31
Dec
Posted by the Dad in Climbing Out. 10 Comments
What were you like 10 years ago?
Isn’t it interesting how we attach significance to some numbers? Turning 40 is over the hill. $99 is a much better deal than $100. 5 miles over the speed limit is okay.
As this decade ends today I find myself weighed down with the importance of looking back ten years at where I was, what I did and, maybe more importantly, what I didn’t know.
Certainly nothing makes this ten year span more important than any other, but what the heck. …continue reading
4
Dec
Posted by the Dad in Climbing Out. 12 Comments
There is always tomorrow. Another month. Another budget. Another chance to get it right.
Oh. My. God.
After ten months (TEN MONTHS!) of financial responsibility… no, financial PERFECTION, today I screwed the pooch.
Actually, I screwed the pooch more than a week ago when I ignored our budget and decided things were going even better than I thought they were… and gave away the farm. …continue reading
24
Nov
Posted by the Dad in Climbing Out. 10 Comments
Never has it been so clear to me that personal finance is really personal.
I have tried to find the tone for this post for a week now, but have to admit it is hard to land squarely on the side of happiness or condemnation.
You know how some things just make you cock your head to the side in a gooey blend of disbelief, empathy and mild-confusion? Not in a superior manner — instead, you want to be happy for someone, but can’t see around the enormous elephant in the room. …continue reading
16
Nov
Posted by the Dad in Climbing Out. 14 Comments
[W]e may have to accept a new time-line. Debt-free in May 2011 seems more likely than October 2010.
We’re not going to make it.
The wife and I have been running the numbers and talking it over for about a month and we realize that unless we take extreme measures or a financial windfall drops in our laps, we are not going to make our goal of Debt-freedom by our tenth anniversary next October.
Like accepting Darth Vader is Luke’s father, it’s demoralizing and takes the wind out of my sails, folks.
”A goal is a dream with a deadline.” said Napoleon Hill and I gotta be honest, unless The Wife and I can drum up another grand each month, we ain’t gonna make ours. …continue reading
12
Nov
Posted by the Dad in Climbing Out. 3 Comments
We get a few notes from the Contact page from time-to-time and this week I thought I’d answer a really good one publicly.
We are both sure enjoying your postings on “Climbing Out”…………great stories, much humor, lots of humility and strong resolve…..bravo!
Just a loving observation…….near the end of the Wells Fargo missive you, for the 1st time I believe, shifted blame in a slightly vulgar vein by referring to these evil lenders….as ‘asses’………..that word and that tone stopped me in my total and complete support of your efforts and new ideals …continue reading
6
Nov
Posted by the Dad in Climbing Out. 7 Comments
I remind myself to speak clearly and honestly without hidden agendas both at work and home.
I cringed as my phone rang at work. It was a call from a colleague, Larry, who has an amazing ability to suck time and air from any situation.
“Hey, what computer is 172.168.00.55? Is it important?”
That’s the LDAP, our directory server, the most important computer in the place. Why do you ask?
“Someone left a page up in here and it’s down.”
Someone left a page up in here and it’s down. I don’t understand what that means.
“I’m in the office and there’s a screen up with a bunch of of computers on it and they all have green dots except that one, it has a red dot and says ‘not connected’.”
I’m like, you’re freaking kidding me, right. …continue reading
