I am a music geek.

Here at the office about half of us are music geeks. I work at a Symphony, so this fact is not surprising. Because we're networked iTunes has that crazy thing were you can share music over a network. And occasionally some of my co-workers will have their iTunes open and their music shared over the network.

So today I opened the program desiring a little bit of something to lighten up the monotony. And then I saw that two coworkers were online with their music. Sweet deal. Now frequently it's tricky to listen to music at work. First I sit at the front/reception desk. So any music I have on is totally out there for anyone and everyone to listen to. Its not an issue because during work hours I only put on Classical music (and easily accessible at that) at low volumes. However those low volumes can cause issues because to really appreciate any good music you need volume so that you can hear the lows and the highs. My point with all of this is that I don't often play the music that they have just because a lot of it is good stuff that isn't just background music. It needs to be listened to to be appreciated.

But I figured I'd listen to some of our operations director's music anyway. Having been in the business of classical music for longer than I've been alive he has a good collection of good music. Just scrolling through the list Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky caught my eye (not the original film version but a cantata that he arranged after the film score).

The reason it caught my eye is rather convoluted and amusing (to me). You see back in the good old high school days I was pretty much the epitome of band geek-ness. Marching band was pretty much life. And our director happened to be an IUP grad and so we (the marching band) were pretty much just a mini IUP wannabe. So I had 2 CD's of the IUP marching band's music. And on one of them there was a track called Alexander Nevsky. It seems they used it as like a football game stand music song, generally for like the entrance of the team. And I've always loved that version. IUP is just phenomenal at having the most gorgeous and rich sound, even for what for most bands are throw-away performances. Plus using old classics is just an IUP thing that I think is pretty sweet.

So I was listening to this piece as I went about my tasks and most of it I'd never heard, as to be expected. But I really loved it. This is not surprising as I already knew I have a thing for that kind of modern but still old style in the accessibility and strong harmonic structure just with a lot of color. Plus the whole movie music thing, and well I have a thing for Russians.

It's a phenomenal piece.

And as I was there really only half able to pay attention to this stirring music I found it to be really sad. How much amazing music is out there that we never get a chance to listen to? How many brilliant moments do we miss.

Now my brain has progressed on to where this isn't just about music anymore. It's about all of life. How many experiences, how much living do we miss out on?


....




When I started writing this I had my same old 'cheap' mostly pop/rock music playing. But I realized how idiotic I was being and tried to track down some Alexander Nevsky streaming from the net. Illegal most likely (which I really do disprove of, its the music business major side of me) but alas here you are:
http://www.arts.iup.edu/music/legend/# under traditional listen to Nevsky

Wow, I'd forgotten how much I love that song.

After you've been blowing away but Nevsky listen to Salvation is Created, and Grace. Then hit the 'eject' button to move back to the main screen and choose '2000'. Play 'No_Leaf" and enjoy rocking out to Metallica marching band style. Those songs my dears are one of the reasons to be alive.

Investments rock.

Yesterday was a rather interesting day. Work pretty much sucked. I just felt exhausted all day. You see I need a vacation from my Easter vacation. See what with staying up late with the boy and then getting up all early for Easter Dawn service I didn't do that well on resting over my much needed 3 days off. So the plan was to crash last evening.

A bit into the crashing I started to perk up, as normal. It just takes a bit of time for my head to stop spinning from a day at the office. So then I was organizing some files and found the information on my SEP that I had been initially sent.

Basically I think my SEP is totally awesome. For all that I complain about my job and my salary puts me fairly close to slavery, the benefits are pretty sweet. 5% (or is it 3?) of my pay is automatically contributed into a nice little retirement fund. The first contributions were In January but had some back payments that started in November. But aside from meeting with the financial adviser to set it up and then that first paper I'd basically forgotten about the whole deal. Which is really what I should do as I won't actually touch the dollars, except to adjust to meet the market or my life situation, until retirement.

But I decided to see if I could have an online account to look at it. Because, well, I like online accounts and to look at everything. And sure enough I could! And surely enough even more there was random free (or so it feels like) money!

Definitely very exciting.

So I have that and plus sometime eventually my checking account will clear through T. Rowe price and I can scoot in my Roth IRA contributions. Which will be sweet.

I actually have investments!

And on top of everything else while I was home talking finances with the family Uncle Dave brought something new to mind. I asked my father again if he had a record of the savings bonds that our in their safe deposit box. Apparently its around like $8,000 or something crazy like. Just that number there is already quite exciting, but I knew this before. Uncle Dave's point was that once mature those bonds are a ridiculously sucky investment. Instead I should and now intend to sometime cash out all of the mature bonds and put them in some much higher yielding investment. It shall be awesome. Like its actually possible that I could max out my yearly Roth Ira contribution in the blink of an eye. Whoa.

But if I did max that out where would I put it next. Its beyond what I have previously comprehended. This calls for farther research. [Don't tell father, he already laughs at my ridiculous financial obsession.]

Oh I also figure out last night that I can put all of these investments as well as any loans into Microsoft Money and then I get a complete full picture of my worth. It's some good stuff.

So thats pretty much whats up with me an.....wait just a minute now there was another development.

Life Insurance! really this topic ought to get a whole post of its own. But suffice it to say that starting April 1 if I show up dead it was probably my sister.

And I'm also contemplating opening another one or two savings account at different places to see whats best. As well as the ongoing thoughts of applying for a second credit card. I really will do these things someday. It just takes me many many many hours of thinking before I do anything. Which reminds me I should tell you about the Aquarium.

I have gone off in so many directions tonight. Really I was focused when I started this.

"The art is not in making money, but in keeping it."

Men are from mars.

So I don't know that I have publicly stated here on said blog, but, I have me a man.

Found him online, or well I suppose rather he found me. Okcupid.com. Its a bit odd but it seems to work so I'd recommend the site. We started dating in December, but we've clicked in a lot of ways quite well so we both think it seems like we've been together for much longer than 3 months.

I like him.

So we were both actually off and free for this weekend. So we spent Thursday evening to this morning together. It was quite nice, although I still have a hard time a bit when I feel like I'm not accomplishing anything. So today I was like must-go-home-and-do-laundry. But thats all irrelevant as to my point.

Anyways we were just like laying on the couch watching something on TV and I think it was something to do with my digestive system being a bit off this weekend, but I farted. Now I'm really a big fan of just keeping ones bodily functions to ones self. I don't really even care for the fact that I'm posting that bodily function of mine here on the completely open interweb. But it is necessary for the story, so I digress. And it's not even like it was horribly loud or out there, just happened. But he was like "did you just fart?" "yes." Then he promptly was all a bit on the excited side. Apparently this means our relationship is on the next level. He went so far as to tell his other roommate, who agreed with him, when he came into the room later.

I can almost see the logic.......but weird.



Other from that I did learn one other tidbit of knowledge which I feel compelled to pass along. It seems that a test of a good girlfriend is that when the guy goes and unlocks and opens your door for you (something which I was not actually accustomed to and therefore still find to be unnecessarily adorable) she should reciprocate by then unlocking his door.

Sadly I fail. I am a bit too concerned about this failure, but so be it. It just never occurred to me as something that needed doing. I blame it on being too accustomed to power locks these days.

Re-motivated.

Ooops, I suck at this. Luckily for you, my non existent readers, I have been re-inspired.

And for my first bought of re-inspiration an bit of an update on how things stand in Carlin-land. (Wow that was dorky)

Resolutions updates:
1. Finances:
Open Roth IRA(s)- save for retirement and house
I just did this last night. My productivity level last night was way up which is a lot of the motivation for the re-inspiration. But it's incredibly exciting. I opened my accounts with T. Rowe Price because they have no minimums if you enroll for automatic $50 monthly transfers. And being as that was how much I was going to be investing every mouth it was perfect. I also enjoyed how there was a nice little calculator that told me that if I invested $50 every month and assume an 8% rate of return I'd have like $145,000 in 50 years or something. Behold the miracle of compound interest. This stuff excites me. (Plus I was listening to and singing along with Disney music while I set it up. I am the biggest dork ever)
Open new checking account
Took care of this one a while ago. I choose to open an account with Charles Schwab Bank. And so far its not amazing or anything, but it is working quite well. And I do love getting interest.
Open new savings account
Opened an account with E*Trade at the same time that I opened the checking account. They were a bit more confusing, but still doable. The rates have also been dropping like stones since I opened it. But hey I still got over $10 in interest on my February balance which was awesome.
Start a vacation fund
Check. Actually I re-vamped my entire budgeting system. I'm making use of envelope budgeting and created my own excel spreadsheet for it. And "Vacation" has its own little column where it is diligently collecting dollars for me. Yay camping!
2. No more cursing
I didn't really curse before, never have. But the used to be new roommates did. So in the fall I felt like I was picking some of it up. I've not noticed it really at all recently however so I think I'm in the clear.
3. Rejuvenate computer
Interestingly enough I've found that I haven't been glued to the computer like I used to be so I don't notice the suck-ness of my old PC as much. I still should work on getting it running better however.
Start saving for new computer
The fact that I'm not using the old PC so much has not stopped the want-new-laptop-virus which I have been infected with. I am obsessed. This is an ongoing thing you see. I was going to get a laptop as a graduation present from Mother and Father. But then my car caught on fire so they put money towards a new car instead. Useful, but I'm much more into computers. So then I just continued to pine after the nice shiny laptops. Then a few months ago the idea was put into my brain that I should just find myself a usable cheap laptop off of Craigslist or something. So Everyday I peruse the listings. I was thinking of spending around $300. But then after a while I came to the conclusion that why spend $300 now for something a little above junk when I could just save three times that and get something incredibly new and shiny. So now I ran everything out through my budget and figure I can buy a computer in August if I save most every penny until then. Still I have some issues with spending so many dollars.
4. Exercise more: at least 4 times a week
Well I've sucked at this one. I almost managed to start running again but I'm so out of shape now it half kills me, and the weather keeps swinging. Hopefully I can get back up to speed now that Spring has begun.
5. Get presents early
I've not done so well at this either. But I've also not had that many occasions that I've needed presents yet.
6. Have more fun. At least two activities a month
I'm really not even much good at this one either. Like I relax and do nothing often enough (although even thats been questionable because of work the past 3 weeks). But so very rarely do I actually like go out and have fun.
7. Listen to entire music library
I downright forgot about this one. I totally need to get on it. Although it would involve spending more time holed up with my computer in my room.
8. Blog at least two times a week
Obviously I was doing ok for a bit but then I totally like fell off track. Oops. Hopefully this re-motivation shall continue.