Budgeting uck! (and other stuff on my mind)

So with all the liberties I took at 29, I need to build back up the 'ol savings. You would think avoiding the DC/bar scene for a minute would help but I find myself keeping busy in other area which isn't a bad thing but I need my savings built back up! Especially since I'm in the market for real estate!

I've looked at a couple repos to fix up and rent out...nothing that struck gold at me. My goal is to have an investment property pay my mortgage or at least a good deal of it. I'll have to pay taxes and condo/hoa fees. No biggie! So I'm on the prowl for properties. Fairfax county is my prime target...Arlington condo fees are redic (right next to the county of Alexnadria). The government may take away mortgage interest tax breaks. That would suck but we all gotta sacrafice from the debt we've accumulated. So I can sacrafice. That's the big thing right now, finding a place to rent out. I'm not regretting giving up Harker Heights (luv'd lil Robin Ln) but I don't want 4 -$495 tenants...true when one leaves ur @ 75% rental but I'd like to deal with an all or none right now. There is money to be made by flipping properties. May be able to do that. We'll see...I gotta make sure my income doesn't exceed 200k a year otherwise I'm screwed! LOL!

So I got my budget plan set with all my expenses and allowances. I should be able to save a good portion by the end of the year. If I meet my goal, then I have to reward myself :-) Something over $500 but under $1000. A small getaway...new clothes, or maybe a new phone! We'll have to see...probably a trip. I have more than what I need right now. My new little laptop is just perfect! A pretty penny but I don't see it being replaced for QUITE SOME TIME! Of course my 3GS phone is just beggin to be put to use as an iPod touch as it is lagging when running multiple apps. Guess I shouldn't rule out the iPad (hehehe...hey! It's a reward! I may not make it! It's a tough goal!

I may go with the latest droid phone if they have a great library for MP3s. I've heard the battery life on the droids tho le suck! If that's the case I might as well keep suckin Steve Jobs left nut. I'll have to do more reviews...I'm not keen on apple double-billing me for music if I delete and re-add a song (that's krazy!). I've also yet to upgrade my OS to the latest cloud technology. WHAT RUBBISH! Let me wirelessly sync my songs to my PC! Not to your database! Curse you Steve Jobs! Do what I ask or I'll get Zuckerberg to build a thin blue FSmart phone that'll make ur GUI interface look like 1999!

So there goes my budget and house hunting stuff...I may go look at cars later (I'm just fascinated by the 650i, but not ready to replace my lil Z). My dad is stuck in Gainesville with my mom showing an open house. My best friend's biggest mistake! UGH! Whatever! The kids are going from the public education of NoVA to Mississippi. I really feel bad for them, but hey when they're grown-up they can make bad choices too. If I could I would keep their daughter at my place since she EXCELS at school and will be bored out of her mind in doing classes there. She'd also get a lesson on the real world living with me. The boys don't really care about school (neither did I) so they'll be ok down there. I just don't want their girl turning into a Mississippi girl waiting to find prince charming to take care of them. A lot of ladies go this route, not just from MS. If there is one person in life you can count on, it's you! PERIOD! No one else has to love you or give a damn about you. Earn ur keep in life. I'm so glad to have the friends that I have in life. The majority are pretty much self sufficient. Everyone has their rough patches in life. Some obstacles seem hard to overcome. Everything in one day and one piece.

Mentally i feel like I'm over the hump on accepting and loving myself wholey. I think the climax came days before, while and after Hawaii. I've always told myself to stop, breathe and look at what hand you dealt yourself. I was hearing but not listening to what I had said. I don't feel alone when I come home. Reese and I go out (unless it's real hot/cold), have dinner and watch something on the tube. I have my friends come over to watch TV or go out and do things. What else...I got a new roast recipe I'm trying out...No help from Campbells this time! If it comes out fabulous, i'll spill it out manana.

Happy Sunday people!

The pre-30's have begun

Well last night I had a blast meeting the guys out at the old EFN place, getting hooked up on drinks and hosting a small after gathering at my place. I really do luv having small crowds at my place. It really feels like home having those close to me be in my house. It's funny how I always thought I would hafta beg obnoxitonians to come over but when your got friends that are just cool cool, we got southern VA and MD folks that just come over. That's wassup! i luv my family of friends.

So this morning I did my last late wakeup (at least till Thurs..got a job! We'll get into that) and had four people over. I made breakfast and we all had some good convo. Bdays came up and we got a LOT of cancer babies in our small group...I'm turning 30! Not to be narcissistic but I LOOK great for someone turning 30! I'm not at the halfway hump of 29 yet but looking in the mirror and thinking of some of the guys I know in their 30s I welcome giving 30 the hot sexy 25 look it deserves!

Ok so looking back at my 20s I reflect on the army (joined at 19) and how the only good..i'm sorry BEST thing to come out of that mistake is my long lasting continuing 10year friendship with my bff Chris and his wife Tiffany aka my family. If I had to go through that f'n hell all over again, I would do it just cause they are worth it. I got my first fourplex out of it too when I turned 20. The commander would not sign off on me owning property because I was so young and what would I know about managing properties. The bank did not want to proceed without having that letter. IDK where I got my business savvy mind but I told them that if they did NOT process that loan, another bank would. I refuse to let someone in the army dictate my financial situation. Got the loan, and the closed. The commander did not want to give me BAQ to live off-post so I maintained a room in the barracks. One day someone was living in MY space though! Ohhhh HELLLZ nah! I may not live there, but that room is MINE unless you gimme my money. Got back paid two months BAQ! So that was my first property and of course being me not caring what the commander or army thought. Mike does Mike. Period.

So the army days lasted till OCT 2004. After that I took a holiday and got my MCSE! I moved in with my besties (for like 6mos) and bought another 4plex (sold the other one in 2003. What a dump!). This 4plex was beautiful and right off the golf course! Was a real cash cow even till the end (netting 16 off of it). I moved to Kuwait in 2005-2007DEC. I loved being in the desert. This was the first time I got to be a six figga n***a! I was rocking my HS Diploma and showing myself and the world what you can do. I achieved my goal a year early of earning that money by 25. I did it. Good feeling of accomplishment. That's years 24-26.

26-Present I would say focuses on myself coming out of the closet. This was very difficult for me to do. I always wanted the wife, picket fence, and kids (especially to play with my BFFs kids). That wasn't in God's plan though and I threw the towel in. I was tired of never having a relationship and being 26. I wanted to know what love was and have someone else love me. So I've been knocked down and got up and fell down again. Patience is something that will develop with age I suppose. I fell in love with my hero (Marlon) and a heartbreaker who lied to me (Darrell). I have my walls up, I date now but find it hard to be vulnerable just cause I hate the PAIN that comes with love. I seriously do want my prince charming but in time that will come. I have a great group of friends and love that my BFFs live only 40mins away. Some friends have disappeared or just plain nix'ed having me as a friend (PS-And i frankly dont give a f***).

Maybe 30 will be the best decade of my life! But to sum up what's going on now, I'm 29, have a terrific dog that I love and she loves me and a new job! I am a Microsoft Engineer! F'n did it! To all those who want to shine and excel in life here's a tip. It's not the piece of paper that you hang on a wall.
...
....it's that CPU in-between your EARS!

Tomorrow is my first day on the job! I will be re-hiring my maids and getting a dog walking service for lil miss Reese. Gym will have to be done around 8pm. Pre-30s are great! Bring it on June!