H.A. Larson's Blog, page 12

Finding Joy in Cooking

 

Once upon a time, I liked to cook. I spent my 20s single and eating gas station food, so as I neared 30 and started a family, I began cooking. I discovered that I liked it so did it fairly often, using the things I had learned by watching my grandmother cook as I was growing up.
Fast forward a few years when I had two small kids and a full-time job and my relationship with cooking started to change. Life got busier and so I would make the kids something to eat and then my husband and I would scrounge up whatever we could find a few times a week. A few times a week become every day but the weekends, which would be the time I would cook. When the kids got older and hungrier, I would keep foods around that they liked and were easy for them to fix, so when they got home from school they would eat. By the time I got home then, there was no need to cook, and it started to extend into the weekend so it got to where I was lucky if I cooked two meals a week - with everyone on different schedules we would all just eat whatever, whenever.
This is what I have maintained for the last several years, and seems more relevant now that it's just my daughter and me at home. 
Having said all that, I need to tell you that back in my early 30s, I loved watching Nigella Lawson's cooking show "Nigella Bites". Deliciously British, she was outgoing, beautiful, posh, and an excellent cook who just seemed normal. I loved watching her cook easy but elegant meals for having friends round for dinner parties and ascribed to do something similar one day. Obviously, I never did.
Why tell you all this? Well, through my Roku box, I watch a lot of YouTube (my only subscription in life), and recently, I ran across "Nigella Bites" and began to binge-watch them. Not only was I awash in nostalgia, but I began to feel the urge to begin cooking again. 
By god, if Nigella can put together an effortless dinner party on a Wednesday, surely I can put together a simple dinner for my daughter and myself after work each day. So, that's exactly what I've been doing. 
But, it's been more than just cooking. I come home from work, slip into my house clothes, put on some jazz music, pour a glass of wine, and start cooking. It's become a fabulous way for me to relax, unwind, and enjoy my space & my time. Even more, I've become a better cook. 
Let me take you through a week.
Monday : I had one frozen pie crust left from Thanksgiving as well as turkey, so I made a Turkey Pot Pie. Granted, it was easy to make because of the already made pie crust and already cooked turkey, but it still required me to make a gravy, assemble, and bake.
Tuesday : Even though I'm not vegan anymore, I still love vegan food. To this end, I keep plenty of tofu in the freezer so when I was thinking about dinner for this day, I settled on a stir fry. Since I have the aforementioned tofu as well as good quality, bottled lemon juice, I decided on Lemon Tofu. Instead of being in a hurry and frying all the (lightly dredged in cornstarch) tofu at once and ending up with soggy tofu, I took my time and fried it all in batches. I ended up with very crispy tofu. To coat the golden crispiness, I made a fantastic sauce using lemon juice, soy sauce, sugar, and red pepper flakes thickened with a slurry. Man, was it ever delicious! Definitely, something to put in my regular rotation.



Wednesday : My daughter had been sick for a few days with a low-grade fever and body aches, so I opted for some soup. This was an easy meal day as I had a prepackaged bag of broccoli-cheddar soup that you simply whisk into 8 cups of boiling water. It was pretty yummy, easiness be damned, and I toasted up some bread to go with it.
Thursday : I was really in the mood for pizza, so that's what I made. I have a food processor with a dough blade, so making homemade dough is easy (the processor eliminates the need to knead the dough for an excruciating 10 minutes). In the past, I would be in a haste, so I'd make my dough, slather the raw dough in a ton of sauce, throw my toppings on, and bake. Needless to say, I'd always end up with soggy dough weighed down further by an overabundance of sauce and cheese (the toppings weren't to blame). This time, I did it the proper way. I baked the dough for a good seven minutes first, then put a light coating of sauce, toppings, and a light layer of cheese. Not only was it delicious but for the first time, I actually had a perfectly baked crust that held up firmly. Of course, it was delicious and probably one of the best pizzas I've made to date.

Friday : This was an easy day as I simply warmed up leftovers and the two of us picked a bit of the things we wanted to eat. 

I have to say, I'm genuinely back to cooking (most) every night and loving it. 
Thank you, Nigella, you goddess.

Buffalo Bill Cody Ranch

 

Last month, my friend Rebecca and I took an overnight trip to Western Nebraska to visit some wineries on the Nebraska Passport Program. We spent the night in North Platte, NE, which is the home of Buffalo Bill Cody's Ranch. It was on the agenda for a visit, so we stopped by on a perfect Autumnal Sunday. The ranch is part of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, so you can get in for $2 with your Nebraska State Park Pass.

For those of you unfamiliar with Buffalo Bill Cody, he was a cowboy showman who was born in 1846. His claim to fame was the eponymous show he created, toured the world with, and made his fortune with: Buffalo Bill's Wild West. 

This sign at the entrance to the Ranch gives visitors a bit of history behind the man who once lived here.



It's an impressive house, even now, and it's been lovingly restored and maintained.






When you enter, a facsimile of a ticket to the Wild West show is there for visitors to take.



I love walking through old homes that have been maintained and/or restored. It's like stepping back in time and I find it fascinating. Here we see the dining room and the table is set with Bill Cody's personalized chinaware.



I had to get a close-up shot of the wallpaper in this room. While it's not the original it was recreated to be an exact duplicate and carefully put up. It seems fitting for a house owned by Buffalo Bill Cody!



This old, framed photograph shows exactly how the ranch looked back during its heyday.



This little alcove, situated under the stairs to the third floor, is called a cupola. It's a small wooden-floored room with windows and was only used for looking towards town to see if expected guests were on the way.



One of the bedrooms in the house.



There were plenty of display posters from Cody's Wild West show days.



A photograph of Buffalo Bill in his later years.



Annie Oakley was one of the women who were part of the Wild West show, and undoubtedly, one of its most famous.



A view down the stairs from the second to the first floor where you can directly see a photograph of Bill during his heyday.



A small pond adjacent to the ranch kept the house supplied with water and ice for refrigeration.



The doors to the spring house...



...a building where freshwater was stored for daily use. This would have been used as opposed to a well.



Another building in the rear of the house was multi-functional and held a bathhouse as well as the cider house where apples were turned into delicious apple cider.



There is also an ice house. Ice would be carved from the frozen pond, turned into ice blocks, and used in icebox refrigerators.



Another view of the pond.



A short walk from the ranch house lies the Cody North Cabin. It wasn't on the property originally, but rather was disassembled, brought to the ranch, and reassembled.



It's a small cabin but served its purpose.



A back-side view of the ranch house. You can see the Spring House and the multifunctional bath/cider house.

I do love history, particularly the history of my adopted state. If you're ever in Western Nebraska, near North Platte, it's worth a stop here for a visit. 

Shocktober! 2021

 

It's hard to believe, but this is the 6th year of my annual Shocktober! In case you are new around here, Shocktober! is where I watch horror movies (based on a theme of some sort) just for you that round out the month of October - hence the name. Sounds rough, I know, but someone's gotta do it, right? Right. 
This year, I chose to watch some of the most popular offerings on Tubi, a free moving-streaming service. Without further delay, here we go!




First up is Antrum, a mockumentary where we have a film within a film. The mockumentary follows the sordid history of a movie from the 70s named Antrum that, after a series of unfortunate events, disappears without being seen. Mysteriously, it turns up in the late 80s in a Hungarian theatre - but with modifications. As you would suspect, these modifications have such disastrous effects on the viewers, that more tragedies happen. The film is then considered cursed and vanishes. 
After this bit of backdrop framing, we are treated to the entirety of the movie - with the modifications, of course. An unknown person or persons, has altered the movie by splicing in unpleasant sounds and bits of a snuff film. The "original" film itself, it actually quite good and does a good job of being a true 70s horror film. That being said, I thought that, while the modification of the film was an interesting concept, it really fell flat. If they had actually just shown us the "original" movie, it would have been a better movie. I recommend watching this movie for that reason alone.




Lisa moves back to her Midtown hometown after getting a college degree in Antiquities from a Spanish University. Her grandmother has died, leaving her the old bookstore - a perfect job for an antiquities specialist. Unfortunately, the bullies she dealt with in high school are still the town bullies. Even more unfortunate, the head bully's mom is the town sheriff - a bully herself. Another local girl has been missing and there's a hint of a werewolf in the air. 
Without giving the plot away, this is a low-budget film with some decent acting. It started out pretty strong and while the special effects, and some of the dialogue, was a bit on the cheesy side, I really enjoyed this movie for the majority of the time. The ending was a bit of a let-down, but that happens all too often. Still, it's a decent movie worth checking out.





This movie stars scream queen Barbara Crampton, star of such 80s horror delights as Re-Animator, Chopping Mall, and Puppet Master. It's the 1970s, and Anne (played by Barbara) and her husband Paul leave the city for a country home to try and put the death of their 20-something-year-old son behind them. Little things start to happen around the house, convincing Anne that her son is still with them. What happens next is a tale of revenge that has moved throughout the decades and will end with Anne and Paul...and maybe their son, too.
Also starring Monte Markham, a veteran actor of repute, I was pleasantly surprised with this movie. This well-made, well-acted movie was creepy and had just enough gore - not too much and not too little - that it kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat. It was the only movie in this year's viewing that I actually loved. Highly recommend!



I know this post is a few weeks late. Honestly, I had planned to watch one more movie but working two jobs and having only one day off per week takes up a lot of time. On top of that, the fourth movie on my list was no longer available on Tubi. Oh well, at least I still got through most of them! I'm still stoked about this year's watches, even if I didn't get to the last one. Until next year!

A Forgotten Winery and a Tasting Room

Back in late July, my friends Jayne, Keith, and I loaded up into my car to head north. Our destination? An out-of-the-way winery and a tasting room. The winery in question was Native 32 Winery, located in the countryside of West Point, NE. Its claim to fame is that its wines are made using Aronia berries. I've had Aronia berry products before at an Aronia berry farm in the Loess Hills and I admit, I wasn't a fan. But, this winery was on the passport program so I just had to do it.



Aronia berries by themselves, will not make good wine so they are always mixed and made with fruit. Native 32 does make one wine with just Aronia berries, but I wasn't brave enough to try that one. Instead, I opted for Euphoria, their Aronia-Raspberry blend, and it was pretty good.



The best part about this winery is its beautiful setting - a large, covered porch overlooks the Aronia berry fields. So, after having a glass of wine indoors, we opted to sit outside. The bad part is that Aronia berries are fruit so fruit flies swarm the area. If you can see my wine glass in the foreground, you'll notice it has a cover on it. They have these for your glasses to keep the fruit flies out, but occasionally one gets in. Still, it was a picturesque setting and we enjoyed it.



Next, we made our way back towards home, stopping in Fort Calhoun at Too Far North. Too Far North is a tasting room, specializing in Nebraska wines and beer. It was my first visit to a tasting room and I was quite impressed.



A view of the outside - an old, restored historic building.



Sandy, the owner, was not only friendly and inviting but incredibly knowledgeable about my state's wine and beer. She was a great guide for finding the right drink.



The interior is decorated in antique pieces, including old beer signs from Nebraska beers of yesteryear.



There was also the quirky, including a velvet Elvis. I couldn't resist getting a picture of The King!



After a glass of wine, I opted for a Blueberry Wheat from Lazy Horse Brewing. Made in Ohiowa, NE, I'd never had a beer from here and it was delicious. I was told that they also make wine. 

It was a great Sunday excursion with good friends. As has been the case during this Nebraska Wine Passport journey, it's been an interesting and fun journey to learn more about the state I've called home for two decades by driving through its countryside and sampling its wares. 

Have a great week, my friends!





 

Back at It

 

Remember when my whole life was hyper-focused on walking and hiking? Yeah, well...me too.
See, here's the thing. Last year was a bitch and, as a result, I got lazy and put some weight back on. Then, when I was moving back in April/May, I tore the meniscus in my right knee. At first, I thought I had strained a muscle, so I let it go for a few months before I went to the doctor to take care of it. This only contributed to the laziness that had taken over my life. Just when it was feeling a bit better, I took a nasty fall and reinjured it all over again. Laziness covered me like a big comfy blanket, and I refused to get out from under it.
And you know what? I was really feeling it. My mind and body were both feeling it. It didn't feel good.
Over the weeks, I began to notice that my knee was finally on the mend. The twice-daily dose of two Aleve tablets turned into one Aleve tablet twice a day and then, I didn't need any Aleve at all.
I began hiking once or twice on the weekends, taking easier trails and flatter paths.
Recently, though, I started doing something I haven't done in well over a year: I started taking short walks on my lunch break again. 
And you know what? It feels great. 
I'm ready to be back at it.
I am back at it.

Discovering Western Nebraska, One Winery at a Time

Image courtesy of https://westnebraska.com/

When I first embarked on my Nebraska Wine Passport journey at the beginning of the year, I knew a trip out West with one of my participating friends was in the cards. I mean, how else are you supposed to cover the state in a year unless you get out there? Never mind that I completely spaced getting my passport stamped when I was ALL the way out west-west in Scottsbluff a few months ago - I'm still kicking myself for that one, honestly. 

Anyway, said friend was one of my besties, Rebecca, and we took an overnight trip out to North Platte and back to discover some wineries on the passport. Our plan was ambitious: stop at three wineries on the way to North Platte, check into our hotel, then go to the winery in North Platte before having a late dinner. Then, we were going to go to Buffalo Bill Cody's Ranch in the morning and hit up two more wineries on our way home. Turns out, that plan was a little too ambitious, but we were open to any and all possibilities, so here's how it went instead.

Our first stop was in Stromsburg, Nebraska, to visit one of a handful of tasting rooms, The Rose Colored Glass. I was quite impressed with the other tasting room that I've been to, so I had high hopes. I wasn't disappointed as we were greeted by the owner, Bob, who was very knowledgeable about Nebraska wines (as any good tasting room should) and interesting to talk to.



This tasting room is in an old building that Bob purchased and restored, with a bevy of unique tenant shops in the other bays of the building.






We sampled some wines from places we hadn't tried before. There's a fireplace surrounded by comfy chairs and couches and as it was a chilly day, we asked Bob if he wouldn't mind turning on the fireplace. He happily obliged.



Our next stop was at Miletta Vista Winery near the town of St. Paul, Nebraska.



They had a nice selection of whites and reds, and I found a new favorite in their Work Horse red. I enjoyed it so much so that I bought two bottles - one for me and one to share. This place also serves some fantastic food, so we were told, that pairs well with their wine.



Positioned on a hill overlooking the plains, their scenery was gorgeous! If the weather had been nicer, I would have opted to sit outside.



Bonus? Getting to meet and pet this friendly fellow on our way out.



Our third stop was in Central City, Nebraska, at Prairie Creek Vineyard and Winery. 



It was incredibly busy, as they sell higher-end food in a small town, so we had to stand up at the bar area for our tastings. Maybe because they were so busy, the man working the bar forgot to be friendly (at first) and we got an unwelcome vibe. We still got a wine tasting and, after some time had passed, the gentleman apologized for being so busy and thanked us for our patience. 
Even though there was no open table for us to sit at, there were a couple of comfy chairs where we could sit and people-watch. After we each picked our favorite wine to have a glass of, we sat down in them to relax and enjoy.



By then, we realized how late it was and that we had lingered a bit too long at the wineries we had already visited, so we decided it would be best to skip the last winery on our journey and get to North Platte before their winery closed. 
Unfortunately, by the time we made it to Grand Island, it was after 7 pm. We were hungry and with two more hours to drive to North Platte, we knew we weren't going to make it in time. Instead, we chose to get something to eat in Grand Island then drive to our hotel for the night. We eventually made it there at 11 pm and promptly went to bed.



The next morning, we went to Buffalo Bill Cody's Ranch as it opens much earlier than any winery -  but that's for another post. Realizing that the first of our two wineries for that day didn't open until 1 pm, we opted to choose just one to visit. After all, it was still a 3.5-hour drive home from that winery and we both had to go to work the next morning. Our choice? Mac's Creek Winery & Brewery since we had both enjoyed their Irish Jig white on our journey down Highway 75.



Situated right outside of Lexington, this winery also makes cider and brews beers.



Besides the beautiful decor at the front of the establishment, their inside was also well-appointed.



As was their back deck. Absolutely beautiful!



Back inside, I opted for the wine tasting of 5. I picked three wines, a cider, and some port (yum!). They gave me dark chocolate for the port and some oyster crackers to cleanse my palette. This doesn't really happen at other wineries I've been to and it was a nice touch. 
All their offerings - with the exception of the beers which were just okay - were fantastic! Mac's Creek has some of the best wines in the state. I made sure to grab a couple of bottles to take home, including the port.



The table-toppers were so cute. Without a doubt, this was our favorite stop and, dare I say, my favorite winery in Nebraska. It sure made us wish it were closer!
Even though we had to skip three places, it wasn't a big deal. Regardless, we had a wonderful time seeing parts of the state neither of us had ever been to before, taking our first girl's trip together, and spending time elsewhere enjoying good wine and good conversation.
There's only a little shy of two months before we have to turn our passports in for prizes, and I think it's safe to say that I'm not going to make it to all 29 wineries. As it stands, I have 17, and I hope to have a couple more before the year is up.


Have a great week, friends!

The Majesty of Fall

Another week is upon us, so before I get too deep into it, I want to reflect on the last one.




Fall is here, a bit delayed, but you can finally see it in the landscape.




Because of this, I made sure to get out there and take it all in. These pictures are a result of that.




After all, it will be gone before you know it.




I hope you get to enjoy it before that happens.



Have a great week, my friends. I had an excellent, although busy, weekend, and I can't wait to share it with you soon.




 

Another Year, Another Kansas City Renaissance Festival

By now, my dear reader, you are no doubt aware of my love for all things Renaissance, particularly Renaissance Faires/Festivals. Every year I go to the Nebraska Renaissance Faire (rivals any big one!) in the Spring, and then, come Fall, I try to hit up either the Minnesota, Des Moines, or the Kansas City Renaissance Festival. Most years, it's Kansas City and this year was no different. 
Walking up to the King's Gate always elicits some excitement from me.



This year, my daughter and I drove down the day of the Festival and met up with my friend Audrey, her daughter, her grandson (so cute), and her friend. They met us over by the Children's Grove where our daughters and the grandson hopped on the Barrel Ride. After that, it was hard to keep us all in the same spot, so Audrey and her crew went off to do their own thing while we did ours.



While my daughter took some time to relax in the Sky Chairs booth, her favorite, I kept close by and was entertained by Bawdily Harm. They are a staple at the KCRF and I've seen them at least four times. It's always a good rousing time!



Ran across this dragon. This brave fellow wasn't even worried about whether that dragon was going to fry him with its fire breath!



This was the busiest I've ever seen the KCRF, reminding me of the Minnesota Renaissance Festival, so one had to wait in line for quite some time to acquire food and drink. Fortunately, Gwyneth Whistlewood was there to entertain us while we waited. Pro tip: if you go to a festival with long, long lines, double up on everything you purchase and if you're getting water, quadruple it if it's a hot day. 



Many KCRFs ago, I bought a short & stout mug with a skull and crossbones on them, made by a local potter. I named it the Jolly Roger and he served me well for years. Unfortunately, he suffered a terrible accident during my move back in May, and I had to lay him to rest. One of my missions - besides drinking meade and eating a funnel cake - during this trip was to purchase a new one. I found this handsome mug and promptly bought it. Its name is the Jolly Rogers...I mean, there is more than one skull & crossbones on it.



We ran across these fluffy camels and I asked my daughter, animal lover extraordinaire, if she wanted to ride one. She didn't, but she really wanted to pet one so I tipped the lady to make that happen.



Mission accomplished!



At the corner of Yarn Booth & Dice Maker, we were serenaded by this standing bass-playing wench, but alas, I do not know her name.



Toys Arrr Us! 



We always try to go to the KCRF in October as the weather is generally cooler, but this was an unusually hot day at 92 degrees F. We stopped at the Old North Bramble stage in the Dunwoodie Dell to take in the Madrigals Bar Nonne. They were delightful, as always, to listen to!



Folks mingling in the shire.



What's a fest without a Beer Castle? 



One of my favorite side paths. It's never quite as crowded as the others.



I always make the 5 o'clock Joust. It's the full Joust of the day and one of my favorite events at any RenFaire. While we waited, my daughter found an injured grasshopper and was filled with care and concern. Of course, he came with us.



Time for the Joust! King Henry VIII presided, of course, but this year, it wasn't his Queen, but rather the Fairie Queen. Hmm, he must have beheaded his Queen.



Our Champions, Sir Something, and Sir Or Other. Okay, so those aren't their real Ren names, but I don't remember what they were. 



First, they fight on horseback.



Then they fight on the ground in hand-to-hand combat. Huzzah!



After all the Jousting excitement, we stopped at the Pirate Pub so I could get a fresh grog and my daughter could make a temporary home for the grasshopper.



This year, I made sure to take pictures of the market rows. It's magical to see all the vibrant colors and take in all the smells. 



I even tried my hand at spear-throwing this year....and I sucked at it. 






The Dungeon Museum cost to go in, and so I decided against it. It costs a pretty penny to get in and so do all the food & drink, so I tend to opt for the free entertainment most of the time.



We stayed until the very last this year, and it was nice to finally be able to move more freely as the crowds had thinned considerably by then. 
It was fun as always, but it was more relaxing than I expected. Maybe it was just because it was me and my little girl, but I felt unrushed, unhampered, and freely able to do exactly what I wanted to do this time around. Like always, though, there never seems to be enough time to see and do everything I want. I guess that's why I keep going back. Every time I go, it's a different experience and I see, do, and eat a combination of the same and different things. 
Until next year, thanks for the memories KCRF!





 

Saying Yes to Everything

Early this summer, I really began to notice how many things I was avoiding....err, evading. Sometimes when we get stuck in a rut and just aren't feeling ourselves, it's easy to avoid doing things. I realized that I was probably missing out on some fun and just making things worse than better. I decided that I would just start saying yes to everything (within reason) for a while.
It started with an invitation. An invitation by my best friend to go to his niece's wedding. At the time he asked, I was more than willing to go, but by the time the day actually came, I was thinking up a good excuse to get out of it. A few hours before we were set to leave, I thought about how many times I was in this exact situation and told myself that it was ridiculous how often I would make up excuses to avoid things like this. So, I told myself, "H.A., you're going to shower, put on some damn makeup and a nice outfit, and go." And you know what? I ended up having a great time! It felt good to get out on a Saturday night all dressed up, have a good meal, catch up with old friends, and dance the night away.
It set in motion this thought that I just needed to start saying "yes" to things. The next weekend I went up to visit my dad, returning home on a Sunday afternoon. All I really wanted to do was lay on my couch and watch YouTube videos. Another friend texted me and asked if I wanted to come over. I first said "no" and used the excuse that I'd been gone all weekend and wanted to relax. She pushed, just a little bit, asking me to come over for just a short while. I remembered how I needed to start saying "yes" to things so I told her, "You know what? Yes, I'll be over shortly." We ended up having a few glasses of wine on her patio. It was a lovely evening of good conversation and a surprise fireworks show that we could see decently from our chairs. 
Since then, I've said "yes" to many things that I normally would have excused myself from and, you know what, it's been fantastic. I didn't realize how much I had withdrawn from the world or how deeply this had affected me mentally. This experience has brought me back out of my shell and I have fallen back in love with life - something I desperately needed.

"Life is an adventure, meant to be lived to the fullest." - someone's bio on Instagram

My FIRE Journey: Paying off my Other Debt

Now that I'm all settled and have a bunch of debt paid off, I figured it was time to start aggressively working on paying off my student loans. Granted, I do have a loan on a new car that I got a few months ago, but I'm already on track to pay it off in half the loan life. So, what's my plan for these loans? 
Well, quite simply, I picked up a second job again. When I was paying off my other debt last year into earlier this year, I worked four nights a week in a grocery store. It was grueling work for little pay and I quit as soon as I was able. My original plan was to work there until I had my student loans paid off. However, working a difficult job for four nights a week on top of a full-time job proved to be too much. I was utterly exhausted and it was beginning to show in my performance at my full-time job. Since student loans and their interest were on pause (and still are) because of the pandemic, I quit after everything else was paid off. 
Now, though, I'm looking at the future. My student loan payments will start up again in February and the payment that I've been making for many years will ensure that I won't have these loans paid off during my lifetime. I started, then, thinking about working a second job again, but I knew I didn't want to work another grueling job for so little pay for so many nights a week. I decided that I should find a part-time job I only had to work two nights a week and make at the least the same, if not more, money than I made at the old part-time job. 
Many moons ago, I was a waitress and I remembered how much money I made after tips. Since restaurants are so short-staffed, I figured it wouldn't be difficult to find a waitressing job for the hours I wanted. Sure enough, I did a search, applied at a few places, got an interview for the next day, and was hired on the spot. I made it very clear I only wanted to work two shifts a week and the manager was more than agreeable. I had to train for a few weeks so I agreed to work extra days for those two weeks so it wouldn't take a month to get me trained - which is why the blog has been quiet for a few weeks. 
If I can make what the waitresses that I trained with make, paying off my student loans should be a breeze. This is especially true right now, as student loans, as well as their interest, are on pause through the end of January. This means that every cent I pay towards my student loans through that time will all go towards the principal. My plan, then, is to put all my tips towards paying off student loans and my puny hourly wage will pad my emergency fund.
But, HA, what about your car loan? Well, typically I would recommend paying your smaller debts off first and then applying what you paid on the smaller ones towards your bigger ones as they get paid off. This is called the Snowball Effect and it's exactly the strategy I used to pay off my other debt. In this case, however, I'm going to work on paying off both simultaneously. 
One, I really want to aggressively pay off my student loans because I'm tired of them on my back. Not having to pay interest for the next three months is also a motivating factor right now as I can really crush the principal balance for the new few months.
Two, I'm already paying off my car loan in a quicker manner. How so? Well, by simply making two payments a month. I rounded my monthly payment up to the next ten spot and instead of making one monthly payment, I pay half and half. Since I get paid every two weeks, I pay half one paycheck and half the next during the month before it's due. If you've never employed this strategy, you should start. Paying your car loan in this manner shaves off the amount of interest you pay and, since bi-weekly people get two months of three paychecks each year, you end up making an extra payment each year. Believe it or not, this method can cut the time it takes you to pay off your car by half! 
By my own calculations, I should have my car paid off in 2.5 years, and my student loans in 3.5 years. I will definitely keep you updated on my progress!
I'm heading out of town this weekend for a fun weekender trip, so keep your eyes out for a relevant post soon. I also started watching my Shocktober! movies and I can't wait to share them with you around Halloween!
Have a great weekend.