Monday, November 20, 2023

Happy Thanksgiving

 

Image courtesy IMGBIN.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Hope your holiday plans are all that you want them to be. It'll just be three of us as Casa FitzGerald. The menu's been decided and we're all looking forward to an extended period of time off. As a teacher, DD gets to enjoy a full nine days of R&R. I'm grateful for my four...

As we celebrate Thanksgiving later this week, let me share a few things I'm thankful for...

  1. My family and friends, of course, including you faithful readers.
  2. YouTube and the Internet in general where there is soooo much information that you can learn anything you want.
  3. The people who share their hard-won knowledge by writing books.
  4. Living in the land of the free and the home of the brave...
  5. Dallas Stars hockey. :0)

* * * * *

As the final weeks of 2023 chug along, it's time to look ahead to 2024 and ponder my fresh start goals...

I'm pretty sure my primary areas of focus are finances, health and wellness, writing, housekeeping, and then there'll be a few things I'll file under miscellaneous. Not sure how I'm going lay things out--all in a jumble as in years past or as a mini list for each sector.

I'm combining this with my vision board items because many of them overlap. I'm also going to break down anything I can into quarterly goals so I can see them in bite-sized chunks.

Last year I had sixteen (!) items on my list. Granted--certain things I would do anyway like read, but the financial stuff is all new. Some things I'm just trying to improve on or, honestly, keep myself accountable for--like sending letters to my grandma!!

* * * * *

Remember when I said the next book I was going to read was "The Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey? Well, I lied. I'm now reading another book about options trading. It had me from "hello."

The very first chapter talked about positive financial mindsets and vision boards, just to name two. And those are two things I'm totally on board with and have learned about in previous books and from YouTube videos. They're things I've already worked to incorporate in my life, so for this latest book to include those things right at a moment when I'm looking down the barrel at a new year and had needed to align my various "course of action" tracks into a single streamlined version--I mentioned this two posts ago--seemed providential. :0)

Full disclosure--I didn't get a new vision board created for Q4 as I'd planned. I've been in learning mode and I've got a lot to ponder and decide, so I'm just gonna look ahead to 2024 and let the remainder of 2023 cruise on by vision-board-less.

* * * * *

You know what I've been doing lately...?

Cross stitching. Yup, I'm back to a tactile expression of creativity. I'm creating patterns for my store and sometimes I like to actually stitch them myself.

* * * * *

Last but not least, let's talk hockey.

My boys in Victory Green are having themselves a great start to the season despite some deficiencies. And right now, MoneyPuck has them with a 10.9% chance of winning the Stanley Cup through November 15th. Highest for all teams at this point. :0)

Image courtesy of MoneyPuck--
if you click through, scroll down to see the larger interactive version.

BE LOUD. WEAR GREEN. GO STARS!!

* * * * *

Have a super week and enjoy your holiday and long weekend.

 

Monday, November 6, 2023

Texas Rangers ~ World Series Champs

 

Image courtesy of X.

How 'bout those Texas Rangers??

I only follow baseball tangentially because the Brown-Eyed Girl and her Soulmate are fans of the Houston Astros who played the Texas Rangers in the American League Championship Series, the winner of which (the aforementioned Rangers), went on to the MLB WORLD SERIES, and because the Rangers are a baseball team a) located in the DFW Metroplex where I also live and b) it was an interstate series between my local team and my older daughter's favorite team. And then my younger daughter decided she needed to follow the World Series this year...and the Rangers won, ending a decades-long drought of championships in a metroplex with teams in all five major sports.

That's the extent of my caring about baseball at all. :0)

* * * * *

Aside from the Rangers making it to and WINNING the World Series, it's been a quiet few weeks. We reached the calmer, quieter time of the month at work and the taxes got done, so there's a weight off my shoulders.

Then we hit the busy time of month (the transition of one month to the next) and are now sliding into the quieter time again. Time to think about Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I've been reading non-fiction (with quite a bit of fiction mixed in), as I mentioned in my last post. The latest book was called "Start Your Own Corporation" and discussed the best corporation types based on your objectives both on a personal level as well as a business level. Yes, individuals can operate as corporate entities. So we'll see what I learn. The next book will be "Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey.

The point of all of this reading is to be financially literate and to get into the best position possible for retirement, despite starting so late in the game. I've got a ways to go, but the journey is interesting and educational. At the very least, I can contribute to our financial future. :0)

* * * * *
Image courtesy of X.

Dallas Stars Super Fan Mike Antoines Honored

That guy in the picture above--that's Mike...known to any Stars fan worth their salt as Mullet Mike. This past Halloween, our beloved top line forward Joe Pavelski attended the team's Halloween party as...

You know where that's going. :0) Yup--

Pavs attended the party as Mullet Mike. I though he pulled it off handsomely.

Image also courtesy of X.

Joe Pavelski as Mullet Mike with a cameo by Gerry Seguin, Tyler Seguin's youngest "son."

* * * * *

In other news, my dear sweet chill gentleman cat Waldo developed a tumor on his neck a month or so ago, and we ended up having to put him to sleep last week. It absolutely broke my heart to do it. He'd really grown on me and in my heart in the short time he was in my life.

My wonderful DH catered to my strong compulsion that Waldo shouldn't have to "go" at the vet's office, and for a little bit more money (a relative term, I know), we paid for a traveling vet to come to the house.

It was as peaceful and relaxed as this event could be, and Waldo was able to pass from this world to the next in the comfort of his own home. I was able to say goodbye (blubber like a baby) to this fine ol' fella in the privacy of my own home too.

Rest in peace, sweet Waldo... May you enjoy the forever sunshine over the Rainbow Bridge.