yeah it says drago.  if, at any point, you've been watching the almost 4 year long biopic about the king and queen of free - you're now at the climax.  the training montage is over.  the score has changed from inspirational to ominous tones. this is the final face-off.  antagonist v. protagonist.  good v. evil. the last battle.  the best estimate is that in sixty days the royal couple will be debt free and perhaps the KoF will eat at a restaurant (2 years. 2 months. 2 days. of that subplot). … [Read more...]

so when i was but a miniature version of myself (same size head), there was this song. a rather catchy tune.  think 1st grade-ish. sitting around in a circle on the bitterly cold, heavily waxed, vinyl tile floor of your mccarthy era built institution of primary learning with your runny-nosed ragamuffin compatriots and the aroma of freshly painted cinder block walls filling your teeny lungs.  enter the school counselor (the italics button and parentheticals are gonna get a workout in this post).  … [Read more...]

it's been 2 years, 1 month, and 2 days since i last ate at a restaurant.  i don't eat at restaurants.  at all.  not even if it's free. that's my thing.  that was the impetus of the blog.  debt whooping is the main deal, but the restaurant thing - that's a freaky weird hook.  my proclamation that i do not something still holds true. i figured out why when i do not something it is easier for me than a lot of folks - this might help you.i don't like pain. so i avoid it.  that's why my workout … [Read more...]

or i could have been t.o.  not a formerly world class wide receiver whose abs look remarkably like mine (some things we have in common). a dude who made some money, a lot of money, and ended up broke (read about it here).  this isn't schadenfreude. i don't rejoice that t.o. has hit hard times.  too much time is spent condemning or celebrating celebrities.  the king's about building up - not tearing down; and my temple is not a football field or a movie theater.the story caught my eye because he … [Read more...]

reading great books changes the way you think.  if you want to get out of debt, if you want to lose weight, if you want to be awesome - read great books.  while it may seem counter intuitive, don't read books only about your specific goal.  great books have transferable application.  on our debt slaying journey, i've read a few books that were absolutely vital.  periodically, i try to update my list.  here are the books that i've read since my last post:The 4 Hour Work Week - Timothy FerrissThe … [Read more...]

there is no i in team, but there's an m and there's an e - and that spells me. and there lords and ladies is where the journey begins.  it's fun to take credit for things.  taking blame for things - not so much. accepting responsibility for feeding and nurturing the debt dragon was a huge step.  looking in the mirror can be humbling.  don't live there though or that dude in the mirror will grow a sad beard and put on sweatpants. don't be that lord or lady. definitely don't be that lady what with … [Read more...]

so i was half listening to the radio yesterday.  yeah they still have radio.  it was a call in show with an economic expert panel fielding the calls.  here's the paraphrase of what i heard: caller: " . . . boomers . . . jobs . . . china . . . nowadays people don't have the time or energy to put forth the effort to reinvent themselves."expert: "the caller is correct . . . "the caller is correct? really?  always be reinventing yourself.  read great books.  learn new skills.  keep moving.  there … [Read more...]

read good books. read anything by dave ramsey, andy stanley, tim sanders, seth godin, or of course kenny rogers.  i guess you don't really read kenny.  but, through the years, the gambler's raspy tones and epic anthems have kept me on track. and like any great philosopher his timeless truths are transferable to personal finance.  know when to hold'emname my truck, it deserves a good name.  it's not aesthetically pleasing. we're gonna hold on to it though. it runs and that's the point of a … [Read more...]

step one: obtain flux capacitor and build a time machine.  step two: go far enough into the past so that you can locate former you before former you got out of handstep two B: do not go so far back that it's just creepystep three: while maintaining eye contact, place one hand on each shoulder of former youstep four: shake. scream stop and return to the present in one fluid motion.while i may have a questionable relationship with reality - i'm serious on this one.  except for the time machine. … [Read more...]

this is the year to get out of debt.  unfortunately, it's not instantaneous.  for us it was almost four years ago when we began.  this year we're gonna celebrate (you're invited). but, this year is the end of the journey, not the beginning.  once upon a time, there was a beginning and it began with a goal.  if you wanna get out out of debt, read the QoF's 31 Days series.  if you want something less comprehensive, here are my condensed alliterative thoughts on the topic for the new … [Read more...]