June 28, 2008

Bad Banality...Bad I say!


For a variety of reasons, (some actually not having to do with sloth or gluttony),  I allowed myself to gain a ridiculous amount of weight after surgery and a series of subsequent injuries.
On the one hand, despite recovering from a back injury last year, I have lost quite a bit of weight over the last few months. On the other hand, it as not enough to meet Coast Guard weight standards.

On the gripping hand I have not been put out of the reserves as such. Due apparently in part to my injuries and documented evidence that I am recovering, as well as a benevolent command I am on convalescent leave for up to a year.

This is most welcome news as it gives me the few months I need to meet weight standards and a bit more time for physical therapy.

In an absolute sense I'm quite fortunate, the back injury in particular could have gone badly for me. I'm hoping to resume drilling well before the year is up....possibly before the end of the fiscal year which would still give me a shot at a good year. I was on convalescent leave 2 years ago due to re-injuring the knee and I was afraid this would end my career. This is a second chance I will not squander.

In a financial sense this is a minor disaster, tuition assistance is shut off so I have to pay 100% of my tuition. I had already gotten permission do drills pretty much constantly for the next six weeks to cover school fees and my Japan trip ( to set up for my move next year) well thats several grand not coming in...plus the tuition going out and I have to pay the friend who helpfully purchased the non-refundable ticket...and the non-refundable rail pass.  

The situation is sucky but not untenable...I've crunched the numbers and by making judicious use of pawn shops,  Ebay, and filling in for vacations at work I can pull this off. The stimulus check is, regrettably, not going to stay in the bank as I'd planned.

OTOH while my accessible savings will be bleak I'll not be as close to the wire as I was in '05. ...I'll have little debt by August and all without  touching the 401K.

I've still got some work to do on the trailer and the yard but this is a trivial expense as I'm doing it myself.

There is also a considerable amount of work to do at my parents house as they ready it for sale.

I've still got a mild cold.

Anyway...I'm off to work...

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 11:55 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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