What's everyone up to right now?

[Angrboda]

Signed up for another online tool. I've been trying over the past year to get my finances under control, having spent more than I take in for the majority of 2018. I have been using the online budgeting tool that my bank provides, but there's a lag between the time of purchase and them being available to manipulate and add notes to them, made worse by the fact that my Target RedCard purchases don't post until a good bit of time has passed. Not sure of the exact delay, but it's 7-10 days at least. So I've been looking for a free program to do my budgeting in and so far haven't found one that really suits my needs. One of the top recommended programs is YNAB (You Need A Budget), but it's $6 a month to subscribe to it. They're offering two months free to try it out, so I've signed up but have yet to play with it any. I just signed up; that's it. As I was thinking about these things, I realized that I have been using Thunderbird's support of Google Calendar to remind me of tasks I need to undertake, in addition to its scheduling duties, but it's rather inflexible, and a PITA if you need to plan something more than a few weeks in advance. So I've started looking for tickler software. I haven't found anything specific for a digital tickler system, but I did find a recommendation for a team task management system called HiTask that is free. The good thing about it is that it has an android app version, in addition to Windows support. The bad thing is that it's browser based on Windows rather than stand-alone. I am at a similar point with that software, I've signed up, but have not done any figuring it out yet. Except of course, scheduling a reminder to do that on the 26th.

So much to do. I'm glad I got all my Christmas preparations done this past week. No last minute rush here. So I can enjoy the weekend and football.

(ETA: Nick from HiTask asking if I wanted help showed in the bottom right corner of the browser tab. Reminded me of Clippy the paperclip from MS Office. Sooooo glad there was a close option for that shit.)

[Jackalope]

Going to look at granite countertops and find someone to resurface the kitchen floor.

[DodosAreDead]

Eating homemade chocolate chip cookies.

[Gwaithmir]

Making home made pizza.. I think I've over done it with the chilli flakes again, hopefully the beer that is chilling will cool the mouth.

Put a small pinch of salt on your tongue. It will neutralize the chili burn.

[Little lunch]

I think my car is dead.
Great timing you fucking bitch.

[Angrboda]

Oh no! That's not good.

[Angrboda]

Started an email to the person who manages the waiver that pays for services and equipment that helps me as a handicapped person live independently at 11:00 A.M., thinking I just needed to toss off a quick note. An hour and a half later I finally finish the email, as a bunch of stuff I hadn't anticipated asking about occurred to me. Oh well. Sent! Hopefully it will lead to good things and a fuller life thanks to covered services and expenses.

Still, it made me miss 30 minutes of the Vikings football game. Which wasn't terrible, as we had been doing rather poorly and we were behind the Lions going into the second quarter. But I'm watching the game anyway, and soon we close the gap to 2 points behind. The Vikings end up on about the 40 yard line of the Lions with 2 seconds to go in the half, and Cousins throws a hail Mary to Kyle Rudolph for the touchdown! Vikings take the lead! Now I'm not a bit miffed that I missed our abysmal offensive play in the first quarter.

And I was going through a bunch of old papers and mail and found a $25 Visa gift card from a couple Christmases ago that I'd received, filed, and forgotten about. And it's still good! Kaching!

[Gwaithmir]

And I was going through a bunch of old papers and mail and found a $25 Visa gift card from a couple Christmases ago that I'd received, filed, and forgotten about.  And it's still good!  Kaching!

I once received a $100 gift card from J.C. Penny's. The problem was that I never shopped there. The card languished in my desk drawer for about six years. Finally, my girlfriend and I needed a comforter for our bed, so I sent her to Penny's with the card and they honored it.

[pocaracas]

I shall never understand gift cards for a particular store... What's wrong with giving actual money that can be spent at any store?

[Gwaithmir]

I shall never understand gift cards for a particular store... What's wrong with giving actual money that can be spent at any store?

Good point! I think, however, that some folks just think it's cool to give and receive gift cards. My sister and her hubby, for example, like to receive gift cards for their favorite restaurants. Every Xmas they give me a gift card for Burger King.