Surviving the Polar Vortex

Some people are reporting frost quakes in the Midwest.  It's a strange phenomenon that occurs when there is a sudden temperature drop and saturated rock or soil cracks.  It sounds like an explosion.  We saw a new record in our town yesterday when the wind chill hit -46º during the day.  I kept my outside time to less than five minutes in order to prevent frostbite.  The winds have stopped blowing today which makes the outside air feel about 22º warmer than yesterday.

I would like to thank my friends and family for all the prayers during our weather challenges.  Hell may have frozen over during this last storm but we are thriving.  The polar vortex will soon be a memory.  Have a great day.

50 Days Until Spring

This is the officially the coldest day I've ever witnessed in my lifetime.  The overnight temps dipped to -24º without the wind chill.  We may see wind chill temps nearing -60º by tomorrow.  My wife and I are staying indoors today.  The good news is the sun is shining and the insulation in our home is working well.  Our water still runs and we are safe.  Our son's six pound chihuahua cut her outside business time to a record of 90 seconds this morning and she's happy we're home today to snuggle with her.  For those who are struggling to get through this arctic vortex, remember this – 50 Days until Spring.  Have a great day.

The Positive in the Negative

It's been seven years since my new life began in the Midwest.  Those who were making bets I wouldn't survive may be shocked to see how I adapted to my new surroundings.  The temps may be in the negative for a while but my own attitude will forever stay on the positive side.  There is so much to be thankful for.  The sunsets and the sunsets are glorious with the pristine snow blanketing the fields around me.  The photo for today's story is a sunrise shot looking out over my backyard.  My friends at Ace Hardware helped me with the supplies I needed to rig a temporary solution when the washing machine drain froze yesterday.  Other than that challenge, the house is holding up well in the extreme conditions.

Life is an adventure.  I'm not waiting to get to the top of the mountain to enjoy it.  There are so many blessings along the way that I often find I'm pinching myself to see if all of this is real.  There aren't any tracks in the snow this morning.  They're all covered up from the last storm.  That means it's time to make my own tracks today and go out into the world to see what's awaiting.  If it's anything like the sunrise, it's going to be a great day.  We are all preparing for our coldest day ever tomorrow.  I've never seen a sunrise at -55º with the windchill but I have a feeling it's going to be one I will never forget.  Have a great day.

Who Will Win the Cold War?

The polar vortex is coming.  The only thing worse than a frigid day is a frigid, windy day.  This week we will have frigid and wind.  Windchills are forecast as low as -55º for Wednesday.  Batteries fail.  Electricity goes out.  The roads become unnavigable.  This is Mother Nature's war and we're on the receiving end of her relentless attacks.  This is life-threatening.  Who will win this man vs. nature cold war?

Jesus promises he's preparing a place for us. I'm pretty sure Mother Nature isn't on the VIP list.  This planet we're living on is merely a waiting room.  Maybe we're being tested to see how strong our faith is in times likes these.  I do know one thing I've learned from these conditions – there is in me an invincible summer.  Have a great day.

Travel Rewards Enhance Vacation Opportunities

Buy now.  Pay later.  Get approved instantly with no interest for 12 months.  How many times a day are we flooded with these kinds of messages from people who are betting on us to overspend so we become slaves to their interests?  One of their favorite strategies is to team up in order to make the temptations even more enticing.  Airlines are partnering with banks to offer out of this world travel rewards.  Hotels are doing the same.  Rental car companies have their own preferred partners.  Are these deals worth it or are they a trap?  It depends.

Exotic vacations are really popular this time of the year in the Midwest.  We will probably break the record for the coldest temps ever this week.  That's why travel rewards are so enticing.  Everyone is looking for an escape.  I believe these rewards can be a great solution when used properly.  I figured out a way to get some free hotel rooms, a discounted rental car and enough credit card reward money to pay for a trip to Maui in a couple of months.  I'm doing this by keeping a promise to my wife that all of these rewards will stop should we end up paying interest on our credit card.  This means we must never make a charge unless the money is already in our checking account.  This keeps us out of the debt trap.  I recommend you get out of debt before giving this idea a try.  The rewards are great if you can avoid interest charges.  Have a great day.

Endurance

Promise yourself you will prevail in all circumstances.  There will be many times when your opponents seem larger than life.  Mother Nature is looking for the knockout punch next week.  Round one started this morning.  She has a series of one-two punches in the later rounds all next week.  Windchill temps will reach -35º or more.  I only know one thing about what's ahead – I'm going the distance.

Rocky Balboa understood something about winning.  He deliberately chose to train in a place where there were no modern day distractions.  He used Mother Nature to be his trainer rather than his adversary.  I'm doing the same thing.  Mother Nature can push as hard as she wants.  She's teaching me how to counter punch when the odds are against me.  I'm stronger than ever.  It's all about endurance.  Remember that the next time you find yourself in a tough situation.  You can do this.  Have a great day.

It's a Par on First Hole of Debt Reduction

Mr. ABC Mortgage banker is showing signs of stress today.  I told myself the first hole on the virtual debt reduction course was going to be the hardest because I'm a rookie playing against one of the most challenging opponents of all times and my opponent knows my weaknesses.  Debt reduction is serious business.  I set up a 36 month plan to win financial freedom and previewed all the potential problem areas where I could easily get off course and fail early.  That's why I put so much energy into hole number one.  The first hole is like going to work on Monday.  You may feel out of sync after a weekend of fun and the last thing you want to do is think about debt reduction.  Where's the fun?  The next weekend seems so far away on a Monday.  I went to bed early on New Year's Eve to prevent the hangover at the start of the game.  It's all mental.  As Vince Lombardi says, "winning is a habit.  Unfortunately, so is losing."  I wanted my first two strokes of the game to come in at par and today I sunk the putt.  Hole number one is complete.

Mr. ABC Mortgage banker hopes I will go back to my old ways soon before my winning habits become a permanent lifestyle.  My goal is to keep improving as I go and not worry if I encounter unexpected challenges during the game.  It just so happens that New Year's Eve, 2021, falls on a Friday.  Yes, it seems really far away but I'm already thinking about how much fun that day is going to be for my wife and me if I don't give up on debt reduction.  The only one with the hangover will be Mr. ABC Mortgage banker.  Have a great day.