Until tonight.

It wasn’t the music – that was fine. The plot? That’s ok too.

Do you remember the scene where Glee member/Cheerio Brittany demonstrated her ‘hairography’ skills to the club? First she compared her body movements to being tased. Then came the line “it’s like cool epilepsy“.

Now, wait just a hair-tossing moment!

Having a seizure is like being tased? Epilepsy is uncool?

Maybe I’m reaching, but what is a young kid with epilepsy supposed to think about this? Epilepsy is not just shaking your head and hair around. Epilepsy can suck. I speak from experience. But nobody should be sending the message that a disability is uncool. I am not uncool because I have seizures, just as Artie is not uncool because he is in a wheelchair, and the students from the glee club from the school for the deaf are not uncool because they are hearing impaired.

I’ve had epilepsy for nearly 10 years and although it is not an easy thing to deal with psychologically, only one person ever made me feel as though I was less of a person because of it. I’m comfortable enough with my disability that I can joke around about it with friends, but it is really disappointing when it is joked about on a top primetime television show.

This is the theme song to my absolute favourite show ever.  The Biggest Loser.  I watched it last night- the finale, when the final 4 are chosen, and everyone goes home to do it on their own- and it was so amazing.  These people all come into the competition with no idea what they’re getting themselves into, and all with different stories.  The most touching story this season was Abby’s story.  Abby had lost her husband, her 5 1/2 year old daughter, and her 2 1/2 week old son in a car crash three years ago.  I watched the very first episode where she first told everyone what had happened with Kaylee, who absolutely hates the show (howww?), and we were both sitting there crying, so we had to change the channel.  She was eliminated at Week 7, and was even on Ellen at the beginning of November.  If I knew how to post  video on here I would, but here is the link to the youtube video.

Recently, my wife best friend Nat wrote this and offered to lend it to the blog which of course I am because it is wonderful. These are Nat’s thinking outside the box tips to budgeting. (It’s lengthy but amusing and worth your time!)

Recession or no recession, what 24-year old girl who lives on her own in one of the most expensive cities in the country doesn’t need to save money? I forgot to mention that I am in social work a.k.a. one of the most underpaid fields in my opinion.
Recently me and one of my besties have become obsessed with saving/not spending money. Here’s some of my suggestions on how to be frugal on a daily basis:

1) Rent movies at the library for free instead of at Blockbuster.

2) Sit at the bar instead of at a table when you are out with your girlfriends. It increases the likelihood of getting free drinks. (Note: This works. Trust.)

3) Save your Canadian Tire Money. So far I have got garbage bags and Swiffer refills for free. Now I’m saving for a Slow Cooker.

4) Pack your lunch every day. Even if you go out for lunch twice a week for a $10 meal, that’s $1,040 a year!

5) Instead of donating your unwanted clothing, use consignment shops and get money for them. In Calgary: Trends Fashion in Kensington. In Guelph: Wild Rose.

6) Buy your meat at Costco. But use your friends’ memberships.

7) Have board game nights with friends. They don’t (necessarily) require alcohol and they are SO! MUCH! FUN!

8 ) If you see a shirt you have to have RIGHTNOW don’t buy it. Wait a few days to see if you still feel incomplete without it.

9) Do you reeeeeeeally need a data plan? (Note: Yes I do)

10) If you have 10,000 prescriptions like me, shop around for the pharmacy with the cheapest dispensing fee. Hint: It’s not Shoppers Drug Mart.

11) If you hair is its natural colour, you don’t have to get your roots done every six weeks. You’re prettier au naturale anyways.

12) Eat your leftovers.

13) Buy a coffee mug and take your coffee with you each morning. One large coffee before work every day is $8.20/week, $32/month, or $1,700/year.

14) Buy your beer at the Superstore Liqourstore.

15) Babysitting is not just for 15-year-olds!

16) Have potluck dinners with your friends rather than going out for supper.

17) Use kijiji. My friend gets clothes from there and my dad bought a pontoon boat. I made a profit selling a pair of snowboard boots.

18) Who said PB&J sandwiches were only for kids?

19) Have a baby shower to go to? Buy children’s books at the dollar store. Babies don’t know the difference.

20) Steal pens and post-its from your office.

21) When you need (errr..want) something new to wear, raid your friend’s closet.

22) Wearing Lancome/Clinique/Chanel eyeshadow is unnecessary. Covergirl works just fine.

23) Call your credit card company and find low interest cards. My interest rate is only 9% versus the usual 19%. Having said that, pay off your credit card in full each month.

24) Use incentive cards: optimum, Esso, Petro, Safeway. They work.

And the things I will always spend too much money on:

1) Tea

2) Yoga/Spinning/Kickboxing classes

3) Acupuncture

4) Haircuts

5) Spoiling my niece and nephews

Thanks for hanging out with the Fiveblondes today, Nat! Great ideas.

As of today I have only 1 more month of work, I told work today that my last day will be December 23rd.  I originally planned on working for 2 weeks in January, but that was when I thought that there were 3 weeks before my due date in January, when in reality there are only 2 full weeks.  My office always closes between Christmas and New Years, and although I think a month is too much time off before the baby, I know that I’ll be so busy during Christmas & New Years that that time does not count.  So starting December 23rd I will be off work for over 1 year!  It’s just so weird to even think of it.

Raspbaby is still the size of a squash (about 4 pounds and getting fatter every day). All 5 senses are working, and the brain and nervous system are going through major development.    I feel more jabs and stretching in my stomach now, more then just crazy wiggling and movement.  Baby will stick it’s elbow (or something bony) at my side and I can press it and it will move.  It’s like a fun game that Scott and I get to play.  Tease the baby!  And after being scared that the baby was not growing anymore, my belly is even bigger this week, so I’m no longer (as) scared.  I also have not really had much heartburn over the past week, which is a nice change and ironic since one website I read said I should be having more heartburn now.  But I’m feeling breathless really easily now, especially if I try to lay on my back, it’s no longer comfortable.

I started my shopping on Saturday, and I have every intention of getting all my shopping done early this year (like that will really happen…).   I know what I am going to get for a few people, it’s just a matter of going out and getting it, but since the stores are so busy already it makes me dread going.  I’m planning a trip to the One of a Kind Show and Sale in Toronto next weekend.  I don’t know how much I’ll get there, because items are usually pretty pricey at events like that, and I’m mostly just hoping to get myself more into the Christmas spirit and maybe get a gift idea for the people on my list who are hard to buy for.

Christmas decorating has begun in my house.  I took down my Happy Halloween banner from the fireplace and put up the new one I made reading Merry Christmas.  Next will be the tree and garlands.  I have plans to decorate outside the house as well this year, but we’ll see if it happens.  I took the photo below on November 22nd 2008, so I’m behind where I was last year!

This year I’m also sending out Christmas cards! I still have the same box that I bought about 4 years ago, which were the prettiest cards ever, and this year I found some that are similar so I bought those as well.  I spent Saturday writing Christmas cards and eating candy canes.

I figure since Christmas seems to arrive and leave so quickly it doesn’t hurt to start decorating or shopping early (not that it’s really that early anymore, being only 32 days away!)