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In which My Expensive Summer Continues Apace...
I knew going into summer that I was in for expenses, but a few unexpected ones have made it more so.
*waves middle finger at the ass who hit-and-run on my parked car*
Which means, unfortunately, I have to give![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
writercon a miss this year. I know, I know. On my salary, you'd think it wouldn't be a problem, but I've sadly got to give the emphasis to not adding to my debt (while paying down what I do have). I've been steadily saving my pennies, but sadly my pennies have to go to the deductible for my car, and fronting money to rent a car while mine's in the shop.
'Course, this means I've had to put off my kayaking fees and my first "boat plop into the water" until May. Even allowing the cleaning service I contracted for the summer (also studiously saved for over the past year so I can pay cash on the barrelhead), it's still not going to come close to what it would cost me to head off towritercon.
*kicks stupid hit-and-run driver for really trashing my financial plans for the summer*
The good news is that I've been so good about squirreling away money, I can at least pay to fix my car and pay my taxes (which is weirdly lower than what I paid last year despite my higher salary) with cold, hard cash.
The bad news is I've got to be a Responsible Adult about this.
And yeah, being an adult sucks, because it means prioritizing what fun thing you'd rather do because you don't want to wax up the credit card. I hate to say it, but kayaking wins because that's six months' worth of fun right there at a much lower cost.
Well, at least I'll get some real vacay time in June with the fam. We're heading up to Maine to go pester some puffins and visit Campobello Island for a couple of days. So that's something. (Expect cute bird pictures!)
So, yeah...it's really one of those things where I have to bow out ofwritercon this year. Maybe two years from now I'll better be able to swing the expense. But this summer...*handwaves*...after going over my accounts I really had to accept that it wasn't going to happen this year.
*waves middle finger at the ass who hit-and-run on my parked car*
Which means, unfortunately, I have to give
writercon a miss this year. I know, I know. On my salary, you'd think it wouldn't be a problem, but I've sadly got to give the emphasis to not adding to my debt (while paying down what I do have). I've been steadily saving my pennies, but sadly my pennies have to go to the deductible for my car, and fronting money to rent a car while mine's in the shop.'Course, this means I've had to put off my kayaking fees and my first "boat plop into the water" until May. Even allowing the cleaning service I contracted for the summer (also studiously saved for over the past year so I can pay cash on the barrelhead), it's still not going to come close to what it would cost me to head off to
writercon.*kicks stupid hit-and-run driver for really trashing my financial plans for the summer*
The good news is that I've been so good about squirreling away money, I can at least pay to fix my car and pay my taxes (which is weirdly lower than what I paid last year despite my higher salary) with cold, hard cash.
The bad news is I've got to be a Responsible Adult about this.
And yeah, being an adult sucks, because it means prioritizing what fun thing you'd rather do because you don't want to wax up the credit card. I hate to say it, but kayaking wins because that's six months' worth of fun right there at a much lower cost.
Well, at least I'll get some real vacay time in June with the fam. We're heading up to Maine to go pester some puffins and visit Campobello Island for a couple of days. So that's something. (Expect cute bird pictures!)
So, yeah...it's really one of those things where I have to bow out of
writercon this year. Maybe two years from now I'll better be able to swing the expense. But this summer...*handwaves*...after going over my accounts I really had to accept that it wasn't going to happen this year.
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And, what is your dream boat?
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Where I buy my season pass has free clinics to fit you with the boat of your dreams, and I've been thinking of taking advantage to see which kind I like best.
I'm not much for whitewater, mostly because I don't have oodles of confidence in my swimming ability (I really need to rectify that by taking swimming lessons...I'm thinking starting in the fall). But my interest in more rivers, lakes, and sheltered harbors. So, I'm looking for something in the recreational touring kayak vein as opposed to a sea-going kayak (sea kayaking if f'ing huge in my area).
However, I doubt I'll be able to buy this year (I was thinking of investing in one for the end-of-the summer sales), mostly because I don't think it's swingable. So I'll probably have to put it off until next year.
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It is my compromise boat, good for river stuff that isn't too technical and quite suitable for the South East coast. Ocean is a long drive for me, so getting my 17' NDK dream boat for only ocean and lake use isn't practical. Even though I've been in a Tempest, which is Wilderness' interpretation of a classic NDK design - and loved it. Still, my Tsunami is a blast.
I'm more likely to upgrade my white water boat, passing the RPM onto yet another beginner, first.
Just to share info - I got my Tsunami in the middle of winter as a new last years boat for almost 1/2 off list. You also might want to keep your eyes peeled for used - you might be really pleased.
And I know Sea Kayaking is pretty huge up there. I had some well outfitted paddlers come up and express concern for me in the inner harbor near Winthrop whilst in a (cough, cough) borrowed Keowee.
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The good thing about being in eastern MA is you pretty much have every kind of water you could possibly want, from rapids to ocean. Strangely, the real macho daredevils dig the ocean. Sheltered harbors are more my speed. Still saltwater, only without the ass-kicking that goes with it.
Like I said, I'm going to do the kayak clinic and see which boat might suit me best for my interests.
And, yeah, I did a lot of trawling around for kayaking sales over the winter, but I knew no matter what I had that expensive summer coming so I held off. Unfortunately, it's looking like I'll have to hold off longer.
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I know I said I wouldn't be able to last week...but I had managed to talk myself around again with, "I can swing it! I know I can! Determination!"
Then doing my taxes — *cries* — means I had to really take a hard look at what I had and what I could actually afford.
That sad thing is, I have a nice savings account because I've been so diligent about saving. The bad news is that (aside from the car and taxes) there's a few other unexpected expenses I've got on hand namely stemming from my stupid food allergy to high fructose corn syrup. Bah! I swear, I get to a certain amount in my savings account and *boom* something unexpected and expensive comes up to drain it down. *pfoey*
Still, the bright side is that I at least have the cash on hand to cover the suck, so that's something at least.
So, yeah. Hard choices all around.
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It sounded like you really enjoyed Kayaking last year, so it makes complete sense to do a six month activity. But *pout*
Here's to being handing a random lotto ticket with just enough money for fun stuff! What? A girl can dream, right?
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As for Lotto tickets, I'd actually have to buy one first. *heh*
But, yeah. It pretty much came down to "fun for a few days at a higher cost" and "fun for 6 months at a lower cost." And looking at how much Atlanta cost me two years ago (between parking, plane tickets, hotel, food...the con-related stuff itself was fairly negligible), it came out to around $1,000 more or less, and that's with sharing a hotel room (I went on some fun extras while in Atlanta, and that boosted my cost). From the looks of the prices all around, it looks like this year would cost about the same, and that's just if I stick with the lowest cost on everything and keep the fun extras to a minimum.
So, yeah, $500 to $600 for just the car is a hell of a chunk to lose under those circumstances.
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Randomly, I want to pester puffins too. They're so serious about everything. My favorite exhibit at the Tacoma zoo is the puffins.
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My parents have gone to pester the puffins in Maine on their own. Since they've taken over an island up there, it's pretty much a 4-hour boat trip from the mainland, and then they stuff you into blinds on the island.
The hilarious thing is that puffins have zero fear of people, especially since we're the ones in cages and they're not. So they have a tendency to waddle over to the blinds and, well, treat the humans like they're the ones in the zoo. You know, sticking their heads into the blinds to check out what those hairless apes are doing to entertain them today.
Best of all, it's not so expensive since it's strictly driving distance for the fam.
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Sadly, what'll kill you is the airfare. Once you get here, the prices in Northern Maine aren't all that awful provided you hit the joint either May or June.
So, maybe a half-bucket list, yes? :-)
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Guess I'll be providing details to help you plot a future visit, yes? :-)
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Sucks about your car, too. Stupid jackasses!
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I'll be missing y'all too. *sadness*
So I'll just have to make do with the vicarious this year.
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But have to put on the big girl panties for this one, I'm afraid.
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:: Entices your inner want!take!have!Faith::
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However, I applaud you being a responsible adult (something the hit and run driver obviously wasn't) and wish you a great deal of joy in your kayaking.
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