The economy has caused me a 30% pay cut.

Lately, I feel like I'm suffocating. I can hardly keep up with all the schoolwork. It's causing me to be forgetful which has resulted in two parking tickets. Oh, and I need to buy like four more books for my classes. That equates to about 200 dollars. I'm expecting my stimulus check to catch me up at the moment.

The economy has really hit my restaurant. I've gone from averaging a hundred dollars a day, to eighty five dollars a day... to seventy dollars a day.. That's a 30% pay cut. I love my job, but regretfully, I'm going to have to leave to a better bar and/or restaurant. I have a girlfriend of mine who averages two hundred dollars a day at a fancy schmancy hotel in Pasadena. I'm willing to make a forty five minute drive (no traffic) to earn that type of money.

Oh, and the corportate restaurant chain I work for may get audited. Lovely. Fucking lovely.

The herb garden is wonderful. I've already used the basil and rosemary. The tomato and jalapeno plants are blossoming.

(Pardon the cursing. Oh, and I updated my bars!)

Saving Money With An Indoor Herb Garden (Part I)

For my boyfriend’s birthday next month I’m planting an herb garden. We’ve been discussing the idea for a good three months now. B and I only go out to eat maybe once a month. The rest of the time is spent at home nibbling and cooking up new items. Hence, an herb garden is a good investment for us. I’m also considering a tomato plant and some sort of chili pepper for the patio. Green onions are also on the list. We tend to use these three items more than anything else seeing as Mexican food is are typical fare, followed by Italian.

The herb portion of the garden is going to be indoors. He has a set of windows in the kitchen that extend out of the house. There has to be a term for them that I’m not aware of. Anyhow, they are currently barren and provide ample space for the project.

Research
After scouting quite a few sites, I ended up finding Backyard Gardener. It is quite comprehensive and sorted alphabetically. This enables me to look up the specific herbs B and I have wanted to plant. It also details how to plant these items in pots. Garden Guides has an article specifically on growing herb gardens indoors.

Basil, Thyme, Green Onion (Chives), Cilantro (Coriander), Rosemary and Garlic are on my list. From what I’ve read, they will all grow well indoors.

As for what chili pepper to grow, I decided on jalapeno, as that is B’s favorite. We make pico de gallo once a week which utilizes jalapeno, tomato, cilantro and green onion. Just think how much money that will save us! Plus, B always feels like he has to make a huge amount of pico de gallo since he wants to use up everything he bought. Now we can make smaller amounts. Oh, and from what I read on Pepper Joe’s, jalapenos grow well indoors and are a smaller variety than other pepper plants.

With tomatoes, it seems I need to start them off first indoors and then "harden" them before transplanting outside. I also have the option of purchasing ones that are ready to be transplanted already.

The next step is too look into where I will purchase the seeds, soil, pots and fish emulsion oil (organic food for plants). It seems I will also need a spray bottle for the fish emulsion oil. Look forward to a Part Two of this endeavor.!