New Years Resolutions 2014

  I don't normally do new years resolutions.  I typically keep a long list goals in my head; I'm sure some of them fall out every once in a while.  But I figure it is not bad to write  some of these goals down and put a 12 month deadline on them.  Writing down, publicly stating and setting deadlines for goals is like some kind of weird magic sauce that makes you actually want to get shit done.

Pay mortgage down to $110k

  Having a 30 year mortgage with a 0% down payment we essentially started out behind and only making slightly more than the minimum monthly payment has not given us much progress.  Even with adding on to our house we are still under water.

As it sits now the mortgage is at about $129,700.  I'd like to get that number down to $110,000 by the end of the year.  That will set us up nicely to be able to refinance and start saving for another house.  According to my lender if we keep making the normal payment I will be at $127,310.87 (see not much progress making the minimum payment).  So we've just got to scrounge up an extra $17,310.87 some how...

Buy a smaller/more efficient/less valuable car.

  A few months ago we finally sold our old (yet awesome) Toyota Camry leaving us with just the actually really awesome Honda Odyssey.  Having one less car has been awesome but we still have way to much car for a family of  four in my opinion.  Yes the extra room is nice if we need to haul a bunch of extra junk or need to drive a lot of friends around but an eight passenger vehicle is just way to much for four people.  Also this car is worth about $11,000 for a private sale, that is a lot of cash sitting in a quickly depreciating asset that could be better used elsewhere.

  I'd like to get a decent sized fuel efficient hatchback that my wife likes for about $6,000.  This will decrease or cost per mile for driving and free up a bunch of cash we can put to work on goal number one, paying off the mortgage.  

  Did I mention my wife needs to like it? ;) 

Read the A Song of Ice and Fire series (to Feast of Crows)

  I got the first four books of the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series for Christmas last year and I still am only on the second book "Clash of Kings."  That's mainly because I'm a bit if a slow reader but I've also had a few nonfiction books that caught more of my attention. 

I really like the story line so far and love to hate most if the characters.  Martin seems to be one of the few authors who has actually surprised me with the way his story has unfolded a nice relief from your typical predictable fantasy novel.

  I like reading in general but haven't given myself a lot of time for it recently... Maybe I'll spend less time on Netflix and more time with a book in my hand in 2014.

Catch a fish

  Its been a long time since I have been fishing and even longer since I've actually caught one.  Fishing is one of those things I like doing but am very bad at.  The only way to get better is to make time to actually do it I suppose.

  There are my goals for the coming year about half getting shit down (working) and half chilling the F out (relaxing), two things I always considered good.  There are some other things we are planning on doing that are more in the fun category.  +Amanda Polehn and I are heading to Vegas this March and will be serenaded by Celine Dion, already have the tickets and everything for this.  We'll also be taking the girls to Disneyland sometime next year, probably when our youngest is closer to two.

So in conclusion 2014 is looking awesome!