Financial Progress
I think I've made the greatest progress here: reconnected with my Pennsylvania Bank, online access to my student loans re-established, opened an account with Vanguard. All of it pouring data into Mint so I can see what's up. I was feeling pretty good about tracking my loan debt on Mint until I reconnected with the owners of my private loans, revealing the full total. I thought I had public loans and private loans rolled over into one location, but I was mistaken. It's an unpleasant revelation, but at least now I know the gory details. I haven't exactly succeeded in the "Chill out on Car/Motorcycle shopping," but I think I'm going about it in a smarter way. I have automatic alerts set from list-alert.com so I get emails when certain brands/models I'm interested in pop up on the Waco, Temple, or Austin craigslists. Instead of just posting/passing those links around, I'm compiling a weekly summary email that I'll send out to interested parties for their thoughts and advice. Let me know if you want to be included.
Still to do:
- Start deployment Savings Deposit Program allotment (where is Finance?)
- Make a student loan repayment plan
Army Progress
I've been to Kandahar Crossfit 11:30 class 5 times. Not a great record, but there are no Sunday classes and I've also moved twice this month. In the past week, I went to 4 classes in a row before the Sunday reprieve and it was sorely needed. I just felt beat up. I'm not a huge fan of the Olympic weightlifting, but that may just be because I don't know what I'm doing technique-wise. But my general outlook is that going 6 days a week to struggle is still worlds better than just hanging out in my room. I'm finding little purchase for my intentions to be ambitious and thorough with my role in the TOC. Too many of the changes I think are necessary require more gravitas and authority leveraged on others than a specialist can manage. I have expressed those desires to some of the folks with gravitas and authority, so we'll see how it goes.
Still to do:
- Promotion tracking (what exactly would I need to make those points?)
- Studying for promotion board (Dayshift uses my book more than I do)
Education Progress
This has been the area with the least progress since it requires computer time. My internet usage has been cut shorter with Crossfit and rather busy with financial machinations. I have decided to not try to take any classes this fall because of this shortage in concert with the uncertainty of the job. The financial bits will eventually take less of my time and I can spend more of my energy on program research.
Still to do:
- Find degree programs for Geosciences and Secondary Education in every destination location (TX, PA, NY, DC, MA?)
- Get physical, edifying books to digest in the TOC (not super necessary while I can still use the internet at work, but I'm confident that time is coming to a close)
I've had more than my fair share of nicknames due to my personality and penchant for certain facial hair, but back in the engineer company, I had been called "Beer Blogger" after some of the guys discovered this site. I want to recapture that one with some new beer posts here. Unless I develop an overwhelming urge to tell you about my recent experience with Beck's Non-Alcoholic, these will all be retro-reviews. Some of them are actually from before my Ambitious March blitz. The Tripel B is one such brew hailing from Adelbert's in Austin. I remember it being yeasty and strong at 9.3% ABV. My picture looks significantly darker than the new ones on their website. Maybe they changed the recipe when they revamped their branding. Unless I visit the brewery (a very real possibility), I probably won't get this again.
It's my birthday in just a few hours here; hopefully it will pass by pleasantly without fuss.
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