2011 Goals #1 & #2

First off, i rebounded from my 0-4 NFL Playoffs Divisional weekend by going 2-0 last week.  I'd also like to point out that I picked the Packers to be in the Super Bowl back in September in my NFL Predictions post - unfortunately the opponent I picked for them, our Colts, did not make it.  I was also off on most of my picks, but came close to nailing the Favre one...oh well.   I'm now 4-6 for the NFL Playoffs and 31-16 on the year.   Best year I've ever had and a winning % a professional gambler would kill for. 

I've identified two goals for 2011.  I may add a few more over the next two months. 

Goal #1 - Become more flexible.  Seriously.  I wake up almost every morning w/ my lower back in pain....this wasn't happening 5 years ago.  Even when I was playing college tennis, I was never really that flexible.  I'm possibly the only college tennis player in history who can't touch his toes while stretching.   Sounds dumb, I know, but i want to be able improve my flexibility.  I think this will help w/ my lower back pain, which I assume is being caused because I'm still fairly active w/ tennis, basketball, and lifting (and a little running).  To achieve this, I'm going to stretch about 1000% more than I was doing on a daily basis, which was minuscule at best.  In addition, there are many types of exercise class On Demand that I can follow along to for free, including Yoga. 

Goal #2 - Actually buy a spare bed for the other bedroom so friends or family who stay at my house don't have to sleep on a couch.  Most likely I'll just by myself new bedroom furniture for my room and then just move my current bed into the other room.  Slowly becoming more domesticated.  Mom - you still have to call before you come and visit. 

Ritter alumni league started this past week.  I played OK for the first time out - 2-3 dumb passes/turnovers that Andy, Dave, & Scott can attest too, but it felt good to run full court and hit a few shots.  We won as well, so that's always good.  Booked my Mexico trip to Playa del Carmen for Matt & Abby's destination wedding - super excited for the all-inclusive awesomeness.

dusting off the rust

Ritter Alumni BBall league starts next sunday (1/23).   The gym was open this morning though so Dave, Scott, and I went to shoot around and try to dig deep into our inner trenches and remember how to play basketball.  It seems like forever since I last played, which was last September.  I don't think we shook off enough rust, not to mention I was gassed after about 3 minutes of playing 2 on 2.  We'll see how an actual game goes next week. 

NFL Playoffs.  First and foremost, the Colts loss was very disappointing, although it was a great atmosphere and fun game to be at.  Watching the Steelers play the Ravens last night, I think it would have been tough to see us beating that team, but it would have been nice to get the chance. 

It's also fairly funny how things have changed in the last 2 years in regards to Colts feelings towards the Patriots when compared to the Jets.  Obviously 99% of Colts fans want NE to lose every time they take the field, but I think the resounding sentiment currently is that most Colts fans are starting to hate the Jets worse than the Pats.  It's just sorta weird to hear Colts fans say "I hope the Patriots kill the Jets"  .... but I think I'm with them.  It's just hard to hate Tom Brady anymore, you just gotta respect him (unless your Antonio Cromartie).

2-2 last week in the playoff bets.  Rough start to this round going 0-2 yesterday, bringing me to 2-4 in the playoffs.  However, still 29-16 on the year, so gotta keep it in perspective.  2-0 today would be nice....going w/ the Seahawks (+10) and the Patriots (-9).   I want the Bears to win, but hard to give double digit points to a team that scored 40 last week.  I'd love to see a Bears/Packers NFC title game, so lets go Bears!

Tax season is picking up - time to battle not becoming a hermit for the next 3 months.  On a positive note, IU won by 19 POINTS over hated Michigan last night!!  where the hell did that come from? 

NFL Playoffs

January, ugh.  Cold, tax season begins, it's dark.  just a bad month...however, the NFL Playoffs begin which brings a smile to most of our faces.  The Colts once again are in the playoffs, so I'll be spending my Saturday night at Lucas Oil watching us take down the Jets.  On a sidenote, I love how the NFL charges season ticket holders for playoff games that we "could" host.  So Dave and I already had to pay for a potential AFC Championship game that we could theoretically host - oh at about 65% markup over regular season prices as well.  Oh well, if we don't host, they just apply it to our 2011 regular season tickets.

As is tradition I bet on every NFL playoff game.  I started in 2008 and went 9-2.  Unfortunately it's been down hill ever since.  6-5 in 2009 and then 3-8 last year.  However, there is hope.  For the 2010 NFL regular season I'm a startling 27-12 (69.6%) on my actual bets, which includes my Vegas trip.  I also pick every game against the spread (no $ wagered) just to track how I do on all games and I came in around 55% for the year.   Here are my picks for Wild-Card weekend

Seahawks (+10.5), Colts (-2.5), Ravens (-3), Eagles (-3). 

I hate picking the Eagles over the Packers, considering the Packers were my pre-season NFC Champion pick (NFL Predictions post).  Speaking of my NFL predictions, i only got 6 of the 12 playoff teams, but did get a few of my other predictions correct. 

In other news, the Ritter HS Alumni Basketball league starts up on Sunday January 23rd.  We finally won the league last year so looks like we have a title to defend.  Looking forward to it!  Thanks to my friend Kara, I went to Crackers Comedy Club this past Thursday.  It'd been a few years since i'd gone to a comedy show, but it was well worth it.  All of the acts were good, but the headliner, Tim Gaither, had the audience rolling!!  I highly suggest you catch him live or on Comedy Central features. 

Colts 29, Jets 24 - GO HORSE!

45 days & Top 10 Song List!!

It's been over a month since my last post, and I'm not apologizing for the delay.  Work was extremely busy in December (more than normal), I was in Vegas for 4 days, trip to Nashville, TN for work but saw some friends as well, Adult Winter Prom 2010 (ok, so it was just a house party where we just in formal wear...sorta), 2 Pacers games, Thanksgiving weekend, Xmas weekend, and now approaching New Years. 

Vegas was awesome as usual.  Good to get out there w/ Marko for once - first time I've gone out w/ him.  Andy also went and I think that's our 3rd time being out there together.  A lot of good gambling stories, including learning the intricacies of how to play Craps (and not just betting the Pass Line only - thanks Marko), turning $10 into $500 at a blackjack table, and hitting my first ever NFL parlay bet.

But now, the moment I've been working towards, albeit mentally, since our Athens GA road trip back in October.  During the drive down, I think it was Scott who presented the idea that we all should come up w/ our lists, or maybe he said one of his friends had done it and he thought it was a must that our circle of friends do it as well. 

This is a lot harder than you would think, so i needed a process to get started. 

• Step 1 - Open ITunes, grab a beer  
• Step 2 - Go through 2,000 song list by artist, jotting down favorite song by artist
• Step 2a - Grab second beer
• Step 3 - Shrink 2,000 songs down to Top 30
• Step 4 - Grab another beer
• Step 5 - Take Top 30 and make the tough decision on which songs crack the Top 10

Really the only requirement that I used was "Would I ever turn this song off it came on the radio/ITunes."  If I could answer YES to that question, then it did not qualify.  I obviously like music, all different types (minus most country), so it was tough to go through and realize that many songs that even though i may "like" them, they didn't pass the radio/ITunes test.....thus not included.  In addition, every song that made my Top 10 List, and most that were in the Top 30, all have some sort of story or memory attached to it on why I have a fondness for it.  Most memories revolve around high school/college or the few years after college, but nevertheless, they take me to a good place when I hear them.   HERE WE GO....

#1 - Sweet Child of Mine - Guns & Roses. 
#2 - Clocks - Coldplay
#3 - Under the Bridge - Red Hot Chili Peppers
#4 - Two Step - Dave Matthews Band
#5 - Wonderwall - Oasis
#6 - Let Her Cry - Hootie & the Blowfish
#7 - Up All Night - Counting Crows
#8 - Burden in My Hand -Soundgarden
#9 - Yesterday - The Beatles
#10 - California Love - 2Pac / Dr. Dre

Honorable Mention:  Life in Technicolor II (Coldplay), One (Metallica), Remember the Time (Michael Jackson), Learn to Fly (Foo Fighters), Mr. Brightside (The Killers), Clumsy (Our Lady Peace) Walking in Memphis (Marc Cohn), The Valley Road (Bruce Hornsby), I Walk Alone (Oleander), Separate Ways (Journey). 

There ya go - Top 10, w/ another 10 for good measure.

Since the new year will be upon us, i'm sure my next post will be about my 2011 goals.  I had 3 goals for 2010.  I completed goal #1 (boxing class), about 20% completion on increasing culinary skills to what I had previously envisioned, and a 0% completion rate on learning the whole Thriller dance (readers choice goal, sorry people who voted for that!).  I also did not do any baby-sitting, which was 2nd in votes for my 3rd goal.  We'll see what 2011 brings...   

Thankful

Since I don't have a family of my own, my holiday traditions/routines still revolve around my parents and family up in Elkhart.  Nothing wrong w/ that, I enjoy the Holidays up in northern Indiana.  However, I do have a Thanksgiving tradition in Indy that i've been lucky enough to be a part of for at least 7 years or so now.  Every year around this time, my Ritter crew group of friends all get together and do a dinner theme at someone's house.   I believe the first time we did this was either the 1st or 2nd year at "The Plex" (1st or 2nd year after college) and we had a traditional Thanksgiving dinner at the house.  Since then it's evolved into a different food theme each year.   This year the theme was Italian/Pizza.  The dinner was tonight at Dave & Mo's house and was attended by the usual crew (Scott/Sara, Andy & his friend Elizabeth, Gigi/Matt, Matt/Abby, The Bucks, and then the oddball - me).  Now as we are getting a bit older, there are some young children involved as well.  As always, it was a good time as we ate, drank beer/wine, and rehashed numerous stories that we've told for years that date back to either their Ritter high school days, or our college & post college days.  I've heard their Ritter high school stories so many times I feel like I was there. 

Driving home tonight after our dinner, I got to thinking about many of the things in my life that I'm thankful for, so I thought I'd list a few.  

- I'm thankful for my group of Ritter HS / U of I college friends.  Dave, Scott, Andy, and Matt had a strong bond between them from their Ritter HS days and I've been blessed to have been infused into the group.  So much so that I was part of Scott's wedding and will also be in a groomsman in Dave/Mo & Matt/Abby's weddings in 2010. 

- The countless memories that i have w/ those 4 guys mentioned above, including all the debacles that have taken place over the past 10 years.  After all, who can forget these classics (in no particular order:)

• Matt getting knocked out (and possibly concussed) by a tequila bottle at my apartment either junior or senior year of college.  Or Matt concussing himself in a downtown Indy parking garage after a night out at the Ratheskellar.
• The cruises that both Dave and Matt have gone on w/ me
• Multiple trips to Windsor (Canada) and Vegas
• Ritter alumni basketball league.  Ritter alumni golf outings
• My 21st b-day.  Andy's 21st b-day. 
• At least 8 or 9 of the past 10 New Years Eves
• Various weddings of friends of ours that we've gone too
• The night before our college graduation - not sure if Scott remembers this....
• Trips up to Lafayette to visit Gaddis
• Concerts/music festivals
• Halloween awesomeness

- I'm thankful for many of my other non-Ritter friends as well, including my high-school buddies and many other friends that I met at U of I

- I'm thankful for my relationship w/ Marko - a kid who grew up in a different part of the world (Croatia) and taught me a lot about understanding other cultures/traditions

- I'm thankful for my family

- I'm thankful for my job/career/coworkers.  It has really helped shape me over the past 7 years - as well as provided some financial means to help produce many of the memories above. 

That's enough reflection for the night.  On other notes, the Pacers took their talents to South Beach tonight and pouneded LeBron and the Heat.  That was fairly shocking!  NFL bets are approaching historical proportions...well historic for me...73%!!  I still have 5 more weeks and the Playoffs for the laws of gambling to catch up to me, but i can't complain!

Vegas trip w/ Marko and Andy in less than 2 weeks.  We will be there Dec 3-6 - should be a blast as usual!  We are staying at Bally's...I hope I don't get the H1N1 flu this year like I did last year.  I won't have Dr. Scott w/ me this time to call in prescriptions of Tamiflu for me. 

No funny video link tonight.  Enjoy Thanksgiving!

your quick tax education

This post has nothing to do w/ me personally, my adventures of awesomeness, my kick-ass NFL gambling record (68% in case you're curious), the best holiday ever (a.k.a Halloween), or my upcoming trip to Vegas.  None of it.  This post will educate my friends and family members about what could possibly happen w/ your taxes for 2011 (April 2012 filing) barring any shocking legislation from Congress.

Most of you have probably heard the term "Bush Tax Cuts."  This comes from 2001 and 2003 tax laws that lowered taxes for all Americans and took the capital gains and dividend tax rates down to 15% (and 0% in some people's cases).  Capital gains for most people come into play on stock sales/gains.  The top tax rate was lowered from 39.6% to 35%.  A 10% bracket was installed.  The current tax rate system progresses as follows - 10%, 15%, 25%, 28%, 33%, 35%.  As you  make more money, you progress into a higher rate.  For example, the 10% bracket for a married couple is used on your first $16k of income, then 15% rate is used on income between $16k & $68k, and so forth.  These rates benefit all US taxpayers. 

In addition to the lower tax rates, the Bush Tax Cuts also installed various deductions and increased tax credits for people, most notably the increased Child Tax Credit from $500 up to $1,000.  These credits are straight reductions of your tax liability and typically increase your refund.  Most middle class families get a benefit for these child tax credits (they get phased out at approximately $150-160k of gross income).  So for the majority of American families, these credits decrease the amount they owe or increase their refund.  There are numerous other deductions and credits that the Bush Tax Cuts increased or extended that for the most part apply to 90% of American taxpayers (excluding the wealthy mainly because they get phased out due to income limitations).

The Bush Tax Cuts also increased the estate tax exemptions amounts, saving normal families millions of dollars in estate tax. 

Now, fast forward - these cuts expire at the end of 2010.  If Congress does nothing, the Bush Tax Cuts go away and everything reverts to what it was pre-Bush Tax Cuts.  Most of you have probably heard some of this in the media and how Obama wants to essentially eliminate these cuts.  Without getting into too many details, the basic way this is spun to the public is that the lower 15% capital gains rate will go away for people who make more than $250k.  The "tax argument" is being spun to be a rich vs poor argument.  Tax the rich more since they make more $$$ - i get it, it makes sense and does have validity, but THERE IS A HUGE PIECE YOU AREN'T BEING TOLD.   You don't know what you don't know and this is why many people are going to be in for a rude awakening in the winter/spring 2012 when they file their 2011 taxes and see that their typical refunds have been slashed in half or have disappeared all together.   Bear w/ me now.....

If Congress does absolutely nothing or they only extend the capital gains 15% rate for people under $250k, the Obama administration is going to spin it as "See, we are raising taxes on the rich."  However, what you are not being told is that the tax bracket rates for all Americans is going to raise. 

That 10% rate bracket - GONE.  The lowest rate will be 15%.  So you're already missing out on a 5% savings for the first $16k of income (or $800 is what your refund will shrink by) Next rate will be 28% - no 25% rate, so another 3% increase.  Oh, and those lovely $1,000 child tax credits for kids under the age of 16, those will decrease to $500/kid. 

Let's say we have a young married couple - husband makes $50k and wife works part-time and is still in school.  They also have a kid.  Their refund is going to shrink from say $2,000 to maybe $700.  A $1,300 difference!  For a young family that only makes $50k annually, $1,300 decrease in cash flow is a fairly big deal.  (This example is hypothetical and there are many other factors that could come into play here, but you get the picture)

Here's the point - don't be fooled when you hear that taxes are only going to go up for the rich.  The message you aren't hearing is that credits and deductions are going to be reduced/eliminated as well as tax rate brackets may disappear....   Deductions being slashed and credits being reduced is also known as "A TAX INCREASE," but again, that message isn't being portrayed.  Everyone's taxes are going to go up, but portraying that message doesn't win Presidential elections.  The stimulus & health care reform packages have to be paid from somewhere and the the rich already pay 90% of this country's taxes. 

There has been recent rumors surrounding what Congress may or may not do, and w/ the recent election, who knows what will happen.  It's possible they could extend the Bush Tax Cuts for another few years, which would postpone the scenario outlined above.  I'm not even going to get into that here - way to many variables there. 

If you liked this post, let me know and I can try to provide more similar to this into my blog routine.  With the end of the year approaching and the House being turned back over to the Republicans, we could be in for some interesting tax legislation in the next few months - or absolutely no activity at all because Congress won't be able to come to an agreement on anything.

BC

here we go

So a quick update on my life.  Had a sweet skin infection in early/mid September which shut me down for about 3 weeks.  Seriously, one day i could barely walk to due to the "area" being inflamed and extremely painful - not to mention it was in a fairly uncomfortable place on my leg/thigh.  Luckily my kick ass immune system finally beat it, with the assistance of some high dosage antibiotics and awesome pain pills.  This is the really the first time in my adult life that i've had something seriously wrong w/ me (outside of minor rotator cuff issues).   3 weeks w/ no alcohol, no physical activity, and basically no fun. 

But now i'm back.  Took Dad to the Colts game against Chiefs - his first experience at Lucas Oil Stadium...i think he enjoyed it, even though the game was a little dull....19-9, how many times do you see that as a final score for the NFL game?  

Heading to Georgia on Thursday (10/14) until Sunday for the annual "Act Like I'm Still in College Trip", which involves hanging around college bars on the beautiful campus of the University of Georgia, drinking way way way too much, tailgating for an SEC game, eating too many grilled/fried foods, and all foolishness that comes in between those things.   Convinced Andy to go w/ us this year, so he along w/ Scott making his second trip will hit the road (9 1/2 hour drive) down to Athens Georgia to meet up w/ my high school buddy, Craig Hisey.  Always fun! 

Gambling - been fairly decent the past month.  Great start to the NFL season, going 7-3 through 5 weeks.  Been playing a little more online poker lately w/ some of the free time I had due to my infection and that's been steady also. 

Final notes - season 3 of the Sons of Anarchy (FX) and the new Boardwalk Empire (HBO) have been awesome.  I've also been watching FX's new show, Terriers, and that's been good as well.  Very excited the MLB playoffs have started - already some great drama/moments!

My final thought - this song has been in my head for days for some reason, so naturally I felt like I needed to see the video, as well as share w/ all of you  Seriously, the hair styles in the 80's are fantastic - i really think I missed out since I was in my 1-9 years during that decade.  And doesn't the lead singer look a little like a young Paul McCartney or is that just me?