Back on the Wagon

Apparently, blogging isn't the cool thing to do right now.

I don't have anything in particular to write about, but I wanted to get something down to appease the masses (right masses?).

I'll be going to a Robert Burns Dinner on Saturday night, hosted by a fellow who happens to be named Robert Burns. The former Robert Burns is the "bard of Scotland", a x-th century poet who wrote such classics as "To a Mouse", "To a Louse", and "Auld Lang Syne". The latter Robert Burns in the aforementioned sentence is Lana's boss. There are formal rules for a Robert Burns Dinner, but I don't believe we follow them to the letter, just in spirit. Drinks are had by all, some poems are read, some toasts are delivered, and some food is eaten. There is a traditional Burns Dinner menu that includes cock-a-leeky soup, tatties, haggis, rutabagas, and for desert, tipsy laird. Delicious. Last year I arranged some music for the poem "Green Grow the Grasses, O" and performed it at the dinner. I guess it was too much, too soon, because now I'm expected to perform again this year. We'll see.

I've been thinking a lot about investing money recently and have begun to actually think about retirement. I'm taking a class called Financial Peace University. So far, I'm not sure what to think of the class. Some of the information given just seems to unrealistic. The course stresses investing money in mutual funds that get at least 12% return each year. Well, that aren't exactly that easy to come by, nor do they come without some risk involved. Look at what happened to a lot of the tech stocks, for instance. The class also stresses the importance of getting rid of debt as quickly as possible and not purchasing items that you can't pay for outright, except for the very largest of purchases such as houses and cars. That part of the class seems unnecessary for me seeing as I don't have any debt, possess zero credit cards, and already purchase only things I can afford. I suppose I am fortunate to have a step up on the rest of the class already, even though most of them are adults who make a lot more money that I do. I need to start looking into investing money soon, though.

I'm trying to eat a lot healthier now. We're talking flaxseed, organic fruits and vegetables, salmon and other fish, whole grain and high fiber bread, beans, etc. I like eating lots of fruits and vegetables. The other day I went to the grocery store and bought blueberries, blackberries, lettuce, asparagus, apples, bananas, oranges, an asian pear, broccoli, and cauliflower, in addition to a gallon of Pomegranate juice and a couple of Naked juices. I'm not sure I'll eat all of it before it starts to spoil. I'm not too good about eating food that looks like it is starting to turn. About the only things I can think of that I still eat are apples and cheese, because it is easy to cut the undesirable chunk of food off of them. If things like bananas, oranges, bread, or milk start to go bad, I just can't excise the gross stuff out and eat the rest.

Hey, ultimate. Tournament next weekend. Not sure if I'll be too ready for it. I've been exerting myself physically through indoor climbing, racquetball, outdoor running, walking to work, and a core-strengthening class, but I haven't done any harder running/sprinting workouts until Monday of this week. It wasn't until this morning (Thursday) that I felt well again, except that my right calf muscle is still incredibly tight. Well, the tournament won't be too gruelling. Maybe two hard games that are only an hour long and my team will have six guys for a 3/2 coed tournament.

Well, shoot, looks like I've got to ramblin' again. I'll let you go.