"Home Theater" Update and Retirement Update

Dear Friends and Family,

Well, we made all of the changes last night. And, if I'm going to be 100% honest, it doesn't look all that much different from before we made the changes. I take that back. I looked at a photograph before and after and it does look different. I guess it'll just take some getting used to. The funny thing about clutter is that sometimes you get so used to it that when you get rid of it your eye misses the change. Once you get used to the new space, you don't want to go back, but the transition is odd.

Onto retirement update. We do that every month end. I'm not sure what metric I should be using. I guess there's three that I really care about. Goal 1: what we need for our retirement, best case scenario. Goal 2: what we need for retirement, worst case scenario. Goal 3: what we need if we want an annuity that will eventually become P's inheritance.

1. Goal 1: 95%
2. Goal 2: 86%
3. Goal 3: 67%

Some months we make money. Some months we lose money. In a way, I think of this as "my" money. No, I don't think I own the money. I know it's money I share with Mr. mouse. I think of it as my money because the money we earn on it replaces my former income. My paycheck always went towards deleveraging. First it went towards student debt. Then it went towards the house. Most recently it went towards retirement savings. Now, it grows enough by itself that I don't feel guilty taking the time to be with P and to work on my own business. Mr. mouse's money is what puts food on the table, clothes on our back and the heat turned on. It doesn't put a roof over our head, because I was able to provide that. We're a good team.

Anyways, hopefully, one day in the far future all three numbers will be 100%. I'll feel like we accomplished something then. But, if we never hit those numbers that's okay too. I know we accomplished something just by measuring our progress.


Cheers!
mouse