Abundance Dream

I believe in abundance---that is---I believe that everything good is readily available. This morning I woke up from a dream with this phrase in my head: "Do what you love and the money will follow."

Then I saw myself making a page in my journal with this phrase which was resonating in my head, so I got the colored pencils from my suitcase and started drawing. For months now I have been adrift without a job, living on savings while I reconstructed my life and pursued the elusive perfect next chapter of my life.

Thank Goddess my friends and the universe threw a good summer job my way---in a few days I am off to a small town in Alaska---where I lived for many years in my youth---to work for the summer. I will be cooking (a chef!!) at the Laughing Raven Lodge for the guests and staff--a fun job, working with good friends---but also hard work. I have done this job before a few years ago--so I know what it entails. I will be living and working in Port Alexander on Baranof Island in Southeast Alaska until the end of August--then who knows?

I have put much energy out into the universe requesting and searching for a meaningful job---because at this stage of my life a job is no longer about the $$$ money, it is about doing something meaningful that gives back to my community---and I do not doubt that a new door will open and I will step through it into my next adventure.

"When nothing is sure, everything is possible." ~Margaret Drabble. For several months now this has been my motto---I have tried to stay open to all the possibilities, rather than fall into despair each time I applied for a job and was rejected. Of course, I was living in Portland, Or---a state that is second in the nation in unemployment---where a job is advertised and 6oo people apply. Talk about fierce competition! I am glad to be going to Alaska to work awhile and feel blessed to be graced with this job.

I have stored 99% of my belongings in storage locker--freeing me up to go anywhere the next escapade leads me. After moving all my stuff--down one flight of stairs (no elevator) and up 3 flights (freight elevator) and stowing it all away, I wanted to sell most of the stuff---all my books, artwork, furniture, shelves etc. and take the $$$ and hit the road as a travelin' gypsy. Who needs all that stuff anyway?? Memories are what count---not material possessions.

"Do what you love"---? well, I do love Alaska--my first home, and I love cooking (and eating!)so, for now, this job fits the bill...I will be blogging from my trusty new refurbished and very portable Macbook about my Alaskan adventures..so please stay tuned!

SPEND NOTHING Days PLEDGE

If you have followed this blog for awhile you know that one year (not too long ago) I went 9 months without buying anything new. This year---2009---I have decided to declare ALL Tuesdays and Thursdays as "spend nothing" days. How will this work? well, on those days I will not spend any money---with the exception being only $$$ spent on transportation--since I do not own a car, so I pay for public transportation. I will do this for the rest of the year 2009.


This means that if I feel the urge to eat out on those days--I won't. Or buy that latte, or go to a movie....or buy a book, magazine, or newspaper...and I will have to plan ahead so I have adequate groceries on hand. Now, you may be wondering what difference will this make--since I can just wait and spend money on Wednesday? or another day?

First of all, I know from my "buy nothing new" experience--that this will prove to be a consciousness raising experience for me---this will help me become more aware of when and how I do spend money.

Secondly, how many of us have had the experience of putting off purchasing something and then realizing that we don't really need that item we were going to buy? (Thinking it over...always a good plan.) So, I imagine this will cut down on some of my impulse buying...whether it is the impulse to buy a latte or some other doo-dah I don't really need. This will be 102 days in the year where I do not spend any money---imagine that I would have spent an average of $15 on each of those days----that is $1530.00 I am saving!

In addition, this will curb that impulse I have to eat out---rather than just cook for myself....(at least 2 nights a week.) This is a way to force myself to become more frugal---which I need to do right now. Frugality is the word for 2009!


Quote for the day: "If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to."---Dorothy Parker