April 2010

Many apologies for those few individuals out there that might be reading this thing - April was a blur of a month. From AC getting through tax season and starting on the next stage of extensions to my final ability to post for a new position within the bank (the result of which I should be hearing sometime in the near future) we have been going full speed.

We are currently looking at apartments for potential moving into within the next few months (hopefully we'll be able to fully move sometime either in June or July). Which means it's budget creation time!! >_<

I really can't think of much more that has come to pass in the past month - we bought a new car, a 2010 Nissan Versa, that we're both in love with. But other than that, there really hasn't been that much to report on...

As always, if you're ever in the KC area, feel free to hit either myself or AC up on our cells - or if you're looking for a place to stay, email us....we might have just the spot for you in the next few months!

------ Minor Edit ------
As per Katie's comment - I feel that I should add a shot of the new Versa:

February 2010 - Reflections

Looking back at the year so far, it's been a blessedly busy one - something that after 6 months of having nothing to do other than search for work is as welcome as the sun will be after this winter leaves us finally. Speaking of which - Overland Park is extremely cold at the moment, though to be honest it's not nearly as bad as it was last month (the high for most of the month hovered around 10-20 degrees). So yeah, 30 degrees is very welcome at the moment.

As far as the job goes, well it's just nice to have something to dump my time into other than browsing the 'net and getting into trouble. I'm still looking into the Johnson County Sheriff's department, but for now the certainty of work is something that takes precedence over the hope of an awesome job. And to be honest, banking isn't that bad of a job - if you can get over the complete morons that you have to deal with on a daily basis. I mean, the way some of these "people" get into financial trouble makes my head spin; there is no logic behind the things that they do...but it does reassure me that no matter how bad it gets for AC and I, we're going to be fine. If these people can make it through life with all the stupidity that they generate, then decently educated people should be more than fine.

On other notes, AC has officially started classes (something that most people who are probably reading this thing already knew - but just in case, there it is. She is on her way to get her Masters in Accounting and has started working with her father as a staff accountant within his company - which she is seeming to really enjoy. Kyara is doing excellent (she's in absolute love with snow and the yard that she now dominates at the house) and hopefully will stop growing now that she's topped 35 lbs.

If I'm missing anything, I'll probably catch it when I post next (trying to start a habit of at least giving people a monthly update for our life). Ciao.

Thoughts on the Upcoming Year

I think that this does a pretty adequate job of detailing where I think we're headed here:

2009 Personal DNA Results

As has become customary for me, I have completed another annual PersonalDNA quiz, the results of which are displayed below:

Concerned Creator

Simply Because I Can

Presidential Speech to Congress

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Just out of curiosity - and this is purely meant to be a thought provoking point - where is this supported in the bill?

"But thanks to the bold and decisive action we've taken since January, I can stand here with confidence and say that we have pulled this economy back from the brink."

Can you? Are we not now more in debt than ever before?!

"Others are self-employed, and can't afford it, since buying insurance on your own costs you three times as much as the coverage you get from your employer."

Not the case for me - it was actually much cheaper for me to buy a personal plan rather than pay through my employer. Not sure on this particular statistic - but we might want to look at that one.

"There are those on the left who believe that the only way to fix the system is through a single-payer system like Canada's where we would severely restrict the private insurance market and have the government provide coverage for everybody. On the right, there are those who argue that we should end employer-based systems and leave individuals to buy health insurance on their own."

Great use of some good old Communistic Rhetoric here - let's play each side against the other so that we all figure out that the "Messiah" knows the safe way down the middle.

"But what we've also seen in these last months is the same partisan spectacle that only hardens the disdain many Americans have towards their own government. Instead of honest debate, we've seen scare tactics. Some have dug into unyielding ideological camps that offer no hope of compromise. Too many have used this as an opportunity to score short-term political points, even if it robs the country of our opportunity to solve a long-term challenge. And out of this blizzard of charges and counter-charges, confusion has reigned."

Isn't this a bit of the kettle calling the pot black? Who's better at using "scare tactics" - the liberal politicians or the conservatives?

"Let me repeat this: Nothing in our plan requires you to change what you have."

Except that it states explicitly that it does....you know - other than that, this is perfectly true.

"Under this plan, it will be against the law for insurance companies to deny you coverage because of a preexisting condition."

Annnnnd how is that viable for a business? Isn't part of the deal the competitive nature of the insurance provider?

August Update

I know that I haven't kept up with this thing as much as I probably was intending to when I started the site - but then again, whenever can one keep all of the promises that he makes? ^_^;;

Anywho - there's a ton on my mind (ranging from the most recent scientific study concerning the dealing with a potential zombie infestation to that of the more imminent and dangerous political situation found within the USA).

The major focus on my mind at the moment however is divided evenly between two major events that are in the process of being realized. The first happens to be fairly significant - my wife and I have decided after a long period of debate that it is time for us to move to be closer to her immediate family. Of course, this isn't just a move from one city to another, but rather a leap that will take us roughly half way across the States from our current location in the DFW area to that of the KC geographical area. This being said, I am still in the opinion that while we will undoubtedly face hard times (we're planning on putting my wife through a master's program for accounting and then hopefully getting me through law school) I think that at the end of the next 5 - 6 years, we will be much more comfortable with our place in the world. Hopefully by that time, we will also have been able to either have our first child or will be working towards that particular addition to our family.

The second aspect of my focus currently deals with the job front (which is kinda significant, you know?) and what I'm going to be doing for at least the next 2 - 3 years. Depending on whether A.C. gets into her master's program, I'm going to have to pull some significant weight in regards to monetary gain to keep our little family going...something that hasn't been a light weight on my mind, to be sure. However, I'm equally confident that when (not if) A.C. gets through with her CPA licensure, she will prove more than capable of taking over the majority of the income aspect so that I might be able to focus on getting the JD degree that will allow me to practice law.

Of course, this is all subject to drastic change - what isn't, after all? - but at the moment, that's the plan...and hopefully I'll become more diligent in posting on this site (as my great role model J.P. has) in the times to come.

Peace.