Car Show Caricature

This past Sunday I went with my family to see the Worcester International Auto Show. It wasn’t a big show and there were no exotic sports cars but there was some fun to be had. Lexus of Northborough had hired a caricature artist to draw people.

While I think it was originally for parents to occupy their kids we all took a turn in the seat since the crowds were small. Below are a few examples of Dan, my mom and I. Everyone but my dad participated because he thought all the drawing looked the similar. I have to admit that I look nothing like the drawing made of me but it was still fun and amusing to have it done.

Task 4 – Fun & Games

(04) Visit an arcade

Location: 50 Worcester Road
                 Framingham, MA
Website:  http://www.gamesandgolf.com/
When:      January 1, 2013
Rating:     3-Stars

With a New Year’s resolution to double down and focus on my 101 goals in 1001 days I thought what better way to start the year then with some Fun and Games. Fun and Games is a local arcade in Natick where I had been before and had a great time. It’s a small arcade with a limited number of games but more than enough to lose a few hours behaving like a kid again.

Dan and I got there shortly after lunch and as we had in the past decided $5 was more than enough to occupy us for a few hours here. Tokens are 25 cents each and can be purchased with either cash or credit card. Most games cost 1 or 2 tokens. After trading our two Jefferson’s in for tokens we took to the arcade looking for our favorite game the ski ball. Dan and I have played enough ski ball that we are pretty decent and can rack up a fair number of tickets here. After earning about 40 tickets each we moved along and checked out some of the other games. Most of the games here are a question of luck and timing rather than skill. Dan lost a bunch of tokens without much in the way of earned tickets on a few of these games. We moved on from the games of luck and took a chance in the shooting range.

I did pretty well and hit most of the targets. Dan did fairly well here too and nearly out of token we finished off at ski ball for a few more rounds. All in all we both managed to score about 80 tickets with our 5 bucks. I got 3 rubber duckies and a fake mustache kit as a prize. Dan had a few less tickets and scored three rubber duckies of his own.

 

 

2012 : In Review

I had many exciting adventures in 2012 like skydiving from 13,500 feet, biking across the golden gate bridge, and completing the Doug Flutie 5K (my first official 5k). I also finished some much needed home remodeling projects such as installing the new baseboards, crown molding, adding a breakfast bar and giving the whole place a much needed paint job. I got my first retail part time seasonal job at Sur La Table and worked 219 hours and 35 minutes in the last 2 months of 2012. 

I posted 111 blog entries and completed 19 of my 101 things in 1001 days. With those 19 under my belt I am left with 71 more tasks to complete. Many of the 71 are multi part and have begun. I just need to make sure I stay focused and complete them.

I also completed my condo refinance which cut my monthly mortgage payments significantly. This has helped me get closer to reaching my goals of significantly cutting debt and helping me gain more financial freedom. My days of carefree spending are long over and today I enjoy finding a deal and saving money more than I ever enjoyed spending it. While I went over budget last year I think I have made enough adjustments that 2013 will be the year I stay on budget and finish strong.

2012 also had its many challenging events and setbacks for both me and my family. The biggest and most significant loss we had was the passing of our family matriarch and my grandmother. She passed away at 98 years old after complications related to a blood clot and pneumonia. This loss was devastating for both me and my family but especially for my father who has only had one parent for most of his life after losing his father at a young age. For me it was hard because she was the only grandparent I have had for the past 28 years and I have so many fond memories of my time spent with her. She will be missed greatly and will always hold a special place in all our hearts.

There were other losses too although far less devastating. The family suffered a significant financial setback as a result of Hurricane Sandy. The sea wall in front of our beach house was severely damaged and has resulted in very costly repairs what will take months to complete.

I also had an unfortunate expense of my own caused by a bad mechanic and a poorly installed timing belt which forced me to replace my car engine in early November. This was not an expense that I had planned for and caught me off guard. The good news is that I have nearly recuperated from the expense in large part to my seasonal part time job.

We finished off the year with one final setback. My brother discovered at the tail end of the year that his job was being eliminated while they shifted the company offices and reduced the number of regions from 8 to 3. While this has the opportunity to bring a new and exciting chapter in his life the unexpected change will definitely impact his family.

While 2013 was a roller coaster for me and my family it was a year of both great achievements and personal loss. It was a year I won’t say I wasn’t happy to see end. I am looking forward to 2013 with hope and excitement that it brings great times with friends and family but less loss and distractions. I hopeful that the as the first year of the Fire Cycle signified by the Black Snake in Chinese Astrology 2013 will bring me good luck and prosperity. My lucky element is wood and I will have to focus on it to better position myself for good fortune. Spring will be my lucky season and my lucky direction is east. Hopefully living in the north east will bring a spring filled with good vibes.