8 Months

So today marks me being in SA for 8 months.

The excitment of being in a new place is gone. It is now just a place that I live and work.

Taxes are done

So I got all the stuff to finish my taxes today.  

I am now filed and done.  I always have a odd good time doing my taxes.  Although this year was kind of boring, as there was no new challenges on how to do any of it.

Hopefully I will have my refund in the next week or two.  If it all works out, I will have my return so I can get what I plan on getting with my return in Oregon and avoid the tax.  This may not work out though.

Another trip home

So I bought plane tickets this week to fly home February 26th to March 7th. I am going through Phoenix, and on the 26th I have 3 hours to kill, so I am going to go to lunch with a friend from Nautilus that moved there. Hopefully the weather will be a little better than in December, although this time frame is when snow and ice would normally happen...

Dave Ramsey Live!

So last Saturday I went and saw Dave Ramsey Live!.  Now I went through the Financial Peace University about 15 months ago, so I have heard most of his material.  That being said, I really was bored and a bit disappointed with seeing him live.  

The place was packed.  The parking lot was beyond packed, like 120% packed.  It was cool to see that many people interested in getting out of debt.

All in all his presentation was good.  I did not like how much "advertising" was going on for the various products that he sells.  I can see how this would be a major turn-off to people.  Maybe it was just me, as advertising is the major majority reason I do not own a TV.  That all being said, the discounts that were offered on everything being sold was good.  I got a $25 book for $10.

Now I for the most part have lived my live debt free.  The only loan that I had before my house was my car and I paid it off before buying my house.  I had a credit card, but I only used it to buy things online because I did not realize that my debit card had the same protection on it.  

For me, reading his book "Financial Peace Revisited" and going through FPU, was enough.  I also listen to his free podcast every so often.  I do like what he has to say.  I like most of the ways that he delivers his message.  He is first to admit that it is all simple basic stuff, just that he delivers it in a way that people seem to finally understand.

If I were asked if someone should go see him live, I would tell them, that they should just try one of his books and maybe find a FPU class to join.  Seeing him live is good, but you will get more out of the book and FPU.

Trip to the eye Dr.

So today was my first eye exam, one year after having PRK preformed on my eyes.

I have noticed that there are a lot of eye places in SA.  Not many chain places, just one off's.  I don't know why.  I got a recommendation to a place from someone at work.  Ends up the Dr. was from Pasco, WA and went to school in Forest Grove, OR.  He had been in TX for almost 10 years.  He said he still misses the landscape, and it has taken him many years to have TX grow on him.

As far as my eye go, they are at about the same place that they were after my recovery from the surgery.  20/20 and 20/30.  Still completely no need to get glasses.

My Texas license

So I received my TX license in the mail this week, 6 months after I left.  I am still annoyed that they took my Washington license.

So does this mean that I am now officially a Texan?  lets hope not.

I miss views like this

Is this thing on?

Sorry for the lack of postings, have not had much going on.  I would have assumed that people would stop reading this thing after a while, but according to the stats, you guys just keep coming back.  Thanks, I guess.  I will try to do something worth writing about.

Catch 22

Does anyone else see the humor in this?

I need the razor blade to open the razor blade. I just thought it was funny.

Cake from half way across the US

So when I was back home during Christmas, I was not able to go to Pambiche. One of my most favorite things there is a cake called Torta Dominó.

Torta Dominó ~

White chocolate mocha cake, soaked with Kahlúa coffee liqueur and café cubano, is filled with chocolate canela mousse and glazed with Oaxacan chocolate ganache; finished with a white chocolate domino and served with crema chantilly.

The whole process of getting it shipped turned in to a big production. I would have thought that they would have the facilities to ship their cakes, but they did not. So I had to arrange to have the cake picked up, prepped for shipping, shipped, and received.

All in all, it turned out great. I got a piece for some friends, a piece for the people that I work with, a piece for the people I live with, and a piece for me. Everyone loved it. Some did not think it was the best cake ever like I do, but I did not expect them to.

With how much this cost me, I don't think I will be doing it again. I think I will make sure to get over there to eat the next time I am back. Plus I will then get to eat all of the other great food as well.