How To: Start the New Year

First off, let me apologize. I was so carried away on my vacation that I completely lost track of what day it was. At about 4 yesterday afternoon, my best friend Catherine texted me and said, "No post today?" I just stared at my phone with a "Huh?" face until I realized IT WAS WEDNESDAY! I hadn't even written anything!! What to do?!

So thank you, dear readers, for not hating me and still reading my post even though it happens to be a day late.

DISCLAIMER: I am by no means an expert on any topic I choose to write about from here on out, but maybe the things that I've gone through or are going through currently relate to you and can help you in some way. At the very least, you can laugh at/with me, remembering that one time that maybe you too felt like a complete moron, as I go through the many Mishaps of an Almost Adult.

One of my favorite things about New Years Eve is that you get to say goodbye to the last year, celebrate the great things that happened and forget all of the bad. Wipe that slate clean.  Its a time to let bygones be bygones and appreciate all of the wonderful people in your life. 

2011 has been quite the year for me. Early last year I started a new job working at a law office in downtown Dallas writing legal documents. I was lucky enough to be introduced to several new friends of all ages and start earning a salary that didn't make me want to cry. I put on my wedgie-inducing big kid pants, got up at 6:30 every morning like a real adult and made myself a living. 

Later that year, I started online dating again (read all about it on How To; Find 50 First Dates) and ended up meeting a very interesting new boy/man/guy that carried me through the summer and into the fall. He reminded me of how much I love football and caring for other people. He constantly was urging me to follow my true passions in life, and that carried me into September.

September rolled around, I turned 25 and I made one of the best decisions of my life. I started writing Mishaps of an Almost Adult! Not only do I get to make you laugh each week but I get to show myself that although my life may seem disastrous and out of control, I actually give okay advice and am maybe not that far off from where I'm supposed to be at this point in my life. All of your wonderful feedback only makes me realize that WE ARE NOT ALONE! If I help you even remotely, or just make you laugh at your own crazy life, or mine, well, then I feel like I've done something good.

In October, I started working on restarting my business doing graphic and web design and doing what I really love. With the help of my friends and my new business partner, Creative Aim Studios is up and running again and better than ever. I also found out that I'm going to be an AUNT! I'm too excited to spoil the freaking crap out of my little niece or nephew.

November and December rolled around and made me look over the past year and my life in general. I constantly realize how unbelievably lucky I am to be where I am. I'm 25, a blogger (with readers at that, wooooo!), a business owner, a budgeter, a Person to one awesome dog, a best friend, a budget traveler,  a sports fanatic, a break-up bouncer-backer, a good adult daughter, a penny pincher, and a proper office party attendee. What more could I want for my life?

The only advice I can give you for this next year ahead is to make it count. Make big plans! The sky is the limit. Set your goals and work your bum off to achieve them, no matter what they might be. 

See you in 2012!

How To: Road Trip

I am beyond excited. Each day this week I announced to everyone around me that it was my “Last Monday of 2011” followed by “Last Tuesday!” and now “Last Wednesday!!!!” Tomorrow, expect me to be yelling “LAST WORK DAY FOR THE YEAR!” as I’m getting off the elevator. After work tomorrow, I’m hitting the road. I’m out of here. I’m headed HOOOOOOME!

DISCLAIMER: I am by no means an expert on any topic I choose to write about from here on out, but maybe the things that I've gone through or are going through currently relate to you and can help you in some way. At the very least, you can laugh at/with me, remembering that one time that maybe you too felt like a complete moron, as I go through the many Mishaps of an Almost Adult.

For those of you who don’t know me very well, it is important to note in this article that I had moved to seven different states by the time I went off to college, adding one more to that my freshman year. That’s right. I’ve spent my entire life packing up, hopping in the car and zigzagging my way across this great big country.

Ever since I can remember, my family was always traveling, either from moving, or because we moved and had to go someplace else to visit family. We Millers have never been too good at sitting still.

My dad has mastered the art of the Road Trip. Well, sort of. He taught me early on in life how to be a Master Long Distance Driver. I was always the carsick one, so I would eventually end up riding shotgun, talking to my dad, learning the skills required to be a MLDD. Meanwhile, my mom and Eric sat in the back and watched Iron Will, Cool Runnings or Angels in the Outfield (yes, those are your only three options) on our 13” TV/VCR combo plugged into an adaptor while lying on the floor of a Chevy Astro with the seats out. We rode in style way before any of this drop-down TV business. Please feel free to laugh at the visual image of our 90’s family awesomeness.

So before you hop in the ol’ front-wheel sleigh to embrace the frosty majesty of the winter landscape and head to your old fashioned family Christmas, wherever it may be, remember these tips.

1. Listen to your dad, boyfriend, brother, or whoever your male auto afficionado is who actually knows something about cars. Check your tire pressure. Get your oil changed. Fill up your wiper fluid. Yada yada yada. Except really do it. Who wants to have car trouble in the middle of nowhere?
2. Pack in those tunes! There is nothing worse than when you lose all radio signals and have zero to listen to. Fill up your iPod or burn a bunch of new CDs.
3. If you’re driving alone, make sure you have something sweet or some kind of caffeine in the car in case you get a little drowsy. Decide if you're an early bird or a night owl. I prefer to wake up early and get most of the driving done rather than staying up late into the evening. At least in the daylight you have stuff to look around at, even if you're only noticing how desolate this town is.
4. The biggest rule of my dad’s that I break on a regular basis is “Only stop at places on the side of the road that you are already traveling.” If you’d prefer to eat somewhere on the opposite side of the highway from the way you’re traveling, well, according to this rule, tough luck. I say screw that. You’re already going to be sitting in the car for who knows how long. Get good food that you enjoy and then get back into driving mode.
5. If you’re traveling on back roads like I do to get home to Colorado, always watch speed limit signs. Two lane highways are infamous for dropping the speed limit from 70 to 35 in no time flat. That would be one horrendous speeding ticket and hard to talk your way out of, no matter how good you are at batting your eyelashes and looking innocent.
6. Even if you don’t need to stop for a bathroom break, take advantage of rest stops if you haven’t gotten out of the car in a while. It’s always good to stand up, walk around for a minute or two and stretch before you get back into the car. It’ll keep you awake and alert for longer.
7. Don’t push yourself past your limit. If you need to, stop at a rest stop and lean your seat back for an hour. The best part about road trips is that there’s no particular time frame. Take your time. Take a picture at the Worlds Largest Teepee. See that World’s Largest Prairie Dog. (It’s a statue. How lame. And yes, I’ve stopped.) Have fun! Take in the scenery! Enjoy the drive! It’ll be over before you know it.

I’m off to go pack up my car full of presents, ski boots, dog food, tasty road snacks, an 80-lb dog and myself. What an odd sleigh I have.

Have a wonderful and safe Christmas everyone!

How To: Make a Mountain from a Mole Hill

One lesson I have definitely learned while being an Almost Adult is to surround myself with people that have different skills than me. Today's article was written with the assistance of my long-time bestie, Brad, who happens to be a financial advisor. Brad is stepping in this week to help advise you (and me) with some money-saving tips.

DISCLAIMER: I am by no means an expert on any topic I choose to write about from here on out, but maybe the things that I've gone through or are going through currently relate to you and can help you in some way. At the very least, you can laugh at/with me, remembering that one time that maybe you too felt like a complete moron, as I go through the many Mishaps of an Almost Adult.

Okay, so I have a confession to make. I have a new obsession with house hunting. Its a problem. Every time I hear the dogs barking upstairs and the fire trucks go blazing down my street at night, I flip on HGTV and end up daydreaming of the house that I will one day own and refinish room by room. It. Will. Be. Awesome. Sorry, Dad, for all of the emails you get about all of the houses I have fallen in love with in the meantime.

One teensy weensy, itty bitty hiccup. Houses are really freaking expensive. And I don't have any money.

Has anyone else realized how unbelievably hard it is to be disciplined about saving money? Maybe I just have a shopping problem (Fact. I definitely do.) and eat out too much, but man, it is hard to convince myself each month to make that transfer of funds to my savings after all of my bills are paid and my bank account continues to dwindle all on its own without my assisting it by saving even just a little.

This weekend I drove around and was looking at neighborhoods that I might be interested in purchasing a home in (I told you I have a problem) and decided it was time to start working on this dream becoming a reality. I needed to work a little harder on saving some money.

I quickly decided that one of the better resources I had available to me was my best friend Brad and decided to ask his advice on how to make a mountain from a mole hill. Although my savings is more like an ant hill than a mole hill.

Here's what I learned:

1. Every penny counts. $50 a pay check will turn into $1,300 over the course of a year without severely impacting your quality of life in the meantime. Start small by setting your bank account to automatically transfer a reasonable amount of money from your paycheck.
2. Always have an "emergency fund". Try to save for a cushion account in case you would lose your job or transfer jobs and be without your usual paycheck for the month. Brad suggested six months worth of expenses. I suggest putting your head between your knees or breathing into a paper bag. And not losing your job.
3. Don't tempt yourself. A lot of banking websites have a feature that allows you to "hide" your savings account from yourself so that you don't see the money in there. Better yet, open a separate savings or investment account dedicated towards making large purchases that you don't have every day access to. Out of sight, out of mind.
4. Set yourself up with a realistic budget with help from Mishaps' How To: Pay your Bills Bills Bills. Figure out how much you REALLY need a month and then set up your saving goal accordingly. Mint.com is both a miracle-worker and a chop-buster. If you're embarrassed to look at your finances and your Pie Chart of Shame, well, its never too late to start over and try again.
5. Check out your 401(k) benefits if you have them through your company (or 403(b) for those of you that work for schools/non-profits). Figure out what the max is that your company will match your contribution and if that is not some absurdly high number, consider making the full payment towards it. Its like free money from your company. Plus, Brad claims that, on average, every 7 years you wait to start saving money, you are cutting your retirement in half. He said something about the rule of 72. If you have no idea what that is, me neither. Google it if you need some proof or help with insomnia.
6. Don't count on bonuses, tax returns or any sort of extra income. Use it to pay down debts or put it directly into your savings account instead. You don't really need that new (fill in the blank with whatever you're interested in), do you? Its a great way to put yourself ahead of Your Plan and stay on track.
7. If you're having a full blown Nervy B bordering on a Complete Ditherspaz, me too. Saving is a gradual process; it doesn't happen overnight. Work on living your life on a budget and save what you can. Anything is better than nothing. Plus, you're an Almost Adult. Part of being an Almost Adult is being broke for a bit.

Think of how awesome it will feel when you aren't embarrassed to look at your bank account. Especially when I'm sitting on my cutely decorated and landscaped back porch looking at the house that I paid for with my own money. 'Til then, if you live above me, please figure out a way for your dog to stop barking so I can stop having to drown you out with HGTV.

How To: Have Proper Office Party Etiquette

If you're thinking Dundie's, a Chili's restaurant with a microphone, and "second drink" here, we're on the same page. That's right; it’s the time of year for the Office Party. And I'm not talking about the drinking game that several of my friends and I invented in college to go along with a The Office marathon watch party. (Every time you hear "Big Tuna" take a drink. Every time Jim Halpert does a camera stare, take a drink. Every time Michael Scott says "That's what she said.” take a drink.)

Here is an appropriate story about exactly what NOT to do as experienced by my best friend Colby:

My boyfriend came home one afternoon with exciting news. The bank he works for was having a Christmas party and I was invited. Normally, this would be accompanied with a "greaaaaat" and a fake smile. Turns out, the bank had bought two box suites for a Sunday evening Trans Siberian Orchestra concert as their Christmas party - they wanted to change it up from the usual drab hors- doeuvres meet and greet to something a little more upbeat (literally). After discovering this exciting turn of events, I made sure I was showered, dressed appropriately, and ready to put on my best smile and big girl charm I know is buried down there somewhere.

When we arrived at the venue I was instantly a shoe-in for Favorite Plus One. Bringing up the bottom end of this category was Luke's co-worker's husband. Not only was it a Sunday, but it was 6:30pm, and he was TANKED. (Maybe he played Aimee's The Office Marathon game all day?) Completely disheveled in appearance was the least of the icks - his breathed had the odor of a men's bathroom, and being Irish (this is Boston, after all), had the mindset of a 14-year-old boy in heat - with his baby mama standing right there - claaaassyy.

Here are the immediate No No's from this evening: He had gone out to the bar and drank only shots prior to the show (no no #1). He continued to drink during the show without eating (no no #2). He grabbed every female's ass including the bank president’s wife (no no #3). If that's not enough, he fell asleep halfway throughout the concert... cherry on top. And slightly impressive through a semi-techno concert.

Although your next (or maybe first) office party as an Almost Adult may not be emceed by Michael Scott and probably less awesome than a Trans Siberian Orchestra concert, there are certain rules that should be followed at ALL office parties. (They're so vitally important I'm going above and beyond my normal 7 tips and giving you 10. You'll be so prepared!)

1. Check your invitation for directions on appropriate attire. If your party is on a week day directly after work, business attire is always appropriate. If on the weekends, you have a little bit of extra leeway. HOWEVER, if the invitation says "business attire OR festive attire" - festive attire by no means equals "what I wore to the Ugly Sweater party junior year of college." No blinking antlers please.
2. If the food that is being served is listed as hors-d'oeuvres, that means APPETIZER. This is not a meal. Do not load your plate so high you can't tell what you're eating. For those of us that still have the "Free food tastes best" mindset, feel free to go back as many times as you want, but be able to see the bottom of your plate on every trip.
3. Speaking of tripping, lets talk alcohol. Do you become clumsy when drunk? Have you accidentally said something you shouldn't have while intoxicated? Does your voice get louder in direct proportion to the amount of drinks you've had? Do you enjoy having a job? If you said yes to any of these, two drink maximum. (If you happen to have an upper respiratory infection, maybe stick to water. Your equilibrium is already shot.)
4. If your party allows for a Plus One, pick a suitable one. Their behavior is a reflection of you, so avoid any and all persons that might do any of the above "No Nos" Colby listed. Fly solo if you must. Its not like you aren't alone at the office every other day of the year, who cares for one more night.
5. Office parties are a great opportunity to have a conversation with some of the upper management in your office. However, don't brown-nose. There is no need to suck up to your managers, but feel free to have a polite conversation with them. Say something that they might remember you by, and then walk away. Leave them thinking, "I'm so glad that Aimee works here. She's so nice. And I loved her festive but appropriate green silk shirt!"
6. Mingle with co-workers you don't always talk to. If you are friends with some of your co-workers outside of the office, sure, its fine to stay with them most of the time, but go outside your clique and make some new friends. After all, this is a party with your employer, not a party with your friends.
7. If there is some kind of game, karaoke, or dancing at your party, it is acceptable to participate and even encouraged. However, at no point in time should you have the spotlight. This is not a dance/sing off. There is no million dollar question. Leave your competitive side at home.
8. If you happened to not follow Rule No. 3 and find yourself over-served, at no point in time is it okay to tell anyone other than your Plus One that you are, in fact, intoxicated. Go find your coat, hand your keys to your Plus One, and politely tell everyone you will see them at work.
9.  If the party has a designated time, it is okay to be fashionably late. HOWEVER, it is not okay to be shutting the party down. If you haven't left by the designated "ending time," grab your stuff and head for the door.
10.  Never, ever, ever poke fun at the chosen venue/caterer/DJ, etc. For all you know, it could be your capital partner's favorite hang-out. Heck, they might even own it. Unless you are a master at scarcastic, yet seemingly sincere, comments, keep them to yourself.

The two most important words are right in the title. Office. Party. This is your job. Try to have fun. But this is still your job.