Weekly Money Check Up & Weekend Updates

I found this Check Up on My Pretty Pennies today. It's supposed to be done on Mondays, but being that I just found it, I'm going to do a Mid-week check up!

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on paying my debts.

2. Today I feel negative towards money. I want to spend more on me!

3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free/inexpensive thing I did last week that made me happy was baking a pudding pie out of stuff already in my apartment and going to a house party.*

4. I will consider this week a success if I call about my taxes, make a dentist appointment, apply for at least one job, and buy all the presents for people in the last month that I haven't. I've been slacking/broke.

5. My ancestors are diverse. I'm half Puerto Rican and half Indian.

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* Last weekend I went to a girlfriend's house party. All of our boyfriends/fiances/hubbies were at a bachelor party in NYC, so we decided to have a party of our own! I was very excited at first, but then after talking to a friend I was a little worried that all the talk would be about weddings and wedding planning since  a majority of the girls are getting married this year. That would not be fun for me. Luckily there was no wedding talk until Sunday. I don't mind hearing the chatter about weddings, but I'm tired of being asked stupid questions like

"So when are you getting married?" (umm being engaged first would really help in that department), "Do you hear wedding bells ringing?" (only yours), and

"Have you guys talked about it?" (again, we've only talked about your weddings, since we will be broke after attending all of them).

I guess they are asking so I feel included, but I really wish they wouldn't. It makes me uneasy. How the heck am I supposed to know when I'm going to get engaged? If and when it happens, I'll let them know. Until then, I wish they would just continue to talk about their own weddings and fun things like color schemes and music choices.

Other than that, it was a lot of fun. We had champagne (I was happy to contribute my New Years leftovers- champagne doesn't go bad right?!), jello shots- which I haven't had since college!, and beer. We played games- I brought Apples to Apples since it is by far my favorite party game, and we ate. A lot. Everyone brought a little something, and with about 8 girls, that really adds up! However, I am known for not cooking. But I do bake. I was very proud of myself for finding stuff in my apartment that I could bake- a pudding pie! Actually, I had to buy the pie crust, since the one in my refrigerator was expired, but it did help give me the idea. I made it half vanilla and half chocolate. I had two snafus- the first pie crust I baked came out all puffy, so I had to bake another one (thank goodness 2 come in a package!). And then, the pudding recipe says to stir constantly, buuuuut...I didn't. And when I went back to stirring, especially in the vanilla, i kept scraping the bottom, adding icky burnt pieces to my nice creamy colored top. I decided I didn't want that (I picked out the majority of burnt pieces), and then just stopped stirring the bottom all together.

Big mistake.

The pie turned out great- C had the idea to put a piece of wax paper in between the two sides so the puddings wouldn't mix. Everyone loved it, and it was a good idea to make the two flavors because some people had given up chocolate for Lent!** But I didn't have time energy to wash the pots when I was done, so I left them soaking in soapy hot water. Overnight. And kinda forgot about them when I got home the next day. That is, until C went to make dinner.

Let's just say, he was not happy. "You burned all the pots! You didn't stir it! You say you did, but you didn't, because these pots wouldn't look like this if you did! Why didn't you stir it? What were you doing/thinking? Now we're probably going to have to throw them out- they're ruiiiinnnnneeeddd!"

It looked like this, only less yellow, and in a glass pan

He's a bit dramatic. But I was a bit hungover, and him yelling at me when we already know I suck at cooking made me feel even worse. I tried to help him clean them, but he wouldn't let me near the sink. So I went to the Internets (it IS good for something other than wasting time watching stupid videos and stalking people!).

In case this ever happens to you, the secret ingredient is baking soda.

Once I talked him into letting me at them, I just sprinkled some baking soda on the burnt parts, and they came right off- it was like magic!! But I probably will just stay away from making pudding for a little while.

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** I don't like to get religious, but telling me "Hey, you got a little scmhutz on your forehead...right there" is unnecessary. Especially on Ash Wednesday. Seriously coworker people? Because 3/4 of the office also has that schmutz on their faces, so how about you just mind your own beeswax!! Obviously I know it's there. I don't need you to make a big deal about it just like I don't make a big deal when you take off for your religious reasons!

In other religious-like news, I gave up soda (specifically Coke) for Lent. I figured this is a sacrifice because I have a can of Coke everyday at work with my lunch, and sometimes with my dinner, and usually on weekends. It's my go-to drink (other than beer). But...I could really use a Coke right about now!!

 

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Happy St. Patty's Day! I gots my green on, and can't wait to go to the Pub tonight with C and some friends! Hope you are all celebrating too- everyone's Irish on St. Patty's Day!