Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We’re asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we’re tracking every last dollar.
Today: a content marketing specialist who makes $75,000 per year and spends some of her money this week on an iced latte.
Occupation: Content Marketing Specialist
Industry: Fintech
Age: 25
Location: San Francisco, CA
Salary: $75,000
Net Worth: $4,462.80 (checking: $672.07, 401(k): $1,330.98, Roth IRA: $998.16, HYSA: $11,930.71, other savings: $4,530.88, minus debt).
Debt: $15,000 (student loans).
Paycheck Amount (2x/month): $2,022
Pronouns: She/her
Monthly Expenses
Rent: $1,500 (my partner, P., and I live together and split most household expenses evenly but keep our finances separate. This is for my half of our rental. We’re currently staying in a long-term Airbnb while we live in SF so this total includes utilities and internet).
Phone: $0 (I’m on my dad’s plan).
Student Loan: $0 (my loan is currently in forbearance but I’ve already paid off $15,000).
Roth IRA: $500 (I just started contributing this amount last month with the goal of maxing out my contribution each year).
HYSA: $1,000 (I’m aggressively building up my emergency fund so I’m contributing pretty heavily each month).
Spotify: $6.50 (P. and I have the Duo plan and he pays me his half for the entire year in one lump sum).
Form Fitness App: $22
iCloud Storage: $2.99
G Suite: $6.53 (for maintaining my personal blog).
The New York Times: $4
Streaming Services: $0 (I use my dad’s subscriptions).
Annual Expenses
Amazon Prime: $151.34
Thrive Market: $59.95
Bluehost: $364.19 (for maintaining my personal blog).
Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?
Yes, definitely. I was always a driven and internally motivated student and expected a lot of myself in terms of grades and achievements. I went to a pretty rigorous middle school, the goal of which was to get into one of the most prestigious specialized high schools in NYC. Once I got in there, the emphasis on grades and achievement became even more pervasive because of the culture and extremely rigorous curriculum. Pretty much everyone in this high school had their eyes set on one of the top 10 universities in the US and there was never a question in my or my parents’ minds that I would go to college and that it would likely be one of the top schools in the country. When my parents were getting divorced, my mom included a clause in the settlement that my dad had to contribute to half of my college tuition costs until I turned 21, no matter which college I went to. (My dad had originally only agreed to pay for a state or city school.) I was fortunate to get significant financial aid from my university, which included work study so I worked throughout my four years at school. I also took out $30,000 in federal loans. The rest was paid for by my parents (Dad stopped paying when I was 21) and I’m extremely grateful to them for that. My mom paid for my housing throughout college: dorm for three years and a house shared with five friends for one year.
Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
I didn’t get much education about finances but my mom made me an authorized user on her credit card when I was in high school. She would sit down with me at the end of each month to go over all of my expenses, making sure that I was using the credit card in a smart and responsible way, and I had to pay her back for any “fun” purchases I used the card for. Not only did this help me build great credit, which benefits me now, but it also made me more responsible with my spending than some of my friends were in high school and college.
What was your first job and why did you get it?
My first job was transcribing medical records for a small private practice. One of my high school friends set me up with this gig the summer after my junior year because I wanted extra spending money and to list job experience on my college applications. It was a boring job but I enjoyed the sense of responsibility and independence it gave me. I’ve been employed in at least some capacity every year since then, whether at summer internships or with work study during school semesters.
Did you worry about money growing up?
Before my parents got divorced when I was 13, we were solidly upper-middle class. I was aware, of course, that some of my friends who lived in mansions or wore all designer clothes were wealthier but my parents always made sure I had everything I needed to be happy — and then some. We went on vacations at least once a year, ate out a few times a month, and I got most things I asked for (my parents always made me wait several months to ensure I really wanted the item, which taught me the value of patience and not impulse-purchasing). After the divorce, I was living just on my mom’s income and though my dad was paying child support until I was 21, it wasn’t nearly enough to comfortably live the way we did before. My mom always did her best to shelter me from any money woes and to provide me with everything I needed, even when it took tremendous sacrifice on her part. This included paying a pretty penny for my extremely expensive university, helping me fund study abroad, and going on fun vacations every year. I know now that there were many years when money was extremely tight for her, particularly in the years right after the divorce and when I first started college, but she never let me feel that. I will always be extremely grateful to her for that and hope I can repay her one day. I’ve always wanted to buy her a farmhouse, which she’s dreamed about owning forever.
Do you worry about money now?
Not really. I think I have a pretty abundant mindset when it comes to money and I am quite intuitive and intentional with my spending. I don’t spend money on things I don’t actually want or need, and I don’t impulse-purchase very often. That said, I don’t mind spending more money on things I genuinely feel will make my life better. My partner, P., is definitely scarcity-minded and we’ve had to have quite a few conversations since moving in together about how to balance our differing ideologies and find common ground without causing any resentment or tension between us, particularly since he is going to medical school soon, which will make me the primary breadwinner.
At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
I became financially independent just a few months ago, when I moved from NYC to SF to live with P. My mom would absolutely help me out if I were ever in a tight spot and she’s made it clear that if I ever need to move back to her place, she will welcome me back with open arms. I would prefer not to ever ask her for financial help, especially given how much she’s already done for me and since I know she has her own retirement funds to consider.
Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
My mom gave me $5,000 when I moved out to use for emergencies or any purchases that I feel I can’t afford with my own income. To date, I’ve used a little under $500 from it but will likely use it all up when P. and I purchase our first car in the next few months. My grandma also gives me $100 pretty much every time she sees me, which I usually use for fun, infrequent expenses like getting my nails done, buying a coveted clothing item or taking a trip.
7:30 a.m. — P. wakes me up with cuddles and a kiss after he’s turned off my alarm. He gets up about 30 minutes earlier than me because he actually goes to the office and takes longer to get ready. I lounge for a few minutes, willing myself to leave the warm bed for the perpetually chilly air in our apartment. Eventually, I amble over to the bathroom and do my minimal get-ready routine: brush teeth, splash water on my face and put on Ilia Skin Tint and Tarte mascara. Then I change from pajamas into my usual WFH comfy attire: Vuori joggers, a cotton Pact sports bra and a hoodie because I’m always cold at my desk.
10:30 a.m. — I’m super hungry but I have therapy soon so I wash a mountain of blackberries and blueberries and snack on those. I also make myself an iced coffee with a splash of oat milk and enjoy it with my new reusable straws from Target, which elevate the whole experience.
11 a.m. — Therapy time! I do biweekly therapy and it’s certainly not cheap but it’s one of the most important investments I make in my wellness. Particularly with all the changes happening in my life in the last few months, it’s been really great to have a non-partial professional to sanity-check my various feelings and worries and anxieties. She is out of network and I haven’t met my deductible yet so I pay the full cost of the session. $230
12:30 p.m. — Brunch. I whip up a bowl of cereal topped with kefir instead of milk. Try it! It’s like a cross between cereal and a yogurt bowl, and it’s great for the gut. I eat more of the shockingly delicious berries I washed earlier and then go right back to writing, editing and meetings.
4 p.m. — I hit a good quitting time. Ever since I moved to the west coast, I like working from 8 until 4 because it’s close enough to the east-coast hours some of my teammates follow. Plus, I still get a few hours of sunlight after work is over. When I lived in NYC, I would often work from 9:30 until 5:30 or 6, which meant I almost never saw the sun. I pull up one of my favorite HIIT workouts on YouTube and do that, plus a Pilates finisher for the booty. Afterward I am so sweaty and feeling incredible.
5 p.m. — P. comes home from work. After hugs and kisses, we both eat snacks: peanuts and OJ for me, a random assortment of fruit, chips and chocolate for him. Then we head out on our daily walk. I adore this time of day. We usually catch up and talk through anything that’s on our minds. It’s a great way to reconnect and segue into our after-work lives.
6 p.m. — We get home and I realize I have a few Slack messages from our senior editor about the piece I sent her to review. She finally had a moment to go through the edits and asks me to publish today, so I take around 30 minutes to incorporate her notes and hit publish.
6:30 p.m. — Okay NOW it’s quitting time. I close the laptop and immediately start getting ready because I’m meeting up with a high school friend, K., who happens to be in SF this week for work. I haven’t seen her in over three years so I know there’ll be a lot to catch up on. I’m also excited to try the restaurant we’re going to; I chose it because it’s midway between us but it was also featured on Eater’s “38 Essential Restaurants in San Francisco,” and I’m trying to go through as many of those as possible before leaving SF this summer. This place is known for its Arabic comfort food and after looking through the menu on my phone, I know what I’m getting (everyone does this, right?).
7:15 p.m. — I take the Muni to the restaurant and try to pay with my prepaid Clipper card but the machine doesn’t seem to be working, so I take the win. When K. arrives, I give her a quick hug and we walk over to the restaurant where we’re told it’s a 15-minute wait. We walk laps around the neighborhood until I get the text that our table is ready. After giving the menu a perfunctory look (pretending I don’t already know what I’m getting), I order the hummus, hand-kneaded bread and crudités. Weird dinner? Maybe. But I’m all for listening to your cravings. After we order, wine sounds good and K. agrees, so I get us two glasses of the house white ($24). K. insists on immediately venmoing me for her half. $51.01
9:30 p.m. — We’re one of the few tables still at the restaurant. Turns out there was A LOT to catch up on, what with new jobs, new relationships and the general insanity of living through a pandemic. The food and wine are really good, though I’m not sure it’s worth the hype. My inner snobby New Yorker may be showing though. Once we’re out of the restaurant, we see that it’s POURING rain and also freezing cold. I make a snap decision to take an Uber because I don’t love taking the train alone late at night, and the weather more than justifies it. $14.91
10 p.m. — I get home and debrief P. on my evening, while he does the same. He spent time with his siblings and parents. We get ready for bed together and after reading a few pages of Circe for my virtual office book club, it’s lights out.
Daily Total: $295.92
7:30 a.m. — Happy Friday! I’m feeling well rested and it’s gonna be a good day because P. is working from home, which is always my favorite. We take turns getting ready in the bathroom and then we each set up at our respective work areas (we will usually switch out throughout the day).
11:30 a.m. — The morning passes in a blur because I have several tasks to get through. It’s nice to feel productive! P.’s grandmother sent him home with a bunch of Asian pastries yesterday so I throw together a quick brunch of pastries and Asian pear. I also make myself and P. iced coffees with oat milk.
3:30 p.m. — I have another long spurt of productivity and it’s time for a break. I see P. is just wasting time on his phone so I saunter over to him and give him the eyes, and then we get a little busy.
4 p.m. — Well that was fun! I wrap up the day’s work and make sure all my to-dos are set up correctly on my calendar for next week. I do a final check of the inbox, Slack and Asana, and then log off around 4:30. I immediately start getting ready because I’m going to a potluck at a new friend, L.’s, house tonight.
5 p.m. — We’re ready to go! P. has plans with his brother and a friend tonight so I walk him over to his parents’ house, kiss him goodbye and keep walking because I need to drop off returns at the shipping store. I make it in the nick of time before closing. Anyone else get a big jolt of satisfaction from sending returns? It sucks that the item didn’t work out but now I get money back! I walk all the way home, grab the two bottles of wine I’m bringing as my contribution to the potluck as well as my Circe book for the commute, and hop on the Muni to head downtown. I pay with my prepaid Clipper card for the ride.
7 p.m. — The train ride is long but my book is super engrossing. I get out at the Market Street stop so I can walk the 15 minutes to L.’s house and immediately feel extremely uncomfortable. It’s dark and sketchy, and I try to navigate without flashing my phone around too much but for some reason I make a wrong turn and get totally lost. I’m late now and am hating walking here so I call an Uber. It’s definitely a worthwhile price to pay for safety. $8.39
11:30 p.m. — The night is a blast! I am definitely an introverted extrovert, which means I’m a bit uncomfortable and nervous in a large group of strangers at first, but once I warm up and get to know a few people, I feel energized and lit up. All the girls are so sweet and welcoming and easy to talk to. Even though many of them know each other already, they don’t make me feel excluded in any way. We spend the night eating the delish food brought by different people, drinking and playing games. I have around three drinks spaced throughout the night and am definitely feeling buzzed, which also helps with the slight social anxiety. Around 11:30, P. texts to ask if I’m ready because he’s done with his hangout and still has his parents’ car so he can pick me up. I respond that his timing is impeccable as ever and I ride home with him a few minutes later.
1 a.m. — Exhausted and happy, we collapse into bed.
Daily Total: $8.39
10 a.m. — I wake up feeling like I could have slept more but we are on a strict timeline to get to our friends’ place by 11:30 to dog sit. Their poor pup is anxious and can’t be left alone, and P. and I love dogs so we are always happy to help out. I call an Uber, which our friends will reimburse us for later. $20
11:30 a.m. — We arrive for dog sitting and their dog, T., is immediately all over us and very excited. Our friends head out for their lunch and P. and I get comfy on their couch, turn on Friends and pull out the snacks we brought from home because we haven’t had a chance to eat yet.
2:30 p.m. — Our friends were supposed to come back by 1:30 but they got held up so P. and I pass the time by watching a few more episodes of Friends, snacking, cuddling with T. and then having a steamy make-out sesh on the couch. Our friends finally come back and, after chatting for a bit, P. and I head out for an afternoon of exploring the neighbourhood.
5 p.m. — P. and I have a blast walking around the area, popping into different shops and checking out the beautiful homes. We go to Saint Frank for coffee because I’ve been wanting to try their iced macadamia milk latte for ages. P. gets an iced oat latte. I pay for both, plus tip ($16.15). A couple of hours of walking later, we get peckish and realize we’re close to an ice cream spot P. has been wanting to show me, so we stop in for scoops. Raspberry-brownie chunk in a cup for me, cookie dough in a cone for him. P. treats. $16.15
6 p.m. — We take the Muni home, both of us feeling pleasantly tired and happy. We get off a stop early so I can grab last-minute dinner ingredients from the overpriced community store near us. I pay because I make more than P. and usually cover small incidental grocery purchases like this. We normally do a big grocery shop at Trader Joe’s every Sunday, which we split evenly, but we’re both away for 10 days after Thursday so we can get away with a mini shop. $25.54
7 p.m. — I start cooking. We’re having roasted delicata squash, brussels sprouts and broccoli, and Trader Joe’s garlic-herb sausage with goat cheese on the side. Once everything is in the oven, P. and I take some weed gummies we got a couple of weeks back. Then I wash my hair, don a robe and generally get super comfy and ready for bed so I don’t have to worry about doing anything once the gummies hit. I plate our food and we eat while watching Step Brothers.
11 p.m. — The gummies seem to do nothing except make both of us extremely sleepy and thirsty. At least dinner is a success! We blearily finish getting ready for bed and then collapse into the sheets at 11:30, barely able to keep our eyes open.
12 a.m. — Just kidding. Another effect of the gummies seems to be extreme horniness because as soon as P. turns off the lights, I pounce on him. We are both still extremely sleepy and also very turned on, which makes for a hilarious combination. We have a great time and then happily fall asleep around midnight.
Daily Total: $61.69
9:20 a.m. — I wake up, still feeling groggy from the gummies. Considering the guy at the dispensary said they were supposed to be energizing, we are both feeling cheated and confused. While P. does his morning routine and watches YouTube videos, I read Circe in bed. Eventually I get up and do my morning routine.
10:30 a.m. — I do power yoga on Sunday mornings so I pull up a video from one of my favorite YouTube instructors and vinyasa my way through a sweaty flow. P. watches but pretends not to.
12:30 p.m. — After yoga I make us our favorite blueberry pancakes and French press coffee. Pancakes and coffee are a favorite Sunday tradition of mine. While I cook, I talk to my mom and then my aunt on the phone. We eat, then I clean up the dishes and we get started on our chores. I clean the kitchen and bathroom while catching up on the We Can Do Hard Things podcast (love). P. does the vacuuming, swiffering and laundry. It’s rainy and gloomy outside so it feels nice to have a domestic day.
3 p.m. — We’re done with chores but it’s still raining pretty hard so I suggest watching Fifty Shades of Grey, since it’s been on our movie list for a while and P. hasn’t seen it yet. Plus, what else would we do on a dreary day? We settle in on the bed and watch about half of the movie, making fun of the overly dramatic dialogue and acting the entire time.
4 p.m. — The weather has cleared up so we get our butts off the bed, get bundled up and go for a walk to the Asian market for fruit and rice. It’s around 30 minutes from us but the weather is nice now so we walk with our groceries all the way back, too. We split this one evenly. $11.70
6 p.m. — P. and I hop back in bed to finish up the movie and as soon as we’re done with it, we have a pretty steamy sex session. No red room here, though.
7:30 p.m. — I quickly roast more veggies and prep all the leftovers from yesterday. We eat with an episode of Friends, of course.
9 p.m. — I wash the dishes, get ready for bed and we both settle in with our books and read until lights out at 11.
Daily Total: $11.70
7:30 a.m. — Ugh. I had the WORST night of sleep. For some reason, I couldn’t fall asleep for two hours and then woke up every hour to pee. What in the heck? I coax myself out of bed with the promise of French press coffee. P. is leaving for work early so I give him a quick kiss goodbye before going about my morning routine.
8 a.m. — Work begins with a meeting and I keep my camera off. I take the time to unload the dishwasher, freeze overripe bananas and make myself that promised coffee. I select some delicious beans from one of my favorite NYC coffee shops called Dreamers. I also text my best friend to check in with her. She’s in an intense grad school program and is often extremely stressed and demoralized, and today is no different. I zelle her $11 and add a memo that it’s for a coffee and pastry to help brighten her day. $11
12:30 p.m. — Okay, the coffee changed everything. I feel revived. Reborn. A new woman. I have several meetings and do a bunch of research for a piece I need to write this week, then take a pause to eat brunch and read a Money Diary. Cereal with kefir, then several fistfuls of granola and pineapple. It hits the spot. Then I get cold from the kefir so I make myself a cup of hot tea (story of my life) and carry on with work.
4:15 p.m. — I hit a good stopping point at work, although I will need to do some work later in the evening. I am planning on asking for a raise in tomorrow’s one-on-one meeting with my manager and I need to create the presentation to argue my case. For now, it’s time to move my body after a whole lot of sitting so I pull up one of my favorite HIIT workouts on YouTube and power through it. Then I hop in the shower. When I’m out, P. is back home. He’s brought in a package for me and it’s an exciting one. Last week, I ordered myself birthday presents from Anthropologie: On walking shoes and a Beyond Yoga dress. I’m excited to try them on but first I want to get out of the house for a walk while it’s light out.
5:30 p.m. — I scarf down a banana and peanuts to refuel after my sweaty workout and then P. joins me for an hourlong walk around our neighborhood. It’s windy and cold but we’ve got our hoods up and have a lovely time catching up on our days. We stop by another super expensive community store. I don’t like to shop there too often but they have great items I can’t find anywhere else. Today I get two tins of Unmatched peanuts because I just polished off the one we had at home. I contemplate grabbing orange juice, too, but resist when I notice the exorbitant price. $13.98
6:30 p.m. — We get home and I immediately open the Anthropologie order and try on the items. The dress is an instant no but it was kind of experimental for me anyway. The shoes, though, are adorable and will make an awesome replacement for my old Nikes that are truly on their last legs. P. showers and I get started on dinner. I roast broccoli and make a tuna salad for tomorrow’s lunch. When P. comes out and the broccoli is ready, he pan-sears steak while I reheat veggies from yesterday. Dinner is served and it’s phenomenal. Roasted squash, brussels sprouts and broccoli, delicious and juicy steak, and goat cheese on the side. Plus kombucha to wash it down, which takes care of my earlier OJ craving nicely.
10 p.m. — I spend an hour and a half working on my presentation and I’m feeling good about it. I’ve had imposter syndrome around this whole raise conversation, mostly because I haven’t been at this company for very long, but my manager was the one who encouraged me to make the official ask. After putting my case together, I’m definitely feeling deserving and confident, which will hopefully translate at tomorrow’s meeting.
11 p.m. — Nighttime routine done and legs theragunned, I give P. a kiss. It’s off to dreamland.
Daily Total: $24.98
6:40 a.m. — Rise and shine! This is earlier than my usual wake-up time because I have an all-hands meeting at 7 (the perks of working on the west coast for an east-coast-based company). P. is still in the bathroom so I log into work, turn on the meeting with my camera off, and make P.’s lunch. I don’t do this very often but I really wanted to today. It’s yesterday’s prepped tuna salad in a ciabatta baguette with fresh lettuce and cherry tomatoes, plus a small bag of chips and a coconut cookie. P. is extremely grateful and gives me extra kisses and hugs as he’s leaving. I finish up my morning routine while listening to the meeting.
8 a.m. — The all-hands meeting seamlessly transitions to a long training session all about bold communication. I chuckle inwardly at the impeccable timing of the session because it’s happening hours before my raise conversation with my boss.
10:30 a.m. — The training session is great and I genuinely learn a lot. I’m also hungry much earlier than I normally would be because of the early wake-up. I make myself an iced matcha with almond milk and have granola, pineapple and an orange for breakfast. Then I get cold from the iced matcha (always), so I make myself a hot chai tea and settle back into work.
12:30 p.m. — I take a quick Instagram break and get #influenced to order a pair of shoes I’ve been eyeing for a while from SeaVees. I recently had to return some shoes from a different brand that didn’t work out and I have been on the hunt for this particular style for a while, so I’m feeling hopeful. To my delight, the shoes happen to be half off so I pay significantly less than I was prepared to. $41.60
2 p.m. — I take a break from work to do financial due diligence because today is payday. I transfer $1,000 into my Wealthfront high-yield savings account, which I use as my emergency fund, then transfer $500 to my Roth IRA. Then I open the Splitwise app because it’s the last day of the month so I can venmo P. everything I owe him for last month’s joint purchases, which comes out to $1,672.13. To cap it all off, I pay off my credit card bill, which is $593.51.
2:30 p.m. — Draining a bank account sure makes a girl hungry. I make myself an easy lunch of the remaining tuna salad on a bed of lettuce with balsamic vinegar drizzled on top, plus a bunch of cheese cubes, cherry tomatoes and an orange. It’s my first time making this tuna salad recipe and it’s a winner. It’s from Food52 and the secret ingredient is fish sauce, which adds a whole new dimension to the flavor.
3 p.m. — My day gets slightly stressful when my boss lets me know that he needs to reschedule our raise talk for this Thursday. I can’t do Thursday because I’m flying to NYC and taking the day off for travel. After some back and forth, my boss asks if I can just send him my presentation for his review instead of formally presenting it in a meeting. I’m feeling kind of nervous that if I’m not actually presenting my case, some things may get lost in translation. I text P. to ask his advice. He reminds me of how supportive and encouraging my boss is and how he was the one who told me I deserve a raise, so there’s little risk in letting the presentation speak for itself. And, well, it does get me out of a stressful conversation. I send off the presentation and breathe a little easier.
5 p.m. — I end up having to work over my usual eight or nine hours because a ton of tasks get dropped in my lap. By the time I log out, I am itching to move my body and rest my eyes after staring at my screen for so long. I pull up one of my favorite Fitness Blender workout videos. It’s a kickboxing and upper-body strength workout that leaves me sweaty and pleasantly exhausted. P. gets home sometime in the middle of my workout and I give him a quick kiss hello in between punches and kicks.
6 p.m. — I hop in the shower, change and then shove copious amounts of chocolate chip granola in my mouth because I am starving after that workout. Then P. and I head out for our hourlong evening walk and chat about our days. When we get home, I call my mom and get started on dinner. I’m making pizza with Simple Mills dough, Rao’s tomato sauce, various veggies, tons of goat cheese and a balsamic drizzle. We pair it with a simple lettuce and tomato salad tossed in the most delicious homemade balsamic vinaigrette. This is one of my favorite easy meals that takes so little time and effort but tastes absolutely gourmet.
9 p.m. — After wolfing down the delicious dinner (while watching an episode of Friends, of course), P. and I pull out our peanut butter and caramel fudge Salt & Straw ice cream and watch another episode. We put a considerable dent in the pint.
10:30 p.m. — We get in bed earlier than our usual time but then end up having sex, which takes us right up to our normal 11:15 bedtime.
Daily Total: $41.60
7 a.m. — Wakey wakey. I roll out of bed and immediately get started on P.’s lunch. I’m trying to use up all the remaining ingredients in our fridge to minimize food waste before I fly to NYC tomorrow (P. is going to be staying at his parents’ so no one will be in our apartment for the next 10 days). I toast a ciabatta loaf and put avocado oil mayo on one side of the bread and dijon mustard on the other, top it with fried eggs and thinly sliced sharp cheddar cheese, and call it a masterpiece. I also pack him a couple oranges and Indian candies for a sweet surprise. Then I get ready for my own work day, kiss P. goodbye and settle in at my desk promptly at 8 to attend the second part of the communication training I started yesterday.
10:30 a.m. — Wow, the training is actually amazing. I’m feeling incredibly fortunate to be at a company that provides opportunities like this, and where the culture is so open, supportive and engaging. I was unemployed for a long stint before this job and, prior to that, had a string of unfulfilling part-time jobs (hello, graduating during a pandemic) so I never take my job for granted. I also brew myself Philz coffee in my French press, sip it during the training and feel delightfully caffeinated and eager to jump into work. I spend the next couple hours editing articles and doing research for an article I have to finish this week.
1 p.m. — I make myself an easy lunch of random odds and ends from the fridge that need to be used up. A lettuce salad with homemade copycat In-N-Out sauce as the dressing (sounds weird but is such a great combo), a fried egg, a bunch of cubed cheese and an orange. Then I go right into team meetings and knock off as many to-dos as possible before my day off tomorrow.
3:30 p.m. — I haven’t quite finished the work I need to do but I figure I can log in for a few hours during my day off tomorrow if need be. For now, I have to hurry because I have a nail appointment at 5:30 and want to get in a workout before then. I eat granola and then do one of my favorite forms of movement, which is a good old-fashioned dance party to some rocking jams. I follow that up with a Blogilates abs routine, which burns so good. Then I do a quick underarm rinse in the sink (I’m running late, okay?), change and run to catch the Muni, which magically comes about 10 seconds after I get to the platform. The card machine isn’t working again so it’s another free ride. I call my mom while riding the train.
6 p.m. — Ah, I feel wonderfully relaxed and pampered. So grateful to have found this salon which has the sweetest staff, the most comfy, cozy vibes and prices that are not astronomical. I get a gel removal and a simple polish change for my hands, which comes out to $30. I leave $5 for the tip. P. meets me in the salon and we walk home together and marvel at the absolutely unreal sunset painting the sky shades of pink and gold. This view always takes my breath away. $35
7 p.m. — P. and I shower together and then I reheat yesterday’s leftovers for dinner. We watch an episode of — you guessed it — Friends. I am feeling too lazy to start packing but I can’t put it off any longer. I play a medley of Ed Sheeran songs for motivation and get to it.
10 p.m. — Somehow, Ed makes packing so much less tedious than it normally is. P. and I are all packed and ready for bed and Ed is still playing on the speakers. We find ourselves feeling passionate so we get busy. P. and I were long distance for two and a half years before we moved in together three months ago. When I go to NYC tomorrow, it’s going to be the longest stretch of being apart since then. We’re definitely both dreading the separation but it does feel great to know that the distance is no longer our norm. Bedtime at 10:45. And that’s a wrap. Thanks for following along!
Daily Total: $35
Update: My presentation worked! After I submitted this diary, I got a $3,000 raise.
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