The Home Town Nine Were Playing

Tomarrow is my oldest son's birthday, Dominic is going to be eight years old. I look at him now and can still see the little boy in him with splashes of the teenager he is going to be and finally the adult he will become. I remember the day he was born because there were a few things that stood out other than just the birth.

First, I remember how long Jen was in labor...I am pretty sure that sticks out in her mind too.

Second, I was hungry by the time the whole ordeal was done. I mean I hadn't eaten in almost 24 straight hours. Jen got breakfast deliverd to her but as a husband we are not nearly important enough to get crappy eggs and cold sausage.

Third, it was a glorious day. April 30th, 1998 in Minneapolis Minnesota was 80 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. I can still remember looking out the window of Hennipin County Medical Center and seeing people arrive to watch the home town 9 Twins play. I thought "now that would be cool, deliver your first born son and then go and grab a beer and hot dog, watch some baseball and savor the moment forever. Even buying a program to put in the scrap books"....Jen said that she would have cut my nuts off if I had done that...but it still would have been cool.

Lastly, I remember the only person to show up and see us in the hospital was my Sister who I am pretty sure skipped some classes to make the trip. I know she has pictures of that day, thought she sent them to me once but didn't find them in the vast archives of Gmail....if I find them or she sends them to me again I will update this post.

So to my oldest son Dominic, I am so very proud to be your father. Have a wonderful birthday

Love Dad

Revenge is best served cold.....

Ever since my wonderful Wife and my Sister posted those pics of me in college, with my wavy hair and crappy big glasses I have been on the look out for photos of both. Well Sophie this is about the best I could come up with. I am pretty sure Debbie Gibson would be proud....

Shoemaker's kids have no shoes

For those of you that read this blog, for as little as I enter anything these days, you'll know that my Dad's blog has little tidbits of info on money. He is very knowledgeable and has real life experiences to back it up, some bad but mostly good.

Me on the other had have always been horrible with money in my hands, I am a immediate gratification kind of guy. I spend according to emotion, I spend when I am stressed and I spend when I am happy and like most Americans I built up a pretty good size debt by the time I left UW-Oshkosh back in '96.

The credit card companies were ruthless in their offers, easily 2-3 offers a day back then for new cards and you want to know what I bought with these cards...not a god damn thing worth showing for it. I should have big screen tv's and golf clubs and more shit...but no I got nothing.

So your wondering where this is going, well me too but here is the deal. We were doing pretty well just three years ago, full time job, good income, company car, new house and most importantly only a $35.00 payment per month on a studen loan for Jen. Then I got my ass canned at work and I went back to school. We did the little bill dance per month, hey we can pay this this month and that that month...cha cha cha.

We did very good for the most part, no big credit card bills and we are way below the national average in overall household debt. So here I sit and our credit score went down over the last three years...we knew it would...but all I need is a little bit of money to tie up loose ends and increase our overall monthly cash flow. I have a good amount of equitity in the house and would only need to tap into less than half of it to make my life easier...so I go to the bank...get this....you'll love this....

APPARENTLY YOU NEED TO PROVE YOU DON'T NEED THE MONEY BEFORE THEY'LL GIVE IT TO YOU.....what the fuck is that?

The only thing driving me and keeping me sane is the thought that when I get through all of this, all those bitch ass banks that just sent me on my way when I needed a little consolidation money will be able to kiss my ass when they want my business later in life.