Out with the old

Update on stuff from last week:

• Health is going OK. Exercising helps quite a lot. Although the staff at the pulmonary rehab program I participated in recommend a minimum of 45 minutes a day 4 days a week, I have been doing 20 minutes a day as often as I can. I figure it's better than not doing it because 45 minutes seems insurmountable and I plan to work my way up again.
• I'm going to a Navigators prayer retreat in mid-January. I think this will be a great opportunity to meet other like-minded people and examine myself spiritually.
• I outlined a monthly zero-based budget for January through April. Every cent is allocated to a category, even if it's something like "splurge." I'm going to do an estimated budget at the beginning of the month and an actual at the end. This will also help me keep track of occasional stuff that tends to catch me off guard, like dental work and car insurance. I've decided to take a more balanced approach between investment (Roth IRA primarily) and loan repayment. The loan term is 10 years and is a low rate. The numbers say that one is better off paying a low interest rate loan as it comes due and investing surplus. The human psyche, however, says it feels better not to have debt. I think I can realistically shoot for 5 years and still have a comfortable cushion to invest.
• I've been a little better about not wasting as much time on the computer but just last night Spider Solitaire found me for about 40 minutes whilst I should have been in bed. Oh well.

My aunt got in yesterday afternoon and I'm picking up one of my cousins at the airport within an hour or so. It should be a fun weekend.

Oh right, I forgot to mention my motorcycle. It sprang a slow oil leak in the spring and I took it out of commission in May right after finals were over. I finally got it back running in early November (almost 6 months to the day later) but it started making a funny noise later that week. I have a sinking feeling that it's a couple loose bolts inside the engine, which means I have to drop it for the third time. Ick. The garage has been occupied and badly cluttered related to our kitchen remodel which has also taken up "tinkering" time. Oh well, it has been pretty dang cold in the mornings anyway and I really do like driving my car - there's something appealing about heat and a stereo.