Wednesday, February 18, 2009

S.A.W. Epilogue: Back from the abyss

Hey guys, sorry I dropped off the face of the earth towards the end of the S.A.W. Blogathon, but I don't usually blog on the weekends. Also, had some emotional recovering to do after the co-op calamity last week :-/ That hasn't been resolved 100%, but the forecast is fair, and I won't be able to do anything more about it until next Monday. Until then, I resolve not to give it a second thought. It's working so far, and I feel much better today than I did a week ago.

I meant to catch up with the blogosphere on Monday, or Tuesday, but I also came down with a mild stomach bug. Yuck. Today I'm back on the job.


As for Feb. 14, I spent the day running errands and hanging out with friends in a cloistered pub, so I kept forgetting it was also V-Day. I was just keeping on with my life and enjoying the day :-) But according to the Singles Awareness Website, S.A.D. is February 15th. In that case, I spent Sunday laying around the house and smooshing polymer clay. Also very rewarding!

However, after a week of blogging, I feel like I'm not explaining my ideas and blogging-goals fully or properly. Other people seem supportive, but still don't think anyone really *gets* what I'm trying to say, or understands what kind of online community I'm trying to create. It's something I want to work on more. Perhaps I'll write a manifesto...


So thanks again to those who participated in the Blogathon!
My co-blogger, Luscious Sealed Lips
Singlarity: Singles Awareness Day/First Date Butterflies
Saroj: Valentine’s Day/Singles Awareness Day
Tantrumzz of the Rat: For u Pink Lips!!!!
Life, Universe, and Everything: The Singleton Set

See you again next year, same spinster time, same spinster place :-)


This week and next week are going to be craaazy busy for me (real estate and vendorship), but if I have any braincells left there is an amusing new series of posts under construction. W00t!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

S.A.W., day four, part two, clerical errors

Just noticed something odd. In Luscious Lips's announcement about the blogathon, there is no functional link back to my Sassy Spinster blog. Is it just my browser, or is anyone else having that problem?

That might explain why I've been blogging all week, and getting ZERO COMMENTS from the other bloggers. Shucks.

How is everyone else doing?

Singles Awareness Week, day four!

So we are not alone as happy singles! Hurray!

Here are some of our fellow contributors so far:

From Singlarity: First Date Butterflies

From Piyush: The Singleton Set

From SabbatHunter: Single and Happy

Keep 'em coming guys! It's not to late to join up ;-)


Today I'm still in the middle of an extended game of phone tag, trying to save my co-op deal. But if it ends before lunchtime, I'm gonna to jog over to my favorite gourmet chocolate shop and pick up a box truffles. I also do this for my b'day in May. This store is great, because you can have the people at the counter pack you a custom box, so you get all the flavors you like best :-D

Another friend invited me to a cookie bake/trade on Saturday, but I'm not sure if I'll have the time to bake cookies by then. Darnit. All this real estate craziness is getting in the way of my Single Celebration!

<3 Sassy

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Singles Awareness Week, day three

Today was severely lame. But while the co-op situation continues towards disaster, everyone on my team is working hard to fix it. Yay for that.

I've been working on an outfit/costume for an event later in the month, so today I gave myself a small dose of retail therapy. I gained about 20 lbs. over the last six months, and was having severe body image issues because none of my clothes fit. But now I have a new sexxy green skirt/dress from American Apparel, and I [superficially] feel better about life.

My tips about retail therapy:
  • Go with a shopping list. "I need a green skirt." "I need 2 pairs of slacks for work."
  • Hunt specifically, don't graze vaguely. You'll buy stuff you don't need, and feel guilty later.
  • New items adapt better to the herd if introduced one or two at a time.
  • Take stock of what you have before you buy new stuff, to make sure you don't already have one, and that everything matches in some way.
  • Unclutterer fans also suggest getting rid of something old after you buy something new.

Now may not be the best time for me to buy more clothes (moving, investing, economy, ect.) but dammit, none of my skirts fit! I will probably do another closet purge before the move, but keep a few pieces to reverse-engineer into larger pieces later. Yay for my new sewing machine, if I ever get the chance to unpack it.


Another nice point about being single, I only have to feel comfy in my own skin. I'm under no pressure to look pleasing to anyone else, tho I like to look pleasing for myself at most times. And as long as I'm wearing clothes that fit, I feel quite sexy. When I see that person in the mirror looking back at me, I know I'm going home with someone super hawt that night ;-)

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

S.A.W. day two, part two

So... my co-op deal may be delayed by another month or two, if not canceled entirely. There was a communication problem between BoA and it's attorney for closing, so it had to be canceled. Not sure if we are staying with this bank or mortgage, even though we are in the middle of the deal.

It's still all "maybes" right now. But I say again, please don't apply for a mortgage through Bank of America, evar. They may have been good at it once, but those days are long gone.

I was very, VERY upset when this was all presented to me at the end of the work day, so I couldn't call around to all of the lawyers and bankers to get it sorted out. Like, broke down crying at work upset. And I was supposed to close on the co-op this Thursday.


In light of this week's blogathon, I don't have an s.o. to call up and demand cuddles from when things like this happen. On the other hand, I have parents to call for support, and friends to call for help, and EVEN MORE friends who are promising cuddles and hugs the next time I see them. Srlsy, Wicked Faire is going to be me covered in hugs at all hours.

Hooray! I <3 being single!!! I get all the love I can seek out!!!

Singles Awareness Week, day two

As some of you know, I will be selling jewelry at a slightly kinky event in a couple of weeks. Today I thought of a new promotion.

"Spend $5 at this booth and you can feed the artist a grape."

The event has a chocolate and candy theme, so I may try something other than grapes, mostly because we don't have a fridge or freezer in the hotel room. Nor is there a grocery store nearby.

But srsly, I <3 being single :-D


Also, we have one more confirmed blogger for S.A.W.! Sabbathunter on Livejournal.

Sadly, none of the other interested parties have confirmed yet, or have cancelled, and my main co-conspirator is away. I guess everyone else has been eaten by zombies? Weird.

Remember people, if you want others to bask in the camaraderie of singleness, your blog posts have to be PUBLIC. Also, please *inform* me that you are getting involved, and link back to this blog in your blogathon contribution.

<3 Sassy

Monday, February 9, 2009

Singles Awareness Week, Day One

Yay! Beginning of Singles Awareness Week! *happy dance*

It's not too late to join the festivities, just check out this post and follow the instructions :-) Remember, you don't have to *be* single to write about how awesome it is. I'll post a list of my co-bloggers later today or tomorrow.

Tho I must say, there isn't a whole lot of interest in this project so far. Not a lot of bloggers have contacted me about it. People were far more interested in blogging about a pretend Zombie attack last year. Bloggers would rather write about pretend zombies than being single? That says sad things about our society, imo.

But I also just joined the Women's Blogger Directory, which is awesome. Come play with us this week, ladies!!



Because finance is a big weight on a lot of people's minds these days, I'm going to write up a list of why it's awesome to be a single financially minded person:

  • Taxes for one, soooo simple (in the USA, at least). We can file them online now!
  • Budgeting for one, also very simple. If something doesn't work in the budget, there's only one person to investigate.
  • Food shopping and home cooking, a large part of budgeting, is much easier. If you are a picky eater, you'll get exactly what you want every time. If you aren't, you never have to deal with another picky eater ;-)
  • I have no joint bank accounts, so I know exactly where my $$ is and who is using it at any given time.
  • Credit reports, also super simple.
  • Need to move-house for work? No problem! It's your household, take it wherever you want.
  • Got offered a super traveling job? Hey, you are foot loose and fancy free, it's a perfect combination for professional travelers.

I got more interested in budgeting and finance last summer, just before the economy started going haywire, and before I started actively looking to buy a home. From what I've seen, nobody needs to buy books about saving money ever again. It's ALL on the internet.

Budgets are Sexy is my favorite finance blog. He's married, but I don't hold that against him ;-) There is plenty of instruction and insight on budgeting-for-one on his site, and tons of article round-ups and links to other blogs.

The Dangling Conversation is blogged by a friend of mine, who spent many years climbing out of debt. She's had many bad experiences and many good insights, and is almost debt free now! Yay!

Debt Free Saver is another friend, trying to balance life, school, demanding kitteh, and cash. Also has good tips on budgeting, shopping, and bartering!

(I used to have all of these blogs linked on my side bar, but I went to the fancy blog look and lost that bar :-/ I'm thinking of going back to the old look. Less flashy, but more informative.)


One piece of advice I have for would-be-budgeters is to track all your purchases for a month or two *before* you try and budget. It will give you a better sense of what you already like to do with your money, and where corners can be cut. Especially in the grey areas between what count as "essential" and "non-essential" expenses. I don't need cable, but I do need air conditioning.

A friend of mine often worries that she spends too much money on eating out, but it's also her primary social outlet. I don't think it's a bad idea to budget ahead for expenses like that instead of cutting them out entirely. Friends and fun are essential too ;-)

Personally, I cut my late-night-out expenses in half when I gave up alcohol. Now I can spend $$ on taking a cab ride home instead, yay!

<3 Sassy

Thursday, February 5, 2009

This week's good/bad news:

Good news! I have a closing date for the co-op deal, next Thursday! *happydance* If everything works out, I can be moved into the new place by the end of the month.


Bad news! My lawyer called me back, asking if I was with HSBC or BoA. Because the bank lawyer mentioned HSBC, not BoA. In increasing order of possible bad: either the lawyer just flubbed and said the wrong bank by accident, or BoA sold my mortgage to HSBC (I think the deal would still go thru?), or the bank's lawyer has sent forms around for the wrong mortgage.

I know a bank can sell it's mortgages to other banks. I checked my documents before today, it says so, but also says whoever owns the mortgage can't make me pay it all at once or futz around with percents or payments.

But can a bank sell a mortgage when the property hasn't even been closed on? Without telling the purchaser?

Good thing I already have a lawyer.


BTW, Singles Awareness Week Blogathon! Next week! If you're coming to play, tell me so I can add you to our carnivale!

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Blame it on the train

I'm taking it a bit easy this week, as next week I'll be blogathoning, and this week I'm still trying to pin down a closing date for my co-op.

Yes, a Blogathon for Singles Awareness Week! NEXT week! Sign up! Be counted and listened to!


Noticed something about my own quirks this week. I find people to be most attractive on the weekday subway commute. They're just chilling, waiting to get home, reading, listening to music. Whatever grooming they did for work or class that day is usually still active. They are less drunk and obnoxious (usually) then they are at a bar or club (less applicable to weekend travel).

On the train, most people just want to sit and be left alone to their thoughts. I think that's when a NY'ers real face and quirks emerge, because they aren't on display or on the prowl.

Unfortunately, I'm shy in social settings to begin with, so picking up strangers on the train is beyond my abilities. And I'd find it creepy if someone asked *me* out in that setting. Why can't people be so unobtrusive and relaxed in the usual social places? They are much more attractive without the drinking and shouting.

Have you ever asked out a stranger on the train? Or just started talking to one?