**Well, dh is set up for a MRI after all. We have been told that his symptoms are not in line with a stroke or a brain tumor, but they want to dot their i's and cross their t's. Basically, his other doctor does not agree with not doing further testing.

Which is fine. Financially, we won't get the bill for months or years anyway. (Is there a statute on medical bills? Drives me a little mad how slow they can be to bill...)

Though makes 2009 extraordinarily ugly as far as Murphy goes. But HDHP is far more affordable than old plan, and this isn't anything I am going to sweat. Medical emergencies are no time to sweat - plenty of cash in the bank.

Unfortunately, have to wait 2 weeks, and who knows when we will get any results, with the holidays. I think we both feel a bit anxious in the interim.

So, yes, something is going on, but that's about it!

**Otherwise, it's rather quiet.

November is filled with slow days at work, and days off for continuing education seminars.

Dh's folks visited last weekend; mine this weekend. Trying to work a weekend in the Sierras (at the family cabin), perhaps the following weekend. Then we host Thanksgiving, as usual.

The seminars could be spendy with parking and meals out. But most of the rest is going to be pretty darn cheap. Thanksgiving is a potluck of sorts, and we always have more free turkeys than we know what to do with.

**I set out quite a few bags for charity I while back, and later I found I forgot 2 of them. I also have some more fragile items to pack up.

I forgot one charity pickup in between, but just got notice of another one in the next week. Will feel good to clear out the rest of that clutter.

**I earned 2 free items at the Oroweat store, with my punch card. Will try to pick up 2 free loaves of bread this week. That may be it for this week's bread purchase.

**Still working on getting an account set up at Alliant CU. Their interest rate is still 2%. Ally's has dropped to 1.55% in the interim. Good time to move - I can see the writing on the wall that GMAC/Ally will most likely drop their old MM accounts with checking option. I'll keep a token amount in there since their rates have been historically higher, but looks like Alliant will be a better place for most of our cash, for now. Application is processing.

Ironically, I had to send all sorts of personal info to them because of my ID theft. I told dh that I have to reveal more personal info than usual because of the ID theft. IT just feels so wrong. I had to mail off a copy of my SS card, for one. Ugh! It's just the way it is...

**I get the sense that people (like the Dave Ramsey and extreme anti-debt crowd) mistake my nonchalance about credit cards as cockiness. As I am told over and over that using credit cards will end up biting me in the ass.

Hmmmm, thing is I use credit cards on my terms. & if I had to drop them all tomorrow, not sure I'd particularly care. It's not that I don't think my rewards will dry up or that I will get charged annual fees. It's that I don't care and have no problem dropping them like hot potatoes if that is the better choice. Anyone else frustrated by this distinction?

Stupid me for arbitraging 0% loans into 6% FDIC-insured cash returns, averaging $750/year in cash rewards, and for using my excellent FICO score for rock bottom mortgage rates and favorable insurance rates. How could I be so stupid???

Since I've played this game for about 14 years, I Am not terribly worried about it. & I am certainly not opposed to paying everything with cash if it is the better option. It just isn't, yet...