Quarterly Budget Review

I did my quarterly budget review this evening. (What an exciting way to spend a Friday night!) Here is what I have concluded: I spend way too much money. I mean, I have a good amount of money left over after I pay for my "lavish" lifestyle, and I can't fathom how I could possibly live my life and spend less money, but I still feel like I spend way too much money. I spend a lot of money on food. At least it seems like a lot. I guess I'm willing to pay for it. I compare what I eat for lunch to what a friend eats for lunch, and I'm not willing to make those kinds of sacrifices. He eats Aldi brand peanut butter and jelly on Aldi brand white bread (the kind of cheap bread that sticks to your teeth...yuck). Or he eats mechanically separated meat on the same bread. I eat turkey breast or a good quality ham or roast beef on a hearty bread (I like the Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse brand a lot). Sure, it's more expensive, but I think it's worth it.

Anyway, when I saved my data file after over an hour of work, something bad happened. I think I clicked quit while the file was still being saved. I thought all was lost. But I perform a nightly backup to a separate drive on my network. I was able to restore from yesterday's backup and then replay the transaction logs from today and get up to speed. Phew. Nothing lost...just a little spike in the blood pressure.

I went to a driving range after work today with Bud. Golf is a really hard sport. I need to learn how to swing a club. I feel like every time I pull back on the club it's different from the previous time. I have no groove. Maybe it's good. Maybe I'm more of a blank slate. I read a web site that talked about Ben Hogan, who supposedly has one of the best swings in the history of golf. I'm tempted to buy his book, Five Lessons, so that I can learn a little from a legend. The last five shots I took today, however, went where I wanted them to go. The swing felt easy and natural. I think I can pin down a few keys to that swing, but I need some serious practice and help. And not help from another guy who kind of knows what he's doing. Or someone who claims he knows what to do but just "can't do it himself." No, I need real help and real practice if I'm ever going to get good at this torturous sport.