Exclamation Point

The beach house fund now has $150.00 in it!

Random Stuff with Links

Live in Atlanta? Want to "do stuff" but need to save money? There's a pretty awesome new website: Atlanta on the Cheap. After perusing it, I bookmarked it, and you might want to too. Free IMAX, cheap art, cheap show tickets and stuff. I was actually pretty impressed. The little box to the right of the blog posts has TONS of stuff in it.

Also, if you're into poring over loooong lists of completely random stuff in search of that perfect....forklift, exam table, laptop, or truck chassis? The (Atlanta) airport surplus website is here. You can bid on stuff and view it before buying. Interesting, if nothing else!

THIS is the coolest lamp ever. I totally want to make one (WITHOUT the fruit--my cats would probably hang themselves accidentally...the spastoids...).

And finally, someday I'm going to use this to plan a food-based road trip all over the entire US. It's a website that showcases "The most memorable local eateries along the highways and back roads of America." Sounds AWESOME. Also, yes, I do plan on making myself lose 50 pounds before starting this road trip and gaining it all back during, why do you ask?

Beach and Cars

I want to live at the beach someday. Husband and I decided that this is not just a pipe dream and that we are going to try with everything we have to live at the beach within ten years(we were discussing it at Amelia Island this weekend).

So I opened another savings account that will be called Beach House Fund. When husband gets a job after finishing school, we need to save $2500+ per month in order to move to the beach within ten years. Hopefully as the years go by we can save more than that because my income should increase at least a little.

However. I also want:
-Sway bars
-An exhaust system
-A short-throw shifter
-Eventually, new wheels
-etc....

So I have to decide if my car is going to be the main splurge in my life between now and then, or if I even have the money for that--all of it will have to go for the beach house for a while. I also have to decide if that takes precedence over other things that I like spending money on (home decorating, food, clothes). Of course, this is all with the understanding that I will do none of these things until I/we pay off consumer debt and fund a 6-month emergency fund and max out retirement savings. However, if large groups of my adoring friends and fans want to get together and buy me stuff that I want but won't buy for myself, you can start with these:

-front sway bar

-rear sway bar

My birthday is September 30. No autographs, but you can come watch me at autocross anytime!

I crack myself up.

Anyway, I apparently have some serious thinking to do about my priorities for money, and where my car fits into that relative to other things. Autocross (and fun cars in general) can either be a cheap hobby or a really, really expensive hobby. I have to decide if the fun is worth the payoff. I think for the swaybars and short shifter, eventually, it will be. Not sure about the other stuff.

I think it is a matter of stress relief, for me. Autocross is GREAT for stress relief...but it is very short term, whereas LIVING AT THE BEACH would be great stress relief ALL THE TIME. I need to balance my short term stress relief needs with the eventual long term stress relief of the beach. But I don't think I'll ever give up Autocross. I love it too much.

Hey, if any of you women ever want to learn how to work on your car, let me know! I'm decent at it, and love it, and would love to show you/teach you.

And finally, here's a tidbit from the Concours d'Elegance from this weekend. I love this little car, and would like to at least drive it someday.

Autocross!

I lessened my tire pressures somewhat from previous runs (41 psi front, 45 psi rear) and really liked the way they responded. I may need to increase the front a little though, and do 45 psi all around--i got a bit of scuffing on the sidewalls, but I think it was because of my half-spinout. Grin.

My first run, from a time perspective, was awful. 82 seconds-ish. BUT, it was smooth and I stayed on course.

Second run, much better, but half-spinout caused time to be 75 seconds.

Third and fourth run, got down to 69 seconds, which was pretty good for me. I was only a few seconds behind the really good people (still way behind the PRO classes, but that's ok).

Most importantly, I relieved a lot of stress, had a TON of fun, and cleaned out my adrenal system. Haha. Here are pics:










One poor guy didn't torque his lugnuts enough and lost a wheel and most of his studs...it was bad. But he had a good sense of humor about it at least.

Made it, this time

Work calmed down a bit. Also we are going to the beach this weekend (staying at a free condo!)

Now I just have to get through this semester of school...plodding through. Need to NOT procrastinate on the huge project. :/

I can take a summer class! So one in summer, one in fall and I'm DONE. DONE, DONE, ON TO THE NEXT ONE, --actually, no, more like on to the relaxation and house cleaning and cooking and having a life again. T-minus 9.5 months and counting!!!

Also I am eagerly awaiting our tax refund (= = instant 4 month emergency fund) and my graduation in December and Caleb's graduation (May 2010 ish, or maybe August or Dec 2010) and having a full-time husband. That will be weird. And awesome. It'll be like a spend-the-night party every night! Yay! (That's my goal at least, to make sure that we try to have as much fun as if I were in eighth grade again and getting to spend an entire week with my BFF or something. At least half the time). For the first time since I started grad school, I am excited about my life again. (Never mind the fact that I am excited about life AFTER December; I'm just really amazed that I have ANY excitement at all). There IS a light at the end of the tunnel, and the sheer blackness has been replaced by a medium shade of gray. Just gotta keep plugging.