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Thursday, January 29, 2004
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Common Cents
Meg subscribes to a monthly magazine called 'Cheapskate Monthly.' It's a very useful resource for stretching the paycheck dollar -- and that is more and more necessary these days. You may or may not be able to read the article referenced below b/c it may be a 'member's only' article, but here's a snippit of the most useful advice from it (IMO):
Stay focused
The consumer credit industry would prefer that you give up silly notions of Living Below Your Means [LBYM]. They want you to drift through life in a spending coma believing you deserve everything you want and that you can have it all.
Wake up! Start talking to yourself. Whenever you are faced with a desire to spend, STOP and ask yourself:
- Can I afford it?
- Do I really need it?
- Do I need it now?
- Do I have something like it already?
- Can I find a cheaper substitute?
- Is this the best deal?
If you make it through all six questions, go home and sleep on it. Tomorrow you’ll probably change your mind.
Have a thrifty Thursday!
Living Below your Means
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Tuesday, January 27, 2004
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I Go To Extremes
...from 73 degrees in Florida on Sunday morning to lows in the teens on Sunday night in South Carolina. We drove in sleet and on ice and slush as we made our arduous trip back to Raleigh on Sunday and Monday. A drive that would normally take 3.5 hours (from Manning, SC to Raleigh) took a whopping seven hours b/c at times we were doing 20 MPH on the wintry mess.
What's interesting is that the section of I-40 from I-95 to the Wake County line was the worst -- it seemed like no work was done to that part of the road. But once the Wake County sign was in view, the road was pretty clear. I guess that's our tax dollars at work! :)
The important thing is that we made it back safely last night, and weren't one of the 1600+ accidents reported in North Carolina.
Thank the Good Lord for that!
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Tuesday, January 20, 2004
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communication breakdown
If you're married, you've likely run across a scenario/conversation similar to this:
(the following is based on a real conversation that Meg and I had last weekend)
M: "Let's go to [store] ABC. It's pretty convenient, and least expensive."
B: "I hate going to ABC. It's always crowded and I get a headache when I'm in there -- I'll go to XYZ later and pick up the things we can't find at HQW."
Later...
M: "I thought we were going to HQW. Why are we headed towards ABC?"
B: "You convinced me."
M: "Well, you convinced me. [laughs] So, how did we come to this decision?"
B: "I was driving."
Has something like that happened to you? Please share by clicking on the 'comments' link below!
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Saturday, January 17, 2004
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keep your feet on the ground...
Ideals are like stars. You will not succeed in touching them with your hands, but like the seafaring man on the desert of waters, you choose them as your guides, and following them, you reach your destiny. -- Carl Schurz
"Be imitators of God." -- St. Paul
Ephesians 5:1
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Wednesday, January 14, 2004
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enjoy now, pay later
This week, we will issue the bill payment that will effectively render us debt-free. What joy! What exuberation! Since before we were married, we had thousands of dollars in consumer debt. [Our wedding is one of the reasons we owed so much.] After two and a half years of sacrifice [selling the truck and becoming a one-car family; foregoing many events that we would have loved to attend, eating out MUCH less], the deed is done. But then again, it's not done. It's still going to be work to stay out of debt -- saving for those unexpected expenses, and resisting the temptation of "18-months no interest on all purchases over $500!!" are just two examples.
If you think about it, debt is much like sin. Our struggle with it is never over either -- until we've left this earth. And with sin as with debt, there's momentary pleasure that results in long periods of painful payment. And when we think we've exorcised the demons from our dwelling place, it just comes knocking right back at our door.
So, I challenge and encourage the half-dozen of you who read this blog to resist the urge to splurge, whether it be with that plastic card, or by giving in to the lusts of the flesh. It's tough, but with God's grace, it's possible.
"What is impossible with men is possible with God."
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Saturday, January 10, 2004
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heirloom
 My Granny Griffin was a wonderful lady. She never missed a Sunday at church, read her Bible daily, and I never heard her say a negative word about anybody. And so we wanted to honor her by naming our daughter after her. On Christmas day, My Aunt Betty and Uncle Jimmy (who cared for Granny for many years) presented us with a pendant that belonged to her. I can't think of a better gift.
Click on the picture to see new Emily Anne pics and other holiday snapshots.
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Friday, January 09, 2004
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snow, snow, snow
 No, not as much as at our wedding, but it was enough to cause hundreds of automobile accidents and some school and business closings. I still had to work, but I was able to work from home for part of the day. Oh, and I almost slid into another vehicle on my commute this morning. Fun stuff, but the view is nice. :)
Emily pictures WILL come tomorrow -- I promise.
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There's a patch of old snow in a corner
That I should have guessed
Was a blow-away paper the rain
Had brought to rest.
It is speckled with grime as if
Small print overspread it,
The news of a day I've forgotten--
If I ever read it.
Robert Frost - A Patch of Old Snow
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Tuesday, January 06, 2004
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First Post of the New Year
2003 was a great year. I turned 27 and went snowboarding for the first time on the same day. I won the first 'Master of All Games' Tournament [albeit a very local and very small competition], and came in 2nd place in the second MOAGT. We took a couple of short trips to see friends, and most importantly -- our baby daughter Emily Anne was born!
We are beginning 2004 with new resolve. We're starting back on our Body For Life plan. I lost about 22 pounds on BFL in late 2001, in preparation for the wedding. Then after the honeymoon and newlywed life, I slapped all but three of those pounds back on. Now it's time to get serious.
SO, with some Christmas cash I picked up Dance Dance Revolution Max 2 yesterday for Playstation 2. Laugh all you want, but I had my first DDR workout this morning, and I actually ENJOYED excercising! It's a hundred times better than the excruciating twenty minutes on the treadmill. I sweated for 35 minutes on the dance pad, and would have done more but for the fact I had to get ready for work. Time will tell, but I predict 2004 will be the year that I get down to my target weight, aided somewhat by this new dance craze.
So as not to get your hopes up, I leave you with this disclaimer...
**NOT COMING TO A COMPUTER SCREEN NEAR YOU: MPG Videos of Bert doing DDR**
Happy New Year!
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