Thursday, August 11, 2011

Yikes! I'm So Stressed!

Sorry for the lack of posts lately, it's been a zoo around here!  So before I go off and have a meltdown from all of the stress I have been under, I'll give you a quick update:
  • We will be leaving for Japan and the Philippines in a few weeks.  It looks like the trip will be way more expensive than we had planned.  The price for air tickets within Asia has increased a lot since the last time we were there, ditto for hotels in the Philippines.  This may be our last big trip before we regroup, earn some more money, and put more money back in savings.
  • Someone from my husbands family started a FaceBook "clan" group page and there are currently 296 people in the group (!).  I posted on there that we should have a meet up when we get to the Philippines since that is where most of the family lives.  I assumed that "meet up" was the same term as here in the states--you set a date, time, and place and people show up, buy a beer, chat, and whatever.  Hubby reminded me that if I arrange to meet with anyone there they will expect me to pay since I am the "rich" American and I did send the invite. Ayayay.  I can barely pay for myself let alone 200+ people!
  • It is taking forever to close the condo.  I knew that because it was a repo it would probably be more complicated than a standard home purchase but the unprofessionalism and apparent incompetency of some of the people involved is astounding.  They send a bunch of documents, say sign these, the documents aren't complete or accurate, I call, they call back, I am stubborn about not signing any legal document that isn't both complete and/or accurate, they relent, I am grouchy...ayayay.  You would think that if the place is vacant, bank-owned, and the mortgage company is just waiting to pay for the property things would move along faster but apparently that isn't so.  I am hopeful that it will eventually close.  Sometime.
  • My non-profit, the one that I founded almost a decade ago, is on rough financial footing like most non profits these days.  I went to the Board meeting and our treasurer said :"raise $5000 by the end of this month or we will have to close". Yikes!  I haven't done much with the organization over the past year but it is like someone saying pay up or we will get rid of your kid!  So I have been writing grants like a maniac and we have been asking everyone we know if they can donate.  There has got to be a better way to fund a non profit besides writing grants and crossing your fingers...
  • We figured out that we will need to rent a moving van, fill it with our stuff, and tow our car behind it when we move to Las Vegas (if and when the condo closes!).  It looks like we may not move until the first week of October.  Just thinking about all of the work makes me cringe.
  • I am trying to study up on my Japanese since I hardly remember any of it and most of the people I know in Japan don't speak English.  I was going full speed ahead then kind of hit a wall and haven't picked up the book in a week.  I don't know what's wrong with me but I have to get back to studying!
  • There hasn't been much sun here since we got back which probably isn't helping with my mood (it hasn't even reached 85 degrees yet this year in Seattle!).
  • For the life of me I can't stick to a healthy eating plan (and it is showing!).  Oh to be young, super active, and be able to eat anything without gaining an ounce.  Starbucks is going to be the death of me!
  • Money, money, money.  I guess most of my stress is money stress.  There are so many things I want to do (buy a whole new wardrobe since I have been wearing my current clothes for almost a year, buy lots of nice--read, expensive--gifts for my friends in Japan, easily pay all of our travel costs and then moving costs) but we simply don't have the money to do this.  It was easy in the beginning to be frugal and not spend money because we weren't doing much but staying with family and hanging out.  Now so many expenses are cropping up that I need to win the lottery or something (except that I don't play the lottery so this would be difficult).
I think that is all so far.  Sorry for the downer.  I hope the rest of you are having an amazing summer!

6 comments:

  1. It's good to talk about what's stressing you out. I think it helps to let them go. Things will fall into place. Your trip sounds like so much fun!

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  2. Sorry that you're so stressed! I hope everything goes more smoothly.

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  3. If you end up paying for meet-up, can I come along too?! ;) It sounds like you're crazy busy!! I hope you're able to wrap things up with the condo and get everything in order!

    Also, I have a new blog if you want to update me on your blogroll... :)

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  4. Thanks for the positive words! And Carla, I see you have TWO new blogs which I just added to my blogroll!

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  5. "Money, money, money. I guess most of my stress is money stress."
    Wasn't one of the goals of living cash only and debt free supposed to reduce stress? Gosh, I'm really worried the condo sale will fall through. Good for you for not signing incomplete docs. Fingers crossed here.

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  6. Hi Lorraine, While we have the money for the trip, I am just really stressed about parting with it! Once we built up such a good financial cushion, seeing it dwindle is making me stressed. I used to not worry about spending a couple thousand here and a couple thousand there because I always knew I had more money coming in with my next paycheck but now that I am not working I practically feel pain every time money leaves my pocket! Weird huh?

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