Round Up

Sorry that it's been so long since I've posted...there has been a lot going on in my life. Let me see if I can catch you up on the high and lowlights:

• I've lost 32 lbs to date. My band is pretty tight and it really restricts what I can eat. I'm slowly getting used to it. I'd like to lose another 8 lbs before graduation on August 6th in New Orleans, LA. Speaking of that...

• I'm graduating with my MBA in Finance and Management from Tulane University in two weeks. I'm very excited to make this officially since we stopped doing academic work back in June after the trip to China. 

• Work as a Financial Advisor is going really well. I'm getting new clients and working on honing my investment skills. Most days, I love my job and I don't mind that I put in 50-55 hours a week. It really is very rewarding and I'm glad I switched careers.

• In personal financial news...I BOUGHT A HOUSE! WOO HOO!!!. I close July 29th on a beautiful, charming house that is a little further south from where I live now. It's 7 miles from work. It took every piece of credit, blood, sweat, tears, and savings that I could come up with, but it will soon be mine. Here are the details: It was originally priced at $129,999. I got it for $126,000 with a $4,500 seller's contribution to closing. I used a first-time home buyer's program through HUD at got 3% of my downpayment covered and a 4.75% interest rate on a 30-year loan. The house is 1830 sq ft, three bedrooms, formal dining and living room, covered patio, large trees in the backyard and no back neighbors (I back up to a "bayou" aka: a drainage ditch). I'll post pictures soon. I had to come up with .5% of the down payment and the rest of the closing costs not covered by the seller. Total out of pocket was $2,991.

• I'm still single after ending things with Clicker about six weeks ago. He has moved to Clear Lake for his job and we see each other quite a bit. He asked me out on a date last night and I went. It was very sweet. He's outside in the 100 degree heat trying to sell my car. I appreciate him so much for that, especially because I'm indoors in his apartment, on his computer!

• Zac is doing awesome, as always. He's taking swim lessons and learning how to hit a golf ball with my Dad. Unfortunately, his FOB...

• Called me at work and asked if I could lower his child support payments (I can't) and sign away his parental rights since he has only seen Zac once and doesn't want to accrue any more back child support from not paying the full amount every month. I responded furiously that I would continue to pursue him to the full extent of the law and that he should get used to paying the full amount of child support since he would be paying until Zac was 18, and then after that for all the back child support.

That's about everything. I'm sitting here (supposedly) studying with Clicker. I have a Certified Financial Planner examination on Financial Planning and Clicker is studying for his Series 7 license. It feels good to have a study buddy.