Stop complaining and do something about it.

I'm feeling a bit depressed.  I'm extremely unhappy at work and now, after a long weekend, I have to return to this job.  I also feel a bit nauseous this evening-maybe too much turkey?  A guy that I have known for years and years and had somewhat of an on and off relationship hasn't contacted for me almost 2months.  I thought for sure that I would get a "Happy Thanksgiving" text, but I got nothing.  I didn't send him one either.  He lives out of town and travels quite a bit for work.  I have only seen him once this year.  I think the relationship may be permanently off this time.  If not at his insistence, then at mine.  Anyways, so all of that makes for  a cocktail of mild depression. 

I realize I need to stop complaining and do something about the negativity. I have been at this job for 3.5 and I have only gotten 1 raise.  I do the majority of the attorney level work in the office.  My boss has not been in the office in over a month. His secretary has received countless raises in the same 3.5 years (at least 5).   She often tells me how bored she is because our boss doesn't come to work.  Clearly, this situation is not a positive one for me and I need to move forward with my plan to exit this firm gracefully.  I am going to draft out a timeline so that I am doing at least one positive thing a week to advance my career. 

Surgery and random thoughts

I had my dental implant surgery on Monday and everything went very well.  It's weird, I don't have any pain.  Just a very little bit of tenderness, you would think having someone drill into your jawbone would cause some major discomfort. Still trying to figure out how to pay for the remaining balance of the surgery that is currently sitting on my credit card.  I will likely just pull it out of my emergency fund and then work feverishly on replacing my emergency fund money.  I hate to do that, but I can't stand the thought of being in additional debt or paying interest to the credit card company.

I'm still very unhappy at work.  I want to find a new job, but I hate the idea of moving to another soul crushing job for a higher salary.  I have been considering opening my own law firm.  I definitely don't have any money to do anything anytime soon, but the gears are turning.  It makes the idea of taking a higher paying salary at yet another soul crushing law firm more palatable if it means I can get to the point of opening my own law firm more quickly.  It's just a thought for now.  I think I will look into developing a 5 year plan and see how it looks.  I wonder how people can work for years and years at the same job without getting bored or restless.  For me, at these small law firms, there is no real room to grow and that thought drives me crazy.  I want to do more, earn more money and think of new innovative ideas. 

For the time being I'm trying to hang in at this law firm. I'm so beaten down and tired.  It's hard to remain interested and do the best possible work when you have no motivation.  Anyways, I gave my boss my idea, thoughts and plan for opening the new division of the law firm.  He hasn't done anything with it or discussed in detail with me his plan or thoughts for implementation.  He is a snail that moves at the speed of molasses. I think I gave him the plan in October so he has until April to make some progress. (Honestly, if he does not do anything with the idea by the beginning of the year I will just start looking.)

Lastly,  I have been looking around trying to find things to do to advance my position in the legal community so that way I can have a shot at opening my own law firm.  I'm developing a list of ideas and I will try to get involved in more activities in the legal community so that way I can carry more weight once it comes to getting business once I'm out on my own.  Success, here I come. 

Monday Morning

So it's Monday morning and I am dreading going to work.  I hate this feeling and I don't know how to shake it.  All of the negative thoughts I have about my employer creep into my head and it just makes Monday morning so much more cruel.  Anyways, I guess I will go get dressed, head into work and face the day. 

Budget Breakdown November 15-30 and dental work updates

Budget November 15-30
$190 utilities
$100 groceries
$650 NovemberVacation
$860 dental fund
$300 Thanksgiving
$214 spending
$100 gas

I went out of town over the Veteran's day weekend and had a great time.  I spent just about my entire $650 budget.

Dental work is so expensive! I just paid for the dental implant surgery for 2 teeth which totaled over $5,500 for both implants and the anesthesia.  I will have the surgery later this month.  I will do a post detailing all of the dental/medical costs I have paid for this year.  My poor memory can recall the following, just off the top of my head:
$5,500 (approximately) dental implant surgery
$1100 root canal
$2000 2 crowns
over $2000 for 6 extractions (4 wisdom teeth and 2 others)
plus the cost of cleanings and miscellaneous. 

I have to try and pull all of my resources to find enough cash to cover the cost of the dental implants.  I only had about $2500 in my dental fund.  I will not pay any interest on my credit card so I'm on a mission!

Student loan and budget updates.

I have officially paid my student loan debt down to under $24,000! I owe approximately $23,870.39 on my student loans (this number is good through November 15, 2014).  I owe $20,080.42 on my large student loan and $3789.97 on my small student loan.  I wonder if I will be able to get the loans down under $23,000 by the end of the year?  I guess that will be my next goal, it seems $1000 increments are my targets for paying down these last student loans.  I really want the small student loan completely paid off by early next year. 

Budget for November 1-15
$1,447 mortgage
$400 student loan
$60 pet plan (3 cats)
$80 groceries
$227 spending
$100 gas
$100 savings

I'm very fortunate to be able to split the regular household expenses with my sister.  So that's why there is no cell phone, cable, internet or car insurance payments listed on my budgets.  Anyways, that's how the money fell out for my October 31 paycheck!