Probably not going to mean much to those reading who are a bit younger than myself. but this is what I was always thinking while I was playing video games... you know, the ones where the graphics were not lifelike and actually required some kind of imagination to see the aliens.
If I had invested all the quarters that I spent on Microsoft stock, I'd be a millionaire right now.
I'm serious.
Gasp... July update.
So far so good. We've been focused on some pretty big things at work... really trying to move the needle in a significant way. For once, I really think that there is a very good opportunity to (again) get some truly worldwide recognition - this time for a pretty simple idea that my team and I had about a year ago that could(should) be very, very big.
(very long time coming - all of which I'll explain when I get this muzzle removed.)
Of course, the last push on this project has been less than helpful to the progress of my mission to clean up my life. I have been moving forward, but have hit nowhere near the milestones that I was hitting late last year - I hope to get back to that kind of focus again soon. Additionally, one of the items that I really was trying to "fix" was my ridiculous propensity for working myself into the grave - funny how easy that was to sink back into.
On to life outside the office... Work has started again on the new house - getting the last bits ready so that It could be occupied. While rental income over the last year would have been nice, there has been no way that I could rent the house out in the condition that it was. As it stands now, we are thinking that we'll just move in to the other house and continue the development while we are there. That way at least I can rent this house out and reduce the monthly drain. Downside to this is that I'll probably have a taxable event that i'll have to figure out... drat.
One bit of very good news: I'm finally debt free with the exception of house payments. I've been eating at my savings over the last three years due to the last start up that i worked at... Long story short, (my old boss, who shall remain nameless) had promised the world if only I would only work for a much lower salary than I was worth. Did anyone get the world? Yea... just not the people who earned it, and certainly not me. Of course, there were promises of great wealth, but in the end I made much less than I spent to live and I've had to rebuild that base over the last year.
Done!
Whew.
Feels good.
Very good.
So, next things on the agenda will be huge... largely because if we do move from one house to the other, we'll have to get rid of a lot of the remaining "junk" that sits in the garage, the house, etc. I'm even thinking about losing some things that I really love (but NEVER use). Namely, one or both of my motorcycles. I really do enjoy them, but it's a crime that they sit while I work and when the weekend comes, I'm too tired/busy to ride anyway. Take the money that I could get from a sale and throw that into the right stocks and I could be a lot farther ahead in a very short time.
One last note.
I have an idea (patent applied for) for a great diet. I don't think that this will be unhealthy and I'm sure that it would be nutritious enough, affordable and most importantly, easy to remember.
I get $5 a day to spend however I like on food that I get outside the house. I can buy and eat anything that I like - until noon. After noon, regardless of the meal, I get to eat only soup. I can stock up on soup to eat at home.
I should be able to cut costs, remember to implement a simple plan and stay healthy at the same time. keeping in mind that I never eat lunch prior to 12:00, this means soup for a majority of the day. This is great because soup is usually two to three hundred calories per serving and is almost always good for you. Also, having no limits on what I can eat means it's easy to find a meal, but with only five dollars to spend per day, I'll likely not be able to stuff myself.
Thoughts?
(very long time coming - all of which I'll explain when I get this muzzle removed.)
Of course, the last push on this project has been less than helpful to the progress of my mission to clean up my life. I have been moving forward, but have hit nowhere near the milestones that I was hitting late last year - I hope to get back to that kind of focus again soon. Additionally, one of the items that I really was trying to "fix" was my ridiculous propensity for working myself into the grave - funny how easy that was to sink back into.
On to life outside the office... Work has started again on the new house - getting the last bits ready so that It could be occupied. While rental income over the last year would have been nice, there has been no way that I could rent the house out in the condition that it was. As it stands now, we are thinking that we'll just move in to the other house and continue the development while we are there. That way at least I can rent this house out and reduce the monthly drain. Downside to this is that I'll probably have a taxable event that i'll have to figure out... drat.
One bit of very good news: I'm finally debt free with the exception of house payments. I've been eating at my savings over the last three years due to the last start up that i worked at... Long story short, (my old boss, who shall remain nameless) had promised the world if only I would only work for a much lower salary than I was worth. Did anyone get the world? Yea... just not the people who earned it, and certainly not me. Of course, there were promises of great wealth, but in the end I made much less than I spent to live and I've had to rebuild that base over the last year.
Done!
Whew.
Feels good.
Very good.
So, next things on the agenda will be huge... largely because if we do move from one house to the other, we'll have to get rid of a lot of the remaining "junk" that sits in the garage, the house, etc. I'm even thinking about losing some things that I really love (but NEVER use). Namely, one or both of my motorcycles. I really do enjoy them, but it's a crime that they sit while I work and when the weekend comes, I'm too tired/busy to ride anyway. Take the money that I could get from a sale and throw that into the right stocks and I could be a lot farther ahead in a very short time.
One last note.
I have an idea (patent applied for) for a great diet. I don't think that this will be unhealthy and I'm sure that it would be nutritious enough, affordable and most importantly, easy to remember.
I get $5 a day to spend however I like on food that I get outside the house. I can buy and eat anything that I like - until noon. After noon, regardless of the meal, I get to eat only soup. I can stock up on soup to eat at home.
I should be able to cut costs, remember to implement a simple plan and stay healthy at the same time. keeping in mind that I never eat lunch prior to 12:00, this means soup for a majority of the day. This is great because soup is usually two to three hundred calories per serving and is almost always good for you. Also, having no limits on what I can eat means it's easy to find a meal, but with only five dollars to spend per day, I'll likely not be able to stuff myself.
Thoughts?
Birthday
The 24th was my birthday.
Sue and I were in San Francisco for the weekend, we went at the tail end of a business trip out to California. Actually both the weekend and the business trip went well. We gave a presentation that despite technical problems went very, very well. (Don't say that Macs never crash... I had a bit of a problem with "parallels" virtualization software that caused my screen to wig out.)
Anyway... If you feel like sending me a gift... here is my Amazon wish list ;-)
Sue and I were in San Francisco for the weekend, we went at the tail end of a business trip out to California. Actually both the weekend and the business trip went well. We gave a presentation that despite technical problems went very, very well. (Don't say that Macs never crash... I had a bit of a problem with "parallels" virtualization software that caused my screen to wig out.)
Anyway... If you feel like sending me a gift... here is my Amazon wish list ;-)
Hard times
I feel almost guilty writing this. I've had so much good fortune over the course of my life. Most of it undeserved. There are countless thousands who don't have even the modest means to buy a meal that I might take for granted on a random tuesday night. People who count pennies and plan where each one goes.
I've not been careful about how I spend lately. I spend willy-nilly...
As the months go by, I hope to get this under control. If you have a suggestion on what I should do to get things under control, let me know by posting a reply to this message. Currently, I use Quicken - but I've got to be honest, I'm way too lazy to spend time entering checks, detailing expenses, etc. I'm looking for a method or way that I can follow a set of rules and thus almost automatically control the spending.
First thoughts might be:
1. Limit myself to a certain amount, say $100.00 a week. I can spend it anywhere I want, but I don't get more until sunday and I don't carry my cash card.
2. Get a "petty cash credit card" with a low limit and only use that card.
3. Limit the size of item that I can buy, say 10.00 only... including food purchases, etc.
4. Ask "do I need this" prior to every purchase and force myself to look at some guilt inducing picture if I say yes. ;-)
5. Only allow a purchase if I go back for it on a second trip. (no impulse buys)
6. only purchase online so that I can easily track from one place.
Again, I'll welcome any suggestions that you have.
I've not been careful about how I spend lately. I spend willy-nilly...
As the months go by, I hope to get this under control. If you have a suggestion on what I should do to get things under control, let me know by posting a reply to this message. Currently, I use Quicken - but I've got to be honest, I'm way too lazy to spend time entering checks, detailing expenses, etc. I'm looking for a method or way that I can follow a set of rules and thus almost automatically control the spending.
First thoughts might be:
1. Limit myself to a certain amount, say $100.00 a week. I can spend it anywhere I want, but I don't get more until sunday and I don't carry my cash card.
2. Get a "petty cash credit card" with a low limit and only use that card.
3. Limit the size of item that I can buy, say 10.00 only... including food purchases, etc.
4. Ask "do I need this" prior to every purchase and force myself to look at some guilt inducing picture if I say yes. ;-)
5. Only allow a purchase if I go back for it on a second trip. (no impulse buys)
6. only purchase online so that I can easily track from one place.
Again, I'll welcome any suggestions that you have.
Homework
Random thoughts:
Taxes are coming.
I need to assemble all my tax information. (you do too)
I have yet to finish cleaning my house.
Some "home"work is required - building a new kitchen on the other house, fixing the countertops in this one, new stairs, deck, etc. Big expenses, but really, really need to get this monkey off my back. We've decided to move into the other house instead of renting it out. It's just become too difficult to take that route.
That being said. I need to figure out what and how this affects on my taxes... Obviously this is a conversion of an investment asset into a personal asset, but what is the value? Or is it a conversion? Can I "live" in investment property?
Oh, and I need to get hold of the plot of the investment property as well. There are way too many bushes, trees and to quote Monty python, "Shrubberies" that need pruning or removing.
Like I said, "Home"work.
Taxes are coming.
I need to assemble all my tax information. (you do too)
I have yet to finish cleaning my house.
Some "home"work is required - building a new kitchen on the other house, fixing the countertops in this one, new stairs, deck, etc. Big expenses, but really, really need to get this monkey off my back. We've decided to move into the other house instead of renting it out. It's just become too difficult to take that route.
That being said. I need to figure out what and how this affects on my taxes... Obviously this is a conversion of an investment asset into a personal asset, but what is the value? Or is it a conversion? Can I "live" in investment property?
Oh, and I need to get hold of the plot of the investment property as well. There are way too many bushes, trees and to quote Monty python, "Shrubberies" that need pruning or removing.
Like I said, "Home"work.
Relapse.
This is apparently the part of the movie where the superhero loses his powers and has to fight his way back to his mission. I've had a smll relapse and been spending too much time working and not enough of getting things back in order. As a result, the house is a mess, projects are stacking up and my taxes, which I had honestly hoped to have done by now, are looming larger every day.
I did get a note from someone lately who commented that my blog was about the troubles of the modern day man and that if I keep it up, I might be famous someday.
I wonder if being famous for "getting simple" would feel good?
I did get a note from someone lately who commented that my blog was about the troubles of the modern day man and that if I keep it up, I might be famous someday.
I wonder if being famous for "getting simple" would feel good?
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