Did someone say budget?

Recently received my W2 for 2004. It's beyond me at times where in the world the money earned over the past year has gone. A short list in order: rent, car payments, travel, car insurance, food, and entertainment. Making the choice to live alone was a very good one upon returning from traveling around southern Asia, Australia, and New Zealand in 2003. It was time to have a space of my own and it's been worth every penny. Just rather disheartening in looking how cash has gone to fund solitude.

Budgeting isn't really something I have had to do since working at the genetics factory. (or the jelly doughnut factory as E would like to say) Made the transition from high school history teacher to graveyard technician and the increase in pay, significant. Although still very frugal, I am also much more willing to spend however believe it's directly tied to the fact that there is money available to play with a bit. The theme learned while in Peace Corps was "If I don't need it, I don't buy it" still applies. No charging up the credit cards if I can't pay it off that month or over spending beyond my means. With that, it still shocks me that more wasn't put into savings this year. Although it is good to remember that ya can't take it with ya! Seeing as I won't ever have kids to worry about supporting or "leaving some for them", might as well take care of business now.

Perhaps the Monkey Bush administration feels the same way. The budget proposal which came out last week is abysmal at best yet typically Republican. Increase in defense spending and cuts to everything else. Gotta make the USofA "safe" and keep those terrorists at bay ya know. Whatever. I would like to sit down with some of those red state folks and ask them how they are feeling knowing the subsidies for their dairy farms is being cut, the social security program could potentially no longer exist, (hello Monkey, what you are trying to do is called a 401K and it would flood the market with more devaluated US dollars, smart? I think not.) and how much safer are their corn fields and cows? I do not claim to be a genius but do think that terrorists aren't about to blow up Farmer Johnson's grain bin to get back at the US for our freedom and democracy. After the State of the Union address which focused mainly on the "spread of freedom and democracy, but only the kind the United States will endorse", and very minimally on issues here at home the approval rating of dictator Bush has dropped to 43%. The message isn't clear what the hell what's happening in Washington DC other than hate everyone else, love the US. When will someone put an end to the neoconservatism control? What is clear would be a immediate need for shift in priority and taking care of things at home before neoconservative democracy spreads any further.

Went to Kabuki last night with the cash made on the sale of the drum kit. Miss B and I both received great massages and took advantage of the steam room, sauna, hot tub, cold pool, and serenity. Although it was chatty Cathy night with a whole lot of girlschool chit chatter in the background which did lessen the serene effect. What cracks me up is the "serenity gong" placed by the water and sea salts. There is a sign which states if it is too noisy, you should hit the gong signifying to everyone that they need to shut the heck up. Who would want to be the one to ruin the party? Just seems sort of silly. As the Power Station would say "Bangagong!".