home buying

In a little over a month, I will have owned my business, as it currently stands, for 2 years and will be moving into the 3rd year. And finally, we are moving into a bigger location so I can get my ass moving on the other stuff I want to do with it. I’m actually looking forward to this year. One of my previous contracts is trying to get me back, with the new limits, there’s a better chance that it will be more lucrative than it was last year. As a result, I’m going to have to learn a new balancing act. It also means, all new clients will be directed towards the guys. My goal was to have 4 hours of work a day, for 5 days a week. Right now, I’m working 6 days a week (more often than not, it’s just 1-2 clients on my “day off”). I figure, if I have 2 clients in the morning and 2 in the afternoon/evening, I will be able to accomplish everything I need. Still waiting on the yoga school to contact me about the upcoming certification classes. Fingers crossed that I can get in on this year’s class.

On the house front, I just finished ripping up all but one patch of carpet in the bedroom. There are deep cracks everywhere!!! Going to talk to the JewBrit about filling those in, and waiting for the _gothfather_ to let me know if I need to prime and prep it. Goal there is to put heated tile in, after I get the doors installed. Bathroom is coming along, I’m going to pick up the new mirror on Tuesday – so if anyone needs/wants mirroring, you’re welcome to it, free to a good home. Still waiting on the courts to send me my court date for the HVAC issue. Once that is resolved, hopefully in my favour, I can get the sunroom windows fixed and finish that room. Also need to get an electrician out here, but I think I’ll delay that till I’m ready to finish up the bathroom renovation.

Personal front, Orthonatic appointment is set for Feb 2, parents are coming to sit in on that. Once I get the timeline, we’ll be off! Hopefully, this time next year I’ll be able to train again, which means I’ll need to figure out what I want to do there. As much as I don’t want to move teams, that seems to be my only real option, unless the in-town location has another main instructor. So, we’ll see.

I received a response from my Statement of Claim, regarding the HVAC issue, what looks like the original one. Not sure if the guy faxed it in (if he can) or if he sent a duplicate copy to the court. Guess we’ll find out soon, as to when we go to court. Though, from a quick read, I guess HVAC only consists of a thermostat and a furnace, to him.

I was really hoping to be able to post pictures of my super cool steam-punk-esque chandelier for my dining room. Unfortunately, bad wiring – or something – occurred and I cannot. The positive side is the new switch is working beautifully. I was worried last night, but this morning I got the bug in my head to try the kitchen light, which does turn on, so I know the circuit issue starts at the dining room light. Tomorrow, I have a friend coming over to test the wiring and see where the issue is, and if he can patch fix it, it’d be great. I’m getting the name of my other friend’s electrician contractor today in the event it’s something bigger. If that is the case, and one does need to be called in, I’m going to go ahead and have this circuit split up (goes on the list for the purchase of the next house – how loaded are the breaker switches?).

Right now, this one has the kitchen overhead light, dining room fan/light, foyer light/outlet, all the living room and sunroom outlets (about 10-12 total), sunroom fan/light and an apparent “after market” outlet addition in the floor that was badly wired to begin with (possibly a DIY given the fact I fried it trying to stabilize the receptacle). Oh yeah, at least one of the living room outlets doesn’t work. I haven’t tested them, but I think they were the original “lighting” outlets that were disconnected for the floor outlet.

Also, all of the above was on a 15 switch. The dining room outlets (3-4 total) are on a 20 switch. Someone fucked up.

I need to get back to writing, as evidenced by the lack of posting here. After spending several days wondering why, it’s mainly because my main thinking time is at work, where I don’t have internet (yet) and the fact that a few situations has stilted my desire to speak my mind (that whole, people must drum up drama from what someone says, and not take it and leave it at face value). What I write here is normally what I’m thinking or feeling at that given moment about whatever subject I’m writing. In the past, that resulted in overt interrogations about what exactly I was talking about and how that involved certain people that weren’t even part of my mental discussion. I need to get over that.

The other part, is that I’m pretty involved in business stuffs, which is my focus and not necessarily the poetry and stories of my life. I need to reverse that and find a nice balance between the two, I miss poetry. I think I need to just fill up my 8×11.5 notebook, so I can invest in a smaller one that fits in my messenger bag. Maybe I’ll leave that one at work.

I’m also spending a decent chunk working on my house stuffs. I’ve fixed 2 walls, and tonight I’ll start working on the next one. After that, the ceiling joints of said walls. Fun stuff, actually. Once all of that is done, I start on the new base molding. I’m considering ceiling molding on the basis that it will save me from having to re-seam the living/dining room joints, as those are the ones in the worst of shape. We shall see, but it will be beautiful. Keeps me busy in my free time, too.

Been working on my culinary skills, as well. Not going as well as the house stuffs, but at least it’s going. Occasionally, I get a bug to cook something “European”, least, my version of a fancy lunch/dinner. Still loving the Thai cooking, but that’s because it involves shoving everything into one bowl. Maybe I’ll just focus on lunch, since I have time to cook it, as dinner comes right after I get home.

So that’s the update.

So, my bitch for the moment (woohoo! finally writing something)…

I got off the phone with my business banker a few hours ago, she informed me that I was declined for a new business card due to a note on my credit report from that wonderful shithole named Laurel Hills Preserve. Seeing as though they were quite good at failing to provide copies of everything, I went back to my paperwork from the collections agency they sent after me. What do I find? They listed my notification date as 4/12/2010, in order to charge me extra on the move-out for failing to notify them. Let’s see….started looking for a new house back in January, notified them around early January (60 days notice, since I thought I had to be out in March, not May), notified them there was the possibility that I would be out by the beginning of April while I was there. They were questioned by my mortgage guy in late February and provided him with the paperwork that I was moving out.

Now, I have a $724 ding on my credit report that I now have to clean up. Fun fucking shit. Half tempted to waste a week’s worth of gas and go over there tomorrow to [redacted]. I’m waiting on the bank paperwork, explained all this crap to my banker only to hear, “Yeah, this is ridiculous because you can get it removed only to have them put it back on.” No hearing, no judgement, just them sending something to the report.

I did what I could, added to the dozens of nasty reviews of that place and will be happy to be even nastier when it comes to the credit reporting company, down to going after them for having to clean my own carpets after finding a dining room wide stain.

Oh the joy!!!! Last night, my new router arrived, so I spent until midnight + trying to get my airport express to play nice. Managed to get it working this morning, then destroyed the network. Go me!!! Lots of resets on the airport express, because my hub computer doesn’t want to notice it’s around. Reason for destruction, is that I want to add it to the main network, but it doesn’t want that. It wants its own network, which is kinda fine, except that when I did that, my internet network got sloooooooooooooooooooow. So, tonight will be a complete factory restore of the router and a reconfig to get that up and running. Tomorrow, I have time to play around with the airport, so I’ll do that then.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is why you get someone to talk you through assistance, instead of letting them take care of everything for you. Unless, of course, you want to rely upon providers of said service from point on out. Something about self-reliance and ability to provide in the event it’s needed….

Anyway…things are coming along quite nice for the house. I found a baby grill for the patio, which is all complete, outside of the bike rack (which Tigger is kind enough to help me find/create). Sunroom needs my meditation pillow and a low meditation alter, the new outlet plates and some decorations and it’s done. Sunroom closet needs one more set of brackets and maybe some hooks for bags. Living room/dining room is done for everything except a shelf and hooks by the front door, outlet plates and decorations. Kitchen needs one more utility shelf, outlet plates and the floor cabinet drawers and it’s done. Bedroom/bathroom is where it’s at. Goal is to have the wall for the bedroom/hallway done by September. If it’s not, curtains will work nicely, for now. Bathroom is on slate and being saved for, as next year’s project, since there’s more involved in that. Not to mention, Pastry had an idea that we need to talk about and see whether it increases or detracts from the house value.

All said, I’m feeling a bit accomplished with everything. My friend Tommy walked me through the last bit of the installation with the new thermostat, which is working well. Only issues are outlet/switch receptacles that are not deep enough or properly anchored. With my cousin coming out for work on the Fulton co. jail, I might see if he’s up for some side work in helping me plan a new wiring plan for the house, or at least checking the wiring and separating some of the switch zones, as well as the additions for the living room and hallway lighting.

I am having fun with it though. Hell, I’m even taking a somewhat active role with all the plants my mum put on my patio. And really happy that I did not get a bigger place. Tiny is awesome.

Well, closed on the house on Wednesday, parents arrived at the same time. Been moving, as I got the “move out or pay up” letter that demanded keys by the 9th. Yesterday, Lady MerryDeath came over to spread the wonderment of paint all over my walls. Fred came over this morning to put the floors in, tomorrow is more paint with the Lady, as well as organization. Tonight is relaxing with the folks and some shopping, and some massage on them for over-extending themselves. Frederico, my Mum loves you, and I’m sure she’ll take you for dinner sometime. 😛

I hate being without Pastry, but the Evil Empire informed me this morning that there is an outage in my area, and won’t be restored till around 8.30A tomorrow. I hope my budget can afford another $20 so I can switch evil empires, and get better service.

I’m currently fighting with my HSA and selling agent. The HVAC runs, but doesn’t work (no heating or cooling). HSA is saying it’s pre-existing so I have to pay out for it, contract addendum says it has to be fixed or replaced by the owners. Obviously, someone didn’t do their job to get it to clear appraisal. This week has been hectic, but it means I have a house, and $100-200 in savings every month.

Can’t wait to be in France. More when I have more time to write.

On selling agents….

Well, thanks to the massive quantities of anal retentiveness that the gov’t laid upon underwriters in the last few months, we have discovered a shortcoming of the selling agent. My hvac in the condo is broken….again….and failed appraisal….again. So guess what the hold-up with the move is now. Yep! You guessed it! Fixing/replacing the HVAC. The Italian Mafia gave me a kickass quote to install a $5k system for $3500 and what’s happening? The selling agent has a repairman looking at it today. The bonus? He’ll shortchange me with a cheap fix to pass appraisal and I get the Italian Mafia to replace it after I move in. The shortchange? He replaces it with a subpar unit and I’m stuck with it until I have to move and shell out the several thou to replace it with a unit of the proper size. I had my agent request, if they choose to not use the Italian Mafia, that they replace with the correct size, or pay half of what I’ll have to shell out to replace (not including what the warranty will cover)….but I’m not holding my breath. In fact, I’m down to telling them to forget about the sale, but I won’t know until I get the phone call asking me what I want done.

So…..I’ll be filling out a few reviews, possibly committing a hate crime, and pretty much forcing the selling agent to be excluded from the closing ceremony. And I’m quite sure the sellers are none to happy to find all this out, either (and oh boy will they be pissed if I cancel the sale).

Dear Barney Frank, and the rest of the Senate FHA committee…..may a yeast infection of the rectal cavity be visited upon you for creating the clusterfuck that resulted in the last month of stress for me and the extra money I will have to pay out for the amended Federal tax return.

The positives, closing is next week, I don’t have to file an amended state return. I have packed the bedroom bookshelves and can move them ASAP once I get my keys. Judo leaves me sore as hell, in all the right places. I can almost do a full walking step on my left foot (guess that means the next round of injuries will be to my right-side joints, since the left side has been covered). I have put in for my change of address, starting April 1, now to just change all my account addresses, and hopefully VISA will actually change it this time (fuckers).

Otherwise, I hate house-stuffs shopping, I really do. Hoping to take JudoFredy to the store this Sunday to pick out stuffs, so all he has to do is measure and figure out the estimate, get that to the parentals and be done by the end of next week. *fingers crossed that he has the time* Painting will happen as soon as I have keys. I’ve emailed Lord G, waiting to hear back from him. Then…..vacation!!!! 2 weeks in France with Pastry. I made him promise me a massage and a trip to Clos du Ste. Luce to look at the Da Vinci inventions.