1 Foot of Snow

We got 1 foot of snow in our driveway today. Took us nearly an hour to shovel our way out. And I fell on my butt to boot.

...

My daily reading of the Wall Street Journal has got me rethinking my saving strategy. It is scary to see the speed at which companies are declaring bankruptcy.

It's gotten me thinking, How much of my savings are at risk?

At a quick glance, 14% of my savings are in readily available cash (gold, checking accounts, saving accounts, etc). That leaves 86% in my retirement accounts (Mutual Funds, IRA CDs, etc).

So if all the mutual funds that I'm invested in goes kaput or if Fidelity Investments turns out to be another Madoff like fraud, I'm left with a little more than 3 months of living expenses.

Song of the Moment:
Rachael Yamagata - Reason Why

My Pre-New Year's List

Although this year has decimated my retirement savings and I should be thoroughly depressed, I've decided to put on a stiff upper lip and build my New Year's List of Resolutions early.

Spend Less Money
Eat out Less
Exercise More
Live Modestly

We're Back!

We're back from Texas and I kind of miss it. The weather is much nicer than it is in Syracuse and I'm getting a little tired of shoveling snow.

Came back Saturday to Philadelphia. Someone broke Ashley's toyota camry's driver side mirror. It was smashed up pretty bad and hanging by the wire.

Back to Reality... 10 minutes looking up "1997 toyota camry driver side mirror". 30 minutes trying to figure out if the toyota camry was made in Japan or in the USA.

Arrived at Home Sunday. Shorty is glad to be home. I'm happy to have some peace and quiet. For the moment at least.

Song of the Moment:
Alison Krauss - Let Me Touch You for Awhile

I think I may be coming down with something

it may be a cold.

the killers - human

2 More Weeks

Finals are coming up. Classes end Nov 7th.

I'll be glad when this is over.

Still at the library...

The reading material is just endless.

I'm at the library again. Good thing the library is open until 3am.

Week 3

It's Week 3 at School and my classes are kicking my butt. But it sure does feel good.

Ran my first 4 miles yesterday! Signed up for the Philadelphia Half-Marathon today!

Things I need to work on:
1. Self-Confidence (Too Much? Too Little)
2. Emotional Control
3. Consideration and Responsibility
4. Ability to solve problems in a creative manner

1-Mile Open Swim in Skaneateles Lake

My 1-mile open swim is coming up this Sunday morning. I'm a little nervous. Going to swim after work today.

and then maybe i'll go bicycling in long branch park in liverpool.

Exercise!

in my effort to lose weight. i've been exercising for the past couple weeks.

Monday: Run for 30 minutes
Tuesday: Weight Lift, Go Swimming
Wednesday: Run for 30 minutes
Thursday: Weight Lift, Go Swimming
Friday: Run for 30 minutes
Saturday: Bicycle/Swim
Sunday: Rest

maybe i'll lose a few pounds somewhere.

facebook

I've discovered facebook and I'm addicted. I can't believe how many people are on facebook. I found friends I lost contact with years ago.

today...

i clean clean clean...

then i take shorty out for a walk.

then i go swimming. i'm shooting for 55 laps this time.

Wii

For a while, I've been wanting to buy a Nintendo Wii.

So when I had a chance today to buy one online at Circuit City, I surprised myself a little when I didn't jump at it.

It seems that I may have my impulsive tendencies under control somewhat.

My Job Search

When I came out of college, I really really needed a full-time job. Thankfully, I landed a good one at the place that I was a co-op for. It's worked out well, I've learned quite a bit and it has given me plenty of stability.

But as I learn more about myself and start to focus on my career I realized that I need to be very selective on what my next job is going to be.

So I'm starting my job search early, 2 years earlier than I need to. It's been interesting so far...

Who knew Nike is looking for an industrial engineer? Or that there are a lot of food companies such as ConAgra and General Mills also have plenty of openings? I was intrigued when I saw a posting by Burton (maker of snowboards).

I should start building up my qualifications now.

What is your talent?

I am in a defining moment of my life. One where the need to find my true passion and the need to provide financial security for myself and Ashley both weigh heavily.

Sometimes I wonder why I can't just make up my mind and settle on what I want to do for the rest of my life. But I guess I am not wired the same as everyone else.

I simply can't sit still.

Oh the places you'll go.

As I look forward to graduate school, I am starting my search for a co-op in the summer. Where should I spend my 6-months as a co-op?

Will it be near Ashley's parents in Dallas, TX? Will it be in hilly San Francisco? Will it be in Denver, Colorado?

The possibilities are endless.

After 4 years of working, I've come to the realization that there are few more things I want out of my corporate career.

Words

Went to visit my father yesterday in Philadelphia. It was nice. We got to spend a little time together, my brother, my dad, my sister, Ashley, and Shorty.

My parents are good people, always wanting the best for us. But it is hard for me to relax around my parents. They have very high expectations. Life to them is a competition, there are losers and there are winners.

But I don't believe life is meant to be so black and white. I would hope life is more of a journey of finding yourself. Call me naive but I still believe.

Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams

Randy Pausch, the Carnegie Mellon University computer scientist whose "last lecture" about facing terminal cancer became an Internet sensation and a best-selling book, died today. He was 47.

"We don't beat the reaper by living longer, we beat the reaper by living well and living fully"

You should search "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams" online and watch the youtube video.

On Exercising

This week, I got the urge/motivation to start exercising on a daily basis. In college, I used to hit the gym consistently but ever since I started working, it's been hard for me to make time for it. I always use the "too tired" or "too much work" excuse.

But this week, I've been hitting the gym daily at lunch time and grabbing a banana instead of my usual full lunch.

My goal? Lose the tummy I've been building since college. I guess we'll see if I make it.

it's complicated.

as a engineer, i have a bad habit of looking at life in black and white. Either it's right or it's wrong. Are you dating or not? Is the food good or no?

But as I try to open up my mind to new possibilities, I have to the realization that life is not a dichotomy.

I guess it's all... complicated.

Trivial Pursuit

I just realized I'm not very good at Trivial Pursuit. I only got 1 answer correct for my team.

BTW, Alan almost killed us on Friday night. He tried to push us into a electric wire fence.

Told my co-workers

I emailed my co-workers today about my decision to go for a Master's degree in Industrial Engineering at RIT.

Everyone was very happy for me and congratulated me on my decision.

Although I am still a little scared about my decision to go for more schooling, I feel more confident with the support I have so far received.

I really really wanna get a jetski

but we can't really afford it right now.

Went boating with a couple friends this past weekend. Spent 8 hours in Skaneateles Lake. My body's a little sunburned, a bit sore, but a lot happy!

We went jetskiing, waterskiing (attempted a few times), and tubing.

Leavin'

Out of coincidence there are 4 people now that are leaving my division. 2 people are moving to a different department, 1 person is moving to a company in Ithaca, and I am going back to school.

Which brings to mind, what makes people leave? Is it moving up the corporate ladder? Is it more pay? Or it it just something different/exciting to work on?

I skipped lunch today

and i'm hungry.

Lyrics from a band I like...
Despondent, distracted,
You're vicious and romantic;
These are a few of my favorite things.

The Repetitiveness of Life

Eat, Work, Play, Sleep. Repeat. That's my life these days.

Ahh... the onset of summer. I love this time of year. Some days I just sit in my car, close my eyes and soak up the sun. At first, the heat sends cold shivers up my spine, but in a few minutes my body is at peace. It feels nice to be warm.

From the lyrics of Sia's - Breathe Me

Be my friend
Hold me, wrap me up
Unfold me
I am small
and needy
Warm me up
And breathe me

Lessons from Fight Club

Tyler from Fight Club, "The things you own, end up owing you."

Here's the article I read today:

http://www.wisebread.com/an-important-financial-lesson-from-fight-club

Retirement Accounts

My 401k account is losing money. Year to date, my return is -8.0% That's right, negative 8 percent. I'm hoping it picks up by year end. This recession is killing my retirement accounts.

But here's why I'm not too worried:
1. I've upped my contribution from 10% to 20% a couple months back. This means that when the price goes down, I'm buying more stock. When the stock market swings back up, I'll be able to see more of the gain.
2. There is still lots of time for me to recoup my losses. 40 more years until I turn 65 means I will have to better absorb the unavoidable downs of the stock market.
3. I'm investing for the long term. Studies show that investing for the long term means lower risks.

Opportunities

It's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel when you're looking down at your feet.

I find myself needing motivation in the middle of the day sometimes. This is one of my favorite quotes:

"Make it a practice to be true to a higher dream, bound by a greater purpose, and fulfilled by a destiny that to you is not yet fully understood. Never lose sight of that ever persistent march of time: revere yesterday, plan tomorrow, but live today. Understand that you have already come too far to disdain your future now."

2nd Floor Hotness

Our 2nd floor is 85 degrees. Our 1st floor is 65 degrees.

It's amazing how lethargic you get as the temperature rises.

Xavier's Wednesday Party!

Today's Xavier's Weekly Wednesday Party.

And I'm making Taco Meat!

Graduate Research

I have good news (maybe). It hasn't been finalized yet but I may have (cross fingers now) secured funding for graduate school. The catch? I'll need to predict warranty returns using statistics.

How will I do that, you ask?

I'm not quite sure yet. I'll be working with HP on a way to predict the amount of warranty returns based on past history using statistics. Sounds complicated? I think it will be. But it'll be fun!

This is good news. I've been a bit anxious lately on how I am going to pay for graduate school. While my work will pay for it, they will only pay if I continue to work full-time. I'm hoping to go to school full-time and so therein lies my dilemma. If the research pays for the rest of my schooling (my scholarship pays for 25% of it), I won't have to acquire student loans or drain my retirement account.

Sailing and Jetskiing

We went sailing today on Skaneateles Lake with Kevin and Molly. It was very nice, we sailed for a couple of hours until the ladies got off to go shopping in town. That's when Kevin and I started to head back to the marina.

It was uneventful until... it starting raining.

It's me out there on the JetSki, Kevin on the sailboat, and thunderstorms looming on the horizon.

As we're already on the water and halfway to the marina by now, we decided to go all the way. Since, I'm on the jetski, I zoom ahead. That's when I notice lightning. It's raining hard now. The raindrops feel like glass as they hit my face. It hurts and with the wind, it's getting chilly. I notice a NY state boat launch, and I start to head for shore. I'm about a quarter-mile ahead of Kevin by then and I figure he's docked at someone's lake house by now. Legally in NY state, you can request "safe harbor" and dock anywhere on shore.

I tie up at the dock, and I decide to wait out the storm. One of the guys at the dock asks me if I'm staying and when I nod yes, he heads back to his truck. I stand on one of the concrete blocks as I wait. That's when I see Kevin's sailboat cruising along.

Ha! Man really is crazy! I think. As I have no idea where the marina is, I have no choice but to head out again.

It took us close to an hour to reach the marina. By the time we got there, the rain had stopped. We finished the day with a chicken BBQ at Kevin and Molly's house. Boy was I glad to be dry and warm again.

Today we clean.

Rose is coming tomorrow. Rose is Ashley's friend from her SU days.

CEO Interview

Tonight I went to an event where our company's CEO was interviewed in front of a small audience. It was very insightful to hear someone who had so many diverse experiences under her belt. I was especially struck by how willing she was to talk about her failures more than her successes. It was refreshing to hear a senior leader of the organization give it to us straight, about how she criticizes the managers that report to her (she values both positive and negative feedback) and how vital she thinks communications is.

Jule Shimer's Strategies for Success
1. Own your own career goals
2. Ask for what you want; don't expect your co-workers and supervisors to read your mind
3. Realize that you need mentors, and that you need to mentor others
4. Seek honest feedback about your work. Even when the feedback is unpleasant (you don't have to agree with every thing), accept it with a smile.
5. Stay true to your values.
6. Learn to listen and try to understand what others are saying and feeling.
7. Ask yourself: How can I help others achieve?

Wednesdays at Xavier

Today Xavier is having a Pizza Party! Woohoo!

Safety and Ergonomics

Went to RIT today in my weekly quest to meet every professor in the Industrial Engineering department (I think I have 1 more to go).

Had an interesting conversation with Professor Marshall, who specializes in the Safety and Ergonomics of Industrial Engineering. He shared with me a paper based on a research he performed, "Effects of pace and stress on upper extremity kinematic responses in sign language interpreters."

In a nutshell, his research entailed how stress effects sign language interpreters. He showed that psychosocial stress had a worsening effect on the already repetitive motion of signing.

I've never thought about things this way before. Apparently other universities have already proven that being stressed out when moving furniture/boxes/etc hurts your back even more than if you were in a more stable mindset. Mind over body it seems. All in all, it was a very good conversation. It's always a good conversation when I learn something new.

The Great Philly Cheese Steak

I love the philly cheese steak. Thinly sliced beef and fried onions on an Italian sub roll, smeared with cheese whiz and dripping with grease, it is one of my guilty pleasures. It’s now habit for me to get a Philly Cheese Steak on the way to and from my sister’s house in Philadelphia.

Although you can find Philly Cheese Steaks in most places nationwide, the best remain at the corner of 9^th Street and Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia. My favorite is Geno’s Steaks, across the street from the original Pat’s King of Steaks. Either one is great and there is still no clear winner.

I'm not quite sure why the Philly Cheese Steak tastes extra good in Philadelphia. Maybe it’s the water from the Schuylkill River that makes the rolls distinctively flaky and airy. Or maybe its how they use the grease to fry up the onions. Either way, I have been unable to find a place outside of Philadelphia that has successfully reproduced this American classic.

Dinner, Putt Putt, and Party in Auburn

Today we had dinner with Jen and Joel at Buffalo Wild Wings. Mmmmmh... chicken wings. I love chicken wings. I like Buffalo Wild Wings for their wide selection of sauces but they aren't my favorite. My favorite is the chicken wings at Zebb's Deluxe Grill & Bar with their special cajun-garlic bleu cheese sauce. It's pretty awesome. And they have several locations in New York including Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo.

Ashley won at Putt Putt today. I don't think she is going to let anyone forget it. Especially after Joel made it seem like he would be the eventual champion.

After Putt Putt, we went to see a live band at Ukrainian National Club.

Understanding Car Insurance

I don't understand car insurance very well. Is $100,000/$300,000 Bodily Injury Liability enough? Do I need Optional Basic Economic Loss Insurance? What about property damage liability? The conspiracy freak in me thinks this is all a scam to confuse us.

Our current insurance company Liberty Mutual charges us:

Ashley $533.00/year
HeeRak $1077.00/year

Combined that's $1610 a year for car insurance. When I went on the Geico website, they gave us a quote for $979.40 total.

I'm stopping by Liberty Mutual's office today and seeing what they can do for us.

It's my B-Day today.

I've been waiting for this day a long time. Today I get to call up my insurance company and ask for a discount.

Wow, 25 years and I'm getting lamer by the minute.

Wisdom Teeth

So I went to my dentist today to get a filling. After 2 root canals and several fillings later, you would think I would have learned my lesson by now. I need to take better care of my teeth.

Unfortunately, what I should do is different than what I actually do. Funny how that works, eh?

Anyways I'm chilling out on the dentist chair while my dentist is doing her thing when suddenly I hear her say, "Woah, that's a pretty big cavity you got there." To which I widen my eyes and throw her a look of fear. Because really, this is the first time I've managed to surprise my dentist.

"Don't worry" she says, "it's only one of your wisdom teeth so you can just get them taken out."

It's a feeble attempt to calm my nerves. Because what she doesn't realize is that I'm not as worried about the pain as much as I am about the cost of the operation. When she proceeded to tell me the estimated cost of taking out a wisdom teeth (approx $1,000 per wisdom tooth) I could have fainted right then and there.

My poor poor wallet.

Golf at Camillus Country Club

Went golfing today at the Camillus Country Club. Started the day at 8am. Although I'm not a very good golfer I enjoy it. Golf is a funny sport in that where you play matters just as much as how you play the game. I'm not sure if there is any other sport where the playing field matters as much. Hopefully with a little practice, I'll improve. We ended the day around Noon. 18 holes, 3 beers, 1 chicken sandwich later and I was happily done.

1 hour later... We went out on Josh's new (bought used) powerboat on Skaneateles lake. Water was still pretty cold. 60 degrees. We hopped out and hopped right back into the boat.

To finish off the day we ate dinner at Wacky Wyatt's Tex Mex with Brenda and Allen. Afterwards we went on a nice walk of Baldwinsville and the canal path of Seneca River. We finished the night with a fun card game called Killer Bunnies. I didn't win but that's ok. I'm plotting for next time. Next time will be payback. You just wait. Soon I'll have my carrot and eat it too!

It's too hot in here!

92? Really? In Syracuse?

We got an early out today at work. 6 hours of work and I was done! Sweet. This is definitely one of the things I like about my company.

So with the extra hours, I...
1. Went to Driving Range at Sunset Ridge (In order to prepare for my golf outing Saturday)
2. Put Blue Shutters on the House
3. Go to Xavier and use his pool

Obama.

Although I probably won't vote for Obama (I like McCain's track record better), I find him to be very inspiring and his message of change to be quite appealing.

I find it no wonder that many people of my generation agree with Obama's message. I think my generation is tired of:

1. Social Security that doesn't work.
2. Worrying about rising health care costs (and seeing headlines of record profits by HMOs)
3. The hypocrisy of corporations when they say they "value" employees and at the same time layoff workers.
4. Politicians that do not relate to their constituents (seriously, how do you connect with your voters when you've spent the last couple decades in Washington DC?)
5. Wall Street profits off our money but doesn't pay us back when they lose it.

Academia here I come!

As I look forward to starting the step in my life, (academia here I come!) I am constantly looking at ways to reduce expenses. And while there are many expenses that are relatively fixed, one thing that always frustrates me is how much we spend on gas.

Although neither of our cars is an SUV or a Truck, they are not gas misers either. My 2003 BMW gets 23 mpg and Ashley's 1997 Toyota Camry gets 26 mpg. I've debated on getting a 2000 Honda Civic (which gets on average 30 mpg) but the savings don't justify the total cost. It is weirdly still cheaper to keep both our cars even if gas goes to $5 per gallon. Don't worry I've done the numbers. I guess I'll just have to look at another expense to trim.

On a positive note. I bicycled 8.2 miles today! Camillus has renovated part of the Erie Canal and it's absolutely great! I'm glad to see my property tax dollars at work.

Today's Steps: 11,163

Before I forget. Please visit our pictures from Prague:
http://heerak.photoshop.com/

Blue Skies and Lots of Land

For about half my life, I lived in Seoul, Korea. I have many good memories there but a few things I know that I won't miss are...

grey skies and no trees

To be fair, Seoul is probably one of the cleaner cities in the world. Compared to New York City, Philadelphia, or Washington D.C., the subways and streets of Seoul are relatively urine and puke free. But the smog from the numerous cars and the effects of industrialization are apparent. The Han river that runs through Seoul is brown and the skies over Seoul are forever grey. There are very little trees (the effects of napalm during the Korean War) and yards are nonexistent. Parks have fences around trees and there is more asphalt than grass.

Which brings us to...

One of my long term goals in life is to buy a cabin in a forested area. One of the things that I find amazing about America is the abundance of blue skies, forests, and untainted rivers. I only hope that I can save and earn enough to achieve this.

Today's Steps: 5608

The Crossover Point

One of the financial books I'm reading "Your Money or Your Life", talks about the Crossover Point, the dollar amount you need so that proceeds from your investments exceed your living expenses.

Up until now I've been saving for 2 buckets:
1. Things I want to buy (short-term)
2. Retirement (money saved up to spend later on the beach)

The Crossover Point lets me look at savings another way. Instead of saving to spend, the Crossover Point lets me look at investments as a way to subsidize my expenses.

Here is a visual example I took from "The Simple Dollar":



Today's Steps: 9572

We're Home in Syracuse!

We're finally home in Syracuse. After a 11 hour flight from Prague to Atlanta, 4 hour layover, and a 2 hour flight from Atlanta to Syracuse, we have made it to our beds. Boy are we tired! The creature comforts of home never seemed so inviting.

Including gifts to friends and family we spent a total of 11,000 Czech Crowns (CZK) which is just under $700. We came under my projected budget of $800.

There are a lot of things we will miss about Prague. The most will be the food. I have grown to love meat and dumplings paired with goulash (soup). And of course a half litre of beer (pint) with every meal.

Our favorite places to eat/drink:
1. Ceska Kuchyne (Havelska 23, 224-235-574)
2. Restaurace u Pinkasu (Jungmannovo Namesti 16, 221-111-150)
3. Hostinec u Cerneho Vola (Loretanska)
4. U Fleku (Kremencova 11)

Day 7 of Prauge (We're Leaving)

We're leaving Prague today. I'm looking forward to going home and am sad at the same time.

Today's Steps: 10,041.

Day 6 of Prague (Mala Strana)

Today we went to Hradcany and walked around Mala Strana. But first we had to stop by Venno's workplace and try out some Bobcat equipment.

Today's Steps: 25,114

Day 5 of Prague (Nove Mestro)

Today we walked around Prague in search for gifts! We woke up kind of late (Ashley's eye for some weird reason started to hurt) and started with lunch at the Havelska Koruna (Czech Kitchen) where we ate cafeteria style. The goulash and pork was outstanding! Next we walked around the open air market "Havelska Trziste" to pick up some trinkets for the folks back home. We finished the day with some pictures of the "Dancing Building" and a nice walk back to Andel along the west side of the river.

Today's Steps: 22,873

Day 4 of Prague (Plzen)

We went to the town of Plzen today to see the Pilsner Urquell brewery. This is where the original Pilsner was first created back in 1842. The brewery itself is still producing beer, both for production and for tasting by visitors. The beer they give out for tasting is brewed on the premises and uses the traditional wooden barrels during the fermentation process. The cellars are an amazing part of the brewery. Up until 1992, 150 workers were required to move the beer around the 5.6 miles of corridors in the 3 story cellar system.

Today's Steps: 22,646

Day 3 of Prague (Stare Mesto)

Today we visit Stare Mesto with its historical Jewish District, Astronomical Clock, and the neat stores that inhabit the narrow streets.

We walked to most we have ever today, Ashley had to replace her broken shoes, the straps were eaten by an escalator on Day 1.

There is so much to see and take in. We finished off the day with dinner (beef goulash) at U Pinkasu.

Today's Steps: 32,233

Day 2 of Prague (Hradcany)

Today we wander to the castle district of Prague. This is where the nobleman and clergy used to live. We're taking the recommended walk by Fodor's "See It Prague" today,

1. Strahovsky klaster (Monastery)
2. Cerninsky palac (Largest palace in Prague now the Foreign Ministry)
3. Loreta (Shrine)
4. Novy Svet (New World)
5. Hradcany Namesti (Square)
6. Prazky hrad (Prague Castle)

We finish off the night with some monk brewed beer, a trip to the abstinth bar, and the oldest bar in Prague (U Fleku)

Today's Steps: 20,377

Day 1 of Prague

We've arrived in Prague after a 7 hour flight from NYC.

The city is so beautiful. We walked around for quite a bit today.

Dinner at a restaurant up "Mala Strana" complete with gorgeous view of the city
Walked across Charles Bridge
Drank beer with a couple from France

Today's Steps: 27,486

Are you an ant or a grasshopper?

I read this article today on wise bread and it talked about the the moral of investing for the future as presented by the fable of the ant and the grasshopper.

For those that don't remember, the fable concerns a grasshopper who has spent the warm months singing away while the ant worked to store up food for winter. After the winter has come, the grasshopper finds itself dying of hunger, and upon asking the ant for food is only rebuked for its idleness. The story is used to teach the virtues of hard work and saving, and the perils of improvidence. (note: this was taken from wikipedia)

I remember this story well as a kid, this was one of my dad's favorite stories to tell/scare us. To this day, he still repeats this story no matter how much I compare him to a broken record. But in all honesty, I must say there is still lots to be learned from this old fable.

We immigrated to this country in 1988 when I was 5. I have many fond memories of my youth. I remember laughing with my sister when we found out the "ostrich egg" my dad bought was really a coconut (apparently he thought the fur on the "egg" was meant to keep it warm). I remember both of the cars my parents used to drive, my mom's geo prizm and my dad's hyundai elantra. We took a lot of vacations in those cars. My parents idea of a vacation was: 1. drive to another state, 2. look around, 3. sleep in the car on the way home.

It took a lot of effort and savings for my parents to get to where they are now. I'm a little embarrassed and proud to say that my current car was purchased for more than what my parents paid for both their vehicles.

My parents did their part playing the ant. Now I must take their lessons and apply it to my own life.

What my mom's Geo Prizm looked like except in blue.


Today's Steps: 7482

Saturday we leave for Prague

and I still need to figure out how much to budget for. It's too bad we're traveling at a time when the dollar is deteriorating.

1 U.S. dollar = 0.640697078 Euros

So I decided to come to an arbitrative number of $800 for both of us. That works out to $100 a day + $100 buffer. Since we'll be spending 7 nights there, I'm hoping this is enough to cover the following expenses per day:

$25 - Meals and Drinks
$35 - Tourist Stuff (Tickets, etc)
$40 - Transportation

These are rough numbers since I'm not sure what the prices of everything over there is. I'll have to adjust these numbers when we arrive. I figure we'll buy some groceries to start so we won't have to buy breakfast every day. I think if we try to stay within $100 a day, we should be good.

I've traveled a bit during my short life span on this earth and I've come to the conclusion that I have very poor judgment when I am hungry, thirsty, or tired. I'll have to remember to buy some water bottles along with some cheese and bread for snacking while walking around the streets of Prague.

Today's Steps: 10733

Asset Allocation and Location

As I learn more and more about asset allocation and money management, the more I am able to understand all the neat tools I have at my fingertips. My employer uses Fidelity to manage our 401k plan and I was able to quickly dissect some of my past returns.

Rate of Return for my 401k Only
2006: 14%
2007: 10.4%
2008: -.04%

My current allocation is an 99%/1% split between stocks and bonds. As I learn more about bonds, I will probably need to adjust this. Generally I've been told that a young investor like myself should invest aggressively by placing all my money in stocks, the riskier investment as compared to bonds. My stock holdings are further split 40%/60% domestic vs. international and here’s what it looks like in a bit more detail:

51.77% Total International (FDIVX)
25.64% Total Large Cap (FCNTX)
22.59% Total Small Cap (RSPFX)

(Note: The "cap" in large cap and small cap refers to a company's stock market capitalization, or the total number of shares multiplied by the stock's price. This is a gauge of what the market (or investors) believes the entire company to be worth. To put it simply, Large Cap are big companies like Microsoft and GE, Small Cap are small companies.)

This year has been an interesting year for me as I've noticed my rate of return year to date drop to the negative numbers and that in turn has forced me to try to understand what all this stock market is about.

Today's Steps: 7000

Spring means...

More work on the house.

While Ashley is gardening, I will be painting the front door dark blue.

Today's Steps: 2875

Payday

Today is payday. So in celebration, I decided to create a pie chart of my pay.

A few notes:
52% is my actual pay
22% goes to taxes (federal + state)
20% goes to 401k
2% goes to health, dental, life insurance

You'll notice that 2% of my gross pay is going for a 401k loan I took out a few years ago to help with the down payment on my house. I'm debating whether to pay this back or not but since I'm essentially paying myself interest, it's not hurting me either way.

A little less than 1% of my gross pay goes to charity. Which is 9% less than what I should be putting towards charity (tithe = 10%). I need to boost this up a lot more to meet my goal of 10%.




Today's Steps: 6422

My Cold.

Being sick sucks. It is definitely ruining my 10,000 steps daily goal.

On a positive note, I found another good blog to read for motivation.

http://moneygirl.quickanddirtytips.com/

And my annual raise is reflected in my paycheck tomorrow!

random thought: i feel that writing this diary has helped me formulate my thoughts better. i find that it's hard for me to put what i'm thinking into spoken words. it may be that my brain is closer to my hands than it is to my mouth.

current favorite song: Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" - I'm really digging the violins in the background.

I have a cold...

and I don't feel so good.

I finally sold my sailboat though. At a little bit of a loss. Oh well. Another lesson learned. No more boats for me. They are definitely a money pit.

Today's Steps: 5764

I went Bicycling today and I found

a Rock Quarry! Or at least I think it is. I'll take some pictures tommorrow and post it here.

What a find!

I was pleasantly surprised to find this rather long bicycle/atv/enduro trail about 4 blocks behind my house. I wonder who tends to the trail. It was rather well hidden from plain view. I ended up on the other side of Camillus today right behind Wal-Mart.

Today's Steps: 17,207

Impulse Buying ($100 a day)

I am an impulse buyer. I admit it. I see something, I want it, I buy it.

And while I am getting better at this as the years go on, I find that sometimes it's very hard for me to resist the urge. I seem to have an uncanny ability to justify any purchase. The only thing is, after the magic of initial gratification wears off, the guilt sets in. That's of course when Ashley (my fiance) dives in and adds in her own dose of carping (I mean this with all the love in the world).

I find that the arguments I use to convince myself are the same regardless of the purchase.
1. I deserve it.
2. I make enough money.
3. I really really want it.
4. I have so many ideas/uses for it.

So today, when I read about No Credit Needed’s idea of $100 a day rule to prevent impulse buying I was intrigued. For every $100 that he wants to spend on a new product, he forces himself to wait one day before making the purchase (http://www.ncnblog.com/)

Now this is definitely something I will have to try.

Today's Steps: 10,030

Financial Freedom (Independence)

It's funny how advice works.

Sometimes you want it (like when I was looking at mortgages) and sometimes you don't (like the time I bought a sailboat that was way too big for me to manage). And while there are a lot of advice out there that is free, it's hard to sort through it all.

This past week I've been mulling over one of the things my grandfather taught me. When I was growing up I always found it strange that my grandfather would re-calculate every receipt (regardless of the number of items) and write each item down in his journal. I would ask, "But, Grandpa, they already did the calculations for you", to which he'd just smile and continue his calculations. These days, I think I may understand his reasons for doing this.

It allows you to:
1. Look at each individual price again
2. Know what you spend
3. Keep track of your expenses by writing it down

My grandfather always kept excellent records. Combined with his frugal lifestyle, he was able to achieve financial independence early on in life. In contrast, my saving habits have been mostly from the front-end (automatic savings plan, contributions to 401k). I realize this is a two front battle. I need to save what I can and also pare down my expenses.

My grandfather taught me many things growing up. I guess grandparents are very good like that. Always giving you valuable advice that continues to make you think years later.

Today's Steps: 9185

Mowing the Lawn and Saving for a Motorcycle

While I was mowing my lawn today (btw, my weed whacker decided to crap out on me) I decided that I would open up an investment account (at http://www.zecco.com/) in order to save for a motorcycle. My opening balance starting next week will be a whopping $100.

This will solve a couple things for me:

1. Avoid the guilt I would feel taking money out of my savings account to purchase something I want (not need)

2. Save towards a target goal (approximately $3000)

3. Allow me time to consider what motorcycle I want and at the same time make progress towards purchasing one.

4. Try out some different stocks (potentially very risky)

Here's what I want now (am saving for) - 2003 Suzuki SV650:

Not the prettiest bike in the world, but I kinda like it. I'm noticing that they go for around $3000 (from my research on craigslist.org) depending on the condition and with the 2003, they added fuel injection so it should be more reliable than the older carburetor version.

Today's Steps: 6150

I got a raise today! Whoopee!

Hooray!

It's just in time to make up for the 10% health insurance increase we had at the beginning of the year.

Today's Steps: 12,707

What is Boom Boom Tex Mex?

The Best Mexican Food in Syracuse, NY that is.

Other runner-ups:
1. Alto-Cinco (near SU)
2. The Mission (not really mexican but it's close)
3. Jalopenos (is this really closed?)

We're having tacos with Xavier today.

I also got kind of lost bicycling in my own neighborhood.

Today's Steps: 10,791

Goals in Life

I have so many goals in life (things I want to do) that it seems very hard to keep track of all of them. Add in my habitual forgetfulness and you can see the result.

But here goes.

1. Save Money. Hopefully enough to retire on.
2. Write a business plan
3. Own commercial real estate
4. Learn how to play the guitar
5. Bungee-Jump
6. Skydive
7. Buy a Motorcycle.
8. Learn how to fix cars
9. Learn how to cook more
10....

Today's Steps: 9486 Steps

Toastmasters...

Today's Steps: 7276

Gave a speech yesterday at our Toastmasters meeting. (FYI: Toastmaster is a non-profit organization developing public speaking and leadership skills through practice and feedback in local clubs since 1924, see www.toastmasters.org)

Here is the speech I gave. "Financial Advice - Divulging Jon Clements Wisdom"

Recently, I’ve been forced to go cold turkey from my favorite Wall Street Journal columnist Jon Clements as he is leaving for a new job. I've always found his financial advice column “Getting Going” to be both instructive and amusing. I will miss his honest advice.

My favorite quote from his column is this one:

“You can't get rich by spending money. The folks with the big house, fancy cars and designer clothes are, no doubt, loaded. But they may be loaded with debt.”

Over the past few years, I’ve been able to put his advice to good use. As the treasurer of a non-profit organization I convinced the rest of the board to place $20,000 into a CD ladder. Although it may not beat the return of the stock market and at today’s rates it barely beats inflation, it is a better investment than the checking account it was previously in.

He’s also been responsible for motivating me into creating an automatic savings plan both for my retirement plan at work and for my personal checking account. It’s surprising how much money grows if you forget about it. This has enabled both Ashley (My fiancé) and I to save some money. Since we started working in 2004, we’ve saved:

Retirement Account: $X0,000

Savings: $X0,000

Home Equity: $X0,000

We’ve been fortunate not have any debt other than Ashley’s student loan of $X,000 and our mortgage of $XX,000. Both our parents gave us a good start in life by setting us up each with a car and a college education to which we are eternally grateful for.

But there are a few major items looming in the horizon. In the next few years, we will pay for a wedding, replace Ashley’s 1997 Toyota Camry, and pay for several home improvements (our downstairs bathroom needs to be done). Our budget now is to ensure there is enough money in the retirement and emergency savings account, and still some left over for these upcoming purchases.

Although Jon’s advice has been invaluable to me, I understand that financial advice is difficult to give. There is no one formula that will ensure everyone accumulates wealth. But if I’ve had to summarize 3 points that I’ve learned from Jon and a few other financial writers, they are:

1. Spend less than you earn.

And keep track of everything you spend. It’s surprising how much money I’ve spent on useless crap over the past couple years. This continues to be an ongoing battle. But understanding that I was spending $600 a year on cable was how I came to justify eliminating it 2 years ago. I’ve also cut down expenses by eliminating the Post Standard to Sundays only, saved $20 a month by combining both Ashley’s phone and I onto a Family Share plan, and keeping the furnace at 59 in the winter.

I still struggle with the self-discipline it takes to reduce my spending. The smartest thing I’ve done was to fool myself by enrolling in my company retirement plan (I just doubled it to 20% from 10% of my salary) when I started working in 2004.

There is still room for improvement. Food and Entertainment is still our biggest monthly expense. I have a hard time keeping track of money when we go out with friends. I’ve resolved to tabulate the costs of going out and taking the receipts to my wall.

2. Have a goal.

Jon Clements wrote that once your savings reach critical mass, the momentum of the interest takes over and does most of your work for you. My goal? Have a savings of $150,000 by the time I’m 30, not including home equity. This will give me a full 35 years for my money to grow. I may or may not be able to hit this number. Either way, it’s something to shoot for.

3. Find motivation.

With the loss on Jon Clements weekly prodding, I’ve had to resort to several financial blogs and books. It’s hard to stay motivated. I am my own worst enemy.

By reading someone else’s struggles and achievements, it gives me that extra boost I need. The library is a great source for this kind of information. I also have a few subscriptions. Both Kiplinger’s and WSJ disperse some excellent advice. They also keep you up to date on tax changes and introduce you to different options of investing.

I realize this will always be a learning process. I will make mistakes and I will learn from them. Hopefully. But I guess that’s what life is all about.

I once asked my grandfather what the secret to accumulating wealth was. His response? Stop spending money. It’s a lesson I’m still learning.

We're Feeding Jeff Tonight

I'm fitting in at least 15 minutes of biking daily. Hopefully I can increase this. It's definitely a lot of fun looking at the neighborhood.

Today's Steps: 8545

NYC with Keun-Rak

I spent the day with Keun-Rak today in NYC.

Korean Food at K-Town (32nd and Broadway), walking around Times Square (M&M Store, Footlocker, etc) and picking up some korean groceries at H-Mart.

Today's Steps: 6490

Me and My Gas Mileage

Car: 2003 BMW 325i

Mpg Summary
April 07 - July 07: 22.971
Aug 07 - Sept 07: 22.509
Oct 07 - Nov 07: 22.533
Jan 08: 23.749
Mar 08: 24.437
Apr 08: 24.550
Overall: 23.458

Today's Steps: 7500

It's Friday. Boo-Yah!

I've been forced to go cold turkey from my favorite wsj columnist - jon clements (he stopped writing for the wsj a couple weeks ago).

In the meantime I've had to fill with some rather good money blogs

http://www.getrichslowly.org/
http://www.thesimpledollar.com/

Good News: I'm putting some of the financial advice I've been reading to good use. I've cut out Netflix, got a new rewards credit card (Discover has a better rewards program than Citibank), and am currently in the process of setting up a CD ladder for a non-profit organization I am the treasurer of.

Bad News: I still don't know how much we spend on grocery. And our last water bill came in at a whopping $200 (for Jan, Feb, March). That's about $70 a month. I need to find out where all this water is going. We must have a leaky faucet somewhere. I also suspect the water department is wrong. Anyhoo, I've asked Ashley to refrain from showering until I find out what is up.

I also need to figure out how to cut down Ashley's student loans. She still has $9500 in student loans left. The interest rate isn't too bad. She consolidated a little over a year back. I need to create a budget that will pay this off in the next few years. We need to start doubling her payments.

Today's Steps: 5007

Thursday

Today's Steps: 6456

Wednesday - Theta Tau Meeting

Today's Steps: 8166

Tuesday - Guitar Class

Today we're learning Green Day's "Time of Your Life"

Sweet...

Too bad the class is ending soon.

Today's Steps: 7274

Mooonday... Moooooooo

It's raining today. Need to send back the elliptical I ordered cuz it don't work no more.

Today's Steps: 6736

Last Day of Motorcycle Class

I passed the motorcycle course!

I am now ready to be a motorcycle rider!

Today's Steps: 4249

Day 2 of Motorcycle Class

8 hours of motorcycle training. 5 hours on the bike. 3 hours in the classroom

Today's Steps: 7452 Steps

Day 1 of Motorcycle Class

3 hours in the classroom of motorcycle training.

Today's Steps: 8852

Sailboat Cleaning Time

Today's Steps: 8689

Selling Sailboat.

I'm selling my sailboat. Insert unhappy face here.

Now I just need to find my registration/title and get the ready for her first date this Sunday with a prospective buyer.

Today's Steps: 8416

First Day Back to Work

I'm refreshed and ready to work!

Today's Steps: 7907

Back in Syracuse

Shorty sure is tired!

Today's Steps: 2571

Fort Worth Main Street Arts Festival

Me and My Parrot (Arrrgh!)


Blackened Buffalo Steak at Reata's (Only $30)

Today's Steps: 6770

Saturday in Austin

Dr. Pepper Museum in Waco, TX


Rudy Mikeskas BBQ in Taylor, TX (All this for $8)


The bat bridge in Austin, TX


Breakfast at Las Manitas (Little Hands in Espanol)

Today's Steps: 10,241

Bubba's Wedding

Bubba's Wedding!


The Kiss!


Meghan is none too happy

Today's Steps: 7435

We Arrive in Texas!

Today we arrived in Texas. It's so nice here. In the 80's.

Apparently we are getting baseball size hail today.

Today's Steps: 5,684

Leaving Tomorrow... Busy Busy Busy

Today's Steps: 7720

Last Night for Shorty!

We're going to Texas on Thursday so tomorrow we are leaving Shorty with Mary.

Today's Steps: 7486

Monday is cold in Syracuse

But I'll be having lunch with Gerardo! Hopefully we can do a little Mexican food.

Today's Steps: 7,793

Sunday is for Sleeping

...and bicycling around the neighborhood. Need to get some good ideas for home renovations.

Woke up today at 7am. Went back to sleep at 10am. Woke up at 1pm. This is turning out to be a strange day indeed.

Today's Steps: 6271

Burgers at Xavier

So we didn't really do any mulching today at X's.

But we did grill some burgers!

Today's Steps: 7611 steps

Today we go to Swiftys!

Today's Steps: 8464

And tomorrow I help Xavier with mulching.

No more columns from Jonathan Clements

My favorite WSJ columnist is leaving. I've always found his writing to be informative, instructive and a little bit amusing.

Here are some of my favorite quotes:

1. You don't have any friends on Wall Street. You may want to make money. But so does the Street. And the more the Street makes, the less investors pocket.

2. There's no substitute for saving money. Next time you crack open your wallet, think on this: The dollars you spend today are delaying your retirement.

3. You can't get rich by spending money. The folks with the big house, fancy cars and designer clothes are, no doubt, loaded. But they may be loaded with debt.

Today's steps: 9828! Just a little shy of 10,000

Windmills in Ontario.

16,833 Steps! I beat Ashley by 12,000 steps today. Hooray for me!

Ultimate Frisbee sure does help me obtain my goal of 10,000 steps a.k.a. crushing Ashley.

Went to a supplier of ours today at work. Harbec Plastics located in Ontario, NY.

They have a windmill in their parking lot. Ain't that neat? It provides over 20% of their power usage.

I also passed by the Helluva Good Plant and the Mott Plant on my way there. Very interesting...

Tuesday is for Horses

8833 Steps Today!

I beat Ashley by over 5000 steps! HA! Now I have objective evidence that I do twice the amount of work she does!

I AM THE MAN! THE MAN!

Mooonday... Only 10 more days to TX

It's 7:30PM and I've got 5157 steps. I should probably walk the trail tomorrow.

Matzo Ball Tasting!

Today we're off to taste some Matzo Balls!

Here's some photos:


The Rabbi has a Mercedes! Linda will be pissed.


Just look at them. All waiting for Soup.


There's me with my soup ticket in one hand

Today's steps: 6348

Ashley's India Party is Today

We're having Indian food!



Only 3,787 steps today. :(

It's Rainy Today. But I'm going for Sushi!

Today we're going for Sushi. I hope Blue Monkey is open. I really like that place.

Today's steps: 8865 Steps

Me and My Orthodontist

I went to my Orthodontist today. Today, they put on attachments. I think I'm nearing the end of my treatment. Or at least, I hope so.

My new invisalign look great. I can clearly see the progress my teeth has made.

Today's Steps: 6892 steps

13,669 Steps and it's only 7PM

Wore my pedometer today and I'm at 13,669 steps and it's only 7pm!

Ultimate Frisbee does work! It's added almost 8,000 steps to my day.

I've met my 10,000 step a day goal!

Note: It's 9:26PM and I'm at 18,660.

Tuesday - Only 16 more day until Texas

2 more weeks and we're off to Dallas. It's going to be in the upper 70's/lower 80's there.

I'm pumped. Meanwhile, we'll be looking at upper 50's here in the 'cuse.

I wonder what I'm gonna get Bubba and Kathy for their wedding. I have some ideas but need better ones.

Today's guitar class. I should get some practice in before I go.

Monday... Oh Dreary Monday

It's raining outside and I don't feel quite so good.

I always feel a bit "ugh" when it's rainy outside.

Today I'm gonna make me some kimchee jigae (soup) with some tuna (white albacore chunks).

Ashley's getting ready for the Indian party we'll be holding at our house.

Sunday and It's Sunny in Syracuse

I'm going to go bicycling today. Wheeeee!

It's Saturday - Spring Cleaning 1

It's Saturday. Today we start Spring cleaning for the new season.

Goodbye Cabin Fever. Hello, Spring!

Went to Armory Square today and bought some sauces at the HotShoppe.

For dinner, we had Korean food with Brenda and Alan.

Friday. One Week Down.

It's Friday today and boy did it go by fast.

Went to Cedar House to meet with Ang and some of his friends.

Not too bad of a place. Especially loved getting two Yuenglings for $5.

Day 4 of South Beach Diet.

I've started to lose a few pounds I think. I'm closer to 170 than I am to 180! Yipee!

I've also started to wear a pedometer. It's midday and I'm at 3825 steps. Only 6175 more steps to go in order to meet my goal of 10,000 steps a day.

Today's Lunch: Turkey Burger (No Bun) and Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette. It was actually quite tasty. Only bad thing was the Tupperware container that held the dressing spilled a little onto the string cheese.

Note: It's 9PM right now and I've only done 5283 steps. I'm a little short. I also received my elliptical today. It's an Eclipse 1100HRA from FitnessQuest. Unfortunately it will not turn on. Hopefully I can resolve this in the AM with their Customer Service Rep.

Day 3 of South Beach Diet.

It's Day 3 of my South Beach Diet and I'm holding strong.

Today's Lunch: Chef Salad with Fat Free Italian Dressing and Turkey Burger (No Bun)

It's gorgeous outside today. I'm going to go downtown and enjoy the sunshine.

I'm back! Day 2 of South Beach Diet.

My sister gave me a diet book over the Easter weekend. South Beach Diet.

I'm on day 2 now. It's getting harder by the hour. Yesterday I had a cobb salad and a turkey burger (no bun). Let's see how today goes.

Tonight's "Guitar Class 1" and I need to get a haircut today.

Day 24: Are you alright?

Lucinda William's - Are You Alright?

Are you alright?
All the sudden you went away.
I hope you come back around someday.
I haven't seen you in a real long time.
Are you sleeping through the night?
Do you have someone to hold you tight?
Do you have someone to hang out with?
Do you have someone to hug and kiss you,
Hug and kiss you, Hug and kiss you?
Are you alright?

Day 21: Shorty Sleeps

Shorty sleeps a lot. Except when I am trying to sleep.

Day 14: Shorty skips Church

There's always next week right?

And I had more important stuff to do. Like:
1. Reading http://www.overheardintheoffice.com/
2. Watching re-runs of House and The Office
3. Playing computer games
4. Doing my Laundry

Yesterday I watched "Gone Baby Gone" at the Ober-Slades. It was a very good movie but a little disturbing.

Activity: Seriously? It's cold outside. Like freezing cold.
Dinner: Leftovers with Kimchee (Everything's better when it's Korean-ized)

Day 13: Shorty eats Indian Food

I unpacked my little brother's nintendo gamecube today.

Who wants to play Mario Kart?

Activity: Movie at the Ober-Slades.
Dinner: Chicken Tikka Masala (from Wegman's)

Day 12: Shorty's going to Church (Bible Study)

Shorty's gonna go to Bible Study today. Praise the Lord!

1 Peter 1:7 (New International Version)
These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Dinner: Korean Food
Activity: Bible Study
Cubicle Music: Hootie & The Blowfish's "I Go Blind" - I think its that I feel more confused by the deal love has shown me

Day 11: Shorty and Fried Rice

Today I am making chicken fried rice for the Coleman's.

I'm not quite sure why I am doing this.

I am supposed to be the leech.

I just need to get some chicken, carrots, onions, potato, etc.

Activity: Cooking Fried Rice in a Wok
Cubicle Music:

Day 10: Shorty + Chicken Wings + Pizza

Shorty's gonna eat some chicken wings tonight.

Dinner: Chicken Wings + Pizza at Xavier's
Activity: Drinking a few beers with Gerardo and Rayhan

Day 9: Shorty eats Chicken Fajitas

Linda Ober-Slade's making us dinner today.

Shorty will get a chance to play with Gadget.

Dinner: Chicken Fajitas
Activity: Guitar Class at OCC and Playing with Gadget (Linda's Bunny)

Day 8: Salsa Shorty

Shorty goes dancing.

Activity: Salsa at Pioneer Health Club
Cubicle Music: Mary J. Blige "Work That"

Day 7: Superbowl Shorty!

No Hangover from yesterday! Yipeee! That's score one for Pedialyte.

Onwards to Superbowl drinking... but only after going to church first.

It's been 7 days since my baby left. (insert whining here)

Today's Activity: Superbowl at Josh Kim's house.
Music: Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs's "Stay" - Oh, won't you stay just a little bit longer, Please let me stay here, please say that you will

Day 6: Shorty goes out drinking!

A typical weekend day for Shorty:
7:55AM - Whining
8:00AM - Wake Up Daddy
8:05AM - Not wake yet? It's scratching time!
8:10AM - Potty Time
8:15AM - Breakfast
8:20AM - Sleeping

Alicia Key's "Like You'll Never See Me Again"

Day 5: Shorty fires up the Grill

Tonight Shorty fires up the Grill. We're having Burgers with the Aguirre boys. Those boys are crazeee!

It's snowing today. Today's forecast: Windy. Snow this morning will give way to a combination of rain and freezing rain this afternoon. High 34F. Winds ESE at 20 to 30 mph. Snow accumulating 1 to 3 inches.

Yesterday was the first time Shorty met Charm. They didn't get along so well. Here's a brief timelime of what happened in the beginning.
6:30PM - Shorty Meets Charm
6:31PM - Shorty barks at Charm
6:32PM - Charm starts crying. She's apparently a little scared.
6:33PM - Shorty starts drinking out of Charm's water bowl
6:34PM - Charm barks at Shorty (the tables are turning)
6:35PM - Shorty growls back and goes back into her cage.

Dinner: HamBurgers!
Activity: Grilling in the Snowstorm
Cubicle Music: Maroon 5's "Won't Go Home Without You" - I asked her to stay but she wouldn't listen

Day 4: Shorty meets Charm

Today Short-Stuff and I are leeching off the Coleman's. She's going to have a blast. Yesterday, Cortida and I went over to Xavier's and played with Diego and Nicolas.

My BFF (Best Friend Forever - For Life! For Sure!) Mackenzie will be there. Maybe we can watch "Finding Nemo"

Grishma made me food yesterday so I am eating some of it for lunch. Not quite sure what it is but I'm sure it'll be good. Looks like Rice and Beans.

Lunch: Jeera Rice, Rajma, BBQ Ribs
Dinner: Chicken Phillo Bundles
Activity: Playing with Charm
Cubicle Music: O.A.R.'s "I Feel Home" - I feel home when I see the faces that remember my own, Cause home, to me, is reality and all I need is something real"

Day 3: Shorty is learning how to play the Guitar!

Yesterday was our first lesson on playing the guitar at OCC.

The teacher's kind of funky. He seems pretty cool but also seems like he's 40 and still lives with his parents hoping to be a rock star one day.

Today's Activity: BBQ Ribs at Xavier's - Free Food for Shorty!
Cubicle Music: Boys Like Girls' "Hero/Heroine (Tom Lord-Alge Mix)" - I feel like a hero and you are my heroine, Do you know that your love is the sweetest sin?

Day 2: Shorty and Beer Fest

One of Ashley's former co-worker Shane just invited us to a beerfest Saturday.

I hope they let Boston Terriers drink.

Central New York Brewfest

Event Details:
The 11th annual Central New York Brewfest, held each year the day before the Super Bowl, rolls into the state fairgrounds on Feb. 3. Tasting is in two sessions, 1 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. The fest is again at the Horticulture Building.

Dinner: Chinese Food from Wegman's
Tonight's Activity: Guitar Lessons at OCC
Today's Realization: Being all alone in a empty house stinks. And it's kind of cold.
Cubicle Music: Ingrid Michaelson's "Masochist" - "She says you're a masochist for falling for me, So roll up your sleeves. And I think that I like her, 'cuz she tells me things I don't want to hear"

Day 1: Just Me and Shorty

It's day 1 of Shorty's loneliness. Her mother left yesterday for India at 1PM EST on a Group Study Exchange with Rotary International.

I'm getting over a cold.

Entertainment: Nip/Tuck Season 1, Disc 1
Dinner: Frozen Pizza and Water