Best Behavior

Ok, I'm going to try to get back on my best behavior and take the high road. Learn and teach by example, all that stuff. We'll see how that goes.

I was heartened this morning to hear a relevant quote on, of all things, Trucks! on the Spike channel, which was tuned in for the Bond marathon.

It ain't messed up 'til you can't fix it anymore.

One thing that is messed up is that we are voting on people's rights. I'm still trying to wrap my head around how that's ok. But I think most of us honestly thought that prop 8 would have little traction in CA. Maybe this is the kick in the pants that will really get acceptance, not just tolerance, rolling.

In the meantime, it'll be interesting to see who Obama picks for his staff. (Blogger spell-check still doesn't recognize Obama, weird.) I still wish that the candidates could float ideas for cabinet posts before the election, although that might involve taking their eye off of the job of getting elected and flirt with currying favor.

It's odd not to have the book board to go to though. I usually keep three tabs open - my email, my blog (from which I link to other blogs), and the board. I'm feeling a little rudderless. So I'm going to hop offline, get some groceries, and build some kitchen cabinets and finalize a carpet selection for my bedroom. [update: color "hazelnut", edged out "beige allure" or any type of green.]

Fortunately, I moved my renovation savings money from stocks to a money market, and have executed on my stock option plan - when they vest and are above water, sell half of them that week and sock the money away - and Friday got a much needed bonus at work (yay wireless!). I kinda ran out of money in my checking account this month, so the bonus is well timed. I'm definitely needing the savings to pay out on the cabinets, which even though they are relatively cheap IKEA ones, cost more than my monthly income can cover. But I have to complete renovations and not leave them half done or my condo will be worth even less than it otherwise would. And I want to live with the upgrades, not just do them right before selling (you know, in 10 years when the market recovers).

It turns out buying things like appliances and carpets is cheaper in a down market - I stopped by a local store this weekend and found some good carpet that comes with upgraded pad, installation, furniture moving, and no sales tax. As my existing bedroom carpet has stains and patched holes in it, I knew I needed to replace it, and this deal works out for me as well as supports a local business. I am feeling jittery on the finances, but our CEO seems to think the business is sound for the next little while. And the savings account isn't bottoming out, but I'm not funding a Roth and I'm not sure whether or not to go for the eye surgery in January either.

Now I'm just typing to type, I think. Need the board back to get the excess blather out so I can stay more focused here. One last tangent though, today's the 90th anniversary of the end of WWI. Here's to never having WWIII.