I bought a set of carved skull beads made of yak bone (I have a thing for bone jewelry and for skulls), which are now hanging in my car. They were delivered from china, and I received this little insert with my item:

“Dear Sir or Madam,
Thanks for your bidding my items! We have present you beautiful Chinese gift, It’s agate made ring, hope you love it, and give me a good feedback, please attention to the other items, hope we can have more deal in the future! Thank you!”

So I have a busted knee. Well, I’ve had it since last weekend, I just forgot to mention it. It’s finally starting to heal I think, though I’m going to avoid the stairs at work for a few more days.

It’s supposed to snow this week.

Why did it have to wait till February to start?

Put the car that was given to us for free in the shop to be inspected for my father. Hopefully they won’t find anything majorly wrong with it. It’ll be nice for him to drive something better on gas.

My dad has a date with a friend of his sometime this week or next week. They’ve been friends forever, and he doesn’t think she’ll be interested in him romantically because he has no money. I tend to think the same way as he does, because she’s only dated losers and seems the type to only want a guy with money. My dad deserves a nice lady friend.

Went to the Grove yesterday for our Imbolc ritual. It was a good, albiet cold ritual. I was speaking with my friend Joe about how I’m actually starting to look forward to rituals again. Whereas before I wasn’t. It may still take some time to fully get back into the Grove, but my spirituality is calling for it.

I’m -really- looking forward to spring. I want sunshine when I get home from work. The darkness makes me tired and unmotivated. When it’s sunny out, I have time to go for hikes during the week, practice with my bow, plan my garden, and do things that make me feel less absorbed on the computer.

Right now the only things I’m able to do that make me feel productive is purging of items in my room, do some scanning of photographs, backup my computer files, go through computer disks, update websites. These are what I call my “winter weekday activities” due to lack of light to do anything else except on weekends.

Came home on Friday to find my house empty except for my ex-husband sitting on the couch with my dog. Apparently my dad was out getting his hair cut, and let Alex in, and then Alex assumed he could stay while my dad was gone.

Talk about uncomfortable. He just wanted some reimbursement check that I told him about 4 months ago (and have now lost or misplaced). He talked about his new girlfriend some. I saw her myspace page, and can honestly say they are probably perfect for each other. She seems like a very unmotivated person, who isn’t able to keep a job at Wal-mart even. And he makes very poor decisions financially. So it’s a match made.

10 things you shouldn’t buy new, by Liz Weston.

Few people really enjoy wasting their hard-earned money, but many of us do it every day by buying new. We could do our pocketbooks, and the environment, a big favor by opting to be the second owner of some of the stuff we buy.

Obviously, some things are best purchased new; lingerie pops to mind (see my companion piece, “10 things you should never buy used” for more). But lots of other stuff depreciates quickly while still having plenty of useable life left. Here are 10 items where the cost vs. use equation strongly tilts toward buying used.

• Books, books, books. Now this is awkward, because I wrote a book. (Warning! Shameless plug ahead!) It’s called, “Your Credit Score: How to Fix, Improve and Protect the 3-Digit Number that Shapes Your Financial Future,” and of course, I’d love for you to go out and purchase a new copy. (End of shameless plug.)

But the reality is that most books don’t get read more than once, if that, and they’re astonishingly easy to find used at steep discounts — if not absolutely free.

Your local library, for example, may allow you to reserve titles online and then deliver them to your nearest branch for pick-up. Used book stores abound, both in your town and online. If you’re looking for a potboiler to get you through your next cross-country flight, just stop by almost any yard sale and pick up four for $1.

Exception: Reference books you’ll use again and again. For example, I bought a deeply-discounted copy of Cheryl Mendelson’s excellent “Home Comforts.” That was after checking the book out at the library and running up a small fortune in fines because I couldn’t bear to part with it.

• DVDs and CDs. Some online retailers, like MSN Shopping and Amazon.com, now surface used versions of many of the DVD movies they sell new. You can find similar deals for online CDs (yes, Virginia, some of us dinosaurs still buy CDs). Other good hunting grounds for purchase of used items: movie rental chains like Blockbuster; used record stores; yard sales.

Exception: When you simply must have the latest release by your favorite singer/director/actor, right now. It can take a few days or weeks for the used versions to show up, and perhaps a few months for the price to get discounted enough to compensate for the greater hassle you might face trying to return a defective or unsatisfactory purchase.

• Little kids’ toys. Parents know: it’s all but impossible to predict which toy will be a hit and which will lie forlorn at the bottom of the toy box. So rather than gamble at full price, cruise consignment shops and yard sales for bargains. My husband’s latest score: a plastic Push, Pedal ‘N Ride Trike (retails for $28, he paid $10) that looks like new after a brief scrub.

Better than cheap, though, is free. Some parents set up regular toy-swapping meets, or you might be lucky enough to score hand-me-downs from friends and relatives.

Exception: Some parents get away with giving used toys for birthdays and holidays, but most of us (and our kids) have been fairly well brainwashed into believing that gifts should be purchased new. Try to opt, though, for classics, like sturdy wooden toys.

• Jewelry. Fat markups on most gems (100% or more is fairly common) means that you’d be lucky to get one-third of what you paid at a retail store, should you ever need to sell.

So let somebody else get socked with that depreciation. Find a pawn shop that’s been in business for awhile, get to know the owner and ask him or her for recommendations. Some readers have had good results buying via newspaper ads, but I’d want to take the piece to a jeweler for an appraisal first.

Exception: You want something custom-made. Even then, consider buying used stones and getting them reset.

• Sports equipment. We may buy everything from badminton rackets to weight sets fully intending to wear them out, but too often they wind up collecting dust. Buy someone else’s good intention and you’ll save some bucks.

Happy hunting grounds: yard sales, newspaper and online ads, resale stores like Play It Again Sports.

Exception: Shoes, baseball mitts and anything else that will mold to the wearer’s body. In addition, some people shun buying anything used if it has a motor, like a treadmill. They worry they won’t get enough use out of the piece before it dies. Given how little use most such devices get before they’re sold, though, you might want to take the chance.

• Timeshares. You could call these a notoriously lousy investment if you could call them an investment at all, but you can’t — because what real investment is guaranteed to lose 30% to 70% right off the bat?

That is, unless you buy used. There’s a huge number of folks who caved in to three hours of hard sell and are now desperate to dump their shares.

Exception: Some of the higher-end properties in exclusive resorts don’t lose much value, and may offer benefits like frequent-flyer miles that could be worth the extra money if you buy from the developer. Before you buy, though, check resale values online; don’t take an agent’s word for how much depreciation to expect. Also, a relatively new type of expensive time share, called a fractional interest, may actually gain in value over time.

• Cars. The average new car loses 12.2% of its value in the first year, according to Edmunds.com; on a $20,000 car, that’s $2,440, or more than $200 a month. Some cars depreciate even faster, depending on demand, incentives offered and other factors.

Why not let someone else take that hit? Not only will you be able to save money (or buy more car), but you’ll pay less for insurance. Cars are better-built and last longer than ever before, which means you’re less likely to get a lemon. Companies like CarFax allow you to trace a car’s history. Many late-model used cars are still under warranty, and a trusted mechanic can give your potential purchase the once-over to spot any problems. Take a look at the Used Car Research section of MSN Autos for a lot of great information.

Exception: You can pay cash and you really, really want that new-car smell.

• Software and console games. Buy used, and you’ll pay half or less what the software cost new. Console games like those for the Xbox and Sony PS2 that list for $50 new, for instance, can often be purchased used for $20 or less a year after release.

But it’s more than just a matter of economy. Letting someone else be the early adopter also allows you to benefit from their experience. You’ll find more reviews and information on software that’s been out a year or more (and you won’t be that far behind the leading edge). The bugs will have been identified along with any workarounds, although you may have to live with some problems that are fixed in later versions.

Exception: If you do a lot of work with graphics, multimedia or image editing and you have a newer, more powerful computer, you’ll probably want the state-of-the-art version. Finally, some software restricts the number of computers on which it can be installed, which can make it difficult (but not impossible) to transfer the product license to a new owner.

• Office furniture. Built to take a beating and last a lifetime, good-quality office desks, filing cabinets and credenzas are relatively easy to find even when a recession isn’t cratering the local economy.

Exception: Some people balk at buying used chairs for the same reason they won’t buy a used catcher’s mitt — it’s had too many hours to mold to someone else’s body.

• Hand tools. Well-made tools with few or no moving parts — like hammers, wrenches, shovels, hoes, etc. — can last decades with proper maintenance and are relatively easy to find at yard sales. If you’re not going to use a tool frequently, you may be able to rent it or borrow from a friend or neighbor rather than buying something else to clutter up your garage. (Some neighborhoods even run tool-sharing cooperatives.)

Exception: You’re a hard-core do-it-yourselfer and you need power tools, especially cordless versions. These have a relatively limited life span and you may not know how much time they’ve got left. If the tool is cheap enough, of course, that may not matter, but most often you’ll want to buy new if the power tool will get substantial use.

This is actually a fairly accurate list. I stress the portion about cars myself, as I was -almost- the victim of purchasing a brand new 2005 mustang. Luckily I didn’t get approved, which though I didn’t realize it then, was actually a blessing. A year later, I find a used 2004 mustang with my exact specs (granted not the same design), and I pay $20,000 LESS than if I had bought that 2005 mustang. And it runs great, not to mention I still had the bumper to bumper warranty on it for another 9 months.

I will never buy a brand new car, even if I have the money, it’s just a waste. Used is by far the way to go.

I’ve been stuck with a very old long distance service plan through AT&T for a few years now, and never bothered to change it. It was from back in 2001-ish when I had been speaking with someone long distance quite a bit, and we wanted to save on long distance. If we were both AT&T customers, it would be unlimited calls for one flat fee a month. Any other calls were a certain amount per minute.

Once I stopped talking to this person, the prices got to be more than the $20/month, because obviously not everyone I talked to is an AT&T customer.

Part of my current financial plan is to make sure I’m getting the service I need at the cheapest price. I do talk to some of my online friends on occasion, and when I talk, I can talk a -lot-. My father also talks to his relatives in Pennsylvania a lot, so that can rack up some charges.

I also don’t want to switch to a VoIP just yet, since our cable company, Adelphia, was just bought out by Comcast, and I want to see what their internet service is like for a few months first, in case I have to switch it. (so far it’s been up and down as far as quality, but enough that I’m still considering Comcast VoIP or Vonage).

Anyway, in the mean time, the plans are as follows:
AT&T offers Unlimited Long Distance calling to anyone in the U.S., 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for $29.95/month.

Verizon offers unlimited local/regional/long distance calling for between $34/99 and $39.99 a month, and this is who we use for local service right now.

Actually speaking of Verizon, we get a monthly charge on our bill for something called Foreign Exchange (FX) Channel, Contiguous Flat Rate - Local that’s an extra $14 per month that I have no clue wtf it is. Actually a lot of these charges seem fairly bogus. Verizon Guardian Enhanced Maintenance Service, Federal Subscriber Line Charge. I’m going to have to make some calls to figure out what this stuff is, but if anyone has any knowledge on the subject, by all means.

MCI offers unlimited local and long distance for $49.99/month (wtf MCI, get with the program people).

Bellsouth does not service my area.

And lastly, Sprint, which I couldn’t find an unlimited long distance plan anywhere on their site. Though they do offer their classic 5 cents/minute, (then again, so does everyone else).

So right now, until I’m ready for a VoIP service, it looks like I might stick with AT&T for long distance, and give Verizon a call about some bogus “Optional Services.”

I know some people don’t have land line at all and just use cellular service. My cellular service is average, and is pre-paid, so that option doesn’t really work with me right now unles I change companies entirely. And right now I’m pretty happy with Virgin Mobile. That and I don’t really use it at all except to talk to my sweetheart on the way to work or if my dad is on the phone.

As posted by Readers Digest: (I’m not vouching for the validity)
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Saturday: No explanation needed beyond what I wrote about my father/daughter date.

Sunday: Trekked to Gettysburg to get my taxes done. My aunt manages several of the local Jackson Hewitt franchises, and is awesome for doing my taxes every year. I really should think of a way to repay her kindness.

Since I claimed my father as a dependant for half of the year last year, instead of claiming nothing and getting it all back come tax time, my return is slightly lower than last year, but it’s still a hefty enough sum. $1500 which will go towards: minor credit cards balances (only two hundred or so), putting the car that was given to my dad on the road (maybe $300 total for this, inspection + tags), and the rest into savings. The car for my dad should hopefully save me on his gas total each week too.

I thought about putting the rest into my car loan, but I’d rather have a larger nest egg earning interest at 4.5% and overpaying my monthly payments to reduce the total, than give it all to the car, and then run into a problem 2 or 3 months down the road that puts me into some financial difficulty. Which is bound to happen, because it always does.

In addition to this, I had also thought about trading in my mustang for a Toyota Prius. I did some research around for a used Prius (or forgive me, certified pre-owned), but even those rack up to $20,000. I paid $14,000 for my 2004 mustang last January, and I think the $6,000 price increase in order to save on gas cost isn’t worth it. By the time I spend $6,000 in gas in the mustang to total the extra cost for trading in for a Prius, it will most likely be time to buy a new car anyway.

It should also be noted that one of the financial blogs I’ve been reading talks about how people pay for cars in cash. That when you pay in cash it gives you more of a bargaining chip over the price, because you can pay in cash right then and there. Not to mention it takes care of any interest fees you would be paying for a 5 year loan. And the way they suggest doing this, is to pay yourself a car payment every month into your emergency fund. Obviously this can only be done if you don’t already have a car payment each month. So when the mustang is paid off, I’ll continue to pay the $300-$400/month to myself, and eventually I’ll have the money to pay for a car in cash when the time comes. Not to mention the interest you could get for having that balance with an online bank.

This learning to be frugal and researching how to be smarter with my finances thing is actually quite easy.

Edit: If anyone has any finance tips/thoughts they’d like to share, feel free!

I have a player on my MUD that still uses a 28.8 modem. Not only did I not think those things even existed anymore, but it’s an indestructible flashback to
“Yo check this out guy, this is insanely great, it has a 28.8 bps modem.” “Yeah? Display?” “Active Matrix Man, a million psychadelic colors.” “I want it.” “I want it to have my children.” “It has a killer refresh rate.” “P6 chip, triple the speed of the pentium.” “And it has a PCI BUS, but you already knew that.”

I imagine with that, all he -can- do is MUD.

I talk about MUD’s once in a while, and I imagine most people have no clue what I’m talking about. Try to explain a text-based game to the current incarnation of gamers who are based off of World of Warcraft, GuildWars, Final Fantasy, and Half Life.

What could -possibly- be fun about playing a game based entirely around text?

One word: Immersion.

I play World of Warcraft on occasion. I can stand at the very maximum, an hour of it, though usually it’s half an hour, before I get bored of killing things over and over and over and over again. Sure the graphics are great. My night elf looks badass, and I get excited when I see the golden pillar of ambrosia “j00 just leveled” encompass my character momentarily.

But what happens after that? You start all over again to reach the next level. What happens when you get to 60? Or even worse, you’ve spent the $60 for the expansion just to get to level 70 with a new race? Are you kidding me? Do you know how many man hours that takes? So what happens when you get to 70? Raids and instances? Uber equipment? There’s nothing in these games to do except for grinding and farming.

This is why the text-based grandeur of the 80’s is far far superior than the uber conglomerate MMORPG’s mentioned above. You can actually level up your character, and change the world.

Such as the life on my own MUD, if you join up to be an Imperial Guard (an organization I’ve based largely off of the Roman Empire), you can not only enforce laws on other played characters, but when they’ve broken them, you can execute them (meaning they’re gone for good, and that player has to create a new character). Not only can you attack another city, but you can take it over and claim it as your own territory. You can take out the entire enemy force for good, and claim dominance over the entire continent. You can create a thief and manipulate information, gold, equipment out of unsuspecting allies. You can create a mage and cast spells on all of your friends, or use these spells to change the way you look, create items, create portals to other portions of the world. You can create a legendary character that is known throughout the world. You can worship the God of War, and actually become a high priest in his church, leading his religion and followers, and most likely even roleplay with the God himself. Everything you say or do affects the game as a whole, and you control everything that your character does, every skill that they can learn, every spell that they cast.

You can actually play a role, and have it mean something.

Or you can mindlessly kill your enemies for honor points over and over, as they repop into their new bodies, gather up their same equipment again, with names like “CuteChick” and “j00suck”. You can wait for the administrators whom you’ve never met, and will never know, to change the global storyline paragraph on their website, which actually means absolutely nothing in game, because nothing ever changes.

Know what the biggest mind-boggling difference is? MUD’s are free. You can get so much more, for free.

I’m sure there are many more ways I could hammer on about how superior MUD’s are to the modern day MMORPG, but really the only way to find out is to try it yourself. (But feel free to add to my list in comments :))