Friday, March 30, 2007

I'm as busy as a spider spinning daydreams...

Can you name that musical?

Actually, I'm not spinning daydreams, I'm spinning realities! My life has been a whirlwind of activity since I last posted.

Here's the low-down...

1. I've been so busy I haven't been able to check in with everyone on a consistant basis. It took me over an hour to catch up tonight.

2. I can't check in on most at work anymore...Typepad blogs have been blocked because they are a "forum" and Chatty got blocked because of all of her "adult language" (I thought you might get a kick out of that).

3. The musical is coming along. I have having issues with the dread VD (vocal director). For those of you who weren't around last year (I say that like I have so many avid readers), he's very self-centered and feels the show is about him and his chamber singers, therefore he tends to favor them and make my drama kids feel bad. This year I have taken it to a higher power...not that one...the principal. I had a chat about how he was treating kids. And then after another incident 3 kids went to the principal about him. I have a feeling I might be in the market for a new VD.

4. Wedding plans have been put on hold for a little while. NO! nothing bad has happened, I have just been too busy. We did book the cupcakery. Yes, you read that right, the cupcakery. We are not doing a traditional cake, we are doing red velvet cupcakes, with cream cheese frosting topped with a cherry. It's going to be so cool. We will have one large multi tiered display and then surrounding it will be cake stands and trays filled with the remaining cupcakes. We are really excited about this, it's going to be a lot of fun. Check Frosted in Belmont Shores, they are doing the cupcakes. They are WAY tastier than that other fancy-smancy cupcake place, and $10 cheaper per dozen.

5. We are scheduled to close escrow next Thursday! Can you believe? We are VERY VERY excited about that. We have our final walk through tomorrow, the tent goes up on Monday (if we don't have another windstorm), and we should close and fund on Thursday and Friday. Which means I should be painting by next Saturday and moving stuff in by Sunday afternoon. I figure if I take a few boxes in my car everyday for a week (M will be out of town) the big move will be a lot easier (fewer boxes to move and less stuff to still unpack). So, needless to say I have been a packing fool...

6. Speaking of packing, where in the world did I get so much crap? I mean it seems to be the never ending supply of stuff that needs to go into boxes. I know I need to purge, but everything seems so essential. What do I get rid of? I know a bunch of stuff will be going after we move in. We figured we would just get stuff into the house and then go, "we really don't need that". I know that seems silly, but I think I might work better that way.

Okay, I think you are all up to speed. I am on vacation this week. I'm looking forward to packing, resting and catching up with family and friends. Enjoy the blossoming spring weather!

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

could it get any worse

I came home today to find my garage freezer open. This is the freezer where several hundred dollars worth of really good beef lives, or should I say lived because I have no idea how long the door has been open and almost everything is defrosted, so most of it is trash.

I say almost because there was so much stuff in there that with some digging I was able to create one shelf of stuff that was still frozen.

I cooked a bunch of stuff that was partially frozen. Salvaged the ham because it's smoked, which equals already cooked, and very very cold, and have a pork shoulder roast in the crock pot because it was super cold and very defrosted. Everything else will be trashed. I am very upset.

To make it all worse...TODAY was trash day! That crap has to stay in the freezer until next Wednesday!

Monday, March 19, 2007

3:45 AM

As some of you may know I have bouts of insomnia. Especially when stressed...so you can imagine what the past week as brought on.

This morning, instead of tossing and turning and trying to go back to sleep, I got up and spent some time with by good friend Billy Blanks.

You gotta love Tae Bo at 3:45 am!

Sunday, March 18, 2007

loans

Apparently when mortgage guy explained the loan plan I was signing for my townhouse I didn't fully understand the ramifications of this type of Pay Option Plan!

All I know is that he better be right. This better pay off BIG in the long run. Because right now it's giving me panic attacks.

I love dads

Dads are the best thing EVER! We got so much done on the set yesterday...At least 10 flats built, at least 12 hinged flat units, 4 free standing flat units and 6 platforms built! And we even started painting.

So much was accomplished because The Dads showed up to help. I had 4 of them for the entire day and one plus and uncle for a couple of hours at the end. I put dads in charge of construction and I wrangled the kids into hinging, drawing and painting.

I am so proud of the kids they got a lot done and worked hard. I really need to remember to commend them greatly tomorrow at rehearsal. They are awsome.

It's days like yesterday that remind me why I love my job and I love my kids.

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Ms. P you're head's going to explode one day...

That is what one of my students told me the other day. He actually recognized the amount of stress I was under and felt the need to let me know that I would explode. At least he added that it scared him. He's a good kid.

Here is the run down of not so interesting stuff...

1. House - I went ahead and waved contingencies even though there is still stuff I don't like. But what the hell. The stuff isn't that major, I just want this done and be rid of seller guy, seller's agent guy, and most of all my agent guy (who is a complete ASS!). The story about the house from yesterday is great...I'll tell you some other time.

2. School - exit exam testing is next week. Administration is freaking out. They have displaced my theatre 1 class completely. I think we are just going to work in the front of the school. Forget trying to figure out where they want to put me. Then again with my luck lately, it will rain.

3. More School - the university across the street from my school does alot for us. Okay, not me or my program, but for the school. So, my principal offered my theatre for some stupid thing they were doing. The woman who was in charge was a complete bitch to me almost everytime I had to deal with her. Some messed up my lighting system. I told the coordinator this before the university people came in. This crazy woman keeps asking me the same questions, can't you get me more light, NO! what do you do when you have a show, USE THE SAME STUFF i'M SHOWING YOU RIGHT NOW! Can't I use those? NO, OR I WOULD HAVE TURNED THEM ON FOR YOU. (This is the one that killed me) It really isn't your call, I'll have to talk to the principal. Yes, that lady really did threaten to send me to the principal over this. Next time they ask if they can use my space...I think I have something going on.

4. Theatre - Build day is today! Thank goodness I have a bunch of parents coming to help. Because last summer someone stole a bunch of my scenery, the flats - these are things we use to make walls. I now have to built 20 flats. I bought over $1000 worth of lumber, and I'm going to need more, because I forgot about the stairs, and counters I need to build. And by the way , who the hell steals scenery? I'm the only one on campus who needs this stuff!

Okay, now I am off to get down and dirty with some lumber, power tools and a bunch of teenagers. This should be fun!

Friday, March 16, 2007

house

I'm going nuts here. The contingency period is over today! I sent off my fix list on Saturday, I still don't know what is going on with that one. My agent keeps going MIA on me. When that happens I call mortgage guy, who calls lawyer guy (who sent me agent guy) and chews a bit, who calls agent guy and chews some more, then agent guy calls me like nothing has happened. What an IDIOT!

Yesterday was the last straw, I'm stressed to the brink. M can tell. Yesterday was the first time EVER when I have been completely stress and snappy and began to cry and rant that when I said I was getting off the phone he just said, okay and to call him a little later. He knew there was nothing he could do except let me vent and then let me calm down in my own time. He did text me about an hour later to see if I was okay. By then all the butt chewing had happened and agent guy had called me.

Agent guy has been told in no uncertain terms (by several people now) that I will not sign the contingency papers without a signed fix list. He was told by mortgage guy that is the seller wants to be an A-hole he can deposit money in my escrow account that becomes mine if he doesn't perform, but until then he needs to shut-up and perform. This stems from the fact I have to deposit a great sum of money in the escrow account which goes hard today (meaning if I back out, bye-bye money) and he keeps having his agent guy (our original agent guy) send over buyer demands to perform. Why do I have to keep performing when nobody is keeping me posted as to what in the world is going on?

ARGH! People are dumb...and sales people are the worst!

So, the story ends today with if all goes well by the end of the day I will know for certain if I am getting this house! Keep your fingers crossed, send me good karma and hopes for strong mojo. And if you have some extra peace and serenity send that along too.

Saturday, March 10, 2007

oh my

Getting married is going to entail a lot more than some "I do's" and moving in together. In the package I am going to become "step-mom" to two kids. One who is 17 and another who is 12.

There is a lot of backstory that I am now going to leave out and jump to the chase...

The 17 year-old lives with her mother and her husband in Utah. She just moved there in December and she is miserable. M reads her myspace blog and forwards entries of interest to me. The last entry broke our hearts. She feels so alone and isolated.

Her mom is spending all her energy on the other kids (step-kids) and not enough with L (who is used to being the only child).

L was excited at first. New start, a change for her. But it has all gone so wrong. She lives in the basement, after 3 months she still has sheets for walls. IT'S WINTER, IN UTAH!!!! They are just starting to put up the drywall. She doesn't have many friends.

WARNING!!!! to all my LDS/Mormon friends, I do not feel this way about all LDS/Mormon people...

I have discovered that LDS/Mormons can be the biggest hypocrites on the planet!!! L is being isolated at school and church because she isn't a "Utah" Mormons! The people who are doing this should just be called "morons"! They proclaim to be so Christian and yet they are treating her so unfairly because she wasn't born in Utah or the small town where she now lives.

They are making her life miserable. Like I said, this isn't all LDS/Mormons, just some. Some of the nicest people I know and some of my best friends are LDS/Mormons, but then again the craziest (and not in a good way) people I know are too. And she has encountered the crazy, mean and hateful ones.

She is coming to stay with us this summer. This was planned long before things turned all wrong in Utah. M also let her know that she is more than welcome to come and live with us on a more permanent basis if she wants. She is actually thinking that she will just come and not go back. And if that is what is going to make her happy, then so be it. I would love to have her.

I love this kid.

Once again, so offense intended. Just stating facts. If you are LDS/Mormon and reading this chances are I think you are pretty darn cool.

Drama

and I'm not talking about the kind on stage...

The purchase of the house is getting crazy. I got a call from my mortgage guy wanting to know what the hell is going on. Why did I accept an offer $15k over what they accepted. I had no idea what was going on. Apparently, they signed our offer, two offers ago. I know this is someone's mistake, but goodness people. We are spending hundreds of thousands dollars, let's take our heads out of our butts.

My agent hasn't returned my phone calls for two days. Mortgage guy has a phone call in to him to figure this stuff out. The contingencies need to be signed by Friday, escrow is supposed to close April 5. I haven't even turned in the fix it list yet, and there are some (what I consider major) items we want dealt with.

I hope today clears some of these items off of my worry list.

In the meantime, does anyone know a good contractor in the OC area? I have got to have some work done on my townhouse to get it ready for rental and can't get anyone to return my phone calls. And I DON'T have time to do the work myself.

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

What was I thinking?

I'm not selling my townhouse when I get married. I have decided to keep it and use it as a rental property. I thought I had a renter lined up (actually I still might, but who knows). Everyone I talk to tells me that this is a really good idea.

If it is such a good idea why am I stressed beyond belief?

I am so worried I won't be able to find someone to rent the place for what it is going to be costing me to keep it. The guy scheduled to go in is paying $1600 (half of that anyway) for a moble home. I need to charge at least $1320 to cover my costs. I want to get a little something out of this deal so I want between $1400 and $1450 from him. Plus he will have to pay for utilities here, at the moble they are included in the rent.

The townhouse is 1100 sqft, 2 bd/1.75 ba on a 1400 sqft lot. Do you think I'm asking too much?

Oh, did I mention I can't pay off the loan for 3 years? that means if this rental thing doesn't pan out I can't sell for 3 years?

Oh, my gosh, I'm freaking out!

Sunday, March 04, 2007

more on the house

A lot has happened in with the house since I posted last.

1. We let the house go. The agent wouldn't give us a small concession to help with closing, so we just said no. Not to mention they came back with WAY more than we could spend. Although, that is partly my fault because I had remember the price of the house wrong and that was reflected in our offer.

2. We looked around at other houses. And nothing felt right.

3. We went to my loan guy and he refered a new agent to us. We offically have our own agent!!! Yippy.

4. We made an offer on the house. A fair price and a good chunk of cash back to help with costs.

5. We got a counter. They met us in the middle. Although, there are some things we are concerned about. They don't want to give us the cash back (I understand). They also don't want to pay for section 1 pest damage. This one worries us. Those of you who own a house should know what this is. Section 1 states that the seller will repair any termite damage. We are concered because if it is lots of damage we are screwed. We don't understand why they would stay they won't pay that. It's actually pretty common to do, acording to our agent. They also want a HUGE amount as a deposit. That if we backout we don't get back.

6. We are going to do another counter offer. Less than they want, they have to pay section 1 repairs, we might ask for half of the cash we were asking for before, and we want the deposit back if something falls through. M and I are thinking if we ask for half the cash and section 1 they may give us the section 1.

So,that's the house deal. Hopefully by the end of next week we will be in escrow and then I can post some pictures of my new home. And let me tell you, I'm a bit freaked out. We are spending way more than I thought we would. But we both love the house, so I guess that's okay.

On a wedding note...I screwed up the invitations. I couldn't sleep last night, so I stated to cut the last part in order to assemble today. I cut them to the wrong measurements. ALL 60 OF THEM. I now have to go back to Michael's and hope they have the right paper. I know I had bought them out of it when I bought my stock. Hopefully they got a new order.

I'll post a picture of the invites as soon as they are finished.