I'm Just Rambling Here

The end of a very long week.

My company announced they will no longer pay into our retirement fund. We now have to save/contribute 5% into a savings plan. The money we've already saved in the now defunct retirement plan will remain untouched until we leave the company. We are not allowed to take that money and invest it as we see fit. The company will now match our savings contributions at 5%-up from 3%. This means that if we're not saving at least 5% per check, we're losing money. I already save more than 5% in my company-sponsored 401k but now that the retirement's on me, my take home amount will decrease.

Gas is now more than $3.00 per gallon in AZ, my benefits are shrinking and becoming more expensive. My brother has moved in and rapidly depleting excess resources (read: extra money for food, tp, etc). So it's official-where I used to be two paychecks from Welfare, I'm now just one and a half away. Economists always talk about the middle-class being squeezed more and more while the rich get richer. I haven't even made it to the first rung of middle-classdom so if they're feeling squeezed, I'm feeling crushed!

I was over at Bob's last week. He published his manifesto on why we blog. Some blog for entertainment, some blog to highlight their real jobs-being professional writers and still others blog to get paid. I blog because I'm a bit of an exhibitionist, and what's safer than displaying all on Blogger? Besides, I know none of you will ever turn me in (unless I am suddenly thrust in to the spotlight. Then you can say you knew me when).

My family knows nothing about this blog, they've never even seen their pictures on this page. I don't want my family knowing anything about this because I don't need the attitudes, accusations of betraying them or the daily snooping of this part of my life. I read blogs for entertainment and to get a glimpse into the lives of some funny, weird, nice, cruel people I'd never have the chance to interact with in my regular life.

Last week I told y'all about my little brother and the pains of life that have betide him. Many of you left wonderful, encouraging comments. Thank you Empress, Dragon, Blu, Sarala & Jeni for the long distance comfort and for reminding me that my faith is built on nothing less than Jesus' Blood and righteousness. I know He can do so much for us that we're unable to comprehend it. And just as He's brought us this far, He'll surely take us even further!

Finally, as you can tell, my posts have become less frequent. I used to wonder how people could only post every other day or once a week. Now that things have become busier for me, I wonder how people can continue posting sometimes twice a day:-) No, I've not lost the zeal for maintaining this blog. I still love visiting your sites and discovering others. I love telling you how crowded I'm feeling, how heartbreaking it is losing loved ones, running for VP of a fake country. I hope to get back at a daily schedule soon but we'll see.

In the meantime, thanks for continuing to come by and check up on me.