Posted in March 2010 …

We the People

Now that health care reform legislation has been signed into law, a growing number of states are enacting “opt out” bills.  These are measures passed by state legislatures permitting state residents to comply with the federal requirement to purchase health insurance…or not. I find it incredibly ironic that most of the support for these measures … Continue reading »

Financial Fast: Day 22

Three weeks into the financial fast.  Ten days left.  This has been a period of recognizing how deeply entrenched I allowed myself to become in our consumer culture.  And how that culture so easily substitutes for the life of purpose we are born to pursue.  I’ve also become much more cognizant of money in general.  While we worship at the altar … Continue reading »

Ugh.

Bart Stupak.  First he caves and then he publicly repudiates everything and everyone he has fought for over the past 17 years, including his own amendment.  How do you explain something like that? A week ago Stupak said he was a “definite no vote…I didn’t cave.”  He did mention he was getting a lot of pressure from the … Continue reading »

Budget Breakdown

Not a stellar day for the budget…for all of us.  I’m working all weekend so I ended up going out for lunch and then broke down and went to Starbucks after work.  And it looks like you will have to pay for all the backroom deals and arm-twisting that went on to secure sufficient assurance to bring the health … Continue reading »

Financial Fast: Day 19

This has been a long week.  I haven’t had time for anything other than work, so I’ve been living on the yoghurt, almonds and eggs I picked up a few weeks ago.  Today I ran out of everything but nuts, so I had to buy food at work (you can only eat so many almonds in a … Continue reading »

$henanigan$

I just have to say some things.  First, I’ll be working all weekend just so the country can be saddled with a monumental mistake so I’m kind of cranky. I know there are people who think  health care overhaul legislation must be passed right this second…come hell, high water or we the people.  But just remember, … Continue reading »

Say What Now?

Note: In light of Mr. Stupak’s inexpicable reversal on March 21, I’ve had to revise the following post.  Changes in bold. I have to hand it to the Michigan Messenger for publishing a piece they cleverly accurately titled ”Stupak’s Abortion Stance Threatens Health of Women and Children.”  They’ve taken the art of irony to new levels got it exactly … Continue reading »

Financial Fast: Day 13

Drove up to Frederick today for Arthur’s rich workshop on “How Sons Lead.”  He outlined God’s process of transitioning the Israelites from being slaves in Egypt to possessing the Promised Land.  As long as they thought and acted like slaves they would not be able to inhabit their inheritance, so He had to equip them…and it wasn’t always pretty.   Under three things … Continue reading »

Financial Fast: Day 12

Confession: When I was sick last weekend I started watching old Lost episodes.  I was introduced to the show last year by a good friend who was staying with us at the time.  I would come home from work and we would watch two or three episodes a night, except when I had to work … Continue reading »

Financial Fast: Day 11

One of the drawbacks benefits to not being able to distract myself by shopping is that I am forced to think about my life.  What am I doing?  Why am I here?  I mean here on the east coast, not the existential here.  Clearly I am frustrated.  My job requires me to juggle too many unrelated … Continue reading »

Financial Fast: Day 10

Disclaimer: I have had a hellacious day of back-to-back meetings, so I hereby waive all duty to political politeness in the following rant.  This post is not going to be about my personal financial fast.  It’s about our corporate (as in we’re all in this together) gluttony…the dysfunctional state of our union.  In case you’ve been asleep or apathetic … Continue reading »

Financial Fast: Day 9

Wisdom has built her house.  She has hewn her seven pillars.  Proverbs 9:1 I wonder if the seven pillars are the righteous counterpart to the seven things God hates (Proverbs 6:16-19). Humility Truthfulness Defense of the innocent Forthrightness Conscientousness Lifegiving Peacemaking I’ll have to let this roll around my head and heart for awhile.

Financial Fast: Day 8

Okay.  So something happened the other day while I was driving but I didn’t want to write about it right away because it’s one of those self-convicting types of things and I was hoping to continue to plead the fifth.  But I can’t.  I have to deal with it. I was out and about and … Continue reading »

Financial Fast: Day 6

Ran errands today, which is always a threat to my best fiscal intentions.  Went to the bank, got an oil change (half off…yay!), and Whole Foods.  Now I realize that Whole Foods is not the place to go when you’re trying to be frugal, but it is about the only place to go when you can’t … Continue reading »

Financial Fast: Day 5

Still sick.  Had a temperature somewhere around 217 degrees last night and must have swallowed battery acid in my sleep.  My {over-leveraged} kingdom for some Chloraseptic.

Financial Fast: Day 4

So, so sick today.  Could not wait for my meetings to be over to go home and fall into bed.  Forgot to bring lunch, so I *splurged* on a vanilla pudding for $1.25.  Well worth it, even if it was outside the scope of the financial fast.   I hope this bug doesn”t hang around too long.  … Continue reading »

Financial Fast: Day 3

Hurray for the little joys in life.  Like finding a coupon good for one free cup of oatmeal at Starbucks in my wallet.  And having the barista tell me it also comes with a cup of coffee or tea.  Enjoyed the tea today and will savor the oatmeal tomorrow morning.  See…I’m learning.

Financial Fast: Day 2

It was a cold, gray February morning in March.  On my way to work I saw two well-dressed gentlemen come out of my favorite place each with a cardboard-wrapped container of steamy delicousness.  Oh sweet temptation.  Not the guys.  The lattes.  The chai teas.  The brewed-to-perfection goodness in the soothing third place where the cup … Continue reading »

Financial Fast: Day 1

Hey. This not spending thing ain’t that bad. I even (gasp) brought my lunch to work. Rice pasta (g-free) I cooked last night and a jar of spaghetti sauce. Not exactly Julia Child, but it does the job. On a completely different note, I actually made it home before dark today for the first time since … Continue reading »