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Stray Thoughts on a Saturday Afternoon

People are starting to trickle back to Venice for the winter season, but because it is also school holidays time, there are still quite a few young people around.

It is always slightly jarring to see the Christmas decorations in Florida yards during the daytime, but they do look very pretty at night.

The Venice libraries have such a different collection of books than we have in little Jericho, VT.  Today I picked up a mystery by Gyles Brandreth, Oscar Wilde and the Murders at Reading Gaol.  I am hooked at twenty pages in.

On a somewhat related note, or a complete non sequitur, as the case may be, I read about a gay couple in a southern Texas club being ordered to not dance to a country-western tune, "Cowboys and Angels."  I am not so much a big country music fan, but the two-step kind of looks like fun and women dance together all the time.  In some cultures men dance with men and women dance with women and that's the way it is.  I am not going to make any kind of judgement, but the gay guys were told they could dance to hip-hop, just not the country-western because that constituted a safety risk.  Twerk=OK; two-step=NO-NO.

So does anyone think that the world will get to the state, when today's 20-somethings are old fogeys like me that there will be fond nostalgia for the wholesome entertainment of folks like Miley Cyrus?  Okay, I am making judgements.  Sorry.  So very sorry.  I did not used to be a prudish type.

I set up a budget for myself on mint.com.  I am going to try to be more aware of how I handle money now that it is solely my job.  I pretty much hate it.  Mint is already pointing out that I am over budget on groceries--never mind that I had to restock everything.  Now I am intimidated about going to the grocery store and I am glad that there are only a few days left in this month.  However, if I pick up a bunch of stuff at the drugstore...no problems!

I think that my resolution for 2014 is to stop letting myself be pushed around by technology!


Comments

  1. TaborDecember 28, 2013 at 5:05 PM

    Good idea to monitor your spending. Just don't expect to completely change right away. Follow your budget planner for at least a month before you think about changing things. You might see patterns by the next month. I get into spending habits that waste money and I keep thinking I should do like you do.

    ReplyDelete
  2. TomDecember 28, 2013 at 5:09 PM

    Best New Year's resolution I've heard so far!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Arkansas PattiDecember 29, 2013 at 7:32 AM

    Miley has resurrected my streak of prudishness that I thought died peacefully in the 70's. Pure porn is the only step left for her. Just thrilled she not a family member and that most of my family members that could be affected are still preschool and for now, safe.
    I could really use a budget myself. Might check that link. I know I buy a lot of useless things. When I go to the store for just light bulbs and check out with a full cart, help is needed.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousDecember 29, 2013 at 1:28 PM

    I agree with you on all of your points. As for your budget, we are having a hard time, too. But, I keep telling David, it's the holiday season. Once that's over with, we can save more money.

    ReplyDelete
  5. SakuDecember 29, 2013 at 1:43 PM

    OMG I howled at your comment using wholesome entertainment and Miley Cyrus in the same sentence. The sad thing, for me anyway, is her parents don't seem to be concerned about her behaviour. That I don't understand.

    I told my children I'm not buying any groceries until we use up the majority of the stuff in the pantry, fridge and freezer. Except bread, milk and eggs of course. I suspect we'll be having some interesting meals!

    Good luck with your budget. I may have to check out the site myself.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Heidrun Khokhar, KleinsteMotteDecember 29, 2013 at 3:09 PM

    I am intrigued by a budget program . I shall have to research it and learn. I am not the one in charge but anything can change that at this age. I do take care to help Buddy manage his little income that he gets to spend his way.
    Wish I had. Place in Florida!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Linda ReederDecember 29, 2013 at 8:07 PM

    I have not kept up with Miley, except an occasional newspaper photo or news mention. I don't care.
    And I think your resolution sounds just right!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Linda ReederDecember 29, 2013 at 8:08 PM

    I have not kept up with Miley, except an occasional newspaper photo or news mention. I don't care.
    And I think your resolution sounds just right!

    ReplyDelete
  9. KayDecember 30, 2013 at 1:51 AM

    Technology is making me a little crazy. My son is warning me to be very careful with what I publish on my blog. Despite the fact that I don't use last names, some photos turned up on his Google images. It's scary. He's just worried about identity theft.

    ReplyDelete
  10. KayDecember 30, 2013 at 1:52 AM

    PS I think Miley is a misguided child in a woman's body.

    ReplyDelete
  11. UnknownDecember 30, 2013 at 11:24 AM

    I will be curious to see what you think of mint.com as another friend suggested it. I use Quicken and while I am not the least bit fond of it -- it is set up and do I really want to go through the hassle of moving everything and learning another program. Maybe I should do it just so I don't let new technology beat me! Happy New Year

    ReplyDelete

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