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Fuck DLP TVs.
Brandy and I have never managed a power bill under $100 in the time we've lived together. We could get close, but they usually hovered between $120 and $170 dollars, with a few summer months topping out over $200.
We've owned this new LED LCD TV for a full billing cycle now. I tried to keep our power consumption as regular as possible, but it felt like we were using it to watch NetFlix a whole lot more than we used the old DLP to watch DVDs.
March power bill: $88 :D:up:
Nope, not me I'm afraid!Quote:
Originally Posted by Draco
We're roughly the same age, right? You're a little older than me, but not that significantly.Quote:
Originally Posted by Catgrrl
I have never once been in debt in my life. And I'm working on my PhD!
They are power hungry.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ominous Gamer
I've just celebrated yesterday that my NYU student loan debt was now below $40k. It used to be about $50k, and that was just for two years to earn a Master's degree...Quote:
Originally Posted by Nessus
:sour:
Good for you for paying off debt, even "cheap debt", for expanding your education! :up:Quote:
Originally Posted by Illusions
But this also belongs in the messed up groove thread. No one can explain to me why Donald Trump can declare corporate or personal bankruptcy more than once, and end up with billions of wealth dollars.....but students needing a loan can never discharge their educational debt. :confused:
And this is part of what pisses me off about the Lewk, "poor are lazy/stupid" line of logic. I took on this debt because, when I did, computer graphics was an expanding field with a lot of opportunity. This was about 8 years ago for my undergrad debt, and 4 - 5 for my masters degree debt. Now I work a part time job were about 80% of my pay is used to pay off my college debt.Quote:
Originally Posted by GGT
I'm more pissed off that my options of who to get my college loans from was just Citibank, and that Citibank tries to make this process as profitable for them as possible, and thus difficult or tedious for me. For instance...Quote:
But this also belongs in the messed up groove thread. No one can explain to me why Donald Trump can declare corporate or personal bankruptcy more than once, and end up with billions of wealth dollars.....but students needing a loan can never discharge their educational debt. :confused:
If you are making a payment, the table they show you only lists Loan Type, Loan Number, Loan Status, Late Fees, Current Balance, and Amount Due. This is the same table shown if you select "Loan Balances". If you want to know the interest rates on these loans you have to choose "Loan Detail". This table will show you all that other stuff, plus the Interest Rate, but without the Current Balance. So they won't show you, on the same page, how much in total you owe per loan along with the interest rates of those loans.
And pubbies can't understand why people loathe some corporate lifestyle choices
I'm 30. And really other than Hubby's student loan (which we would have paid off earlier if we could, but there are penalties involved in this particular type of loan if you pay off too early) I wouldn't really consider us to have been in debt. The SUV we could have paid in cash full but I wanted to keep some of our money in savings in case there were problems when baby came (plus I was going to quit my job and be a SAHM). I guess it's just a technical "in debt" scenario. We always pay off the credit card each month. We've always had plenty of money saved in the bank; in fact we still do. Quite a bit, need to figure out what kind of investments to make so it isn't just sitting there doing nothing I guess.Quote:
Originally Posted by Nessus
So, we were really not in debt, I guess I was overreacting. But it makes me feel good to have to less payments each month (vehicle and student loan)! :D
Nessie's point is that in Finland, an advanced degree doesn't carry debt or student loans. She wouldn't need an SUV because Finland has good public transit. She wouldn't have to worry about a savings account "in case there were problems with baby", because they have a national health service.
Blah blah blah, thanks for trying to rain on my parade. I'm still HAPPY no matter what political crap you people throw at me. So sorry that we like to pay our way, feel like we've accomplished something instead of sitting on our asses like the rest of America. :rolleyes:
Next people will be angry with me because I chose to marry a good man with a job, I'm not on government welfare, and I chose to have a baby AFTER getting married and buying a house. Oh I'm so evil for doing what I think is right for my life!
And I love my SUV and won't be giving that up for the world. SO :p
Yes, we had decent selection, although oddly the carpet we chose was of a style that we hated when we just saw the little cloth of. But then one of a similar colour in that style was in the show-home and when that was built we saw it throughout and it worked really well so we changed our pick to that style.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lor
Oh dear, that's not what I meant at all Cat! Of course you should be happy with your marriage and baby girl, and being debt free to boot! :up:Quote:
Originally Posted by Catgrrl
I know, GGT. Sorry. It's just that I feel like I'm turning my ship back around to the right course again after dealing with my own inner demons, and I feel good about the decisions my husband and I have made together. So my little bit of happiness almost got squashed at the thought that my success is silly because of my odd American cultural ideals. I get tired of being dumped on as a silly American. What other people do with their lives is fine by me (barring things that harm others) so let me have my silly little picket fence (in this case cedar fence) and SUV lifestyle. :p
Your success is not silly, and neither are your ideals or being American! You could probably use much more validation from other people, though. It's not like stay-at-home moms get compliments or verbal respect in daily life. I remember that time...schlepping around and hoping I'd made the right decision. Well, you are noticed, even if you don't realize it. I love seeing moms with babies, toddlers, pre-schoolers. Sometimes I'll say something 'silly' or make a funny face to the child, or try to distract them if it's temper tantrum time. Or wink and smile to the mother, tell her how her baby is so cute or well behaved, or such a handful!
I think that may be the only time that day she heard a compliment.....or the first one in a long time. Hey, maybe take baby K out into public more often and you'll run into old ladies like me who respect the hell out of you......and will say so! :D
Actually I do. I'm constantly surprised at how people treat us in public. I was a bit worried (not that I care what people think of me, but I don't like people being obviously disgusted with me) but for the most part I get a lot of positive feelings from strangers. It helps that K is cute too. Of course that means everyone wants to touch her too. :bulb: But I guess most places I frequent don't really look down on the stay at homes. Another thing I noticed going out is there actually is a good number of women that are SAHM or part time workers. Today I met up with another mommy friend at our botanical gardens and there were quite a few strollers about. That reassures me a little; that I'm not the only weirdo that gave up career world for mommy world. (I understand not everyone can or is able to financially so I have much respect for those who have to juggle career and home life)
It's weird; I don't need people's approval but yet I like when I get it....what a conundrum.
Anyway: 80 degree weather made me happy today, even if I did get sunburn. I put sunblock on the babe but not on me! :haha:
You're not a weirdo for being a full-time mommy, and you didn't really give up a career to be a mother. You probably do need approval from other people, especially women, because our American culture is weird. When my boys were young, I was asked by total strangers if I was their nanny or grandmother. :haha: After I laughed and asked why they wanted to know, they'd say things like....well they're helping you shop, and helping each other, and seem like such happy kids.....
Be assured that others do notice what you're doing for and with little K, even if it's hard to notice it yourself. When you're both older, there will be no doubts or regrets. :heart:
I went to the doctor today! Things with my system are getting much better. And, Munchkin is getting fat! (Fat considering where I was! :p) I am up to 98 pounds! The doctor is very pleased with my progress! The fact that I am sorta getting a handle on all this is making me very happy! :)
Young Lady, (Cat) you are not weird for being a SHM! I was able to stay home for the first year after The Kid was born. Of course, I didn't really leave a "career" so much as quit a "job"! It's always great to see an adorable baby that is well taken care of! :up: And believe me, I can tell if the babe is taken care of. There is dirt, IE a kid in a dirty shirt at the store, with a dirty face from playing in the yard/mud/wherethehellever kids find dirt...and then there is filth!
I understand what you mean about "everyone wants to touch her"! :haha: There is just something about an adorable baby that makes people "touchy-feely"! If you don't want people you don't know touching her, just politely tell them. "Please don't touch my baby. I am uncomfortable with that since she is still so small." Most people, especially parents, will understand that and respect your wishes!
Never, never, never, never put yourself down, or feel like less of a "woman" because you decided, with your hubby, that you wanted to stay home and be a mommy and enjoy your daughter! Yes, it's hard to juggle a job and a baby, but it's just as hard to be a full-time mommy! I am glad you are connecting with other SHMs. That will make it easier on you! Plus, you already know people for "play dates" a little later on in her life. And, it's always good to know someone that would, in a pinch, watch your baby for a couple hours. Say you had a doctor's appointment or had to appear to see if you would be picked for a jury!
*cough* It took me almost a week to get rejected for jury duty as a home mother of a toddler. That wasn't considered a valid "out". So when the plaintiff's lawyer started asking questions to each prospective juror, I made it a point to say I believed in things like ACCIDENTS where no one was at fault. I was summarily dismissed.
I have been called in for jury duty twice! :bulb: The first time, I was given an out because my Father had just had open heart surgery, and required care at home. The second time, I stood up when the judge asked if anyone had a relationship with the defendant and told him we were "close" friends. I made sure to put just enough emphasis on the word close that it sounded like much more than it was! I was summarily dismissed again.
I'm also sorry, I didn't mean to dump on you for what you have achieved within the confines of a system for which you're not responsible, it just struck me at the time (as it has many a time before) how much happenstance has benefited me by dumping me into this other system, for which I am equally not responsible. You know?Quote:
Originally Posted by Catgrrl
Whereas all my debts, secured and unsecured, are entirely of my own making and have nothing to do with any system for which I am not responsible. :)
:mad:
Mine too, I am a responsible adult like you :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Timbuk2
Congratulations Cat
And the implied passive aggressiveness to me would amount to...?Quote:
Originally Posted by RandBlade
Spell it out.
I'm happy to take responsibility for how I live my life within the system I have and am not bemoaning (or giving the credit to) "systems".Quote:
Originally Posted by Nessus
Spell it out, sonQuote:
Originally Posted by RandBlade
Do you think I am a responsible adult?
Had a wonderful Sunday! Slept in late, after actually getting a fairly decent night's sleep, puttered around on the computer for a while, then went to some friends house. I helped them move their baby chickens from their basement out into the hen house. :) I miss the farm/ranch babies! Then he grilled some NY strip steaks for dinner. I feel so guilty when I go to their house. Like usual, he loaded me down with ranch butchered meat for my freezer. I sure can't complain that I don't have anything to eat! :D
No, but I say that with warm fuzziNess. :mad:Quote:
Originally Posted by Nessus
:heart:
The level of passive aggressiveness from yet another of our forum leaders seemed odd, 'sall. I can see how I don't make the most endearing picture.
Looking forward to my hypogognic sleep state. Anticipating what it might feel like, as I do most every time I feel sleepy, once I got interested in sleep states instead of insomniac states. :sour:
One of the nicest is feeling like my body is melting and spreading. Hard to explain, but when it feels like my fingers and toes are getting huge like The Hulk, I know sleep is coming soon. Sometimes it's my tongue that begins to relax and grow right before falling asleep. Unfortunately, I only know this because sometimes my brain gets mixed messages, and my arms-legs-jaw decides to give a sudden myoclonic reminder.
Then I'm either biting my tongue quite hard, or scaring the cats off the bed with jerking legs and arms. Then I'm awake again, hoping to find that hypogognic state that leads to REM.
Lately it's been Benadryl (diphenhydramine) that helps me into this pre-sleep state. Anyone else know what I mean?
Windows 7 SP1 was released yesterday, 700mb + in size on a fully patched machine. Downloading and installing now.
Yesterday also marked my 3 year birthday over at reddit.