Then he fills me in on his late life of a baby on the way, trips to Napa with his wife, a career as a Fromagier (as he put it, cheese guy/resident glutton) and I begin to wonder am I doing something wrong? Or am I leading my life as I destined? Just getting by, living and working in New York, heading into my late 20's, but still the same old Nicole! I even sport the same hair cut I had in 1998, am I a creature of habit, maybe that's what I thrive on? never changing? Well thanks Brian, if you read this entry, for opening my eyes and for filling me in on your life. I hope you continue to be a new regular set of eyes on my journal of spending, it was really great to hear from you. As for my Monday's spending, nothing too crazy, just picked up 32 pounds of laundry, a pack of cigarettes (no, I haven't even opened the Allen Carr book yet, do plan on it), and I stayed in and watched Secretary, from Netflix.

Weekend Update:

Sunday, March 12th, 2006

Jesse's Deli (coffee, power sandwich, water) $6.00
Car Service $20.00
Coffee and Banana Bread $4.00
Sunac Natural Foods $25.44 (groceries)
3 cans of Goya Juice at Deli $3.50
*Today I earned $111.00 in cash at Beacon's Closet selling spring clothes, and in trade got a pair of jeans and a spring jacket, that was in addition to the cash!

Saturday, March 11th, 2006

Joe's Busy Corner ("The Godfather" and an Iced Coffee)$7.00
Buffalo Exchange (shirt) $9.00
Cigs $8.00
* "the Godfather" is a sandwich consisting of proscuitto, provolone and fried egg

Friday, March 10th, 2006

Movie $11.00
Diet coke and 1 water at movie $5.50
1 Round of drinks at Bar 119 $16.00
Car home $5.00

Not allowed to mention the movie I saw on Friday, I promised my friends I wouldn't. It was really low-brow, and quite awful. But the fact that the 5 of us ladies all got together to go and see it was even more hillarious. We had fun. Saturday the weather was amazing, very Spring-like, and Doug and I walked around Smith St. where I got to watch him shop for Spring clothing items, like the great gingham jacket he bought, and a cute t-shirt with birds. It was a funny reverse of roles, most men have to get bored watching their women shop, I got near boredom watching him shop, I had to leave the store at one point and buy cigarettes...I went through my Spring clothes and put together a couple of bags to sell and donate. Beacon's Closet was surprisingly great about buying most everything, and what they didn't buy I donated, and walked out of there with some great items as well. The decision has been made by me, that I will try to keep only buying from the used clothing stores, it seems to not only help me with making a little extra cash on the side, getting new clothes in exchange for old clothes. Also the affordable clothes I do spend money on are never lacking in great style and sometimes a label that I would never be able to afford if new in the store.