This happens every year. I'm 39, I should know better by now.
Every January the first payday of the month arrives and I spend a time-certain reacting poorly to the bacchanal of December. This year, we tried very hard to spend only cash on the holiday. To a large extent, we did really well.
Of course, I'm writing this in a pessimistic manner, which means we didn't do as well as I'd have liked.
We set a dollar amount on what we'd spend for the 4 kids, and tried very hard to stick to it. Unfortunately for my plan, the last payday of 2010 arrived on Christmas Eve and we were "forced" to wait till then to go shopping. Several items were purchased on impulse - the malls must know this. I think we ran up about an extra $200 on credit cards, which is far better than past years.
I wanted $0, so - as the kids say - FAIL.
Even worse, the wife and I had agreed not to exchange Xmas gifts at all, to save the cash and enjoy each other's company instead of mere things. Well, I violated the deal to the tune of another couple hundred bucks. Nothing extravagant, and I paid for nearly all of it with cash I'd hoarded from my part-time job.....
She adhered to the deal, for the most part, and gave me a book she knew I'd like. You see where this is going.
But still, that was OK, financially speaking. The real pain showed up when we returned to the mall on December 31st and we ran up another couple hundred in credit. Oh, I simply must take advantage of the sale-priced Ovechkin Winter Classic jersey! Too good to pass up, right? I saved a good chunk of dough, but I didn't need it. (and, oh by the way, no returns on jerseys). At least they won. I guess it could be considered a late, extra Xmas gift from her (she, who makes all of the money that ends up getting paid out to creditors).
And so, like every other year, that's how we end up in the January pickle. At least we did pretty well with the kids. In past years, we'd gotten them far too many things. Things you'd find trashed two days after Xmas, or by June they're forgotten.
So it's January 7th, the excess is over. We've cleaned up and packed away all of the decorations and the house seems so much more sterile and boring without all that holly-jolly stuff jazzing it up. I suppose that's true for everyone, the temperature's still around 20-30 degrees out and the Xmas stuff goes away and we all settle in for the long, cold winter. Blah.
The added bonus comes when I jumped on the scale yesterday and accounted for all of the cookies and junk-food I ate. Thank you, butter. You are the great friend of my taste buds, you are the hated enemy of my less-than-disciplined mind.
Whatever. I wanna go sleep till April. Since I can't, I'll just bitch about stuff.
Ever onward, at least there's winter sports. I love ice hockey and I'm looking forward to playoff football (somehow also associated with food) and there are some laughers coming up this weekend. Or will they be shockers, instead?
New Orleans at Seattle: is this the laugher of the weekend? It should be, based on record alone. A losing team manages to win a division title and therefore hosts a playoff game. At least Seattle's owners can enjoy the extra revenue. I can't see the Saints losing this game, unless Matty "I didn't marry Elizabeth" Hasselbeck manages to wind back the clock a few years.
NY Jets at Indy: one of the two great-sounding matchups this weekend. For Patriot fans, one of their hated rivals will be cleared from the slate. If the Colts manage to run the ball against a spotty Jets defense then they could run away with this game, and the Colts are tough at home. That said, if things come together for the Jets it could go the other way. This one's either a blowout or a squeaker. I choose Colts.
Baltimore at KC: the other laugher, at least on paper. How can KC beat the superior Ravens? I can only see KC winning if they're able to run the ball well on Baltimore (good luck) and that sets up a decent play-action passing game that kills the Raven blitzes. All things are possible, but it'd be nothing short of miraculous if KC avoids a blowout loss at home.
Green Bay at Philadelphia: the other great matchup. Packers won this game in September but Philly was starting Mr. Kevin Kolb, not Dog-Killer. Green Bay went toe-to-toe with New England not too long ago, and should be able to do so again versus a less-talented (than the Pats) Philadelphia team who's a bit banged up on defense. Plus, Mr. Vick is also reportedly banged up as well (no, not dogbites). Packers should win, thanks to their excellent defense.
Well, as my dad always says, "how's that making you any money?" Err........
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