Month: March 2014

Things To Do Around St. Louis

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

Spring is here.  The color is coming back to the trees outside and it’s finally above freezing around here.  I am ready for nice weather to be a permanent thing and excited not to have to bundle up just walk from my car to the office.  St. Louis is a fun city to live near and we have some serious plans to act like annoying tourists this Spring/Summer.
things to do around st. Louis, mo

1) Drink some fresh beer at the Biergarten at Budweiser
2) Take a brewery tour at Budweiser
3) Celebrate the Cardinals at some games
4) Eat at Ted Drewes Frozen Custard
things to do around st. louis, mo5) I-55 Speedway to watch some dirt track racing
Last year J and I went to the racetrack around the beginning of fall.  It was the coldest day of the year so far and it was miserable.  I am so thrilled to go to the track when I don’t have to cover up with multiple blankets.
6) Explore the St. Louis Zoo
7) Get lost at the art museum
8) Wander around the Botanical Gardens
9) Lose track of time at the casino
10) Watch Shakespeare come to life

Top 10 adventures that J and I have to conquer this year.  I can’t wait!

The True Weekend Look

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

I see all these bloggers that talk about their Saturday morning brunch at some super-hipster place and they look flawless.  That’s not me though.  Let’s be honest for a bit.  I don’t usually wear makeup on the weekends, I rarely get out of my sweat pants, and my hair is 98% of the time in a ponytail or top-knot.

Here’s a real shot of me on Saturday about 2:30.  We just got home from helping some awesome friends move into their new house.  J was taking a nap on the couch and I was getting ready to go study for a few hours.

Warning: this is not a pretty shot, I look rough.  

merelynne, truth about weekend look, look of the dayTold you, I was looking rough.

That picture makes me look like I have lots of freckles, but I think it’s just the camera on my laptop. I guess it kind of looks like dirt a little, but I had just washed my face so it has to be the computer.  Yes, the computer.  I have better skin…. yeah, a lot better.

Sometimes I’m envious of those bloggers who wear cute clothes on the weekends, but that’s not me and I wouldn’t be real if I took a picture of myself dressed like that.  Honestly, if you ever see a picture of me dressed up on a weekend then you can probably assume that I changed into yoga pants about 3 minutes after the picture was taken.  That’s more me.

Disappeared

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

Life has been crazy ’round here.  I haven’t had much blogging time between studying, working full time, spending time with our families and friends.  Okay, okay that’s not entirely true.  I haven’t wanted to blog over spending time doing other things.  I guess it’s a case of writer’s block or just pure laziness.  I like to think of it as the first one, but you can think what you want.

I promise that I will get my mo-jo back and get on a groove again.  Just need to get through my next test in the next few weeks.  Thanks for understanding!

Setting A Few Home Goals

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

home goalsJ and I have been in our rental home for about 7 months now.  We signed a pretty long lease, so we still have one year and two months left here.  We aren’t crazy about where we live.  The neighborhood is great and it’s close to highways, but it’s just not the ideal home.  Our yard isn’t fenced in and with 2 dogs it isn’t very fun letting them out.  The walls are stark white and haven’t been painted in a while by the looks of it.  Plus there are like a million stairs, but that’s actually a good thing for us.

I am no longer going to focus on the not-so-great parts of where we live.  I’m setting some goals to work towards the next few months so our final year feels more like home.

Here go – the expectations.

1) design a gallery wall about the couch
2) hang fabric on the wall behind the TV and create a letter “R” gallery wall
3) stain the coffee table and side table
4) paint the DVD stand
5) create a calming desk space
6) rearrange furniture in the guest room
7) slipcovers for the couch and futon

Simple DIY projects. I’m pretty excited and have been planning what I want it to look like.  Now just to pick one project and do it.

I’m thinking the one that will make the most difference…. I’m going to pick out some fabric and hang it on the wall behind the TV.  Let’s do this thing!

I Put Myself Down

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

Yes, I put myself down.  Most of the time I do not even realize that I am doing it.  Does it build me up?  Does it build others up that are around me? I don’t know.  It’s small comments here and there undermining my own performance.  Do I really think that I can’t do something?  No, I know that I can do anything I put my mind to.  So then why do I do it?
merelynneIn this past month’s vlog in the Thankful Series I mentioned that I had my 30-day review with my current employer.  It was a great review until they told me that I put myself and my work quality down.  It was said nicely and politely, and in a way that told me it was untrue.

I put myself down…?

That’s all I could think about.  It was hard for me to hold back my tears because I was so ashamed that I did that to myself.

I didn’t know or realize that I insulted myself so much that it drew attention from others.

I talked it to death with J who said he could agree.  He knows that I could do anything I put my mind to, but even gave me recent examples of when my side comments lessened my accomplishments.  My Mom and Dad thought that it was a compliment because he wasn’t saying I was over cocky or have a big head.  They believe that my employer was trying to do me a favor.

I couldn’t see it because I didn’t believe it.

Luckily my review was on a Friday, which gave me two whole days to be consumed with that one thought:

You put yourself down and you do not need to do that.

Then I paid attention and realized – I do.

Why? I was always taught to be confident.  To walk into a room and act like you own it.  Did I start this bad habit in high school or college when I thought that others wouldn’t understand my ideas or reasons behind my actions?  Did I start because I really think so poorly about myself?

My employer doesn’t know.  J doesn’’t know.  My parents don’t know.  I don’t know.

put myself down

All I know is that I do and I need to stop.

I am making a conscious effort to realize it, pause  and correct myself.  It’s been about a month since my review and I can proudly say that I put myself down a lot less.  One day I might speak 100% confident in my abilities and work product, and that day will be amazing.

Don’t put yourself down.  Believe in what you do, confidently.  Others will believe in you.

Want to Shout It From the Rooftops… but I Can’t.

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®
Getting Married
photo by DColeman Photography

J and I decided on something for our future lives this past week.  I’m excited, nervous and just pretty anxious to start putting everything into motion.  Have you ever been so excited about something that you want to blast it to everyone, including the cashier at the grocery store? Well that’s how I’m feeling today.

About MeI’m one of those who struggles with keeping exciting secrets to myself, but this is one that i HAVE to hold tight for a few more months.  Okay, okay not a few months more like a year’s worth of months.  But I will zip my lips and keep it to myself.  I will not go public.  I will not tell the world…yet.

Here’s to some exciting months ahead of us and a life-change that is pretty stellar!

P.S. No, I am not pregnant.  I will drink a beer to prove it to anyone.