I'm a Maverick

It's official. The letter came in the mail today. I've been officially accepted for admission to the 2009 fall semester at University of Texas at Arlington (UTA).

I'm a Maverick!

So what will my first courses be at UTA? Good question. Right now, I'm planning on Calculus, Physics 1 (with lab) and a third class, yet to be determined. It's gotta be easy, though, because I'll be working full time.

One of us has graduated, another is in the midst of college and I am just starting... it's like the circle of life among bloggers.

Cheers!

-Sailor Matt

It's a Man's Night tonight, baby!

These moments are few and far between, but they are such a sweet indulgence that they are worth the wait. Tonight, my friends, is Man's Night. The wife, you see, is off attending a ladies-only party tonight, which leaves me home alone to do whatever I wish. Tonight I wish to eat chinese food from Panda Express, enjoy a tasty brew and watch a manly man's movie: Beowulf.

You may question the appropriateness of the plastic fork in this carefully organized ensemble, but I assure you that the presence of this plastic fork, despite the abundant availability of dining utensils in my home, is critical- nay, essential- to fully indulge in the Man's Night experience. So for now, I shall bid you adieu. It's time to eat.

-Sailor Matt

I'm single-handedly suppressing our economy

The media storm surrounding this world-wide economic problem has really thrown me into a tizzy. That's right, I said it- a tizzy. I mean, on the one had we have financial advisors reprimanding banking institutions (and indirectly, the public) for their overzealous mortgage approval rates. We've all been spending, spending, spending, and the credit companies of the world have been fueling the fire. Ok, so we should be less spend-crazy. I get that. On the other hand, expert economists tell us that the people have lost faith in the capitalist process. It's going to take time for people to feel comfortable enough to re-invest in our economic future, and to buy houses and cars and big-screen TVs. The problem won't fix itself until we spend more. Well, OK... that makes sense, too, but trying to spend more while financing less puts me in a bit of a mind-poop.

Financially, I'm a conservative guy. I haven't always been, but I'd like to say that I've been on the straight and narrow the last five or so years. Nothing goes on a credit card- ever. The wife and I spend $12 a day on food and household supplies. My wife's car is 10 years old, and I plan to keep my own car that long. We never go out to eat. Picking up Taco Bell for dinner is a real treat for us. We don't buy DVDs, share matching iPods or carry crackberries with uber-cellular service. As far as consumers rate, we suck pretty bad. Am I suppressing the economy? I could easily afford a big-screen TV and the finance charges that come with it. I could buy that 2009 Challenger that looks really cool, or finally get a laptop that doesn't suck total butt. But I'm saving my money, and I feel bad about that. Other people need my money, and I'm not sharing. So yeah, it's my fault.... sorry guys.

Sometimes, however- when I'm feeling really bad about the whole thing- I sneak over to Starbucks and buy a tall latte.

-Sailor Matt