"realistic" love

“There’s all kinds of love in this world, and not all of it looks like the stuff in greeting cards.”

We are made to believe that all love should be the stuff of greeting cards. All love should be roses and chocolates and moonlit walks on the beach. We are made to assume boyfriends are our soulmates and they complete us and make us whole. A more realistic greeting card might be “I am whole without you but love you. I appreciate the small things you do, like taking out the garbage so I won’t have to, but realistically I would probably survive if we broke up. I hope we don’t though.” It’s the little things we do for each other that make love so great. Holidays and special occasions are good reminders to tell our loved ones that we love them and to do something nice for them. But the everyday stuff is just as special. I like getting dressed up and going out to a fancy dinner but seeing a movie on cheap night is good too.

On the journey of life I am trying to appreciate the little things Mr. One does for me. I love coming home to clean dishes or a made bed. I have been trying to focus on doing more good things for him as well as, and maybe more importantly, less "bad" things. I am trying to go with the flow and not get frazzled when we get lost or are late. If the dishes or laundry don’t get done that day, it’s not the end of the world. Rather than worrying and making to-do lists I will spend more time watching a movie or cuddling in bed with him. I will kiss him every chance I get because you never know which kiss might be your last. Basically, I want to fall in love again. It might not look like the stuff in greeting cards, but to me it is perfect.

From Fuzzy to Focused

I would not call myself a reality tv junkie. Far from it. I don't pour over the drama and relationships of these wanna-be celebrities. That being said I must admit that I have learned a lot about how the world works by watching a "useful" reality tv show.

I am following a very strict budget to a debt-free life all thanks to Debt Do Us Part. I didn't realise how much I didn't know about managing money until Gail Vaz-Oxlade came onto my tv screen and into my life. I thought you earned it, you spent it, but in reality there is so much more. I knew enough to put as much as possible towards my student debt but I didn't have the knowledge to make a budget and stick to it (as simple as it is). So although I was paying down my debt, I was ending up in overdraft and paying way too many unnecessary fees (...and making some extravagant purchases).

Not having to stress about where money is coming and going, I have more brain power to focus on my hobbies and what I want in life. Having a plan and a goal for my money has made dreams in my life come into focus and actually seem achievable. So here they are.

1. I will be student debt-free in March 2013 (pending crisis).

2. I will travel more. Starting with Mexico in a few months and saving up for (hopefully) Europe sooner rather than later. (side note: Mr. One and I did NYC and New Orleans within the last year - both absolutely amazing)

3. Furthering my career with a change in scenery. I may go after a few new certifications and land a new job in the big city.
4. Lastly comes moving to said big city.

All of these dreams/goals are do-able and possibly all within 2013. I cannot wait to continue learning and growing. Thank you reality tv.