V's Version

I'm catching up on SNL skits (Tina Fey - gotta love her) and on conservative Kathleen Parker's call for Mrs. Palin to step down from the Republican ticket while I anxiously await the VP "debate" tonight. I've also learned about today's new specs on the Senate version of the "bailout" bill (that includes tax exemptions for manufacturers of wooden arrows used by children among other such NONSENSE). But that is all political. The politicians and policies will (eventually) touch me down here on Pain Street but, for now, I can put them aside for more pressing personal issues. Like health and personal finance.

I am especially inspired by the PF blog Savings Not Shoes. I've spent the last year learning about personal finance and the last day reading and compiling everything I learned about personal finances and how it relates to us specifically. (The Motley Fools were my favorite big name site.) Value funds, index funds, Small, Medium and Large Caps, asset allocation, mutual funds and and money markets - I understand them all now. You see, Dani and I had a blow out exchange last week that left us each shaking in our respective corners. It began with a casual statement stemming from my fear of the volatile stock market and ended with me in a puddle of drool and mucus, clinging to the back of the kitchen chair and wondering if NVC was ever going to kick in automatically when the stakes are high.

It was not pretty. Not pretty at all. If you read here regularly, you know how much love we have in our family so fear not - it's all still there. We are made stronger with the challenges. If there is anything that motivates me - it's learning. I am learning how to keep harmony in our house AND how to face financial concepts that used to baffle me.

And speaking of baffling - my health continues the twists and turns of the craziest roller coaster. How I remain as pleasant as I am as often as I do is a COMPLETE mystery. The pain - well - you've heard it all. It sucks. My head is completely FULL of infection. Every cavity is filled. I just scheduled the surgery - with the complicated pre- and post-op appointments and testing and Image guided CT scans. I am going to be spending a LOT of time in Oakland. sigh. More will be revealed.

Thanks for all the good thoughts out there. I need it. But probably my family does too as they are the ones who have to deal with me and help me through it all. I feel like sleeping all the time and just hiding from everything.