August 28, 2007
Death By Cuteness
No, that’s not a band name. It’s just that the coworkers send me pictures like this:
family
Farewell to the best boy in the world
About sixteen years ago, I met him for the first time. My trainwreck sibling brought home this adorable puppy he had no business adopting because he had not one thing in his life that wasn’t a mess. I was furious at my sibling – he didn’t even take care of himself, how could he drag
Read MoreInsurance: Go 50/50 or go for broke?
My car insurance agent, Mr. Pokey Agent Man, finally faxed me a copy of the police report from my car accident back in April and tells me that the companies are willing to settle 50/50 because the report is inconclusive and it’s come down to my word against that of the Idiot Driver who tried to run me out of my lan and then hit me anyway.
My options are to accept a 50/50 decision, which means that it’s no-fault on either side, and pay half the deductible and the insurance companies pay for half of the damages, or go to arbitration to pursue an actual decision.
The play it safe side of me says to take the 50/50. “No fault” is good, and I have the $500 in the bank, sort of. Well, I can, anyway. The truth and justice side of says that’s a crock. HE hit me when he was driving recklessly, I got out of his way and he still hit me (on the rear left side, basically at my wheel well). Therefore that side wants to go to arbitration and pursue a 0/100 decision against him.
It’s clear to ME what happened, but what’s the arbitrator going to decide? I’ve got photos of the damages done to my car but I can’t tell if it’s obvious there that he hit me either. And I can’t really expect a Holmesian arbitrator, I’d just have to hope for the best arbitrator to be interested in deciphering how it all went down and then deciding for me.
That’s sort of a lot to take on faith. What to do?
August 27, 2007
Google Search Phenomena
Can someone explain why about a million people are all suddenly searching the phrase “May you have an interesting life” and ending up here? Is there a radio contest that I don’t know about?
I’ve really got to stop eating out so much
but a girl’s got to eat, and I’m not cooking for a horde of friends and a few strangers each time we want to meet up.
We sent NY friend #2 back to the East Coast with a classy In’n’Out dinner last week, and experienced a rather surreal encounter with some high school acquaintances at the same dinner. We caught up a bit over beers at the pub up the street, and darned if it wasn’t the weirdest thing. Now I can definitely skip my ten year reunion! After all, I keep in touch with all the high school friends I want to, I think, and even met up with those I’d rather have forgotten.
On Friday, we had dinner with Boston friend at a lovely Argentinian restaurant where the drinks were yummy and prices were just fabulous! My swordfish skewers with yellow rice was simply amazing, de-skewered for my convenience and tablemates’ safety, for only $10. The helping of yellow rice was enormous, just how I like it, and moist with onions and bits of bell pepper. Mmmm … I’ll take you sometime, if you come visit me.
Saturday was full of accomplishing: I picked up Old Dog’s medicines, got a little grooming out of the way, went to the bank, got a tank of gas, and discovered the wonderful world of orthotics! At first I picked up the Dr. Scholl’s gel insoles ($6), and Ball of Foot gel inserts ($5) but realized that I really needed orthotics with arch support. So I went and got a pair from Target ($6) so that I could have these (on sale, $17.99):
Honestly, I had really wanted these because they seemed a little more demure and professional:
but they were $30, and anyway, weren’t in either of the Targets I checked so I couldn’t try them on. So the sassy Mary Janes were in. Even better, the shoes and orthotic with arch support were only $25.36. My MyPoints giftcard covered all but $0.36.
Sunday: I got loads of laundry done, went to the mall and returned that shirt to Banana Republic, and something to another store, and picked up a couple somethings. Lunched at Kabuki’s (I wouldn’t recommend it, it was lackluster and didn’t live up the decor) with a friend and his friend, and brought home leftover beef short ribs and chicken teriyaki for lunch tomorrow. Not bad for $15, but not particularly good either.
I also gave my brother an earful for stringing me along for the past couple months, not paying or calling me to explain his failure to pay, and his related immaturity. I always feel like I’m letting him get away with it when I don’t take him to task, and so he got his rightfully earned scold tonight. He’s got to learn about responsibility.
7 days of food spending:
$6, In-n-Out
$18, Argentinian dinner
$15, Kabuki lunch
$?, dinner tonight to see off NY friend #3
August 21, 2007
Auto Expenses: $960
Five minutes, and six clicks. That’s all the time it took to put nearly a thousand dollars’ worth of car insurance and registration for los PadresDuckies on my credit card. I give thanks that, for the most part, scrimping and saving every little bit is worth it and I haven’t been caught up short by “unexpected” expenses. And I’m really lucky to have a good job security, as much of my health as I’ve needed to work that job, and developed strong saving and planning habits. Well, ok, it wasn’t actually luck on that first or last. I have job security because I’ve worked my dang tushy off, and save like a fiend because I have bag-lady syndrome. Probably will for the rest of my life, too! As Blunt Money and SingleMa remind us, the three D’s have a lot to do with it, too: decisions, determination and dedication.
I’m reminiscent about this time four years ago when things were really tough. Four years ago, I was still at university working on my (lib arts, aka: won’t make much) degree, working 60 hours a week, had just lost my first dog to heart failure after two years of treatments, taken on a car payment and felt tied to my job because of it, and still lived with my brother so was losing an ounce of sanity a day. Stress was at a premium. I wasn’t ever sure I could make ends meet, and I definitely wasn’t saving anything.
A couple bills like this would have ruined my week. My months, even. Anticipation would have killed off a few weeks prior, I’d have a few weeks’ grace period because it’d go on my card, and meanwhile would have had to work even more overtime at my $10/hour job to cover rent, tuition, utilities and car bills.
Now? I sigh sadly that the money’s going out instead of coming in, and sigh with relief that I can say the most of that money is already sitting in the account designed specifically for that purpose.
Moral? If I can get from there to here, there’s no reason why I shouldn’t try to get from here to way … over … there (gesturing to greener pastures of people with health, wealth and wisdom)!!
August 15, 2007
So tired, yet in such a mathy mood…
Working late all week. And on the train ride, to and from. But I have this itchy urge to start breaking down my future budget and savings goals based on that raise that I haven’t got my hot little hands on yet.
This is also how I do my homework: based entirely on instinct and urges.
The new passport laws are good for something!
Namely, collecting child support! I’ve heard so many stories about how, if you’re not in utter, desperate need, the state simply doesn’t assist with collecting child support payments. They don’t have the time to help except those in absolute dire need. Well, if the “scofflaw” as this article refers to them had to leave the country, now, he or she will have to pay up. It’s probably only good for a couple of collections, and dependent on the person needing to travel, but that’s still better than nothing!
Unless of course, you’re this guy:
A boxer paid $39,000 in back child support to the state of Nevada last year to get a passport, which he lost. This year, his promoter had to loan him $8,930 so he could pay off his new child support debts and get a new passport to fight overseas.
I suppose that’s one reliable way to get money from that particular fellow.