It has been so long since I have checked in, so much has happened.
I have trying to finish unpacking. Those of you who have ever moved know what I'm talking about.
The musical closed. It went really well. I am very proud of the kids and pleased with the outcome. We have the MACY Awards tomorrow, so we will see what the judges thought of the performance. I do not think I will be working on the musical again next year. But those of you who read know that story.
I finally got the wedding invitations out. They only went out 3 weeks late. Lucky for me, we are doing online RSVP, so I don't have to wait for the little cards to come back in.
I still don't have a wireless card in my desktop so I am unable to check in with all of you. I miss my bloggy friends. I am hoping to get M to take care of that this weekend.
I hope you are all doing well. Up sometime soon...a full and complete wedding update (I know you are all dieing to know all the details).
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Friday, May 18, 2007
I hate that woman...
M's ex is back to making my life miserable.
We have moved into our new home. We are getting ready for a wedding in just under two months. We will be living together for the rest of our lives. And yet next weekend I am going to have to move into a hotel because M's daughter B will be staying the weekend.
Now, I understand the divorce paperwork says we can't live together when he has her, but he offered to stay at the other end of the house in the guest room. But that isn't good enough. I have to stay in a hotel.
She was actually shocked when he said that it would cost her $300 for me to do that. She just assumed I would imposition someone in my family by asking to stay with them. Which I am sure they wouldn't mind, but it is the principal of it. I have a home! Why in the world must I feel homeless. So she found a hotel for $100 a night. Which is what I am willing to pay, so I will be looking for rooms in the $200 range. I figure if I have to stay in a hotel it's going to hurt her, right in the pocketbook.
I know it seems petty and vindictive, but she makes my life a living hell. B isn't getting over the divorce (5 years now) because mom is an enabler. Mom isn't over the divorce so the child can't get over it. I know that the reason B gets so upset over some of the stuff she gets upset about is because she senses mom wants her to be upset over this. The kid can't even make a simple decision, like what kind of ice cream to order (there were only 4 flavors), without someone helping her. I thought we were going to give her an heart attack when we asked her to pick out some possible colors for the bedroom here.
She was upset because M asked how she felt if I came to open house with him. She actually cried when she got home. Mom was on the phone with M today complaining about it. I can't even go anyway, I have an awards ceremony at the school, so it really was a mute point, but she couldn't let it go.
What makes me feel worse is I really don't think M understands how much this stuff upsets me. I tell him how mad it makes me. But I don't think he really gets just how much it hurts. I try being nice the B, I try backing off, nothing works, the kid just isn't going to like me because mom has told her lies about me and her dad, mom doesn't want her to like me. She feels like she is betraying mom if she likes me. I really am on the edge of just giving up. I mean when I got out with M and B I feel like I am the third wheel, not that we are a family of sorts and I don't think this is ever going to change.
And it makes me sad.
We have moved into our new home. We are getting ready for a wedding in just under two months. We will be living together for the rest of our lives. And yet next weekend I am going to have to move into a hotel because M's daughter B will be staying the weekend.
Now, I understand the divorce paperwork says we can't live together when he has her, but he offered to stay at the other end of the house in the guest room. But that isn't good enough. I have to stay in a hotel.
She was actually shocked when he said that it would cost her $300 for me to do that. She just assumed I would imposition someone in my family by asking to stay with them. Which I am sure they wouldn't mind, but it is the principal of it. I have a home! Why in the world must I feel homeless. So she found a hotel for $100 a night. Which is what I am willing to pay, so I will be looking for rooms in the $200 range. I figure if I have to stay in a hotel it's going to hurt her, right in the pocketbook.
I know it seems petty and vindictive, but she makes my life a living hell. B isn't getting over the divorce (5 years now) because mom is an enabler. Mom isn't over the divorce so the child can't get over it. I know that the reason B gets so upset over some of the stuff she gets upset about is because she senses mom wants her to be upset over this. The kid can't even make a simple decision, like what kind of ice cream to order (there were only 4 flavors), without someone helping her. I thought we were going to give her an heart attack when we asked her to pick out some possible colors for the bedroom here.
She was upset because M asked how she felt if I came to open house with him. She actually cried when she got home. Mom was on the phone with M today complaining about it. I can't even go anyway, I have an awards ceremony at the school, so it really was a mute point, but she couldn't let it go.
What makes me feel worse is I really don't think M understands how much this stuff upsets me. I tell him how mad it makes me. But I don't think he really gets just how much it hurts. I try being nice the B, I try backing off, nothing works, the kid just isn't going to like me because mom has told her lies about me and her dad, mom doesn't want her to like me. She feels like she is betraying mom if she likes me. I really am on the edge of just giving up. I mean when I got out with M and B I feel like I am the third wheel, not that we are a family of sorts and I don't think this is ever going to change.
And it makes me sad.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
and the curtain rises...
for yet another musical. Bye Bye Birdie opens in a meer 2 hours 20 minutes. I am very excited to have this show behind me.
I have decided that I won't be working on the musical next year (unless, of course, the dread VD says he's not doing it first). I can't work with someone who doesn't think I know what I'm doing.
Anyway, the kids have worked hard and should be very proud of what they have accompished. I know I'm proud of them!
They are my constant reminder of why I really do love my job.
I have decided that I won't be working on the musical next year (unless, of course, the dread VD says he's not doing it first). I can't work with someone who doesn't think I know what I'm doing.
Anyway, the kids have worked hard and should be very proud of what they have accompished. I know I'm proud of them!
They are my constant reminder of why I really do love my job.
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
update...
I am mostly in the the new house, although I am living out of boxes, I can't find things I need like my checkbook, the iron, stuff like that. I have been wearing nothing but jeans and t-shirts for weeks because I can't iron anything.
I haven't cooked in two weeks. I want real food for a change. I have been getting home so late from school because of rehearsal I've been eating take out almost every night.
I am about ready to kill the vocal director for my show. We got into it during rehearsal last night because he says there is too much light coming from behind him and the kids can't see his mouth when he directs them (note: he's mouthing the words to them). He wanted me to come up with an instant fix for this. I didn't know what to do, I understand his problem I have 8 lights for the entire show there isn't a thing I can do. I offered to try desklamps pointed at his face, but that wasn't good enough. I guess he thinks I am magic and can pull equipment and hang positions out of my butt. He actually came back to where I was sitting and was going on and on about this. I said I understood but didn't know what he expected me to to do, I have 8 lights for the show.
This went back and forth for a couple of minutes before he said "I understand you understand, that's not the point". What is the fucking point! You didn't do your job and make sure the kids know the music so you have to over conduct for a musical. This isn't a choir concert, they shouldn't have to look at you for cues, they should know them. I shouldn't have to worry about lighting your face because you need the kids to see you mouth the words to them. And I shouldn't have to argue with you about it when I say there are only 8 lights for the show. Give me a few minutes to think of a solution and we won't have any problems.
I really think that he thinks that my job is to make him look good. That the show is about him and what he can do. He said it is a collaboration, he has been to one rehearsal a week until the last 3 weeks. He hasn't helped build a single piece of scenery, yet complains at me that there aren't certain things on the set, or that things are working a certain way.
ARGH!!!!!! I want to slap this man. But I won't, and I probably won't work on the musical next year. That would be a lot less stress on my plate.
Anyway...I hope you are all doing well. I am so disconcected from all of you right now. I don't have my blogroll completely up to date so I can't do my usual reading and my blog list got deleted from my laptop. I will have to wait until this weekend and get my desktop set up.
Take care! and wish me luck!
I haven't cooked in two weeks. I want real food for a change. I have been getting home so late from school because of rehearsal I've been eating take out almost every night.
I am about ready to kill the vocal director for my show. We got into it during rehearsal last night because he says there is too much light coming from behind him and the kids can't see his mouth when he directs them (note: he's mouthing the words to them). He wanted me to come up with an instant fix for this. I didn't know what to do, I understand his problem I have 8 lights for the entire show there isn't a thing I can do. I offered to try desklamps pointed at his face, but that wasn't good enough. I guess he thinks I am magic and can pull equipment and hang positions out of my butt. He actually came back to where I was sitting and was going on and on about this. I said I understood but didn't know what he expected me to to do, I have 8 lights for the show.
This went back and forth for a couple of minutes before he said "I understand you understand, that's not the point". What is the fucking point! You didn't do your job and make sure the kids know the music so you have to over conduct for a musical. This isn't a choir concert, they shouldn't have to look at you for cues, they should know them. I shouldn't have to worry about lighting your face because you need the kids to see you mouth the words to them. And I shouldn't have to argue with you about it when I say there are only 8 lights for the show. Give me a few minutes to think of a solution and we won't have any problems.
I really think that he thinks that my job is to make him look good. That the show is about him and what he can do. He said it is a collaboration, he has been to one rehearsal a week until the last 3 weeks. He hasn't helped build a single piece of scenery, yet complains at me that there aren't certain things on the set, or that things are working a certain way.
ARGH!!!!!! I want to slap this man. But I won't, and I probably won't work on the musical next year. That would be a lot less stress on my plate.
Anyway...I hope you are all doing well. I am so disconcected from all of you right now. I don't have my blogroll completely up to date so I can't do my usual reading and my blog list got deleted from my laptop. I will have to wait until this weekend and get my desktop set up.
Take care! and wish me luck!
Thursday, May 03, 2007
wiped out!
I am so tired! We moved most of my stuff out of my townhouse wednesday and the big stuff out of M's rental. There is still a lot that has to happen at the townhouse for it to be ready for my renter and it all has to happen by Sunday! Did I mention my show opens this a week?
The Master Suite, we will be painting, but other than that it is a fantastic room....
An entire wall of built-ins, that's
pretty cool, huh?
We could have a party in this shower!
This is the Great Room....We will be changing the color...quickly!
This is the window seat in my craft room...yes! I get my own craft room. I am so excited. (okay, I can't find the picture of the craft room, but I thought you might enjoy knowing I have a windoe seat!)
Guest Room - can't wait to paint this one!
This is the tree in the garden side of the backyead. I love this side of the yard. It is very English Garden.
Note: this post was started several days ago, and then the madness that is moving began. I have been moving things in a car for the entire day (M left for Nashville for work this morning). There is still stuff at the townhouse. I can't believe that! I have way too much stuff and I'm not exactly sure how that happened.
Anway, I hope you enjoyed the pictures...further updates on the move to come later. I'm very tired and want to go by the townhouse in the morning and do another car load before work. That way my tenant (who I know, that goodness) won't have to deal with as much of my stuff for the next week. When M and I finish taking it all out.
Wish me luck!
The Master Suite, we will be painting, but other than that it is a fantastic room....
An entire wall of built-ins, that'spretty cool, huh?
We could have a party in this shower!
This is the Great Room....We will be changing the color...quickly!
This is the window seat in my craft room...yes! I get my own craft room. I am so excited. (okay, I can't find the picture of the craft room, but I thought you might enjoy knowing I have a windoe seat!)
Guest Room - can't wait to paint this one!
This is the tree in the garden side of the backyead. I love this side of the yard. It is very English Garden.
Note: this post was started several days ago, and then the madness that is moving began. I have been moving things in a car for the entire day (M left for Nashville for work this morning). There is still stuff at the townhouse. I can't believe that! I have way too much stuff and I'm not exactly sure how that happened.
Anway, I hope you enjoyed the pictures...further updates on the move to come later. I'm very tired and want to go by the townhouse in the morning and do another car load before work. That way my tenant (who I know, that goodness) won't have to deal with as much of my stuff for the next week. When M and I finish taking it all out.
Wish me luck!
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
a little of this, that and the other
Barring any more craziness M and I should get keys to the house this afternoon. We can't wait, the champagne has been in the fridge for 3 weeks. Once we get the keys the maddness really begins. We have to move me while I direct a musical that is 6 days from opening and before M leaves for Nashville for work.My garage door broke, again! I have to miss rehearsal tomorrow for the repair company to come and and fix it. I demanded the home warranty company send someone different this time. Last time I specifically asked the repair guy if I needed a new door to prevent this from happening again and he said no. Well, this is the fourth time th exact same thing has happened in two years, what do you think?
One of my assistant principals doesn't trust my judgement, and I hate the use the girl card (I've done it a lot in the past month) but I really do think
it's because we are dealing with tools, technology and all things usually considered man. Here's what happened...M and I were working with the kids to get ready for the musical on Saturday, M went up on the scaffolding to set the lights and it was discovered that the batton (big metal pipe that holds the lights) was coming out of the drywall. We took all the lights down, for safety - one good shake from the earth and the whole thing could have come crashing down. When I explained the 
situation to the AP he had the nerve to look at me like this was my fault! He also made me explain to him how we got up there and how we got the lights down. It took every fiber in my body not to reach out and slap him upside the head while stating the fact that I have a degree in this, I do this all the time, and that the kids in my program will go up on ladders and use power tools and they will not die! Stupid man!
it's because we are dealing with tools, technology and all things usually considered man. Here's what happened...M and I were working with the kids to get ready for the musical on Saturday, M went up on the scaffolding to set the lights and it was discovered that the batton (big metal pipe that holds the lights) was coming out of the drywall. We took all the lights down, for safety - one good shake from the earth and the whole thing could have come crashing down. When I explained the 
situation to the AP he had the nerve to look at me like this was my fault! He also made me explain to him how we got up there and how we got the lights down. It took every fiber in my body not to reach out and slap him upside the head while stating the fact that I have a degree in this, I do this all the time, and that the kids in my program will go up on ladders and use power tools and they will not die! Stupid man!On a very exciting note...I found my dress for the wedding. I don't think M has found the blog yet so I have posted a picture. I also found the perfect shoes, but haven't taken a picture of them yet...maybe later. Now I just have to lose some more weight! What do you think? (It's a terrible picture, but I love the dress!
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
I've been tagged...
Wow, this is a new one for me, I've never been tagged. I am supposed to list seven random facts about me...
1. I love to read. I always have, always will. I will read anything, books, magazines, the back of cereal boxes. I have more books sitting around waiting to be read than any one person should. I am actually on bookstore restriction, I'm not allowed in unless it is a book emergency.
2. I HATE gum. I can't stand it. It's disgusting, it's made from the same stuff they make tires out of. Not to mention the fact that most people can't chew it with their mouths closed. That smacking sound it enough to drive me batty. (it really ranks up there with eating sounds, which I also can't stand). But I love mints!
3. I hate living in Orange County. There is nothing unique here. Disneyland is trying to take over the world (not that I don't love the Mouse, but there is a line). You can very rarely find cool places to go (although I must tell you about Memphis in Costa Mesa). I not so lovingly refer to the OC as the world's largest strip mall, because that is pretty much all you can find. Three new ones just went in in a 3 mile radius of my house, and not a single cool restaurant or shop in the bunch.
4. I love TV. I don't have many shows I am completely addicted to, but the ones I love, I really, really love. Right now on the top of the list Criminal Minds (I went to college with girl who plays Garcia), Grey's Anatomy and the ABC Monday night comedy shows.
5. I am passionate about theatre. I love reading about it, seeing it, creating it. Most of all creating! I love directing, acting, technical work. It is the one thing in which I will completely immerse myself. My students can see it, they don't always get it, but they see it. Doing theatre full-time is the only reason I would leave teaching.
6. I love loud, hard rock and roll. The louder the better. My students can't believe this and are often shocked when they hear about the concerts I attend. I actually won bonus points with one kid because I went and saw Motley Cru and Areosmith. My favorite band is the Violent Femmes, and I will drop almost anything to see them live.
7. I don't understand "html". I can't figure it out. I try and I get frustrated. That is why you will never see actual links on my blog, but you will see "url"s. Not to mention I really really don't have the time to sit down and figure out how to do it.
Now...who's next...
Katherine at www.katherines123blog.blogspot.com
Bug at www.anindiansummer.net
h&b at www.house-n-baby.blogspot.com
1. I love to read. I always have, always will. I will read anything, books, magazines, the back of cereal boxes. I have more books sitting around waiting to be read than any one person should. I am actually on bookstore restriction, I'm not allowed in unless it is a book emergency.
2. I HATE gum. I can't stand it. It's disgusting, it's made from the same stuff they make tires out of. Not to mention the fact that most people can't chew it with their mouths closed. That smacking sound it enough to drive me batty. (it really ranks up there with eating sounds, which I also can't stand). But I love mints!
3. I hate living in Orange County. There is nothing unique here. Disneyland is trying to take over the world (not that I don't love the Mouse, but there is a line). You can very rarely find cool places to go (although I must tell you about Memphis in Costa Mesa). I not so lovingly refer to the OC as the world's largest strip mall, because that is pretty much all you can find. Three new ones just went in in a 3 mile radius of my house, and not a single cool restaurant or shop in the bunch.
4. I love TV. I don't have many shows I am completely addicted to, but the ones I love, I really, really love. Right now on the top of the list Criminal Minds (I went to college with girl who plays Garcia), Grey's Anatomy and the ABC Monday night comedy shows.
5. I am passionate about theatre. I love reading about it, seeing it, creating it. Most of all creating! I love directing, acting, technical work. It is the one thing in which I will completely immerse myself. My students can see it, they don't always get it, but they see it. Doing theatre full-time is the only reason I would leave teaching.
6. I love loud, hard rock and roll. The louder the better. My students can't believe this and are often shocked when they hear about the concerts I attend. I actually won bonus points with one kid because I went and saw Motley Cru and Areosmith. My favorite band is the Violent Femmes, and I will drop almost anything to see them live.
7. I don't understand "html". I can't figure it out. I try and I get frustrated. That is why you will never see actual links on my blog, but you will see "url"s. Not to mention I really really don't have the time to sit down and figure out how to do it.
Now...who's next...
Katherine at www.katherines123blog.blogspot.com
Bug at www.anindiansummer.net
h&b at www.house-n-baby.blogspot.com
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Saturday...
It's finally Saturday, I should be moving into my new house...but no! We won't have keys until Monday. It has gotten so bad that Mortgage guy is paying all kinds of stuff out of his pocket for us. Which seems only fair, if it wasn't for him and his company we would have been in the house two weeks ago. Monday, maybe?
Anyway, it's Saturday, I get to spend the day painting and building scenery for the musical. I met with the VD and the principal yesterday. I don't feel that everything got resolved. But, I don't feel like it is weighing so heavily on me. I am just glad that I was able to get some of it off my chest. I still don't like him very much, and I really don't like the way he wants me to run things, or the fact he wants more of a say in things he knows nothing about, but I have to let things go. If I don't let them go I will explode (and my dear, dear Harvey Johnson (character name) is very worried about the exploding drama teacher).
So, it's Saturday, I think I may finish wedding invitations tonight (I dug them out of a packing box). They need to go out in a couple of weeks. they aren't finished, almost but not yet.
Enjoy your Saturday! I know I will mine.
Anyway, it's Saturday, I get to spend the day painting and building scenery for the musical. I met with the VD and the principal yesterday. I don't feel that everything got resolved. But, I don't feel like it is weighing so heavily on me. I am just glad that I was able to get some of it off my chest. I still don't like him very much, and I really don't like the way he wants me to run things, or the fact he wants more of a say in things he knows nothing about, but I have to let things go. If I don't let them go I will explode (and my dear, dear Harvey Johnson (character name) is very worried about the exploding drama teacher).
So, it's Saturday, I think I may finish wedding invitations tonight (I dug them out of a packing box). They need to go out in a couple of weeks. they aren't finished, almost but not yet.
Enjoy your Saturday! I know I will mine.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
coming to a head...
I think the saga of the VD is finally going to come to an end.
At open house I had a couple of his "special" singers ask me when they were supposed to come to rehearsal, I thought they ment tech, he said they would talk about it later. Didn't say anything else to me about it.
Today he announced to the cast that he was putting 8 singers in, he was the VD and it was his decision to make. Funny I thought I was the director?
Tomorrow I will have a meeting with him and the principal. Hopefully I can be strong, because we all know I am the world's biggest baby when it comes to confrontation (I know some ladies I would like to be a lot like right now).
I have my list of talking points, which will be revised for tomorrow. And I actually think I am ready for this...Maybe.
I know the kids are up to something, writing a letter or something along those lines. I told the one spearheading the whole thing that I would prefer not to know what is going on. He's afraid he may be included somethings that he isn't supposed to know. (It happens when you are close to kids, when they spend almost every school moment in your presence, they are bound to hear somethings they shouldn't, or you're bound to say something you shouldn't have). I am worried about that. But I really am trying to not get in the middle.
When all is said and done the man will still be an ass. He has insulted me to much that I never want to work with him again. Like a good friend of mine said, "I love him, but he really pisses me off." Although, I'm not so sure I love him, or even like him anymore.
It's nice knowing the kids are on my side, but they shouldn't have to pick sides. I also know there are parents on my side. Who really don't like the way he talks to the kids. He makes them feel bad about they ability.
Okay, I'm ranting again. I must stop. I getting myself all worked up.
Good thought...We signed loan docs yesterday! I have been so busy I haven't had a chance to put in that update! We are hoping to fund tomorrow and get keys tomorrow night. But we also aren't holding our breath. But...we ARE almost a month late. We had to begin the dual app process before Mortgage guy actually produced a loan. But that's okay (not really, but anyway) we have signed and now we wait.
At open house I had a couple of his "special" singers ask me when they were supposed to come to rehearsal, I thought they ment tech, he said they would talk about it later. Didn't say anything else to me about it.
Today he announced to the cast that he was putting 8 singers in, he was the VD and it was his decision to make. Funny I thought I was the director?
Tomorrow I will have a meeting with him and the principal. Hopefully I can be strong, because we all know I am the world's biggest baby when it comes to confrontation (I know some ladies I would like to be a lot like right now).
I have my list of talking points, which will be revised for tomorrow. And I actually think I am ready for this...Maybe.
I know the kids are up to something, writing a letter or something along those lines. I told the one spearheading the whole thing that I would prefer not to know what is going on. He's afraid he may be included somethings that he isn't supposed to know. (It happens when you are close to kids, when they spend almost every school moment in your presence, they are bound to hear somethings they shouldn't, or you're bound to say something you shouldn't have). I am worried about that. But I really am trying to not get in the middle.
When all is said and done the man will still be an ass. He has insulted me to much that I never want to work with him again. Like a good friend of mine said, "I love him, but he really pisses me off." Although, I'm not so sure I love him, or even like him anymore.
It's nice knowing the kids are on my side, but they shouldn't have to pick sides. I also know there are parents on my side. Who really don't like the way he talks to the kids. He makes them feel bad about they ability.
Okay, I'm ranting again. I must stop. I getting myself all worked up.
Good thought...We signed loan docs yesterday! I have been so busy I haven't had a chance to put in that update! We are hoping to fund tomorrow and get keys tomorrow night. But we also aren't holding our breath. But...we ARE almost a month late. We had to begin the dual app process before Mortgage guy actually produced a loan. But that's okay (not really, but anyway) we have signed and now we wait.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
what is it about men?
Why is it that I feel like every man I talk to is treating me like a "girl"? They act like I don't know what I'm doing, like I can't get things done, and worst of all that because they don't know what's going on it's my fault.
Example 1 - Vocal Director guy - This man is an idiot. We open in 3 weeks (okay 3 1/2 but who's counting). He has had 1 rehearsal a week with the exception of this week, where he had 2. I ask why the piano player hasn't been to rehearsals, except 1, when I/we are paying him more money. VD emails me back that last year we promised to pay 800 and I only paid 300.....then why the hell didn't someone say something to me! I had it in the budget, it just means I put the wrong amount in the envelope (which I am sure had 800 in it). I told him I can't fix what I don't know. I also told him the rehearsal schedule hasn't changed since it went out in February, because he claims he doesn't know what I'm doing. I really, really, really hate this man. And I try not to hate people.
Example 2 - Mortgage guy - He still hasn't come through with a loan. He keeps telling me that he can do this thing where the seller will stay at the table because he won't be able to sell the house to anyone else anyway. I don't want to deal with that kind of court crap, I just want to buy my house and live happily ever after. At the rate this man is going I will be living in a cardboard box. He has single handedly driven me back to the point where I am having daily anxiety attacks. He calls me at the end of the day almost every day to tell me that I need to submit some other document. Now, usually I am at work still when he does this, the issue comes from the fact that all businesses I need to deal with are closed by the time I leave the school, therefore I can't get them to do the things I need. And when I ask a simple question I don't need to know the whole history of why this thing is happening, I just need to know the answer to the question and then to get off the phone before I pull him through the phone lines by his vocal cords!
Example 3 - District Director of Maintenance - this man won't let me order my new lighting and sound system because we are attaching things to the wall and ceiling. He needs to talk to the company I am having do the work to find out exactly how they are doing this. Now, keep in mind I didn't go down to Home Depot and hire a bunch of day laborers, I went to a reputable staging company. A company that does this stuff professionally. A company that knows a hell of a lot more than Director guy does. I don't think he realizes that when I said I have a show opening in 3 weeks I mean I have a show OPENING IN 3 WEEKS AND NO LIGHTS!!!!!!!! Apparently these people think I am magic and can pull a fully staged-fully lighted-fully mic'd show out of my ass. As I tell my kids...I'M NOT MAGIC!!!!!!!
Okay, enough venting...on a happy note H&M finally opened close to me. I can finally spend my gift card, buy lots of cute stuff. Only I am in no mood to shop (blame the stupid men!).
Example 1 - Vocal Director guy - This man is an idiot. We open in 3 weeks (okay 3 1/2 but who's counting). He has had 1 rehearsal a week with the exception of this week, where he had 2. I ask why the piano player hasn't been to rehearsals, except 1, when I/we are paying him more money. VD emails me back that last year we promised to pay 800 and I only paid 300.....then why the hell didn't someone say something to me! I had it in the budget, it just means I put the wrong amount in the envelope (which I am sure had 800 in it). I told him I can't fix what I don't know. I also told him the rehearsal schedule hasn't changed since it went out in February, because he claims he doesn't know what I'm doing. I really, really, really hate this man. And I try not to hate people.
Example 2 - Mortgage guy - He still hasn't come through with a loan. He keeps telling me that he can do this thing where the seller will stay at the table because he won't be able to sell the house to anyone else anyway. I don't want to deal with that kind of court crap, I just want to buy my house and live happily ever after. At the rate this man is going I will be living in a cardboard box. He has single handedly driven me back to the point where I am having daily anxiety attacks. He calls me at the end of the day almost every day to tell me that I need to submit some other document. Now, usually I am at work still when he does this, the issue comes from the fact that all businesses I need to deal with are closed by the time I leave the school, therefore I can't get them to do the things I need. And when I ask a simple question I don't need to know the whole history of why this thing is happening, I just need to know the answer to the question and then to get off the phone before I pull him through the phone lines by his vocal cords!
Example 3 - District Director of Maintenance - this man won't let me order my new lighting and sound system because we are attaching things to the wall and ceiling. He needs to talk to the company I am having do the work to find out exactly how they are doing this. Now, keep in mind I didn't go down to Home Depot and hire a bunch of day laborers, I went to a reputable staging company. A company that does this stuff professionally. A company that knows a hell of a lot more than Director guy does. I don't think he realizes that when I said I have a show opening in 3 weeks I mean I have a show OPENING IN 3 WEEKS AND NO LIGHTS!!!!!!!! Apparently these people think I am magic and can pull a fully staged-fully lighted-fully mic'd show out of my ass. As I tell my kids...I'M NOT MAGIC!!!!!!!
Okay, enough venting...on a happy note H&M finally opened close to me. I can finally spend my gift card, buy lots of cute stuff. Only I am in no mood to shop (blame the stupid men!).
Friday, April 13, 2007
approved!
I got the phone call yesterday. We have an approval, with some contingencies...but they seem to be minor stuff. We should be able to order docs today! I have my dual app all ready to go, incase I don't get the call that they've ordered them for us. I am not going to let this go past today without docs being ordered. It is just lame that they are dragging their feet so much.
I'm not making this up, you couldn't get a better loan risk than I am. I have killer credit scores! Debt to income ratio is really low! I know where the problem lies...and M is so glad he divorced her!
I'm not making this up, you couldn't get a better loan risk than I am. I have killer credit scores! Debt to income ratio is really low! I know where the problem lies...and M is so glad he divorced her!
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
big sigh...
I still don't have a new house. In fact we are very close to losing the new house and a considerable sum of money.
Mortgage guy just isn't coming through for us. And on top of that he isn't giving any indication that he can't get the job done so we know if we need to move on.
Real Estate Agent guy has me doing a dual app with another lender independently. I don't know if that is stinky of me, but I don't want to lose the house or the deposit. The seller is getting a little worried about us at this point. I am looking like a bad risk to him and that is pissing me off. If ever there was a good person to lend money to, it's me. I pay back my loans, on time!
So, the day I took off to care for my frazzled mental faculties will be spent filling out a loan app, finding all the documentation New Loan guy needs and trying to send that off.
Real Estate guy said he would tell Mortgage guy we dual app'ed next week. That way Mortgage guy keeps working on our file. M and I are actually hoping we hear something today.
In fact I have put M in charge of talking to people for the next few days. My brain is fried and I can't keep all the house stuff straight any more.
So, my friends, send me good karma and lots of mojo to deal with what is quickly turing into a real estate fiasco.
Mortgage guy just isn't coming through for us. And on top of that he isn't giving any indication that he can't get the job done so we know if we need to move on.
Real Estate Agent guy has me doing a dual app with another lender independently. I don't know if that is stinky of me, but I don't want to lose the house or the deposit. The seller is getting a little worried about us at this point. I am looking like a bad risk to him and that is pissing me off. If ever there was a good person to lend money to, it's me. I pay back my loans, on time!
So, the day I took off to care for my frazzled mental faculties will be spent filling out a loan app, finding all the documentation New Loan guy needs and trying to send that off.
Real Estate guy said he would tell Mortgage guy we dual app'ed next week. That way Mortgage guy keeps working on our file. M and I are actually hoping we hear something today.
In fact I have put M in charge of talking to people for the next few days. My brain is fried and I can't keep all the house stuff straight any more.
So, my friends, send me good karma and lots of mojo to deal with what is quickly turing into a real estate fiasco.
Saturday, April 07, 2007
copy cat, copy cat
Sophomores are so dumb. I just graded a paper, or should I say googled a research paper. Every single entry (they had to research 10 topics and write one paragraph on each) was copied directly from the internet.
First tip off...she didn't notate the sources, just put "book", "internet", etc.
Second tip off...links. Links print in blue!
Third tip off...words like "succession", "nomads", discontinuous"
Once again I state Sophomores are idiots!
First tip off...she didn't notate the sources, just put "book", "internet", etc.
Second tip off...links. Links print in blue!
Third tip off...words like "succession", "nomads", discontinuous"
Once again I state Sophomores are idiots!
Friday, April 06, 2007
Things I need to do today... UPDATED
1. Sign loan docs. Not going to happen. The underwriter is seriously in the middle of heavy PMS. She won't release the docs and keeps asking for stupid crap. Like, for example, how many months a year I get paid, what difference does it make, I still make the same amount. Oh, and when did my raise take effect. In September, when school started. I was asked if I ment September of last year...DUH!!! And I'll get another one next September!
2. Call my real estate agent to see if I can get into the house to take pictures. Not getting in. The seller is mad at me, okay actually probably more mad at the lender, but still mad. I was told it would be best to just stay away. In fact he signed an addendum to the escrow stuff to extend, but I have to pay $28 per day to cover interest on his mortgage. Mortgage guy is going to pay it for me, mainly because he knows I'm PISSED! Although I have calmed down.
3. Grade research papers. Yes, I am avoiding this. But it will happen.
4. Finish packing the living room. Doing this one soon.
5. Start packing the craft room. Yep, almost all the scrapbooking stuff is in boxes.
6. Clean the garage, to half can be goodwill and half can be move. Yes! I have started this.
7. Figure out when to bring in movers. (yeah, did you hear because of mortgage guy I now have to hire movers) I can't do this, I don't know when I will be signing loan docs so I don't know when I will fund so I don't know when I will be moving.
8. Decide on paint colors for the great room and the master bedroom. This way I can start to paint the moment I get in the house (you will understand when you see the colors of 3 of the rooms). Just don't even want to think about this one right now.
9. Buy a cashier's check for escrow. Nope, need to wait until I have loan docs.
10. Buy supplies to make green beans for Easter. Not that I am interested in going now. I really don't to have everyone asking about the new house after the loan doc fiasco. Don't feel like it, I'll go tomorrow.
11. Did I mention I really really want to sign my loan docs.ARGH!
2. Call my real estate agent to see if I can get into the house to take pictures. Not getting in. The seller is mad at me, okay actually probably more mad at the lender, but still mad. I was told it would be best to just stay away. In fact he signed an addendum to the escrow stuff to extend, but I have to pay $28 per day to cover interest on his mortgage. Mortgage guy is going to pay it for me, mainly because he knows I'm PISSED! Although I have calmed down.
3. Grade research papers. Yes, I am avoiding this. But it will happen.
4. Finish packing the living room. Doing this one soon.
5. Start packing the craft room. Yep, almost all the scrapbooking stuff is in boxes.
6. Clean the garage, to half can be goodwill and half can be move. Yes! I have started this.
7. Figure out when to bring in movers. (yeah, did you hear because of mortgage guy I now have to hire movers) I can't do this, I don't know when I will be signing loan docs so I don't know when I will fund so I don't know when I will be moving.
8. Decide on paint colors for the great room and the master bedroom. This way I can start to paint the moment I get in the house (you will understand when you see the colors of 3 of the rooms). Just don't even want to think about this one right now.
9. Buy a cashier's check for escrow. Nope, need to wait until I have loan docs.
10. Buy supplies to make green beans for Easter. Not that I am interested in going now. I really don't to have everyone asking about the new house after the loan doc fiasco. Don't feel like it, I'll go tomorrow.
11. Did I mention I really really want to sign my loan docs.ARGH!
Thursday, April 05, 2007
shit!
Mortgage guy did not come through for me. As of today, the day we are supposed to have closed escrow I still don't have loan docs. We won't fund until Monday, won't record until Monday (and that's if we are lucky) and won't get keys until Tuesday (that's if we're lucky).
I told him that I go back to work on Monday. I got back to work hard on Monday, my show opens in 4 weeks and we are so far from ready it kills me. I begin working my 14 hour days on Monday. M leaves for Vegas for a week on Thursday. Now, I have to move by myself and get the townhouse ready for the renter by meself and this is all screwed up because mortgage guy didn't do what he was supposed to.
My real estate agent told me if I didn't have loan docs by Monday I wouldn't close. I told mortgage guy this, who told me it wasn't true. Well, apparently it is.
People keep telling me that it will close when it closes and there isn't anything I can do about it. Yet, they don't seem to understand that I will be moving between the hours of 7:00pm and 5:00am because between the hours of 7:00am and 7:00pm I will be at the school teaching classes and directing a play. I don't have time for people to screw up on timelines.
I am already so stressed I am having a meltdown and will be worthless the entire weekend. So much for a happy easter.
I told him that I go back to work on Monday. I got back to work hard on Monday, my show opens in 4 weeks and we are so far from ready it kills me. I begin working my 14 hour days on Monday. M leaves for Vegas for a week on Thursday. Now, I have to move by myself and get the townhouse ready for the renter by meself and this is all screwed up because mortgage guy didn't do what he was supposed to.
My real estate agent told me if I didn't have loan docs by Monday I wouldn't close. I told mortgage guy this, who told me it wasn't true. Well, apparently it is.
People keep telling me that it will close when it closes and there isn't anything I can do about it. Yet, they don't seem to understand that I will be moving between the hours of 7:00pm and 5:00am because between the hours of 7:00am and 7:00pm I will be at the school teaching classes and directing a play. I don't have time for people to screw up on timelines.
I am already so stressed I am having a meltdown and will be worthless the entire weekend. So much for a happy easter.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
WHAT!
Somebody needs to get their act together before I end up killing someone!
I am trying to deal with everything with grace and tact (I'm trying to take a lesson from someone whom I greatly admire), but I am loosing it!
I got the stuff off to mortgage guy this morning. Everything except the document that shows where the downpayment for the house is coming from. I was all over the website for the mortgage company, no place on the site had a statement showing the draw on the equity line.
So, I email mortage guy and tell him this information. I email at about 7:30 in the morning.
I call mortgage guy at 2:00 pm and ask him if he has everything, he says yes. I begin to relax expecting a call anytime to sign loan docs.
I call mortgage guy back at 3:30 because when I called at 2:00 I had students hammering lids on paint cans and couldn't focus. This second phone call is to see what our time line looks like. I am then informed that he in fact doesn't have everything.
He has just looked at the email that states that I didn't have the document with the equity draw.
Now, if you are mortgage person trying to close a loan the day before escrow is supposed to close don't you think you would read EVERY email the client sent very carefully. Espcially when you are awaiting documents. He didn't read that email until after I talked to him at 2:00! Then was testy with me when I called him on the fact that he told me had everything when I talked to him at 2:00.
We are not going to close tomorrow. I am going to get angry "demand to perform" things from the seller and there isn't anything I can do about it. We probably won't close until next week. Next week when I have gone back to work and back to rehearsals. Next week when M leaves for yet another show in Vegas.
I'm telling you, all I want to do right now is curl up in a ball and cry.
I want to track down the seller and tell him I am doing everything I possibly can to get this closed on time and that it is the mortgage/lender who is holding things up.
I really, really just want to close escrow and be done with this!
I am trying to deal with everything with grace and tact (I'm trying to take a lesson from someone whom I greatly admire), but I am loosing it!
I got the stuff off to mortgage guy this morning. Everything except the document that shows where the downpayment for the house is coming from. I was all over the website for the mortgage company, no place on the site had a statement showing the draw on the equity line.
So, I email mortage guy and tell him this information. I email at about 7:30 in the morning.
I call mortgage guy at 2:00 pm and ask him if he has everything, he says yes. I begin to relax expecting a call anytime to sign loan docs.
I call mortgage guy back at 3:30 because when I called at 2:00 I had students hammering lids on paint cans and couldn't focus. This second phone call is to see what our time line looks like. I am then informed that he in fact doesn't have everything.
He has just looked at the email that states that I didn't have the document with the equity draw.
Now, if you are mortgage person trying to close a loan the day before escrow is supposed to close don't you think you would read EVERY email the client sent very carefully. Espcially when you are awaiting documents. He didn't read that email until after I talked to him at 2:00! Then was testy with me when I called him on the fact that he told me had everything when I talked to him at 2:00.
We are not going to close tomorrow. I am going to get angry "demand to perform" things from the seller and there isn't anything I can do about it. We probably won't close until next week. Next week when I have gone back to work and back to rehearsals. Next week when M leaves for yet another show in Vegas.
I'm telling you, all I want to do right now is curl up in a ball and cry.
I want to track down the seller and tell him I am doing everything I possibly can to get this closed on time and that it is the mortgage/lender who is holding things up.
I really, really just want to close escrow and be done with this!
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
oh my gosh!
WHY!!!!!!!
I spoke with mortgage guy at 11:30 am, why in the world did he wait until 3:10 to tell me exactly what he needed from me to finish for the loan docs.
Everything he needs I could have gotten had I known before 3:10!!!!!
Between 3:10 and 5:00 I ran around like a crazy person...pick up copies of M's last two paychecks from his office (to avoid driving in traffic for the real ones), race to my district office to get a copy of my most recent paystub because I didn't pick it up on Friday, not knowing I would need it. Apparently the loan people think I have quit my job in the past 30 days! IDIOTS!
Then it was home to find the tax returns I know I sent, that they can't find, and don'tcha think someone would have noticed they were missing before today!
Oh, and the tax forms that M picked up from me today so he can comlete his 2006 taxes...they need new copies of those! ARGH!!!!! I just sent those to them 3 weeks ago!
I think I am cursed, I think someone wants to keep me out of this house, I think someone reall wants to be slapped!
I'm not stressed, not one bit...I need a glass of wine.
Monday, April 02, 2007
dumb people
I am so tired of dumb people. It seems like almost everyone I encounter lately is dumb. The latest dumb people...the people who told me my new house would be tented today! Tented today with the tent coming off on Wednesday, and escrow closing and funding on Thursday.
Oh, and let us not forget the person who told me that if I didn't get my loan docs signed today my loan wouldn't close and fund in time. I still haven't seen loan docs!
While I'm at it let's add the lady at a certain HOME improvement store whom I had to tell 3 different times that I have a stand alone shower that I want new doors for, not a shower/tub combination. Not the mention the number of times I had to explain that I had already talked to a contractor and knew that a new shower surround wounldn't fit through the door of the bathroom, and that I didn't want to tile the shower, I just want to resurface it. (In this case I think it's the fact that I have blond hair and boobs and know what I'm talking about, it confuses people).
Let me tell you...stupidity should be painful. Actual physical PAIN!
Oh, and let us not forget the person who told me that if I didn't get my loan docs signed today my loan wouldn't close and fund in time. I still haven't seen loan docs!
While I'm at it let's add the lady at a certain HOME improvement store whom I had to tell 3 different times that I have a stand alone shower that I want new doors for, not a shower/tub combination. Not the mention the number of times I had to explain that I had already talked to a contractor and knew that a new shower surround wounldn't fit through the door of the bathroom, and that I didn't want to tile the shower, I just want to resurface it. (In this case I think it's the fact that I have blond hair and boobs and know what I'm talking about, it confuses people).
Let me tell you...stupidity should be painful. Actual physical PAIN!
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!
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!
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!
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
counter offer
We got a counter offer on the house. They want full price plus 3% toward closing costs. Not much of an offer in my opinion.
After an extensive talk with my loan guy it was determined that we should counter back. With some stipulations. If we can get the house for what we counter with we will walk away with a lot of equity right from the start.
So, I will keep you posted and you keep your fingers crossed.
After an extensive talk with my loan guy it was determined that we should counter back. With some stipulations. If we can get the house for what we counter with we will walk away with a lot of equity right from the start.
So, I will keep you posted and you keep your fingers crossed.
Friday, February 23, 2007
fun stuff
A meme stolen from Chatty (who stole it from HHM). Just like Chatty I teach English and thought this might be fun.
Look at the list of books below.
*Bold the ones you’ve read
*Italicize the ones you want to read
*leave blank the ones that you aren’t interested in.
If you are reading this, tag your it!
1.The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)
2.Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3.To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10.A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11.Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)
12.Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)xx
13.Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16.Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Rowling)
17. Fall on Your Knees(Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King)
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban(Rowling)
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie(Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (Orwell)
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. I Know This Much is True(Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. Bible (not in it’s entirety)
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens)
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrew Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolsoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
69. Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
76. The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. The World According To Garp (John Irving)
79. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)
81. Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen)
86. Watership Down(Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (Golding) (my all time fav)
93. The Good Earth(Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100.Ulysses (James Joyce)
Oh boy, do I need to read more!
Look at the list of books below.
*Bold the ones you’ve read
*Italicize the ones you want to read
*leave blank the ones that you aren’t interested in.
If you are reading this, tag your it!
1.The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)
2.Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3.To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10.A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11.Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)
12.Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)xx
13.Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16.Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Rowling)
17. Fall on Your Knees(Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King)
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban(Rowling)
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie(Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (Orwell)
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. I Know This Much is True(Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. Bible (not in it’s entirety)
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens)
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrew Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolsoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
69. Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
76. The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. The World According To Garp (John Irving)
79. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)
81. Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen)
86. Watership Down(Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (Golding) (my all time fav)
93. The Good Earth(Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100.Ulysses (James Joyce)
Oh boy, do I need to read more!
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
the good, the bad and the just plain bitchy
the good-
We found a house we want to put an offer on. (more on this later)
the bad-
I don't think M can be with me to meet with the agent.
the bitch-
It's his ex's fault. She didn't tell him the event B (his daughter) has tomorrow night is for making honor roll, until tonight, after we made the appointment with the agent. If we had known what this was for, we would have set up the appointment in a different way!
I hate that woman!
We found a house we want to put an offer on. (more on this later)
the bad-
I don't think M can be with me to meet with the agent.
the bitch-
It's his ex's fault. She didn't tell him the event B (his daughter) has tomorrow night is for making honor roll, until tonight, after we made the appointment with the agent. If we had known what this was for, we would have set up the appointment in a different way!
I hate that woman!
Monday, February 19, 2007
Love Day
For months before Valentine's Day M had been telling me I was getting a stripper pole. I really don't want a stripper pole, I don't strip, I don't really want to strip, and feel no need to invite in guest strippers to use the pole.
As it got closer and closer to the big day, he kept insisting that was what I was getting. I kept dropping HUGE hints on things I would really rather have.
On Valentine's Day M shows up at my house with this box...
It's a fairly heavy box, so I know it can't be anything I had asked for. I wanted things like seatbelt bags, the cool Beatles messenger bag I saw at the Love gift shop in Vegas. Small things, light weight things. Not a stripper pole.
Fortunatly for M when I opened the box this is what I found.
Here's a better picture of the necklace...
I love that man. He spoils me, treats me like a princess. I am so lucky. And really feel like the best is yet to come!
Thursday, February 15, 2007
YIKES!!!
I have exactly 5 months to finish plannning my wedding.
I have only lost 3 pounds.
I still wear a size way bigger than I want.
I have a really bad cold and really, really can't workout. Hard to workout when you can't breath.
I still have a TON of stuff to get done, and to top it off rehearsals for Birdie start Tuesday!
YIKES!
I have only lost 3 pounds.
I still wear a size way bigger than I want.
I have a really bad cold and really, really can't workout. Hard to workout when you can't breath.
I still have a TON of stuff to get done, and to top it off rehearsals for Birdie start Tuesday!
YIKES!
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Don't ever...
forget you are boiling eggs on the stove and go into the other room to do something...
They explode and ruin your really nice cookware.
No pictures...it's just too sad.
They explode and ruin your really nice cookware.
No pictures...it's just too sad.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Cake
I have started looking for someone to do the cake for the wedding. I really want to do a cupcake tower, and REALLY wanted to use Sprinkles cupcakes, but they don't offer a discount on bulk orders and they only make certain flavors on certain days.
I can't find a bakery in Temecula (hard to do from Anaheim). I'm going to have to make a trip down just to find a baker.
And can I just mention that this whole wedding thing is getting WAY out of control. The guest list keeps growing because we have certain family members who thing everyone and their brother needs to be invited (including people we don't like).
ARGH!!! Do you think it's too late to run away to Vegas?
I can't find a bakery in Temecula (hard to do from Anaheim). I'm going to have to make a trip down just to find a baker.
And can I just mention that this whole wedding thing is getting WAY out of control. The guest list keeps growing because we have certain family members who thing everyone and their brother needs to be invited (including people we don't like).
ARGH!!! Do you think it's too late to run away to Vegas?
Saturday, January 27, 2007
We Love You Conrad!
The cast list is up, and students are upset. Okay, just my favorite student, but still.
I hate casting. I have to say it is the worst part of my job.
I am happy with the casting for the most part. I'm upset about the samething my fav is. She didn't get on of the two parts she really wanted, and she didn't get the part I really wanted her to have because she's an alto and "Kim" is a soprano.
I know we will all survive and it will be a great show, just upsetting non the less.
The vocal director (VD) pissed me off during the whole process. He had told his students how he does casting...1. Musical talent, 2. Movement, 3. Looks, 4. Acting.
ACTING, last! In a play! Acting last! He told kids that! What he was really telling them is that you don't need to take drama because ACTING IS THE LEAST IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!!!!! A student reported this to me.
Then during our meeting about the cast list he told me the same thing! I could have killed him. M left the room in a hurry when he heard VD telling me this. I proceeded to get in VDs face about the fact that would rather work with actors who can sing, than singers who CAN'T act. It was about to get ugly, but I changed the subject because I wanted to have a good rest of my day. (See I can be the bigger person).
Anyway, rehearsals start in a couple of weeks. I have an opera singer playing one of the leads the in a 1950's style musical, who isn't the strongest actor on the planet. This should be interesting.
I hate casting. I have to say it is the worst part of my job.
I am happy with the casting for the most part. I'm upset about the samething my fav is. She didn't get on of the two parts she really wanted, and she didn't get the part I really wanted her to have because she's an alto and "Kim" is a soprano.
I know we will all survive and it will be a great show, just upsetting non the less.
The vocal director (VD) pissed me off during the whole process. He had told his students how he does casting...1. Musical talent, 2. Movement, 3. Looks, 4. Acting.
ACTING, last! In a play! Acting last! He told kids that! What he was really telling them is that you don't need to take drama because ACTING IS THE LEAST IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!!!!! A student reported this to me.
Then during our meeting about the cast list he told me the same thing! I could have killed him. M left the room in a hurry when he heard VD telling me this. I proceeded to get in VDs face about the fact that would rather work with actors who can sing, than singers who CAN'T act. It was about to get ugly, but I changed the subject because I wanted to have a good rest of my day. (See I can be the bigger person).
Anyway, rehearsals start in a couple of weeks. I have an opera singer playing one of the leads the in a 1950's style musical, who isn't the strongest actor on the planet. This should be interesting.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
house hunt
M and I have started that all too frustrating house hunting process.
I am working with the same person who did my refi on my townhouse. Mainly because he set up the loan so the townhouse can remain a rental so I am relying on him to get us approved for a second home. I can't sell the townhouse for at least 3 years because of the loan I'm in.
So, we got our first list of homes about two weeks ago, we took a day and went and looked at all the houses to see which ones we might be interested in. And let me tell you, there were some scarey neighborhoods on that list. M travels ALOT so I won't buy anywhere I don't feel immediately comfortable because I will be spending a lot of time alone.
We found a house we really really liked and I emailed mortgage guy that same night. This was last Monday. He tells me he will set up appointments to see the property, I say okay great, Thursday! (By the way, the Monday M and I looked at the houses mortgage guy was supposed to be with us, but cancelled.)
I email mortgage guy on Monday to comfirm for Thursday, no response.
I email mortage guy again on Tuesday, email that says he is working on setting up appointments - appointments that should have been set up a week prior.
I talk to mortgage guy today, says he hasn't heard back from anyone, but will call me back. He calls me back two hours later, tells me he has been told their "super key" doesn't work and the reality company won't show the house by appointment.
He sends me the contact information thinking maybe they will do it for the buyer.
I call reality guy on his cell phone and get his assistant who proceeds to tell me said perfect house is in ESCROW!!!!!!
ARGH!
I can't help but think that perhaps if mortgage guy had done what he told me he would do I might have actually had a chance to grab this house.
I called mortgage guy to tell him that the house was in escrow and he couldn't believe it. It figures the house had been on the market for 3 months, price lowered twice. An idiot could have figured out to move QUICK! But not my guy...take your time, put your client on hold, let them call you three times before you get your stuff together...
ARGH!!!!!!!
M and I are back at square one. And let me tell you, we can't live in my townhouse. It won't hold two people, much less the four it would have to hold when his girls are with us.
Once again...ARGH!!!!
I am working with the same person who did my refi on my townhouse. Mainly because he set up the loan so the townhouse can remain a rental so I am relying on him to get us approved for a second home. I can't sell the townhouse for at least 3 years because of the loan I'm in.
So, we got our first list of homes about two weeks ago, we took a day and went and looked at all the houses to see which ones we might be interested in. And let me tell you, there were some scarey neighborhoods on that list. M travels ALOT so I won't buy anywhere I don't feel immediately comfortable because I will be spending a lot of time alone.
We found a house we really really liked and I emailed mortgage guy that same night. This was last Monday. He tells me he will set up appointments to see the property, I say okay great, Thursday! (By the way, the Monday M and I looked at the houses mortgage guy was supposed to be with us, but cancelled.)
I email mortgage guy on Monday to comfirm for Thursday, no response.
I email mortage guy again on Tuesday, email that says he is working on setting up appointments - appointments that should have been set up a week prior.
I talk to mortgage guy today, says he hasn't heard back from anyone, but will call me back. He calls me back two hours later, tells me he has been told their "super key" doesn't work and the reality company won't show the house by appointment.
He sends me the contact information thinking maybe they will do it for the buyer.
I call reality guy on his cell phone and get his assistant who proceeds to tell me said perfect house is in ESCROW!!!!!!
ARGH!
I can't help but think that perhaps if mortgage guy had done what he told me he would do I might have actually had a chance to grab this house.
I called mortgage guy to tell him that the house was in escrow and he couldn't believe it. It figures the house had been on the market for 3 months, price lowered twice. An idiot could have figured out to move QUICK! But not my guy...take your time, put your client on hold, let them call you three times before you get your stuff together...
ARGH!!!!!!!
M and I are back at square one. And let me tell you, we can't live in my townhouse. It won't hold two people, much less the four it would have to hold when his girls are with us.
Once again...ARGH!!!!
Saturday, January 20, 2007
We booked the site!
The wedding plans are well on their way. I booked the location just 2 days ago. We are so excited. The wedding will be held at Longshadow Ranch Winery in Temecula.
It's great, the price we will be paying covers almost everything. I think all I need to do still are invitations, the cake, photographer, champagne, and any minor details we come up with. Oh, and my dress.
Aren't the horses cool. They are actually at the winery, so they will be attending the wedding.
It's great, the price we will be paying covers almost everything. I think all I need to do still are invitations, the cake, photographer, champagne, and any minor details we come up with. Oh, and my dress.
The only thing that bothers me a bit, we are having BBQ food. I'm more worried about nice dresses and BBQ than people thinking it's not classy. I'm known for having many a BBQ during the summer. M likes the idea of a BBQ, and I really want him to have a say in the planning (he really didn't get to his first time around). So, BBQ it is. And I know it means a lot to him that I am okay with that. I told him I wasn't totally excited about the it, but I knew he was and that made it okay for me. He really appreciated that.
Here are some pictures from Longshadow ...
Aren't the horses cool. They are actually at the winery, so they will be attending the wedding.
This is as you walk in from the parking lot.
This is where the majority of the event will take place. The picture was taken from the near the front of the tasting room.
This last picture is taken from the front of the rest rooms, which look like wooden outhouses but have full plumbing, looking at the side bar area right next to the tasting room.
So, more rustic than people would expect, but you know what, we LOVE this winery. They have some of the best wine in the valley, everyone is really nice, and it is beautiful in the summer. So, I will live with rustic, I won't regret it when I look back at my pictures and I know that M is really happy with the choice. And that makes it even better.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Wedding Plans!
Planning for the wedding has officially begun.
We went and looked at the where we really would like to have the wedding. And the more I think about it the less it fits with what I want to do, even though I LOVE this place. If you want to see where we are thinking about check out Longshadow Ranch Winery in Temecula.
Here's the lowdown on what we would get...
Full use the facility, it would be closed to the public at 5:00 pm.
BBQ chicken and tritip, green salad, a couple of sides, coffee, tea, sodas, hot chocolate.
Tables, chairs and linens.
Serviceware, black plates and clear utensils, napkins.
A DJ, the owner of the ranch says he's good.
Use the barn for the kids if we want (at a small extra charge to pay the girls working it).
3 drink tickets per person.
Veggie and fruit platters for during guest arrival.
Set up and take down.
The cost does not include the cake, offiant, center pieces or photographer. And I'm not sure if there is a place for me to get ready there or if I have to arrive ready. I wouldn't have to worry about decorations, because the facility is in the middle of wine country and is BEAUTIFUL in the summer.
The downside of having it here...it is very casual. I want a cocktail party. We can do our own food, but does that end up costing more money? The orignal idea was just little snacky foods. But M thinks since we are asking people to drive all the way to Temecula on a Sunday night we should provide them with food. That is fine with me. But do they serve BBQ at cocktail parties?
M really wants to have the wedding here. I might just say, okay we are splitting the cost between the two of us. We will each put in 5-6 thousand to make this really want WE want and just say to heck with the budget.
I will keep you posted on what happens. The last nice perk of having the wedding at Longshadow, just about all the planning will be done! Wouldn't that be nice!
We went and looked at the where we really would like to have the wedding. And the more I think about it the less it fits with what I want to do, even though I LOVE this place. If you want to see where we are thinking about check out Longshadow Ranch Winery in Temecula.
Here's the lowdown on what we would get...
Full use the facility, it would be closed to the public at 5:00 pm.
BBQ chicken and tritip, green salad, a couple of sides, coffee, tea, sodas, hot chocolate.
Tables, chairs and linens.
Serviceware, black plates and clear utensils, napkins.
A DJ, the owner of the ranch says he's good.
Use the barn for the kids if we want (at a small extra charge to pay the girls working it).
3 drink tickets per person.
Veggie and fruit platters for during guest arrival.
Set up and take down.
The cost does not include the cake, offiant, center pieces or photographer. And I'm not sure if there is a place for me to get ready there or if I have to arrive ready. I wouldn't have to worry about decorations, because the facility is in the middle of wine country and is BEAUTIFUL in the summer.
The downside of having it here...it is very casual. I want a cocktail party. We can do our own food, but does that end up costing more money? The orignal idea was just little snacky foods. But M thinks since we are asking people to drive all the way to Temecula on a Sunday night we should provide them with food. That is fine with me. But do they serve BBQ at cocktail parties?
M really wants to have the wedding here. I might just say, okay we are splitting the cost between the two of us. We will each put in 5-6 thousand to make this really want WE want and just say to heck with the budget.
I will keep you posted on what happens. The last nice perk of having the wedding at Longshadow, just about all the planning will be done! Wouldn't that be nice!
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Shoes anyone?
So, I was cleaning out my shoe rack, okay the two shoe racks, and found these totally cute Bruno Magli dress shoes.
I remember buying them, I also remember them fitting when I bought them. They don't fit now! I am totally bummed.
If anyone is interested in buying them from me, they are for sale. They will hit Ebay in the next couple of weeks.
Cost...$50.00 plus shipping
They have NEVER been worn and were purchased from Off 5th, the Saks 5th Avenue outlet store. Just let me know.
Oh No!
I go back to work on Monday!
I haven't looked at a single paper, script, director's proposal, NOTHING!!!!
I'm screwed.
I haven't looked at a single paper, script, director's proposal, NOTHING!!!!
I'm screwed.
Monday, January 01, 2007
Farewell 2006
I am so glad that 2006 is OVER! I can honestly say that it was THE worst year of my life. I figure things can only get better from here.
A few resolutions...
1. Get more organized.
2. Get into a shape other than round.
3. Spend more time with family and friends (a lesson learned from 2006).
I hope you all have a fantabulous 2007 filled with much love and happiness.
A few resolutions...
1. Get more organized.
2. Get into a shape other than round.
3. Spend more time with family and friends (a lesson learned from 2006).
I hope you all have a fantabulous 2007 filled with much love and happiness.
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