There are no words.

There are no words.

One can dream.

 

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A snowflake!

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How I feel we pay off our debt snowball with a major snowflake. Our new total is (drum roll)....$1,729.28. We're almost there!!

Protests

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Brand New Day...I hope

Tomorrow Mr. M and I embark on a new chapter in our TTC journey – our first (and fingers crossed only) IUI. On the financial front, I am thankful that I started setting money aside a year ago for our future child. It was my hope that we could buy nursery furniture or bedding with that money, but none the less, we have a small fund to help us with this process.

 

Of all days – my dad sent me an email that wasn’t in the least bit positive. In efforts to reduce stress, I have distanced ourselves from him after the botched attempt at the therapist office (he never went back and then blamed me for the reason that he did not pursue any additional help). His actions make me feel that he is truly controlling and by opening up to him about the latest baby news would probably not serve in our best interest. Then, today, his email came that was really condescending and blaming me in part for the affair. I cannot put into words how quickly my stress level spiked as I went from a laid back girl enjoying her Saturday to a stress ball. This evening, I’ve prayed a lot and have asked God to help me compartmentalize my father’s issues and separate them from the issue that faces Mr. M and me from having the family we desire.

 

Please say a prayer for us that tomorrow’s procedure will indeed work. I have WebMd/Googled IUI and success rates and I realize it’s a shot in the dark but I’m trying to look at tomorrow as a brand new day (hence the song) for our little family.

Black Friday Chuckle

 

Only two weeks until the annual Black Friday craziness.

My plan is to be in bed and asleep when all these stores open.

The next 4 years...

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Will be determined tonight if you live in the US. Voting time at our voting precinct was a breeze - exactly an hour but I see on Facebook where friends are spending two to four hours in line.  Facebook is hosting an interesting experiment to track the number of votes casted by its user. It's pretty cool and you can access it here.

 

 

 

Another "election" that affects us in the U.S. is occurring on Thursday with the Communist Party of China.  Sometimes I feel that as Amercians we tend to stick our head in the sand when it comes to other countries politics but this election/selection will affect us as well.

Small celebration...

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We were able to melt our snowball a little more this week as our new total is $4,124.48! To date, we've paid off $39,979.77. Small celebration in the middle of all this personal craziness!

Doctor Update

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Yesterday I went to the doctor for a check-up and to discuss our infertility issues.  Due to my inability to become pregnant on Clomid, I have been referred to our local infertility clinic which equals more $$.

To say that this new development is upsetting is an understatement. I guess naively, I thought we could get pregnant the old fashion way but that does not appear to be the case. Our appointment with the specialist is November 14^th and so I have a little bit of hope that the procedures they’ll suggest is something we can afford.

Dear Newsweek...and other Magazines

Add caption

I do not own an iPad. I would love to but I cannot afford one while trying to pay off debt and I'm sure I'm not alone.

So it's not a shocker that I was floored last week when Newsweek announced that it would no longer print their magazine but instead their readers could find it on their tablet.  This follows the announcement that Smart Money (a magazine that I loved by the way) was going digital as well.

It worries me that companies assume that a majority of their readers have tablets (iPad or others) or feel that they will purchase one simply to read their magazines. I also feel that I'm being left out simply because I choose not to purchase another piece of technology and it's very frustrating.

That's not to say that one day - when the debt is all paid down - that I won't get iPad or Tablet but it makes me realize how if you can not afford to keep up with technology then you are really behind the eight ball.

How I feel ...

 

 

How I feel when I pay down our Debt Snowball
which is officially at $5, 221.94

Answering Questions

Quick post to answer a few questions/things I learned about the car. Thank you to everyone for the positive vibes - I really appreciate them.

1. How much did it cost? With all the rebates, a little over 19K. We are able to use the credit union to reduce the price to a supplier price and then stacked a GMC competitor rebate and a trade in along with it being the end of the month is what helped us reduce it by $5,500.  The GMC competitor rebate worked since I drive a car that is not within the GMC family.

2. Research - sounds simple but it helps when trying to negotiate price.  We knew that Mr. M's car could only drive a few miles so that only gave us a few dealerships to price compare but it was helpful.

3. If you find a dealership that you do like, tell them what you want and that you're a cash buyer. Our car wasn't on the lot as they got the shipment and called us. I never knew this but a friend mentioned it to us and it was a very helpful tip.

The "new car smell" is great and I can tell Mr. M is pretty happy. 

Christmas

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I realize that Christmas is a few months away but if I don't plan now, I'll end up overspending on gifts. With that said...I haven't even started so I know that I need to create a game plan like now.

 

Ironically today, I saw this great post by The Frugal Girl today on this very subject. She's creating a series about Christmas and how to enjoy this great holiday in a frugal manor. Take a moment to check her post out here.

New Car

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We’re buying a car today – in cash.  The brakes in Mr. M’s car need repair and it equals about the same price if he traded in his car so we went car shopping. Mr. M and I searched used and new cars and discovered the following:

1.       To buy a decent car in our area used is the same price as a new car. Seriously – we looked at a 2010, 2011 and 2012 and somehow the 2012 was cheaper. How? I have no idea and my argument of only buying used cars was squashed on the spot.

2.       When a dealer sells you a new car, they make the same amount of money no matter what but they have the potential to make more money off a used car.

3.       If you belong to a credit union and try to buy a Buick brand, they’ll give you the suppliers rate (this saved us thousands of dollars).

4.       If someone in your family drives a competitors car, you can get a switcher discount

5.       More rebates for cars appear at the end of the month.

The downside to this purchase is that we did take the money from his parents.  This act kills me but I know that fixing his brakes and trying to milk his car for a few months would more or less be throwing good money at a bad problem. I’m trying to think of this is a positive light that this car will be paid off by 2014. We already know how to live beneath our means, the money that we borrowed will not have any interest accruing and we’ll just get gazelle intense.

Snowball Update

I realized this morning that I haven't updated the snowball since July but happy to report

that our new total is..

$6,514.89!!

To date, we've paid off $37,589.36 and ironically, while I type this, Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger" is playing in the background. She's right - what doesn't kill you does make you stronger.

How easily we are fooled.

In my life before the debt snowball, I would have run to the Apple store yesterday to order the new iPhone. That was when I had no concept of how debt affected me and that I would magically pay it off without any blood, sweat or tears.

When I saw this video today, I had to laugh as it is interesting to see how many people instantly think that their personal phone (which is working well) needs to be replace simply because there is a new toy.

Dad...and I'm trying to smile...

Today I met my dad at the therapist office for his session. To being the meeting we were asked to set our expectations of the session. I’d like to give myself props for not crying but instead explained (all be in a little of an angry voice) that I was upset over the fact that he was selfish and had reverted back to a teenager instead of being a father figure to us.

I’m typing this in the therapist waiting room (I physically have to be here for it to count as a free session) and my stomach is knots. In efforts to brighten the mood – which I’m not sure is truly possible – I keep playing this video over and over and over.

How I feel...

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How I feel when I sell 3 textbooks on Amazon in one week!

Fork in the Road

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My father showed up at my house last week unannounced. It was almost 10 o’clock and there was a pounding on my front door. Luckily, Mr. M wasn’t working late that night and was home to answer the door.

It was surreal like something out of a movie.

I am not sure what he thought he would accomplish by showing up. Maybe a dramatic reunion with me telling him that I can forgive and forget all the ridiculous things he has done to our family in the last two years. Instead, my husband talked to him and told him what his daughters had been saying for years to find help.

Yesterday, I attended my first therapist session and while it was helpful, I did not feel any closure. That session along with three others is paid through the E.A.P. (Employee Assistance Program) and the therapist mentioned that my dad, mother or sisters could come to the next sessions.

I feel like I am at a fork in the road. If I take one path, I can contact my father and provide help in hopes he takes it. But what do I do if he doesn’t take the help? Do I chose the other path and completely cut him off in efforts to protect myself?

Update: I called my father and we are setting up a time to talk to therapist on September 10th. I pray that I picked the right path to take and this doesn't blow up in my face.



Future Appointments



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I called my office’s EAP program today to set up a counseling appointment. Last night I hit an emotional wall as I do agree that y’all are right – I should/need to forgive him but how do I ensure that I don’t continue to enable his behavior. Last year, I created a family contract asking mainly to go to counseling along with a Dave Ramsey class (paid for by Mr. M and myself) and he signed it. Now he’s taking money from my baby sister, up to his eyes in debt from pay day loans and STILL talking to the twit.

Needless to say – I am disappointed as well as embarrassed. I have always thought of my parents as role models as they may not be perfect but they were mine. Now I don’t who these people are which is why I am going the counseling route. My work provides four free sessions and I hope they provide me with some peace.

Dad is back.

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My dad sent me a text this morning asking if we could meet for lunch on Wednesday. Since the revelation back in June that he never truly gave up his “mistress” last year, I’ve ended all contact with him. This past weekend he sent an email, called and text about meeting up and I don’t know if I’m ready for it yet.

Is that being a selfish kid?

These past weeks, the PG Olympic parent commercials have made me cry. That bond between parent and child has been obliterated by the acts that were not of my choosing.

Internally, I am conflicted spiritually. I know that I should honor my father and mother but what do you do when they stop acting like parents? Does God still have that same expectation for me no matter the circumstances? Affairs, I realize, are common in the U.S. and that I am not the only person dealing with its affects BUT I do not feel that I should follow the footsteps of others and sweep the incident into the “it will be okay” pile. Why? Because it won’t be okay as I may forgive overtime but I cannot truthfully say that I can honestly forget.

So unsure of what my next steps should be…

4.0

Super excited this afternoon when I found out that I made a 4.0 in grad school! This has been the most insane semester yet (I had one teacher deported) and I am very thankful that it is over.

This is how I feel when I pay off debt...

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Waze

Since I drive go bit for my job (this week alone was nearly 800 miles in three days), I love when I can find technology that helps me get to my location efficiently. When I discovered this little unknown app called “Waze”, Mr. M and I tried it on our vacation to Florida early this summer.

The way it works is pretty simple. Once you download the app, you can input the place where you plan to travel to and it not only gives you directions like a GPS but it tells you were accidents, traffic and police are along your route. Best of all – it’s free!

I was not asked to write this recommendation (or paid) but thought that this was a great way to save money (aka not get a ticket) while you travel. Here’s a video that shows some of their new features.

Another book!

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As selfish as it may sound, we have added asking for God's help to get us out of debt into our daily prayers.  Mr. M and I know that through his work and blessings, we will be able to squash this debt by 2013.

And yesterday, God provided another blessing as we sold another book on Amazon. It's an old text book but that's $33 back into our pockets for the debt snowball. Whoo!

Drumroll....

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Mr. M and I got our debt snowball to under $10,000 and we paid off our LAST credit card. So far we've paid off $26,671.82 in two years. Whoo!

Our new total is $9,216.67. Still large but no so scary.

I cried.

I'm not sure if you were able to see this week's 60 Minutes story on Hard Times Generation. The Great Recession is entering its fifth year and I truly had no idea that there were so many homeless children in Florida. As the story unfolded, I cried as we could have easily fallen into their same situation.

While this debt snowball journey has been hard, we have been truly blessed. We have a roof over our head, clean water and soon we'll have dinner that is not out of a can.

We are blessed - so very blessed.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to my little blog! It's a bitter sweet day as two years ago I was at a really low point financially, mentally and spiritually.  We were in $33,837.53 and were basically maxed out.

Today, we have $10,491.13 left in our snowball.  Mr. M and I discussed the possibility of paying everything by 2013. Currently we pay a little over $1,000 and need about $600+ to take this debt to zero.

I know that God will provide for us and have put my trust in him that we can find that extra $600 each month.

40K

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You may remember my post from this spring concerning a past friend who had embezzled money from a non-profit. Today she turned herself in and it is now over the news. I never thought I would have a reporter track me down to ask for a comment but I did - not the highlight of my day.

Apparently, she stole more than I thought. Instead of a couple thousand dollars, it was reported that she took $40K. Seriously shaking my head...

So you STILL think God is a merciful God?!



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I still cannot wrap my head around what happened last Thursday night in Aurora, CO.

If you have not had the change to read A Minature Clay Pot post "So you STILL think God is a merciful God?!," take a moment to do so as it is from the prespective of someone there.

Prayers for those affected not only in the theatre but also those in community as you begin the healing process.

Buying a car...

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So here’s a confession – I’m not sure how to buy a car from a dealership. That sounds crazy right? The reason for this is due to the fact that I have always bought my car from friends of the family or from newspaper ads. So, going to a car dealership and trying to negotiate a professional is a bit of a game changer for us.

We have really saved to buy Mr. M’s car in cash and ironically, when we say “cash buyer”, the car dealers look at us as we are speaking a foreign language. Yes – we want to buy a car and no we do not need financing.

I will have been amazed by the different sellers that we have encountered and the variety of questions that we’re asked. Only one of the four has asked if we have a car to trade in and only another has shown us the safety features of a car.

It’s all a little eye opening.

So True.



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I love this song

Whether you think the Carly Rae Jespen's song "Call Me Maybe" is either cool or annoying, I love how Sesame Street put a spin on it with Cookie Monster. In other news to share...we melting our snowball some more with a grand total of $10491.13! Whoo!! I think I'll go find a cookie. :)

A few updates...

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I have been traveling a good bit in the last few weeks – hence the lack of updates. To answer an earlier question, I have no idea why my father decided to repeat his same mistakes. It’s like trying to make a rational argument for a situation that is truly irrational. He did reach out to me while I was traveling in Texas but I have not responded. Partly because I’m still angry over the situation and the other is to prove a point. If everyone instantly forgives him (like we did last time), he will not learn from his errors. In other news, we are looking at “new to us” cars tonight after work. Mr. M’s car is making a series of noises and now that I travel more, I want to make sure that he can get to work safely. It does us no good for his car to breakdown on the interstate while I’m on the other side of the country. Wish us luck!

House Equity

Having great friends are essential. Having a great friend how is a divorce lawyer is even better considering the situation that my family is in as she can give the best advice with my true interest at heart. One key tip that she gave us was to check out the equity in the home to see if my father had given away that money as well.

Equity in the home? No way. He wouldn’t give away the value of the home in addition to not paying the mortgage.

But he did to the tune of only leaving $10K LEFT in the home. So my parents are beyond being upside down in their home. My sister just emailed me that if they continued to work and paid an extra $280 each month, they might be done paying off the home in 2026. Swell.

The Bank.

 

The bank showed up at the front door of my parent’s home this weekend with a late notice. When trying to explain this to my sisters, the best example that I could come up with is Lynne Curtin from the Housewives of the OC. Embarrassment does not completely cover the cringe worthy feelings that I had when I was called with the news.

HOW DO YOU GET TO THIS POINT?

I PRAY that this was enough of a  sign to get my mother’s attention that she needed to fix this problem.

The Con-Artist Is Back

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Dad of the Year

So India strikes again. This weekend my sisters and I discovered that my father truly did not stop his emotional relationship with a much younger co-worker. Instead, he lied to us and continued to text India throughout the year. How he got caught is that he is so behind on his bills that he has a zero bank account and because he has a joint account with my mother, drained my mother’s personal account in the process.

That is how we discovered that my father stopped paying the mortgage payment three months. On top of that, he’s not paid most of the bills in the last three months AND took out eight pay-day loans. Yep – you read that right – eight pay-day loans. Why? To make sure India (who currently lives at a hotel) has a place to sleep, clothes, etc. and serving as a sugar daddy to her. The only problem is he doesn’t have any money so he’s borrowing on top of debt to keep this other woman happy.

So basically, my dad is idiot.

On Saturday, my sisters and my mother came to my house to create a game plan for my mother. This time around, the situation is more business than it is emotional. Not only has my father taken out numerous loans, he took out two credit cards in the last year in my mother’s name.

Of course he would.

Luckily, I do have a divorce lawyer who is a dear friend and ironically, I took out to lunch twelve hours before I found out about the new situation with my dad. (How’s that for timing?) She was gracious enough to come to our house to talk to my mom face to face. It was nice to have an outside voice reiterate what her daughters had been telling her for the last few hours. My mother will face financial hardships if she stays married to my dad or if she separates but if she separates then my dad can stop taking advantage of her.




Dental Insurance

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When I changed jobs in December, Mr. M and I decided that I would go on his insurance due to the infertility issues. Because of this decision, we somehow decided not to get dental insurance which I forgot about until I went to the dentist last week. Hello surprise $160 appointment fee! I guess as a bonus prize, my dentist found a cavity which I need to get fixed. So now we need the insurance and I’m shopping around. Any suggestions?

A shrinking snowball!

May was a very, very busy month for Mr. M and I with the doctor's appointment, work travel, R&R travel and finishing my spring semester and beginning summer session...it really did fly by.

What did not stop was our attack on our debt snowball as I am happy to report that we are under $12,000 with a grand total of

$11,996.69

We've paid off $26,671.82 as of yesterday in debt. Of our current debt, $2,500.38 is a credit card and a pledge and the rest is my undergraduate loan.


We're finally seeing the light and it is NOT an oncoming train! Pandora must of know that I was celebrating as this was the first song of the day. Happy Thursday!

A Good Chuckle

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Better

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In non-finance related news, Mr. M heard back from the doctors today concerning is results. Our doctor would still like us to come in and speak with him on May 1st but he wrote on the chart the word “better” according to the nurse.

At this point in our journey, I’ll take better than worse.

Tax Day Freebies

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

April 17th is officially tax day and with that, there are few freebies to enjoy.

Here is a list with links from Hip2Save.

So True.

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Throwing stones at glass houses?



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Last week, I was contacted by a headhunter to provide a reference for a “friend” as she is applying for new work. The word friend is used loosely as we have grown apart in the last year due the fact that she fired a mutual friend and stopped talking to not only the mutual friend but myself as well. I guess I was kicked out of the circle due to association.

Ironically, her husband works for Mr. M so we see each other at their work events but gone are the days of fun lunches or phone calls.

And then a few weeks ago, out of the blue, she decides to quit her job and proceeds to tell her husband through a text. We found out later that while she “resigned” from her job, it was forced as she in fact embezzled money from the organization. As an Executive Director of a Non-Profit, it only took a few days for the news of her departure to spread like wildfire through our small town. Now, this friend is living several states away and asking for a reference.

For those that are new readers, my father had an idiot moment with a Con-Artist less than a year ago and squandered away a good chunk of money. So part of me understands that my friend made a stupid mistake. However, the selfish side of me is not sure if I want to associated with someone who has made such an illegal act so publicly and at the same time has been mean/distant to me over the past year.

So, I guess my long-winded question is would you give a recommendation for my friend if you were in my situation?

Perspective

Today I was racing across town to make it to the dry cleaners before they close. I’m heading to Washington, DC as a guest speaker tomorrow afternoon and I needed the dress that was at the cleaners. Of course, it was raining and traffic at 5:20 was less than stellar.

And then the car in front of me was in an accident.

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Talk about slowing life down. It is so easy to be focused on me and completing tasks down to the last possible second.

I have got to be better at taking a deep breath and realize that everything will get done eventually.

Drumroll...

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Our LAST credit card is under $5,000!

Rambles...

1. Even though I’m not debt free yet, I am in a much better place than I was a year ago.


2. We’re in a sluggish point with our debt snowball. Even with though I have a new job with more pay, I’m on the road more. More road time = more gas. Lovely. We’re also trying to improve our house with projects that we should have fixed years ago…such as a leaky faucet or a front light so we stop falling down the front steps.

3. I am scared beyond words for my husband’s test results next month. It’s going to change us either for the better or worse and I’m trying my hardest to not comfort myself with food. So far, no luck but I am trying.

The Big 3-0

Today is my 30th birthday. :) There is so much to accomplish in my next 30 years!

Big Gift?

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My mother always taught me to accept a gift with grace and to always say thank you. But what do you do when you feel you’ve received a gift that is to big? In a few weeks, I’m heading to Washington, DC to speak to college women on leadership and contacted my best friend that I would be in her state.

Knowing that I’m frugal, she kindly agreed to pick me up from the airport and attend the event with me which saved me a rental car and a hotel room. This act is something that I am very grateful for since we’re still paying down our debt snowball and in the end it saves me money. I had found a round trip flight to the city for $196.00 but the airport was an extra hour away, so she asked me to change the airport for her. In the end it cost me a little more in airfare ($293) but I chalked it up to free place to sleep/free transportation so in my opinion – it comes out even in the end.

With my birthday just a few days away, she sent me a check for my gift. The amount is for $150.00. To me, it this seems a little much and that I should really send it back but then the little voice in my head keeps repeating “debt snowball…debt snowball”. So what would you do? Would you give the check back and tell your friend that the gift while kind is too generous? Or do you keep the check and use it towards your debt snowball?

This is how I feel today...

Online Banking

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How often do you visit your bank online? I’m sitting on a conference call for work and just heard that on average, 25% of online users visit their online bank site each day. With all of my issues with my personal bank, I fall into that category as I religiously check my account daily. There are days that I check it several times.







According to my work presentation, nearly as many people bank online as visit social networking sites. How interesting is that? Do you think that it’s due to the economy or are we more hyper-aware of what is going on with our bank account because we have more access to it due to the Internet?

Goodbye...

TO CREDIT CARD #3!!!!

We paid it off BEFORE March! Our new goal is to buckle down and pay off the last credit card by our anniversary date which is the end of May.

True Confession.

 True confession - I cry listening to Dave Ramsey callers on Fridays.


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I know...sappy right? Now that I’m traveling more (last week I spent 1/3 of my work week in a car), I try to catch up on Dave’s show via podcast which helps the time pass. I don’t know why but every time that I hear a touching debt-free story that involves children counting down with their parents, I cry and it is because I know that they are changing their family tree.


If you have never heard Dave’s Friday call-in shows, I encourage you to do so as it is a real motivator in becoming debt free.

Happy Monday!

Sorry for the lack of posts. It seems that I'm more on the road then infront of a computer lately. Heard this song on Pandora today and thought it was a perfect song to start the week.

Feed the Pig

I checked out the Feed the Pig website tonight and it does have some helpful tips for those trying to save money and get out of debt. The talking pig is a little...well...eerie but I did enjoy the 5% Challenge was interesting.

Check it out...

$5 Gas?

I saw this blog entry make the rounds today on Twitter and thought I'd pass it on: http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-bargain-hunter/2012/01/30/wes-moss-could-gas-really-hit-5-a-gallon/?cxntfid=blogs_atlanta_bargain_hunter

Sorry that I can't hyperlink it for you, I'm still learning how to blog from my phone.

I feel like we go through this gas roller coaster every spring when it comes to gas. Will we hit $5 or will we not, I have no idea. I do know that I have started tracking my gas to the penny since I've started this new job.

Saving $55

Today I went to a yoga class and enjoyed an hour of rock climbing completely free. How?

It's January and everyone is trying to show off their gyms in hopes you'll join. I'll probably go back to the yoga studio but the rock climbing (over $ 20 a person) will be saved for a special treat.

Cheers from Facebook

Yesterday I was having a so-so day and felt that even with the under $1,00 mark, Mr. M and I aren't doing enough to take down our debt. I guess there are many times that all of us feel a little sluggish in our journey of melting our own personal debt snowball.

Then I logged into Facebook and saw a post from a photographer that I follow. It simply stated, "Should we try to call Dave Ramsey on Friday?? Because we can if we want to. ;-)"

Totally perfect and kicked my motivation back into gear. I had no idea that she and her husband were on Dave's plan and then out of the blue, she provided a reminder that I needed that we can do this and there is an end date to this mess.

Under $1,000!

We reached a milestone today - under the $1,000 mark on credit card #3! Whoo!

The Joys of Technology

I write this from my smart phone as I'm trying to find a more efficient way of posting due to my travel schedule.

I'm constantly amazed by the power if technology.

In other news, this was my fortune after a delicious dinner of chinese take out. I interpret it that we'll be debt free in 2 months. :) Here's to making it happen!

Remember to...

{photo credit unknown}

These last few days have been a whirlwind with work as I'm trying to balance work and

my personal life.  It's not working out the best so far  work is still taking up a good bit of my day. Whoever said "work from home" was a walk in the park was kidding themselves.

On a positive note, I've burned up so many miles on the road that I found out today

I should receive a reimbursement check of $1,700...simply for mileage. 

Good thing I like my car. :) We plan to apply that to Credit Card #2 so it would wipe it out.

Happy 2012!

I hope you all had a great (and safe) time ringing in the New Year. Mr. M and I had a low key party since he is recovery from surgery.  We did organized a few rooms in our house, start the Christmas clean up and go for a walk. All in all - a great day.

My poor car.

Update on the MAACO incident. Here is the picture of the largest scratch on my car which was the main reason why I wasn't a happy camper last week. I did call the store first thing this morning and e-mailed over the photos. The store manager sounded like he planned to take care of it and fix the problem but it is a pain to deal with since I use this car for my job. I'm trying to be more patient with others during 2012 and I'm sure that this issue is going to be my test.