American Power in 2010

I've been putting it off, but I need to post my annual New Year's Day report. Last year's is here, "American Power in 2009."

I'm feeling better this year, less economic anxiety. That's probably odd, since, things financially are going to come to a head in my home this year. I'm up for refinance, but a home that sold across the street, virtually the exact same model (brand new development in 2005), sold for more than $100,000 dollars less than the market price at time of purchase. It's a lousy market, and unless folks are in for the long haul (stable, fixed-rate mortgages), people are losing money, selling short, or walking away. My wife and I have a lousy loan. We put down $35,000 on our house when we bought it (for close to $600,000). We put at least another $15,000 into it for furnishings, window coverings, new furniture, etc. After a year, we had over $150,000 in "equity" at going market rates. But then the crash came. Our loan is adjustable, and when the mortgage resets it'll be unaffordable at our current income levels. Like many folks, our fortunes were riding on market trends, and since both my wife and I are gainfully employed at good income, we've been less worried than many. Still, I'm not looking forward to the tough decisions. I'll be talking to the lender. Whatever happens with the house, everything will be market based. I oppose mortgage bailouts, and if my lender plays hardball, well, I signed on the line and I'll live with the outcome and learn from it -- starting over somewhere else if necessary.

That's all I feel like sharing about things on the financial side. It could be a rough year. The main thing for me, if we have to move, is to keep my kids enrolled in this school district. Both boys are doing well. My oldest will be 14 this month, and he's a headstrong teenager showing his independence. My youngest is 8 and doing really well in school after a couple of slower years dealing with reading impediments. We've got some special programs through his campus, and the principal, teachers, and support staff have been phenomenal. Irvine public schools are wonderful that way, so maintaining stability on that front will be a priority (my parents divorced when I was in 9th grade, and I basically missed my freshman year of high school from the emotional disruption and relocations ... I don't want my sons to go through it like I did).

The other big thing for me this year will be physical fitness (hence, the "Rocky" trailer above ... watched the movie again today, as part of Encore's "Rocky" marathon ... I should write another post on that ... maybe tomorrow). I've always been healthy and fit, although I've gained weight over the last two years and I need to lose about 20 pounds. My doctor even said so, for the first time in my life. So, I'll be getting out more. I've no excuses. I like the outdoors, and I was a skateboarder in my teens, and a bodybuilder and a cyclist in my twenties and thirties. A runner too, but I don't know if my knees are going to hold out. Hiking's cool (what've I've done in my forties), and that's probably the first thing I'll be getting back into. We also have a personal stepclimber in the downstairs office (Stairmaster 4000PT, popular at membership gyms in the 1990s), although I like to get out, so we'll see how much I use it. The main constraint will be setting aside time outside of work and caring for my boys. With the wife working full-time, exercise has to be scheduled in just like everything else. I will be writing and blogging about this, with photos of hikes - perhaps as early as next week, when my kids start back to school (I'll have another week off before my semester begins).

Other than that, as I noted in my 1 million hits milestone entry, blogging will continue. Although I'm not sure on the pace. I'm thinking about writing a book. Not sure how I'll approach it, but it's going to deal with my ideological transformation over the last 6 years, and perhaps a lot about blogging and politics. We'll see, but it's the next step in my personal development, and if I can get that done in a year or two, my blogging creds will be strengthened. Perhaps I'll even make more money at this stuff some day.

Okay, that's good for now. Thanks to all of my regular readers, many of whom I don't communicate with. Feel free to comment here, or try to comment at upcoming threads.