More waiting

This photo has absolutely nothing to do with what I'm about to write, but I've been feeling anxious lately so I thought I could use something to make me smile. So maybe this photo is more appropriate.

(both photos from http://www.nataliedee.com/)

In case you can't read that, it says "Anxiety Girl! Able to jump to the worst conclusion in a single bound!" And boy does that describe me these days. So get ready for another "Woe-is-me-and-all-my-problems-that-aren't-really-problems-angst" post.

I've started applying for more MBA programs, which is just a painful process of simultaneous self-examination and self-doubt. I am so excited and determined for the end goal (education and degree), that I wish I could just start now. And wanting to start now is creeping into my job. I'm day-dreaming, essay planning and distracted. It probably doesn't help that I notified my company CEO that I would be leaving this summer. I had hoped to have some firm plans in place, but here I am in application limbo. Being in this gray area is delaying my plans of notifying co-workers, friends, family and blog readers. That's right, I plan to have a big "I'M OUT" post in which I tell you more details about me, my husband and our dogs, work, home, etc. I'm even going to post a picture. Trust me you'll love it -- we're adorable.

Until that day -- wish me luck and Xanax-free days ahead!

The first cut is the deepest

....and then comes the second.

Back when we last left our hero (me), I had successfully submitted two applications to the top MBA programs of my choice: Stanford Graduate School of Business and McCombs School of Business at UT Austin. I was hoping that my next post could be a "Pluckiness, sensibility and smarts triumph for our young heroine" style entry in which I announced the lucky business school that had accepted me into their program.

But sadly it was not meant to be. I received notice from Stanford GSB in mid-December that I was not offered admission. So I wallowed for a little bit, and then left for vacation to California over Christmas. Fast-forward to last week when I received a similar message from McCombs: thanks, but no thanks.

As long as we're talking honestly, I should say that after I received the notice from Stanford, I had my doubts about McCombs. That rejection put me in a tough position -- the first rejection. And when I say first, I don't just mean my first business school rejection. I mean my first rejection that meant something. I am not writing this to elicit sympathy (well maybe a little -- hi, sweetie!), but to share something meaningful to me with my readers. I was accepted to my first choice college, gotten the jobs I wanted and put everything I had into ensuring that I lived up to the confidence that had been placed in me.

And I guess that's the hard part for me to take -- not getting to prove myself. But here we go for more applications. Cross your fingers for me and my pinkie promises that we'll write more as we head toward the home stretch.

It's what I want

Money. Lots of money.

Actually, I'm not concerned about getting lots of money, but I am concerned about saving money, paying off my car loan and getting through the winter. This is another subject that has occupied my mind when I'm not thinking "WILL I OR WON'T I? WHY CAN'T YOU JUST LET ME KNOW NOW AND PUT ME OUT OF THIS AWFUL MISERY????? poop." But back to the money topics....

The saving money part was surprisingly easy if not also slow and steady. This goal was met at the beginning of November -- the goal being to save enough money for weekly expenses during the winter and a deposit for the expensive business school that is smart enough to accept me. Done. SO ACCEPT ME ALREADY! HAVE I MENTIONED I'M IMPATIENT? AND I HAVE (some) MONEY!

So getting through the winter comes to that part of the last sentence in which I said "save enough money for weekly expenses during the winter." Getting through the winter may also mean surviving the oppressive cold and darkness that we must endure for one more season before we move onto the warmer climates where the business schools to which I have applied are strategically located, but I digress.

My husband and I have come up with a brilliant-and-probably-only-works-for-us budgeting system. My paychecks are deposited into two checking accounts. Roughly half of each paycheck goes to an account from which we pay our mortgage and utilities. The other half goes into another checking account for which we use to pay our fixed expenses: car loan, student loans (yep, still have these and willing to take on more for that MBA!), Roth IRA, cell phone, internet, Blockbuster by mail, union dues and savings/debt-buster flavor of the moment. This happens twice a month. Wash, rinse, repeat. Relatively simple.

Husband's paychecks are where things get interesting. He drives a concrete mixer for a company that, rather archaically IMO, pays him weekly. To make it more interesting, he is paid by the hour with overtime and his schedule varies radically from week to week. Like 30 hours one week and 80 the next, radically. We can never be quite sure how much he'll bring home, but have roughly estimated that if he works 20 hours a week we can meet the weekly variable expenses that we have broken into the following categories: food (dining out and groceries), gas, miscellaneous (entertainment, movies, etc.) and adult allowance. We also have savings categories for: beer making supplies, ski trips, new flooring and vacation. Once we meet these weekly obligations, everything else is gravy for helping us meet some major savings goals and debt-busting.

It can be noted that I didn't mention everything that we spend money on. Car insurance, dog food, charitable donations, gifts, clothes -- it all fits in there somewhere with other methods (like a "slush" fund buffer that we also fund), but we've devoted our attention to those categories that we feel we need to monitor. And I've found that if we set goals for ourselves, it makes it easier to meet those first and let everything else wash out in the end.

And that brings me to the last money topic/goal: Paying off my car loan. The goal is to make the last payment at the end of February and it's on track to happen. It's so close I can taste it. Sweet, delicious Suzuki SX4 paid off three years early.

Decluttering

So the two b-school applications that I intended on submitting this fall are in. And now...we hurry up and wait. I have lots of nervous energy built up around the admissions process, so I've been taking on different projects. Fortunately, with a big move on the horizon and lots of stuff to organize I haven't been lacking for projects to complete.

First, the big decluttering movement. I am not interested in moving all of out stuff when we go for two reasons: 1. I want to keep the move as inexpensive as possible. Moving EVERYTHING does not sound like to way to do this. 2. I don't love everything I own. Especially my couches. But I can live with them for less than a year (!).

So I'm starting with the easiest things to get rid of. It was a lot of stuff and I'm amazed at how much further I think we'll need to pare down our belongings.

This was the pile of items to be donated or recycled. Most of it went to The Salvation Army, and included extra storage bins (at left), kitchen gadgets (middle), and two bags of clothing and accessories.

Here's another view. We also had some old electronics to recycle. Old cellphones, laptop, and printer. Best Buy turned out to be a great place to bring all these things. We recycled the cellphones and printer for free. The laptop required at $10 fee, but they turned around a gave us a $10 gift card.

Close-ups of the old cellphones. And I mean, OLD. This is what the husband and I were rocking before we upgraded to iPhones.

Like I said, this will be an ongoing process over the next several months. I think the decluttering will go more slowly, since I can't exactly get rid of everything like the dreaded couches RIGHT THIS MINUTE. As much as I'd like to, I also like being comfy for movie time.

Slowly but surely

I took a mental break after my first b-school application was submitted last week. Starting to slowly, but surely, work on the next one. I am only submitting two applications this fall and will submit more in January if necessary. Next deadline: November 1, McCombs School of Business at UT Austin.

In other news, we hosted an Oktoberfest party on Saturday. My husband brews his own beer and its one of our favorite fall time traditions. Prost! (P.S. this is not a picture of my husband)

Another one bites the dust

Application to Stanford submitted! I celebrated with wine, spinach bacon pasta and wine. Oh, and this video because it kicks so much nerdy ass.

The name of the game we play

Procrastination. Did I also mention that as one of the reasons I wanted to start a blog? Because it could be one of them. I have my first application due in FIVE days and I can't get off the internet. Go Go Gadget Essay Writing!