Okay, someone help me out here: is there any downside to an Employee Stock Purchase Plan? You get company stock at a 15% discount of the lower of the closing market price of the first and last day of the six-month period. So if the stock has gone down and you sell on that last day, you make 15% regardless, right? And if it's gone up, you're going to make a lot more. It seems like a win-win. What am I not considering? Taxes? Taxes are screwy and confusing with stocks.

P-C, I strongly recommend a book called Consider Your Options. It's awesome at explaining everything you need to know, including the all-important tax questions. And in general, yes, the ESPP program is a great thing.

I think I'm about to put my coat on while sitting at my desk.

Also, I have to go get my car battery checked when I leave work, because it was sluggish starting this morning.

I hate winter SO MUCH.

"We may be surrounded by many more murderous plants than we think"

For instance, the cross-leaved heath (Erica tetralix) is not typically considered a carnivorous plant, but this pink flower possesses sticky, adhesive glands and dwells in poor soils. Also, while carnivorous seeds might be a strange concept, those of the shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) possesses a sticky layer with chemicals that can attract, kill and digest victims.

"Although a man-eating tree is fictional, many commonly grown plants may turn out to be cryptic carnivores, at least by absorbing through their roots the breakdown products of the animals that they ensnare," Chase said.

Thanks, java!! That books looks great, as I also don't really know how to best manage my other stock options and restricted stock and whatnot. And Amazon had a used copy available for $3.99, so I just bought it.

(Although just this morning, I was looking at the personal finance books I bought a few years ago on Kristin's recommendation and noted how I barely ever use them. Heh. I need to figure things out.)

Oh, I see there are newer versions of the book, but none for four dollars that will be here on Monday. Ah well.

Don't let Sci Fi see that. There will be a movie of the week in a second. I see . . .a botany lab next to a radiation lab. there's an accident and the wall between them is somehow knocked down. The carnivorous plants get blasted with radiation and VENUS MANTRAP is born!!!!!

The year is important, P-C. Some things change slightly from year to year. But you can read the used one you're getting, and then buy the new 2010 one when it comes out. Usually finance books bore the hell out of me, but this one is really good. And, when it comes to having both ESPP and regular company stock options, it can't be beat.

The year is important, P-C. Some things change slightly from year to year. But you can read the used one you're getting

Yeah, I'd like a chance to flip through it before I have to set my ESPP level.

I just made a huge pot of chili, and it's excellent, if I do say so myself. Note to future self: I know it looks delicious, but licking the adobo sauce from the chipotles off one's fingers is not actually a great idea.

I am going to make chorizo jambalaya tonight. I am am making pumpkin cookies if it fuckin' kills me.

I may make some pumpkin muffins (whitey) tonight. Kinda depends if mac is a pisser again. Nothing sounds good for dinner, maybe I'll buy some ginger ale and have some whiskey with that.