This is my Friday Dance.

How to Start a Budget

Did you ever put off a goal simply because you don't know where to start? If you want to run a marathon but don't even know how far that is, you may feel silly asking or you may be too overwhelmed to try.

After two tries at a half-marathon and realizing that I max out at 7 miles, I'm not going to be able to help you run a marathon, but I can help you start a budget. Sure, budgeting seems boring but it can help you figure out where your money is going and how to reach your financial goals.

Start with these easy steps and let me know if I can help you!

1. Analyze your spending. Online tools like Mint.com make this easy. Simply open a free account, load in all of your bank accounts and credit cards, and allow it to load your transactions for the last few months. You may have to spend some time sorting transactions to organize it, but it's a simple way to categorize your expenses.

Once you have a clear picture of where your money goes, make a list of the areas you should change. Are you paying bank or credit card fees that you can get rid of? Are you spending more on eating out than you thought? Did you know that much of your paycheck went to your cell phone bill? Make a note now so you can follow up.

2. Set short-term financial goals. Once you have an idea where your money goes, figure out where you want it to go instead. Do you need to save for a car or a wedding? Would you like to have a trip fund so you can pick up on a whim and leave town? It's your money! Make it work for you.

3. Where to cut? Once you have a financial goal in mind, figure out how much it will cost and how much per month you can pay towards it. Mint has great resources in their Goals section. Once you know how much you will pay per month, build it in to your budget. Bye, bye fast food lunches; hello beach vacation.

Do you realize that you now have a budget? It wasn't as hard as you thought it would be, was it? After a while, you may need to make changes because you reach your goals or your categories change. These minor fixes won't take long, especially because you already started!

In defense of gift cards

Christmas is only a week away and many people still have a few gifts left on their list. Over the last few years, gift cards have gotten a bad rap for being impersonal and not thoughtful. However, let me waste a few minutes of your Tuesday to let you know why I think gift cards are the best gift.



1. I like to budget, which often means I don't have a lot left over to mindlessly shop for myself. Shopping used to be a hobby of mine and I would love to be able to do this without the guilt of wrecking my budget.

2. We have too much crap and we usually can't wait to buy what we truly need. While I know you put a lot of thought into the house plant or the pair of earrings you got me, chances are if I really wanted it, I would have already bought it. Also, odds are your gift will end up in the back of my guest room closet.

3. The things I am waiting to buy are too pricey for me right now. Your gift card will get me closer to my savings goal and get that big gift sooner.

You have seven days to figure out the perfect gift for your cousin/co-worker/in-law.  I say go for the gift card.

Books of 2012

     

    

When I started this blog, I would diligently write book reviews as I finished new books, but then something great happened. I started reading so many books so quickly, I just didn't have time to right a thoughtful review for each one.

So, here's a little update on the top 5 books I've read this year.

1. Looking for a lesson in Atlanta history? Where Peachtree Meets Sweet Auburn walks you through the city's history through the families that would produce two mayors. The story telling is beautiful and the interviews with the family's are invaluable. Also, for a book that is told from such a personal perspective, this book is careful to be objective, especially when it comes to failed policy.

2. An uplifting story about the power of the human spirit, Louis Zamperini is a real-life Forrest Gump. From the Olympics to a WWII POW to a difficult return home, Laura Hillenbrand infuses this story with personality, humor and inspiration. By the end of the book, I was in tears!

3. If you're looking for something more light hearted, Sloane Crosley is your girl. Her observational story telling skills are unmatched and I giggled my way through the short stories in the book. My favorite story involves Alaska and bears.

4. I read Team of Rivals before I knew there would be a Lincoln movie out this year. I'll confess, the size is a bit daunting and their are too many characters to keep up with. Goodwin, however, does a good job navigating the plots and adds great flourish to what could have been a stale recounting of history. Got some downtime later this month? This is definitely your book.

5. My husband thinks I'm obsessed. I've now read 6 books at least partially about Zelda Fitzgerald's life. Did her husband's drinking drive her crazy? Did her instability drive her husband to drink? When did the marriage sour? Would F. Scott Fitzgerald ever become the legend he is without his wife/muse? Would he have been able to have a more substantial career without her? The more I read. The more I want to know. This is by far my favorite of her biographies, although they're all great.

If you would still like insight into the books I'm reading, let's be friends on Goodreads. I update this site pretty regular on what I've read since it'll give me new recommendations.

Let's talk about something else

The US media loves to focus on the sensational, the trashy, the depressing. They'll argue it isn't what they want, it's what consumers seek and they have a point. I have a certain love for celebrity gossip and bizarre news stories because they're a nice distraction from the every day.

I've been working to take personal responsibility on the media I consume. If you would like to join me, there's an easy way to do that today.

A certain trouble-making celebrity was arrested last night for being immature, stupid and violent. Whenever the news comes up today, change the subject to Malala Yousafzai. A quick Google search will give you all the information you need about this brave Pakistani girl who just wanted to go to school.

She became an outspoken leader in women's rights, even though she's only 15 years old. The Taliban decided she was such a threat to their culture that they shot her in the head as she rode the school bus home in October. As a teenage girl, she was targeted for assassination. She is recovering from her injuries in England.

There's a world out there that doesn't involve TMZ, Honey Boo Boo or the trash the media spoon feeds us. Make today about someone who works to make a difference, and you'll be making a difference, too.

I'm thankful for 2012

It’s been a whirlwind year with a lot of highs—and a handful of lows. In fact, without this tradition, I may not sit down this year and give thanks for a year that has brought me to tears more than a few times. But, on closer inspection, I have so many things that make me thankful. Chief among them, the spirit of resilience that all of my family members have, the attitude that no matter what happens, we each will keep going.

In 2012, I couldn’t be more thankful for:

-Steve and your patience; your enthusiasm for picking on Marlie and me; your sense of adventure; that moment when your patience runs out and you finally tell me what’s on your mind; our love for travel; your generosity with my family; and your incredible sense of humor.

-My mom, my very best friend, who puts up with all of me, which is no easy task.

-My dad, who is only a phone call away to fix all of the problems in my life, from leaky showers to tearful fits.

-Taylor and every giggly phone call that reminds me of our late night conversations growing up.

-Reed and your ability to take on everything, including our family drama, in the same way you caught frogs for Taylor and me when were little, like it’s easy.

-Mallory, thanks for bringing your insight to so many of our family moments. You have a careful eye that catches the things we often miss.

My dear, dear friends. God blesses me through each of you every day with humor, love and attention. I’m so very thankful for friends that:

-Wouldn’t commit a misdemeanor, let alone a felony.

-Laugh loudly.

-Dive into pools.

-Have traditions.

-Let me cry.

-Apologize.

-Pick me up out of the bushes.

-Make breakfast.

-Have babies.

-Get married in awesome weddings

-Appreciate my bossiness

-Read my blogs

-Make me dinner to celebrate their engagement.

-Gossip.

-Introduce me to new people.

-Dress up for birthdays and Halloween.

-Share inside jokes.

-Sister, get up!

-Make me laugh. Hard.

-Introduce me to their fabulous in-laws.

-Tweet, GChat and Email, because we can’t see each other often enough.

-Give side-eye

-Share their struggles

-Celebrate life with girly cocktail hours

-Share our love of any of our passions.

-Love Will Hoge

-Tailgate for Opening Day

-Ask me to be in their wedding

-Take us rafting

-Quote 30 Rock and make up drinking games

-Hike

-Encourage me

-Let me sleep at their house

-Cook

-Commiserate about the Braves

-Have an irreverent sense of humor

-Have a disdain for raised medians

-Are very upset that I have no Georgia swag but plenty from FSU

-Tahiti

-Aren’t judgy

-Form friendships even if we haven’t met in real life

-Are happy

-Show me how to start over and learn new things

-Say “good talk”

Thank you for the many ways you bless me and the nonsense you put up with from me: Molly, Brad, Wylly, Sharon, Nate, Rick, Chris Brown, Nikki, Steven, Brett, Liz, Theresa, Chris Connolly, Ben, Matt, Debbie, Krisi, Pete, Sarah Beth, Cam, Patrick, Tom, Ivan, Kristi, Sarah Melissa, Chase, Shawn, Kevin, Callie, Joe, Matt, Martha, Chris Bailey, Kristin, Damon, Ashlee, Meaghan, Jenna, Seth and Billy.

Thank God for Twitter; Riesling, Malbec, ciders and tequila; treadmills; DVR; Homeland, Nashville and 30 Rock; blogs like Suri’s Burn Book; Sharpies and highlighters; Susan B. Anthony; Midnight in Paris; Zelda Fitzgerald; Will Hoge, Miranda Lambert and Jason Aldean; Dry Roasted Almonds; Willy’s Mexican Grill; my phone; covers; celebrity gossip; vacations and new adventures; people that drive better than I do; library books; hurricane coverage; the Silver Comet Trail; Jackson Square; fortune tellers; my bed; gum; the days I can work from home; coupons and contests; old pictures; awkward conversations and situations that are funny later; the laughter that comes from old jokes, and being easily amused and a little bit childish; and the million other small things that get me through the day.

God bless the Braves; Baby; Freddie Freeman hugs; Craig Kimbrell; Chipper Jones, his tweets and all his retirement gifts; Kris Medlen; Andrelton Simmons; the way Chip Caray says Francisco; and fans that throw trash for garbage calls. I’m still mad about the infield fly rule.

Epiphanies where God finally shows me what he’s been working toward all along.

That I have a Savior who blesses me everyday, and loves me for who I am but loves me too much to leave me this way.

And finally, for the chance to count my blessings. 

Gosh, I love Twitter

If you caught the picks on College Gameday Saturday, you know who Braden Pape is. The five year-old Oregon fan was the celebrity picker after he sang the College Gameday theme song on the show last year. I can't find the whole video, but you should definitely check it out. He stood up to those analysts and had great reasoning for his picks. I just couldn't stop laughing.

As I normally do when something has me absolutely tickled, I tweeted about it. Guess who tweets me back but Braden's dad?!

@whitneygibbs our favorite part as well :-) -Braden's Dad
— Jordan Pape (@jordan_pape) November 19, 2012

Great job, sir. I know you're very proud of your son and I'm glad Twitter could bring us together.