This weekend, I’m all about celebrating the good in my life. Next week at work is going to suck, because we will be announcing layoffs. But I don’t have to think about that just yet. Instead, I am celebrating budget season being over. I am celebrating starting today with a trip to the dog park with friends. While it’s wet out, we really didn’t get rained on that much in the hour we were there. I am celebrating that after that trip to the dog park, I have no plans to go anywhere else this weekend. That’s right. We got back home at 11:30am on Saturday, and I fully intend to not leave my house again until 6:45m on Monday morning. Plus, C & J both have plans this afternoon, so I get a few hours with the house and doggies all to myself. Heaven I tell you, heaven.

Right now, all three dogs are curled up on the bed asleep. I’m trying to decide if, after this post is written, I join them on the bed for napping/bad TV, or if I play WoW. These are the types of decisions I can handle.

Speaking of decisions you like making, Jennifer Lynn over at Broke-Ass Mommy recently received an offer from Discover card- get a new card, spend at least $1,000 by a certain point, get $100 cash back. She took advantage of the offer to buy a Gold Angel. That’s right, she just got a $10 discount on an asset that will appreciate. Definitely a decision she can live with.

When it comes to good deals, Shannyn of Frugal Beautiful is the Princess (in the Diana/Kate mold). This week, she presents us with her Frugal Feature: Top 10 Thrifty Tips for Trendsetters. You want to look good? You want to not break the bank looking good? Shannyn is your guru.

Over at Broke Professionals, Elizabeth tackles one those questions we don’t like asking ourselves- What’s More Important: Who You Know or What You Know? . My answer to that is both. Because the people I know wouldn’t recommend me for anything if they didn’t have confidence in what I know and the skills I bring to the table.

If you haven’t figured out that Average Joe of Average Joe’s Money Blog over at the Free Financial Advisor is one of my favorite bloggers (and people) by now, then I’m telling you straight out. I’d totally recommend Joe for just about anything he thought he might be qualified to do. (Not that I’m anyone someone would list in the “who you know category.) This week, Joe asks us How Do You Stay Inspired? Since I’ve had some struggles lately with motivation due to stress at work, his list (especially the goal of getting stuff done before Friday) really speaks to me.

And to go along with that, Paula at Afford Anything reminds us this week that Chasing Goals can be Detrimental. She’s not saying we shouldn’t have goals, but that we need to make sure our goals are actually moving us forward, and not something we’re doing just because we said we were going to. In operations management, that’s like measuring something just to have a measure. If what we’re measuring isn’t actionable, if knowing that measure won’t help us meet the overriding targets, then there’s no point. Make sure your goals are actually moving you toward the target you set.

And that brings us to our new to me blog of the week. The latest Yakezie Challenger is Frugal Rules. My favorite post is most definitely How Budgeting is Like Potty Training, especially the observation that budgeting can be messy. I think we might be able to say that about most parts of life. But the mess is part of what makes the end product so rewarding.