Small Goals.

[notalwaysright]

Okay, I'm putting off getting ready for a mock interview for my job skills class, so here I am!

So, I was looking at the threads over here about small pleasures, and if you feel like a grown up, and was thinking about some small goals I have. Not big ones like owning a house, or traveling to the town my relatives immigrated from, or anything like that. I'm talking small stuff. You'll be able to tell from this list that I've been fairly poor for an extended amount of time, lol. So here's what I daydream about having the money to afford:


I want to have enough money to keep a few vases of fresh flowers around the house. Not stuff that I grew (though that would be neat) but you know, just being in the store and grabbing a bouquet of sunflowers for no reason other than they looked pretty and made me smile.

I would like to be able to order food to be delivered and not have to dwell on "with the money I spent on this one meal I could have eaten for three days!" Just to pick up the phone, or open a web page and order without that niggling feeling of waste.

One of my least favorite things is cleaning my house, especially vacuuming. So I'd like a Roomba.

I'd like to be able to randomly take a day off and go to the beach, or mountains, just because.


Anyone else? Am I the only one who thinks of the little stuff? I mean, yes one day I would like to own a house. But this is just day to day minor things which I hope I will get to have.

[Food Lady]

I know for a fact Jack T. Chance wants a Roomba really badly.

[Kittish]

Oh, yes. I spent years dreaming about 'little stuff'. Boyfriend finally got a decent job for decent pay and now I'm getting to realize some of those small goals, like a small chest freezer and various kitchen gadgetry and ingredients to make luxury treats from time to time. Or a really good vacuum cleaner that we wouldn't have to replace every six months because my hair and animal hair conspired to kill it.

When it comes to flowers, I prefer ones I've grown myself. I pick stuff to grow that's pretty and/or fragrant, and have most of my plants inside. I worked as a florist for a bit over five years, so just vases of cut flowers aren't usually all that appealing to me.

One of the things I did when money was super tight (and still do because it works pretty well for us) is budget a little bit of money every month for tiny treats. I'm talking maybe $10 a month, and enjoy whatever treat you get once a week or so. Some really good chocolate, or pastries or bath treat or whatever you like.

[KuariKaydrith]

For me, I just want to be able to afford a place with an extra bedroom (so I can turn it into my craft room) and loads of storage. I'm pretty happy with everything else otherwise. And maybe a canopy bed just because I've wanted once since I was a little girl.

[NecessaryCatharsis]

I don't really have small goals right now, but I have a couple pointless ones :
Learn to make real pasta; I'm ok with egg noodles but my other pasta comes out heavy and doughy like horrible dumplings almost.
Swim in the 5 Great Lakes and the 5 oceans; I'm 4/5 and 3/5 - I've decided James bay counts as the Arctic Ocean - the odds of me getting to and swimming in Antarctica are laughably low, so not only pointless but completely hopeless

[wolfie]

Swim in the 5 Great Lakes and the 5 oceans; I'm 4/5 and 3/5 - I've decided James bay counts as the Arctic Ocean - the odds of me getting to and swimming in Antarctica are laughably low, so not only pointless but completely hopeless

Just curious, but which of the lakes have you swum in? As for oceans, I can think of Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic, and Indian - what's the 5th (and I thought it was supposed to be the 7 seas), and which ones have you swum in?

[EricKei]

NC - Maybe use a larger pot with more water (they're not kidding when they say to use 4-6 QUARTS)? Pasta likes to have its breathing room -- IIRC, if there's a realistic chance that the water will boil over the sides, it's too small. For most pasta, boil the water first, dump in pasta with maybe a tiny bit of olive oil or veggie oil, cook for the time indicated on the box (use a timer!) and then drain and rinse to keep it from continuing to cook. If in doubt, undercook it by a minute or so; you can always toss it back in if need be.

[notalwaysright]

I know for a fact Jack T. Chance wants a Roomba really badly.

Well, I looked this up and it's the Green Lantern, but I don't get the Roomba reference? Haha, can you tell I don't know much about comic book characters? It's one of the very few nerd worlds I just can't get into.

I thought of a couple more: I want a bathtub. Who knew I'd miss taking baths so much? I just have a shower right now. Also, a dishwasher. I hate doing dishes almost as much as vacuuming. I just really don't like cleaning. Maybe my goal should be "have enough money to hire a cleaning service." But then I'd feel weird. I'd rather just be able to make everything self-cleaning like you can do on The Sims.

Antarctic would be the fifth ocean, which I didn't realize was officially an ocean, but apparently it is.

[XCashier]

For me, I just want to be able to afford a place with an extra bedroom (so I can turn it into my craft room) and loads of storage.

I wouldn't mind that for myself, either.

More immediate goals include replacing my 14 year old beater car with something a bit newer, more comfortable and more reliable. A new car would be nice, but out of the budget; a very good used car would be fine.

I wish I could take my son to Disneyland or Universal Studios Hollywood. The problem is money, or lack of. As usual.

[NecessaryCatharsis]

Yes the fifth ocean is Southern ocean (Antarctic).
The lakes I've been in are Huron, Michigan, Eerie and Ontario which leaves me Superior. I was going to go camping there this summer but I may not have the time for a vacation this year so that might have to wait to next year.
The oceans I've been in are Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic, leaving me Indian and Southern. I don't even begin to have a plan for how to do that, except I've always wanted to see Australia so that could get me one.

[Trixie]

I think I'd like to be able to go to more concerts providing the bands I liked actually came to my city. I would also like to go to an NFL game. Again, even though we have a good team it's not impossible. And don't even get me started on having a "good" car. That would solve most of my problems right there.

[Food Lady]

Well, I looked this up and it's the Green Lantern, but I don't get the Roomba reference? Haha, can you tell I don't know much about comic book characters?

I was talking about the CS member; sorry. Doesn't post much anymore. I don't know anything about comic either. Anyway, my mom had a Roomba and it kept getting stuck under cabinets.

[Chromatix]

Usually the North Atlantic and South Atlantic are considered to be separate oceans. Sometimes the North Pacific and South Pacific also, though it's harder to see why; it would be more logical to distinguish the East and West Pacific by means of the International Date Line. That would total six or seven oceans.

There are apparently as many as 70 bodies of water which can be classed as "seas". Many of these are defined to lie within parts of the oceans.

[AnaKhouri]

I would like one day by myself. Totally alone. No one climbing on me or yelling for me or asking me questions or wanting things. No one touching me, or hanging on me. No chores to do, no food to cook, no schedule to follow or appointments to keep.

I guess you give that chance up when you get married and have kids, but damn, I would kill for one day where everyone else is gone for 24 hours.

[notalwaysright]

I was talking about the CS member; sorry. Doesn't post much anymore. I don't know anything about comic either. Anyway, my mom had a Roomba and it kept getting stuck under cabinets.

Oh, okay I get it. Now that I think of it, I do remember someone posting under that name.

AnaKhouri, I think in the "small pleasures" thread I mentioned something about walking into my apartment and being completely alone and how much I love it. So I totally understand. My love of quiet and alone is part of why I have no roommate, boyfriend (holy crap, they are clingy) and no plans for kids. I'm happy other people want these things. I hope you get maybe even a just half-day to yourself at some point.