My therapist, on spending

I said, "Money burns a hole in my pocket."

My therapist said, "You are being too hard on yourself." I keep painting myself according to an old image of the way I used to be. I am not that same person anymore, she pointed out. I have become far more conscientious about my spending habits. When I go over budget, I'm not being extravagant. These are small infractions. It is normal behaviour for people to want to treat themselve in small ways. I need to allow for that, she said.

Nevertheless, the budget is important. There are different ways of doing things, she reminded me. I need to concentrate on finding less expensive methods, rather than berating myself over small mishaps.

She talked for quite a few minutes, actually. She has never given such a long lecture before. I enjoyed it.

Whenever I spend money, I feel under a cloud, worrying, afraid of myself, afraid of ruining my life. People tend to do this: focus on their screw-ups, rather than figure out how to make things better. It's like religion.

Big changes

Danny djjo is moving to Guelph, and we're looking for a place together. This is a big transition for everyone involved; friends of bitterlawngnome can read more about it here. The biggest change for me will be cohabiting again, because I've lived alone for thirteen years. But Danny has been my partner for eight of them, so we know each other pretty well. Ideally, we would like to find a house to rent within a twenty-minute walk from downtown, available July 1. Exciting times.