Overwhelmed and accomplished.

Those are what my "moods" would be on the MySpace today if I were writing this over there. (By the way, since I started blogging officially, I've been spending less and less time on the MySpace. Another reason to feel accomplished!)

Overwhelmed: about all of the tasks & social activities! Here are a few, so you can get a taste...

Thursday 6/5: Lunch with dad
Friday 6/6: Birthday dinner for friend
Saturday 6/7: Birthday drinks for another friend
Thursday 6/12: Lunch with dad (yes, we're trying a weekly lunch since I never see them)
Thursday 6/12: Friend's show premiere of a pilot he directed/produced (<-- more on that later after I talk to him about if I can write about it here)
Saturday 6/14: Tea at the Huntington
Sunday 6/15: Father's day, stepmom's birthday, cousin's birthday
Wednesday 6/18: Chiropractor appointment
Thursday 6/19: Lunch with dad
Friday 6/20: Wedding + sister's high school graduation (on the same day - I'm trying to go to both, I'll let you know how that works out!)
Saturday 6/21: Spa day with the girls :-D (and JUST in time)
Tuesday 6/24: Friend's birthday
Thursday 6/26: Lunch with dad

And then July starts, and it all begins all over again! Yeay! (& I'm tired already!)

Accomplished: putting money aside for things I want to buy and places I want to travel this year

I started this year with the goal of saving enough money specifically for the four following things: a digital SLR camera, Mayercraft 2009, a trip to Portland for me and Sean over the summer, and my East Coast Road Trip for Ash's wedding in October.

I estimated I would need to save around $4,000. (I'd rather over-estimate than under-estimate). I plan on about $1,000 for the digital SLR + the lens I want. I over estimated on Mayercraft, thinking I'd need to buy another plane ticket, but it's leaving from LA, so woo! I have enough credit card miles to buy one of the plane tickets to Portland, and then we have the hookup for a hotel, so I probably over budgeted there a tiny bit too. And I had $175 from American Airlines losing my luggage for seven weeks that I put towards my flight to Boston.

And I've done it! I have been putting every spare cent I have into my savings account - pretending I'm broke and complaining that I have NO money and socking everything away. And it makes me feel GREAT. It's only June and I've met my savings plan for the STUFF I want.

Now I am starting on my goal of saving 3 months of my salary as a "moving" fund, and as an emergency fund for if/when I quit my job to move farther north... that seems like it will be MUCH more difficult, but I have no doubt I will be able to do it!