New Year, New Me?
What to Expect in 2018!
First of all, I am disgusted by myself for that. I hate hearing the "new year, new me" phrase, but I think (like every year) that this could be my year. I started this blog as a stay-at-home mom wanting to build a small extra income and socialize with other mommies out there; then it became too much. In the past year and a half, I had two falling outs with my family, separated from my husband, moved four times, celebrated Parker's birthday twice, joined a sorority, joined the honors society, started three jobs and still managed to maintain straight A's. Life is hard, what can I say? You hit a few roadblocks, and you keep on truckin'. Have I wanted to drop out of school? Yes! Have I considered getting a low wage job and living off the government for the rest of my life? Absolutely! But I want SO MUCH MORE out of my life.
I swore to everyone that when I got pregnant my senior year of high school that absolutely nothing was going to get in my way in this life. I want to be important and want my child never to need anything that I cannot provide. And no, I am not saying that using any government assistance is wrong! If you need it, use it!! I just want to leave that money to someone who needs it. What does this mean for me now? This blog? Life? My future? Well, a lot. I am still on track to graduate in May of 2019 with an Elementary Education degree. I still want to teach kindergarten-second grade. I still want to continue writing for myself. I have decided I want to start putting out a blog every single Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. I want to have something so that I can always be raw and personal too. It is hard to be so isolated a majority of the time, and this is my outlet. Nap time can be lonely. I want us to be in a great place in our future, and that means paying off all this crazy debt I have accumulated and get myself back on my feet.
This blog will be all about being real; I'll share my likes/dislikes, my budget, my meal plans, my homework, Parker's milestones and everything else in between. If anyone has any blog posts ideas, they would be much appreciated, as well! I love to answer questions! So finally the title, new year, new me? What does this mean? Well yes, I have new years resolutions and yes, all my two followers, I want you all to keep me accountable (I am talking to you, Krista!).
I am a shopper, I work at Kohl's, and I have just gotten rid of FOUR trash bags worth of stuff I don't wear (speaking of which, if anyone is looking for clothes, I've got you)! So my first "new years resolution" is that I cannot buy ANY more clothes unless it is an emergency or a special occasion.
My second resolution is NO MORE CREDIT CARDS!! I have gotten myself some pretty hefty credit card bills this holiday season, and it is now time to wean it back to a manageable amount. So I will not be using ANY CREDIT CARDS unless it is an absolute emergency for the rest of the year!
My third resolution is to stop having late fees and overdraft fees! I do not have the means to pay $30+ every single time I forget to budget my money correctly!
The fourth resolution is to pay off the debt!!! Like I said, I have A LOT at this point, so this year I am hoping to focus on all the credit cards, then next year focus on the car, and in 2020 when I am out of school, it will be focusing on the student loans for a couple of years! This goal is probably my biggest goal, and with a little budgeting magic and a couple of no spend months, I think I can achieve this goal!
Then lastly, I want to create an emergency fund. I know all my Dave Ramsy lovers are in shock that this is not my first goal. I know, I do, but this credit is eating away at me, and I feel it is necessary to chip it away quickly. In August, I had the $1,000 emergency fund and had so many "emergencies" that it did not last long. Hopefully, this will prevent me from spending it, especially if all the cards are frozen and hidden. We will see. Anyways, thank you for staying tuned into the blog. I know it is a little boring, and also kind of vague, but please follow to stay up to date and for some pleasant reading when you are sitting on your phone at three in the morning (we've all been there). Getting to where I want to be physically, mentally, socially, and financially will be a long journey so get ready! Bye!
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Crocodiles have adapted for stealthy water hunting and can slow their heart rate for extended periods underwater. African fishing spiders hunt fish with accuracy and drag them back to consume on land. Spiders inject venom and digestive enzymes to dissolve the insides of their prey, capturing fish nearly five times their weight. Fish eagles, with exceptional eyesight and sharp talons, hunt from treetops with deadly accuracy, capable of crushing prey. Leopards are skilled ambush and stalking predators in Africa. Leopards have specialized senses and anatomy for stealthy hunting. Their coloration and hearing make them highly efficient predators. The vine snake employs lethal hunting techniques and the harsh realities of the Namib Desert. The vine snake disguises itself as a branch and strikes prey with deadly hemotoxic venom. The Namib Desert, the world's oldest, is home to animals uniquely adapted to survive extreme conditions. Rock scorpions have hunting strategies and adaptations. Rock scorpions have weak neurotoxic venom but compensate with powerful pincers for crushing prey. Vultures play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of Africa's ecosystems. By scavenging leftover carcasses, they prevent the spread of diseases and contribute to the overall health of the savanna ecosystem. The Aguils Bank, characterized by a clash of temperatures, provides an ideal environment for sardine spawning. In response, sardines form a bait ball defense against predators. Dolphins, despite the vastness of the ocean, exhibit remarkable teamwork by working together in pods to locate and capture fish using sonar. During the Sardine run, they employ a strategic approach to herd and catch fish. However, they face threats from sharks and garnets during their hunting endeavors. Sharks disrupt the Dolphins' hunting process, inducing chaos to catch fish, while garnets launch aerial attacks on the bait ball. Despite the dangers, garnets exhibit precise diving skills to snatch prey, albeit facing the risk of head-on collisions. Africa's predators demonstrate their deadly hunting skills, as agile sharks and dolphins can swiftly diminish massive bait balls to a mere handful of fish within a few hours. When these predators unite and attack as a group, they showcase the true devastating efficiency of Africa's deadliest. Lions are formidable predators known for their unique hunting techniques and teamwork. Despite their strength and weaponry, lions often face failure in their hunts, with only three out of ten attempts resulting in a successful kill. While male lions, weighing as much as a motorcycle, possess immense power, they typically leave the hunting responsibilities to the lionesses. These lionesses are skilled at taking down challenging targets such as large giraffes. In the wild, lions strategically risk their lives to attack giraffes to obtain sustenance. This makes them lethal hunters and a part of Africa's most dangerous predators. Underwater, there are other predators like the stonefish that employ deception and deadly toxins for hunting. The common octopus, on the other hand, possesses remarkable camouflage abilities. It can rapidly change its shape, texture, and size to blend seamlessly into its surroundings, even mimicking the texture of the reef below. The octopus relies on its super sensory suckers to gather information about its environment and utilizes its toxic snapping beak as a deadly tool for both hunting and defense. In South African waters, Cape fur seals are known as deadly predators of octopuses. These seals possess exceptional low-light vision, enabling them to spot the camouflaged creatures in black and white. Octopuses, in an attempt to defend themselves, cling to rocks using their powerful suckers. However, the strength of the seals usually overpowers them. Moving on to the ocean, great white sharks are expert predators of seals. With up to 300 teeth that continuously replace, these sharks can easily tear limbs off their prey. Mother seals face deadly shark ambushes as they race back home to feed their pups. In Africa, the puff adder is considered the deadliest hunter. Its slug-shaped body and lightning-fast strikes make it a notorious and lethal predator. The venom of the puff adder is potent enough to kill five grown men, and its specialized muscles enable it to strike with incredible speed. Lastly, the Namaka chameleon showcases its survival skills in the harsh Namib Desert. It adapts to its environment by changing the color of its skin for temperature control. The chameleon also faces various feeding tactics and challenges to survive. Similarly, scorpions are also deadly hunters in Africa, but chameleons utilize their camouflage abilities and deadly tongues to catch their prey.
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