Justified...

jus·ti·fy

 [ jústi f ]   

1. make something seem reasonable: to serve as an acceptable reason or excuse for something
2. give somebody reason: to give somebody an acceptable reason for taking a particular action
3. explain something: to give a reason or explanation why something was done

I was just talking to my boss...and realized I used this word about a bazillion times... 

Why did I do that?  Oh... I don't know... Maybe because I bought another Nikon...  and an instant film camera...with money that I wasn't really counting on being there after I strapped my family to a budget rocket headed for our future savings goal. 

We have already had most of our FUN after I put the savings money in savings.  That money is "gone" now and not to be returned to...and then there's the NEW savings I set up...the 401k.  Which doesn't exist.  That's what I tell myself so I don't feel like I'm getting screwed out of money. 

I had a nice long talk with my CPA and she and I decided that maybe after NEXT year, I will raise my deductions so I can have more money with each check.  I don't like using the IRS as a savings account.  I make sure that my state deductions are just enough so that I don't owe... because FUCK JERRY BROWN AND CALIFORNIA STATE TAX BULLSHIT ... that's why... Moving on...

I justify everyday the decisions I make because I want them to make sense not just to me but to the rest of my little family unit and maybe a few people outside of it.  I justify that I get my hair done every 6 weeks, I justify getting our cars maintenanced often as they need it because it will save me money in the long run and they're both paid off... I justify NOT having credit card debt because I bought my house and utilities now report to credit bureaus so THERE"S my credit bitches... I had to justify my marriage to a person need not speak his name, I had to justify the move I made after high school, I justify it all...I justified not touching my deductions yet because I want a trip to New York...and then I will change it.  It amazes me every time my boss lady tells me what my Gross Income is... and I laugh and I think of the person out there that might actually get to take all that home...cause that's not me.  I don't get to do that.  But I do get to cover my whole family on all kinds of awesome insurance plans and I do get to have a retirement fund and I do have the FSA Section 125...until next year that is.

Our payroll company is rad, the people are awesome, I do NOT like how they roll with the section 125.  All of a sudden, and I mean as of last year, I have nothing but problems trying to get them to take my claims.  I have re-sent so many claims it is ridiculous.  Basically ending in threatening them with coming down there (all the way to upstate NY) and shaking my fist in their faces and spitting all over their keyboards on their desks with their kitties and puppies and nephews and nieces...  I just had to do it again.  They are trying to deny me my claim for my glasses because I really need the anti glare coating on my lenses.  I already pay out of pocket for the lenses and now I want money back that is already mine from this reimbursement fund.  Eff them, I could use that extra money in check and I am going to take it next year!  No more Section 125 for me!  I want to take my family on a vacation back east to Up State New York, so I want one more big tax return, and unless something awful happens to our house... it's ON!!!!  Owning a home does that to you.  It's another compartment of the brain that I didn't know I had and it's open all the time.  Sitting there with the adding machine everytime a drain doesn't drain properly or a light flickers or a bug shows up out of nowhere making me wonder if I have an infestation on my hands or maybe it's just a hot day and hot days bring the bugs in the house sometimes...

If it doesn't happen next year,  then I am going to take ANOTHER year to do it... but once I get my trip back east, we are taking our deductions up so I can get more money on my check... 

I tell you all that I guess to tell you this...

Growing up, I remember my mom and dad fighting about money a lot...  And I wouldn't change it for the world because I think it made me a more fiscally responsible person.  I really do.  And I think it's great that I found my awesome hubby who comes from humble means.  We don't fight about money, we don't even discuss it heatedly.  It's always a calm, cool, collected conversation that begins well, ends well, and boom... onto the next topic.  So when I went to sell my current camera to purchase the new one, he asked me why?  And not just "why?" but Why?! WHY?!? JESUS WHY?!?!?!  and I thought that was odd.  He has tighter wallet strings than me!  He has a velcro wallet that works TOO well because he wants to be discouraged to open it ever.  I thought it was weird to question me on it.  I explained it was because I was just too responsible to do otherwise...  And the reason I decided to get this new camera is because I really think it will be the end all be all camera for me for a really LOOOOOONG ass time.  I already love it, have used it and played with it and "That's Amore"...  I really thought he was joking.  I really should have been a lawyer...

When I decided I wanted the instant camera so I could better fill the pages in Mary's baby book like I did for Harley's with the JoyCam Polaroids, I didn't want him thinking I would get a gadget for gadget's sake...so I justified it.  And when I got it and used it and started to fill the pages immediately with these perfectly sized little photos, he got it, it clicked and we moved on.  Not that he NEEDED it justified to him, but I did it anyway just to make sure...and when I said I was trying to justify the purchase of the new Nikon with the Tax money ( mind you I still have plenty to throw into savings and even maybe go to Universal Studios with the family and I don't mean the kind of trip where everyone eats out of the same box of popcorn all day and the ticket stub is your souvenir) he got kinda taken aback like, "Why do you feel the need to justify it to me?"...well I don't... not really... I guess it's just PTSD from the money fighting that my mom and dad did... the money fighting my mom did with her second husband, the money fighting my sister did with HER second husband (now ex)...

Well folks, I did it, I justified the purchase...and welcome the newest member of the family :)

Ain't she purdy?  She will be the star of our New York trip that WE ARE TAKING!!  When... I dunno... but...  Wanna know how I justified it?? hehehe...