There are three-four things I used to look forward to in November. Two holidays where I had the day off of work, my dad's birthday and black Friday.
Under the government contract I work for, I don't get Veteran's Day as a Federal holiday? Who screwed up that one? Not me. The building was closed and I had to either work at home or mark off one of my vacation days to get paid. I chose the later.
Thanksgiving was so weird this year. It was the first year in which my son was the one working in the day and I was working at night. And because of that, our schedules weren't synced up and when I got up the next day after working until midnight, I was hungry for breakfast at 10AM. So I made ham and eggs. And then I started cooking the Thanksgiving meal soon after so it was done at around 2PM. Neither I nor my son was hungry at that time, so I packed it up to be placed in the refrigerator. We grazed on Thanksgiving foodstuffs for about 4 days until it was all gone.
I had to work on black Friday and I wasn't really in the shopping mood. If there is actually a shopping mood. Whatever that's supposed to feel like. But still, I know that it is gift giving season so I need to buy something for someone.
At work, we organized two potlucks...one at Halloween and another right before Thanksgiving. The first one I ate some Vietnamese food and it did a number on my guts so I was running to the restroom for nearly half of the shift. I don't know if it was because it was greasy food, or just ingredients that my guys just don't digest any more or the fact that it sat out for hours before we ate. Maybe it was a combination of the three, but anyways, I felt horrible after that, so when Thanksgiving time rolled around and them the team were asking was it O.K. with me to have a potluck again, I was like yeah, it's OK, but it's too much food for me right before Thanksgiving, so you guys go ahead and I'll just eat my dinner (whatever I brought that day. I've been eating fruit for dinner because that's what I can tolerate.... like banana or orange or peach. Apples anymore are too fibrous.)
I had a somewhat strange conversation with my manager on Thursday. You see, each day I'm getting feedback to relay to the team and I'm supposed to be tracking all of it on a spreadsheet so we agreed on Thursday, but then she told me with the volume of work going through the team the number of problems is expected. But it just makes me feel bad that we are having any at all and I told her it felt like, "What now?" and a stab in the heart when she does it. Because maybe I expect more of myself and the team. But anyway, she asked me if I had any questions, and I said we get all these emails asking for help finding stuff and I don't know where to go or even start to look so I feel like the "dots are not connecting". And then she tells me that the first shift supervisors she leans on hard which is kinda baffling to me because the manager has been there for over 10 years and the supervisor has been there for just 5. So what is really going on here and how is it that a clerk turned supervisor gets all these knowledge and not the manager? Blah Blah Blah work, right? Anyway, I'm supposed to have yet another scheduled training session with the first shift supervisor for a week this time to see if I can get the dots that I'm missing. But now I'm thinking that if I'm missing this training, that they didn't follow through with the last training plan, that maybe I should be putting the trainer on notice instead. Otherwise, my relationship with the first shift supervisor might deteriorate.
And now it's December. So I went on Facebook this weekend, the first weekend of December to find out that The Alley is closing. And it's not an unexpected closing, because the pattern of what was happening with the store, but it's sad. The two generation family that ran it once, is retiring, so it's going away. The last store is in Indio or Palms Springs. And it made me thought of the fact that when I went to their store when the closest one to me as in Rancho Cucamonga, I picked up a business card while I was making a purchase. And I had that business card in a pile of other business cards in one of the desk drawers where I have my computer stationed. So I pulled out the pile of cards and went through them because it was OK that I threw away the card to The Alley because that was a store that was going out of business. I actually threw a bunch of them away until I came to one from Peer Development.
I acquired that business card from a guy I dated briefly in 2005? His life was in flux after a divorce, I remember mine was in flux, but don't remember the event other than I thought it was around the same time when my dad died. I googled his name from time to time thinking he died because the excuse he gave me to get out of our relationship was that his lung cancer metastasized and he was selling his house and moving after a nasty divorce, blah blah blah his drama. But I remember years later he calls up at home and I said I thought you were dead, and he asks me about a 3-some out of the blue says his receptionist is a fat slob and doesn't look as good as me. What? Yeah, that's men in a nutshell right there. Women want substance and to be taken care of and to get a feeling of security and men want good looks and somewhere in the process time, aging and the lack of motivation and energy fucks that all up. And at that time I told him to lose my number and never call me again. So yeah, I find his business card and I googled his name and low and behold he didn't die (so was his cancer story all a lie?). It seems he may have burned his bridge in the commercial restaurant remodeling biz, as well as mine, and moved on to people's homes and did a crap ass job of that because there are these reports online that people want to sue him for the lack of quality in the jobs that were performed. I had to laugh because he never did any of the work himself. He had a group of Mexicans working for him for cash probably, I don't know for sure. They painted his home before it was sold and rented back to him. Years later, I remember seeing that someone was shot dead at the same address he used to live at. And I'm thinking that place had bad karma - juju. It just always felt cold and never homey. Maybe that was just the bad energy left over from his divorce in the house. So do I want to track this guy down? No, not in the least seeing all the stuff written about him after I gave him up for dead but isn't it interesting to see the wormhole you can go down just by one doing inquiry on the internet from finding an old business card.
You know the good thing about December, besides Christmas and New Years Day? December 21st or there abouts is the Winter Equinox. The day with the shortest daylight. It only gets brighter longer from there, baby. It's the upswing for spring and summer. And that day is almost exciting to me as Christmas. 19 dark days and counting.
Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Sunday, December 2, 2018
Monday, September 14, 2015
The Look of Love
So I went to Costco after dropping my son off at work on Saturday afternoon and fueling up at Costco gas. My goal was to buy more of their Kirkland brand lean ham luncheon meat. After retrieving a cart, I entered the store and made my way to the aisle when it's sold in the refrigerator case aisle. I don't know if it was on sale or not, but they were giving out samples which was welcomed.
After retrieving the ham from the refrigerator, I turned my cart around and attempted to travel back past the corner I came from to get back to the main hall and when I did, briefly, (the next sequence of events happened in seconds, mere moments) I couldn't move my cart forward because some kids were in the way blocking me with a cart of their own. I then looked up and off to the left I saw a man - a tall man with light skin, long brown wavy hair with his back to me looking off to the right - could have been a doppelganger for thinner Bradley Cooper. I may have sighed seeing this attractive male specimen, but again barely could move forward. And then another man, a Persian man, off to my right must have seen the look of love in my eyes and introduced himself to me as Joe after saying to me, "You've got beautiful eyes." I didn't feel beautiful, rather a hot sweaty mess. It was almost 100 degrees outside, and I had my hair up in a ponytail, was dressed in a tie-died tank top and 3/4 black pants and black Skechers, no socks. I could only assume he thought I was Persian, too, his mistake. And then, the most unwelcomed event happened after I gave him a cursory look to acknowledge where the conversation came from... an unattractive man in his 50-60's, overweight with severe acne scars all over his face, he asked me to dinner. I couldn't barely hear him over the noise of the group of people I was standing next to listening to a blender demonstration and told him, "I don't understand what you're saying". His reply: I'm not a killer, I'm just a human being. A major creepy feeling swept over me like I was unsafe even in the mass of humanity shopping around me inside Costco on a saturday afternoon. I scurried away into the crowd and didn't look back.
After retrieving the ham from the refrigerator, I turned my cart around and attempted to travel back past the corner I came from to get back to the main hall and when I did, briefly, (the next sequence of events happened in seconds, mere moments) I couldn't move my cart forward because some kids were in the way blocking me with a cart of their own. I then looked up and off to the left I saw a man - a tall man with light skin, long brown wavy hair with his back to me looking off to the right - could have been a doppelganger for thinner Bradley Cooper. I may have sighed seeing this attractive male specimen, but again barely could move forward. And then another man, a Persian man, off to my right must have seen the look of love in my eyes and introduced himself to me as Joe after saying to me, "You've got beautiful eyes." I didn't feel beautiful, rather a hot sweaty mess. It was almost 100 degrees outside, and I had my hair up in a ponytail, was dressed in a tie-died tank top and 3/4 black pants and black Skechers, no socks. I could only assume he thought I was Persian, too, his mistake. And then, the most unwelcomed event happened after I gave him a cursory look to acknowledge where the conversation came from... an unattractive man in his 50-60's, overweight with severe acne scars all over his face, he asked me to dinner. I couldn't barely hear him over the noise of the group of people I was standing next to listening to a blender demonstration and told him, "I don't understand what you're saying". His reply: I'm not a killer, I'm just a human being. A major creepy feeling swept over me like I was unsafe even in the mass of humanity shopping around me inside Costco on a saturday afternoon. I scurried away into the crowd and didn't look back.
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Happy New Year!
I took time off of work since the 1st hoping that my wrist would feel good enough in order for me to complete the flooring project, but that thought seems like the joke's on me to get that project done. I'm still wearing the splint all the time (except in the shower) and I have a follow-up appointment with the orthopedist on 01/06.
On 01/05, I'm renewing my notary commission. It's an all day affair with state mandated education seminar and then a proctored exam immediately afterwards.
I stayed up New Years Eve and watched the ball drop on tv trying to stay warm. It actually snowed in Southern California the night before so I had to crank up the heat to be comfortable.
Stephen decided to walk home from work in the worst storm of the year and he's been sick ever since.They've been passing around the flu at his work for weeks.
For Christmas, while running Stephen to work and then picking him up at the wee hours of the morning because Walmart was open 24 hours a day between Thanksgiving and Christmas ans he was working graveyard, I bought a Sam ham fir the first time. And I'm happy to say it was pretty good. After eating on it for three days, Stephen made 16 bean soup out of the rest of it in the crock pot.
Before Christmas, I sent my couch, club chair and ottoman to the upholsterers because I couldn't stand the peeling top grain leather anymore. The set was in good shape otherwise. The fabric choice I made from their swatch book turned out to be discontinued and I really didn't like their alternate suggestions (not to mention the $18 per yard price tag), so I took it upon myself to locate and buy upholstery fabric I liked. It was something I've never had to do before, so I did some research online and found three of the biggest, oldest places to investigate. On my first try, I went to Dorrel Fabrics and found a great one for $15 a yard and bought the whole roll and dropped it off at Pete's a week ago at my lunch hour. A few days later, Eddie texts says the are working on the sofa asking me asking about the side details, and I said forget them. I can't wait to get it back.
On 01/05, I'm renewing my notary commission. It's an all day affair with state mandated education seminar and then a proctored exam immediately afterwards.
I stayed up New Years Eve and watched the ball drop on tv trying to stay warm. It actually snowed in Southern California the night before so I had to crank up the heat to be comfortable.
Stephen decided to walk home from work in the worst storm of the year and he's been sick ever since.They've been passing around the flu at his work for weeks.
For Christmas, while running Stephen to work and then picking him up at the wee hours of the morning because Walmart was open 24 hours a day between Thanksgiving and Christmas ans he was working graveyard, I bought a Sam ham fir the first time. And I'm happy to say it was pretty good. After eating on it for three days, Stephen made 16 bean soup out of the rest of it in the crock pot.
Before Christmas, I sent my couch, club chair and ottoman to the upholsterers because I couldn't stand the peeling top grain leather anymore. The set was in good shape otherwise. The fabric choice I made from their swatch book turned out to be discontinued and I really didn't like their alternate suggestions (not to mention the $18 per yard price tag), so I took it upon myself to locate and buy upholstery fabric I liked. It was something I've never had to do before, so I did some research online and found three of the biggest, oldest places to investigate. On my first try, I went to Dorrel Fabrics and found a great one for $15 a yard and bought the whole roll and dropped it off at Pete's a week ago at my lunch hour. A few days later, Eddie texts says the are working on the sofa asking me asking about the side details, and I said forget them. I can't wait to get it back.
Thursday, March 13, 2014
It's tomato time!
I have made two runs to Roger's Garden's this year so far and came back with seeds and tomatoes. Last weekend was the annual "Tomatomania.com" event. I was bummed not to be able to locate parking on Saturday morning within the first hour of them opening, so I tried again at about 3PM on Sunday and I had absolutely no issues then... with parking. Somehow by dumb luck or sheer timing, I ended up behind a mother and her daughter who, I would kindly say, were a generation older than I was struggling to get up that hill where the rear entrance is to check out.
Once I ditched the cumbersome green garden cart for a black wire shopping basket, found my four plants, which included two Chika cherry tomato plants, one Texas hybrid and one German heirloom, I trailed behind these two aforementioned ladies. The older of the two was worn out from the trip and dropped her velour warm-up jacket on the sidewalk while heading for the exit. I bent down to pick it up, but allowed the daughter of the of the pair to complete the retrieval. A man passed by going downhill and asked the two women before me if they needed any help with their cart, but declined. They had one 5-gallon plant and were doing just fine by me, just going slow. I felt like I was their spotter. I even allowed these two to line up in front of me at the check-out instead of going round them or getting into the one other line which didn't look as though it was moving any faster than a warm Sunday afternoon needed to. The daughter escorted her mother to the car for her to rest and get out of the sun while I kept their cart moving forward waiting in line to pay.
I should have replanted them into the raised beds when I got them home. It's now the Thursday after the daylight savings time change. Friday is almost here...
Once I ditched the cumbersome green garden cart for a black wire shopping basket, found my four plants, which included two Chika cherry tomato plants, one Texas hybrid and one German heirloom, I trailed behind these two aforementioned ladies. The older of the two was worn out from the trip and dropped her velour warm-up jacket on the sidewalk while heading for the exit. I bent down to pick it up, but allowed the daughter of the of the pair to complete the retrieval. A man passed by going downhill and asked the two women before me if they needed any help with their cart, but declined. They had one 5-gallon plant and were doing just fine by me, just going slow. I felt like I was their spotter. I even allowed these two to line up in front of me at the check-out instead of going round them or getting into the one other line which didn't look as though it was moving any faster than a warm Sunday afternoon needed to. The daughter escorted her mother to the car for her to rest and get out of the sun while I kept their cart moving forward waiting in line to pay.
I should have replanted them into the raised beds when I got them home. It's now the Thursday after the daylight savings time change. Friday is almost here...
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Buying a Feeling of Closeness or The Stuff We Leave Behind When We Die
So my cousin Tina posts this photo of a bunch of random jewelry...
... but there is this golden heart with the letter "J" inside of it, so I know it's from my Aunt Jane. And I bought it. Best $25 I ever spent?
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Dumping Sprint, kind of...
Have you looked at your cell phone bill recently or do you blindly pay-pay-pay through the nose for service because it's what you've grown accustomed to shelling out monthly?
I'm not a big talker and yet I pay $89 something for my Sprint plan. I've actually been a Sprint customer for years. Once I got the Android smartphone (I'm on my second one) and the iphone came on the market, everyone's bill at Sprint got jacked up by $10 a month for 'premium' service which allows your smartphone to stay online and this, Sprint says, it expensive.
And then there is Virgin Mobile. This company is also on the same Sprint network and charges $55 a month max for the same unlimited 3G/4G service. Why pay more? I mean, what can you do with an extra $34 a month?
I'm not a big talker and yet I pay $89 something for my Sprint plan. I've actually been a Sprint customer for years. Once I got the Android smartphone (I'm on my second one) and the iphone came on the market, everyone's bill at Sprint got jacked up by $10 a month for 'premium' service which allows your smartphone to stay online and this, Sprint says, it expensive.
And then there is Virgin Mobile. This company is also on the same Sprint network and charges $55 a month max for the same unlimited 3G/4G service. Why pay more? I mean, what can you do with an extra $34 a month?
Saturday, November 3, 2012
A Retirement Wake-up Call
I woke up really early this morning, my body anticipating the time change this weekend and to the noise of the TV being on to that Ed Slott infomercial about saving your retirement. I've seen it before. I'm sure I'll watch it again. But something struck me. 2012 went by so fast and I probably have about 20 more working years before I retire.
FACT: The three things you cannot live without are food, shelter and clothing. People will give you clothes and share their food with you as these things are relatively cheap but you have to maintain a roof over your head or eventually you'll die of exposure to the elements.
FACT: The single most expensive financial decision one will ever make is to buy a house.
I went to lunch the other day with my cheapskate lunch date (who is in retail loan sales) and somehow the conversation always turns to money. Previously, I discussed with him my need to refinance my home because I currently have a Hybrid 5 year Fixed/6 month Libor Note that's been adjusting for awhile now. Since LIBOR rates are tied to the European economy and it followed the U.S. economy decline with the credit crunch and the housing market crisis, my Note rate dropped from the initial rate and has stayed low... but the economy is improving. Jobs are coming back to the finance market because even I've had opportunities to interview recently for what I do which is highly specialized and I'm not looking for a new job now. And with an improved economy, interest rates will start to creep up higher. And the interest rate I'm paying today for my home loan is close to market rate and I don't want to put myself into a situation where I have a high interest rate and may not be able to refinance in the future. I also know that my loan is owned by Fannie Mae and HARP Loans, that are easier to qualify for with a high LTV and that require no appraisal, are going away next year.
After getting back to work, he sent me this email:
"Your goal this week or next is to contact HR in order to open a 401(k) because retiring poor sucks. I have to turn down seniors all the time (for cash-out refi home loans) and it makes me sad."
I had a 401(k) before I was laid-off from my mortgage job (the company closed) and because it lost half it's value and I didn't know when I was going to get my next job, I liquidated it the moment I could. Almost right after my severance pay ran out, in February 2008, I was hired as a contractor to Fannie Mae for a year and a half driving 150 miles round trip for work each day to manage the default vault at 1800 Tapo Canyon (if your're in the industry, you know that address holds one of the highest number of mortgage loans on the west coast) of loans moving from Countrywide's safekeeping into my custody. I supervised the vault's growth to hold 325,000 files (who knows how large it is today). The stock market tanked in October. HBO produced an excellent movie called "Too Big to Fail" which is a portrayal of what happened in October 2008. I was sitting in the belly of the beast and the beast was required to be bought by B of A and the behest of the U.S. federal government due to B of A exercising a large repurchase of poor performing loans.
FACT: You only have about 45-50 years to save before you retire.
When you're in your 20's and busy establishing your career, home and family, you're probably not thinking a whole hell of a lot about your retirement. My cheapskate lunch date is actually the same age I am, mid-40's, and as he's also a Realtor, he's put his money to work more than I have in the past so I have to give him some respect for the financial position he's in now as compared to mine own.
My parents, when they retired, didn't really plan for it. Both had to work after retirement because they didn't have homes to sell and live off of the proceeds or even homes that generated a net income from rent. They had no savings accounts, just checking accounts. Both had meager life insurance payouts. I was able to settle my father's estate, but my mothers???
She lived off of credit cards until the day she died. As I cleared out her apartment, I found many newly bought items and at the time, couldn't figure out how she could afford it. That is until I found a brown box in the back of her closet full of unpaid credit card bills which turned into charge offs. She couldn't afford it. She consulted with a family friend, a lawyer, that told her not to pay them after she was 75 and had triple by-pass heart surgery.
I took back to the store those items I could find receipts for and threw the contents of her apartment in storage because it was right before Christmas when she passed. I paid the final utility bills with the cash on hand and that refund money and also ignored those credit card bills. Because of the lack of her financial and retirement planning, I had to pay out of my own pocket for her cremation, her headstone, her funeral and the transfer of her ashes to New York where they were buried with her parents, my grandparent, as she wanted. It took me a year and a half to get rid of that storage unit, finally donating the majority of the contents to Goodwill after giving away some things to friends and I paid for that storage unit, too. I can imagine my story of not being able to settle my mother's estate multiplied by the number new retirees and the debt river that's coming.
So in essence, if the vast majority of people now have the lack of retirement planning, execution and savings like my parents had, you and I will be paying for it all the way through the period the baby boomer generation (born between 1946 and 1964) goes into retirement (2011 to 2029) and subsequently passes away passing their unpaid debt onto the large financial institutions who will pass it on to the consumer in the form of higher fees and interest rates. That consumer is you and me.
Ed Slott says the biggest retirement killer are:
1. taxes
Tax free safety zone (life insurance and annuity)
Payouts from Life Insurance are tax free.
Roth IRA's conversions. You can get an annuity inside your Roth IRA.
2. risk
You cannot rely on the stock market for a secure retirement future. Think about an annuity. It guaranties your retirement income for life.
3. saving money
Sometimes you have to spend money now to save money later. Buy life insurance. Seek out qualified financial planners.
4. uncertainty
No one will ever care about your retirement money more than you.
5. inactivity
Doing nothing will be costly because prices rise and taxes increase. Do something now when you can. If you want a secure financial future, you have to do something about it.
I emailed HR about establishing a new 401(k) blind-copying my friend and then I called and was qualified for a HARP loan all in the same day.
Lets see where I am this time, next year...
FACT: The three things you cannot live without are food, shelter and clothing. People will give you clothes and share their food with you as these things are relatively cheap but you have to maintain a roof over your head or eventually you'll die of exposure to the elements.
FACT: The single most expensive financial decision one will ever make is to buy a house.
I went to lunch the other day with my cheapskate lunch date (who is in retail loan sales) and somehow the conversation always turns to money. Previously, I discussed with him my need to refinance my home because I currently have a Hybrid 5 year Fixed/6 month Libor Note that's been adjusting for awhile now. Since LIBOR rates are tied to the European economy and it followed the U.S. economy decline with the credit crunch and the housing market crisis, my Note rate dropped from the initial rate and has stayed low... but the economy is improving. Jobs are coming back to the finance market because even I've had opportunities to interview recently for what I do which is highly specialized and I'm not looking for a new job now. And with an improved economy, interest rates will start to creep up higher. And the interest rate I'm paying today for my home loan is close to market rate and I don't want to put myself into a situation where I have a high interest rate and may not be able to refinance in the future. I also know that my loan is owned by Fannie Mae and HARP Loans, that are easier to qualify for with a high LTV and that require no appraisal, are going away next year.
After getting back to work, he sent me this email:
"Your goal this week or next is to contact HR in order to open a 401(k) because retiring poor sucks. I have to turn down seniors all the time (for cash-out refi home loans) and it makes me sad."
I had a 401(k) before I was laid-off from my mortgage job (the company closed) and because it lost half it's value and I didn't know when I was going to get my next job, I liquidated it the moment I could. Almost right after my severance pay ran out, in February 2008, I was hired as a contractor to Fannie Mae for a year and a half driving 150 miles round trip for work each day to manage the default vault at 1800 Tapo Canyon (if your're in the industry, you know that address holds one of the highest number of mortgage loans on the west coast) of loans moving from Countrywide's safekeeping into my custody. I supervised the vault's growth to hold 325,000 files (who knows how large it is today). The stock market tanked in October. HBO produced an excellent movie called "Too Big to Fail" which is a portrayal of what happened in October 2008. I was sitting in the belly of the beast and the beast was required to be bought by B of A and the behest of the U.S. federal government due to B of A exercising a large repurchase of poor performing loans.
FACT: You only have about 45-50 years to save before you retire.
When you're in your 20's and busy establishing your career, home and family, you're probably not thinking a whole hell of a lot about your retirement. My cheapskate lunch date is actually the same age I am, mid-40's, and as he's also a Realtor, he's put his money to work more than I have in the past so I have to give him some respect for the financial position he's in now as compared to mine own.
My parents, when they retired, didn't really plan for it. Both had to work after retirement because they didn't have homes to sell and live off of the proceeds or even homes that generated a net income from rent. They had no savings accounts, just checking accounts. Both had meager life insurance payouts. I was able to settle my father's estate, but my mothers???
She lived off of credit cards until the day she died. As I cleared out her apartment, I found many newly bought items and at the time, couldn't figure out how she could afford it. That is until I found a brown box in the back of her closet full of unpaid credit card bills which turned into charge offs. She couldn't afford it. She consulted with a family friend, a lawyer, that told her not to pay them after she was 75 and had triple by-pass heart surgery.
I took back to the store those items I could find receipts for and threw the contents of her apartment in storage because it was right before Christmas when she passed. I paid the final utility bills with the cash on hand and that refund money and also ignored those credit card bills. Because of the lack of her financial and retirement planning, I had to pay out of my own pocket for her cremation, her headstone, her funeral and the transfer of her ashes to New York where they were buried with her parents, my grandparent, as she wanted. It took me a year and a half to get rid of that storage unit, finally donating the majority of the contents to Goodwill after giving away some things to friends and I paid for that storage unit, too. I can imagine my story of not being able to settle my mother's estate multiplied by the number new retirees and the debt river that's coming.
So in essence, if the vast majority of people now have the lack of retirement planning, execution and savings like my parents had, you and I will be paying for it all the way through the period the baby boomer generation (born between 1946 and 1964) goes into retirement (2011 to 2029) and subsequently passes away passing their unpaid debt onto the large financial institutions who will pass it on to the consumer in the form of higher fees and interest rates. That consumer is you and me.
Ed Slott says the biggest retirement killer are:
1. taxes
Tax free safety zone (life insurance and annuity)
Payouts from Life Insurance are tax free.
Roth IRA's conversions. You can get an annuity inside your Roth IRA.
2. risk
You cannot rely on the stock market for a secure retirement future. Think about an annuity. It guaranties your retirement income for life.
3. saving money
Sometimes you have to spend money now to save money later. Buy life insurance. Seek out qualified financial planners.
4. uncertainty
No one will ever care about your retirement money more than you.
5. inactivity
Doing nothing will be costly because prices rise and taxes increase. Do something now when you can. If you want a secure financial future, you have to do something about it.
I emailed HR about establishing a new 401(k) blind-copying my friend and then I called and was qualified for a HARP loan all in the same day.
Lets see where I am this time, next year...
Monday, June 11, 2012
Chicago - bite me
I went to Chicago on vacation to do some genealogy work, but what I got instead was to experience a mini-Los Angeles. Mind boggling parking, hours worth of traffic going to and from the city and a mass transit system I just couldn't really grasp in the four short days I was there.
I flew in on Wednesday to O'Hare from Long Beach. I stayed miles from the city, in a suburb called Arlington Heights in a nice business class hotel thanks getting getting a sweet deal from hotels.com. I rented a car from Hertz because it appeared as though that's what I needed to do to get around. I think the next time if I ever go there again, I will get a hotel near a train station, take the hotel shuttle or a cab from from the airport to the hotel and then hoof it after taking the train to downtown. I mean, its about the only way to avoid the city's horrible parking/ traffic situation.
On the night I landed in town, I rushed over to the hotel and checked in and then drove over to the Niles Public Library in order to attend a book lecture on "Oldest Chicago". I love trivia and I thought this would be a nice introduction to the city. I bought a book and the author signed it for me. Nice.
The publisher of the book, Lake Claremont Press, is located in Chicago and also has published other local interest books like for graveyards, history of city, and how to manage genealogy searches. I'm not sure how helpful the first two might be, but I'm thinking about picking up a copy of the third one.
I ate dinner at Johnnie's down the street from my hotel. They are known for the Italian sandwiches there. I had a one Italian with sweet (grilled green bell) peppers and then I got to slather on as much mustard as I liked. I also ordered a Pepsi. The sandwich was big enough to where you ordering fries would be kind of like a waste of time. It's unique, it's good, and they don't really sell them in California. It's kind of like a roast beef sandwich but different.
The next day, I went to the Sulzer Regional Library and they were really nice about giving me a guest library card for my genealogy research. They didn't even ask to see my drivers license, or if they did, I don't remember.
Then I tried driving into town to find parking so I could do some touristy things, but to no avail. Lots of street closures and I guess there is this weird underground parking which kind of freaked me out. So I ended up driving through town twice, then sick of the bad traffic I headed back to the hotel. Three hours later...
I ate dinner at Mitsuwa at the food court establishment called "MAMA House". It's Korean food and I got the BulGoKI. It was tasty and filling.
Friday, I ate lunch with some my credit union co-workers in the Chicago office and met all of the people I've been emailing for a while now. I discussed my genealogy research with a few of the managers. I dropped an entire plate of take-out Italian food on one of the managers floors. The styrofoam just didn't hold up. I scooped it all up and then threw it in the trash and went and got a few things and move back into the office.
One of the managers volunteered his service to take a picture of a gravestone for me if and when I can find it- HAHA. I honestly do not think he comprehends what he's volunteered himself for. If there's an online index somewhere, I'm going to find it.
After that, I went to another book store wanting to see if the had more books on genealogy or Chicago. At Half Price Books, I did, however, find two Lion Brand Yarn books, one on making socks and the other on making hats, so those were cool finds.
I slept like shit the entire time I was on +2 hours. The room was quiet and the bed was fine, it was the time change I couldn't get used to. So normally I get up at 5AM weekdays. My body was telling me to wake up at 3:30AM all week. So I'd stay up until I fell back asleep and then when I woke up again, by that time, I missed the continental breakfast offered by hotel. Nice, huh? I participated one morning. Memo: don't eat banana nut muffins on vacation. I did not feel good after consuming those. I'm sure they were fine for anyone else but me... they were probably made with dairy in the recipe.
On Saturday morning, I got ready, packed up and checked out of the hotel. No trip to the mid-west would be complete without a stop at While Castle so I drove to Palatine to eat a #1 (4 burgers just like the ones you buy at the grocery store, a french fries and a drink) on the way to go outlet shopping at Huntley Premium Outlet on I90 off of ILL Route 47 before my plane flight going home. My educated guess would be that center is 40% full of tenants. The Van Heusen store is huge compared to the one I shop at at The Citadel in Commerce.
After I could shop no more because my luggage was full, I drove back to O'Hare giving myself three hours before my departure time to deal with the bad traffic around the airport on Saturday, having to turn in my rental car and getting shuttled back to the airport, and the TSA lines which I generally loathe. It was nice to find out that the lines are not particularly long and they make an effort to keep them moving.
I had a Crohn's attack on the flight which was both humiliating and horrifying at the same time and since I check my baggage, I didn't have with me what I needed to deal with it. Since I had extra time in the terminal after turning on the rental car, I should of went to the restroom immediately before getting on the plane because I hate to use those airplane toilets. I went once when I got into the terminal after going through the security line, but then I walked the terminal and then found a seat to catnap until it was time to board the plane. What a nightmare.
After I got home, I found out that my pink hard-sided suitcase was opened and searched by the TSA because they left me a flyer letting me know they did so. Thanks, but next time you go and search my bags, fucking close the shampoo and conditioner bottles please.
Monday, I went over to my ex-mother in-laws house and she started to show me all of these old photos of her family and I just couldn't stand to see them in disorganized piles any longer, so I suggested that we go to Wal-Mart and pick-up some scrap booking supplies so they can be preserved and not handled anymore. I mean, some of the photos were over 100 years old! $75 and about 6 hours later, one book is just about done. I sorted the photos as best I could and Linda arranged them on the sheet and tacked the corners down. We have another session planned for this Sunday to do the other book.
I flew in on Wednesday to O'Hare from Long Beach. I stayed miles from the city, in a suburb called Arlington Heights in a nice business class hotel thanks getting getting a sweet deal from hotels.com. I rented a car from Hertz because it appeared as though that's what I needed to do to get around. I think the next time if I ever go there again, I will get a hotel near a train station, take the hotel shuttle or a cab from from the airport to the hotel and then hoof it after taking the train to downtown. I mean, its about the only way to avoid the city's horrible parking/ traffic situation.
On the night I landed in town, I rushed over to the hotel and checked in and then drove over to the Niles Public Library in order to attend a book lecture on "Oldest Chicago". I love trivia and I thought this would be a nice introduction to the city. I bought a book and the author signed it for me. Nice.
The publisher of the book, Lake Claremont Press, is located in Chicago and also has published other local interest books like for graveyards, history of city, and how to manage genealogy searches. I'm not sure how helpful the first two might be, but I'm thinking about picking up a copy of the third one.
I ate dinner at Johnnie's down the street from my hotel. They are known for the Italian sandwiches there. I had a one Italian with sweet (grilled green bell) peppers and then I got to slather on as much mustard as I liked. I also ordered a Pepsi. The sandwich was big enough to where you ordering fries would be kind of like a waste of time. It's unique, it's good, and they don't really sell them in California. It's kind of like a roast beef sandwich but different.
The next day, I went to the Sulzer Regional Library and they were really nice about giving me a guest library card for my genealogy research. They didn't even ask to see my drivers license, or if they did, I don't remember.
Then I tried driving into town to find parking so I could do some touristy things, but to no avail. Lots of street closures and I guess there is this weird underground parking which kind of freaked me out. So I ended up driving through town twice, then sick of the bad traffic I headed back to the hotel. Three hours later...
I ate dinner at Mitsuwa at the food court establishment called "MAMA House". It's Korean food and I got the BulGoKI. It was tasty and filling.
Friday, I ate lunch with some my credit union co-workers in the Chicago office and met all of the people I've been emailing for a while now. I discussed my genealogy research with a few of the managers. I dropped an entire plate of take-out Italian food on one of the managers floors. The styrofoam just didn't hold up. I scooped it all up and then threw it in the trash and went and got a few things and move back into the office.
One of the managers volunteered his service to take a picture of a gravestone for me if and when I can find it- HAHA. I honestly do not think he comprehends what he's volunteered himself for. If there's an online index somewhere, I'm going to find it.
After that, I went to another book store wanting to see if the had more books on genealogy or Chicago. At Half Price Books, I did, however, find two Lion Brand Yarn books, one on making socks and the other on making hats, so those were cool finds.
I slept like shit the entire time I was on +2 hours. The room was quiet and the bed was fine, it was the time change I couldn't get used to. So normally I get up at 5AM weekdays. My body was telling me to wake up at 3:30AM all week. So I'd stay up until I fell back asleep and then when I woke up again, by that time, I missed the continental breakfast offered by hotel. Nice, huh? I participated one morning. Memo: don't eat banana nut muffins on vacation. I did not feel good after consuming those. I'm sure they were fine for anyone else but me... they were probably made with dairy in the recipe.
On Saturday morning, I got ready, packed up and checked out of the hotel. No trip to the mid-west would be complete without a stop at While Castle so I drove to Palatine to eat a #1 (4 burgers just like the ones you buy at the grocery store, a french fries and a drink) on the way to go outlet shopping at Huntley Premium Outlet on I90 off of ILL Route 47 before my plane flight going home. My educated guess would be that center is 40% full of tenants. The Van Heusen store is huge compared to the one I shop at at The Citadel in Commerce.
After I could shop no more because my luggage was full, I drove back to O'Hare giving myself three hours before my departure time to deal with the bad traffic around the airport on Saturday, having to turn in my rental car and getting shuttled back to the airport, and the TSA lines which I generally loathe. It was nice to find out that the lines are not particularly long and they make an effort to keep them moving.
I had a Crohn's attack on the flight which was both humiliating and horrifying at the same time and since I check my baggage, I didn't have with me what I needed to deal with it. Since I had extra time in the terminal after turning on the rental car, I should of went to the restroom immediately before getting on the plane because I hate to use those airplane toilets. I went once when I got into the terminal after going through the security line, but then I walked the terminal and then found a seat to catnap until it was time to board the plane. What a nightmare.
After I got home, I found out that my pink hard-sided suitcase was opened and searched by the TSA because they left me a flyer letting me know they did so. Thanks, but next time you go and search my bags, fucking close the shampoo and conditioner bottles please.
Monday, I went over to my ex-mother in-laws house and she started to show me all of these old photos of her family and I just couldn't stand to see them in disorganized piles any longer, so I suggested that we go to Wal-Mart and pick-up some scrap booking supplies so they can be preserved and not handled anymore. I mean, some of the photos were over 100 years old! $75 and about 6 hours later, one book is just about done. I sorted the photos as best I could and Linda arranged them on the sheet and tacked the corners down. We have another session planned for this Sunday to do the other book.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
I went shopping
I went shopping on Saturday specifically for a new black leather purse and then to Costco. I went to Marshalls, TJ Maxx, Tuesday Mornings and Ross and couldn't find any one purse that I liked. My inability to find something I liked made me feel like fashion is passing me by and made me feel old at 43.
Going shopping at Costco when you have a two person household for me is like me shopping at Lane Bryants - everything is way too big. I ended up getting a 3 pack of led lights for my closet, a 4 pack of toothpaste, a double package of tortellini and a carton of pulled pork sans BBQ sauce.
Going shopping at Costco when you have a two person household for me is like me shopping at Lane Bryants - everything is way too big. I ended up getting a 3 pack of led lights for my closet, a 4 pack of toothpaste, a double package of tortellini and a carton of pulled pork sans BBQ sauce.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Sunday Plumbing Sunday
Old condos leak from everywhere until you fix them. I had this happen to the maze of pipes underneath my kitchen sink last week and I had to fix it over the weekend. I practically had to rebuild it to make it stop leaking. And then I decided if I have to go through all that trouble, I'm getting a new faucet out of the deal. I found one to my liking for $99. It's got a high arch and a swivle head with three different spray settings and that suits me just fine. I don't need the hose thingie. So after three trips to Lowe's, breaking out every piece of plumbing tools I own plus my Dremel to cut one of the pipes, my kitchen leaks no more. I hope. I'm going to check it again when I get home from work tonight.
Sidebar: I took my son with me to Lowe's and he thought it was important for me to know the names of the pipe parts inorder to buy them. He was amazed that I could look at the pictures and find what I needed to fix the sink. Maybe I was a plumber in a former life. Or maybe I just hate to pay the fees my regular plumber charges. Yeah, that's more like it. When I was poor, I did stuff like this all the time because I didn't have the money to spend. Now that I do have the money, I don't want to spend it on stuff I'm perfectly capable of doing myself. When my hot water heater when out the day before 9/11, I called a plumber to fix it. When my toilet leaked, I rebuilt it. When my supply value began to leak, I called a plumber and told him no way when I heard the fee, so in my utter disgust at the potentional bill, I called a guy friend for strength and fixed it.
Sidebar: I took my son with me to Lowe's and he thought it was important for me to know the names of the pipe parts inorder to buy them. He was amazed that I could look at the pictures and find what I needed to fix the sink. Maybe I was a plumber in a former life. Or maybe I just hate to pay the fees my regular plumber charges. Yeah, that's more like it. When I was poor, I did stuff like this all the time because I didn't have the money to spend. Now that I do have the money, I don't want to spend it on stuff I'm perfectly capable of doing myself. When my hot water heater when out the day before 9/11, I called a plumber to fix it. When my toilet leaked, I rebuilt it. When my supply value began to leak, I called a plumber and told him no way when I heard the fee, so in my utter disgust at the potentional bill, I called a guy friend for strength and fixed it.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
The Handbag Fiasco
Why can't I find a handbag that I like? One that's all leather, black, spacious, but also has pockets inside to keep my things organized and tidy? A zipper on top and a shoulder strap that is, again, leather? I'm really starting to hate all of these cheap 'made in china' bags constructed of materials that wear out so quickly, you are almost forced to replace them year after year. I don't have an annual budget for a $100+ bag. I hate the idea. And if I'm going to spend anymore on a handbag, it better last. I'm not into designer names, I'm in to function and quality. I'm scouring over http://www.ebags.com today since they have a "Wild Wednesdays" sale with selected items 20% off with the hopes of finding something I like.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
A Memorial Weekend
It's 6-something in the morning on Sunday and I was up before the dawn watering my tomato plant which looks successful up to this point, checking the cat water and food and brushing my teeth. I am sick of my clutter which I am coming to find out is so much less than what it could be compared to what other people's ideas of what clutter is but yet unacceptable to me because it's an in-my-face example of disorganization and I don't consider myself to be a disorganized person. I usually have things put in their special place so I can find them again and my clutter breaks that trend and creates a certain amount of havoc and frustration in my life. Once, I was trying to cope with my clutter by saying I was out growing my condo since I have lived here for ten years as of March. Once even, I tried to justify that I was just too tired to deal with it due to me dealing with a cronic disease let alone my daily grid. But after watching an episode of Clean House from St. Louis, I felt like, yeah, I could kind of relate as well as agree to the fact that I'll do things to make myself feel good and not necessarily the things that need to be done because they are not fun and considered chores. And so my slightly cluttered ways continue to a degree.
I'd decided that I need to locate my paperwork from the last time I put together a loan submission package while applying for a refi and I need to locate my notary certificate. I think these documents are located within two plastic gray trays of assorted clutter that at one time landed on my desk, but now that the desk has been changed and organized, have been relocated into my gray trays. These gray trays were once considered under the bed storage when I first moved into my condo. They are actually trays from Smart and Final like the ones bus boys use to clear your table after having eaten in a restaurant. They were cheaper than plastic bins specially made to be under the bed storage and I'll go cheap if it's functional so that's why I bought them. I think there are 6-8 floating around in various areas of my condo, but for the most part I believe they have been retired to the right corner stacked up in the bottom of my closet waiting to be utilised again.
I am determined to create a save or throw pile comprised of the things in my two clutter bins before I go and read the newspaper this morning. I don't actually read the entire paper. I don't think anyone does these days. I rather skim for what I find as interesting and then read that article and then continue skimming again to the next subject that sparks my mind. I love to go through the ads. I think it's for the color but moreover to find a bargain. I love the Target ads, even though we know that Walmart has better prices and for this reason, rarely produces a paper ad.
I'm procrastinating now about going through the rest of the bins since I have found my loan submission package and have calculated my interest rate change. I'm looking forward to the rate drop as I have a hybrid note that I don't even think they offer anymore and will adjust to be lower than my start rate, or so I hope. Now on to locate that certificate.
I barbecued hamburgers yesterday which came out excellent. I also made homemade salsa as well. Yum. Even though I went to Sprouts and Ralph's and spent $95, I need to go to the grocery store again because my pantry has been depleted and I need cereal and milk.
My neighbors are entirely too noisy for this time of day.
I'd decided that I need to locate my paperwork from the last time I put together a loan submission package while applying for a refi and I need to locate my notary certificate. I think these documents are located within two plastic gray trays of assorted clutter that at one time landed on my desk, but now that the desk has been changed and organized, have been relocated into my gray trays. These gray trays were once considered under the bed storage when I first moved into my condo. They are actually trays from Smart and Final like the ones bus boys use to clear your table after having eaten in a restaurant. They were cheaper than plastic bins specially made to be under the bed storage and I'll go cheap if it's functional so that's why I bought them. I think there are 6-8 floating around in various areas of my condo, but for the most part I believe they have been retired to the right corner stacked up in the bottom of my closet waiting to be utilised again.
I am determined to create a save or throw pile comprised of the things in my two clutter bins before I go and read the newspaper this morning. I don't actually read the entire paper. I don't think anyone does these days. I rather skim for what I find as interesting and then read that article and then continue skimming again to the next subject that sparks my mind. I love to go through the ads. I think it's for the color but moreover to find a bargain. I love the Target ads, even though we know that Walmart has better prices and for this reason, rarely produces a paper ad.
I'm procrastinating now about going through the rest of the bins since I have found my loan submission package and have calculated my interest rate change. I'm looking forward to the rate drop as I have a hybrid note that I don't even think they offer anymore and will adjust to be lower than my start rate, or so I hope. Now on to locate that certificate.
I barbecued hamburgers yesterday which came out excellent. I also made homemade salsa as well. Yum. Even though I went to Sprouts and Ralph's and spent $95, I need to go to the grocery store again because my pantry has been depleted and I need cereal and milk.
My neighbors are entirely too noisy for this time of day.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Bargain
I went shopping today over at Marshall's in Irvine because I had not been there in awhile and it was next to Sprout's Market, so I could buy some fresh produce once I was done clothes shopping. Both places were super busy and had super air conditioning unlike my home - yeah. I may just have to break down and buy a unit this year... So anyway, trolling around the store, I first walked through the shoe isles, but did not find a 6.5 in a style my size, too bad. Then I was looking in all the small sections and not finding much of anything I liked. I was resigned to find something I was able to wear to work because I think I have enough casual wear, thank you. After crusing all the tops, I decided to try the dress rack. I couldn't get to where I needed to be to check out the size 4 because someone had parked their cart there, so I was going to wait when I looked up and saw an Anne Kline two piece suit in my size - wow. It was red tagged to move, so it should of been hiding on the clearance rack instead of the by the dresses - no matter. O.K., read tag - what is wrong with it? Upon carefull examination, both pieces had matching sizes - good. There is one button missing and a snag in the arm. But would it fit? Would it fit because this originally $160 now marked down to $59. suit was screaming at me, "Don't leave me on the rack - you can fix this! Try me on now!" I found the changing room, tried it on and the dang thing fit. After trying it on, I worked on the snag a bit in the dressing room and decided that I could fix it so it would be worth buying. Made my purchase and then put the suit in the car.
So I then went shopping at Sprouts and got my fresh produce and headed to Joann's for buttons. I found a new set of similar matching buttons for $5 which made me happy. What a find. Sometimes it pays to be a 2P.
So I then went shopping at Sprouts and got my fresh produce and headed to Joann's for buttons. I found a new set of similar matching buttons for $5 which made me happy. What a find. Sometimes it pays to be a 2P.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
I can't shop at my local PetCo anymore
Immediately after dinner at China Palace, we hop into my car and jet over to PetCo a few blocks away. Drama Boy is in need of a new doggie door for his rat dog and he had put me in charge of the printout of the one he likes that he found on the PetCo website. I just hoped they had the same styles in-store. You know how flaky stores can be with that sometimes. Target is notorious about web only items, but they are clearly marked.
O.K., so we walk in and I head for the dog area because 1) I can read and 2) I know the store while he's accosting the help to enlist them on his quest for doggie doors. We both locate the display at the endcap at about the same time. They have two materials to choose from and three sizes so that's a one in six choice, right? He can't decide whether his rat dog would prefer the medium door over the small door. I think from a home security standpoint, I'd get the small one to inhibit illegal entry by utilizing said door to reach inside and unlock the backdoor. Now he wants to open the box to see what's inside. I'm rolling my eyes at this point but trying to hold my composure because I feel if I stay neutral, maybe this fiasco will end quicker. The sight is stressing me out and full of chinese food I now have to go to the bathroom bad. The clerk tells me its located past the bird section, to the right through double doors.
I conduct my business in the bathroom and walk to the checkout stands thinking he'd be done and paying for his items, but no! I walk further, again, over to the display area and now he's got three people helping him, he's talking about playing in bands in LA, doing is PR thing, and has got two boxes open. He's also located the display samples and fondling them as well. I'm amused and slowly becoming mentally exhausted watching him get the store help into a tizzy and generally making a spectacle of himself. O.K., decision made, his first choice - yes, and how he's onto to toys, treats, snacks, and weird lamb meat packaged in a sausage tube. After checking out, he makes a sexist comment about the sausage shaped lamb dog food and I tell him it's not funny.
Back at his pad, he later pulls out of his pocket a phone number of one of the girls that was helping him at PetCo saying her husband plays bass, yadda. yadda, etc. Can't take him anywhere and I probably can't shop at my local PetCo anymore know the girls will want to talk about his shit again. Gees.
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