Once a year or so we get a group of friends together and drive south. This typically involves a VT football game. Since we've been in Richmond, we tend to wait til the end of the year to go to the ACC championship or the bowl game. Good times always insue. Our good friend Emily is always present...usually in the middle seat of my car, with Roshan and Larissa on each side. The ackward fifth person is usually a guy...which means he gets to ride shot gun. Don't ask why that is the case, I don't have any idea.
This year will be a little different. Silly Emily is moving to LA this week. So instead of us driving to Atlanta or Jacksonville this year, we're heading west. Yup, that's right. In two days I get to sit in the car FOR THREE DAYS STRAIGHT. I'm excited about making the whirlwind trip, but anxious about how my ADD will set in somewhere in Tennessee...and not go away until we reach Pasadena.
I'm going to try and take some pics on the way out there...all 2,600 miles of it...but don't look forward to any postings until next week. We're doing 12 hour days driving...first night an hour west of Little Rock and then Albequerque! Then I have 24 hours in LA to help Emily find a sweet new ride before I board my red eye flight back east.
If all goes well, Roshan and I will plan a similar trip (with a few more stops in between) next year.
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Tuesday, August 26, 2008
No Postings?
Well it's been a couple of very busy weeks for us and I haven't had a lot of time to get the rambling thoughts down. A good friend of ours is getting ready to move to LA (more on that soon) so we've been trying to help her pack, clean, move, etc. We've been in our house for two and a half years now and I cannot imagine if we decided to move today. It's amazing to think about the amount of stuff two people can accumulate in such a short period of time! And we're not even pack rats!
Then we made the mistake of going out and looking at houses. WHY DO WE DO THIS TO OURSELVES? I grew up in the country (as in cow farm across the street, tobacco and corn down the road a bit)...so as much as I wanted to get out of there after high school, I find myself wanting to move out to the country...where you don't have to build a fish pond to mask the sound of the interstate...or want to shoot your neighbors dogs because they enjoy yapping at your dogs. Don't worry, we're not moving. But that doesn't stop us from looking. We're at the point now where we need to actually do maintence to our house. Nothing is broken, but we haven't stayed in one place long enough to think about things like power washing the siding, getting the ac vents cleaned, hiring someone to look at the furnace once a year, etc. Unless I win the mega millions this week! Then we're off to Goochland where I can have a basement and a riding lawn mower!
Then we made the mistake of going out and looking at houses. WHY DO WE DO THIS TO OURSELVES? I grew up in the country (as in cow farm across the street, tobacco and corn down the road a bit)...so as much as I wanted to get out of there after high school, I find myself wanting to move out to the country...where you don't have to build a fish pond to mask the sound of the interstate...or want to shoot your neighbors dogs because they enjoy yapping at your dogs. Don't worry, we're not moving. But that doesn't stop us from looking. We're at the point now where we need to actually do maintence to our house. Nothing is broken, but we haven't stayed in one place long enough to think about things like power washing the siding, getting the ac vents cleaned, hiring someone to look at the furnace once a year, etc. Unless I win the mega millions this week! Then we're off to Goochland where I can have a basement and a riding lawn mower!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Weekend Update
So what if it's Wednesday and I didn't give you a weekend update yet? There's only two of you that read this ;-)
Besides, by now I don't remember what we did all weekend. We puppysat for some friends all weekend so pretty much we sat around watching three dogs play, growl, lick, attempt to hump, and various other antics. I'm pretty sure anyone that voluntarily has three dogs needs to have their heads examined!!
Oh yeah and we got to check out the Rackley's sweet new house...and convinced their four year old daughter to allow us to move in once the house is complete. BTW, thanks for making me want a new house...especially when all the neighborhoods we've been interested in have been dropping prices like mad.
Besides, by now I don't remember what we did all weekend. We puppysat for some friends all weekend so pretty much we sat around watching three dogs play, growl, lick, attempt to hump, and various other antics. I'm pretty sure anyone that voluntarily has three dogs needs to have their heads examined!!
Oh yeah and we got to check out the Rackley's sweet new house...and convinced their four year old daughter to allow us to move in once the house is complete. BTW, thanks for making me want a new house...especially when all the neighborhoods we've been interested in have been dropping prices like mad.
Friday, August 8, 2008
July $ Update
The markets continue to not help us out this month. But I know every $ we put aside now means we're buying shares on sale : ) Just can't wait til November...in hopes that the election will bring about some stability.
We managed to be under budget this month thanks to George W's check finally arriving. Too bad my speeding ticket and an ER trip ate into good chunk of that. Next month should be sweet if we can keep our spending under control since my wife will recieve an extra paycheck. Perfect timing because I want to go on a short vacation : )
Net worth was up ~1.7% for the month...mainly due to my company finally depositing my profit sharing contribution into the 401(k). If the markets will cooperate a little more, we'll be on track to meet our net worth goal by the end of the year.
We managed to be under budget this month thanks to George W's check finally arriving. Too bad my speeding ticket and an ER trip ate into good chunk of that. Next month should be sweet if we can keep our spending under control since my wife will recieve an extra paycheck. Perfect timing because I want to go on a short vacation : )
Net worth was up ~1.7% for the month...mainly due to my company finally depositing my profit sharing contribution into the 401(k). If the markets will cooperate a little more, we'll be on track to meet our net worth goal by the end of the year.
It's Finally FRIDAY!
Yesterday was a LONG day. I had the opportunity to travel up to DC for the day to participate in a field test for the certification exam (read: 10 hours of grueling nightmarish testing) I took a few years back. It turned out to be a really cool experience and got me a little more excited about the field I'm in and think possibly about alternative career paths that would still allow me to use my skillz. That's right, with a z. It was also fun to get to see some sights (albeit from the car) of downtown DC. But boy did it remind me of why we don't live in that area anymore. Traffic is just a nightmare!! I am looking forward to a roadtrip (or possibly a train trip if I can convince my wife to get on the Amtrak) to visit some good friends of ours that recently moved up there.
On a crappier note, it's been a rough morning so far. I pulled into the garage this morning admiring the sweet Audi A8 in front of me. Then I think to myself, wow that guy's got it together, sweet ride, impecable suit, fairly distinguished looking...then he slammed the door in my face...twice. I work downtown and park in an ancient garage, whose doors slam shut. So the nice gentlemen decided it was beneath him to hold the door open for the five seconds til I got to it. People, I'm not a small person, he saw me. Further confirmed that the bankers downtown are not nice people and they all hate their jobs worse then I do! Also makes me want to go pee on his car ;-)
On a crappier note, it's been a rough morning so far. I pulled into the garage this morning admiring the sweet Audi A8 in front of me. Then I think to myself, wow that guy's got it together, sweet ride, impecable suit, fairly distinguished looking...then he slammed the door in my face...twice. I work downtown and park in an ancient garage, whose doors slam shut. So the nice gentlemen decided it was beneath him to hold the door open for the five seconds til I got to it. People, I'm not a small person, he saw me. Further confirmed that the bankers downtown are not nice people and they all hate their jobs worse then I do! Also makes me want to go pee on his car ;-)
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Monday, August 4, 2008
Weekend Update
Too exhausted this morning to cover any of the other thoughts in my head...
Friday
Home from work a little early to pack, clean up the house and drive to Raleigh. Got into town much later then we were expecting. Got to drive this and was amazed at the ridiculousness of it. Too bed late.
Saturday
Almost died from lack of sleep and humidity induced headache. Drugged myself up real good as to not irritate the in-laws. Much baby playing highlighted by the fact that our neice loves me best ;-) Only know this because she loves to pull on my face and look at me with odd stares (read: she's confused why this giant white creature is holding her and making funny sounds at her). Late birthday lunch for the mother-in-law here...very tasty but not vegetarian friendly.
Sunday
More baby playing. Drive back to Richmond to drop off the wife, then off to MD for Dad's birthday. Ate too much and forced to get a large Starbuck's to make the trek back to Richmond.
Friday
Home from work a little early to pack, clean up the house and drive to Raleigh. Got into town much later then we were expecting. Got to drive this and was amazed at the ridiculousness of it. Too bed late.
Saturday
Almost died from lack of sleep and humidity induced headache. Drugged myself up real good as to not irritate the in-laws. Much baby playing highlighted by the fact that our neice loves me best ;-) Only know this because she loves to pull on my face and look at me with odd stares (read: she's confused why this giant white creature is holding her and making funny sounds at her). Late birthday lunch for the mother-in-law here...very tasty but not vegetarian friendly.
Sunday
More baby playing. Drive back to Richmond to drop off the wife, then off to MD for Dad's birthday. Ate too much and forced to get a large Starbuck's to make the trek back to Richmond.
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