Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Giving Birth

Don't even ask me how I started thinking about the following . . .

Q: When is the best time for a female to consider becoming pregnant?

A: I would reason that early spring would be the best time.

Why: In today's age, it's all the same, but if you think about the olden day's when humans lived more with the elements, then giving birth in the winter months would have the advantage of being cool / cold. The cold would help keep the mother cooler since, in general, a lot of energy is given off during child birth in the form of body heat, sweat, etc. It could also act to slightly numb the woman's midsection, thus reducing the discomfort during child birth.

Note: I'm no midwife, just some random thought I started to analyze.

Boxes Anyone

Turns out U-Haul has box "kits" for moving various "size" homes. These kits are nothing more than a compilation of their various products at regular price bundled into one nifty package.

So the Apartment Kit contains 10 small boxes, 10 medium boxes, a few packing materials, tape and markers for $90.

I'm in a one bedroom apartment. I feel like I've just gotten started and I've already used that many boxes.

Does this mean I've got too much crap?

Not at all because there is the 1-2 Bedroom Kit to the rescue for $180.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Greetings Fellow Homeowners

And I'm now a first time Homeowner. Yes sir-ee-bob. The FHA loan was approved and officially recorded with the city last Thursday. Got the key's. No big moves yet, just some cleaning gear and trinkets. Mostly what I've chosen to take over (in the car) have been items I'm considering difficult to pack, big (but will still fit in the car), or unusually shaped. Figure that will make the packing go a little bit easier.

Yeah Right!

A little easier until you setup the first box and take the first REAL move to put something in it.

Today was fairly productive. Got five boxes of kitchen stuff.

Went over to the new place and decided to clean the torch lamp I took over there. Sucker had been sitting in my bedroom for years - unplugged. Took the lamp head apart, cleaned it and while vacuuming the bones of four to five year old fly's, managed to vacuum up the one screw that held everything together! Oh Shit ensued. Heard the screw travel up the vacuum tube, but cannot be found in the tube or the vacuum bag. Can't decide if it is worth my time to take apart the vacuum cleaner searching for it or run down to the store for the 2 cent part - which will actually cost me closer to a buck. One train of thought says that if I spend the time taking apart the vacuum cleaner looking for the damn thing, if I do find it that could be a buck I can apply towards the mortgage. Maybe it'll shave a couple of day's paying off the mortgage.

Home shopping has been a real experience for me. Spent some time looking for thoughts on how to shop for a new home on the Internet. Many of the tips where relatively the same and did not prove very useful. I've got my own useful thoughts I'll post here at some point and simultaneously elsewhere. Just have to figure out where the best place is - Wiki ?? or eHow or something. Any ideas?

Question: "How do you know you will not be satisfied where you are at?" Answer: You are still looking at MLS postings for your area even though you've just been approved for a home. Here I am, still looking the listings for the homes just today while I was taking a lunch break. I will say that I was feeling much more comfortable while there today.

I still say that the only reason I'm a home buyer at this point is because the housing market took a dump. The mortgage folks said I would qualify for a mortgage of up to $171K. The Realtor told me the place I purchased was selling for $180K during real estates hay day (I purchased for $113). I've since learned that a number of other places I looked at had similar price differences. I did look at a number of places that were in the 120 - 140 range (and I could have afforded), but fears of not being able to hold my own took over. So here we are. Repairs are needed, but at least $1000 towards repairs will equal $1000 and not $1800 if they were part of the selling price through interest charges. Besides it is a great way to learn repairs and I won't be afraid to touch it if I know if I cannot make it any worse.

Pics coming soon. I'm outta here.
-Mighty

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Mighty Who??

WOW!! Has it been this long since I've made an entry here?? Apparently so. Very wrapped up in other things.

The bulk of which has been house hunting. Found a place and have a contract pending. Expect to close this Wednesday evening or Thursday morning. It is a Townhouse close to my present location. Needs some work, mostly cosmetic, but otherwise in good shape. Kitchen needs some work too. Old color counter tops - a brown kinda orangey color. Very different. Two bedrooms, two story, 1.5 bath with a decent sized back yard - not huge, but enough to have a garden and entertain. Unfortunately, no garage or car cover, but I've lived without that for years. Common in this part of the town with many older homes in which, at that time, garages or even car ports for that matter where less common. Besides, it will keep me from collecting that much more crap. Best part . . . city park within spitting distance - Nice!

The mission now is to pack my current crap. All 11..12 years of it. At first glance - "Huh, not much. Shouldn't be too bad." Upon further analysis (like - getting started), "Man I got a lot of shit! Someone save me!" On the one hand, I need to get rid of a lot of stuff. But on the other hand, by the time I've driven somewhere to offload it, I could have taken it to my new place. Catch 22.

So I'm starting to pack even before I've closed. Good plan bad plan? I think good. At this point, everything is in place and I see no reason not to get it unless something really weird happens or the seller backs out at the last minute. Might as well get started. Even if the strange happens and the deal is called off between today and closing, moving is inevitable as I'll simply be looking at more places or select one of the other places I looked at if it is still available.

Man I got too much crap.

In other news . . . sorry, not much. Work, gym, looking for a date. Know anyone?? Female - 32..45 - single (yes, nothing funny here) - you know the drill. Desperate??? Nah, not even.

Saw the Bodies in Motion exhibit. It is in town for a few months. Came here a couple of years ago, but was unable to go. Very interesting! Amazing how they are able to preserve the body and do all the displays. Fascinating!

Have I mentioned I got too much crap? Need to start lining up a few friends to help me move. Oh!! I discovered Craig's List. Official moving boxes - FREE - Check. Appliances - Check. Furniture and other stuff to fix the new place up with - Cheap - Check. Just got to beat everyone else to it. As you can tell, I'm working against the American economy by buying used and not new. What the heck is wrong with me. I'm so unAmerican.

Take care.