I think it a sorry state of affairs when our 8-cup coffee maker requires two brew cycles, and often winds up empty after the second, to serve my & my wife's addiction.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
1991
Absolutely one of the best songs of the early 90s. (Also one of the first I learned to play on guitar, not that that is saying much.)
Friday, December 18, 2009
Freaking-A! Can we just talk?
For the most part, I am a proponent of new technology, and don't normally find myself concerned with its ubiquity, or even the way we tend to rely on it. I get the concern some people have, but it’s just never really bothered me personally. Heck, my paycheck is directly tied to the success and propagation of (telecommunications) technology, so for the most part, I’m all for it. But there are obvious times where it just makes more sense to talk.
Sarah & I are refinancing our house into a shorter-term loan with a lower interest rate. The idea is that this will allow us to get our equity back ahead of our owed principal much quicker than had we proceeded with our existing arrangement. It will be a good deal for us, allow us more flexibility when it comes time to sell, and is a way to better diversify our investments. Anyway, the beginning of the process was ridiculously easy. We are using the FHA streamline program, and it was literally just a 20 minute call to get approved and sent to the underwriters. Piece of cake.
However, since then, we’ve run into several discrepancies with our paperwork and the settlement costs. We aren’t talking huge money here, maybe less than a grand, but still… I would like to have it done right. The lady that is handling our account (implicitly) refuses to call me to talk about it, and I don’t have a number to reach her. By design, the communication channel for this process is set up to essentially rely on email. The result has been 31 emails back and forth over the last 24 hours. I thought the issue was resolved last night, and I notarized and overnighted the required documents so we would make our closing date.
Since I’ve been dealing with this lady for over a month, I have asked her to call me 4 times so we could discuss questions I have, never to any avail. Yesterday, she wasn’t responding directly to my specific questions, so I wrote, “I really think this could probably be resolved in less than 5 minutes over the phone rather than going back and forth via email for hours on end. If you wouldn't mind calling me, please do so @ 815-814-xxxx."
She wrote back, “I can’t call right now, I am going through a package with someone but I will call this afternoon.”
Unsurprisingly, she never did.
So today, UPS shows up with an overnighted new version of the same packet I signed & sent yesterday, but with different closing costs numbers (more in line with what I originally expected they would be.) So of course, I want to know why I got a new packet, and what happens with notarized forms I sent last night. Basically, I just want to know what is going on, why did I receive a new packet, and why didn’t you tell me about this?
I had to email my questions & am still waiting for a response. Please just freaking call me this time!
Sarah & I are refinancing our house into a shorter-term loan with a lower interest rate. The idea is that this will allow us to get our equity back ahead of our owed principal much quicker than had we proceeded with our existing arrangement. It will be a good deal for us, allow us more flexibility when it comes time to sell, and is a way to better diversify our investments. Anyway, the beginning of the process was ridiculously easy. We are using the FHA streamline program, and it was literally just a 20 minute call to get approved and sent to the underwriters. Piece of cake.
However, since then, we’ve run into several discrepancies with our paperwork and the settlement costs. We aren’t talking huge money here, maybe less than a grand, but still… I would like to have it done right. The lady that is handling our account (implicitly) refuses to call me to talk about it, and I don’t have a number to reach her. By design, the communication channel for this process is set up to essentially rely on email. The result has been 31 emails back and forth over the last 24 hours. I thought the issue was resolved last night, and I notarized and overnighted the required documents so we would make our closing date.
Since I’ve been dealing with this lady for over a month, I have asked her to call me 4 times so we could discuss questions I have, never to any avail. Yesterday, she wasn’t responding directly to my specific questions, so I wrote, “I really think this could probably be resolved in less than 5 minutes over the phone rather than going back and forth via email for hours on end. If you wouldn't mind calling me, please do so @ 815-814-xxxx."
She wrote back, “I can’t call right now, I am going through a package with someone but I will call this afternoon.”
Unsurprisingly, she never did.
So today, UPS shows up with an overnighted new version of the same packet I signed & sent yesterday, but with different closing costs numbers (more in line with what I originally expected they would be.) So of course, I want to know why I got a new packet, and what happens with notarized forms I sent last night. Basically, I just want to know what is going on, why did I receive a new packet, and why didn’t you tell me about this?
I had to email my questions & am still waiting for a response. Please just freaking call me this time!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Dealing with the sass...
Addie loves Sarah obsessively, and as of late is usually only fond of me when Sarah is not around. It can be hard on Sarah sometimes because that love comes with a lot of extra responsibility. Seemingly easy things that I am willing to do, like get Addie dressed or tuck her in to bed become next to impossible if there is a remote possibility that Mom can do it instead. I guess this is pretty normal stuff for a two-year-old, but it doesn't make it any more enjoyable to deal with. And while Sarah has it hard sometimes with the extra responsibilities and attention, an unfortuante side-effect of Addie's pro-momma agenda has been vehement anti-dadism. We're trying to blend gentleness and respect with discipline, and I'm sure this will pass eventually, but right now it sort of sucks.
Addie has always been stubborn and articulate and ridiculously particular, ever since I can remember, but as of late is has really escalated, and unfortunately I am oftentimes the brunt of her outpouring of sass. Below are some of the more frequently used quotes that she has directed at me as of late:
"You go away from her, Daddy! That is my mommy right there and I am protecting her!" (While witnessing me hug Sarah)And on the rare ocassion that she is so upset that cannot properly articulate her desires:
"I will not go to timeout! You get out of here and go to your room, Daddy!"
"You go away, Daddy! Close the door and go away right now!"
"You will not change me daddy! Mommy will do it. Mommy will do it!"
"You do not talk to me, Daddy." / "Do not call me, Daddy"
"I am [or 'you will'] never, never, never, never... NEVER!"When Sarah is not around, almost all of the time, Addie is an angel. She likes to color and play and rough-house and is genuinely sweet and a joy to be around. Add Sarah to the mix, and it all goes to hell. Hoping this does not last forever.
Making Cookies with the Gung
Sarah got Addie all hyped up to make Christmas cookies the other evening, so we obliged. Like normal, Addie took it very seriously and was a little obsessive about her responsibilites. We had lots of fun.
Nice Cover
Regardless of what you think of the man & his decisions (I think the verdict is still out), how good is this cover art? Love it.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Pick 3, #1
I'm stranded on a desert island and can take only 3 perpetually functioning restaurants with me to sustain myself for the rest of my life. Which do I pick?
Easy: Chipotle, Noodles & Company, Panera Bread
Easy: Chipotle, Noodles & Company, Panera Bread
Monday, December 14, 2009
Welcome, teeming fandom
I'm still trying to figure out exactly what I am going to do on this blog to make it different from my last one & I'm open to ideas. One thing I'm thinking is that I'll try to be a little bit more intentional with specific categories (photos, home improvement projects, school, work, hobbies/interests, etc). However, since I'm essentially creating a public record of my life & I will undoubtedly be googled by future girlfriends employers, I'll probably steer clear of certain topics/ideas as well and keep this more of a journal of my life than an outlet for profession of any particular ideologies. I'm not trying to be boring or overly introverted as much as I'm trying to be intelligent in a world where information is so readily available and people are quick to judge. I'll also work on updating the look & feel over time as well. For today, I'm going to stick with ultra bland-o generic just to get started. I dunno, we'll see how it evolves.
Anyway, for now, just few quick updates since I didn't get to any this weekend. I'll probably expound on some of these things later on:
Going back to School: During our 3-week car trip to Denver & Phoenix this past summer, I bugged Sarah so incessantly that she finally relented and decided to let me start taking classes toward my master's degree beginning this January. I was a little nervous about taking the GMAT and going through the whole application process, but in the end it wasn't too bad. I was fortunate enough to be accepted into a part-time program at my first choice school. I'm really excited to get started. The program I'm entering is a MBA that focuses entirely on the business aspects of technology organizations, which is of great interest to me. Plus their school mascot is a goat, and that is just awesome. Now if I can just figure out how to pay for it, I'll be set...
Bathroom destroyed & in the process of being remodeled: Once again, we had to rip out walls in our master bathroom because when it was added on a few years ago the plumbing was not done correctly. The result was a slow leak that produced a lot of black mold. We removed the walls & got rid of the mold and are now in the process of putting things back together. I found a really good clearance deal on some 16x16 travertine, so the end result will look much better and more modern than in did before (it was previously a really ugly shade of brown-hued pink). While we are at it, we decided to update the shower & sink hardware to a nice brushed nickel set. I wish we didn't have to spend the money to do this, but the results should look really nice. And in today's housing market, we can rest assured that we are making a sound investment that will surely be returned to us when we go to sell. (ha!) I guess we can feel good about the fact that the new owners will get a home much nicer (and cheaper) than the one we bought.*
Christmas in Des Moines, Iowa: Whoopidy-whoop! We're going to Des Moines for Christmas this year, where we will be staying at the fabulous Embassy Suites on the River and dine on "free" made-to-order omelets in the morning. Okay, so this is just our first leg of a longer trip that includes seeing my sister & brother-in-law in Denver or something like that. Its hard focus on the rest of the trip when Des Moines itself (!!!) is just 11 days away.
Adios,
djs
*EDIT: I feel like I should note that we are not presently listing our house for sale. Just saying that once we do, the new buyers will be getting a sweet deal after all the time and money we put into this place to get it fixed up.
Anyway, for now, just few quick updates since I didn't get to any this weekend. I'll probably expound on some of these things later on:
Going back to School: During our 3-week car trip to Denver & Phoenix this past summer, I bugged Sarah so incessantly that she finally relented and decided to let me start taking classes toward my master's degree beginning this January. I was a little nervous about taking the GMAT and going through the whole application process, but in the end it wasn't too bad. I was fortunate enough to be accepted into a part-time program at my first choice school. I'm really excited to get started. The program I'm entering is a MBA that focuses entirely on the business aspects of technology organizations, which is of great interest to me. Plus their school mascot is a goat, and that is just awesome. Now if I can just figure out how to pay for it, I'll be set...
Bathroom destroyed & in the process of being remodeled: Once again, we had to rip out walls in our master bathroom because when it was added on a few years ago the plumbing was not done correctly. The result was a slow leak that produced a lot of black mold. We removed the walls & got rid of the mold and are now in the process of putting things back together. I found a really good clearance deal on some 16x16 travertine, so the end result will look much better and more modern than in did before (it was previously a really ugly shade of brown-hued pink). While we are at it, we decided to update the shower & sink hardware to a nice brushed nickel set. I wish we didn't have to spend the money to do this, but the results should look really nice. And in today's housing market, we can rest assured that we are making a sound investment that will surely be returned to us when we go to sell. (ha!) I guess we can feel good about the fact that the new owners will get a home much nicer (and cheaper) than the one we bought.*
Christmas in Des Moines, Iowa: Whoopidy-whoop! We're going to Des Moines for Christmas this year, where we will be staying at the fabulous Embassy Suites on the River and dine on "free" made-to-order omelets in the morning. Okay, so this is just our first leg of a longer trip that includes seeing my sister & brother-in-law in Denver or something like that. Its hard focus on the rest of the trip when Des Moines itself (!!!) is just 11 days away.
Adios,
djs
*EDIT: I feel like I should note that we are not presently listing our house for sale. Just saying that once we do, the new buyers will be getting a sweet deal after all the time and money we put into this place to get it fixed up.
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