Trying to keep Tabs on my finances

Too excited/obsessed to sleep, so after some more online reading on how to remove car seats, I decided to take another crack at the front passenger seat.

Though the front passenger seat is only one large piece-- as opposed to the half a dozen or so pieces from the back seat-- it was nevertheless trickier. For one thing, I had to disconnect my car battery to prevent the risk of accidentally setting off my air bags or something when I disconnect the three sensor cables underneath the seat. Each of them were like unique 3D puzzles on how to disconnect them without breaking them.

On top of that, I still had to figure out how to physically unscrew the seats out, which was another interesting challenge. Not only that, but I also had to figure out the size wrench I needed. By the way, it was 8mm, future me. 8mm. Why can't they standardize this? Like make it... 10mm across the board?

Anyways, at last, I am triumphant:



And that concludes the strip phase of this project. With the car cleaned out and ready to go, now comes the real hard part, which is the build phase.

That will start tomorrow. I will take it nice and slow. Measure twice, cut once. Baby steps.

I spent the rest of the day stripping out the rear seats. Having never done this in my life, it turned out to be a bit harder than I thought. Eventually though, I did figure it out enough to get them removed.



Being such a pain to remove, I see now why a lot of camper builders avoid this part and decide to just work with the seats folded down. However, this wasn't really an option for me, with such a short vehicle, and the seats not being able to fold down completely flat. So I decided to give it a go at removing them. Never know until I try right?



Unlike normal cars, Hybrids have bulky batteries they have to place somewhere, and the Prius C have theirs under the rear seats. I can't move this stuff, so I will have to build my platform right above it. Doing so is not a safety risk though. I can't get it as flat down as you can with a regular gas car. Just another interesting bump to add to the challenge of this project.

Stripping out this stuff also helps reduce the weight of the car, although I have to admit, I was impressed at how light everything is to begin with. I guess it was necessary to maintain its relatively high MPG.

Another thing worth noting is that I hear more of the road now with the seats gone. An added higher pitched sound.... Not a big deal to me, but I want to make sure I note everything I can think of for future reference....

This includes noting that I used a 14mm ratchet wrench to unscrew all the bolts. The car battery would need 10mm wrenches instead, and I need to do that first before I figure out how to take out the front car seat to prevent the risk of air bags going off.

Anyways, I'm off to late dinner to think more on my next step.

Ok, so the first real step in my build phase is actually tinting the windows. I wanted to take it to the tinting guy without anything ripped out just yet, so I don't have to answer any awkward questions. So this became my step #1.

This is a really expensive decision to make, but at the end of the day, if I can't keep cool and maintain privacy, then this project is doomed to fail. Plain and simple.

Let me reiterate again that the summer heat is my #1 enemy. No matter how cold it gets here (in North Carolina), I can find a solution to fix that and stay warm. There is next to nothing I can do about the summer heat though, and stripping and having a fan on my face will only work for so long.

Heat is also the #1 reason why I chose a Prius to convert, because the Prius engine is so efficient that it is said to only need to idle maybe 5 to 10 minutes each hour to keep the vehicle's fans and AC running. Serendipitously, I just happen to be driving a Prius.

Window tinting, especially the one I selected, is suppose to passively but substantially reduce the amount of heat that comes in and gets trapped in the car. It also helps to improve privacy, which is another fairly important factor to consider.

A smaller benefit, but one that should not be ignored, is that it also provides superb UV protection, which can become a big deal if I am planning to spend a lot of time in this car.

Check out the result from the outside:



And here's the inside:



It's fairly subtle, but you can see it is indeed darker from the outside looking in, and yet, is almost undetectable from the inside looking out.

The final tidbit I'd like to say is that the tint can only be so dark to be street legal. This is the darkest that I am legally allowed to have.

Ok, on to the next step....

Ok, it's been months, but I still have not changed my mind. Things are kicking off now though, starting tonight, but will begin tomorrow in earnest. Tonight is mostly last minute planning.

In case anyone is wondering, this is what I will be using to convert into like a... camper car:



Yeah, I know. It's a Prius C. They are tiny, even by car standards... and their engines are weak, which means I have to be very careful about how much weight I add into my build.

To recap, if this somehow works, I get to start a new chapter of my life. If it doesn't, I still have a decent commuter car.

So yeah, this is going to be an interesting challenge....

Still very focused and determined to make this whacky vandwelling rigmarole work. However, I have since decided to focus on something even whackier than a minivan. Yeah... but let me start from the top.

So, in the Vandwellers' world, regular RVs-- even class Bs-- are generally considered the Hamptons with the McMansions. They are spacious, well-made, and can be as expensive as real stick houses. I've specifically avoided these due to its exorbitant cost, my not wanting to drive anything that big, as well as its lack of stealth. Simply put, RVs are out.

However-- and again, through the lenses of the vandwelling community's perspective-- people with "normal" large houses run Sprinter-styled tall vans. The main advantage is that they allow you to stand upright. I've heard that this is a big deal, but I am betting that I can go without it. Also, they are still big vehicles to drive, with bad fuel economy, and are not stealthy IMO. I've never considered them to be an option for me.

Which leads to the middle ground of the group, or minivan-sized vehicles, including standard cargo vans. I was heavily... and still am heavily leaning this way because it finally allows me to have a vehicle that can park just about anywhere, can be affordable enough, and offers superb stealth. Unfortunately, they still offer really bad gas mileage, even though honestly, I can live with that kind of cost....

However, within all this is a select sub-group of vandwellers that are called cardwellers, which as the name suggests, live in cars. Yes. Cars... but hear me out.

Ok, let's just go straight to the disadvantages, and why even within the vandwelling community, some may politely consider it a special kind of crazy. The most obvious thing is that the space is really, really small. Most, if they have a choice, would prefer to just have more space than this.

Also, many fall into this camp simply because they are so down on their luck that it's their only alternative to literally sleeping out in a park bench with newspapers as blankets. As if vandwellers don't suffer from negative stigma enough, cardwellers get it even worse.

However, there are nevertheless a small, select group of people who willingly choose and are successfully living out of their car, especially using what I would consider the king of cardwelling, the Toyota Prius.

The Prius is one of the most popular choices for cardwelling, mostly because its distinctive climate control works very much like a home thermostat. At the same time, its super-efficient engine cuts on very briefly to generate the necessary power needed to maintain that climate control. If you get the nicer models, you can also get one with a sunroof to vent out the heat, as well as built-in solar-powered fans that can run all day to help prevent heat build-up. All of that is on top of the already amazing fuel efficiency (for regular driving), and affordability (I am eyeing one right now at under $20k).

However, and I can't emphasize this enough... space is at an absolute premium. There's so little of it, that just about every build I've seen is about the same. There is simply no room for imagination. Don't get me wrong though, because I am OK with that. These are among the most minimal and practical setups I have ever seen (mostly out of necessity), which appeals to me.

However, I would also like a very nice looking build if possible. I want to try my best to make it look as comfortable and homey as possible with what is essentially a family sedan.

Is it possible? I don't know, but I am going to go find out.

Once again, Snafu cautions to take baby steps, and I completely agree. However, as far as baby steps go, the first is always the biggest, and in my case, no truer words has been uttered. That's because in order to vandwell, you have to have a... van.

Now, if you are already driving your ideal vehicle for this endeavor, then this isn't a problem, but for most, including myself, it means finding and BUYING a vehicle, which is a serious purchase no matter how you approach it.

In keeping with the sage adage of baby steps, I've decided to keep things super simple and super boring. I am also going to follow a well-worn path already tread by others, particularly by Mr. William Myers, who wrote a book entitled, "Convert your minivan into a Mini-RV Camper".

Ok, the bottom line is, I am going to throw a bunch of recommended camping gear into the back of a Toyota Sienna. That's it. Easy peasy baby steps. At best, this is a great starting point that actually has been tried and true to work. At worst, things fail miserably, but the good news is I will still have a reliable minivan to drive the family around, and have some extra camping gear to boot in case I am able to take a road trip. Bonus is that his recommendations does not require me to do any type of screwing, sawing, nailing, or wiring to start out.

Now, the reality of all this isn't lost on me in that I'm basically committing myself to be a homeless man living out in a van down by the river. There is nothing glamorous about this. However, I prefer to think of this as a continuing adventure and self-experimentation to push my own boundaries and comfort zone, and hopefully find a better a stronger and happier me in the process.

I mean, no matter what happens, this will always be one of those amusing, "Ha ha, hey remember that time when that crazy guy Tabs did that?" moment right? Or, like my closet escapade, which seemed so crazy at the time, succeeded so famously, it is now my daily routine. I mean, who really knows, but I say let's go find out!

Wow, ok didn't expect to get much feedback to be honest. I mean, talk about some late night ramblings on a strange topic eh? There's a lot more I want to say about this, so I am going to answer them here instead of in the comments.

But first of all, I'm still serious about this. I've already made up my mind. Things are already in motion, and a roadmap is being developed as we speak.

Anyway, to answer CCF, renting my house is definitely an option, though it would be less than ideal compared to selling it outright. Of course, if renting is the best offer I can get for now, then by all means, I will go with that.

Snafu brings up some great points, and please by all means, don't be shy about bringing up constructive criticism. I'm not going to get to where I want to be in life by dismissing reality. (Don't comment about Trump... don't comment about Trump.) I don't know if you already know this but the house is already fully paid for. So yes, although I will probably still take a loss, the final calculation will never be upside down somehow.

And yes... I am already prepared to take a loss. However, I would still like to avoid that if at all possible. That is why, again, I don't think I will be turning this around overnight. Instead, I am willing to give it two years to see if I can't get a reasonable price for it.

Two years is also roughly what I am thinking it will take to be completely ready, tested, and experienced enough to set out on my own... which leads me to the next topic.

Yes, RVs are ridiculously expensive. Ridiculous. Even greatly used RVs can cost as much as $50k or so. Forget that sass. I've already decided that I will build my own RV. Yes, the end result will be nothing as glamorous as a real commercial RV, but I think I can actually get it done with a $20k budget (vehicle included).

Still, think of the hilarious pictures and the misadventures I will be able to share with you guys on here. (Think ugly art class ash try from junior high on four wheels.)

As for parking and such, no worries. Remember, I am still a member of the law enforcement community. These things are generally governed by municiple codes, and all it would take is one phone call for me to get most of what I would need to know to stay legal... and I've already researched this on my own as well. I even know a Deputy that builds his own personal teardrop campers and does this.

Without a doubt though, there will be challenges. I know this isn't going to be easy, I know it won't be glamorous or glorious either. What I am choosing here is a path of austerity and perhaps even hardship. I know I am not going to impress anyone. All I know is I want to be honest with myself and the way I want to live life while I am still alive and able....

I know I am not the only one who has ever felt the gravity of mortality, the loosening of the mortal coil, and the lingering pang of regret of a life not lived. I am not just doing this to save money. I also want to live until I die. The great irony in all this is that, on our bad days, we often retreat to the places where we call home, right? Well, I don't know where my home is. I live in a house but it's not a home. I think I can build one though, so I can be closer to the mountains and the oceans that I can take solace in. I want to go home too.

Finally, yes PatientSaver, I agree with your advice. As you can imagine, I've been a lurking member of these vandwelling forums for years now actually, and have read several books on it... to the point that that is the vast majority of all my Kindle recommendations, except for ones about solar power or aquaponics haha. The true test will be when the times comes for me to put theory into practice and actually build and then test living in my new "house" on wheels.

I hope things work out, but if it doesn't.... Worst case, everything falls apart, but hey, I am still in a fully-paid house, with a fully-paid van to drive around. I'm OK with that.

Those who remember me will probably remember how much I wanted to live in a more mobile lifestyle, perhaps in something like a tiny house or RV, maybe traveling a bit, definitely sizing down and minimizing cost.

By next month, it will mark one year that I've owned a house. And much as I enjoy its modern conveniences, not a day goes by lately that I do not dream of just packing it all up and heading for the mountains. I've tried this home ownership thing. It's nice... but I don't think it's for me.

Do I have Gypsy blood in me? I don't know. All I know is that property taxes are ridiculous, and while I'm at it, so is paying utility bills and insurance and HoA for a house I barely use.

I don't like the cost of it, and I don't feel like I belong here either. In a strange sort of way, I feel like a caged animal, yearning to be set free. I'm a man with a house but not a home.

I know nothing is going to change overnight but... I'm going to start shopping around for a more appropriate vehicle I can travel in.

As the title says, I am serious this time. Now I need to just Do It.

Sooo, I ran into

another retirement calculator, but what's different about this one is that it does not believe the probabilistic modeling that most others calculators use. Instead, it uses actual retiree data to model.

Ok so just for fun, I decided to punch in some of my numbers, and according to this one, I should be able to make retirement... but just barely.

That's also with normal expenses that I spend now. If I really drive it down to say a life of Ramen noodles, then I could easily live through it with money to spare.

On the bright side, that's still better than before, where I thought even normal retirement would be impossible. At least it's saying it's actually possible. In any case, it's always nice to be reminded on the importance of saving for your future.

College Humor strikes again.

Bonus video

Ok so remember that rather large (to me) sum that I gifted to this friend of mine? So I been feeling the pressure on that lately.

That money was originally saved up to go to my Roth IRA that I like to max contribute at the beginning of every year. Clearly that isn't going to happen this year.

However, that money also doubles as my short term emergency savings buffer I guess. The rest are currently "locked up" in some short term trading positions that I don't want to sell unless it absolutely can't be helped.

I am still OK though, since my credit card can pick up the slack, although I don't like the idea of not being able to pay off my credit cards immediately.

However, I think I can get a grip on all this soon.

On the bright side, this friend in question does seem to be a bit cheerier so that's good.

So I have just been informed this morning at our workplace that

we are experiencing a gas shortage. A gas pipe bursted in Alabama earlier this weekend, and now, the local gas stations near me have barely any gas left.

Where there is still gas, prices have already gone up by anywhere from $0.10 to $0.55 per gallon. Services are not expected to return to normal until at least a week from now.

I drive a Prius, and I mostly commute to begin with, so I don't see this as a problem for me. Still though, all this just brings back this issue of our country being perhaps too dependent on fossil fuel.

It terms of absolute fuel safety, I definitely think plug-in hybrids are the best solution, because you'd have to lose both gas AND power before those things will stop running. My Prius is good (at a regular 50+ mpgs) but it still requires gas to go anywhere.

That said, I would still seriously consider an all-electric car as well. In fact, I wonder if it's possible to some day live in such a way where I may not need a car at all? It'd be nice if I can slim my transportation needs down to just a bicycle....

I've seen a lot of good tiny house builds, but

this one just oozes personality.

I had to scroll back to find out what in the world is going on with everybody listing stuff. But it sounds like an interesting challenge... because I don't think it'd actually be easy for me to come up with 20 factoids that you guys may or may not already know. I'm just a really boring guy in real life haha (though this is a personally chosen way of life so I am not sad about it or anything).

1. I was originally here under a different name, but some of you knew that already.

2. I changed name here when I had convincing evidence that my ex-wife (along with some work employees) knew who I was on here, and I wasn't comfortable with that.

3. I am now officially divorced longer than I have been married.

4. I am no longer as active here because my life is mostly back on track... and therefore don't have much of anything interesting to add. That and changes in my work schedule.

5. I have 3 kids in real life. Ages 16, 18, and 26. Yikes, where has the time gone?

6. I am very serious about privacy. It is very difficult to find any information about who I am online, and I am proud of this fact.

7. I've literally spent more years living between my parent's house and my aunt's house than one that is my own... which some of you probably already knew from reading from my blogs.

8. However, the results finally paid off this year when I was able to purchase a house without having to take on a mortgage.

9. I am a legal conceal carry pistol carrier for more than 20 years.

10. I am currently typing this in jail.... Yes I work here and not because I did something wrong haha.

11. I have trained in four different martial arts in the past... Tae Kwon Do, Karate, Kempo, and Krav Maga. (A lot of ground fighting as well, but the list may not reflect that.)

12. There are at least two buddies out there who share the same shoulder tattoo as I do. Something something younger and dumber but it isn't anything bad. In fact, it's based on the "go with the flow" philosophy.

13. I play a lot of video games in real life. It's something that I think hinders me more than anything in terms of actually not being uh single. However, it's also like my only hobby really. Otherwise, I don't spend on anything else.

14. The last two women that I've dated both played video games. In fact, that's how we met. It didn't work out, but not because of video games.

15. One of them that I dated was also a US/Canada national champion in those Dance Dance Revolution video games. At their level, the competition and even athleticism is intense. Lots of example videos on YouTube if you want to see what that's like.

16. My mom is trying to hook me up with people she knows, but to be perfectly honest... I think I am getting to a point where I may actually prefer to just be single. I don't know.

17. For just myself, I am most proud of my financial accomplishments. As some of you already know, my car is paid off, my house is paid off, and I am debt free. I just want to live a simple life and be happy....

18. I still yearn to be mobile and free (aka living in a tiny house or camper van). Mostly because it would be financially cheaper.... However, I am currently in a regular house due to family and work commute reasons. No idea how long I will be here.

19. My closet is still my bedroom, and I've converted my bedroom into my living room. I know it's crazy, but it works for me. My real living room is completely empty right now. Maybe I'll turn it into a gym or something, I don't know.

20. I've only met one SA member in real life. She was a lurker more than anything, and I was trying to be a helpful guide around town. Wouldn't mind meeting more SA people though.

So I've known this person online for years. We don't associate much, but the entire time that I've known her, she's been ill, and the doctors can't fully figured out why. They think it's a somewhat complex mix of issues that's masquerading as one.

Long story short, she's never asked for help with medical bills before until now. After talking to her for a bit, it sounds like what she's proposing sounds could actually get her close to a full recovery.

Unfortunately, she needs around $4k for the treatment, and given the fact that her entire family is basically poor, well, she told me that it's probably a pipe dream.

Well I donated $3k to make sure it she really could get the treatment she needs. She was really happy and thanked me profusely. It was a nice warm fuzzy feeling. This marks the largest charity donation I've ever made to anyone or anything.

But that's also a lot of money to me. It's a big dent in my wallet, and it will be many long months before I can recover that amount.

The upside is that it is only the cash I am holding right now. I don't normally hold that much cash, but luckily for the both of us, I did. The rest of my finances are insulated and just fine. I just need to rebuild my cash reserves.

In case anyone is wondering who it is or if I am making this up,

check out this link. If you are feeling charitable, feel free to make a donation yourself if you want.

Edit: Again, I get nothing for doing this. I mean brownie points maybe, but we don't associate much to begin with.

Also, I questioned her on the efficacy of "holistic medicine" in general, and she said that she doesn't actually believe in that field either, but this current regiment of treatments are actually working. It's just that it's very expensive to keep it going, and insurance won't cover it.

This is probably the last time I will be able to donate to her about this. I hope that it really works towards a full recovery, but if she doesn't, then I will know this stuff won't work for her.

Besides, there's something awkward about mixing money with friendship, especially when they realize that you have the kind of money that they don't and are willing to part with it for some reason. I've done another charity in the past for someone else with ailments going to an ALS camp I think? Although they were very polite, they started to kind of track me down asking for more help and I didn't like that.

Right now, I am using an old method to keep track of my car that I've used for years because well uh that's how I've always done it.

I use trip odometer 1 to gauge my range and fuel efficiency between tanks. In other words, every time I fill up, I reset my first trip odometer.

I use trip odometer 2 to gauge my range between oil changes. That is, every time, my car gets an oil change, I reset my second trip odometer.

So that's the old way. It works... I think. However, I know there are plenty of apps for it and what not. I don't know if they are better. They probably are, but they are not a part of my "work flow habits" if you will.

So, how do you guys keep track of your car? Is there a better way you recommend?

---

Oh and the last time I cooked ground Italian sausage, I managed to cook the wax paper along with it in the frying pan.

I am please to report that the thing did not catch on fire along with the rest of my kitchen. I am also please to report that, somehow, they sausages still managed to cook well enough, although much of it stuck to the wax paper and I could not scrape it off.

Maybe I should just stay out of the kitchen.

So I don't know what is going on the past few weeks, but there have been several hack attempts to my various social media and email accounts online. The sources of these attacks are also from various countries from Phillipines to Argentina... though of course, countries of origin could easily be spoofed.

These are accounts that I rarely use, so I am not terribly concerned. What DOES concern me is that these are accounts with separate IDs that have no connection with one another. So how am I getting attacks from them as a group?

Anyways, off I go to lock these down, and hopefully it's just a random bot attack, and not someone who is interested in me somehow.

Today, I finally got rid of the remaining item from my past: My secured credit card that I got after my divorce when my finances and credit score for that matter was in shambles. It was among my first steps in my vow towards financial recovery, and now, after all these years, I've finally canceled it.

All of my major purchases are done, I have new reward cards now that I use exclusively. In fact, I probably waited much longer than necessary to have it canceled, but I wanted to be sure before I do so.

So that's it. I also got a few other thing scratched off my to-do list, and plan on scratching off a few more tomorrow. Anyways, hope you guys are having a nice Labor day.

My work schedule has recently changed in such a way that I can probably get online more often when time permits. So that means maybe more time for SA like from the days of yore?

The only thing is that I no longer have anything much to say these days. Things are running along fine and is pretty uneventful actually.

However, I do have a friend of a friend who owes a lot of money. Let's call them "L" and "E". L is a super nice guy. Took E and his girlfriend at the time in when they were super strapped. Housed them. Fed them. Even helped E find a job at his company.

And how does E repay L's gratitude? Well, actually that's the problem. He has not at all. If the story ended there, then things would have been fine though, as L is a super chill guy who is just generally to help his friends out in times of need.

However, E has since broken up with that girlfriend and is now dating L's sister-in-law. And they would constantly stay out and party late, and wouldn't answer phone calls to see if they are safe or not.

When L try to talk to E about these things, E would blame L for being nosy and how he will continue to live his life as he sees fit.

And now, E has taken L off his birthday event or something like that, citing that incident as the reason why... that L was somehow being a jerk. Nevermind the fact that E still has NOT even TRIED to pay off his debt to L for basically housing and feeding E for months at a time.

Even though it's a friend of a friend, it's bothering me too. I have done that myself once in the distant past, and I ended up with about the same results as well. So, I can certainly empathize, although I am so glad that I no longer have that issue.

This video gives me the chills.

For the first time in many years, I took off work early to help my parents set up their retirement nest eggs. This event is highly peculiar, if not shocking, because my dad is typically a proud, self-made man. In fact, I can't even recall when was the last time he ever asked ME for help with anything. And yet, this time, he did.

Ok, but in order to do so, I politely pushed and explained to them that I would need to know their full financial picture. You see, up until this week, their financial picture has always been an enigma wrapped in a mystery. I knew they were doing OK, but they never really talked about it... at all... merely pushing such values as hard work and financial modesty.

While I do cherish those values as well, I have also warned them repeatedly that it takes quite a bit more money than most typically realizes to retire safely. In fact, I've personally spent years ruminating how I would go about affording them a decent nursing home or if I need to move in with them some day to help out with some of the assisted living stuff.

So, I guess now comes the next shocker. Turns out my parents are millionaires. Not like super duper millionaires or anything, but somewhere between 1 and 2 mil. Ok then! I guess I can now breathe a sigh of relief.

Well, I mean things can still go wrong at this point, so I guess this is where I come in. They asked me to take a look at their portfolio and asked me if any changes were needed... and changes were needed indeed! Their portfolio read more like an individual with an over-active case of bi-polar disorder.

For example, who in the world has $250k+ in a checking account for no good reason? I mean it's barely even making any interest at all. On the other end, they have an unhealthily over-weighted positions in physical real estate that will need to be sorted out as well. Also, they are resistant to change. "What is a bond fund? Why can't I just put all my money into this annuity that this nice company lady said I can do?" Insert facepalm here.

In any case, they were so thankful for some reason that they treated me to a steak dinner...which was pretty darn delicious I must admit. Still though, I think the biggest compliment was that they actually trusted me enough to have me help them plan for their future. I had a really nice day.

Just finished my taxes. Took maybe 25 minutes? Anyways, I was saddened to see that the Amazon 10% bonus promo is gone. Too bad. I really enjoyed that the past 2 years.

Also, I have hit a peculiar milestone. My net worth is now almost at the point where my total debt cratered more than a decade ago. In other words, if I used to owe... let's say a thousand dollars, then my current net worth is currently at a thousand dollars. It's like that, only a lot bigger.

Not massive, mind you. I mean, I am not filthy rich or anything, nor did I owe a ridiculous amount back in the day... though it was certainly enough for me to feel utterly hopeless. I am happy to say, today, I feel absolutely hopeful, like I really could have a chance a life after all.

Money may not bring happiness, but I can personally attest that it most certainly can give one a peace of mind.

I am forever grateful for everyone in this community who has helped me get here. You were the support that so desperately needed, and did not have in real life.

Now I just have to keep moving forward....

It's not who said this that bothers me, but rather what this person said. "I can't believe you bought a house." I can't believe it either. I feel like I've given in or given up on my dreams and have merely settled for reality. I feel like am betraying something, or letting someone down. This bothers me. I feel like I don't entirely belong here, where I am. I feel like I am still living in someone else's house.

I don't know how to come to terms with all this just yet. All I know is that my commute was really bothering me, and this place effectively solves all that. For now.

So, the temperature earlier in the mid day was like just below 40, and it is expected to get below 20 tonight. Winter time has definitely arrived here.

It's gotten to a point where my little heater can't keep up anymore. Of course, central heating is still set to 50 like I usually do every winter, and anyway, the HVAC in this new house isn't all that great to begin with.

So, after a brief mulling over dinner, I've decided to throw my mattress into my closet again, and bring my heater in there as well.

I'm sure you're all curious as to what the new space looks like, so I took this pic:



This is an unvarnished view of the current situation. To just get through tonight, I have done nothing else to the space other than to shove everything aside to make room for the mattress. Clearly, more work will need to be done to actually make it look nice and livable.

Well if I do anything more with this, I'll be sure to update. Sanity check: Yep, still crazy.

I have a friend who recently got into a fender bender. I was advising my friend to take it to a few places and get the best quotes possible, and try to haggle for an even better price where possible. She got different quotes, ranging from $650 to $2000 to get the bumper fixed.

Naturally, I advised to go to the $650 place, but her boyfriend is telling her to take it to a place quoting $1000 instead.

His reasoning? The $1000 place is cleaner looking, and so, he feels better about having her car fixed there. Yes. $350 extra... for a bumper... because the garage basically looks cleaner.

Now, to be fair, I know the condition of a garage can tell you a bit about the quality of the service there, but come on now, we're talking about a bumper here. For a Nissan sedan.

Why in the world would anyone want to waste $350 extra like this? She then told me about how he's obviously not a saver type, and likes expensive stuff... and something about taking pride in taking care of his stuff.... What does pride even have to do with any of this? It's such a strange, strange line of thinking that just utterly baffles me.

But after conversing about it last night and much of today about this, I think I have come to figure out that, sometimes, some people feel better about their product or services when they have paid "top dollar" for something. Even if it means unnecessarily overpaying.

People confuse me sometimes. This just makes no sense to me.

Because this is pure comedic gold.

I've accrued too much comp time and annual days that I haven't used, so my boss is making me take a vacation. It starts next week, and I think I will be off for about 11 days.

I don't mind of course. Paid vacation? Yes please.

Trouble is, I don't know what to do with myself. I can't think of anything I want to do that doesn't cost a bunch of money that I don't want to spend.

I've thought about maybe going to the coast for a few days and try out some actual fresh seafood, but I don't even know if I want to bother doing that.

Sooo yeah I can't think of anything really. I just might stay home instead. Anybody have any ideas about what to do with time off?

It's not everyday you see a

webcomic about budgeting. This one is from doodleforfood.com.

When I go through the blog entries, I am often times amazed at what people are going through. Just seems like a very eventful world.

I on the other hand, have absolutely nothing going on in my life. No drama. No serious crisis. Nada. Just going through my usual motions; personal finances are still chugging along like a little choo choo....

But don't get me wrong! I am content with the way things are right now. No news is good news in my book.

I was talking to a friend of mine not long ago, and she was telling me about all the difficulties in her marriage and how her husband is extremely spendy, all the way to hiding purchases from her. These aren't tiny purchases either. They're like thousands to tens of thousands of dollars spendy. Also, he parties on the weekends... while blaming her for holding him back from being happy or some such.

She's basically freaking out. She knows they are hemorrhaging money, and they can't keep this up forever. She's already accepted that they will lose their house at this rate. It's pretty insane... and a bit of a Deja Vu for me as well.

To me, this stuff is so crazy, and I feel sorry for anyone going through their struggles. I will cheer you on and help if I can, but overall, I am so relieved of my boring little life... and having nothing to report.