January 25
From my brain
Contents |
2010
Me 08:31, 25 January 2010 (EST)
Mid-term week.
- Due tomorrow
- Point of Sale (PoS) project for Purchasing (to be completed tonight)
- Wednesday
- Midterm in Bakeshop
- Thursday
- Practical exam in bakeshop
- Draw recipe -- with ingredient list -- from a hat, but have to know whether to use straight dough method, muffin method, creaming method, etc.
- Practical exam in bakeshop
- Friday
- Composition paper due on "an observation"
- Completely vague, but I think I know what I'm going to wrap it around.
- Composition paper due on "an observation"
- Next Tuesday
- Midterm in Purchasing
This is the first time this all has really felt like college. Gonna be a rough week.
2008
Me 09:37, 25 January 2008 (EST)
The way I felt Wednesday, I figured TheBoy gave me his strep throat. The only appointment the doctor had was in the middle of the morning. I knew also that I'd be working on the house situation as well, so since I couldn't do that at work, I took the day off.
Our realtor suggested that before we jump into a quick sale, we should call our lender to get a forbearance if not a restructure/refinance of our loan. We told her we just refinanced last year, but she said it was worth a shot. She gave us all kinds of advice to try to "work the system", so down I went to make the call.
I got on the horn with "Aleck" (sure Raji, you want me to call you "Aleck", I'll call you Aleck) at CountryWide. He really did his best to work with me. We updated all my financial info and he explained all the options.
- Forbearance
- Three months of "What back debt?" during which time you pay your normal mortgage.
- After that period your back debted amount is sprinkled in over the next few months to play catch up.
- Problem: We can't make the current month payments now. We won't be able to make them during the grace period.
- Restructure / Refinance
- They can't lower our interest rate (crappy credit / market)
- They can't lower our payments (we're at baseline as it is)
- Provide documentation for a Quick Sale evaluation
- Hardship Letter: What circumstances are preventing you from paying?
- 2 Months of Pay Stubs
- 2 Months of Bank Statements
And that's it. He really tried, but we ain't got crap. In the end of it all, the clincher was when he said, "Do you wish to keep the property?" After reviewing the options, I told him there's just no way we can do it. He gave me the info on the documentation I needed to fax in to the "Workout Team" and wished me well. I retold all this to Wifey, showered and dressed for the doctor and headed out.
Ended up being 15 mins late for the appointment, so I had to sit and wait for a bit. Naturally I stewed about the morning's conversation with "Aleck". Long past accepting this, we just needed to push forward. I decided that following the appointment, I'd go check out the apartments that we've been eying (but never looked at) nearish to the house.
Strep comes back negative, but having the symptoms and TheBoy having strep, he gives me the Amoxicillin script and off I go.
I journey down to apartment complex. First, I ask if they have three bedroom apartments, she says they do, but none are available. I walk out to the car only to walk back in to ask to at least see the two bedrooms. She says sure, but wants to get some info on me.
I end up finding out they're a tax credit renter. "How much do you make?" received a reply from me and before I finished saying that double digit annual salary that isn't enough to pay for a house, I find I make EXTREMELY too much for an apartment there. She blurts right out, "I can't rent to you."
She does however take the time to write down the names of three different properties she knows of that have 3 bedroom apartments AND are not tax-credit renters. It was really kind of her to do. She took time out when she didn't have to, and I appreciated it. I then took off for the one place I knew I should be able to find.
The complex was huge. The lady was friendly and really considerate about the "downsizing" we were facing. She gave me a complete tour, and showed me all the amenities of that model. Granted, the model was the 2 bedroom, not the 3 bedroom, but still, was a very, very nice place. Would still be in the same school district, but we'd have to drive Jake to school to finish out the year.
So, for 3BDR, 2.5 bath, attached garage, we'd be looking at $1050 in rent. Our mortgage is $1270. If you knock out trash pickup, sewage, the water and electric to heat a 2500 sq. ft. house, not to mention it's ever-increasing taxes, we'd probably end up saving ~$400-500 a month. I'd be closer to work, and that'd save gas. We'd be closer to shopping as well. There's a playground, picnic area, on-site car-wash, and basketball court. Full inspection, repaint, and professional cleaning before move in too.
I'm going to be spending a lot of time digging online very soon. I've got five other places in addition to the ones the lady gave me from the first place, but we'll see what comes of it. The others may have a lot to live up to though.
2007
Me 07:07, 25 January 2007 (EST)
So, part of me wonders how much of my illness yesterday was me just being physically affected by the crap going on lately, or if it really was a bad combination of constipation (from too much stew Monday night/Tuesday lunch) with a hefty dose of (Tuesday dinner's) cabbage and noodles on top.
Either way, I pulled myself back together today and came in. It's been harder and harder to gather the motivation to come in here, but since Wifey got fired -- pardon, had her position eliminated -- it's been even worse. It's dread. Not that I fear the same treatment, but it's a real question of why.
Why didn't I get moving years ago to get out. Why didn't I work harder to perhaps be more of a company guy and get some management skillz. Why didn't I give up my childish single-guy outlook and hand my $200 personal account deposit over to our joint account ages ago. Too many Whys. Not enough doing now.
Back to the grind of working on projects barely anyone gives a rat's ass about.
Me 07:16, 25 January 2007 (EST)
Also, Wifey has a job interview today for this home-care thing. Basically, sit with an elderly person, make sure they take their meds, make 'em dinner, take 'em to church, etc. Our friend is already doing it, and she says it's decent money.
I totally think Wifey can do it, but I worry about her with it. She's really emotional, not in the psycho, emo-chick kind of way, but more that she really cares for people. That alone makes her qualified for the job, but I just worry that she's going to work for someone for however long it takes her to find something (hopefully) better, and then (being that they're elderly) they may end up passing away.
My aunt is a geriatric nurse, and she has a very cold demeanor at times. You have to when you're doing that.
I don't want my wife to get that way. Ever.
Me 09:35, 25 January 2007 (EST)
Gonna toss a plug out there for an in-game friend of mine who plays WoW under the name of Mareyn on Perenolde.
Mareyn (or Atul as he's known in the real world) is the VP of a company called Humanized. Yesterday, they just launched their new software product(s) called "Enso". It comes in two versions, Launcher (a ZOMG utility) and Words that is a global speel cherker / dictionary / thesaurus.
I've been playing with both apps. Launcher is smooth, but I'm still toying around with Words (specifically the speelcherk feature).
Also, here's a Wall Street Journal review of the software. Grats to Atul and his team!
2005
Me 21:12, 25, January 2005 (EDT)
This is just too cool not to leave here for posterity...
Apparently, one of the artists that was involved with WoW passed away early on in 2004. His brother put up a website telling what happened.
What's REALLY cool is that in WoW, there is apparently a shrine at the top of this mountain called "The Shrine of the Fallen Warrior". What a cool way to remember the departed. Ultimate geekdom memorial there...
Me 07:01, 25 January 2007 (EST) Been there a couple times. Each time: /kneel /pray
Me 22:35, 25, January 2005 (EDT)
What is this sleep thing of which you speak?
