Chixe

I read BeancounterBlog when I remember to -- okay, it's not often, but I've always found it to be pretty good.

On that note, I'm adding it to Bloglines so I don't forget about it again.

1. Attempt to save at least 10% of net income, adjusting up or down accordingly with what you can afford. Don't count on only the company's 401(k) matching program -- open a secondary RSA or, if you plan to be in a higher tax bracket later in life (hopefully you do), go for the Roth IRA. Of course, you want some of your savings to be liquid, so putting some money into a savings account is a good idea as well. Be sure to shop around as your local brick-and-mortar bank is going to give you a bad deal -- online banks like ING Direct, etc, offer similar security but better interest rates. Most importantly, have savings automatically taken from your bank account. If you never see the money, you'll be less tempted to spend it.

2. Don't commit to new expenses before getting your first paycheck. Taxes and other deductions always end up being more than planned. In other words, don't commit to a larger car payment before you know exactly how much your take-home pay will be.

3. If you can swing it make sure you put money away for travelling. You're going to want to visit your now far-flung college friends or meet them in a fun, exotic locale for reminiscing. :)

I'm sorry, but if your white rag being dirty is the last straw, then you might want to consider living by yourself. I understand that it's not the new color of the rag, but rather the ongoing issues that have built up. However, you really seem to be pissed off all the time.

A few tips:

• Separate your food. *Really* important. In fact, when I lived in a harmonious 5 roommate house we even initialed our food.
• Have a roommate chat. Demanding doesn't work, but airing out your problems might. Agree on cleaning and upkeep duties of common areas.
• Set boundaries. Maybe you're okay with someone borrowing a blank CD, but maybe another roommate isn't. Be clear on these boundaries.
• Let some things go. When you're living with other people, sometimes, though annoying, it's just not worth bringing something up. Pick your battles. Go for the big stuff instead.

Marie Claire
Self
Blueprint

Everyone seems to be recommending cities, but, most of the US isn't in a city (obviously). There are not many places prettier or more awe-inspiring than Yellowstone National Park or Glacier National Park.

Dark chocolate. Or, secondarily, riding my bike.

Dear Guy with your bike on the bus at the same time as me,

I'm not sure how acquainted you are with the bike-on-bus procedure, but I thought I'd take a moment from my day for a quick tutorial.

1. The way our route is set up, you know that most people are getting off the bus at one of only two stops (and one stop being more likely than the other since it is the transit center). Given that knowledge, perhaps knowing that you would most likely be getting off first (at the sooner of the two probable stops), you might inquire as to whether I'd like to put my bike on first. This way, your bike wouldn't be sandwiched behind mine. Which brings me to number 2...
2. If number 1 is ignored, it is usually best practice NOT to pull your bike from the back, and, in the process, rip the chain off the parallel remaining bike. I figured this one was obvious, but you know what they say about assuming...

As you might have gathered, your subpar bike-on-bus etiquette left my bike with its chain wrapped around its pedal. Which is a totally fixable thing, but not when I'm in work clothes. Luckily for you, your name (which I did not know, of course) was saved from permanent sullying when a biker compatriot stopped and fixed my chain for me. That was cool. In the name of reconciliation, I'm ignoring the fact that I then felt stupid, and that guy probably now believes I'm a helpless novice biker.

So, anyway, I guess I'll try to beat you to the bus stop next Thursday.

Until then,

-- Your fellow bus rider and biker

Yes, DQ has an official such test, but I like to rate frostys by this rigorous test as well. I'm lucky enough that both the Wendy's I know of in my town pass this test. Frostys should be spoonable only.

I, too, am a huge fan of the frosty. It's the perfect size and is only suitable when chocolate and thick enough not to move when the cup is flipped upside down. Yum!

From the dean of the business school (in reference to my plans to get my MBA directly after college, paraphrasing): "So, are you sure you want to go to grad school right away?"

Until that point, I was on a direct course to an MBA with an emphasis in sports management. While I replied "yes" I continued to ponder that question. Within a week or two, I no longer wanted to go to grad school, much less utilize my business degree exclusively. I decided to use my comp. sci. degree instead and am so glad I did.

The larger point is that it prompted me to think about what I really *wanted* to do instead of what I thought I *should* do.

@paperbacks -- I'm with you on the big gut thing. I work on myself -- he should too.

@veronique -- Exactly! It's impossible to keep manicures and pedicures looking good. My hobbies are not conducive to keeping pretty nails and toes. I do my best, but ski boots eat pedicures.

When I was in the UK, I brought back a random selection of digestives, Cadbury chocolate and Scrumpy Jacks (cider beer). One can find digestives in the States at gourmet food stores and other markets, but it's not the same.

Now if only there was a good way to get the yummy 40 pence baguettes back...

Also done.

A friend of mine used to have the message "I'm out walking my donkey but as soon as I get my ass back in I'll call you back. Leave me a message." It's still one of my favorites.

I believe in a buffer day. If we meet Saturday night, call me on Monday.

Granted, if I really like the guy, I don't care when he calls. Except if he calls later that night -- not cool.

I like Alton Brown too, but not very often do I care to do all the steps he does. So, in theory his tips are good, but, in practice no one has that much time!

Quaker Oat Squares. I love cereal and could eat this particular kind for every meal of the day (and sometimes I do). I have eaten Quaker Oat Squares exclusively for about two years. Yum!

I have yet to attempt this, but my mother loves peanut butter and Miracle whip sandwiches.

It makes me cringe thinking about it.

Definitely real. I'm not sold that it directly causes mood swings, but it certainly does indirectly. Having a general feeling of crappiness for a couple days will make anyone grumpy.

My Christmas short list:

* Columbia Down vest
* About anything from Anthropologie (esp. the Holly Leaf Cardigan
* Flatware
* Memory for my iBook

Without a doubt -- the pie! Generally, enough people bring pies to my family Thanksgiving gatherings that there's about a 1:1 ratio of pie.

Pumpkin (my favorite -- with real whipping cream of course), cherry, lemon meringue, chocolate, butterscotch, peach, rhubarb, pecan, apple, vanilla, blueberry... Yum!

1. My morning coffee.
2. Ice cream (I'm in rehab).

I have fixed expenses of about $950/month (in Colorado). I live cheaply so I can spend more money on the non-essentials like clothing, ski passes, and gear!

Me thinks someone's trying to start a fight!

@seanrox -- I definitely like to live it up if we're staying in the mountains for the weekend. I love having 10 or so people head up together, ski (or tele or ride) hard, then hang out and drink beer at one of the great local breweries in Summit County (CO).

Problem is that most of the time we're just heading up for the day which adds 2 hours onto either end of the ski day.

It also doesn't help that I can be weak sauce sometimes. :P

I, too, am a hibernator. I haven't yet, but at some point in the winter I definitely get less social. Part of it is that I start skiing every weekend -- then I go to bed early on the weekends and get up early so as to be ready to hit the slopes (then am tired when I get home). Obviously, social nights out are significantly cut down because of this.

I'm a big fan of Earl Grey.

Wow, that was an easy way to hop up a couple spots in the rankings.

I've heard of that although it's weird too. I do know some people that have tatooed on eyeliner. I guess that's true commitment to a certain look.

It seems to me like shaving off one's eyebrows then pencilling them back in everyday would be a lot more work than just leaving them alone (and doing a little maintenance).

The issue has been resolved it seems, but I thought I'd add that in my experience with kitchen work and roommates, I'm usually the one that breaks down first regardless of roommate gender.

Obviously, my roommates have figured out how to exploit my weakness for a clean kitchen. Oh well, at least it's clean no matter who does it.

As long as we're guessing -- arranged marriage?

@JPhill -- Miles go quickly on a bike, I bet you would be surprised how far you could go. Twenty miles is really not that hard if you're on relatively flat ground. Now if there are any serious grades, then that's a different story.

A big part of my workout is to try to be on my bike as much as possible. So even if I can't get in a formal workout, I'm still getting in 4,5,6 miles of biking downtown or to my sister's or wherever. I aim to lift weights a couple times a week, and, of course, I bike there and back to get in an extra 7 - 10 miles. I also try to get in a long bike ride (twenty miler or so) once a week (used to be twice a week but it doesn't work so well with DST). I play volleyball one night a week (ideally about three hours of play hard, swing hard fun), and hopefully I'll be skiing at least once a week soon. On weeks when I feel like the weather is keeping me down (not very often in CO), I will resort to the cardio room at the gym.

Basically my workout routine is to have too many hobbies!

I'm with Tyme, the inside of that burger looks nasty.