Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Week 54: Cold

There is less and less light in Alaska this time of year. We actually lose 6 minutes each day. So that means you have to get outside when you can or you'll go kinda crazy. So despite the bitterly cold temperatures, this weekend Cari and I went cross country skiing both days. While that is awesome, cross country gear, and winter gear in general is not cheap. Unexpected expenses are not good for paying off loans!

That said, there really needs to be a balance between single-mindedly paying down debt and still living a bit. I'm not sure I've got that balance quite right, but I'm working on it.



LOTS of new client prospects as well as a few business opportunities not related to social media. I may pull this thing off yet, but it is looking like it will be down to the wire.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Week 53: Seward again

Cari and I spent the weekend down in Seward again, and it is a really great time as the video makes plain.



In other news, I dipped this week down to $940.  I had spent the past three week climbing over $1,000 each week, but fell back some.  Next week doesn't look much better.  I have lots of things on the horizon, and nothing for sure.  That needs to change fast.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Week 52: Anchorage

I realize I've posted a bunch on the crazy adventures we are having outside of Anchorage, but I haven't shared what life is like in the city.

I drive Cari to work most days, and sit at my desk in the house and work until its time to pick her up with the occasional break to make lunch, or run to a meeting.

We have an incredible community of friends already, most of whom are Cari's fellow clerks like Jacqueline and her boyfriend Marco, who we hosted for dinner and who led a singalong in our living room (particularly awesome night).

Caitlin Hedberg is here, too. She and I went to high school together (LakeWOOD!) and she has been incredibly generous in showing Cari and I around, sharing her friends, and including us in everything. (She and I are also working on starting a business as another strategy to make some extra cash - more on that later).

So the seasons have changed from Fall, with its lovely leaves, bike rides and hiking, to snowy winter with its skiing and snowshoeing. As I write it is snowing hard with no sign of stopping. The walk we shoveled yesterday, now has about 4 more inches of snow. The days are getting so short that it is dark when I drop Cari off and when I pick her up. And Caitlin says we ain't seen nothin' yet.



In financial news, I had three potential new clients emerge last week, one of which already has me doing things, one of which may not come through :( and one I am still waiting to hear from. I made $1290 this week, $710 short of the goal. I'm getting there...

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Week 51: Social Media

Here's the deal, with 29 weeks to go the math of my game is looking bad.  To pull it off now, I'll have to make enough to PAY $1,600 EACH WEEK on my student loans.  Crazy talk. 

In order to pull that off, and not screw myself come tax season, which is 5 weeks before my deadline, I'll need to bring in $2k each week starting, like, now.  On the one hand, that seems impossible.  On the other hand, I'm making between $50 and $75 an hour for most of my clients, and if I packed a 40 hour work week with billable hours for the next 29 weeks... It could still happen.  And I'm going to play full out until the end.



So as I mentioned in this video, the commercial is live on my new spruced up website.  So if you or anyone you know could use some help, I would be only to happy to take a look and see what I can do.

Week 50: Talkeetna

This video includes lots of fun stuff from week 49 in Houston as well...

Week 48: Marathon