The World's Smallest Violin.

The past 3 months haven't been the greatest, all things considering. Not only have I somehow managed to dig myself back into (a minor amount of) credit card debt, I've also come to realize that $5 is in fact the new $10. I'm learning to make more with less, and make lemonade with lemons. 

True story. Over the past year, my 401k has been cut in half, due to the monster we know as the stock market. This may be the ONE time i can pat myself on the back for being the world's worst saver. 

(To all the eTrade cronies out there who had $100k in the market last year..it's ok to be jealous. You've lost 40 and I've only lost 3.)

(Yea, ok, I know you'll still kick my ass in the "bottom line" game. Forgive me, I'm simply trying to find my gold lining.)

In addition to personal financial failure, I live every freaking day in fear that I will be laid off. And the fear is well-warranted, as my company is one of the ones you hear about in the news announcing thousands of cuts. It's been happening all around me, and you can't help but breathe in a bit of those fumes while the damage is being done. It's terrifying. 

And there's so much more going on. Personally, professionally, financially, mentally...it's alot. I won't go so far as to say "it's more than one person can handle" because I know millions of people handle this tenfold. But it is alot for me, in my own selfish world. (Hey, it's MY blog...let me be selfish for a few keystrokes. More on my saving the world missions at a later, less selfish, date.)

I let myself get paralyzed by the fear of the unknown, by the uncertainty of the future, and by the potential disruption of my current warm-and-fuzzy life. And for what? Does fear change anything? Does worrying push away the looming shadows? Not at all. So why bother? 

(I don't need anymore worry lines, let me tell ya...)

So anyways. I'm deciding to take a new lease on life as I know it. This is MY life, and no one can take that away from me. Situations can change and major curveballs can be thrown...but at the end of the day, I'll still be me. And life will go on. 

Life WILL go on. No matter what the next year brings. 

I'll leave you with one thought: live for today, plan for tomorrow, pray for forever, and then let it be. 

Retrospectfully Yours,

DG

Hello there.

Good morning Vietnam! (As a side note, it's not morning, and I'm not in Vietnam, nor do I think many of my readers will reside in Vietnam, but I digress.) Off to a good start already, huh? Hey, this is my first foray into the wide world of blogging; slack-cutting would be most appreciated.

A little about me...

I've been on this earth for 26 years, have an impervious time saving money, and possess a wordly view on all things touching my own small slice of this world. I'm an economist by education, a communicator by trade, and a fashion victim by choice. My most prized possession is two-fold...a mind capable of rationalization, and a soul incapable of reason. I speak too much, love too often, and regret too little. 

Translation? I'm a corporate gal with couture dreams trapped in the monotony we call suburbia. (You were expecting something much more fabulous, weren't you? Patience, grasshopper...)

I haven't a direction for this blog (yet), but am confident inspiration will present itself at some point. It's got to, right? Surely I'm not this vapid...

Until then, I leave you with just one thought...black will ALWAYS be the new black. Accept no substitutions. 

Cheers!

Retrospectfully Yours,

DG