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I figured I better get this up here before the new payday hits on Friday.  I did have it all ready to go, but then Windows did an update and then I had it ready to go again when I accidentally closed the chrome window and it was gone when I brought all my tabs back up again.  I know I should just write it in a Word document, but I don't, because Co-pilot gets in my way all the time and I haven't figured out how to shut it off yet or if I even can.  I hate Co-pilot. ...
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The weeks are so chockful of stuff going on. Tonight a friend is driving over, and then we'll do about a 12-minute walk from my house up to the town flagpole (in the middle of Main St) where we'll attend an outdoor candlight vigil for those who were wrongfully deported and detained in El Salvador.
I started a fundraiser on Swing Left to raise $$ to win back just 3 Democratic seats in the House to take back the House in the mid-term elections next year, which would go a long way...
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In the past I've mentioned my sourdough starter, Sammy. He's around 5 years old. I started sourdough because I wanted something to do during the months we couldn't do anything or go anywhere during the Pandemic. I know I have learned a lot and have more to learn about sourdough bread, but it sure is fun.
The interesting thing is sourdough has become big. I mean, really popular. Just this past couple of weeks I've seen "classes" for showing people how to start a starter. I guess...
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I've always liked the idea of adopting pets, but was too busy before to take care of them.  I had said to myself that, some day, when I retire, perhaps I would finally adopt some.  Well, that day is finally here, but I am still dragging my feet.
The usual concerns would come up.  As a pet novice, would I find the learning curve a bit too much?  Would I find the cost of raising pets too much as well?  I am also concerned about pets that might be too sad...
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Net Worth down about $7,500 from end of 2024.
But in good news, debts are down about $8,000, from around $50k all-in to ~$42k all in.  Q1 is always when I make the biggest progress on debt, since that is when I receive my annual bonus (if one is forthcoming).
I have two trips coming up in Q2 (both planned before the current market mayhem):  Patient Saver will be coming for a visit again and we will go to Gettysburg for a day, and then I'll be going on a hiking and kayaking...
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This isn't the first time I've dropped it, but it's the first time it did any damage. This time it fell on concrete and the screen shattered. I wasn't able to unlock it; basically nothing on the screen was accessible.
I bought it at BestBuy, and I have a service plan with them, so I high-tailed it over there. They are going to replace my phone for $49, but the new phone is on order and will be mailed to me, and I am currently using a temporary phone, which I purchased and will...
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I have wanted to go back to what the "old timers" use to do like grow my own vegies, I can't sew but my hubby and daughter do that, but I always had an excuse, we are renting so we are limited to what we can do etc....and yes housing is so damn expensive here and with the upfront fees it is just hard....so I have done a few things...I said "screw it" it "now or never", so I have been growing things from the seeds we have left over rom our vegies that we have bought so we have bell...
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So on Sunday I did send my husband in to take advantage of the last day of that meat sale and we got both the tri tip and the chuck shoulder roll.  For an 18 pound tri tip and a 25 pound chuck shoulder roll, both black angus, we spent $194.98.  The amounts are rounded, but it is very close.  I haven't cut up the chuck shoulder roll yet as its use or freeze by date is further out, but my son and I spent tonight (Thursday, it'll be Friday by the time this posts) cutting...
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TSP $1,232,064
IRA $363,335
Brokerage $9,492
Savings $10,270
Home Equity $140,000
March 2025 Net Worth $1,755,161
February 2025 Net Worth $1,835,751
Monthly Loss/Gain -$80,590
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23 days and we will see what party will be running our country....hopefully not Dutton because he likes Trump and wants to do some stuff like him...we dont need that here...it is a little weird though because last election there were posters left on poles etc so they were banned from putting them up this time so we hardly see them unless in a private yard..so they really have to rely on themselves and going out to see people...the good thing is many do it only when elections are...
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So far, I've participated in 2 rallies and 3 protests. The rallies were different in that they were indoors and featured a series of very inspirational speakers making testimonials. One of my favorites was from a local church pastor. I would love to see more faith leaders speak out on what's going on.
At the last demonstration on Saturday, we got about 500 people to turn out in my little town of just 28,000, so that felt pretty good. And of course, there were much larger protests...
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Not panicking.  A can feel the fear in a lot of clients.  Telling them not to panic.  I'm not sure if they are going to listen. I am now 45 years old and for the first time I feel the fear.  I suspect it's age.  It's the fact I worry how long this recession/depression will be.  Yes we have lots of time, but time seems shorter since we want to retire in 10 years.  20 15 20 years ago in 2006/2007 I kept on plowing money into the market.  We...
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It seems like it's just doom and gloom as far as the markets. Here it is Monday, things were up and down, and when I checked my retirement accounts, I lost yet another $10,000. I know we all say to stay in it in the long run, but I'm not a youngster starting out. I've been fortunate that I haven't had to use any of this money so far. But it isn't like I'm going to make it up very quickly. I tend to worry about stuff and now I'm feeling stressed. I'm sure I'm not alone. I think...
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Been having a rough couple weeks.
A storm ripped part of our roof shingles off while I was out of town. Once we got a contractor up there they said we have a ton of hail damage and the entire roof needs replaced. Half of it was put on in 2012 and other half was put on in 2017. So this was not an expense I was expecting. I had to make an insurance claim but it sounds like my area went to ACV storm coverage last year even though I have "replacement" insurance. So I'm guessing the...
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Well if things are scary now hold on. I think a recession is coming.  I hate the fact so many people didn't vote.  I think we are getting what we deserved because more people voted for the guy making the decisions.  I did not.  But i'm holding on for the ride.  But what really pisses me off more is that so many people (they say 90 million americans) didn't vote. It's frustrating.  Why isn't voting on a weekend?  Or over a weekend? But more...
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I took a look at the accounts and it seems I've lost more than the equivalent of what my first house cost just in two days. It's crazy but I know that I'm in better shape than most folks so I'll just hope that things will get better eventually. I just hope it doesn't get so bad that I don't feel comfortable going to part time this summer. 
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This morning I made a plan to keep my ADHD brain organized for the rest of the week.  I probably should have gone through next week, too, but I will leave that for Sunday evening, because then the stress of the weekend will be over.  Yes, I stress more on weekends than I do on weekdays, because my weekends are unstructured compared to my weekdays.
So as for my meal plan, I did make one.  I also made a plan for what else we are doing.  But meal plan first to...
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Please don't forget days like earlier today.  Please.  Don't let anyone sugar coat this, or blame it on their (Democratic) opposition, or drink the GOP apologist Koolaid that this is somehow "normal".  It's not.
The Dow hasn't fallen like this since the Covid lockdown only a few years ago, and that was a global pandemic that shuttered the entire country and its businesses.
And you know what's really sad about this whole thing?  If Trump had literally not picked...
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Seriously, what is going on in this country? I just checked my investment portfolio, and I'm down quite a bit. As someone who is new to investing, I cannot afford to lose any money.
Prices for goods are much higher than they were a few months ago, rights are being taken away, and people seem to be okay with this.
I can only imagine what my property taxes will look like. In just two months, this man has racked up 26 million dollars in security fees for his golf visits.
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I have noticed in the past month that my refrigerator, the freezer part specifically, kept building up hard ice. Not the frosty kind, but hard ice. And sometimes water pooled in the fridge. It looked like it had to be draining tube problem, according to Google, but there was no way I could fix it myself. So I called an appliance repairman, and to my shock, it was $340 to make the repair! This was not what I needed.
But, good news, I did pass my road test and I'm driving again!...
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