much needed post
I absolutely HAVE to squeeze an update in here as it has been too long and I am going to be away from a pc for the next few days.
Random update thoughts:
1. Finally got the architect plans for our kitchen remodel and masterbath addition. Now we have to find a general contractor and we can get started on the kitchen. Whether we do the bathroom right away will depend on the price, I think.
2. This may be overambitious given that we just spent $14K on a vacation and are planning to spend god knows how much on this home remodel, but we are probably going to fly to Boston or Providence to check out some condo properties in Provincetown on Cape Cod. This would be for an investment, as the seasional weekly rentals there pretty much cover the cost of the mortgage for the year, if you get the right property in the right location for the right price. If we see something for sale that we really like, we may try to put together some creative financing to land it. It is definitely time to start building our real estate portfolio. In fact, we should be spending all our extra money on properties rather than going on fabulous vacations and making our home nicer....but, I guess the trade-off is worth it.
3. Chris atwood came out to L.A. for a few days and I got a chance to hang with him and a few of his friends on a couple nights. I had a great time with them, even though I was pretty subdued myself. They MORE than made up for my lack of adventurousness, and I enjoyed being a part of what seemed like a great time for them. I did meet a local boy named Brad who knows one of the guys who came out with Chris. I rather suspect Brad and I will become more friendly and close in the coming weeks :) I warn you, hanging out with Chris is dangerous business. The first night (Thursday) I somehow let a few cape cods and a long island sneak up on me and had to deal with one of the worst hangover headaches I have ever had the next day at work. Odd, because I wasn't drunk or even that buzzed...I guess I was pretty dehydrated beforehand and didn't have any water or anything before going to bed. Then on Saturday night I parked my car in a valet service that closed up before we finished the night of partying. I had to hang out in Chris and Ron's room (his friend from D.C.) until my friend Little Ricky arrived to take me back down to OC (40 minutes away). I was in such a rush to get home at this point because it was already 5:00 a.m. that I offered to drive Ricky's car (he's a slow driver) and promptly got a speeding ticket for doing 85 mph in the carpool lane at 5:30 in the morning. My first ticket in 14 years of driving in California. Now I am going to have to pay a couple hundred bucks plus suffer through traffic school :(.....even so, it was worth it to hang out with Chris, whom I have wanted to meet and chill with for quite some time!
4. Going to Love Parade in SF this weekend. Driving up in a few hours with Little Ricky and a few friends who enjoy electronic music. This is the largest electronica music festival in the world and this is the first time it has been held in the states. Gonna be fun! Will see a bunch of friends I have from all over the western US who I only get to see once every year or so.
That's it for now. Maybe I will think of more to post before I leave today.
Random update thoughts:
1. Finally got the architect plans for our kitchen remodel and masterbath addition. Now we have to find a general contractor and we can get started on the kitchen. Whether we do the bathroom right away will depend on the price, I think.
2. This may be overambitious given that we just spent $14K on a vacation and are planning to spend god knows how much on this home remodel, but we are probably going to fly to Boston or Providence to check out some condo properties in Provincetown on Cape Cod. This would be for an investment, as the seasional weekly rentals there pretty much cover the cost of the mortgage for the year, if you get the right property in the right location for the right price. If we see something for sale that we really like, we may try to put together some creative financing to land it. It is definitely time to start building our real estate portfolio. In fact, we should be spending all our extra money on properties rather than going on fabulous vacations and making our home nicer....but, I guess the trade-off is worth it.
3. Chris atwood came out to L.A. for a few days and I got a chance to hang with him and a few of his friends on a couple nights. I had a great time with them, even though I was pretty subdued myself. They MORE than made up for my lack of adventurousness, and I enjoyed being a part of what seemed like a great time for them. I did meet a local boy named Brad who knows one of the guys who came out with Chris. I rather suspect Brad and I will become more friendly and close in the coming weeks :) I warn you, hanging out with Chris is dangerous business. The first night (Thursday) I somehow let a few cape cods and a long island sneak up on me and had to deal with one of the worst hangover headaches I have ever had the next day at work. Odd, because I wasn't drunk or even that buzzed...I guess I was pretty dehydrated beforehand and didn't have any water or anything before going to bed. Then on Saturday night I parked my car in a valet service that closed up before we finished the night of partying. I had to hang out in Chris and Ron's room (his friend from D.C.) until my friend Little Ricky arrived to take me back down to OC (40 minutes away). I was in such a rush to get home at this point because it was already 5:00 a.m. that I offered to drive Ricky's car (he's a slow driver) and promptly got a speeding ticket for doing 85 mph in the carpool lane at 5:30 in the morning. My first ticket in 14 years of driving in California. Now I am going to have to pay a couple hundred bucks plus suffer through traffic school :(.....even so, it was worth it to hang out with Chris, whom I have wanted to meet and chill with for quite some time!
4. Going to Love Parade in SF this weekend. Driving up in a few hours with Little Ricky and a few friends who enjoy electronic music. This is the largest electronica music festival in the world and this is the first time it has been held in the states. Gonna be fun! Will see a bunch of friends I have from all over the western US who I only get to see once every year or so.
That's it for now. Maybe I will think of more to post before I leave today.