Happy Friday + Life Lately

I confess that I'm still missing Oregon.  I've been back for over a week now but my heart is just not in anything... I desperately want to go back there.  Did you see all my gorgeous photos I took with my new DSLR?  If not see Eel Lake, Umpqua Lighthouse, Cape Arago, Bandon, & Mr. Bingo's Backyard.  Here are a few Instagram Photos that didn't get shared in those posts:

1 // At the airport I stopped for a wine tasting.  It almost made me miss my flight though! 

2 // On our first night there we went to Pueblo Nuevo for dinner and I had this Margherita with the most amazing seafood burrito.  It was in a sauce that I can only describe as a Mexican Alfredo.  Love! 

3 // The ocean is amazing.

4 // My camera on the very first day I took her out shooting.

5 // I did a lot of cooking, the first morning I made coconut pancakes and the next I made crepes! 

6 // Inside Tony's Crab Shack.  So delicious and adorable! 

7 // The beach in Bandon was super windy, but very pretty! 

8 // I also baked banana bread for the first time in my life while I was there.  This was Nutella Banana Bread.

9 // Mr. Bingo's back yard - it was awesome!

10 // On my last night there we went back to the Mexican restaurant because I wanted that burrito.  Except they were out of the small seafood that went inside and only had large Prawns, so he offered to make me something else with the big ones.  I asked if he could use that same sauce (since it's really what I went for) and they outright refused.  The waiter was nice, but the owner was pretty rude about it.  Screw them!

11 // The tree in Mr. Bingo's front yard.  I feel like I say goodbye to it with a photo every time I leave.

I confess that I haven't done laundry since before my trip, so I'm now forced to wear my nice blouses and dress slacks to work.  How funny is it that I dress nicer on laundry day?  

Do you follow me on Instagram?  If not, you should!  I'm giving away this cute pink zippy back with a $10 Victoria Secret Gift card, pink Sally Hansen nail polish, a face mask, Blow Pro Hairspray, and a body spray!  It ends on 3/31 and to enter you simply follow me, repost the photo on Instagram with #MSCCMarchGiveaway and @MySoCalledChaos, and then tag three friends on the original giveaway post!

 

Did you hear that the Ultimate Blog Party is coming up over at 5 Minutes for Mom?  I LOVE participating each year-and currently they're taking giveaway donations.  I donated $135 worth of featured advertising this year, and wanted to let you guys know so you can get in on the prize donations if you'd like!  Otherwise it'll be a bunch of link ups from April 4th through 11th that you can join, and you can enter the giveaways too!

Another fun link-up I'm looking forward to in April is Fairy Tale Fortnight.  I'm planning a huge fairy tale related giveaway.  If you don't want to host your own, but offer fairy tale related goods please let me know if you'd like to get in on the big one I'm throwing and have your links in the giveaway Rafflecopter! :) 

I went on my first Utah hike of the season on Sunday.  I looked up easy beginner hikes because I'm so out of shape (Hiking is one of my goals to get in shape this year) and we decided to hike up Ensign Peak behind the capital building.  It was short, but not easy.  I'm super out of shape.  I wrote an entire post over at Health NOT to Health NUT about the things I realized about myself and journey on this hike.  Also, Utah is not nearly as pretty as Oregon and the altitude here kills my asthma.  Hiking along the coast was a breeze.

While in Oregon, Mr. Bingo informed me that he's lost 50lbs over the last year simply by not eating out.  He lives so far from any fast food places or stores that it makes it not quick and easy, so he just cooks now.  I had so much fun cooking meals in Oregon that I decided when I came back I'd give up fast food and work on cooking more, and I've had so much fun with it!  I haven't eaten out at all this week and the kitchen has never stayed cleaner, because now that I'm cooking I keep up with the dishes and stuff.  It's also been nice to have leftovers on nights when I have school (and am too tired to cook when I get home at 8pm) instead of grabbing something unhealthy.

So far I've cooked Ahi Tuna Steaks & Asparagus (Sat), Coconut Pancakes (Sun), the roommate made Irish Stew Sunday night (which carried over into a lunch at work too!), Monday we made Fried Rice, Wednesday I made Linguini and Clams, and ate it's leftovers for lunch and dinner yesterday, and tonight I'm going to make Spaghetti Squash.  I've also eaten a lot of yogurt with berries & oats this week, and salads!

Belvoir Ginnger Beer, a Cornish Pasty, Violet Crumble, & Double Decker.

I confess that I recently went to the British store by my house for the first time.  It's totally overpriced, but it was fun to get a few little goodies to try.  Though I've been informed that ordering these online is way cheaper.

I have a B in French.  I knew I wasn't doing as well as last semester (this is a tougher class/professor and I did miss 2 days already) but I didn't expect it to be a B.  For some reason my brain is equating a B with an F and I am not happy about it at all.  Ugh.  Buuuut, I am understanding a lot more now when it's spoken to me so I know I'm improving, and my adorable classmate Julie drew this picture of me while we watched Être et Avoir - which was the most adorable little documentary about a teacher and students in France.

Work is work.  Not much to report here other than I'd rather be back in Oregon...

How are you?
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Baking, Ugly Sweaters, Grades, and More!

I confess... No matter how many times I tell myself I'll get started on holiday shopping and other stuff early, Christmas always seems to sneak up on me and find me unprepared.  I haven't even put up a single decoration.  Oh well, it wont come down until mid-January anyway with the rate I do things.  There are still a few Halloween decorations up in my house...

I confess... At least I made awesome Peppermint Cookies for the Holiday party at work.  The first three batches turned out pretty, the last two did not turn out!  Haha, it was funny, but they taste really good.

I confess... We're having a work holiday party today and the theme was Ugly Christmas Sweaters.  I couldn't find one, and in search of one I've now been to Walmart 6 times in the last week.  That is more times than I've been to Walmart in the last 4 years.  Yuck.  But I successfully found a hideous sweater-vest that says "Welcome" over parts of me that are inappropriate to advertise at work.

I confess... Eric Himan was in town on the 11th, and I forgot to tell you all about it!  It was so fun seeing him, really he is one of the best people out there-and such an awesome singer! Also, Shawn is a shot pusher-4 tequila shots and 2 beers later... Guess who worked with a hangover the next day!

I confess... I ACED school this semester.  I mean really-I got As in both classes and a 4.0 which is AMAZING!  I've never been a 4.0 student before in my life!

I confess... I sorted through my nail polish, and I really do have too many.  Seriously.  Look at this.  Also, if you want to buy/swap any-see my Pinterest board of what I"m getting rid of HERE.  (Though I'm doubtful I'll get to the PO before Christmas.)  I would say about 1/3 of these are blue/green or some mixture.

I confess... We're 8 days into my 12 Days of Giveaways here on the blog, so make sure you check out the Giveaway Column over there on the right and go enter!  There are so many fantastic prizes including a $25 Amazon Gift Card, $25 Target Gift Card & Advertising, 6 months of advertising here on My So-Called Chaos, a Sephora Eyeshadow Palette, 2 bottles of Down the Bayou Lacquer, a $75 gift certificate for design, a Wired Essentials Jewelry Set, and 2 bottles of glittery indie polish.  Still to come is 4 eye shadows from Printcess, a Big Beauty Box, and more goodies so keep an eye out!

I confess... I'm talking to a new cute boy, which gives me hope!  We'll see how it goes.

How are you?  Are you ready for Christmas?

3 Ways to Rid Your Family of Financial Worries

Let's face it - financial problems can be enough to drive someone crazy. We've all been in a position at one point or another when things feel incredibly overwhelming, and sometimes it seems as if getting out of a financial rut can be next to impossible. Once you look back at these moments, however, it becomes quite clear that things have a way of working themselves out - that is, if you take the right steps towards correcting them. 

Ridding your family of financialworries is something that will not happen overnight. Often, it can be a lengthy, frustrating process that requires one to have a certain amount of faith in things working out for the best. Fortunately, there are a few ways in which you can ensure that your family is taken care of financially both now and in the future, none of which should ever be ignored.

Embrace the "Snowballing" Method

Financial worries often result from having multipledebts and not knowing which one to approach first. There are various schools of thought regarding how to best go about paying off one's debt, but one of the most rewarding and easiest to stick to is called "snowballing." 

Snowballing refers to when you start with your smallest debt and work towards paying it off in full. You may have to continue to make the minimum payment on other debts that you owe, but making large payments on your smallest debt will help you to pay it off relatively quickly. Once you do, you can wipe it off your plate and move on to your next smallest debt. It's not a perfect model, but many people find that it works better for them than other methods of paying off debt.

Work With a Debt Counselor

If you're knee-deep in debt at the moment, chances are you're going to need a hand getting out. There is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to working with a debt counselor, as doing so can mean the difference between being able to provide for your family and being an irresponsible parent. 

Debt counselors take your current financial situation and break it down to make things seem more approachable. They can help you determine where you should be allocating your money each month by creating a sound budget for you to stick to. Even if things feel overwhelming to you, it's important to remember that debt counselors see these situations every day and can most likely lend a hand. While it is possible to find debt counseling services for free, you can also choose to pay a professional for their help.

Purchase a Life Insurance Policy

Life insurance is the kind of thing that no one really wants to think about, but its importance for those who have families cannot be refuted. In the case that something were to happen to you, you've got to know that you're covered by a plan that will get money to your loved ones and keep them from succumbing to financial duress. 

Shopping for a life insurance plan can be tough, especially for those who have pre-existing conditions. Educate yourself on the differences between life insurance plans, as there are some which don't even require you to get a medical exam. Learnmore about 'no medical exam' life insurance and then compare rates. Regardless of which plan you end up choosing, make sure that it provides enough coverage to support your family in the event of death.

Don't let financial stress get you down. Start taking steps towards making a change, and soon you'll have little to worry about.

Using the 80/20 Principle to Get Ahead with Your Money

Passion and drive are two qualities often cited as being the driving factors in success.

The reality is that the only true way you'll get ahead is if you're willing to put in the time and effort.

The best ideas and intentions mean zilch if you're set back by a lack of skill and resources. Just think about any time when you were up at 2 AM, writing down a list of big goals you want to accomplish the next day, but once it comes around you're back to vegging out on the couch.

Enter: The 80/20 Principle

The 80/20 principle (i.e. Pareto principle) basically means that 80% of your results will come from 20% of your effort.

This concept can kind of sound weird when thinking about it with the whole "results/effort" line, so here are a few ways to wrap your head around the concept:

• 80% of business profits come from 20% of it's products
• 80% of your blog traffic comes from 20% of your content
• 80% of your savings will come from 20% of your investments

The ratio isn't always right on 80/20, but it gives you a proper mindset for determining efforts-to-results.

If you break down your effort throughout the day, you begin to see which actions provide the best returns.  As per finances-you begin to notice where your money is coming and going and how to adjust your earnings and spending habits to gain the big wins.

For example:

You could spend all your time trying to cut corners and living as frugally as possible, but saving a few bucks here and there doesn't compare to smart investments such as putting your money towards a Roth IRA (like Schwab IRA) or into a 401k (plenty of options available).

If you were to start contributing $5,000 annually, in your Roth IRA from the time you were 20 until retirement at 65, you'd walk away with nearly $1.5 million.

Tell me that doesn't put things into perspective.

When you're thinking in the big wins (that 80%) and looking at what real effort will get you there (the 20%) it truly sets you up for smart decisions and gets you out of a penny-pinching mentality.

Apply the 80/20 Principle

There are two areas to which you need to apply the 80/20 principle:

1. Personal development
2. Career development

The first thing you should really do is take control of your habits, hobbies, and influences.

How you live, what things you enjoy, and who you hang out with will influence how you spend your money.

This doesn't mean cut everything out of your lifestyle - it means applying the 80/20 principle to find the real culprits.  Tone down the things that make you lose money and keep pushing on the ones that are earners.

The second part of the equation is getting ahead in your career.

The ability to refine your skills will have substantial impact on your ability to move ahead in your career.  If you place a high priority on developing skills, you can become an expert within your position.  This new role of expert will develop you into a linchpin of the business.  Having this role makes you a necessity and with it comes many great opportunities to progress in rank.

Through this bump in rank will come more take-home pay, more earnings to place toward the big win investments, and (hopefully) more time to spend on things that matter.

In all, the use of the 80/20 principle will reveal the valuable opportuniites to grow and take control of your money.  Removing the time-wasting items and focusing on the big wins will be far more rewarding than feeling burned out from constantly struggling with your funds.

My Coworkers Are Hilarious & Random

It's no joke that I've had a lot of jobs... I've worked on a chicken farm, called people for surveys, planned parties at a bowling alley, managed books & the website for an adult entertainer, worked in fast-food, and have been a nanny.  Most of those are years in my past at this point though, as the last few years I've found myself behind a desk, surrounded by cubicle walls, and working with computers.

Working for a major support organization can be daunting sometimes; luckily most of the places I've worked for have been a pretty casual environment and have had good communication technology in place.  That makes life so much easier!  We recently even implemented a plan in case the power goes out, that involves my nifty neat little laptop (shown below).  It's almost overwhelming having all this technology in front of you all day.

However I have to say that working in an office environment really makes for some hilarious situations though, and often times I have to share them just because of how funny they are.  Today I had this conversation with one of my male coworkers: 

Coworker: Our [white-label] customers always are like "Hey thanks for the key, I'm going to watch Pretty Little Liars now!"

Me: All of our [white-label] customers watch Pretty Little Liars?

Coworker: Yeah, I have [white-label] and I watch Pretty Little Liars.

Me: YOU watch Pretty Little Lairs?  That's like a teenage girl show!

Coworker: Yes!  Ask me ANYTHING about A! I know who it is!

Me: Who is it?

Coworker: I'm not telling.  But it's NOT Mona!

Me: Okay then, who's the girl in the red coat?

Coworker: Um... I think it's Hannah.

Me: Whoa... You really do watch that show.

Coworker: Yeah, my wife makes me watch it before I can play PlayStation....

Then he answered the phone, and I said to other coworkers listening "The sad part is, I was able to engage him in that conversation." 

I should also state that this is the same coworker who I heard yell "Shut your prostate!" today, and who two days ago had a conversation about how Dolphins commit suicide, and how he wishes he could keep a little Dolphin in his pocket and carry it around with him.

Never a dull moment around here.

Don't forget to enter the the July Group Giveaway!  There are so many goodies!