The Adventures of Captain Save-A-Ho

Vocab

2011-07-11T11:38:00.002-04:00

You know, my vocab has gone straight to hell. I am a pretty solid word smith in writing, but on a daily basis words like "snacky" & "drinky" have started invading my regular speech. Maybe I need something in a 'word a day' variety to pepper in some more grammatically correct terminology in my daily speech? Perhaps they still make word of the day TP?

Handy Man

2011-07-06T08:47:00.003-04:00

The house is built and full of stuff. Just b/c it's brand new doesn't mean it's done now does it? Judging by the 400 Lowes/Home Depot/Ikea runs, I'm gonna go with nope. The most recent projects have been some entry level runs into home upgrading. First, living room & dining room dimmer switches. I learned the difference b/t a single pole & a three way wiring set up and I also didn't know that only certain dimmers will actually dim those high efficiency bulbs. Interesting stuff. Next, the house now has two shiny new ceiling fans (master bedroom fan pictured above) on individual switches. By individual, I mean that one wall switch controls the light while another wall switch controls the fan. Speeds are still done on the device itself, but it's nice to know that I can flip them on individually using a wall switch. I had thought about going the wireless remote route, but I really don't see the need at the moment. Perhaps later on, I'll revisit this issue.

The next project, lights on the roof top deck. Went with an ultra-white rope light and attached it using zip ties. Ok, not the cleanest install of my life (don't like the zip ties showing) but the lights look awesome at night. I really think it gives you that on a boat feeling honestly since there are two levels of lights and they only shine down providing plenty of ambient light and not too much to ruin the evening. All of this work is not like wiring in a car, but I'm getting the hang of it. So far, no electrocution!

Savings

2011-06-22T08:37:00.004-04:00

It seems like for the past year or so, I've been saving or cutting back on my spending for one thing or another. First it was for the wedding, ok that makes sense. It's a big event, lets make sure the cash is available. Next it was time for the down payment. Also, very sensible. The more cash up front the more reasonable the payments will end up being. So that needs saving for. Once you get past the down payment, then there are closing costs. Almost like Down Payment 2.0. Again, very sensible. The more money you put in, the lower your payment numbers are going to end up.

Great, those events are over it's time to relax, right? Wrong. Now it's time to boost the emergency savings up to 6-8 months of mortgage payments. That's the rule of thumb depending on who you ask. I've always heard it was six, and the average financial person agrees with that. But Suze Orman has bumped her recommendation out to 8 months. Whether it's 6 or it's 8, it's important to have that cushion and I am now working towards it. It seems like quite a challenging goal, but it will be met. However, watching this pattern, I can't help but wonder... "What's next?"

First Impressions

2011-06-14T16:43:00.004-04:00

Welcome to the neighborhood... finally! Your house has been finished, you've plunked down one of the biggest checks of your life. So, what now? Time to meet the folks in the hood, that's what. In my row of buildings, I've only had a chance to meet my neighbors next door to me in a larger home. They are very nice and have a little dog that doesn't seem to bark very much. Other than them, I've met only one other home owner in my row and shall we say I'm already not a fan. I have every intention of trying to get to know this guy better, perhaps that initial 'I'm an a$$ w/ little man's disease' prognosis was incorrect? Who knows, perhaps we just didn't jive? Other than those two houses, that's all I've met in my row of homes for now. I'm hoping for some more cool folks moving in soon.

In an effort to meet more folks, there was a community get together this past weekend in the form of a cook out. On first glance, there are a lot of pretty people in this community. It looks like most everyone takes good care of them selves and clearly works hard to be able to afford to live here and their life style. Some folks are nice, some are a little standoffish. To be honest, it felt a little bit like the first day of high school walking in there for me. You could clearly see which folks stood off on their little crew that felt they were entirely too cool, you could see the folks that were honestly warm and friendly, and the folks that weren't sure they wanted to be there. So far, the cool kids clearly out number everyone else. I'm sure that's b/c the community has been around for a bit and I'm the new kid coming in, it just takes time to break in.

I dove right in and tried to shake as many hands and meet as many folks as were interested in speaking to me. I'm self admittedly terrible with names, but I hope at future events I'll be seeing some of the same folks so that it will become easier in time. Walking around in the neighbor hood and on the streets, everyone seems very pleasant and nice but in that group setting it did seem to get a little clickie. I'm sure I just have to get to know the folks a little better. In the mean time, I've offered assistance to help out with the community digital forum. I am pretty good with list serves and digital communications, so it makes sense to me. Hope they take me up on it and let me help/get involved.

Purchased, now let's move.

2011-06-13T10:16:00.002-04:00

The long weekend has come and gone and I have emerged a home owner. Please, hold your applause for now. I don't remember the last time I read over so many legal documents and signed my name so many times. The lender even stopped by my closing to see me off. B/t me and you, I think he was sick of me and went out for a happy hour that day knowing that he was finally done with my deal! The overall deal I got I think was good, not that 1 in a million I was hoping for but it was still good.

After a few minutes of some nice down time to just walk around and check the house out, it was time to get down to business of moving stuff in and assembling tons of furniture. Friday, the install & delivery guys showed up. The flat screen wall mounting guy was working on the main floor while the FiOS guy was setting everything up down stairs. As it turned out, they got done at just about the same time so that worked out great! The Alarm System guy was pretty quick and easy too. Just in and out. Next, the washer and dryer delivery was a little more involved. The builders installed the floor pan sideways? No clue why, but luckily there was a trip to home depot to fix that issue right up while the installers got ready. Having never seen an install like this, I had to watch. And I must say, very impressive! The one guy was like a contortionist. The washer/dryer location is just a closet. This guy was BEHIND the machines after they had been installed hooking up all the connections and then climbed up over top of them to slide down the front of the machines and out of the closet. it was nuts!

Along comes moving day, and I thought it'd be super easy. Well, it wasn't too bad but not nearly as easy as I had hoped. The couch, which was being sold at the end of the day, was a total space hog and filled enough of the truck to force two trips. I knew I should have gone with the 26' big a$$ uhaul just b/c! After the first trip and a smooth unload, about 4 of us went to the old place to grab cars and finish up. It actually wasn't bad at all. Now, the unpacking and unboxing and the putting away... that is a tricky one that may end up taking quite some time.

Loan Companies

2011-06-07T15:31:00.003-04:00

Here I am, 2 days away from closing and making that big purchase and who should choose to annoy me? The mortgage broker. They are ALL smiles until you lock the rate at which point they ditch you like you gave it up on prom night. If I have provided you with EVERYTHING under the sun, all the numbers are etched in stone, all the stars have aligned... why exactly can't you provide me with the exact amount I'm going to pay monthly? If I had it to do over again and if this was in my power, I wish I had a conference call with the broker, his assistant, the processor, the title company, and the underwriter at the very start of this process and worked out a time line so I could see who/where the bottle neck was. This entire exercise has basically felt like I'm flying blind and it's only a matter of time until I crash into the alps, financially speaking of course.

What I'm told, is that this is normal. This is how all home loans work. I have no frame of reference, but if this is normal or fast... this is ridiculous.

Only 3 More Days

2011-06-06T10:33:00.004-04:00

...till the biggest purchase of my life. It's not a secret and I've got folks coming to me asking me if I'm excited. Well, yes and no. I mean, YAY new house and it's all clean and shiny and new and (insert more good things here). So, that's what I say b/c I just don't want to be a debbie downer. But to be honest, I'm scared. I've never imagined spending this kind of money on a house. I've done the numbers 50,000 different ways til next Sunday, but it still makes me nervous. Combine that with my current place being completely trashed (I know, all part of moving) and I'm pretty much a wreck. How are you supposed to get excited about a new house if you can't see past how trashed your current place is and how insanely expensive the new place is??

One thing I'm trying to focus on is the investment side of this deal. I do believe this is a good investment, so the thought of a strong return is keeping me sane. I'm not thinking crazy numbers, but perhaps a nice 10%-20% appreciation over 10 years I think is actually reasonable. The miss' & my mom must have lost their damned minds thinking we might see a 50-60% appreciation?!? Not in my wildest dreams would I think that. Don't get me wrong, it would be awesome but prolly not gonna happen.

Something New

2011-06-05T09:40:00.002-04:00

In the months leading up to this new house I feel like I've been (more so) heading in a different direction from most of my friends. Am I finally aging? Am I growing up as they say? I still long for the party life but it just doesn't seem to fit me like it once did. Every time I go out and give it a shot... something just seems off. I can't explain it. So, it appears that it's time for something new for me. I need a new activity so that I can start over as it were. I have no intention of leaving my current friends behind, but as I have tried and tried to continue offering invitations and extending olive branches over and over my efforts seem to be more and more in vain. I don't hold any grudges, but I am disappointed.

I hoped against hope that I could end up being those amazing married couples that just integrate their lives seamlessly and things would just continue on as they were. That just wasn't the case here and I think it isn't the case for the great majority of folks either. So is it growing older? Is it married life? Is it buying a place? Who knows.

Now the question is, what am I gonna get into? Should I learn to fly? helicopters or fixed wing craft could be fun but they are expensive. Perhaps some more close combat fighting instruction? A little violent, but it's good exercise and it's always good to be able to defend yourself. More Jeep stuff? Perhaps some fancy bike riding? This will deff. require some more research. Whatever it is, I hope to meet some good folks out of it to help add to my my social circle friend base.

My SmartyPig Pickle

2011-06-01T10:24:00.004-04:00

Pig Pickle
As the whirlwind that has been me transferring money back and forth and saving for the closing costs is approaching an end, I've managed to over look ony small tid bit of annoying information. I know SmartyPig isn't the fastest bank in the world and I was prepared to wait about a week to transfer the money from there to my checking account. However, as I went to click on Transfer Money this morning, I got an awesome rock-star error. I cannot originate a transfer out of this account until the next week. WTF? It turns out that they require 7 business days after your last deposit into their account to initiate a with drawl which takes yet another 5 business days?!? Wow. I don't even have a good word for how slow that is coming from a bank.

What does that mean?
I'm glad you asked. It means that I cannot get the money out of the SmartyPig account in time for the closing costs.

So... ummm?
I don't know. I'll figure it out if it means marching down to the credit union for a personal loan or finding a loan shark named Vinnie. It's frustrating and this online bank doesn't have any sort of work around for situations when you just cannot wait that long to transfer money. Why they freeze the entire account is beyond me. I will be thinking hard on any further transaction with them, and whether or not I even want to continue to be a member.

Nada

2011-05-27T10:57:00.003-04:00

You know, I've got nothing. Every day, I have felt like I have plenty to say and plenty to write about, but I just haven't gotten past it and put pen to paper as it were. I've been tempted to write recently about the conference I went to a few weeks ago. But beyond speaking of the longer than normal hours & my complete lack of appetite, I really don't feel like I have much to say about it. Other than that, life has just been getting ready to move to the new house.

This week, picked up a new washer/dryer combo and packed some more boxes. Found new homes for my couch, entertainment center, dining room table, kitchen carts, & old receiver. Progress. With the new house walk through only a week away, I'm glad to be getting things done. And I gotta stay on it as the move is only 2 weeks away! I really will miss being able to walk to the metro & the cheap rent that I've gotten used to here. I know the new house will be lovely, but it's sometimes hard to see that when it's clouded by worse commutes and an insane mortgage payment.

Only 24 hrs in a day?

2011-05-17T16:28:00.003-04:00

I've been tackling this concept for months and there has to be a way to have it all:

Happy wife
Good career
Solid social circle
Strong finances
Good physical fitness
Nice house
Nice cars
Good mental health
& still find some time for a little party hopping!

There has to be a way to do it. I know there is...

Givin it up

2011-05-14T13:04:00.002-04:00

Let it be know that I love chicken wings (and I enjoy a good slice of pizza). I don't know when my like of chicken wings skipped the puppy love crush all together and went right into love, but it did. Dipped in gloriously creamy blue cheese dressing... I think I just drooled a little bit. As it turns out, they are actually quite terrible for you. Who knew?!? Well Chicken Wings, along with pizza I'm giving you both up until further notice. You are not helping me fit into my pants and as I cannot afford to buy you AND pants, you must go. I've thought about this for a while, but my need of pants is pretty serious. I mean, how often would I be allowed to sit at the bar with no pants on to order you?

How long will this last? Who knows. There's tons of delicious food out there that I can eat in your place and will have to do so in the unforeseen future. Know that you and pizza will always hold a special place in my heart (probably thanks to the fat deposits built up in my arteries) and in my gut and I will continue to think of you both fondly. Be well you two, and be beloved by the masses during my absence.

Reaching Out

2011-05-05T09:29:00.003-04:00

I'm a strong supporter of reaching out to the people around you to engage them in activities to continue and maintain friendships or casual acquaintances, etc. Hey, let's do this activity or go to that event. You have to make it happen b/c it's not gonna happen all on its own. But when is enough, enough? I mean, at what point do you need to take a hint that all the reaching out you are trying to do is a waste? I'm guessing there's an objective answer to that based on each situation. Too bad there's not a standard form for something like this.

Dear sir, I have attempted to make plans with you on 15 separate occasions over the course of 100 consecutive calendar days. Having broken all of them, I am now free to move on. Have a great day.

Yeah, I don't think it works quite like that. That'd be too easy.

Productivity of Meetings over time

2011-05-04T15:57:00.003-04:00

I have no issue with meetings, in fact, I think they are very necessary to convey ideas to your peers, co-workers, and colleagues. However, if you are going to have a meeting, get to the point! Don't drag on and dilly dally and BS. The chart above is the attention span in a typical meeting over time. If you'll notice, after 60 minutes, people are just counting down till they go to lunch or they go home for the day. My advice, try to time your portion of the meeting to fit into those precious most productive 30 minutes. Get to it, figure out a solution or convey your thoughts and call it a day. This is exactly why I don't understand the need for people to have 3 hour long meetings regularly, you don't get as much done as you think you do.

Birthday Miss'

2011-05-02T08:33:00.002-04:00

This past weekend, it was the miss' birthday as well as a buddies wedding. Unfortunately, I couldn't do both so the wife's birthday trumped it. The weekend went well starting out with some drinks & a movie on Friday night. Took in the latest installment from the Fast & Furious franchise. It was a fun flick but was more an action movie and didn't have as much involvement of fun cars as the past ones did. After the movie, her folks came into town and brought her dog with them for the weekend. I know she was very happy to see her dog and seemed to enjoy her folks company too.

Saturday started off entirely too early for me as I was up at 6am?? Why?? Well, I was able to get some work done before everything got going. After a quick snack for breakfast & some errands it was time for some family time with the folks. Showed them the new neighborhood and the model of the new house and then the actual house (under construction still) and took in a meal at the local pub near by. The food was good, but I mean who doesn't like a lamb burger? But the service was a little slow. All in all, good times. I'm also glad that they approve of the area and the purchase, I mean this is a pretty sizable purchase! "You done good" is what I got and I'm happy with it.

After taking the folks back to their hotel for a bit, it was time for other guests to arrive. One of my friends from NC came up for the night & two of her friends from DE came down for the event as well. While she was on tour guide duty, I snuck off to pick up the cake and take it to the dinner venue on the hush. Sneaky, right? Well I get back just in time to catch a quick shower (despite everyone being there) and get ready for some mellow socializing before it's time to head out. We all did our gifts for her then (I gave her mine first thing in the morning) and she seemed to really enjoy everyone's gifts.

The dinner, which could have been epic, found the whole table with a really slow server. I found out later that it was his first night on his own on the floor? Awesome. I said a few choice words to the GM and service became 300x quicker, but alas there was too little time left in the meal to save it. Regardless, I think everyone enjoyed the food despite the speed of service and I think this issue didn't really bother anyone else as much as it bothered me. After cake and our tab, it was time to head back to the house where folks continued hanging out and socializing well into the night. Me, I was asleep on my feet almost, and actually went to bad after all the family members left.

Sunday morning was quiet since most of the folks didn't stay the night & my friend had to catch an early flight back to NC. After a quick bite of breakfast (for her) at Cosi and some good byes, she was at the airport and I was off to have a good bye brunch with the in-laws. The food was derish, but then again it's iHop... it's what they do! But the server forgot some food and messed up an order. If you were keeping track, that's 3 meals in a row with the in laws that have been screwed up in some form or fashion. Not sure what the deal is, I go out pretty regularly and never have trouble and now 3 in a row?

Despite the service at the restaurants, I think this weekend went about as good as I could have hoped for. Everyone enjoyed the gathering and she enjoyed seeing her dog and her gifts. Overall, I call it a success and I'll take it.

Wednesdays

2011-04-28T09:43:00.003-04:00

Ah Wednesdays... you used to be my favorite party day of the week hands down! You even took out the coveted Thursday spot, which might I tell you is no easy task! Now my party day is... ummm... hold on, let me think... it's uhh... Well, you get the idea. In the whole process of getting married and now buying a house, I sometimes feel like I was torn out of that other life. It was the only life I knew, it was a blast (repeat sooooo much fun), but it was very destructive in the long run. I think that's how it had to happen. Picture ripping off a band aid, do it fast so it ends up hurting less. Any other way, and I probably would never have left.

Being more responsible is good and saving a ton of money for this beautiful new house is good too (saving a ton of money by not partying in general). Building something together with some one, a life and a home are all excellent things. But is it so wrong of me to still reminisce on all the good times I had all those nights back to back (to back)? I guess Wednesday evenings are just nostalgic nights for me when it hits me the hardest.

Settlement Date

2011-04-26T14:03:00.002-04:00

Ever since I put a contract on this new house I keep talking about, the company selling/building it would not release when it would be ready. So, I did a little math and little research and a lot of guessing to pick a date off the top of my head. They date was just officially released today and wouldn't you know it... I was dead on!! The settlement date I guessed 2.5 months in advance is the exact day it's going to be! I'll be glad when I'm all moved in and the electronics are all wired, clothes put away, etc. I'm ready to kick my feet up and watch my big a$$ TV in the new house already.

Happy Friday!

2011-04-22T10:52:00.003-04:00

Today is a very quiet day after a busy week. Feels like there has been something going on or someone stopping by quite a lot lately. I'm totally ok with that & enjoy it. But now, it's time for a quiet weekend. I think I might fire up the crock pot and and try my hand to make a big 'ol pot of beef stew. Yum! Who doesn't like a nice hearty stew served with crusty bread?

The Old Apartment

2011-04-21T11:26:00.006-04:00

As the house is getting closer to looking like a real house (I think a garage door is the next step), I'm starting to look around and get a little nostalgic for this place. I mean, I REALLY like this apartment. I think I've been here like 3 years now?

The other day, I was a little bored and wondered just how big my apartment really is. So, I made a crude picture using power point and broke out my tape measure to figure it out for myself. Man was I shocked to learn it was only 790sqft! It feels so much bigger than that. I used to live in a 1 bedroom that was 690sqft and I felt like I was tripping over myself every time I turned around. I guess it's all in the lay out and how much stuff you have, right? Right.

This IS a great place, but it's not always sunshine and puppies. I've also made a list of a few things I am really NOT going to miss about this place:

Doing ALL the dishes by hand b/c there is no dishwasher
Hearing my downstairs neighbor use the restroom every time
Getting shower jacked since there is one hot water heater for 3 apartments
Being the only one who is capable of changing a light bulb in the shared stairs
The property management company (deff won't miss them)

You know, that's about it. This really has been a great apartment. Lots of good times. Great commute, great location, & it didn't break the bank every month. No wonder this entire building is always full!

Morning Run

2011-04-18T15:40:00.004-04:00

While I write this post, let it be known that I hate mornings & running. I do. Always have. The bit about mornings has gotten much better over the years, I used to be the guy who would chew you out if the phone rang before 12pm on any given day of the week! Then again, I was working nights so it was different. Looking around at my life and my schedule these days, it's starting to look more and more like the (semi-)wee hours of the morning are my only choice when it comes to working out/fitness and time to myself.

My days are full of being at the office with no gym on site. Besides, who wants to come back to work all sweaty after lunch even if I did have a gym? Never understood that. After work, there always seems to be some errands that need to be handled or events to attend to TRY to hang onto what remains of my social network. I'm not complaining, just stating a fact. The evenings, assuming the social engagements are over, are spent putting quality time into the marriage. Marriage vs. living the single life requires a lot more time, energy, and attention.

Since I can't get a work out by sleeping, that leaves me with early mornings. I don't like it, but I am starting to get into a little rhythm. Leave the shoes/shorts by the bed at night so they are ready as soon as I step out. Assuming I take a right out my front door, the run starts off downhill and I'm off. I won't lie, rolling out of bed an hour or so before I have to sucks. I do find myself staring at the clock, then my shoes, then the snooze button many a morning. Some times (often) the snooze button wins.

But, I know I feel better after I run and that is my strongest weapon to get off my a$$ and get moving. I feel like I've done something positive for my health to start off my day. Oh, don't get me wrong... I still hate mornings even with all that feel good mumbo jumbo I just spouted, but that seems to be the only time I have left.

The New Berry

2011-04-14T09:37:00.003-04:00

Lately, I've been more dissatisfied with my iPhone than usual. Repeated problems with the email server, consistent word replacement with the auto correct, basic inability to make a phone call, you know the usual. I've been just wishing, hoping, praying that Blackberry would release something awesome and soon so I could go back to the dark side. And wouldn't you know it, just yesterday I found a leaked spec sheet for the new BlackBerry Torch 8960, or whatever they plan to name it.

1.2ghz Snapdragon processor
Almost a full gig of RAM
Twice as fast as the current torch 9800
3x as fast as the curve 8900 (my old phone)
1.5x as fast as iPhone4 (my current phone)
Oh, and you actually get your emails & texts on time!
Did I mention you can even make a phone call on it?

Helllllllo next phone!

Boring?

2011-04-13T12:08:00.002-04:00

Remember back in the day, either at work or at an office function or a party, some guy would corner you and start talking about his kids. He'd have like 45 pictures fold out of his wallet and he was oh so excited and a glow with pride! Unfortunately for you, 44 of those pix look exactly the same. Why? B/c they aren't your kids and you probably don't give two sh!ts beyond simple polite conversation. Doesn't he have anything else to discuss? What else does he do? The answer, probably nothing. That's it. He has his kids and that's about it.

I've always been worried of becoming that guy, and yet fast forward to today and about all I have to talk about is this house I'm buying. I know everyone is sick of hearing about it, but that's really all I have going on right now. Saving all my duckets for closing & moving costs doesn't really leave a lot of free spending for other excitements. I can't help but think that just a few years ago, I had something going on non-stop. There was always something else around the bend to talk about, some new excitement. I'm not upset about the new house excitement at all, I mean it's a ton of money and a ton of little goodies that make up the purchase. I do wish I had something more to say to folks right now than flipping through the pix on my iPhone showing them pic after pic after pic of lumber.

Just makes me feel like I'm a little boring at the moment. If I don't wanna hear about your kids and the never ending list of pix that look just a like, what makes me think you wanna see tons of pix of the new house and hear about it?

That was fast!

2011-04-08T09:47:00.002-04:00

Having never seen a house built from scratch before, I had no idea how long it took or how many people or how much stuff... pretty much, I had no clue. This morning, I just got an email that it's time for the Pre-Drywall Inspection. Holy Sh!t!! Already? That means all the frame work is up. All the windows are in, all the plumbing has been done. All the electrical has been run, stairs built, the brick work is complete, the roofing is complete, it's sitting on a foundation... I just cannot believe how fast it's all coming together!

Running

2011-04-04T15:33:00.004-04:00

Ok, I think it's time for me to realize a few things. 1. I'm not getting any younger. 2. b/c of item 1, losing weight will only get harder over time. 3. You don't lose weight by sitting on the couch no matter how hard you may wish it!

The other week, I got up from whatever I was doing and decided... I'm going for a run. Laced up my shoes, fired up my runkeeper and took off. You know what? It wasn't bad. I actually enjoyed myself! WTF? I thought I hated running? As you can imagine, I was thrilled with this discovery. Imagine it, I like something that doesn't cost any money AND is good for me? Double WIN! With this thought in my head, I laid out my running clothes for the following morning ready to go again. And don't you know it, those same clothes are now starting to collect dust as they sit there waiting for me to use them again.

What happened? That first time back on the road was good. I want to go again. I just can't seem to drag my a$$ outta bed in the mornings or away from whatever item I'm working on in the evenings. Do I need to simply work harder to kick myself out of bed? Perhaps some sort of personal reward or goal beyond the reward of physical fitness, health, and longer life. This needs more thought. Perhaps I should go run on it. ha!

Torn

2011-03-30T10:47:00.001-04:00

I'm not sure why, but it seems like all of my clothes have decided it is time to fall apart... NOW! In the past few weeks, I've lost two of my favorite suits (I see another one going), a belt, a pair of jeans and at least one dress shirt. Nothing is tight, it's just been worn out plain and simple. It's time to buy a whole new wardrobe?? Ugh. It's not the top, but it's up there on the 'Things I don't want to do right now' list. Perhaps I'm just stressing over every penny spent since I'm currently trying to save as much as I can for my upcoming home closing expenses? Yeah, that could very easily be it. Hold together clothes. I don't wear you that much!

Rolla Coasta

2011-03-25T09:12:00.002-04:00

I'm learning, very quickly, that there is a lot to buying a house. There are inspections, offers, contracts, counter offers, and much much more. And even more that I'm sure I don't know about! The whole process can really wreak havoc on a persons emotional state. I like to think of my self as pretty even keel, but after the last week I felt like I had been put through the ringer. I can only imagine what a very emotional person must feel like. Currently, it's a waiting game on the ratified contract. Everything has been agreed upon, but once the contracts are all signed, then it is more or less etched in stone. The next battle, buying the loan, I'm not really looking forward to at all!

Now with roof!

H82W8

2011-03-22T06:59:00.001-04:00

The offer is in, all of my cards are face up on the table, & the big fat nasty check has been written. Now comes the waiting game. Basically, some higher up simply has to give the deal a thumbs up and the house is purchased!! In the mean time, think of it like asking that amazing girl/guy you had a crush on out back in high school. They said they would get back to you soon. So, you wait all excited, stressed, nervous, etc. What if they say no?!?!? What if they say yes?!?! OMG... I'm freakin' out man! Then you look at your watch to realize that you have only waited 2 minutes. Ha! It happened to us all and you know how it went. Initially, I was supposed to hear a verdict yesterday morning. Now, this morning or maybe this afternoon?

On an unrelated note, I used to want the title of this post on a license plate. It was always taken and probably for the best. You really aren't getting out of a ticket with that tag.

Count Down...

2011-03-16T09:04:00.008-04:00

Well, here I am staring at the clock. Why you might ask? Well, I have a 530pm appointment today to look at a house and potentially write a contract on it! I'm full of this giant mix of excited and scared sh!tless. The excited part, that's pretty self explanatory. This place is very nice! For the scared part, there's actually two parts to that. First off, Holy Crap that's a lot of money! I know that for the typical person, a house is about the most expensive purchase they will ever make in their lives and for me, they are right. The money has been transferred and is standing by, I've crunched the numbers time and time again so it's simply time to make this move. That makes it no less scary. Did I mention that this is A LOT of money?

The second half, I don't want to get too excited about this place. There is another buyer that's in front of me. Basically, they have been flip flopping and the seller is sick of it. They have a deadline of 530pm today to get their collective sh!t together or hit the road and the place is free and clear! So, the count down/waiting game is on. Is it 530 yet?

Other bedroom, patio, garage, bathrooms, & unfinished space not pictured.

Update:The appointment to write the contract has been pushed back to Saturday morning. If I didn't have to work, I'd just spend the next two days in a bar so I could time travel! So, now I wait to see if I have to write a monster check.

House Hunting

2011-03-02T09:55:00.004-05:00

The past few months have found me house hunting for something nice, safe, and not insanely priced in my area. Let me tell you, that is no easy task! Taking into account my requirements, the miss' requirements and adding in financial restrictions deff. makes this a task. Also, I'm betting that the interest rate is set to go up soon. And for every 0.250% jump in rate, that's approx $15/$100k borrowed increase in monthly payment. Now, that might not seem like much but in a housing market that is already very expensive every little bit helps!

On a whim, we drove past a new construction development this past weekend. They were open, so we walked around a few properties. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, there was one there that fit just about all of the wants/needs on the list! The catch, it's at the tippy top of the budget. So, now we get into the waiting game to see who needs who more. Do we want this place more than they NEED to sell it? That is the 1/2 million dollar question. If the developer can bring the incentives and offer the same unit for what it sold last month or less and the bank can play ball with a better interest rate, I think we'll be there!!

This is still a TON of money, but a house is supposed to be one part home one part life style and one part investment, right?

Pissy

2011-02-24T11:36:00.001-05:00

Some days, everything just seems to piss you off. We all have those days. Something may have set you off a few days ago and you never really got over it. Or perhaps there is something new getting under your skin. Whatever the issue, it can be a total b!tch to shake off. Hi, welcome to my day! Is it the residual frustration from a few days ago when I lost hundreds of lines of code I was working on? Am I frustrated about the housing market? Who knows. All I know is, I'd like to shake this current funk asap before I say or do something I may regret.

Car Sales Tactics

2011-02-16T12:58:00.000-05:00

Being someone that used to sell cars for large dealerships, I keep my eyes and ears on the industry. For anyone that's passing by here that's in the market to BUY a car, please be aware of some common sales tactics. They do work, especially well on people that are not prepared and might find themselves driving home in a 1999 Neon paying $500/month for 60 months. I'm not saying every dealership out there is going to rip your head off, far from it. I'm simply saying that you should be prepared, think your decision through, be confident enough to walk away don't let anyone pressure you into something you are not comfortable/happy with.

The article snippet below (Wards Automotive, written by D. George) is a work sheet tactic and has several things that you as a consumer can look for. Is this a bad thing the dealership/sales staff is doing? Not all of it. He/She is just trying to build the value of the vehicle and ask for the sale. Is it wasting your time if you don't want the vehicle in question? Hell yes!! Read up on this tactic and look for the signs that it's being used against you. There are parts there that are a little sketchy to me as well. For example "tell them not to worry, you are going to see what you can do" is the polite equivalent of Shut It IMHO. It's one of those, the more you know situations.

Step One: Tell customers you are going to pull out a worksheet and fill out the information on the vehicle that interests them. You will start entering the vehicle details on the worksheet.

Step Two: Fill in the vehicle-equipment list. Do not use abbreviations such as PW for power windows. Put down as much detailed vehicle information as you can. That builds value.

Step Three: Always write down the manufacturer's suggested retail price in the space provided, not the sale or discounted price or they want to start to negotiating from the lower price. If the customer says that they are not paying the MSRP, tell them not to worry, you are going to see what you can do. Do not negotiate at this point. Complete the worksheet first.

Step Four: Fill in the information on your vehicle stock number, customer's telephone numbers, driver's license, how they heard of the dealership, etc.

Step Five: Ask them in whose name will the vehicle will be registered. This establishes mental ownership and closing.

Step Six: Ask: “And providing everything works out, when would you like to get the vehicle?” Regardless of their answer, do not write it down. If you close the sale, they will want the vehicle right away. No matter what date or time they say, always ask them if ASAP would be OK. Let your F&I manager set up the delivery time.

Step Seven: Write the following personalized note on your dealership worksheet. Tell the customer you are going to make a note for yourself and your manager. Read it to them. It should say: “Mr. & Mrs. Customer will get the vehicle today now, only if the price, payments or difference figure is agreeable with them.” Do not ask the customer to initial your note until you have turned your worksheet around to them and reviewed everything on it.

The very last thing you will do is ask them to initial your personalized note. This note should be repeated until your customer fully understands it. The note states they want to get the new vehicle ASAP only if everything is agreeable with the customer and the dealership. If they will not initial it, you might have overlooked something. Re-clarify everything. Once your note has been initialed, start your negotiations.

You do not need a signature on the worksheet until the final agreed upon-numbers have been achieved. After every worksheet has been completed and you have agreed on a number with your customer; a proper and complete bill of sale must be done.

Wrap Up: The more people you get to a worksheet, the more people you will close. Every dealership will have its own version of a worksheet.

Valentines Day 2011

2011-02-15T12:18:00.005-05:00

Every year, I say I'm not gonna do anything. And every year I mean it. This year, I caved. This year wasn't a huge ordeal, but I think it was low key and nice. There were flowers, and wine, and beers, and snacks, and a quiet dinner. We started off with some nice smoked gouda topping crackers and homemade bread with a couple pints of light pilsner. This was immediately followed by some trashy trashy TV to prepare for the dinner course.

The dinner course consisted of seared, broiled, & sliced strip steaks, with seared scallops served over sauteed mushrooms and garlic. Creamy mashed potatoes with bright green peas & asparagus with peppers complete the plate. The meal is served with a side salad, filtered water, & a bottle of Mark West Pinot Noir. If that wasn't enough, let's finish off the meal with freshly baked yellow cup cakes with whipped cream cheese icing. It was a quiet night in and everything was very tasty even if there was waaaaay too much food!

Jeep Group

2011-02-14T13:12:00.002-05:00

I haven't really been able to connect to my Jeep group folks. I am on the list serve, I try going to the meetings and I've been on trails but not really anyone I would actually pick up the phone to call. One guy annoys the living sh!t outta me. Not because he's a bad guy, but simply for the reason that his grammar is always crap on the list serve. I know, trivial right? It is. And I get that he is excited but 10-15 exclamation points at the end of multiple sentances on a post?

Wow, that's cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

See how annoying that is? Moving on. I went to my meeting last night. I got to see the Land Rover guys sitting at their own table, the officers at their own table... It's a basic high school break out social structure and is interesting to watch. Me? I'm just off somewhere in the middle. Somewhere and no where at the same time. I'm not technically even a member. I've been a candidate for over a year now I think. It's clear I just don't click with these guys, but I think the fault is mine. I can't get mad at the group if I don't make very much of an effort to get to know these guys.

I have been very confused about the meetings until something clicked to help me make sense of it all last night. To me, the meeting was something I had to go to in order to get details on events and say hi. To everyone else, the meeting is just something that happens during a genearl dinner and get together of a bunch of guys that all hang out anyways. I've been looking at it completely backwards. They bring their wives and kids and make an evening out of something that takes me 30 mins of commuting to spend 30 minutes attending. Hopefully with this adjusted understanding of their meetings and the upcoming day trip next weekend I'll be able to make some connections with some of these guys. I mean, I am pretty cool!!

The Dentist

2011-02-09T10:25:00.002-05:00

I'd like to start off by saying, I hate the dentist. And if that wasn't clear enough, allow me to tell you that I really hate the dentist. I knew it was time to go as I had dodged this visit for some time, so I picked the place almost at random. I say almost, b/c my dental insurance had a say in it.

I arrived to a very nice reception area complete with a mini fridge with bottled water and assorted beverages, comfortable leather furniture, and several varieties of coffee for a Keurig machine. The entire office is very new, but this reception area is actually nicer and more pleasant than some lounges in upscale car dealerships that I've been in. The technology in the office appears to be top notch. In addition to the standard x-rays, they also use tiny cameras that take full color images of each individual tooth to display on a series of very nice Samsung LCD screens. These same LCD screens allow you to channel surf, if you so wish, the local channels while the professionals are poking, prodding, filling, drilling, etc.

The people are also very kind. I'll admit, when I'm somewhere I don't want to be I'm probably not the most pleasant fellow. I was greeted with smiles from everyone from reception to dental assistant to the dentist himself. My hygienist was very very very very patient with me and my apprehension to dental offices and did, in my opinion, just about everything she could to attempt the impossible task of making me feel comfortable.

Someone left a tip on FourSquare stating that Dr. Dudley was a cool guy. Come on... he's a dentist! I mean, your buddy could be a cool guy who also happens to be a dentist. But a cool dentist? Never! Guess who is eating there words right about now with freshly flossed teeth... this guy! I wasn't thrilled by my diagnoses (time to have the wisdom teeth out) but that's my own fault and I have to admit Dr. Dudley actually was very cool guy. As I waited to check out, I saw him going from patient to patient much like a good manager would touch every table on opening night. Everyone was doing well and he had great rapport with seemingly everyone. That last bit is rather impressive.

Do I like the dentist any more? No, and I doubt I ever will for the rest of my life. Will I go back to this office and try to tackle the horrible chore of regular dental work? Absolutely. If it has to be done, you might as well get it done at a nice office.

Auto Ads

2011-02-07T10:18:00.003-05:00

Dear Automotive Advertising companies, on the off chance you swing by this page I have a suggestion for you. Please try not to reuse the same themes or music from previously aired advertisements from your competitors. I'm pulling for you Chrysler, I really am. But this is just sloppy of your advertising guys. The VW Jetta VR6 ad using J. Ralph's One Million Miles Away was a brilliant commercial that inspired an emotional response for many and I know I'm not the only one that remembers it. You guys can do better.

A Husband is...

2011-02-06T11:54:00.004-05:00

Having only been married 3 months today, I'm clearly no expert. But, over the past few months I feel like I've learned more and more of what is expected or what you do as a husband and this list keeps cropping up in my head. It's not a full exhaustive list, just what's on the top of my head and I thought I'd share it with you.

An arbitrator
A comedian
A confidante
A cook
An electronics guru
An EMT
An entertainer
An event planner
A fashion consultant
A financial planner
A fitness coach
A friend
A handyman
A lover
A mechanic
A mediator
A nurse
A personal assistant
A personal shopper
A protector
A provider
A repairman
A tax accountant
A tech support specialist
Patient
Patient
Patient

Friday Friday Friday...

2011-01-31T14:30:00.004-05:00

This past weekend, I decided it was time to free my inner red-neck. The result... Monster Jam! Big monster trucks jumping and crushing, dirt bike free style jumping, & atv quad racing. This was quite an experience since I hadn't been to one of these events since I was 8. The one thing I managed to remember, BRING EAR PLUGS! Those trucks are loud as hell and I was sitting not a few rows from where they were staged up. When I was younger I was sooooo in awe of this whole show, but I think having it indoors in this small venue really took away from some of the trucks being able to go faster or jump farther. If that's not the case and 6 trucks sitting side by side waiting to crush a few cars one or two at a time is all the show is, then I think they might need to step it up. I'm gonna blame it on lack of space though.

I don't know if DC received this show as well as other area's of the country or even took it as seriously. For many around here, it was just something neat to watch but I get the feeling that other shows the audience really get into the drama of who is winning and the rivalries b/t the drivers. I'm still confused what happened with all the booing for the ATV driver and him calling the attendee's stupid. It really resembled some ads I've seen for WWE wrestling.

In an unrelated comment... I honestly felt bad for the cars. What a horrible way to die. I know, they've all been gutted and there are no interiors or glass or electronics or gas tanks or engines or anything... but still. That's a little sad. Let's see the monster trucks crush each other! I'd go see that for sure.

Tax Shenanigans

2011-01-30T10:38:00.002-05:00

For those of you that didn't know, the state of NC is starting to hurt for money right now. Pretty soon, they are gonna be in a Californiaesque situation if they aren't careful. The combination solid influx of the Hispanic population that doesn't file taxes, the out sourcing of textiles & furniture, and the increasing laws against tobacco thus reducing smokers is putting the whole state in a world of hurt. For these and many other reasons, the NC Revenue Service is basically looking anywhere they can to pinch a dollar.

What does this have to do with me you ask? Well, many years ago I couldn't afford to pay my tax bill in full. I got onto a payment plan and paid monthly over the course of... well, too long. My final payment was in 2005 when my account was paid in full and closed.

Fast forward to last month. Turns out some lazy a$$hole neglected to check the "Account Paid in Full" box. As a result, they charged me a penalty for the first year. Then interest on that penalty, and another penalty in the following year. Interest on that penalty and another the following year... you get the idea. I was never notified about this until all of a sudden, my checking account is VERY light due to a couple of strange charges that the bank is not allowed to dispute. Basically, they (NC Revenue Service) waited until I wouldn't have time to dispute these charges (you know, the whole 7 years thing?) and billed me for everything for my convenience. Thanks! That's very sweet of you.

Luckily for me (and sad for you), I am OCD and keep nasty records. After a little research and trial/error I got on the phone with someone at the Revenue Service that was fluent in English and told them the date and time that I paid this last tax bill. They apologized and released my money very shortly there after. Annoying? Yes. But glad I was able to get that corrected quickly.

Financial Advisor

2011-01-25T14:36:00.004-05:00

In two days, I'm going to see a financial analyst. I'm not super excited, but I know it's good for me. Kind of like the financial equivalent of going to the dentist perhaps. Can you tell I'm not excited? Here's what I think he'll tell me:

I'm doing everything wrong

I should eat bread and water for the next 30 years

Do nothing but save for retirement

I keep thinking about a financial show on MSNBC where people call in and ask if they can buy something. Be it a car, or an investment property or a puppy. Personally, I think these people are a little nuts. How on earth do they expect folks to have that much cash on hand? I shouldn't have to have $50k in my savings account to be able to justify buying a candy bar! Perhaps a little irrational, but that's where my head is when thinking about this topic.

The Mix

2011-01-24T16:50:00.003-05:00

Well, there's no fooling myself. I'm soooooo far out of the mix, I have no clue what day it is. Esp. since my old circle moves/changes so rapidly. Asking questions to the folks I keep in touch with yields names I don't know and situations I wasn't a part of. I'm using this down time to get plenty of rest to get over that damned flu I had, and to really shape up my credit. I mean, I do hope to buy a house one of these days and this breather (financial or otherwise) is long over due. If I do get back to hanging out, I wonder if I'll even know anyone by then?

The Damned Flu

2011-01-21T09:28:00.002-05:00

It happens every year. Not always at the same time, but once a year I get sick as a dog. You know the kind, layed out in your PJ's growing a beard to rival Paul Bunyan's! This year, it got me right around MLK weekend and it was the full blown flu. I generally refuse flu shots b/c the only time I took a flu shot, I got the damned flu. What happened this year?? It's all good, glad I got it out of my system and now the rest of the year can be clear sailing! I think I even shed a few pounds since I wasn't really eating, just sleeping/reading/vegging for a few days.

My Lazy Birthday

2011-01-13T10:57:00.001-05:00

This birthday isn't a major mile stone, more like just another year. As such, I figured taking it easy was the way to go. I had already worked many extra hours earlier in the week so taking the day off was no sweat and no leave burned. The plan was simple, sleep in and then spend the day playing video games in my PJ's! Just to make sure I would be tired enough to sleep in, I stayed up entirely too late watching an old show I rediscovered on Netflix called Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. I actually stayed up watching long enough to hear my upstairs neighbor fall up the stairs!

In the morning, wide awake! Damn. I know, I'll count sheep... 1... 2... and next thing I know it's 11:30! That's more like it. After a nice day of sleeping in, my mom stopped by with Chinese junk food for lunch to truly make me feel like a bum! The entire day was spent on the couch watching assorted shows on the DVR or Netflix. The evening is a small get together at a local bar on the Orange line where I've been known to have a few pints & enjoy a burger. For my birthday, I did just that & finished it off with a little Karaoke down the street. The miss got a darn tasty cake, despite me asking her several times not to do so. All in all, a very relaxing day followed by a fun night.

2010 in Breif

2011-01-07T09:20:00.005-05:00

2010 was a big year for me in a lot of ways. A lot of firsts and many, many changes. Where to begin... well, a girl I started dating moved in with me, then we got engaged and finally towards the end of the year married in Vegas! That was pretty huge. In addition, my previous roommate moved out and started up on his own in a one bedroom which I think was good for him.

The Jeep had a busy year with about the biggest snow storm the city had ever seen and then the whole tire/suspension fiasco with NTB. All in all, it's much bigger now with many new goodies including suspension set up, sway bar disconnects, new lighting, new front bumper, new speakers, new winch... you get the idea. Oh yeah, and it's paid off! It deff had a good year!

This year, I went on my first ever Cruise. And wouldn't you know it... our boat broke down in the middle of the water! That won't turn me off from cruise ships, but that will sure as hell turn me off from Carnival cruise lines. Thanks but no thanks. If I don't show up, You guys keep all my money. But if you don't deliver, you still keep my money? That doesn't seem fair. On the travel front, I only went on one ski trip but I did get to play in Vegas for a week which was fun. My previous job sent to the exotic destinations of Cleveland and Indy a few times. Woot.

Helping the consumer economy of this country is one thing I did very well. Never mind xmas gifts for other people or Jeep parts or travel or dinner tabs or happy hours... (damn!) This year, I got rid of my damned Sony Vaio for an Apple MacBook Pro. Almost a year later, and I'm still extremely happy with it! I also went back to the iPhone and I haven't tossed it against a wall yet. My opinion remains the same, it's a great toy and a fun device but a crappy phone. For function, Blackberry beats it hands down. And to close out the year, my new home theater set up complete with Samsung LED TV, Samsung BluRay, surround sound speakers, wiring, and a Polk Audio sub. This has been a good year for toys.

I started an awesome job which I'm really enjoying. More technology based and the people are very nice. Not to say that the folks at my previous job weren't nice, I just like the work over here much much better. The pay ain't bad either!

I finished off the year in a nice intimate setting at my place with a few friends. Nothing huge, just a couple of us nerding it up on some rock band with a couple bottles of bubbly, some take out thai food, & a couple beers. All in all, I think this was an excellent year. Changes? Yes, but you gotta roll with it in order to grow as a person.

2007 Honda CR-V

2011-01-04T17:13:00.011-05:00

Aaaah 2007 CR-V from Honda... How I hate you!! But why? I just can't put my finger on it. Is it the under powered engine that I have to wind up to pass anyone? The styling that makes me want to run off to the Dress Barn and buy something beige? How about the interior storage areas that are just perfectly the wrong size and placement making me think of a pair of pants with the pockets sewn upside down?

Maybe it's all of that, however, I this have teensy hang up, you are actually quite good at everything I throw at you. Cargo space is rather spacious and folding the seats flat to the floor allows for easy moving of large objects. 5 fit comfortably for road trips while returning a decent 27mpg hwy on 87 octane. Nothing breaks and the maintenance is rather inexpensive.

Despite the good traits, your driving dynamics make me believe that in order to achieve the MPG listed, you suck away a little bit of my soul every mile we spend together. I find myself speeding not to test your bath tub like handling, but rather so that our time can end that much sooner. Every second makes me happy! Every time I step on the gas peddle, it breaks my heart and makes me wonder why Honda would choose to mate this engine/transmission combo to anything that weighs more than a stapler?

Ultimately, and I say this grudgingly, you are really quite good. You are very good at everything you do and every test I put your through. Maybe that's the source of my angst and why I hate you? Safety, fuel consumption, reliability, cargo/passenger volume, stereo, all good. You are my wife's car, and if you sucked at anything I could find a teeny tiny bit of leverage to try to be rid of you for something that has an ounce or (dare I dream) two worth of fun behind all that sheet metal? But no. You are in my life sucking out my car loving gear head soul until you die and knowing the Honda rep for reliability, that will be another 10 years if I'm lucky but probably closer to 30. Don't you worry, I've got a little happy dance ready to go the day you and I finally part ways.

This post was written in the showroom of a Honda dealership on my MacBook Pro.

Owner's Manuals

2010-12-29T10:37:00.002-05:00

Here's a little tid bit that may help you out in the new year. I've just started tracking down all of my owners manuals in PDF version and keeping them using google docs. Think about it, you know you have that one gadget at home that you have to set something on once a year and you always forget how to. Do you want to dig through a bunch of papers that are collecting dust to figure it out? Of course not! Instead, just log into your account, look it up, and be on your way. I'm shocked I didn't think of doing this sooner.

Breakfast

2010-12-28T13:45:00.002-05:00

Lately, I've been bringing in my own breakfast from home and nuking it to have a hot meal at the office. For very little money (approx $1.50), you get a hella tasty looking plate. All you need is a microwave and to keep some syrup at your desk. Yum!

Christmas 2010

2010-12-25T17:19:00.000-05:00

This year, being my first year of being a married person, the plan was to have a family meal at the house. Initially, the in-laws were gonna come up and it would have been a whole big event. They said nay, so it got scaled down to just brunch & presents with the local fam up here. Next, the local fam up here got flaky. Why? I will never know. I didn't think it was too much to ask to show up and eat free food while receiving gifts. In the end, there were 4 of us eating some awesome Cinnabuns & drinking mimosas. I think it ended up nice & simple. Next year, will be a bigger ordeal in the area as more and more family shows up for this event.

What presents you might ask. Well, let's see... My mom's mom ended up with some nice clothes and gift cards including a cashmere sweater. Mom now has a game cube, combined with game boy advance player all so she can play Dr. Mario! She also got some stuff for her dog and a couple of items for her kitchen. She finally got a pair of tongs, which I think is a great kitchen item that too many people over look owning.

Me? I did alright with a new Optima Deep Cycle battery for the Jeep, a nice Yakima hitch mounted bike/ski/snowboard rack combo that I've been eying for years now, & some cash. The miss' and I both got bath robes, but those had to go back to the store since neither of us would have ever worn them. The big gifts were from me to me!! That would be my new TV set up that I picked up late last month complete with 3d BluRay player, 3d glasses, 3d movies (all 4 Shrek movies!), and a wireless card for the TV. Yes, both the TV & the BluRay player are wireless. I also got myself the new Logitech Harmony One universal remote, and let me just say that this thing rocks!

But the big winner for the second year in a row, I'd have to say was the miss'. Bringing home the gold was an Apple LED monitor, HP wireless all in one color laser printer, Apple Magic Mouse, & Apple Keyboard. Basically, a new home office and it is sweet! OK, maybe I do get some perks from that... printing from the couch is just damn cool. What else... she got some fleece PJ's, some cash, 3 pairs of gloves & a fancy pair of winter boots. Deff the big winner. The irony is, she's not very materialistic so her getting the most gifts makes me chuckle.

All in all, it was a good holiday with some good gifts. I only wish we actually got all that snow we were promised, that would have been the icing on top of this holiday season.

Bars? What Bars?

2010-12-24T11:05:00.002-05:00

December has NOT been a good month for me as far as getting out and socializing. I would say my time spent at bars has dropped by 300% or more? This little factoid is bit of a double edged sword to be honest. On the one hand, yes I don't get out to hang out as much as I'd like to which has been substituted with time at the house either doing little projects around the house or logging in some hours on my PS3. On the other hand, I'm not taking in the calories of bar food & drinks and I'm saving a lot of money on bar tabs which is helping me pay off some old stuff that I've been dragging for way too long. All in all, I'd say it's good? I just hope my friends remember me when it comes to party invites and what not.

Gifts

2010-12-23T12:18:00.004-05:00

Looking at the lovely tree and all the gifts under it, it's hard to believe that there is any sort of recession going on at all!! I'm going to take a stab at guessing a few of my gifts to see if I'm right. There is a long rectangular box - Guessing that is a Yakima hitch mounted bike rack. The heavy a$$ box - new optima deep cycle battery for the Jeep. Funky shaped little package - Samsung Link Stick. Large rectangular box in the back... Monitor? Oh, and one guess I do want to make based on the hints that I got when it came in the mail... I think the miss' is getting me a copy of Little Big Planet for the PS3 for my birthday. If I got that last one right, I'll be really impressed since the clues were so vague!

Now I know it sounds like I've gotten a ton of things, and in truth it feels like I have. err... will have on xmas day. But the person that is going to clean up here, (for the second year in a row) is the miss'. I have a feeling she's got gifts on top of gifts coming out of the wood works. I think it kind of makes sense, she's the baby (in the sense that she's the youngest) of the whole family on my side, and she's the only girl on both sides. I think that combo equals gift central!! Even though she's not a materialistic person, I hope she enjoys all her new goodies.

Since this picture, the gift pile has grown considerably but I don't have another pic handy so this is the one I'm using. I've been advised to hang on to this picture, and compare it to what the tree will look like if/when we have young kids. I'm told it's like night and day!

Ram Crew

2010-12-21T14:08:00.003-05:00

The dealership down the street from me has just taken stock of a handful of new Dodge trucks, INCLUDING a loaded up 2011 Ram Crew Laramie LOADED with everything I want (Sun roof, tow hooks, 5.7L V8, power everything, touch screen gps w/ iPod input, & more). Grrrr. What's more, this is a great time of year to buy. They are offering deals of 14% off of sticker right now. Never mind the deal you can potentially make when you are at the dealership. I know, do I REALLY need a truck now? Yes & no. But, can I justify having two vehicles with factory spec MPG's under 20? Not yet I can't! I'll tell you this much, if I wasn't so attached to the Jeep, I'd be at the dealership swapping something in today!

We

2010-12-19T10:56:00.000-05:00

Something I'm learning about myself is my weariness of using possessive pronouns with regards to couples. Think "ours" or "we." I know I'm hitched now and things that I do I generally do with the miss' so statements like "we did this" or "this is ours" are to be considered normal. I just don't like using this type of speech. I don't know why, but it really grates on me when other folks do it too. Maybe it's the loss of individuality that is subtly associated with it? I have no idea. I'm a me, the Miss's is a she. Instead of 'we' I'll hang onto saying "The miss' and I" for a while longer.

Volvo

2010-12-16T14:17:00.002-05:00

I'm not sure how many of you know this, but I help people buy and sell their cars. It's some thing of a hobby of mine and I'd like to think I'm actually quite good at it. Among the people I've helped is my mother. She has a Volvo similar to the one pictured here. She's had it for a few years now, but TODAY she finally admitted that she liked it! After years of pointing out things she doesn't like and other cars that do things better or differently... Today she said it's a good car and she really likes it thanks to it's snow performance. Woot! Time to celebrate!

The Nerding Continues

2010-12-14T16:03:00.000-05:00

Recently, I got the new GT5 game and It's deff very cool. But as with many of my games, I like to play two at the same time. Well, not simultaneously... I'd need to PS3's! But alternating one then the other. Right now, I've swapped back over to an FFXIII streak. I'm getting back into it. I'm finally at a point where my characters are building up some experience and I can see them developing. Basically, I'm making progress in my game and getting into it. Woo! Down side? They keep track of how many hours you've logged on the game and it's taken me 39 hours to get here. Damn. And now I'm even more hooked. D'oh! This is gonna take me back to the days of FFXII all over again, isn't it??

Amazon

2010-12-11T21:12:00.002-05:00

In case getting rid of much of my stuff on craigslist wasn't enough, I've added amazon to my bag of tricks. At first glance, it is excellent!! They make it very easy to list items (I mean very easy!) and you have access to an insanely huge customer base to shop your items. Either I listed my items for too little money or there is just a demand for what I'm selling. Regardless, 6 items sold in 2 days? Woot! The draw back... Amazon loves to ream the seller when it comes to commission time. Never mind that you almost always take a hit with shipping, beyond that their commission is averaging 29%??? That's effing loan sharking rates!

Sure the fee's blow, but product gets sold. Bottom line, if you spend $0 stocking your inventory (aka selling off stuff in your house that you want gone) this isn't a bad route to go. Will you get rich? Helllllllllllll no! Will you have a couple bucks in your pocket and the stuff you wanted out in the hands of someone that wanted it fairly easily? Yes, yes you will.

Update: To view what I'm currently selling, click here!

Lucky #3!

2010-12-04T17:55:00.001-05:00

This weekend, I went out shopping for a wedding band. Yes, another one. I thought it was done after this as well... buuut no. I've been trying to get used to the wedding band I received on my wedding day however it just bloody hurts! No jokes, it actually caused my hand physical pain. After I got used to wearing it on my thumb, I finally went to a jewelry store to find out what the problem is. Turns out it was a two fold issue. The ring was almost a size too big & when you use Tungsten Carbide, the ring is generally thicker b/c of the metal. Well, that explains some things. I guess my fingers have shrunk almost a size since the summer. Less heat, less humidity = smaller fingers?

So, the first ring was the wrong design & engraving. The second ring just hurt. So, for number 3 I went with a simple plain band in white gold. The simplicity of the design & the different metal have cut down the size & weight of the ring a ton! It also helped to be able to try one on to feel the difference in the store so that there's no lucky number 4! I'll still keep my original band as a keep sake. This new shiny one is the one I'll wear daily. Now, if I could only keep from scuffing & scratching it up so much...

Thankful

2010-12-02T15:18:00.000-05:00

In the upcoming holiday times, take a look around and think of some of the things you are thankful for. Not preaching here, I've just been thinking about this for the past few days. Here are five from me to get you started on your own list:

My beautiful wife
Awesome friends who are still there for me (even if I'm not closing down the bars with them every night)
Supportive Family
My kick a$$ job
My toys! (God I love toys!)

Grandma

2010-12-01T11:57:00.000-05:00

You took me in as one of your own when I was little and gave me a home. 25 years later, all we have left is a lunch date to talk about the weather. Sad.

Stupid holidays. Making me all sentimental.

New TV (Yes, again!)

2010-11-29T11:18:00.003-05:00

While a little unexpected to me, it has happened again. I've taken the plunge into yet another big electronic gizmo. I know, no one else is even remotely shocked! I had a ridiculously expensive model on my xmas gift wish list and the miss' pointed out to me that no one is gonna get me that, but if I researched the one I wanted that was reasonable, there was a chance. Enticed by the carrot that is a new big screen TV, I researched and read and studied and price compared. I finally narrowed my study down to a few models and took a look in person. Clearly, that was the straw that broke the camels back and made me say screw getting it as a present, I think the deals are better now and I'll just go ahead and get it now! In my defense, the deals this past week are the best they have been this entire year.

So, I now have a new Samsung LED 3d TV & I freakin love it!! I'm a gadget freak and I've never ever seen a TV with this level of clarity. I honestly feel like I'm discovering all of my shows all over again. It has some cool web enabled features, and yes it's 3d which is nice. But, I'm really excited about the day to day HD shows that I watch on FiOS, the movies I stream using Netflix, and gaming on my PS3. I'm absolutely blown away!! Ok, since it IS a 3d TV, I went ahead and picked up a 3d Bluray player and 3d starter kit (4 3d movies & 2 pairs of glasses). I couldn't have all this goodness and not use it! As if that wasn't enough, turns out it's compatible for 3d gaming. I cannot wait to see GT5 in 3d. Did I mention that the TV was 1.0 inches thick?? B/c it is! And as an added bonus, my ridiculous TV put me back on the Best Buy Reward Zone premier status. Woot!

Happy Turkey Day 2010

2010-11-28T10:21:00.002-05:00

This year, my Turkey day finds me at the house of the miss'. Did I ever mention that her mom can COOK? I mean, damn. She's like a mini Martha Stewart minus the financial scandal charges of course. Many choices for appetizer courses, tons of entree courses, 3 desert options, and plenty to drink. Holy hell!! I think no one was truly prepared since we all stuffed our faces with the apps.

It was... I want to say strange, but that's not it... to be back in that house sitting in the exact same spot on the counter as I did when I was 17 watching her mom cook up a feast. I was welcomed of course and everyone was very nice. I just couldn't shake the feeling that I was still in high school being there. I could hardly sleep even though I was sharing a room with my wife, it was still strange for me. I know, it makes no sense. I'm closer to middle age than to being a teenager, but I just couldn't shake it. I'm sure I'll grow into being there and being a part of this new family.

The Feast!

Appetizers:
Cajun Spiced Peanuts (not too hot - mostly garlicky)
Pate du Maison (pork meat not liver)
Cajun French Mustard
Cornichon
Toasted French Bread Rounds (pick your name for these)
Smoked Oyster Dip piped into Endive Boats
Deviled Eggs

Dinner:
Florida Salad (pink grapefruit, avocado, pomegranate seeds, mixed greens)
Cajun Roast Turkey (14-16 lbs)
Cajun Sausage Dressing
Roux Gravy
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Spinach and Shrimp Casserole (a'la Aunt Louise)
Acorn Squash Rings w/ Brown Sugar and Cranberries
Green Beans with Gorgonzola and Chestnuts
Pickled Beets
Hot Pepper Jelly
Lollieberry Ring
Cranberry Sauce
Honey Wheat Dinner Rolls

Desserts:
Pumpkin Pie
Pecan Pie
Apple Cobbler

Beverages:
Cava
Wine
Assorted Beer
Perrier
Coffee

Froggy

2010-11-18T16:56:00.003-05:00

This image just makes me laugh every time I look at it. Thought I'd share.

Married Life, Week 1

2010-11-16T09:35:00.002-05:00

In case you guys didn't know, I got hitched. Who'da thunk it, right? So far, things are going great. I know, I know, newly weds... everything is sunshine... blah blah blah. I'm just gonna keep on enjoying it while it's going well. The only change so far is that we've been hitting the grocery store more, which I guess makes sense since she's a really good cook. She likes to cook, I like to eat... seems like a win to me! The house still looks very much the same, but once all of her stuff finds its way up to the city, I'm sure the look of things will start to change a bit. I just hope it doesn't start to look cluttered. I really like keeping it clean and simple, but some would call that bare. Only time will tell, right? But, so far so good.

GT5...

2010-11-15T16:37:00.003-05:00

...is FINALLY going to be released. Only 8 more days!! My copy has been pre-ordered for months. I'm excited what they have done with this franchise and I can't wait to see the rendering that an HDMI cable, a 1080p LCD tv & a PS3 can do together. Woot!

Nerves

2010-11-06T16:45:00.001-04:00

You know, ever since we started dating (again) or I knew I was going to propose or the entire time I've been engaged people kept asking me if I was nervous about the wedding and my answer was always the same. Nope. The only time I've ever felt nervous about any of this was about 2 hrs before the ceremony when I pulled my tux out of the closet before I got in the shower to get ready for my own wedding. Wish me luck. This will be my last post as a single guy! Now then, let's find a bar to steady my nerves!

Vegas Bound

2010-11-02T08:31:00.003-04:00

Less than 8 hours till I'm on a plane to Vegas with the miss' for the longest vacay that I have taken in I don't know how long. Maybe since college? There is a pretty solid crew coming out there with us as well, around 35 total. I'm excited to see how the week plays out and hope everyone will have a great trip. I'm also hoping a little time in an airplane with some quiet will help me get my thoughts together and draft up something brilliant to post. Until then, I have a stack of drink tickets & still hope to buy everyone on the plane a drink for this trip!

BSG

2010-11-01T14:35:00.004-04:00

I don't know why now, or why in general but I've gotten into Battle Star Galactica in a big way. Maybe I was confused why Katee Sackhoff kept showing up in Big Bang Theory and needed to understand her character? Either way, I've been streaming the entire series using netflix and knocking out a little of each season daily. It's nice to be able to watch them straight through one after the other in order rather than waiting for episode by episode each week. I'll tell you this, it's only a matter of time before I say frack something & reveal my true nerdyness!!

Halloween 2010

2010-10-31T15:25:00.001-04:00

This year, I was just not super psyched about Halloween like I have been in years past. I picked up a costume last minute, I went as an angel. The costume was pretty comfy since I could just wear jeans under it and be good to go. The miss' went as a devil, so I guess it was a little cutesy. The funniest part was that I kept getting questions on who it was that I am marrying (since I'm gettin hitched soon) and I got respond with "the devil". Ha!!

A Gift Giving Guide

2010-10-25T09:29:00.003-04:00

I'll admit, I'm not the easiest person in the world to shop for from other peoples perspectives. I know this about myself, so I try to make it easy yet folks are still confused. So, I've decided to break it down and make life easy for all your gift giving needs!!

Know The Gift

Chances are, at some point you got sick of thinking about it so you just flat out asked me. Congrat's! You just saved yourself a ton of head aches. Very soon, you will get an email from me with direct links or a detailed list on what items I would actually want/need/like. Simply click the links and move one with your life. Some even come gift wrapped (if you are into that sort of thing!) for you. All of the items I listed cannot be found or are out of stock you say? In that case, continue to the next step.

Don't know the Gift

At this point, you have given up and thrown your hands in the air and said "F*** it, I'll just get something else or something similar." One word of advice, "don't." Or if you insist, please bring the receipt and a thick layer of skin for when I return it. Please understand, it's not that I'm ungrateful or a complete a$$. It's that I'm a minimalist. And minimalists don't keep a lot of idle stuff, trinkets, or nick-nacks around.

Other Options??

So, no gift & you don't wanna get me something I'll just have to return? Good on ya! At this point, folks turn away from gift cards... I don't know why. They are lovely, simple, easy to transport and to gift wrap. Gift cards for a dinner or a fast food lunch or a pint at a bar are all very nice. Or, go more direct. Invite me out and pick up the check or buy me a beer sitting next to me at the bar. All of those gestures are appreciated. Need something small and nowish? Have you considered just getting me a Diet Coke? See?? Simple!

Lowered Expecations

2010-10-24T10:00:00.002-04:00

Someone wise recently beat me over the head with the concept that "I really do expect too much from other people."

1 hour from now

2010-10-23T17:40:00.004-04:00

Here it is, the last hour before my very own bachelor party. I still know nothing about what's going this evening. I've had a few hints dropped here and there, but I'm not sure those were intentional. The only guess I have right now is some sort of entourage type evening. There will be food. Anywhere from 20-40 guys in suits. We'll take over assorted ultra lounges and blare out some techno on the limo/bus that will be hauling us around. I'm sure at some point, strippers will be involved as well. I wonder if we'll move fast enough to keep up with my add?

This feeling reminds me of bid night. I don't know what to expect, but I'm in a suit with an emergency credit card in my sock ready to see where the night takes me. Nervous, curious, & excited.

Bachelor Party Weekend

2010-10-22T11:28:00.005-04:00

The clock is ticking and I'm about to start an epic weekend. The bummer is I'm actually sick. Bleh! I never get colds and now... damn! It's all good, booze kills sick germs, right? Right? I'm not sure what to say, I really want to put pen to paper to document this moment but I'm at a loss for a coherent post. Let's start with I basically have no clue what is going on. Being a person who is a planner, to be completely in the dark on an event like this is rather difficult for me. I keep playing this clip of scrubs over and over in my head and thinking... "Damn. Am I really as crazy as Dr. Reed is??" I feel like I'm not supposed to ask questions or any of that. But where as she only had 20 mins, I've had a few months!! Hell, I just found a few minutes ago what time I was supposed to be ready to go tomorrow! Well, kudos friends for keeping me in the dark as I'm sure you've worked very hard to do so. I know it'll be great and the suspense is part of the enjoyment, right??

I've been to many parties like this and even thrown a couple. Each and every time, It felt to me and to many of the folks involved that it was a fond farewell to the fellow getting married. Now being in the hot seat myself, I don't think that's the case. I'm not planning on vanishing or falling off the world. I still like to be out and party with the best of 'em. Will I be chasing skirts with you guys till 5am? Probably not, but I can still pull of one hell of a wing man!

My mind is all over the place and my thoughts are all jumbled. Not in a bad way, there's just so much going on in my life right now. I really wish I could write my blog entries in the shower in the morning. That's when it's all still fresh!

Inspiration

2010-10-17T11:30:00.001-04:00

Every day, I start my day off the same. Wake up (hitting the snooze button 4,000 times) drag outta bed, grab some fresh under garments and head to the shower. In the shower, I start to actually wake up... and in those few moments my mind is filled with things to write about, emails to send, & topics to discuss. I think on these topics and elaborate on them in my head with witty idioms & clever things to say. I'm ready. I'm booting up my computer I'm ready to share... and nothing. It's all gone all of a sudden. Why? What's up with that? I haven't lost the desire to share anything, but I just can't seem to write about anything. Instant writers block. It's very odd.

To counter this, I thought ok, let's try writing at the house. Well, let me tell you that plan ended before it even started. After staring at a blank screen for a while, nothin. Maybe I need the peace and solitude of an airplane flight or a hotel room to truly clear my head and put pen to paper if you will. I'll continue to research this further and update as often as I can force myself too. It's not a lack of things to say, of that you can be certain.

Business Woes

2010-10-13T09:28:00.005-04:00

Yesterday, I had to tell yet another dry cleaners to go fcuk themselves. Am I the only one who has this problem with businesses? If you have a big a$$ neon sign in the window that says "ALL ITEMS $2.25"... How much should all items be? I know, $2.25! That's crazy logic. After dealing with my current dry cleaners for a year or two, I actually looked at my receipt yesterday to find that their sign, which is over a foot tall and always lit, is clearly total crap. My simple suggestion of they should turn it off was clearly very confusing to them. So, now I'm on the hunt for another bloody dry cleaners. One that speaks English, takes credit cards, and is still a discount cleaner. Yeah, I know... Good luck. Thanks!

Stretched

2010-10-01T10:44:00.004-04:00

I have no idea what's been going on lately, but I'm feeling stretched very thin mentally and, gasp, emotionally. Everything seems like a challenge lately. Is it possible I am actually taking too much on? Are the upcoming nuptials and everything involved starting to take up more time/energy/focus to coordinate? I'm really not sure and this will take some thought on my part, but putting these ideas down on paper, if you will, has already helped with the thinking process.

Bar Time

2010-09-27T10:06:00.004-04:00

I know I always say I’m going to spend a little less time in bars, but I’m actually doing so for a change. The obvious positive effects can definitely be felt in the wallet, but I’m also seeing one side effect I didn't expect. When I was hanging out with friends in bars non-stop (6-7 days/week) it was fun, but I kind of got used to it and happy hours became very run in the mill things. Having cut way down to only 1 or 2 days/week, I find that I'm enjoying that bar time much much more. Maybe there really is something to that balance I'm seeking? Or as a wise man once said, "Everything in moderation"

Wall

2010-09-21T11:20:00.004-04:00

It finally happened. Motivationally, I hit a wall. I was riding in spin class yesterday and my mind went into the whole "this is dumb" "why am I doing this" "where are my results" "eff this, let's go to a bar" routine. I have been doing a great job thus far, I think. I've been working hard on my dieting (including portion control), hitting the gym, getting more sleep, & cutting way down on my boozing. It's frustrating not to see results when I know I'm working hard. But, I have to be patient and stick with it. You can't undo 6 years of bad behavior with a couple of crunches, right? Right! So, I gotta push on thru. I wonder if this has anything to do with the fact that my first 2 a day work out was the day before and I was physically exhausted? Also totally possible.

One of the most helpful things thus far in my weight loss goals has been the combination of my iPhone (which also has my iPod in it) and using the iFitness app. That is a great little app and already got a 5 star review on iTunes from me.

Weighed & Measured

2010-09-09T11:51:00.004-04:00

In my diet/fitness struggle, I've been attacking this issue from multiple angles. I recently joined a new gym which I really like, but before that I had been working on some dieting of my own. I've used the 'Eat This Not That' plan to cut down on calories while dining out, I've cut back on my booze intake, I've started getting more rest, and I'm on 'Diet to Go'. All of these sleep, lifestyle, & diet changes have started to yield a bit of result. Not much, but some. So, I am finally brave enough to step on a scale... Bad move. Not exactly where I'd hoped to be, which is unfortunate. But, since I never did a weigh in before I started on my fitness goals, I can only guess how much I did weigh a month ago before I started this plan of mine. Yikes!! Talk about the worst shape of your life! Ok, now... approx 20lbs to go. I can doooo it!

iPhone, Take 2

2010-09-07T12:41:00.006-04:00

If you've been following me for the past few years, you might have figured out that I'm both a techie and a gear head. In my techie interests, few battles are quite as heated for me as my never ending phone issues. So it might come as something of a surprise that I'm giving the iPhone another shot after the last go around:

Taking the Plunge

Still Fcuking with it

Today.. fcuk you iPhone

The Battle is Over

Why did I decide to give it another shot? Well, the track ball started giving me crap with my current BB curve and I started to look around for an upgrade/replacement. Other then running a little slow, I have had very few minor complaints with the device, it really has been great. I just got to the point where I was out growing it, mostly the processor.

I researched the two competing phones that I was interested in, The Blackberry Torch & the iPhone 4. After my previous iPhone and issues with it, I've been keeping a close eye on the market to see if anyone else had the same complaints or issues that I did. As it turns out, they did. Hmmm. Ok. But, how does it stack up to the competition of the Torch? Basically, I checked for things like ease of use, mail service, battery life, usefulness in the rest of my life, etc. When it comes to apps and web capability, the iPhone is a no brainer. Millions of apps vs. 9000 that blackberry offers. Do I really need all those different apps? No, but it's a comparison and this is a category. Next, the all important battery life. This was one of the things that sealed the coffin on the iPhone 3's life in my hands. The result was actually rather shocking... the iPhone 4 takes it hands down. WTG Apple... the people said battery life sucked and you listened!!

Keyboard. Now, this is a tough field since I'm still not 100% sold on the touch screen keyboards. However, both of these devices have them so I tried them both out. Typing was about equal on both. This is, much improved over iPhone 3 imho. Now, the berry does have the slide out qwerty keyboard which is nice so I'll have to give this point to the berry. The next biggie... mail server. Berry is god when it comes to mail servers. They are just better and faster. They used to be faster by days, now they are just faster by a few seconds. Berry still gets the nod, but Apple gets a thumbs up for leaps and bounds of improvement.

Tally it up, and they are about neck and neck when it comes to which one to choose. Even CNET put them almost tied in the ratings, but the iPhone 4 juuuuust barely inched ahead for them. For me? The iPhone made the cut this time as well. I appreciated all of the updates and enhancements they have made. Folders are an option now as well as multitasking. Those Type-A folks will be happy to know that you can kill apps running in the background as often as you'd like AND organize all of your apps in one page of folders. Add the new OS to new more potent battery and the ability to carry both phone/iPod as one device, and you've made a sale.

I'll grant you, I'm only a couple of days into it at this point, but it's looking much better then it did before. One issue that I think they have no plans of addressing: How big of a pain in the a$$ it is to get a decent ringtone on these things. The berries come preloaded with a ton of normal ringers and alarms while the iPhone comes with some and then tries to hit you with charges using iTunes to make you more. Bad form Apple, especially for a device that I just picked up for $300 (with contract, $600 w/o).

BYOK?

2010-09-02T11:15:00.004-04:00

If you didn't guess what that stands for, it's Bring Your Own Keyboard to work day for me. I asked for a new keyboard since I got someones hand-me-down where the keys took the letter I was trying for around 75% of the time and I was able to shake out dirt/bread crumbs daily. As you can imagine, it was a little frustrating. My request for a replacement was shelved until I could forget about it. Sad! Well, I took the matter into my own hands and picked myself up a Logitec wireless desktop combo. You can click the pic to see a larger view of it. I'm only on day one of using this set, but so far so good. Logitec products, I've noticed, offer an insanely long battery life and this set is no exception. The keyboard offers 3 years of battery life off of 2 AA batteries while the mouse offers 12 months off of the same. Toss in fully customizable commands, keys, and mouse features and you've got yourself one hell of a deal! Oh, did I mention I picked up the set for almost 70% off retail? That doesn't hurt either! The deals... I haz them!

Gettin in the gym of things...

2010-09-01T10:41:00.000-04:00

Get it? Ha. Anyways, I don't know what happened last weekend but I had this strong urge to pull away from the mix, scene, whatever you call it. I guess I need to handle my life and get ready for the big change coming up in 2 months? Eeeek!! A part of that has been cutting way back on my going out, b/c well I need to save some funds for a variety of things. The miss' is still on the job hunt, so that puts extra financial weight/stress on me and I need to be ready for it.

In addition to the financial aspect of things, I've joined a new gym and so far I really like it. For the first time in I don't know how long, I'm looking forward to hitting the gym. I hope this lasts, b/c I could really stand to shed some pounds. I saw a pic that the miss' had hung onto on her phone of my belly hanging out. BAAAADLY! I'm not amused. She claims I've lost a lot of weight since then, but it's all about perception and I don't see it. Back to the gym to punish the muscles and build them back stronger!!

The new gym is great. It's brand new, it's a very large building w/ free parking and a convenient location. The best part currently is that the surrounding properties aren't occupied yet, so most of the time this place is a ghost town!! Imagine it, no waiting for the machines, never a line to get into a class, plenty of lockers... I really like it. The new elliptical machines have an LCD TV (well, all the cardio stuff has TV's) and an LCD interface that includes ipod controls. And with the ipod controls, they integrate Nike + to help you track your work outs. Good stuff! All in all, I'm really enjoying this new spot. I know that I'm not out as much, and that shows in both the calendar and the ringing of the phone for further invites. It's difficult to resist the pull of the bar at times but I'm really focused on getting some results at the moment. I hope my real friends will still be around for the cameo's I can make in my never ending search for balance in life.

Holy Nostalgia!

2010-08-19T12:49:00.006-04:00

I don't know what's been going on lately. Maybe it's the time of year that freshman are heading off to college or what. But for some reason, I found myself taking a virtual tour of my old school. I found some pix of my old dorms and even spent a little time on google maps trying to find my old college house via satellite. I wonder if it's even still standing?!? Ha!!

Doesn't make any sense to me, why did I just got a pang for my college experience all of a sudden?? I know in my head that I went to my school at the peak of the good times. Both in my life and in the time period for that campus. And it's true, you can never have those days back but, some times it pulls at the memory/heart strings.

I spent one semester at this dorm and damn it was tiny. I'm not sure how they are able to cram two people in something that's half the size of my office!! My decorations were some empty clear plastic yogurt cups and a shelf stereo.

These long squat looking dorms with no elevators, they were only 3 floors tho, were the football dorms at the time. God knows how I ended up there, but it was quite the experience. I spent the rest of my on campus time on assorted floors of this dorm with way too many stories than can fit in a caption.

Wedding Bands

2010-08-18T11:48:00.006-04:00

After many many days of shopping, I finally found something that I liked. I intentionally said I found, b/c her's was very simple. Just a plain band that matched her engagement ring with some engraving. Done and done, mine was a tad bit more involved since I'm a little picky with what I wear. And this is an item I'm meant to wear day in and day out for a long time coming. First off, I don't really wear finger jewelry, so the feeling is odd to me for starters. Second, I'm not flashy so I had to find something plain and simple and not too shiny. Taking all those conditions in mind, I found a ring design that had some brushed texture down the center and shine on the edges. The inside was a slightly curved comfort fit and the outside was curved as well. No rough edges, get it? And to survive the abuse that products I use get, I went with Tungsten Carbide as it's about the hardest material they make rings out of.

We ordered the bands, and head out of the store to celebrate our weekend with some delish eats somewhere in the area. A week later I get an excited call that our bands are ready! Yay. Her ring, was just fine, looks lovely, and she's happy with it. My band, on the other hand, had been botched pretty badly. First off, the engraving was wrong... showing us getting married 3 days apart?? ha!! Annoying, but ok it happens. Worse, the ring design was completely wrong from the one that was ordered. Come on now, that's just poor showing by the company that you contract with. Amidst all the confusion, the big boss of the store decides to take charge of it. I really hope they get it right and the next trip will be the last one out there to get this stuff handled.

The Cake is a Lie

2010-08-14T10:55:00.000-04:00

Neat.

"The cake is a lie" was widely popular between Portal players, but soon it spread to forums and blogs where the phrase began to take on a new meaning outside of the context of the game. People were using the phrase, "The cake is a lie" on forums as an idiom meaning, "You are chasing after an empty, unattainable goal."

Meat, Meat, & More Meat!!

2010-08-10T14:44:00.002-04:00

This past weekend, the miss' & I went to a brazilian steak house. Been dying to check one out and now that I had, I felt compelled to leave a review of it on yelp. Here is that review for your entertainment!

Meat, meat, and more meat!! I hope you fast before you come here, b/c there was so much delicious food to eat that I was actually worried that exploding was a legitimate fear. The salad bar is stocked with fresh salads, sliced cold meats, & assorted sauces to go with your dinner. Please, do yourself a favor and hit that first for a bowl of their wonderful horseradish sauce before unbuckling your belt for serving on top of serving of fresh meats from the broiler.

The Meatadors** are swarming around the restaurant constantly with assorted cuts of meat. As soon as you flip your token over, you will have your choice of several different cuts in under a minute!! The beef rib is sooo juicy, the top Sirloin... to die for! A nice thin slice with just a little piece of fat on the edge that has been broiled to a nice crisp. I could have easily eaten on that Sirloin all night long and been deliriously happy. But wait, there's more... leg of lamb followed by lamb chops? Hell yes!

What's the hell?? A random waiter is dropping off plate after plate of sides? I've already eaten enough to feed a family of four for a week... but I trudge on. These mashed potatoes are so creamy, they could almost be a sauce unto themselves. In fact, I ended up using them as a sauce on my bacon wrapped boneless chicken. That's right, they have chicken as well as assorted pork. The Parmesan pork has a lovely flavor to it, but try to get it early in the evening as it does tend to dry out. At this point, I'm using my menu in the style of fat a$$ bingo marking off the picture of every meat that I have tried. I'm looking around for the baby sirloin with garlic for the win... but some how the "are you kidding me you fat fcuk" look I'm getting from the fiancé tells me it might just be time to stop.

Our server kindly brings us the menu and my heart patters, but alas "are you kidding me you fat fcuk" prevails on me once again and we tab out. At no point in the evening did I ever feel rushed, not once. I was encouraged to try as much or as little as I'd like of anything. Everyone was very friendly and very helpful. The Meatadors** happily run to get you the cut and temperature of meat that you like. We got a comment card at the very end of the meal that asked us "is there anything we could have done better?" And I honestly couldn't' put anything. Despite the complimentary valet parking, an evening here isn't cheap. But the experience is well worth it and I recommend that you all try it.

**Meatadors is what I decided to call the guys serving the meat that are dressed like Matadors, it just kind of made sense to me. You know, I think I'll go as a Meatador for Halloween. I'll have to carry a leg of lamb all night, but when I get hungry it'll be on!!

Too Much!!

2010-08-09T11:43:00.003-04:00

So often, I wake up and I have something I want to write about. Or, perhaps, I'll have an event I've gone too I want to write about. But some how, my day progresses and I have too much I want to say and too much I want to write and I find myself writing nothing. Fail!! I wonder if that happens to other folks that blog? Perhaps I simply don't make this a priority?? This will require more thought.

Dirty Laundry

2010-07-29T14:59:00.003-04:00

Over the past few years, one of my family members has been taking advantage of another ones life. I want to keep it vague, so we'll use woman for one of them and man for the other, k? Basically, woman has enough money to live a comfortable life by herself. Man hasn't held a job in the past 5 (that I know of, but possibly longer) years. Man has excuses constantly about why he doesn't have a job and woman believes every one of them and tries to feed that crap back to me. Woman doesn't want man to use government programs like unemployment or any others for fear it will hurt man's chances of getting a job. Really? As long as woman is paying for everything, including man's mortgage payment, what incentive does man really have to do anything other then sit on his a$$ and remodel his house? Also being paid for by woman. It's kind of like being retired with out actually working first. WTG man for finding a way to be a kept/trust fund baby.

Call me old fashion, but I firmly believe that you should work for the things that you have. For example, if you need to eat and you are over the age of 30 perhaps you should have a job and feed yourself?? If you are over the age of 50 and leeching off of a family member and not even bothering to try to get a job, perhaps you should take a look at your life and do a little more for you and for those around me. I understand that we all hit hard parts in life, and having a family member or friend help you get back on your feet is amazing. But if you continue to try to get back on your feet for 5+ years, doesn't that just make you a complete and total dead beat? There's clearly more details on this situation, buut I think this is all the rambling I have time for today.

I'm not sure why I've been thinking about or talking about this situation a lot more this week. Maybe it's the upcoming wedding but I can't seem to just shake it like I usually do and am much more frustrated with the situation then I can recall in the past few months. I've been discussing this issue or problem if you will with woman for the past 5 years and have been able to watch it get worse and worse. I think I might be getting close to my breaking point and just giving up. I think it's that realization that truly upsets me the most about this whole thing at this point in time.

Jeepin

2010-07-27T14:00:00.004-04:00

I spent the past weekend @ the Oak Ridge Estates for a charity off road event. Basically, they did a raffle and a weekend where the proceeds went to Relay for Life which supports the American Cancer Society. All in all, this was a great trip. I got to test out some of my new goodies on the Jeep, and they all performed very well. My suspension is still squeaky, but what are ya gonna do?? I met some great people too. They were much nicer then the folks from Big Doggs Off Road who basically wanted to do a few minutes of trails, then go back to camp and drink. I'm all for a few beers, but we are there to wheel not sit around drinking. No?

The cool thing about this trail is that these are the same trails (and even the same trail guide!!) that I did on my very first Jeep Jamboree. True, it was much more rainy and muddy and delish then, but my rig was stock. It's interesting tot see the change from here to the picture above where I am now. This trip, there wasn't much damage. A little scuff on the mirror. But honestly, as I've built up the Jeep, things are getting tougher so the tree I hit didn't leave even a mark! As has become the norm from come back from a Jeep trip I'm full of new ideas for new & improved mods!! Don't I have a wedding to plan/pay for?? Shhhhh... gotta get a little Jeepin in when I can!

One of My Favorite Actors

2010-07-23T15:11:00.003-04:00

...is now Ken Watanabe. I saw him last night in Inception, which was a great movie, and he played an excellent role. His screen presence is always solid and I've really enjoyed the roles he played in his movies.

Paid!!

2010-07-22T09:32:00.004-04:00

Last night, I scheduled my LAST car payment on the Jeep. Wooooot!! I'm super excited for a number of reasons. First, I'm paying it off over a year early which is awesome and saving money on the compounding interest is gonna feel great! I guess I should say sorry to the bank for not getting that money tho. Maybe I should send flowers? Next, this will mark the first time since college that I haven't had a car payment. I think the biggest challenge for me is going to be NOT shopping and jumping into another car to add to my collection. I just gotta keep reminding myself that I don't drive that much! What happens now? I guess they send me the title? I dunno, but I'm excited to find out.

Engagement Party

2010-07-20T09:39:00.002-04:00

This past weekend was the engagement party and I'd like to think that everything went really well. We went with a back yard bbq style get together. We had 5 kegs, 30 lbs of meat, tons of rice, 4 cakes... I'd say we had a good spread. It was great to see all the folks from NC that made the trip up and I hadn't seen in quite some time and just as great to see all the local folks enjoying themselves. All in all, deff a good party.

Crazy Taxi(s)

2010-07-13T09:42:00.004-04:00

On an average day, the average cab has a mediocre grasp on traffic laws in the DC Metro area at best. I'm not sure why this is or how they pass their driving tests, but that's just the way it is. I'm not talking about a little aggressive driving or weaving in traffic, I mean full on bullsh!t. 45 point turns on small roads blocking traffic, left turns from the right lane across 5 lanes, and don't you dare stick one of our many fine coachman behind the wheel of a Toyota Camry cab for fear of an immediate 10 car pile up!

Regular cabbies are bad enough daily as I mention, but don't you dare toss in a storm like we had last night into the mix. I'm convinced, whatever traffic logic they had left in them got washed away. At what point do you think it's ok to stop on an over pass and take up half the road just to chat? I mean honestly, WTF? Why are you parking perpendicular to the street blocking all traffic? Do you need to drive with one hand on your cell phone texting while looking at the side walks for your next fare? At what point are you in ANY WAY paying attention to the road? I'm thrilled to tears when I do find a decent cab driver who isn't trying to steal from you, or kill you, or anyone else on the road. What does their help wanted ad sound like I wonder?

Don't speak any English and drive like sh!t? Come drive a cab in the DC metro area!! Perks including ripping off anyone and everyone, never having to shower, & yelling at everyone on the street in your native tongue. Apply today!

Weekend Fail?

2010-07-12T09:13:00.002-04:00

This weekend I attended an annual pub crawl that I really do look forward to every year. It's a time I can see some old faces that I don't get to see all that often as our schedules and activities have pulled us in different directions. It started out well enough despite some a$$holes that had some of my stuff, but I was determined not to let it ruin my day. Bar 1, my plan worked great. Bar 2, not as well. Bar 3, I chewed out someone who was friends with the a$$holes in question just for being friends with them. Bar 4, a couple of people escorted me out. Bar 5, the best decision I could have made was going home and I did. But not till I b!tched someone else out for something. This really isn't my finer moment. I could blame it all on the situation and what not, but no. This was me and not a me that I'm proud of. Where is that stoic emotional control that I work on constantly?? Where the fcuk did it go when I needed it most?

Well, the apologies from me have begun and hopefully all can be forgotten by the folks that had nothing to do with anything. The a$$holes... they are still a$$holes tho if for no other reason then for deliberately fcuking with me all day. If a person gets a little irritable, it's funny. Take it too far, and you are just a prick. Not my finer moment, and a damn shame that I lost one of my favorite party days with a TON of cool people as a result.

Last Day(s)

2010-06-29T13:04:00.002-04:00

Since I took my new job offer, I've been sooo excited about my new job, and I still am. The work is going to be better, the money will be better, the commute will be the same. And as I spend these last few days/hours at my desk cleaning things up, I actually find my self a little nostalgic about my current job. I mean, I have spent almost 3 years here working on accounting stuff whether I liked it or not... mostly not. You know, I don't think it's the job. I think it's a combination of going through old papers and files along with knowing that I really have been working with a good group of folks. I'm only moving 5 blocks away, but once you are out of the office, it's never the same again. This company and this team have been good, and many aspects will be missed, but bring on the new opportunity!!

Wedding Planning

2010-06-25T09:22:00.002-04:00

The proposal has happened, and the planning for the engagement party is almost complete, so it's time to get to business on the wedding. We always knew we'd do Vegas, and now it's starting to come together. I'm doing every thing I can to nickle & dime everything to get the most outta our bucks on this one. And I'm worried that it's still gonna spiral out of control price wise. Grrr. O well, back to the money pit!!

Annoying

2010-06-17T23:49:00.004-04:00

Dear security guards in my building, why the hell do you care if I hop the ropes in the evening? Seriously, it's after COB. Almost everyone has already left for the day and I just wanna catch the last elevator that just opened. I mean, aren't the ropes there for keeping people out not keeping people in? Hell, I can't even get mad at ya any more. Yelling at me trying to cut in line was probably the most action you've seen on your job in months!! Did you go home and rub one out thinkin about the situation and exploiting your authority?

Articulation Fail!

2010-06-15T11:00:00.002-04:00

This past weekend I went on another 4wheelin trip, this time with Big Dogs Off Road. I thought that this would be a nice opportunity to test some of my new Jeep goodies and to get a little dirty. As you can see in the pic, I have a looooong way to go! Currently, my articulation (while waaaaaaaaaay better then the average vehicle on the road) isn't much when you compare it to modified Jeeps. So, I clearly have some projects ahead of me!

I paid ahead for two days of wheeling for what I thought would be a great deal. As it turned out, I got one short day of wheeling. It's 3pm and we are done with trails for the day?? WTF? This trip is geared more towards hanging out by the fire and camping with a little Jeeping to be done as well. Now that I know that, I'll be passing on most of their future stuff. Especially with that BS Land Use fee. You have to pay $40/person just to get on the property and then they *let* you camp for free. That's crap imho. But a great racket for the camp ground.

As all other Jeep trips, this one helped me stake out all the new parts that I want to do to my rig. First things first, I'm replacing my winch asap! Getting a new competition series 8000lb winch with a stronger gear set and larger hook and more powerful motor. I'm not sure if I can wire the thing using a blue tooth set up or not, but it would be sweeeeet if I could. Next, I'm deff. gonna pick up some deflators and some of those super heavy duty mud catchin floor mats. I'm getting a little too old to be wrapping my floor mats in a plastic baggie!

The Proposal

2010-05-27T11:08:00.013-04:00

Last night, I proposed to my girlfriend/High School sweetheart/current fiance. There was a lot of prep work, including shopping, scouting, and practicing. I wanted to lay out my timeline while it was still fresh in my mind.

Ring Shopping
I started shopping and looking around in the mall jewelers around the second week of March. I hit every single chain there was and nothing seemed to get me really excited. Well, not every one... I knew I didn't have the money for Tiffany's. Finally, on a recommendation from a friend I went to Charleston Alexander which is an out of the way jeweler. I think they spend a good bit on advertising and what not, but the prices in the store are reasonable. After looking through close to 100 settings at the stores (close to 200-300 if you count online), I finally found one that I liked and we left it at that. Allow me to comment on "one that I like", that means one that is timeless, classic, elegant, with natural flowing lines, and an over all look that the miss' would be able to enjoy for many years to come. A month passed and I started shopping for diamonds to go with the setting. One day, I went in to just try to talk and work a deal, but the next thing we know I made an offer and we had ourselves a deal. Two weeks later, I picked up the most expensive gift I've ever given anyone in my life.

Scouting Locations
After I had started shopping, my brain started spinning about where I was going to ask her. I mean, this is a once in a lifetime chance to make a story you can hopefully tell your grand kids!! I started thinking destinations, then decided against that due to too many schedule conflicts. I started doing research for local spots that would work out online, then started looking at places on foot/by car as I drove around the city. Nothing really seemed to jump out at me until I thought about my favorite touristy place in the city, the FDR Memorial. What can I say, I love lights and waterfalls. I wanted to capture the whole event, so I got a hold of one of my buddy's that's a professional photographer to give me his input. A nice backdrop for the whole thing is key!!

The Dry Run
The time was almost here, so I met with both my photographer and the guy I referred to as the ring runner or ring bearer depending on my mood. Both great guys and both happy to help. I think it's important to know that the miss' has never met the ring runner as that's key to this whole plan. The three of us walked the monument looking for a combination of my favorite spots and what would make for a great back drop for the pictures the next day. I wanted the waterfalls, but that location just proved too loud from all the water and too crowded from all the tourists. And then, we walked down the steps to think on it and the location hit is. Perfect back drop of the monument over the water and some nice trees. To make sure the lighting and angles were right, the photographer had me test ask in position with the ring guy playing the part of the miss'. Those are some funny pix!! But, the spot was all picked out and we marked it with a true trail arrow for the next day.

The Event
First things first, I left work early and met up with the ring runner at McCormix to give him the ring to hold. Why is he holding the ring you might ask? Well, I thought it would be a little obvious if I had a large square bulge. At the bar, I'm able to work out a spot saved for when I come back for some drinks and snacks to start the night. I give him the ring to hold and he guards it with his life as I head home to change for what she's supposed to think is just another date.

We arrive at the bar a few minutes behind my imaginary schedule that I have in my head. But, it's all tentative and all the events are flexible. We sit in the exact same spot where we had our first date in DC. We talk and recap about how glad I am that she looked me up and came to visit. We order a couple of appetizer while the bartender keeps sliding us tasty shots to help us enjoy the evening. I'm not sure how this came up in conversation, but I managed to steal the platinum band she usually wears on one of her fingers to make sure there would be nothing in the way and toss it in my pocket. After some great conversation, and delicious libations we leave the bar and I suggest we go check out some monuments in the city.

A cab picks us up on the corner and takes us over to the FDR memorial. Luckily, I know the way and am able to give the cab driver directions since he's not quite sure of the way. On our way, I send a text to my guys who are waitin for us at the park. Everything is set. The FDR Memorial actually is one of my favorite places, so as we walk and take in the sights and the various quotes on the wall it really was turning into a lovely date. We stop to take pic's with our blackberries since she doesn't know that I have a photographer ghosting the entire evening in the trees. He really was a camera ninja, I knew he was there and couldn't find him!! I bet he's got a few pix of me squinting looking for him in the trees!

As we get to the end of the exhibit we walk hand in hand heading down to the water. She stops to take another picture of what will soon be the back drop of this wonderful moment at dusk. Ironically, she tells me about a valentines day that I coordinated many years ago that went off w/o a hitch that she remembers well. In fact, she's so engrossed in her story and manages to look left at just the right time that she didn't even notice the ring runner hand off the ring to me while we walked. The hand off couldn't have gone smoother. After he passed me, he took up point to work crowd control to keep us from being disturbed by tourists which was an amazing help to keep the pictures of just her and I.

I went traditional on one knee, and then the next few minutes were honestly such a blur that I actually don't remember what I said. Whatever it was, it must have worked b/c she said yes!! We got a few more pix in that location and even more on the way back to the car to head over to RiRa for some congratulations happy houring.

Closing Thoughts
It's been told to me that there are proposals, and then there are proposals. For example, there are romantic proposals on the beach = Love is all we need kind of thing (until we wake up and smell the reality) or money based proposals with the stretch limos and champagne raining from the heavens = I will buy you all you want (if I have money later). I went with with social power and careful planning. To sum up, I had a photographer in the trees, I had a guy that was working crowd control, and I picked one of the most recognizable locations in the world then added water for a more romantic element = The world is my oyster, I am glad you can share it with me. Not to pat myself on the back, but what I wanted to create was a memorable event that I could tell my grand kids about. I think I got exactly what I worked very hard planning and preparing for with a little assistance by some great supporting players.

She said yes!!

2010-05-26T19:45:00.000-04:00

WNDC

2010-05-18T22:01:00.002-04:00

I didn't write this, I won't even pretend to take credit for it. I mean, read it... that's nothing like how I write. But it is a fun recap of what WNDC is. Well done sir, well done. So, much like a retweet, here ya go:

The bartender cooly swaps another pourer from the latest casualty and knocks it into place on a fresh bottle of vodka. Our group has been here just over an hour, now, propping up the well-worn bar with elbows and torsos, and comfort is setting in. We ignore the cycle of generic, fresh-faced posers, seeking an audience for their faux-casual disdain of everything, and a small knot of cougars nearby, death-gripping youth as tightly as their martinis. The buzz is growing in lock-step with the volume of the room but our conversation still meanders among topics as casually as ever, frequently punctuated by laughter at light-hearted (and decidedly low-brow) jokes. Listeners in the group trade places, picking up chicken wings and themes mid-sentence from our friends with similar ease. A cameraphone photo of an enormous, just-delivered red-bull-&-vodka becomes a summoning call to group members not yet here, or those just in the bathroom.

Ours is not an occasion of celebration or mourning - or even alcoholism, however "dedicated" our barstaff may consider us. We are humble in this "sedate" night out (defined as not drinking the bar dry, getting arrested, or somehow launching a coup in a third-world country) (again), but revel in the fact that even our sedate Wednesdays keep the service staff overworked and MADD members up at night. Like so many birthday celebrants, we insist that whatever number we reach by night's end is only a number - if it matters at all, it won't before tomorrow morning. The slips of receipt paper are our (weekly) birthday cards, foldable reminders of fun gatherings with friends done on a regular interval. Whether the night ends with forced ejections and vibrant carousing or just with sleepy, mumbled bon mots ("You're... so awesome... @sshole!"), we mark the middle of another week with liveliness, merriment, and usually another raised glass.

We are WNDC. We are probably drunk.

Weddings

2010-05-16T17:14:00.000-04:00

Over the years, I've been to I don't even know how many weddings. I've had dates that I was seeing at the time, just friends, and anything that might fall into an 'other' category. This past weekend, I took the woman that I'm seeing as my date. I had a great time the entire day, and it didn't hurt that we pre-gamed the wedding one bit!! During the reception, it came time for the bride to throw out the bouquet and wouldn't you know it, my date caught it. Now, to me standing by the side lines, she looked like a pro basketball star going for the rebound that would win the game while elbowing all the girls around her with her eye on the prize. When I asked her about it, she very calmly said in her most lady like voice "What? Those other girls can't catch for sh!t!" Ha! Keeper! I can't wait to see the pix from the wedding for this one! So she caught the bouquet… you know, I'm ok with that.

MacBook

2010-05-14T17:19:00.000-04:00

I've now had my MacBook pro for approx 3 months or so? I just wanted to follow up and say that I still freaking love it!! Best laptop I've ever had. Battery life is amazing, it's still running programs smoothly as hell, and the screen is beautiful. I travel with it when I am TDY, it lives next to my bed daily, and I'm basically on it every day! When a piece of technology exceeds my expectations, you have no idea how happy that makes me. Funny that I should hate the iPhone soooo much while the MacBook pro rocks my world. The iPad… I'm just not sure why I would need such a thing. It's a cool toy, but I'm running a little low on expendable income at the moment. Check back with me after the summer travels are over.