I can’t believe it’s been almost a year and a half since I’ve looked at this goal. Many things have changed. Just looking at my last post gives me a good place to start with this goal again. Here’s a follow up to my last 5 things to be grateful for:

1. I’ve stopped going to school for the time being. My wife and I decided (probably about six months after the last post) to delay school and get the hell out of California as soon as possible. We got a 9 month lease, got rid of tons of stuff, saved up money, and moved to Maine just about a month ago. Now we’re immensely happier. Life costs less and is more satisfying than it was in California.

2. Well, I guess I followed up on this one with #1.

3. Financially, things are getting better and better. We expected to earn less in Maine, plus we expected to have to take demotions to get transfer our jobs. We were both able to stay in the same position, plus the pay rate is the same. Her grandpa gave us a big chunk of money which has helped us to get settled, reestablish savings, and pay off some debt. I also got paid out for 20+ hours of vacation because of a regional change in how vacation is distributed to managers. PLUS, my new store is more likely to bonus than my old store.

4. Lakers blew it in the finals, Dodgers suck, 49ers didn’t live up to expectations last year and who knows if there’ll be football this year. I did, however, discover hockey after a friend took me to a preseason LA Kings game. I’ve been following the Kings and the Bruins all year, and now I’m watching the Bruins in the Stanley Cup Finals and getting really into it!

5. We are still without roommates, but in a much nicer apartment, in a much nicer place, and for much less money… So glad to be out of California.

With about an hour and a half to go until the new year, here is what I’m grateful for in 2009.

1. I started back in school to get my B.A. in English.
2. My wife and I decided to move back to Maine (she’s from there) or close to it. Our plan is to get things set to do so while I finish school in the next few years.
3. Christmas ended up being a pretty booming time financially. I got a bonus, cashed in some stock options, and received two quarters worth of student loans close together. We were able to get the gifts that we wanted to get for each other and buy some things that we’ve been wanting to get but have been putting off, like our ball python, Monty.
4. All three of my favorite sports teams (49ers, Lakers, Dodgers) at least gave me hope. I got one championship this year, but at least they all gave me something to root for.
5. We also made the decision to move into our own place once this lease is up. It’ll be the first time that we’ve lived without roommates. It’s still eight months off, but we’re looking forward to it.

1. It looks like I’m in the lead in 8/10 fantasy leagues that I made the playoffs in.
2. Chris Johnson: I finally picked a fantasy stud that comes through, and big! He’s the biggest reason for #1.
3. Today kind of sucked at work. We were SLOW. Terrible. However, I cut labor like no other today, so we may survive it. Don’t people know it’s Christmas time? They can’t start spending and then just stop!
4. The 49ers may not have a hope, but the Colts remained undefeated today. It’s great having a good backup team to root for. I’ve been a Colts fan for a decade now! Hard to believe. I still with the 49ers would’ve beat them earlier in the year, though.
5. Weezer: Haven’t really listened to them in years, but they are good! And for this, I am grateful.

Haven’t done this in a while.
1. I’m getting a $1200 bonus in my paycheck tomorrow. It’ll look more like $700 when the government is done, but what’re you going to do?
2. I finished reading the second Harry Potter book tonight. I only have to read 5 more books by the end of the year to accomplish my goal of 50.
3. I drove out to Lancaster today and should hopefully get my financial aid one of these days.
4. The Dodgers may have let me down, but the Lakers are currently the best team in basketball, the 49ers are at least giving hope this year, the Colts are undefeated, and there are many interesting things that can happen in the last few weeks of the football season.
5. After losing in every league in the playoffs last year (fantasy football), I have ten leagues that I made the playoffs in this year, and I think I have a much better chance at winning a lot of them. The stars I have aren’t on the teams that’ll have everything wrapped up early. To the person who invited me to join the Yahoo league, thanks, but I hated the format of the league. Autodraft, and the huge emphasis on quarterback scoring left me screwed. I’ll be better prepared next year, if you do it again!

1. Dodgers are still the best team in Major League Baseball.

2. Details are coming together for our trip to Maine, and travelling expenses are much less than they were last time we went there.

3. My application has been accepted and I’ll be returning to school in the fall.

4. I’m off tomorrow, and I’m definitely in need of a day of rest.

5. It’s almost time for football season.

1. The Lakers are the NBA champions!!!

2. The Dodgers are #1 in baseball, and without Manny! If the 49ers have a good year, this’ll be the best sports year I’ve ever had!

3. The bedside tables I’m making are coming along splendidly now. I’ve got it set up to work on them inside so I’m much more motivated to do so!

4. I’ve had a pretty good 4 days off and, even though the next two weeks are going to be rough, some of the hardest things are behind me.

5. Yay Lakers!

1. I’ve paid my Zales credit card down to $500. My wedding rings are almost mine!

2. I still have a job, even if I don’t love it anymore.

3. I’m a good ways closer to finishing building two bedside tables for my wife and I.

4. I’ve decided to get a record player again, and we’ve found a few good records to start with.

5. I’ve become vegetarian, quit drinking soda, started avoiding refined sugar, and have lost almost 20 pounds in less than a month.

It’s been a while since I’ve done this one. I haven’t been spending as much time online.

1. I just paid off another credit card, which means I’ve paid off over $1100 and two credit cards in about a month.

2. After the next five days of work, I’m taking 11 days off.

3. My first anniversary is two weeks from tomorrow.

4. The Lakers are #1 in the West, almost #1 in the NBA, and much more dominant than they were last year.

5. Since last time I posted, my evil roommate is gone!

1. Christmas is over. It’s the hardest time of year for a Starbucks manager, and this was the hardest it’s been, with the economy forcing reductions. And it was my first year.

2. 2008 is over. Good things happened. More bad things happened. 2009 is primed for progress. I hope to end the year with only $9000 in debt, excluding my car. My annoying roommate is moving out, so it’ll only be me, my wife, and another couple who we’re very good friends with (even after living together for five months) living together.

3. The 49ers finished the season 7-9, which is quite an improvement. they even beat a few playoff contenders this year.

4. The Lakers are only a few wins behind Boston, with the same amount of losses. My teams are coming back!

5. I’m still alive.

1. In October I was 96% to my sales goals at my store. If I did that for the whole quarter, I would get a $900 bonus for the quarter. November has been rough, but I still might bonus if I do well the rest of the year, which would mean I could pay off a chunk of debt.

2. I’ll have Guitar Hero World Tour in about a month.

3. After the holiday season is over, I’ll have three paid holidays to use, so I can take a week off of work with only using 16 vacation hours.

4. I can’t wait to take a week off!

5. I promoted a barista to shift supervisor, and he’s going to be great.