I just did my taxes online and cleared the mark for the amount of money I would need to get back in order to go on my Belize trip in March. Belize, Baaaalize, I'm going to Belize... Belize, Belize, Belize, Baalize, Baaaaaaaaaaliiiiiiiiiiiiiize!!!!!

Well, I thought I had this month's finances all figured out. I get paid tomorrow and I was down to 36 cents in my account according to my count. I put my card in at a Shell Oil station and pumped $11.98 of gas as my last purchase with $12.34 left in the account. Well my bank tells me this morning that I got $14.56 of gas. It's just not fair. Bank one will now charge me a $30.00 insufficient funds fee for being overdrawn and a $10.00 service fee. I know I should keep a cushion or open a savings account to draw from when I get this low, but shit! Why do the numbers keeping lying to me when I'm down and out? Yes, this has happened to me before. Last month, in fact. Shell Oil sucks! Bank One sucks! I suck! This whole money thing sucks! Another fucking pleasant end to a working man's month. On the bright side, I'm going to eat well tomorrow and forget this whole thing by the time the next end of the month rolls around.

Google defies U.S. bid for data

Goooooo Google!

I've always loved Wikipedia. So much info.

Here is their Space Exploration Page. They just updated their Space Agency List.

Here is Yuri. First man in space who was quoted as saying on his famous journey, "I don't see any god up here."

Ben Goals and Updates

1. I received a 4% raise today at work. Yea!

2. I've decided that I will go back to the drawing board with the story "Crunch the Wonder Dog" and finish it as a novel by the end of the year. It will be set in New Orleans instead of the original Florida location, and the drunken character Ben will be renamed something appropriate. Also I will make sure that whatever science is mentioned is plausible.

3. I've decided to go back to school. The goal is that I will be sitting in a Graduate School Classroom by the end of the year. There is much involved financially here, thus the somewhat easy sounding goal. (University of New Orleans - Public Administration w/ a concentration in Nonprofit Organizations)

4. I've decided that I will finish one song that I feel is good enough to permanently add to my repertoire of songs. This one sounds easy too, but accomplishing this easy task would really mean alot to me since I haven't been able to do this for about 5 years.

5. I am going to Belize for my Vacation this year in March. San Pedro to be exact. Jim, Clay, Stinger and I have a killer free Condo deal. It will be hard to think of anything else until I actually go.

6. I'm about 99% sure my rent will go up in April. I will either need to find a new place or get a roommate. Anyone interested in moving to New Orleans? My cousin is moving here around then, I'll ask her.

7. My exhaust system fell off my car two days ago. That's what happens when I have to commute two hours to work everyday. I bolted it back on and used Scotch tape to keep the nuts on until I could get it to a shop.

8. It looks as if my work will be moving from beautiful downtown Hammond back to New Orleans around May or June. It appears as if my work has chosen the Texaco Building as its new residence.

9. I am going to Sicily Island to play video games with my Uncle for this 3 day weekend. Oh what fun. Sicily Island is a very small town in BFE Northern Louisiana where my family owns a camp on the bayou. This is where I stayed after Katrina. A very lovely place.

10. My brother Matt received an extremely cool telescope from Kevin for Christmas. He lives right around the corner from me. Aaaaaaaiiieeeee!!!! Can't wait to play with that.

It sucks to find out you paid more than list price for a product. I love my guitar anyway, but it still sucks. List Price $399. Ben paid $425 Found on the internet today $275.