The Vinnlander Entries (original) (raw)
Mon, May. 3rd, 2010, 06:02 pm
One of my favorite things about having a job that nobody outside of the office really understands (or at least, it feels difficult for me to explain), is that I find some people who tend to assume that I'm a bastion of financial knowledge and know-how.
And yeah, I know as much as the average well-read layperson, but really... I don't know anything that you couldn't get from a subscription to Kiplinger's. (and really that can be reduced to 1: make a budget and do the math, 2. never invest in anything you don't understand, and 3: be realistic with yourself about what you actually need, and how much self-discipline you have)
Anyhow, one thing I do that is a good habit: each time I get a raise, I 'split' the proceeds between my savings account and the direct deposit into my 'spend' checking account. (the ratio of deposits between the 'spend' checking account and the 'bills' checking account I review more often that I get raises). This has been a good thing... it's helped me to slow the rise in my standard of living, so that I'm living pretty comfortably below my means - about 13.5% of my take home gets stowed away in retirement accounts, or more 'short term' savings.
The thing is, I wish I'd learned good habits sooner... During college, I'd accumulated a fair share of debt... Credit cards, and an escapade by my kidney to OHSU hadn't helped (thank goodness I have good insurance, or I'd have gone bankrupt). And while I'm making steady progress with it, it's been an expensive lesson.
Sun, Apr. 18th, 2010, 07:28 pm
I feel like I should write here again. I'm primarily on Facebook, and while it's a great means for keeping in touch with folks, it's less good for chronicling and publishing adventures. I tend to forget some of the cool things I've seen and done, which makes me seem even more of a boring person than my banker getup would lead one to believe. : )
The real question is if it'd be worth the trouble to go though the days since I last regularly wrote - honestly, as much as I love truth, there are some things I'd just as soon forget. Maybe something like a highlight reel is in order. I'll see what I can do.
In other news, I'd forgotten that my fourth Oregon anniversary was last month - I'd intended to have a party and everything, but was caught up in moving to Sellwood. Oh well. I don't think Oregon will mind if I turn it into a four year and two month anniversary. Or 50 months! How important sounding. : )
Hope all is well with what's left of the F-List here. Guess I'll find out soon enough. : )
Cheers,
Aaron
Wed, Mar. 5th, 2008, 10:30 pm
I don't pray very much, but I think God's answered the most important prayer I've had for a long time. -I'd tested very high with blood sugar, and during a follow-up it turned out to be normal... but staring down diabetes for a month between the two tests made me reckon with my body and mortality and fragility in a way I hadn't had to before.
We're all just travelers here. -I guess the thing is to make your trip as high quality as you can. That's a very easy lesson, but it's even easier to forget it.
Sat, Feb. 16th, 2008, 07:45 pm
Awake all you sleepy heads I come crawling / the last on the road be the first to be heard
Yikes... Haven't posted in a long while.
Dude is doing exceptionally well. - I've been out and about more recently, but at a time when I'd have more to talk about, I'm feeling less inclined to post as much here. I know I have a readership (ha!), and I also know in the far-off future I'll enjoy looking back at where I've been... It just seems there are so many other things that I need to do. This unfortunately has been taking a backseat.
Anyhow, recently I've been to: Papa Hydens, which is excellent; The Screen Door, which I could get very fat in; Veritable Quandary, in which I'd eaten some delicious pork cheek. -These were all the work of J, who I probably won't write too much about here, for fear of causing a global shortage of superlatives. Also, she knows this is here. : )
Things in the office are pretty damn good, although Corporate-Mom (who I'd moved out here with) has finally moved on to something else. It's unfortunate to lose somebody so energetic, driven, and fun. And for me, someone who'd believed in me when I first joined the bank... -There's no chance I'd be where I am without her... I know I'll email from time to time, but I'll still miss having her around the office.
Strange how close those daytime-families can get...
- - - - -
My two year Oregon anniversary is coming up soon. I'm thinking I should have a party to celebrate. If there were a board-game edition of the Oregon Trail, I'd totally play it with a bunch of people over a few beers, but as it is I'm not quite sure what to do.
Any suggestions F-List?
Sun, Nov. 25th, 2007, 10:49 am
And Bing Crosby Songs, and Grandma's Potato Hotdish, and Christmas dinner
I'm going home for Christmas. : )
It's been the plan for a while, but it feels more 'real' now that I have bought tickets... The only problem is that for some reason, Minneapolis is the most expensive place to fly to from Portland. -It's more expensive to fly into MN than the east coast, which makes me think that something is wrong with how the pricing works out... (But maybe it's even more expensive to fly to Des Moines, Omaha, or other places with less traffic.)
Anyhow, I'm happy about having a real Christmas, with snow and lefse and everything. : )
I have a team again at work (yay!), so I'm much happier about that whole business. -My boss has hinted that I'll be pleasantly surprised with my year-end bonus, and if I am, I'll probably be able to take that longer trip I want next year - though it may be four weeks, and not like four months or anything. Even so, I was having trouble deciding on where to go (North Africa, or the South Pacific), so I'd got a Lonely Planet Adventure guidebook... Instead of making the decision easier, I now have a dozen places I really want to see, but that seems like a good problem to have. : ) Then again, there is still plenty of Oregon and Washington left for me to explore... and I know I need to see Mossbrae Falls in Northern California...
Maybe I need another book. ; )
Wed, Sep. 12th, 2007, 09:41 pm
OMG. The world is such a strange and marvelous place: I was shopping for new bedding, and I found this:
...It's a coat rack.
And it's horrid, but I can help smiling at it either.... which I think means that while I find it horrid, I also like it. ...I'm so confused.
(but I did find new bedding! and matching wall art!)
Fri, Aug. 31st, 2007, 03:54 pm
I blame listening to Radiohead.
I just had my first moment of college nostalgia. -I mean, I've always had good memories, but a few minutes ago I actually wished I was there again...
I can't decide if this means I'm aging, or if I'm having a crappy day. ...Quite possibly it's both.
Wed, Jul. 11th, 2007, 07:04 pm
...So good, in fact, I'm having trouble re-aclimating to being back... It's hard to go back to work, pay bills, and go grocery shopping after such a high experience in Scotland.
I'm already thinking about a big trip next year, but instead of considering just N Africa or Oceania, I'm also thinking Australia and Ireland...
Pics of this trip are over on Facebook. Enjoy. : )
Sun, Jun. 24th, 2007, 10:19 am
I was getting ready to board my plane in Portland, when I noticed that the luggage sticker they'd given me said Denver, and not Minneapolis/St. Paul. -This wasn't as big of an issue as it might seem, since I had a layover in Denver -I'd just have to collect my stuff at the baggage claim there, and then go through security again.
It was a good plan, but we got into Denver late, and I knew I wasn't going to make my connecting flight...
Down at the baggage claim area, a spokeswoman said that one of the cargo bay doors on our plane was stuck shut, and that half the folks on the flight will need to fill out a claim form. -I'm almost last in line, and by the time I'm up at the counter, my connecting flight had already taken off.
The dude at the counter says that I'll have to fill out a claim in MN, and that there is nothing he can do. If I knew that, I could have made my connection. -I'm able to laugh at that... He looks at me like I'm crazy. He himself looks insane from stress.
I go back to the ticket counter with airline #2, and get a ticket to MSP for four hours later. I call my parents to let them know I'll be late, and to ask if they'll buy me socks and knickers for me to wear until I get my bag back. I almost finish my book while waiting. I talk to an artist. My sister calls.
I've been through the Denver airport maybe five times, but I've never really seen the city. Still, I decided to buy a T-shirt there. It says: "Denver, Colorado." It's not really meant to remind me of Denver, so much as the time Frontier lost my bags -and that if you stay relaxed, mishaps are adventures.
Fri, Jun. 22nd, 2007, 07:12 am
I don't think I've taken two weeks off in a row since I've started with the bank. This is going to be nice...