Today was one of those days that perfectly captures the chaos of settling into a new place.
I've been working on turning my apartment into a smart home, and plants have become a surprising part of that vision. I had plans to pick up several plants today, but as usual, coordinating with someone in the downtown area presented challenges. My friend offered to help, but with a slip disc in her back, she couldn't manage carrying plants down from her place. So naturally, I drove over and climbed 38 floors to her apartment to retrieve a monstera plant she was selling me.
I'll be honest—I'm a bit uncertain about the purchase. At $60, I'm not entirely sure it was worth it, but it's part of a larger vision. I'm planning to create a wall of plants in my apartment, which means investing in grow lights, watering systems, and smart home sensors to monitor them. The expenses are starting to add up, and I'm wondering how deep this particular money well goes.
After I got home, I set up cameras throughout the apartment. It's actually pretty cool seeing everything connected and monitored—there's something satisfying about a well-integrated smart home system.
But reality kicked in quickly. I realized I had actual work to do, which led me down that familiar rabbit hole of wondering about job security and how long I can sustain this lifestyle. Still, if I do my job right, hopefully it's indefinite.
Somewhere in the middle of all this, I needed a break. I found myself at a local Irish bar—a place that's become a comfortable spot for me—and spent a couple of hours there. My bill came to about $30, though I'll admit my overall spending today hovered around $400 when I factor in everything.
It's a reminder that I need to be more intentional with my money. There are bigger things I'm saving for—a car, a motorcycle eventually—and impulse spending doesn't help with those goals.
So that's my day. A mix of home projects, work obligations, and the constant balance between enjoying the present and planning for the future.