Three's a Crowd

Our third garage space has always been used for storage. The clutter that accumulates sound like a playground for yard sale heaven: pressure washer, 3 ladders, teak patio set, leftover paint, leather sofa, pneumatic nail gun, space heater, lawn blower, pool toys, etc. What better a reason to clear it out than getting another car. Last week, my eldest sister called me out of the blue to ask if I would be interested in buying her car. She bought it used two years ago. She had absolutely no business buying a 2001 Mercedes S500 given the fact that she earns less than $30k. With a Blue Book value of $40k, it wasn't hard to decide to buy it from her for $30k. She simply wanted to get rid of it as it was taking up all of the space in her and she preferred using her older Acura Legend. She worried too much about driving and parking crowded parking lots in Little Saigon in Westminster. The stereotype that Asians are bad drivers isn't entirely untrue.

Mon 4/10:
$10 lunch at Russell's Seafood Palace (salt and pepper pork chops, tofu and mushrooms in black bean sauce, garlic chicken)
$240 two Madonna concert tickets
$0 prepared dinner (frozen quiche)

Tues 4/11:
$0 emergency drawer lunch (instant pho)
$37 dinner for two at Tommy Sushi
$30k 2001 Mercedes S500
$5 Mega Millions tickets

Wed 4/12:
$20 lunch at Habana (lemon pork with rice, plaintains and black beans, several of us treated colleague to farewell lunch)
$0 leftovers for dinner

Thurs 4/13:
$6 lunch and dinner at Viet sandwich place

Friday 4/14:
$50 gas
$40 chiropractor
$11 lunch at Vietnam Pearl (shredded pork and grilled pork slices with rice)
$55 dinner for two at Davio's Italian (bread with walnut pesto, pear and walnut salad, lasagna and manicotti with artichoke combo, risotto with grilled scallops and shrimp)

Sat 4/15:
$1200 set of barely used 19" rims and low profile Perilli tires from craigslist (original value $4k)
$18 dim sum lunch at Seafood World
$36 dinner for two at Alcatraz (chicken nachos and crab melt sandwich)
$120 three neckties at Off 5th Avenue
$40 4 books at Borders
$6 shipping for CDs from Microsoft for Frontpage and Outlook 2003

Sunday 4/16:
$20 takeout roast pork and chicken
$5 takeout desserts from Banh Mi Che Cali
$0 prepared dinner
$30 online subscription

Monday 4/17:
$0 lunch at client site in Vista
$22 Trader Joe's
$0 leftovers for dinner

Tuesday 4/18:
$0 company meeting lunch
$0 leftovers for dinner

Wed 4/19:
$5 McDonald's lunch
$40 chiropractor
$26 dinner for two at El Matador (the best ground beef tacos)

Thurs 4/20:
$0 friend picked up lunch at PF Chang's (very mediocre food)
$41 two books and exercise ball on Amazon

Fri 4/21:
$5 lunch and takeout dinner at Banh Mi Che Cali
$120 hammock and stuff on Amazon
$5 Mega Millions tickets

Sat 4/22:
$600 7x9 dyi storage shed at OSH
$0 prepared lunch
$16 drycleaning
$15 haircut
$41 desk lamp and tea at Marshall's
$95 dinner for two at French 75 (tuna tartare appetizer, squash soup, pork chop, filet mignon stroganoff, chocolate souffle with cointreau cream)
$23 Target
$15 Lowe's

Sunday 4/23:
$2 Taco Bell
$64 Ralph's supermarket (saved $24 in coupons)
$54 gas
$0 frozen dinner

Out with the Old and In with the New

Sinking of the ship? It's been a stressful couple of weeks at work. First my boss, the VP of Sales, gave notice. A few days later, the VP of Marketing, also gave notice, both of them going to different competitors. And all this just weeks before our annual Conference event for our customers and resellers. In a company with just 60 people, even just one senior manager leaving is noticeable and the timing couldn't have been worse. Ce la vie (or however that's spelled). A few vultures are already positioning themselves for raises. And others will be positioning themselves with the departees to jump ship too. Hopefully, this isn't a sign that the wheels are finally falling off the bus although it could very well be.

Other notables during the last two weeks was that a new tenant moved into the house in Huntington Beach. The previous tenant lived there for 2 years and gave notice a month ago to move to Texas with cousins. In the end, the plans fell through at the last minute and they ended up not going to Texas after all but I had already re-rented out the house. The stars and moons lined up and a colleague at work was looking to rent at the exact same time of my vacancy. So literally the old tenants moved out on the evening of the 31st and the new tenant picked up the key an hour later! And increased the rent by $175 to boot. Nice!

Mon 3/27:
$3 lunch from Viet takeout shop
$0 prepared dinner
$16 cellphone headset on eBay
$25 thirty day subscription to recruiting jobs database

Tues 3/28:
$0 expensed lunch for 5 after demo in San Diego ($101 rotisserie chicken at Sammy's Woodfired Pizza)
$30 dinner for two at Haveli (Indian buffet)

Wed 3/29:
$6 lunch at Oki Doki (vermicelli noodles with eggrolls)
$0 leftovers for dinner
$10 lottery tickets

Thurs 3/30:
$11 lunch and dessert at Matsuri Japanese Market (tuna and spinach pasta in cream sauce)
$0 leftovers for dinner

Friday 3/31:
$8 lunch at George's Thai Bistro (spicy eggplant and chicken bowl)
$13 dinner for two at Jack in the Box
$73 misc stuff at Walmart
$37 stuff for rental property at Lowe's

Sat 4/1:
$29 breakfast for two at Zov's
$14 drycleaning
$73 Marshall's
$25 dinner for two at China Palace (sliced sole in black bean sauce and chicken in spicy garlic sauce, saved $10 with Entertainment card)

Sunday 4/2:
$10 groceries at Ralph's
$36 groceries at Costco
$0 prepared dinner (rib eye beef stew)

Monday 4/3:
$0 brought lunch
$0 prepared dinner (grilled mozzarella and basil sandwiches)
$150 one raffle ticket for a million dollar house in Santa Barbara

Tues 4/4:
$7 lunch at Matsuri
$0 leftovers for dinner

Wed 4/5:
$3 lunch at Viet sandwich joint
$0 happy hour appetizers at Acapulco and leftovers for dinner

Thur 4/6:
$105 orthodontist copay
$0 lunch at home
$7 Mega Millions tickets and snack at 7-11
$0 leftovers for dinner

Fri 4/7:
$0 brought lunch
$16 takeout from KFC

Sat 4/8:
$0 leftovers for lunch
$5 coffee and cupcake at Starbucks
$16 drycleaning
$46 Marshall's
$65 dinner for 2 at Cafe Hiro (spicy tuna tartare with wonton skins, diver scallops with mushroom risotto, pumpkin soup, fried halibut with squash risotto, walnut creme brulee, green tea melange)
$40 two tickets for Long Beach Playhouse show

Sun 4/9:
$0 sandwich for lunch
$80 massage at Tustin Health Spa
$52 Ralph's supermarket (saved $28 in coupons)
$0 prepared dinner (onion and red pepper hamburgers, salad and apple pie)