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Eating my words

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know I'll hear about it for a LONG time. "You said you'd never..." and "you told me to beat you up if you ever..."

I may have said it, but I must recant. If for no other reason then pure practicality, we're going to look at minivans today.

Guzzle, guzzle, guzzle, munch, munch, gobble, gobble, chomp.

So there. Consider my words eaten.

MyFico.com: My End of the Year Product Plug

Go to MyFICO.com and get a copy of your credit information (I just ordered the 3 Bureau Report with FICO Score this morning). This is a gift you can give to someone else, but give it to yourself first.

In October of this year, I started my new job with Fair Isaac Corporation. The first few months have been a fantastic, fun, wild ride. The people are great, the projects are fun, and the products... Well, let's just say I know a LOT more about the products now than I did in October.

OK. MyFICO.com is designed so that you and I can learn all about our credit scores. Yes, this may seem like a shameless plug for the MyFICO service, but it made a big difference for me to learn about my credit score and what it means.

Almost every American adult has some sort of debt. Car loans, mortgages, credit cards, etc. Well, until I began working at Fair Isaac, I had only passing knowledge of my credit report, or how lenders "see me" as a consumer. How lenders "see you" can make a HUGE difference in the interest rates you are offered, and thus the money you can save when you are extended credit based on a good credit score.

I'm not looking to buy a new house or apply for any new credit cards any time soon. So why do it? In my mind, there were three simple reasons:

1. If I know my credit score, I can work to improve it.
2. A good credit rating could save me a LOT of money down the road. Think of how much money I'd save with a 4% loan rather than a 6% loan!
3. Tons of lenders know my score. Shouldn't I?

Take a look. Read the FAQs. Then decide for yourself. Personally, I believe it's worth every penny.

Happy Holidays!

Caroline at Six Months

Caroline is six months old! Heidi took Caroline over to the local Proex for some new photos. These scans are from the proofs. These photos were taken on December 18, 2003.

What a beautiful little girl! Of course I'm biased, but it's a father's right to be biased!

Shed a Few Pounds

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away... wait. Strike that.

Fairly recently, (back in February 2003 actually, I started talking about losing weight. I have not dedicated myself to it, and since February, I've gained five pounds. I'm not upset about this, but I am planning to do something about it.

We've joined the YMCA. I've finally started to used the Nordic Track at home. Over the course of the next 8 months, I hope to lose 15-25 pounds before my birthday on July 19th (a reasonable goal, I believe). Not that anyone else has reason to care about it, but I'm planning to keep track of my efforts.

I'm sure I'll be disappointed (at first) at the rate of progress, but in all honesty, losing weight is not an easy thing to do. No, I don't want to get back to my weight at graduation day in high school... I really was pretty scrawny back then: 6'4" and maybe 185 pounds. Well, I've added quite a few pounds since then (thanks to desk jobs and my wife's fantastic cooking), and now it's time to start shedding a few pounds.

Selfish? You bet. Caroline will be six months old this Friday, and I have every intention of being in good shape as she grows up. I don't expect that I'll always be able to "keep up" with her, but good health is something to strive for. And I don't want to be the dad who gets winded while playing soccer with the kids. Heidi has been in better shape then me since we met, even following her first pregnancy. Some of my favorite "growing-up" memories are biking, running, skiing, and orienteering with my family and I hope Caroline feels the same way as she grows up.

So, here's the baseline:
12/15/2003
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 255

I hope to swim three times weekly (at least 30 minutes) and use the Nordic Track twice weekly (at least 30 minutes). I may be driving a desk and piloting a keyboard most days, but I'm determined to make this work. Chasing the dog around the yard, chopping wood, and shoveling snow aside, hopefully this will be a good start!

Caroline: Almost 6 Months Old

Photos taken on December 4, 2003. It's going by so quickly!
Photo 1
Photo 2
Photo 3

The Aquatic Pod

Hammacher Schlemmer rarely fails in amazing me with the stuff they sell. There really are very few places where you can find truly "unique" gift items, and even fewer places with unique items that sell for more than $90,000. Yes. $90,000. Gift wrapping is not available for this item.

Case in point: The Hammacher Schlemmer Aquatic Pod Suite is one of those items that boggles the mind. Here is the writeup (from hammacher.com):

Aquatic Pod Suite
A Hammacher Schlemmer catalog exclusive, this is the world's only aquatic pod suite that offers panoramic views simultaneously above and below the surface of the water. Circular, with a 'flying saucer' aspect, the suite rests directly on the water, the lower portion submerged approximately five feet. Perfect as a getaway at a favorite lagoon, beach, lake or river, the suite offers spectacular 300° views of the environment. Beam lights illuminate the depths for viewing the aquatic surroundings after dark. With a 150 square-foot interior, the self-contained, circular suite has all the furnishings for two people to enjoy on-the-water living. The interior has a central air conditioning system, desalination unit, mini-bar, audio-video system wi th Bose¨ stereo, king-size bed, toilet and shower. Outside, a floating terrace circumscribes the unit, providing a 6.6-foot-wide surface for sun bathing or enjoying breezes off the water. The inflatable terrace also lends stability and extra buoyancy to the suite, and protects it from scratches and bumps when visiting boats or windsurfers dock alongside. The above-water entrance is a watertight aviation design that prevents stray moisture and splashes from dampening the interior. Unlike houseboats, this unit remains permanently anchored at a specific location by an environmentally-friendly anchor that attaches with a durable, corrosion-resistant chain. It can also be towed by a boat. A 2.5kva diesel generator with exhaust silencer produces 220-volt power to supply all necessary electricity. Interior headroom is 7 1/3' H. Exterior is 28 1/2' Diameter (including the floating terrace). (Overall weight 5,500 lbs., including ballast) Personalized service: call 1-800-227-3528 between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. Eastern time and our Product Specialists will answer your questions. The unit is shipped and delivered by the manufacturer's representatives and covered exclusively by the manufacturer's warranty. Price includes delivery to the location of your choice anywhere in the U.S., plus 'white glove' assembly, water launch and training by a 4-man crew, but does not include local taxes or license fees. Please allow 4 months for delivery. Price: $91, 100.00