Happy Blog, Sad Blog

Happy Blog: Today is Friday! Fridays are the day I get to leave at 3 instead of 5, which is awesome. Gives you time to hit the bank or the store or whatever and still make it home before rush hour. Sad Blog: I get to sped this afternoon's fun time trying to fix our homeowner's insurance, which Assurant apparently decided that despite having no problems, changes, or claims in the year and a half we've lived there, they needed to more than TRIPLE our premium. WTF?!

Happy Blog: Me and the wife have been married for 40 months today! I can't believe we're almost to FOUR YEARS. Man. Time has gone by so quick. But its been great having her in my life, and I want 40 more years! Sad Blog: she hates her job, and is in tears on average about once a week because of it. As a husband, this is brutal because we don't have the means for her to quit her job right now, but I hate seeing her upset. Its a bad scene. Hopefully she'll find something new soon, though.

Happy Blog: This weekend is 'Fliven Weekend'. The wife takes me out to dinner, we do fun activities, go to a movie, just generally make me happy. I love it when I get one of these. Its good times. Sad Blog: I get spoiled by these weekends and want them EVERY weekend.

Resolved.

This year's New Year's Resolutions. I don't know why I bother with them, really, as I usually make it about a week before breaking them, but I guess the effort counts for something.

1. In years past, I have humorously put as my only resolution 'crush my enemies. see them driven before me. hear the laments of their women.' This year, I will not. But look for it in times to come.

2. I will endeavor to reclaim my sangfroid. These days I am too easily bestirred by the antics of my surroundings into fits of annoyance, petulance, irritation, anger, and sometimes depression. Part of this is due to the fact that I have become a more emotionally balanced individual. Which is good. But this constant stress brought on by suppressed aggravation is unhealthy; both emotionally and physically.

3. Make strides towards fiscally secure future. To date, I have been making minimal contributions to my IRA. Most of the time I spend that money recovering from disaster/unemployment/needs/etc. This year it appears that I have my current finances (with 1 or 2 minor exceptions) on track, and should have some extra to set by. The exceptions are my auto insurance, which I will be looking into in the next few months, and the cable bill, which is way high, but our contract is up in June, so that may take care of itself.

4. Learn something. I don't mean spend an afternoon researching how to knit and making one sock and calling it a day, but a real skill. Even if its a skill that is not often utilized in this day and age, such as calligraphy or blacksmithing. Although its always nice to have marketable skills...maybe take courses in locksmithing or electrical repair. Something to look into.

5. Eat healthier. I really do need to do this. If I can at least get my home habits in order, then when I go out and get a 3,000 calorie burger every once in awhile, I won't feel so bad about it. Surprisingly, one of my favorite meals, Bertucci's Rigatoni, Broccoli and Chicken with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce, is not that bad for me. Its got veggies, grilled chicken, pasta...nothing really super bad for you except the cream. And its SO GOOD. I told my wife I could eat every day for dinner. And that was the truth. But my problem is the sodium. Its just not good for the blood pressure, especially considering resolution number 2. And given my age, I need to be watching these things more carefully. And sodium is in EVERYTHING. Except for grapes and raisins. Only so many of THOSE you can eat before you're stuck on the toilet all day, though.

6. Do more personal projects. So many of my free time projects are things for the house or my family these days...like getting the oil changed in the cars, taking the dog to the vet or the park, changing air filters or replacing flooring, fixing furniture...I'd like to get back to drawing, painting, things like that. This one is contingent on scheduling, so may not be a FIRM resolution.

7. I'm not going to pay a lot for this muffler.