I cannot just hop on my bike and point myself in the direction I intend to go.  Oh no.  I must have gear first: gear to camp, gear to wash, gear to wear, gear to prepare, gear to strap down to my poor, overburdened bike and propel by the shear strength of my limbs from campsite to campsite as I make my way to my stated destination.  But, looking honestly at my development as a cyclist, I should have seen this coming.

It was mine and Dre’s first trips taking the Katy out to the winery at Rocheport that caused my renewed love of the bicycle.  We’d gather up bread, fruit, cheese, etc, put them in the milk crates strapped to the back of our “vintage” bikes, ride out, enjoy a picnic, and ride back.  It was a slow, leisurely, weekend pleasure cruise that gradually evolved its own baroque touches: finer cheeses, pasta salads, bubbly water, pickled things…  Then, I believe it was a year ago this week, we made our first trip to St. Louis and back.  Naively, we crammed our meager camping gear into those same milk crates, stopped at Café Berlin for a nice, fat breakfast, and hit the trail around 11am—still sweating out the beers we’d had with friends the night before (to toast my birthday and our eminent, brave expedition).  We made it a whopping 47 miles that day, and just barely, and struggled to slumber peacefully in the safe, sorta creepy confines of the Katy Trail Shelter in Tebbetts.  We made it to St. Louis and back, but we broke down and rented a hotel room in Jeff City the night before the final stretch back into Columbia, and we were still cursing and struggling up to the last 500 yards before we reached our doorstep.

But, strangely, after a couple of days to recuperate, I was itching to get back in the saddle and go.  And that’s when the idea of a longer trip started brewing.  So, when the ol’ ’76 Peugeot had a bad accident in the midst of my daily commute this spring, I decided it was time to get a more worthy touring vessel.  I settled on the Surly Long Haul Trucker—the truck—an exceptionally sturdy, and truly tour-worthy hunk of steel and modern engineering.  I could have gone with something a little less… modern… well-designed…  high-fallutin’… pricey…  But, dammit, I’d done my research, and I wanted to do the thing right.

So, it went from there.  What better racks to complement the truck than Surly’s Nice Racks?  With these, the truck becomes the true-blue 4x4 SUV of bikes.  The front rack can hold 70 lbs and the rear can hold 80.  Together, that’s very nearly an additional me’s worth of weight.  I doubt that I will ever want to put that much weight on my bike, but it’s nice to know that I can.  I also suspect that the armored tank look that these racks give earns me a certain respect among the motoring crowd—I’ve never been yelled at or had anything thrown at me while riding the truck, and believe me, this lack of hostility is a pretty unique experience among the bikeset.

So, you see, it’s not my bike that will be struggling under all of the gear I’ve acquired.  It seems clear that I bought and outfitted the bike with gear in mind.  I will be the one struggling and laboring to push all of this gear up every hill I come to, as it hangs idly from the sides of my bike, waiting to be dispensed at the next campsite.  The Therm-a-Rest lounger that converts my sleeping pad into a chair; the super-absorbent, fast-drying, $15 camp towel; the MSR Whisperlite International camp stove that will burn unleaded fuel in a pinch…  Do I really need all of this stuff?

I can’t say for certain.  No doubt, I will need some of it more than others.  However, my experience of touring thus far, and what I’ve gained from reading other peoples’ tour diaries, has led me to the conclusion that preparation is key.  If you want to cover miles, you should give yourself some comforts and be prepared for mishaps.  Mine and Dre’s trip to St. Louis this year was a relatively relaxed experience.  We even did the trip back in two 80 mile days (as opposed to three 60ish mile days) and still had the energy to take in a couple of drifters making their way west from Kentucky [shout out to Nick and Jack!] after we got back.  But we had better bikes, better gear, and we had done better research than on our first go round.  I’ve read numerous journals that ended prematurely because the cyclist was unprepared and uncomfortable.

On the other hand, all of this gear and preparation costs money.  And that’s what this bit of soul searching I am performing before you now is really about.  It is about the blow that my ego and intellect took earlier this evening when I figured up the cost of all of my gear.  I discovered that I will have significantly less money as I start this trip than I originally believed that I would have.  This discovery was followed by a slow, deathly, sinking feeling—like all of my well-laid plans were merely an apparition, and that I was, in fact, a bikeset fraud.

I must be clear, here, about a few points of my financial life.  As a student I was considerably less than frugal, and in retrospect, my recklessness appears pretty clearly charted toward bankruptcy: credit cards maxed out, payments missed, avoided phone calls, general denial of reality.  I can pretty easily re-enter some memories from this time period and understand my reasoning processes then: my intentions were pure Henry Miller, live life to the fullest and let God sort it out; and thus far, no matter what, something had always come along to bale me out of whatever situation I had found myself in.  I’m not entirely sure what pushed me out of this habit.  There may have been a shift in the balance of fiscally responsible friends and figures in my life, or maybe working a regular 40 hours a week helped clear my head a bit.  Regardless, I’ve always had a thing for self-reliance and deliberate living too.  I read Thoreau’s Walden for the first time in the same year that I first read Miller’s Tropic of Cancer.  The idea of genuinely not being in debt began to appeal to me more than the practice of believing that debt does not matter.

I put all of this out here by way of saying that I refuse to go into debt for this trip.  This means that it is very important to me that I have enough money to do the trip and also have a cushion of cash to get myself back on my feet, once they are not so firmly attached to my pedals.  I am very proud to say that I have no balance on any credit cards.  I have paid off all of my debts (except for my student loans), and still, I have managed to prepare myself for this trip.  That is an accomplishment in and of itself.  I am not willing to trade that sense of accomplishment for the renewed and grander romantic carelessness this trip could potentially turn into, if I were to pull out the credit cards and throw caution to the wind.

The funny thing is, now that I’ve put all of this on paper, it no longer seems like such a big deal.  I know what I am willing to do and what I am not willing to do, financially.  I know what my resources are and I will work with them.  I believe that I am still ready for my trip.  I just have to get used to a different dollar figure to start with and this will influence the decisions that I make from the day I set out.  Maybe I won’t be staying in the occasional motel after all.  I met a kid at the McBaine trailhead the other day who said he’d gone from Chicago to Seattle this summer and didn’t pay for camping or lodging once.  Maybe I can make it to DC without spending a dime, save for food.  If I do that, I’ll probably arrive with nearly the same amount of money I suspected I’d be arriving with anyway.  We’ll see.  In the meantime, I've put a moratorium on spending.  I have one more vet visit for the cats scheduled and I'm taking the bike in for a final tune up/fresh chain from the ever-helpful and kind Karl, but other than that, I'm going to see if I can make it to September 15th without spending a dime.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

D Rex

Five long days and I'm tired of working
I'm going to see my boss today
In fifteen minutes I'll be on the train
'Cause I just got my pay

Now I could take and sock away my dough
And make me six percent a year
But it's not much fun to wait around for that
When I can spend it while it's here

"Just Got My Pay" - The Beach Boys

I had a great conversation with Angela Yasulitis and Dr. Nikki Pellas the brains behind Styrve Lifecoaching. These two women have become an incredible resource for networking and creating abundance in all areas of life. Angie has a great philosphy for creating more abundance and decreasing financial stress. I think these tips are practical and are part of a great foundation in personal finances. Once again Angie you've given me a lot to think about!

The economy has clearly taken a turn for the worse.  I am sure many of you think that is an understatment.  My question for you is, "what have you done about it?" In a study done in the 90's over 85% of Americans suffering from anxiety and depression admitted that the anxiety they were feeling came mainly from financial stress. This stress carried over into the workplace in the form of absenteeism and low productivity.  With that in mind, at strYve, we believe those figures are even higher today.  It is time that every family and every company implements a Financial Wellness Program as part of their overall Wellness Campaign.
It is important to know that being a Financial Wellness Coach or expert is NOT the same as being a Financial Planner.  Financial Wellness is creating a plan that will get you through the hard economic times.  That same plan will help you prosper during the up times.  It may include working with a trusted Financial Advisor - but that is only one component.
Strong Financial Well Being Programs include the following components:
1.) Do you have a Household Budget? If so - do you track it and use it - making changes based upon your current economic status. In other words, many families say they have a budget - but they do NOT update it weekly - nor do they allow it to impact financial decisions.  If your budget says you can not afford an item - you should NOT buy it.
2) Do you have a plan for saving money RIGHT NOW? This plan can include anything and everything from putting energy savings light bulbs throughout your house, cutting coupons, taking your own coffee in the AM, packing your lunch, and shopping at discount stores.   This savings plan can greatly impact your future.  Many households, taking this serously can come up with $300-$500 extra dollars each month.  That money can and should be part of your savings plan and for many can create an emergency fund that is so needed in today's economy.
3) Do you know your Net Worth? Even if it is not what you want it to be - you should know it.  You should have a feel for what you own outright with equity and what you have coming in - versus what you have going out.   Knowledge is power and it will not get any better without taking the first step to acknowledge where you are.  Once you do that - you can create a plan for where you are going.
4) Do you know your Credit Score? It is imperative that you know your credit score.  You may have mistakes on your report.  In addition, it can give you insight into past mistakes - so you do not make the same mistakes again.   Once again, it is part of the path...part of being better.
5) Don't Rely on More Credit. If you can help it - try to address your financial issues by changing your household budget and your lifestyle.  I know it may not be fun, but if you use #1 and #2 to address these issues - you can avoid borrowing money to get through the tough times. This is a big contributor to our current financial crises.  Getting more money is often too easy.
6) Make sure you trust your Financial Advisor and know what he/she is doing for you. Ask about their education, years in the business, designations, professional affiliations, and their belief about what to do with your money during hard economic times.  Make sure they are asking you questions - instead of telling you what to do.  A trusted advisor should always know your current situation and where you want to be in 5 years, 10 years, at retirement.   Don't wait until you have money to seek out an advisor.  I talk to so many people who tell me they never consulted anyone because they didn't have enough to put away.  I say it is your right to put away something - $100/month, $50/month - get something started. And if that is not enough money for the advisor you are speaking to - they are not the right person for you.
Just like your own health and fitness - you are in control of your Financial Well Being.   Start today - by putting yourself on a 90 Day Financial Well Being Program - you may be surprised that knowledge is power.
strYve recommended reading - The Millionaire Next Door - by Thomas Stanley and William Danko.

I have many plans for this weekend, and, as i said, i want to withdraw Sunday Night-or Monday Morning 1200 Units

I started with 30 Units Sunday, 31.08.2008, and now, i want to be better and clever.

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Financial Sport Bet Numer 18:

Tennis, US Open Quarterfinals

Andy Roddick - Novak Djokovic

Pick: Andy Roddick

Odd: 2.00 Stake: 4.10

To Win: 8.20

If Roddick wins ,i would have a profit of: +4.10

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Balance:

18  Financial Sport Bets played

14 won

3 lost

1 pending

84% of my Financial Sport bets are Winnings

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Plan for this weekend :

 I started with 30 Units

Account Money Now: 211.82 Units

Profit after 5 days : +191.82 Units 

[gallery]

Your Business Valuer

Today : To earn  160- 500

For Saturday: 320- 1000

For Sunday: 700-2400

Plan: Sunday evening or Monday morning to withdraw minimum 1200 Units

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Excerpt-y about lying on resumes!

For example, someone submitted an application that listed Harvard University as the first line in their educational summary. I assume they thought this fact would be impressive. But looking closer, it was obvious that this person had never attended Harvard. Instead, they took a one-semester, online course through the Harvard Department of Continuing Education.

In case you don’t know, continuing education at most U.S. universities is open-enrollment, meaning that anyone can take a class without applying to the university and going through the usual competitive process. The classes are designed for the public, not for college students seeking a degree.

Why did I choose that excerpt? Because I think I worked for that applicant at one of my temp gigs. Said applicant wore Harvard sweaters and ties, carried at all times a Harvard pen and leather portfolio, and at least once a day talked about "what I learned at Harvard".

That company, by the way, is the first time I ever quit a temp job. After six months, mind you, of progressively suspect ethics and some downright illegal things I was asked to do (plus the fact we were seated at folding tables). The straw that broke the camel's back? When the VP pulled myself and the other fairly low-paid temps into a conference room and ranted at us for twenty minutes about how we were horrible people who couldn't do basic math, and we should all go out that evening and buy ourselves calculators, pens, and paper with our own money.

The VP is the guy who hired and constantly bragged about the 'Harvard graduate'. I always wondered what the VP's resume looked like.

Also, for a laugh, check out NotHired.com for real examples of people who are out there applying for the same jobs you are.

For me, the change has come from attending GMFCU Board of Directors meetings, talking to others in the credit union industry (we cooperate with and support each other) and witnessing interactions with our members.  I now feel very lucky as well as optimistic.  Here's why-

Credit unions, past and present, are still making choices that are in our members' best interest.  We did not participate in the get rich quick sub-prime practices that other financial institutions did.

I begin to relax more as we see people adjust their spending and budgets in order to pay down debt or save more.  Why?  Consumer awareness and behavior are changing.  People are learning about how to manage their finances in order to be more conservative.  While this is good for them and our nation, I am sensitive to the fact that these times are emotionally and financially challenging for many.

While people are changing their behaviors, I work for an organization and am part of a movement that will take the profits we earn and return them (in one way or another) to those that trust us and will benefit the most from them.

Credit unions have share holders—not stockholders—we call them members and they are the reasons we exist.  On August 26th, the Wall Street Journal online shared their perspective about what credit unions have to offer.

Given what you’re hearing, what questions do you have about our economy, your credit union, or any other financial topic?

As in previous budget cycles, city leaders will make every effort to protect core City services, but with cuts being made in six of the last seven years, they say that there is little or no fat left.  The last slide provides a timeline for the budget process which includes staff recommendations for cuts before the end of the year, community budget hearings in January, Council action in February, and cuts taking effect in early March for both the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 budget years.

Jeepers, Creepers

Over the past few months things have been creeping up:   homes prices and interest rates.  Though there has been some very recent alleviation on the interest rate front, not so much for home prices.

In July, the average sold price for a single family house in Arlington in July was $757,382, an increase from the preceding month of June ($745,105).  In July, the average sold price for an Arlington condo in July was $368,335, up from the June number of $349,982.

Thing to keep in mind:  average single family home prices are still 9% under last year at the same time. Average condo prices are 6% under what they were a year ago.

I didn't say it this time

According to my lender guru:

Or, as she translated for me:

A few things you can’t afford to do.

Are you making mistakes with your money? Many people do, because of inattention, a lack of knowledge or confidence, or relying of the advice of friends rather than professionals. Here are some all-too-common money errors to avoid …

Putting off financial planning. This may be the biggest mistake of all. Procrastination does not help you save for retirement, and it will not help you reduce your taxes or transfer money to your heirs. Delaying necessary financial planning can be perilous. Some avoid planning out of fear – they simply don’t know where to begin. Don’t let this stop you. Decide today to do something about your financial future.

Putting all your eggs in one basket. Too many people invest everything in just one place. Try spreading your assets across multiple investments, and you’ll help to insulate them against the effects of economic ups and downs.

Buying more home than you can afford. Interest-only loans, option adjustable-rate mortgages (option ARMs) and lease purchases still tantalize couples and families with small nest eggs, modest salaries and credit blemishes into taking on much more liability than they can bear. The result is often foreclosure. Speak to a professional to make sure the amount of home you purchase makes sense for you.

Making impulsive or emotional money decisions. A decision that feels good (or exciting) may not be appropriate for you financially. Avoid spur-of-the-moment financial choices, and the influences that may trigger them. The next time you’re about to make a snap decision, stop and think. Will you lose the opportunity if you take a while to consider your next move? Consider and compare whenever possible.

Living above your means. In the acclaimed book The Millionaire Next Door, authors Thomas Stanley and William Danko found that most millionaires drive used American cars and shun a champagne-and-caviar lifestyle. It is the middle class that is generally seduced by big-debt, big-ticket luxury items … sometimes all the way into bankruptcy. Make wise decisions about money, take the time to consider big purchases, and be mindful of what effect they’ll have on finances down the road.

Avoiding all risk. Caution is good, but being extremely risk-averse (for example, refraining from investment and just putting your money in an FDIC-insured bank account) may cost you in terms of the growth of your retirement savings and assets. If you’re holding back because you’re unsure, speak with a financial advisor.

These are the views of Peter Montoya, Inc., and should not be construed as investment advice. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however, we make no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. Please consult your Financial Advisor for further information.

]]> http://superiorhabitat.wordpress.com/?p=155 Thu, 04 Sep 2008 12:26:37 +0000 superiorhabitat http://superiorhabitat.wordpress.com/?p=155

This should not take very long. Empty everything in your purse our on the dining room table or your bed (hopefully, your made up bed). Take a damp facecloth and wipe your bag thoroughly inside and out (I mean, not if your bag is a $2400 leather “allergic to water” bag). Carefully pick through the pile of stuff you have accumulated and really question whether you need all of this stuff in your purse. Throw away unnecessary receipts, business cards, junk mail, crumpled tissues or makeup just wandering around.

I posted before about an intriguing article on how a disorganized wallet can wreak havoc on your financial life. Some of it is pretty obvious – okay most of it – but I think it brings up an interesting topic. Messy receipts, random dollar bills folded this way and that and store discount cards everywhere? Sound familiar? Start September off right – keep your bag streamlined and meticulous. It will change your life. This is a super small step that will go a long way. I mean, we carry our bags everywhere with us – sometimes we forget how much our living habits trickle down into the handbag. And when it does dawn on you, it’s like a reawakening. You feel so much better buying an iced coffee with fresh dollar bills you didn’t have to scrounge around for - not to mention returning those mugs at TJ Maxx with a receipt you knew exactly where to find.

I make it a point to keep my wallet as organized as possible. And as an extension of that, my handbag too. I keep a wallet, my phone, and two small Vera Bradley make up cases. That’s it. One case is all my makeup and in the other case are some necessities I can’t part with (hair elastics, tissues, tampons, a small sewing kit, and mini-toothbrush and toothpaste.) Sounds like a lot, but not if it’s all mini-sized and tucked in a cute bag. This makes it so much easier to change handbags, as well, let me tell you. As for my wallet, I always separate the receipts from my actual cash. And I don’t have discount savings cards. If I need the discount I ask the cashier and tell her I left my card at home. It works every single time.

A couple of products you might want to try to keep as organized as possible:

Coach Wallet (excellent for endurance, strength and organizing capabilities) Style and color should be to your own taste, of course.

Moleskine Folder for Receipts and paper documents fabulous idea for keep your receipts and tickets organized and it fits into a small purse or even better a glove compartment. You can also store the discount store cards here (if you must).

Walker Bags to keep your purse organized the most successful and organized business woman I know (think Harvard, MBA and serious money) swears by these bags.

Deacon: And, what did you find out?

Usher: Calvary Chapel is the only top 10 megachurch that has any record of belonging or having belonged:

Calvary Chapel - here is their financial page - though it doesn't give details, it does tell where the money is spent.

Mature Market Experts Stat of The Day: The average annual long-term care premium for individuals under 65 is $1,337.

The average premium for seniors over 65 is $2,862.

The average long-term care insurance policy purchased by a 65-year-old and held until death pays out 82 cents for every dollar.

Since 1987, fewer than 10 million Americans have bought long-term care insurance, and only about 7 million of those policies remain in force today.

Almost 30 percent of Americans over 45 have purchased a long-term care insurance policy.

Source: AAHSA, American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging

Over a period of time I will blog and cover various aspect and solutions for today's real estate foreclosure market, especially for Las vegas.

Have you been stressed out about mortgage payments and your other mounting bills? Do you think your only option is to give up and let the home get  foreclosed on? Are you wondering if  a short sale right for you? Millions and millions of homeowners are asking themselves the same questions. It is projected that over 20,000,000 homeowners will have negative equity in their homes in the very near future. In other words, they will owe more on their homes than they are worth. Over 2.9 million homes have foreclosed in the last three years and the number is only expected to grow. Expect the effects of the estate recession to ripple for years to come.

What can you do now?

There is expected to be massive tsunami of homeowners who are simply making the decision to sell their homes through a short sale vs. staying in a home, hoping that one day it may be worth what they paid.

No one is safe. News stories from across the country tell the tales of both celebrities and  average Americans who are all considering selling their homes through a short sale.

Selling your home through a short sale doesn’t need to be a shameful, life-ruining experience.

As a short sale expert and mentor serving the Las Vegas area, I will cover more this subject in more depth in the weeks to come.

Besure to check back.

Carlos Aguilar

Realtor®

Coldwell Banker Wardley Summerlin

702-328-9335

or visit my site:

vegasnforeclosure.com

I had not seen him, nor our children, all day long. This is the second day in a row and I'm SO over this. ALL OF THIS. Something gives - or I'm gone. One way or the other I'm not doing this for the rest of my life.

We missed our mortgage payment this month, we lost our health insurance (as far as I know) and we have no money at all. Creditors call literally every 10 minutes - it is a joke. My life is a joke.

I see people with a fraction of the logic and IQ we have, sorry, making millions. Meanwhile with my 20 years business experience, education and know-how I can't even make ends meet.

The preschool may child goes to wants $210 and the ballet school wants $100. I have I believe negative $10 in our checking. I have no money coming in either. I have nothing to sell.

I've applied to every job I can find, even if it is remotely even kinda relates t something I can do. NO one wants me - not even my husband. I'm just so tired of crying.

Things aren't getting better. They are getting worse. I feel bad again - I mean sick again. The Sarcoid is back - and I can't afford to even go to the ER or a walk-in. God forbid my kids break a leg or gets seriously ill - my daughter has PKD, as do I, God forbid her kidney gets infected. We are all at God's mercy now...

I keep thinking how valuable I am dead. It won't leave me. But I know my kids need me. I'm not sure my husband does anymore. I don't make the money I used to make his life so easy - so I"m not necessary anymore. Except for insurance I suppose.

I give up - take it all. I'm done - I can't hold on to this anymore. I spent a lifetime earning probably a million dollars - and I have less than nothing now. I thought I was smart - I"m obviously not smart at all.

So now that it is tough, now that my husband has to work long hours, it is all over. I used to travel 100% - left home on MOnday got back on Friday - when my first child was only 6 weeks old - for 5 years. He is completely at his wits end working 12 hour days locally. I completely give up.

I"m done. I mean it - just done. THere is nothing left - I fell off the ground, I found the center of the earth and I'm burning into  ash now. I don't know a good analogy but there is nothing left in me.

Tomorrow I"ll put the house on the market and pray we can make one or two more payments if I sell all we have. We owe more than it is worth - who knows what makes sense anymore. Maybe rock bottom is still to come. Maybe living out of our car is where we are headed.

You would think with my background, experience, education, dedication, passion, ideas, etc. someone would want to hire me. I would wait tables - I really coud care less what I do. But no one wants me - now not even my husband apparently.

It is strange to feel so lonely in a house full of people.

I am finally settled in New York.  Kinda sorta anyway.  My plan is to stay with my family for the next year.  Save and invest my money like I have been doing and figure out where I want to go after that.  Will I move back to Los Angeles? Maybe.  I miss it already.  But there is something about driving around in the suburbs of my old county that is so refreshing.  I feel like I can really LIVE here.  I am so not looking forward to the cold winter months of snow, sleet and hail but I'll deal with it as long as I have my great friends and family around.

Good news!  My cell phone has not stopped ringing since I've moved back.  I have two interviews this week and they are both in human resources.  It's a field that I have always been interested in.  Though I still have my business the ex-fiance has been holding my merchandise for ransom.  I shit you not.  It's a situation that I really don't want to deal with since I can always get more merchandise and have it shipped to NY instead.  I thank my lucky stars I did not agree to take him on as a business partner like he wanted.  I could only imagine the damage he would do if his name were on my corporation.  I am feeling so optimistic about this career change.  Secretly I miss getting professionally dressed in the morning.  I look forward to it :)

My friends have been the best.  I'm catching up with everyone that I haven't seen or spoken with in a long time.  Spent the better part of last night at my best friend's apartment just laughing, eating, reading the new book he's writing and just enjoying being finally free to live life on my terms. 

So I just wanted to update everyone on my peace of mind and happiness.  Can't wait to blog about my job interviews and hopefully my exciting new job.

Wish me luck :)

Till next time...

But NCL's Fraud Center and the Federal Trade Commission aren't the only ones out there trying to educate consumers about avoiding ID Theft. Many consumer, finance, and technology reporters have been doing their part to spread the word as well. Here's a recent story in the Clovis News Journal out of New Mexico, where police are advising locals against scams meant to steal consumers' identities.

The only debt worry is student loans.  Mine are in deferment but my wife's will kick in around 2/09 as she will have passed the 6 month automatic deferment from no longer being enrolled at least 1/2 time. 

Bills reveal a few areas to improve.  Namely - get rid of 1 vehicle, which would eliminate at least $400 every month and could be replaced by a $22 a month bus pass and my bicycle or feet. 

Income is good, but work is a concern, and a reason why I'm continuing my education.  Wife is 1 year away from finishing her teacher certification, but because of the baby she has decided to take a year off school.  I have 3 semesters remaining for my bachelors degree.  It's been a long road, but it'll be satisfying when I arrive. 

I'm happy with my current investments.  Combined I'm investing $400 a month.  Over time I will shift from the savings account to the IRAs.  I'm just hitting that hard at the moment to build up a good safety net.

Also concerning my IRAs - they are currently with a company I'm very dissatisfied with.  I'm not going to slander the specific company, but their website is not user friendly and choice of investments is limited.  As soon as both accounts hit $3,000 they'll be transfered to Vanguard and put into a target date fund.

Today :

Financial Sport Bet Number 13 Combination

Handball Germany

Füchse Berlin - Stralsund SV pick: Füchse Berlin Odd: 1.25

Handball Portugal

SC de Horta - Benfica Sl pick: Benfica Odd: 1.20

Volleyball EU Qualifier

U20 Germany -Russia

pick: Russia Odd: 1.75

Total Odd: 2.63

Stake: 30 Units

To win: 86.63

Account:  50.23

If i win i have : 136.89 in my Account

Profit today would be: 54.45 Units

Remaining: 9.55 Units

Your Business Valuer

Checking - 1,700

Savings - 6,800

High Yield Online Savings - 1,200

My IRA - 1000

Wife IRA - 1000 

I-Bonds - 250

Zero credit card debt.  Hallelujah!

Student Loan Accounts: 

Me - Govt - 8000, Private - 8000

Wife - Govt - 10,000, Private - 39,000

Bills: 

Rent - 695

Cars - 315, 200

Insurance - Car - 140, Life - 550/yr, Renters - 100/yr

Utilities - 100

Cable - 150

Cell Phones - 75

Food - 300

Gas - 75

Net Income - 3,000 depending on OT

Investments: 

High Yield Savings - 200

Automatic Savings Bond - 50 I-Bond from gross pay

Me - IRA (roth) - 50

Wife - IRA (roth) - 50

Baby - 529 - not yet established, anticipating 50 investments per month.

First, let’s all breathe a sigh of relief for the passing that is Gustav, but also hope for the best in the communities that got hit badly. It was a tense weekend as I crashed on Mr. Former Harmless Crush’s couch with our laptops and watching the news with bated breath. He finally demanded we get out to take some time away from the doom and gloom, so we ran around Dave & Buster’s Sunday night and forgot about reality for a couple hours.

I left Houston on Monday and moved into Austin; the actual move was short since half my stuff is still in New Orleans. I still feel unsettled since I’m only at my friend’s temporarily until I make enough to move out and closer to work (a 40-minute heavy crawl in traffic to work is not worth the cheap rent and large space). I also have no idea where I’m going in this city and the newly purchased shiny GPS doesn’t ease the discomfort of being completely unaware of Austin’s geography and not knowing anyone.

My first day of work for the second time this year was yesterday. It was the exact opposite of my first day at my last company in February. One of my biggest worries was this “corporate” environment that I’m not used to, but I decided I was up for the challenge of learning more and experiencing outside my comfort zone. And outside my comfort zone it has proven to be.

When I arrived Tuesday morning, the HR woman greeted me warmly and showed me where I would be sitting. Due to the quickly expanding offices of these two companies sharing a space, I was stuck without a cubicle in a lone desk against a window with my back facing the rest of the large room. I hate this position due to sheer paranoia of people popping up behind me (I solved this problem at the last job by placing a little mirror on the wall). But it is what it is and until I find my place in situations, I’m painfully shy and passive. And so I sat. And sat. For an hour doing nothing but skimming over the folder of paper introducing me to the company and the usual computer setups. An hour later, HR lady showed up again and we went through a 30-minute explanation of an even bigger folder of paperwork (another woman started the same day, but was much older and a little cold). Then back to the desk I went. And sat and sat and sat some more.

I guess I was expecting a lunch excursion or a tour of the office or meeting the team, but no one spoke to me or wondered about the new person sitting there. And I kept on sitting there, surfing the web until the hunger pains became excruciating and  encouraging emails from my old office sent me to the streets of downtown Austin looking for food. Of course, not knowing my way around, I wandered for a bit in the 90-degree heat and contemplated running away. The rest of the day was like that; other than a short meeting with the art director to show me some work, I spent the day alone at the desk reading encouraging emails from my old office and trying to tackle the large stack of paperwork. Also, to add to the hilarity of this situation, the art director had incredibly bad breath and body odor. No matter how much I leaned back in the seat or away from him, the smell permeated every breathing space around me.

Of course, there’s the usual comments of, “It’s the first day. It’ll get better” and “Maybe everyone was just very busy” (which is true, due to transitions in the company right now) and “Go talk to someone.” But I’m not kidding when I say I’m seized by a bizarre case of social anxiety in unknown and new situations. No matter how many new things I’ve tried this year, suddenly fixing that problem will not happen. So please don’t tell me to just start talking to people. Everyone’s really busy and due to these transitions this week, everyone’s tensed and stressed. Sitting here alone has made me feel like going to the bathroom and crying (that I couldn’t find for the first half of the day due to no tour of the office). I almost burst out crying yesterday after lunch and it takes a lot to even get to that point of holding back tears. The one person that introduced herself only stopped by after seeing my Greece photos on my desktop background and didn’t realize I was new until the end of the short 2 minute conversation.

I thought day 2 would be better, but here I sit again. I showed up 9am and frankly, I could have arrived hours later and no one would have noticed. I feel horribly homesick for my old job, St. Louis and New Orleans. I miss my giant large cubicle with massive file cabinets and pretty window view. I miss the close-knit environment of my funny co-workers that became like family in the short 4 months I was there. I miss having my boss be like a crazed uncle calling me on the phone whenever the ice cream truck ding-a-linged by. I miss Europe. I miss the feeling of being settled and knowing a city like the back of my hand. I miss having friends around.

But I knew it would be tough when I made this choice. Position-wise, I’m lower a rung, but being paid more. I took it with the idea that I could learn a lot in a bigger company, no matter how much I wasn’t a fan of the “corporate” environment. If anything, it was temporary until something better comes along. It’s not that I regret the choice to take this job/city over the other one; I know it’s the right long-term choice. But I’m not going to lie and say it’s hard not to think “what if?” or desperately crave familiarity.

And food.

P.S. Also, even though the attire of the office is casual with jeans and flip flops, all the girls are dressed incredibly cute. I do not own cute, so I need to go shopping (where the hell is the mall?!), but I have no money! And I need to find an apartment and furniture and move the rest of my stuff. I need to win the lottery.