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Friday, June 5th, 2009
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10:49 am - I forgot my name. I forgot my telephone number.
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Waking up today was absolute torture. It was queer, considering I got eight hours of sleep for the first time in a few weeks, but I practically had to drag myself across the room by the seat of my shorts and pour myself into clothing, like Jello into a mold.
I'm getting revenge by not speaking a word of English today. I guess I'll have to if I'm 'informed' that I didn't get the job today (I've known for nearly two weeks), but to everyone else, I'm just mumbling out of the corner of my mouth. I hate erthing an it can eet me. k? My poor fiance appears to have not gotten his job, either.
E3 was almost back to its old bright, bouncy self yesterday. The big building-booths were back; the booth babes were scarcer (get a job...) and more dressed, and swag was minimal, but it was flashy and large and perfect for me; I'm never there to fangirl around and I just threw away about 100 pounds of useless crap from E3, 1996-2006. (Don't worry; I saved everything worth saving and I have the wisdom to know the difference.) We had an amazing lunch at The Farm by the convention center and took the Metro both ways. We didn't get invited to any parties, but I didn't mind, since I barely lasted the day; I'm getting older and trade shows are harder on me now.
There was a bonanza of bizarre peripherals, which seems odd in an age where everyone's cutting back on non-necessities. Gloves were popular (I wanted to try the Peregrine, but half the world flocked to their booth!) and I got to try out Nintendo's balance board (fun skiing game, like a Mario Kart that hurts your buns) and some small company's laggy boxing gloves. I drooled over the third Golden Sun, clowned around with a life-sized Pokemon and tried a bunch of things that are coming out in 2010, which already looks like a damn exciting year for our industry.
I'm really tired of white electronics.
I've been intrigued by High Voltage ever since they got started, but yesterday I finally got them to talk to me. Must have been the suit. They're shockingly nice people with exciting things on the horizon and they seemed to like my fella and I; it's a crying shame they're all the way in Chicago. They're all PC gamers too, but one of their voice actors, of all things, spent half an hour arguing with me that the Wii is the ultimate FPS machine as we played around with their upcoming Conduit. They're my kind of company-- just the right size, and everyone wears multiple hats. [The really funny thing? You're going to think I'm awful for being excited by this... but there were women! Women my age, fit women who bother to do their faces! They weren't hip and insecure 22-year-olds who want a lot of attention from introverted guys or mean lesbians! They were nice to me, polite even (!) and they worked on the games-- they were producers, designers... not PR/artists/QA/support/localization! Holy fucking shit!]
In the spirit of paring down, I've grown to prefer very small swag-- pinbacks, little stickers, styluses, keychains (although I'll always treasure my Sly Cooper beanie). High Voltage gave me a small button that says "I Have Seen the Fnords!" and a miniature red biro with a clear swinging clip mechanism that retracts the pen's point. The button's on my necktie and the pen is sitting on the system concepts book that I use as a monitor stand, at the edge. It's vaguely totemic.
I don't mean to suggest anything, but wouldn't it be funny if after all this trouble and heartache and effort, both of us were welcomed, treated fairly... even appreciated on the opposite side of the country?
feeling: bittersweet
listening to: britney spears / 'amnesia'
P.S. Attn: whoever just renewed my subscription: Wow, thanks so much! But are you ever going to tell me who you are? Thanking the ether just feels so generic, and you've probably been helping for years. Are you a bunch of people? Do you even use LJ? Who are you, mate?
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| Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009
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10:07 am - cruise control
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Oh, LiveJournal... I'm so sorry, baby.
It's not that you're boring or 'not enough' for me, or that I crave variety or think blogmonogamy is an unnatural state, but I just haven't felt like blogging lately and lighthearted, easy Facebook is distracting me.
Please find it in your server to forgive me. I love you.
That said, I apologize in advance for the ads-- my paid account expired and no longer use LJ enough to justify paying for it. I've dropped a lot of things this year in the name of paying my debts off and fighting recession panic-- the Bowl, the museums, vacation. I've become a master of coupon/sale shopping; my bills are a third of what they used to be. I've been throwing away massive quantities of stuff, shedding pounds and pounds of unnecessaries that nobody else would want. (I had one box I hadn't unpacked in ten years, in seven moves. I'm inclined to think I don't need anything in it, but I went through it anyway. It was a time capsule containing crappy stoneware plates, game demo CDs, an anime lunch box, sketches of angels and a pewter dragon holding a crystal. He stays.) It's depressing, but I want to have all my ducks in a row come October, when we move in together. We haven't really started looking for a place yet-- it's too early.
Curiously, I've only done the looking-for-a-place-together thing once before, in 2006, and it wasn't long before Mr. Jones went loco on me and the search query was terminated. We looked at a few places, most of them in my very neighborhood, which I moved out to later, and one frighteningly slick place in South Coast Metro that appeared to be trying to sell us a lifestyle. A friend of mine who moved there later said the place flooded. Ha!
The rest of the time it's been me moving into my boyfriends' pads, which I now realize is not a smart way to operate. I know a lot of Smarter Ways To Operate now. I was excited to impart them to the younger generation, but they don't want to hear it. They stare at me with the same glassy eyes I had eleven years ago when I started blogging, which is why I don't panic when my young fiance wants to fight about absolutely nothing. I remember how enormous and epic everything was when I was his age. I was different though; back then I would take almost anything lying down. He has modern confidence and while his sense of entitlement grates on me now and then, it's probably an improvement over my generation's martyrdom.
I get only one freebie Blizzcon pass this year and two pay ones, although it looks like I'm working the show as usual. (I guess they're cutting back too?) Let me know if you're interested and what you're offering. With the notable exception of Toso, most of my closest friends now work for us. I've tried to make new friends but nobody seems all that interested.
My prestigious, ultra-secure, universally coveted job is now directly responsible for 95% of my happiness and 95% of my sadness, plus my entire social life. It's all tied up in this job.
Still no word on the curatorial position (the perfect internal job I am campaigning for) although I have an inkling that someone else... someone born in 1986(!)... landed it. It's impossible for her to have more experience in the field, so it's probably this Personality Thing people keep telling me to attribute everything to. Landing that job would literally have solved 97% of my problems.
I registered for E3 independently and laid low. I plan to do a little light networking on Thursday (the only day I could get away from the office). I adjusted my suit's hems to make it look less 2003 and am going there fully armed with everyone's press kits and rap sheets, as incognito as possible. I'll have a small part of my posse with me; I hope nobody says anything stupid or gives away our line of work prematurely. I wish I had a briefcase; I should really acquire one, one of these days. A messenger bag kind of spoils the effect.
feeling: sad but determined
listening to: cherish / 'killa'
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| Wednesday, May 13th, 2009
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10:01 pm - 'you got a reaction, didn't you?'
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You all suck for not watching the movie. :(
I'm doing too much. Judging a contest. Helping friends with the technical side of their recent work. Replaced my fried old video card. Doing Lunch, doing Brunch, having meetings, interviewing, being interviewed. I miss my beloved betrothed Zorro, who I've barely seen in a month or so. Clearing my house's cache. Helping my pregnant friend [who also has a 3-year-old who adores me], whose boyfriend just walked out on her. Let's call my friend the Lily; she's the color of a stretched-out white cotton scrunchie, Chinese eyes, glasses on the end of her nose.
I took my mother to a very schmancy tea for Mother's Day and I think what she enjoyed more than anything else was the look on my face when I poked at the sparkling peach nectar and little sandwiches. She couldn't stop laughing and offered to go get me a beer afterward.
Things seemed to pick up suddenly when I started wearing mens' clothing.
I still can't write. I can see every little awry-ism in the things I'm judging and/or editing, but my mind's mouth is stitched shut.
feeling: locked down
listening to: the stripes
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| Saturday, April 25th, 2009
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3:31 am - open house
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| Monday, April 20th, 2009
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3:16 pm - she can't write
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I still can't write, but I'm exhausted, sex-starved and miffed at close friends who know better than to flake on a brunch in my home. I tried to nicely talk to one wife since this is the third time they've done this without even having the decency to call me and she started SCREAMING AT ME IN AN IM?!?!?!?!?!?!?!111. No apology. Just a bunch of 'I don't appreciate's and 'I'll have you know's. I'm really not sure what she was thinking. I guess I need to focus less on inviting people I want to see and invite people who want to see me.
Either way, I'm always disappointed when a girl reminds me why I don't have many girl friends. What the Hell is wrong with people? Did they all have horrible mothers? Everyone thinks they're the single most important human being on the face of the Earth. Virtually nobody brought anything for the hostess, either. Which isn't why I throw these things, mind you (most of the cheap wine ends up in a soup), but sometimes I wonder if people think I have a bacon tree; the average brunch costs me around $300 to throw. This one cost more like $175 due to careful couponing/sale-sniping, which takes a whole lot of time and effort. (And before you say anything, Orm, you're exempt because you guys came from BFE-- I meant it when I said to just bring your sweet selves!)
I'll be fine in a day or two. I just need some rest and perhaps a little time to cool down. And something else. I just don't know what. A glass of wine the size of my head's probably not a bad place to start. After that, a whole lot of sleep and some Echoes of Time with my adorable [and reliable] fiance.
feeling: annoyed
listening to: ashmai of nathrezim
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| Thursday, April 9th, 2009
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11:54 am - sweet lover hangover
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Gods, I frakking LOVE my fiance. Vegas is so much less awful with him! It was a blur of shows, glitter, boob jobs, polyamorous people making us feel square, buses and shuttles and bowling, but there's nobody I would rather have had next to me to giggle with. He makes it almost fun. We played a lot of DS and insulted a Sony employee.
Back to life, back to reality and a mountain of mandatory overtime. I had to cancel two fun plans with Laura and Laeti due to my being chained to my desk until Sunday, and I was only able to do half of my laundry. My toenails each have one little splinter of polish left on them, and I am not a chipped-polish kind of human. I've been playing the DS port of Chrono Trigger, and GOD it's fun. I raised an arena monster, but I won't tell you what kind he is, in case one of you wants to battle me! I wish he was as cute as a smidge, though...
Sunday will be my first full day off in about a month. This patch needs to die in a fire. If you have any extra cooldowns/spare energy, send it in my direction.
Burn, baby, burn. Testing inferno!
feeling: exhausted and sack-of-flour-like
listening to: love + rockets / sweet f.a.
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| Saturday, April 4th, 2009
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2:19 pm - In other news, Vegas.
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Does anyone remember what I like to eat or do in Vegas?
If not, what do you like to eat or do in Vegas?
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(8 comments | comment on this)
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| Thursday, April 2nd, 2009
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8:56 pm
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Giving up is so much easier than caring. Faking joy is now much more natural. People like me more.
I don't think anyone knows but you, Blog. Aren't you lucky?
The facts are as follows: I have no hope of getting a real job here, at least not at one half the Company... although thankfully, the Company can continue to use me as a tool for other ends-- ends involving entire weeks eaten by mandatory overtime and being forced to work under my nemesis, but it certainly beats the crap out of unemployment.
I've been told by professional writers and editors that I can't write.
I don't know if it's true, or if it's possible to determine such a thing.
And then anger and disorientation kick in. It feels true, like looking down and noticing the yellow brick road I was born on is a giant plastic CAUTION tape. It feels like I've been duped by my family, teachers, professors in the cruelest possible way. Could they not think of anything else to compliment? Anything else to tell me I was good at? All this time I've been criticizing modern American education and its insistence that every child is ever-so-special, depreciating actual achievements... was I a victim of it, too?
I can hear Gaitskill and Atwood and Oates yelling at me different corners of my brain (I'm nothing special; they'd do it for anyone), but I feel like someone chopped off my arms and cut out my heart, and when I try to say something about it, nothing comes out of my mouth because my tongue is gone too.
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| Sunday, March 29th, 2009
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11:05 pm - when only last year everything seemed so sure
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I give up. I can't fight anymore. I'm exhausted and SO FUCKING LONELY and my days are completely devoid of anything that would charge my batteries or make me feel better. In the face of so much adversity, hope takes too much energy and I can no longer afford it.
They don't want to work with me. Nobody does. People don't like me. They think I'm shifty. They don't like the looks of me, my voice, my bearing.
I give up, and I'll make it look like as much fun as possible.
I can't leave now, as there is no work out there, but from here on I just can't convince myself every week that there's a chance of me getting a real job. It's really starting to hurt. It's like I stopped cutting myself and figured out a way to do it without touching my skin.
Nobody wants me. I've never been in strong demand. I've always been an easy target. But suddenly it's a lot clearer. After all this time, I get it.
feeling: chilled
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| Friday, March 20th, 2009
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10:35 am - ...
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More insult to injury: I have to snail mail to get my refund for our registration. =( Jesus, do I even own envelopes anymore?
I want to leave the office, drink myself half to death, hide in my bed and whimper and feel sorry for myself for a few hours. I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that my only vacation in two and a half years has to be cancelled. We did all the right things.
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(4 comments | comment on this)
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| Saturday, March 14th, 2009
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12:02 pm - Chicken Souvlaki
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So I figured out how to make decent chicken souvlaki cheaply on a Foreman grill! You'll want to set this up the previous day-- the longer it marinates, the better your end result will be, and up to 24 hours is perfectly safe.
1.
4 chicken breasts, cut into shish kebab pieces
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
2.
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tsp oregano, Greek if you have it
3 dashes garlic powder
2 dashes Lawry's or similar seasoning salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
Juice of 1-2 lemons
bamboo skewers
Cut up the chicken but leave the peppers intact. Combine everything in (2) in whatever you marinate stuff in (I use a small baking dish). Add chicken; toss well to coat. Cover and put it in the fridge for 2-24 hours. SOAK BAMBOO SKEWERS IN WATER FOR 30 MINUTES (very important-- keeps them from burning). Thread chicken and peppers alternately on the sticks. Plug in grill, let it heat up and grill for as long as it takes. (It was around eight minutes for me, but I like everything charred.) Awesome with Greek Rice!
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| Tuesday, February 24th, 2009
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6:24 pm - Okay... let's play ball.
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Funny, how I forgot to mention that we had an amazing date after the wedding on Saturday. I didn't want to drive home just yet, so instead we headed east and I took Zorro to my favorite childhood arcade at Camelot in Anaheim. It was surreal in a dragons-and-colored-lights dream date sort of way. We played miniature golf, psychoanalyzed the game trailers and then had pizza and a beer sampler at BJ's.
Done whimpering. Sorry. I've been feeling so overwhelmed lately... there's just so much to do, and work feels unstable and I'm not getting enough rest. I think I might feel better if I make a list; making lists usually has a calming effect on me. I'm one of those people who writes things I've already done so I can cross them off.
Important item #1: Go to the courthouse and get my name sorted out. I'll need my immigration papers and the notarized statement of name change from my infancy, and to fill out a lot of forms. I may or may not an actual court appearance, since I'm leaving my last name alone. I may or may not need to run an ad in a newspaper. I hope not-- sheesh! It's not like I'm a flavor of Gatorade. I have no excuse; I should have done this ten years ago, when common usage began.
Important item #2: Pay off my car. If possible (it is, although it won't be easy) I want to have this out of the way before we start applying to rent apartments in October (that's a $300/mo difference and won't make my credit report look too shabby). I can do it if I just keep walking my tightrope (coupons + sales sniping + let's face it: I have enough clothing and eat enough... and heck, some $4 wine isn't bad) for the rest of the year.
Important item #3: 2009 stuff: register car, AAA, cancel museum and Clubhouse memberships
Important item #4: Clear out massive backlog of magazines, saving the good stuff. Organize the good stuff.
Important item #5: Figure out how to feed Zorro without running to the market every day.
Important item #6: Use or get rid of all those stupid-ass beauty products people have bought me over the past few years.
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| Friday, February 20th, 2009
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5:31 pm - club wed
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Bought a registry gift for tomorrow's wedding. $60. Pretty shower curtain and rings. I've seen worse.
I don't really like registries on principle, but I understand how useful they are and I can't help but feel a tiny pang of jealousy when I realize I'll be using my full set of hand-me-down china (which I am very, very tired of) until it breaks. Which could be forever, as it's tough dwarven stoneware and I'm not a person who breaks things often. If we were going to have a wedding, we'd use the give-people-ideas-over-the-phone method, or register and tell people who ask where. None of that enclosed-card business. (My guest list would be about 30 people including all family and friends, his over 200.)
We never got a thank-you note for the last wedding gift we sent, which in my opinion is a sign of something else entirely.
Almost nothing on this struggling, nice young couple's registry had been purchased and I couldn't help wondering if it's a sign of the times, as an AP news story today suggested. We know them well enough to know they would appreciate money more than anything they registered for at Bed, Bath and Beyond or Target, but I decided to give them a gift they can return. I also respected the modesty of their chosen retail outlets. But then, how else in my life would I ever get to own anything from Williams-Sonoma? See? I see both sides of this.
The thing is, I've seen some really tacky things on registries recently... one very lavish wedding for a couple Zorro barely knows listed a single expensive tennis racket. I couldn't help thinking that defeated the entire purpose of wedding gifts (which is to help the couple get started). Two tennis rackets would have bothered me much less-- perhaps they're an athletic couple who want to play tennis together. But one? To me that's just milking guests.
The second-tackiest thing I've seen was a $50 bundt cake pan shaped like a castle for a couple who don't cook or entertain. Call me old-fashioned, but I don't get it.
How about you?
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(15 comments | comment on this)
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| Friday, February 13th, 2009
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9:50 am - 328 Fridays
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I've literally been afraid of losing my job every Friday since October 25, 2002.
I remember that day so clearly-- the Box, the locked computer, the pretty HR lady, the rain, the bloodied cough I had, the long drive home, David running to catch me, someone distracting Dean, Ryan and Fid. Someone else slamming boxes, the security guard in the parking lot walking me out. I stopped at the Best Buy in Westminster and wandered the aisles for a while, squeaky shoes on tile, not sure what I was looking for, trying to put together my story for my mother. Wringing my hair out outside; I'd left the windows open. Playing Half-Life for a while, no more aggressively than usual.
The taste of the cocktails people kept bringing me the next night at Dave and Buster's, the slice of cake, my Lara Croft shorts and braid, crossing the street with tape on my thighs, Cory's velvety pirate costume [a decal on his car: What Would Jigglypuff Do?], beautiful glowing Linda, Brandi's nice friend who is dead now. Being held by my first fiance, who is also dead now, while we watched execs in ties bust out some amazing Dance Dance Revolution. I beat Time Crisis 3 that night and someone took a picture. Lara Croft Beats Time Crisis! I treasure a shot glass Aaron won for me that night. It's black and gold.
I really wish I'd brought it with me today; perhaps it would feel totemic, grounding. It would remind me that I have friends and was able to start my life over before, so I can do it all again, right? Also, if I lose my job with my dream company today after five years of bloodletting, I'm REALLY going to need a drink.
Once upon a time, Fridays were exciting. A whole weekend ahead! Time to change clothes and race out the door into the rest of your life! Friday night and everyone's grooving, I can feel the heat but it's soothing... Even if it was just cheap wine and Baldur's Gate, which was often, I loved Fridays. That shattered in that gloomy corner HR office and somehow it never glued itself back together. I remember being stunned even though everyone had been acting odd all week; I mumbled something about it being my birthday.
TGIF, you say? You can suck my ass, cumpari!
feeling: scared
listening to: babyshambles / 'delivery' <- genius
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| Wednesday, February 11th, 2009
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10:31 pm - a stairway to heaven or a subway going down to the pits? (I wish it knew how to quit me)
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I am swamped. That is, it's a swamp in my head, an infected, buzzing, unpleasant swamp. And for once, it has nothing to do with my sinuses.
There are about 127 things in constant rotation, like a playlist I keep forgetting to change or at least randomize, soaking into everything, dyeing porous surfaces, making me a drag at parties, a hazy-eyed employee, a sloppy laundress.
Why is my fiance burning himself out? How are we going to deal with household expenses if our money is separate? Are we going to argue? How am I going to find time to learn Spanish? I need to do these wedding placecards for Britt-- should I correct the misspellings or leave them... will they be blamed on me if I don't? Why don't people bother to double check their shit? I feel creepy Googling her friends, although one of them had posted a recipe for duck stew that made my mouth water. I want stew. Will I have time to make stew any time in the next month? I don't know where Mr. Jones is to inform him of our engagement and it's driving me crazy that he's probably going to hear it through the grapevine. Where is he and what is his problem, anyway? I got all my bills set up to pay themselves on Friday when my direct deposit goes through; excellent. I'm going to use my tax refund (what there is of it anyway... we in California are getting ours late this year) to bring down my debt, tempted as I am to use it for my next catastrophe. Why was that couple at the laundromat staring at me? Why does everyone think it's okay to stare at me? Are Zorro and I going to be able to get a room for Con? We already bought our passes, but that's about 1/20th of the cost of Con. Hell, am I even going to have a job then (obviously we're not going if I don't)? Why don't I have a confirmation from HR on my most recent application? Why did they not inform me of my last batch of lost internships? If we don't get our profitsharing bonuses this year (thirtysomething percent of my income), am I still going to have my car paid off by the time we move in together? I only have eight months left... oh my god! Eight months, and I haven't even cleared away my unnecessary stuff. I've probably worked out five times in the past month; no wonder my calves feel like they're going to snap. My skin is so bad right now; it really stings. My eyes hurt too much to wear my contacts, but my glasses make me feel ugly and greasy. I keep scratching the keratosis on my legs and I don't know when I'll be able to let anyone see them again. What's up with all this bizarre tribal clothing for spring? I don't have anything that looks native american at all. I'm not getting enough sleep, but every moment I could be doing something to dig my way out of this hole. I need to call my mom, Richard, Brandi. I miss Spencer. I can't think of anything romantic to do for Zorro on Saturday. Oh my god, help. And I never really sleep anymore. And I always get those dangerous dreams. And I never get a minute of peace. And I've gotta wonder what it means. Maybe it's nothing and I'm under the weather; maybe it's just one of those bugs going around. Maybe I'm under a spell and it's magick... maybe there's a witchdoctor with an office in town? Oh, it this a blessing or is it a curse? Does it get any better? Can it get any worse? Will it go on forever? Is it over tonight? Does it come with the darkness? Does it bring out the light? Is it richer than diamonds or just a little cheaper than spit... I don't know what it is, but it just won't quit
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(4 comments | comment on this)
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| Friday, February 6th, 2009
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10:14 am - Other Options (gallows humor), since all the retail jobs are probably being taken by ex-CEOs
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1. Go into business with Mum. I didn't plan to try that until I had children, but her knack for finding valuable things in thrift stores is going to waste due to her technical ineptitude. Enter Mei.
2. Sell ass. Or grass. Or both. Never mind that I can't even keep a scallion alive.
3. Sell everything the Company's ever given me (technically, this is against the rules). Fuck knows I'll never want to see it all again.
4. Sing on corner for money. Actually, that won't work. Sing and refuse to stop until someone gives me money.
5. Sell first photos of haircut and ring.
I'll bet you can do better.
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| Thursday, February 5th, 2009
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10:24 am - ...
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My flouncy bouncy hairgasm was cut short by a Meeting. (When it's serious, it's capitalized.) My boss is putting in my name for something I don't want because he needs to move me immediately due to 'new concerns' that have been raised about me. It was all very vague and sickening.
Normally I trust my first instinct. Perhaps I should have two weeks ago.
Holy Mother of God. I think I might be about to lose my job.
I know these rooms, I've walked this floor. I used to live alone, before I knew ya.
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(9 comments | comment on this)
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| Wednesday, February 4th, 2009
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11:52 pm - you are the beating in my heart
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I have a really, really badass new haircut. I apologize for the lack of photographic evidence. I can't seem to stop boogeying and tossing it around because it's really cool and springy and short, which makes holding a camera [much less taking a photo of myself, which is never easy] tricky and potentially dangerous.
It cost me under $20 to have a student stylist at the Paul Mitchell School do it.
Let's hope I'm not the only one who likes it... <3
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2:20 pm - Anyone good with hair?
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| Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009
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8:56 pm - How To Keep Food on the Table (someone asked)
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Just for the record, this is how I do my ninja-saving thing.
I clip coupons for stuff I use from the Sunday paper and collect all the store ads. The Sunday paper's totally worth it-- coupons and entertainment! I prune my coupons for expirations fairly regularly, around the beginning of every pay period, so I always have a general idea of what's in the coupon box. I go through the store ads (out here it's CVS, Longs, Rite-Aid, Target, Kmart, Ralphs, Vons and Albertsons) and find the best prices I can on all my needs and wants. I write them down in a notebook (tossing a mark next to the things I have coupons for so I don't forget to use them), usually in order from my house:
Albertsons
Freschetta pizzas $4
Vons
grapes .88/lb
Lil Smokies $2.50*
Orowheat $2.50*
CVS
Mediterranean mix $1.50
Palmolive .97* (medium bottles)
Ralphs
Water .90 <- no distilled, thanks
all Lean Cuisine $1.77 <- this is an amazing deal!*
Then I go to the stores. Sometimes the ads are incorrect-- today, for example, Orowheat was mysteriously not on sale, so I bought some cheap whole grain pitas instead. No worries; nom nom. It's more annoying when they're sold out of an awesome deal; sometimes rain checks are worth requesting.
Currently, Ralphs and Vons will double your coupons up to a full value of $1, so if you have a 50 and a 75 cent coupon for the same thing, use the 50 at Vons or Ralphs for great justice.
Here's how today went:
Colgate on sale for $2.50, $1 coupon = $1.50
Kontos greek pitas, $2
L'il Smokies on sale for $2.50, .70 coupon = $1.80
Lean Cuisines on sale for $1.77 x 8, $1.50 coupon = $12.66
Water gallons on sale for .89 x 4 + ca redemption = $3.96
Bloody Mary mix is $4 pretty much everywhere
Palmolive on sale for .97 x 2 , .35 coupon = $1.59
Mediterranean fruit & nut mix (my favorite snack) x 4 @ $1.50
More savings tips:
- health and beauty things, cotton balls, paper products, oil/coolant, cleaning supplies: Target. Yes, they take coupons. They make them, too, so watch their ads. Magazines are also slightly discounted, if you'd like to pretend the recession isn't happening.
- Regarding Target food: a lot of it is scary-processed. The Archer Farms Creamy Tomato macaroni is really tasty and huge and their salt-and-vinegar chips are way better than Kettle.
- you can do a lot of interesting things with Rice-A-Roni; buy it when it's a buck a box. my favorites: regular chicken, nature's way parmesan and romano, rice pilaf (orzo!), herb and garlic
- eggs, cottage cheese and milk are often cheaper at the green grocers (i.e. Produce Direct, Top Banana, small markets) or Trader Joe's
- butter is usually cheapest at Trader Joe's. they have awesome brown rice and greek yogurt, btw
- laundry detergent goes on sale often at drugstores
- CVS' cheap herb & spice line is indistinguishable from its expensive counterparts
- pretty much all drugstore cosmetic brands/hair care lines go on sale once a month or so; they revolve, so just hang on to your coupons
hair dye is volatile! it can be $12 or $4. just watch.
- Marukai is generally cheaper than Mitsuwa, and Japanese markets' expiration dates are very short (everything is from Japan), but udon is cheaper there. the asian section at Ralph's or Albertsons probably has everything else you need, except lemongrass and miniature cucumbers.
- if you're one of those (young) people who doesn't eat vegetables, buy a single frozen (generic's fine) box of your favorite and watch how fast you eat it. Ditto for soup. Trust me, you'll stop craving Carl's Jr. in ten weeks or less.
listening to: ginger sling / 'kodachrome'
feeling: mightily proud of myself, actually
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