Mike and Music

Today, I got home and found that the mailman had left me a little note from the Department of the Navy.  It turns out that some misguided soul thinks I should become a Navy Officer.  By doing so, according to the mailer, I could “do more in a few short years than most do in a lifetime.”  The offer comes along with the opportunity to take advantage of the Baccalaureate Degree Completion Program,” which would provide me up to $90,000, or “a salary of at least $2,315 per month for up to three years prior to graduation.”  The best part is, I wouldn’t have to fulfill my military obligation until after graduation.

Clearly this mailer was sent to the wrong person.  I HATE water.  Hate it.  Hate it on my face, hate being in it deeper than my waist, hate the thought of drowning, which is inevitable if I spend any time in water.  That makes the prospect of joining a branch of the military focused on water not too appealing.  Additionally, and this is the much less funny part, I’m not in school anymore.  What am I going to do in the Baccalaureate Degree Completion Program– get another BA?  I have two already (I believe that technically, double majoring results in two BAs), and a Master’s Degree!

So I’ll have to let my “Wings of Gold” go and find some other way to do more in a few short years than most people do in a lifetime.  Where should I start?

Tonight was the NATAS Pacific Southwest chapter Emmys ceremony, and my very own boyfriend came away with his fifth Emmy!  We didn’t go to the ceremony this year, so it was all very low key, but I’m terribly excited and proud.  Hooray for Mike!

I have been on a quest for just over a year to pay off all my debt.  I’ve successfully cleared all my credit card debt (which wasn’t much to begin with), and paid off one of my three student loans.  I’m down to a relatively small amount on the two loans that do remain, and my car loan is nearly paid off, too.

My point in sharing all this is that as I’ve become more engrossed in debt reduction, I’ve also started poking around on the internet, reading a lot of personal finance blogs.  My favorite is Blogging Away Debt (blogginawaydebt.com); I read it every day.  Some days are better than others, but the woman who writes it shares her successes, failures, and advice on digging out from under a pile of debt.  That’s my new obsession.

As a related, but separate point, today I read a blog about a 24-year old who is in more than $300,000 in debt, not including his student loans (read more on debtkid.com).  Can you imagine?!?