Time Out

It's 27 July and I'm anxiously awaiting the end of the month. As previously noted (on a few occasions here), the summer doesn't hold any real special place in my heart. I don't do the beach thing. Nor do I hold the feeling that a hot summer day is not to be wasted indoors. Those aren't the reasons behind my wishing to see the July page of the calendar ripped away, though.

What's doing me in is the heavy schedule of events - both weekend and weeknight - and the toll it's taking on my wallet. I knew when I was planning to buy my house that my monthly expenses would go up. The problem is, I have yet to re-adjust my social calendar accordingly. I've basically continued to live, and therefore spend, as I had been before the substantial increase in my lodging expense.

I'm not lamenting the purchase; just the lack of adjustment in my lifestyle to properly accommodate such a drastic change. It's four days until payday (a monthly event) and I've got about 100 beans to get me there. It won't be a problem but I don't enjoy cutting it so close.

Admittedly, the high gas prices aren't helping but they're not high enough to be making a serious dent. I'm simply spending more than I should without much forethought. June and July were chock-full of events. Too many events. Some big, some small - just too many, overall. It's time I took a Time Out.

I've already got a couple of 'big' events on the calendar for August which I intend to keep on the schedule... but I'll be making a concerted effort to minimize the addition of anything new.

It's not only the financial aspect that has taken a hit, there's also the personal aspect. Since my Project Walkway posting two weeks ago, I haven't been back out there at all - aside from the two new, green weeds I plucked from the already-been-plucked section today. I think that was the physical manifestation of what I've been feeling the past two months. Things are catching up with me.

There are also books I'd like to read, movies I'd like to watch (Netflix must be loving me and my return frequency), entries I'd like to post here, boxes in my house that still need unpacking, and projects I'd like to get done - nay, need to get done - on the house. These are all things I'm looking forward to doing - and all of them are free or, in the case of house projects, necessary expenses. Yeah, I pay a monthly fee for Netflix but that's negligible. And I'm already paying it, so I may as well get the most out of it.

This isn't to say I'm planning to board up the windows and doors and disappear for good. It's just time to stop, take a deep breath, and re-adjust my priorities. To carefully analyze any potential events or invitations... and to politely decline if I don't feel I have the time or it doesn't fit into the budget.

It's in my best interest, both financially and mentally. And it all begins on 1 August. Bye-Bye July.