Check

another item off my life's to-do list. I went to the post office and applied for my passport today! I was going to do it last year before they increased the rates, but just never happened. Passport applications were very popular today during lunch. There were about 5 others (that I know of) doing the same thing in the 30 minutes I was there.

I'm just glad that I didn't need an expedited one...the charge was $185! Yikes.

My picture actually didn't turn out too bad, either! Much better than my driver's license. I didn't smile, so maybe that is the key for me. Apparently no smile looks better than fake smile.

So in 6 weeks I will be a free woman! Free to go anywhere that doesn't require a visa! Or American Express ;)

Boring Post

I keep getting freaked out. Every article about home ownership keeps saying, "...this will be the single biggest purchase you will ever make." I get it. I know. It's scary enough. Stop pointing it out.

So I did a little home work to get prepared for my home purchase. I went to my library and checked out 10 Steps to Home Ownership: A Workbook For First-Time Buyers by Ilyce R. Glick. That sounds like a made up name, doesn't it? The book was actually very good, I thought. Easy to read and even had worksheets to fill out. Of course, since this was a library book, I couldn't write on it, which diminished some of the fun. But it had formulas on how much you can afford, how much to estimate for the closing costs, different types of loans, etc. I read almost all of it, cover to cover.

But I did skip over the emotional issues (deciding if you are ready to be a home buyer, how to decide what is important in a house - how to resolve if there are 2 people making the decision, etc.). I skipped over it because I don't want to be talked out of buying a house. For once, I don't care if Suze Orman says that you have to have 20% down and 8 months worth of expenses saved up. I'm ready for this. I have to keep telling myself. If people way less prepared and with way less savings have done this, then why shouldn't I?

And I must admit, I did skip over the appendix of amortization tables. I know, I know - I must not be that serious about home-ownership if I can't read a 50 page data table showing different interest accumulation with different interest rates. Sue me. But you had better wait until after I purchase the house, otherwise I have nothing you can sue me for.

Betch your bottom dollar...what the heck is a bottom dollar, anyway?

I'm not one to normally sing show tunes, but this morning I was belting out the theme from Annie. That's right, after what feels like weeks of hiding, the sun finally made a grand appearance today! It was a gorgeous day, above freezing temps and not a cloud in the sky. All day long. And the amazing forecasters aren't predicting rain for at least another 48 hours - which means it will be flooding tomorrow :(

The only sadness was that the sun finally melted the two snowmen. Somehow they had managed to survive as shapeless masses all week. But that was a compromise I'd make anyday. Rain, rain, go away, come again another day - as long as it's not tomorrow, cuz Mondays are bad enough as it is. Or Tuesday, cuz that's tennis night. And stay away from the weekend, while you are at it.

P.S. I looked it up. http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/62100.html:

"Bet your bottom dollar"

Meaning: Bet your last coin.

Origin: Unsurprisingly, this in an American phrase. First cited in the La Crosse Independent Republican, September 1856:

"I'm goin' to vote for you [James Polk] - you can bet your bottom dollar on that!"

The only difference between kids and adults...

Well, I don't think there is much of a difference. We get excited about the littlest things.

For the few brave employees that managed to come to work today in the snow/slush, the owner is ordering pizza for us. It is sad that he thinks that ordering food is an incentive to make us happy that we risked life and limb to come to work (during a day which not much will get done due to the novelty of the weather anyway). But it is even sadder that it is working. We are excited. Don't know what it is. We are all gainfully employeed and can afford a $5 pizza lunch. So obviously the free lunch is not a big driver of excitment. I guess it is the party atmosphere that company lunches provide. Pizzas connotate images of birthday parties and slumber parties and all things kid.

I can't wait the estimated 30-45 minute delivery time. I hope they save a slice for me!

News Flash! I am lazy. More details to follow at 10pm.

I had a whole weekend stuck at home, and I got nothing done! Threats of ice and sleet and frozen rain kept me inside for 2 solid days. Perfect time to do a thorough cleaning. Perfect time to organize my misc. closet. Or more accurately, perfect time to laze around watching movies, tvs, napping and reading.

Want to know what did get accomplished, besides those monumental, herculean feats? Two, count them two, loads of laundry, and going through a stack of papers. I didn't even do my regular weekend cleaning routine. I feel like a bum. Finally at about 9pm on Sunday night, I felt slightly motivated, so I dusted a bit.

This does not bode well for my future home-owning, which will encompass a bigger floor plan (hopefully), a garage to contend with, and a yard to conquer. I will probably be the house that will bring down the re-sale value of the neighborhood.

Thursday Thirteen: Things That Make Me Laugh

Thirteen Things that make me laugh 1…. The Ricky Gervais Show, a podcast from the creators of 'The Office' - British version 2…. The Onion - it's hilarous 3…. Headlines on Jay Leno 4…. The Simpsons, previously established 5…. Stupid movies, like Airplane!, Robin Hood-Men In Tights. I can't help it. 6…. David Letterman 7…. Found.com, although some of the articles can be disturbingly sad 8…. Crazy things my little nieces say, e.g., "We don't have any marshmellows because they are out of season right now" 9…. Playing board games with slightly intoxicated people 10…. Wes Anderson movies (Royal Tennebaums, Life Aquatic) 11…. Some programmers at work. When they get bored, they come up with some crazy stuff. They have a journal for one guy that the others all contribute to. Won't try to recreate here, but very funny. 12…. Mockumentaries (Best in Show, Waiting for Guffman, Spinal Tap) 13…. And I can usually laugh at myself. In good times, when I say something funny. In bad times, when I do something stupid.

Game. Set. Match.

Just have to brag a little. My doubles partner and I kicked booty last night. It was the first match in our winter tennis league. The team that we played usually beats us, though normally the games are competitive and the scores are close. Not last night! We won 6-0 and 6-1. I guess the stars were aligned. Normally, Partner and I don't have good nights on the same night. Maybe the other team couldn't handle the cold weather. Whatever reason, we'll take it.

It does douse my joy slightly when the other people start talking about their age. Last night they were 46 and 59, I think. Of course, they only bring up their age when they lose. I hope to be as active as the 46 year old one day! I don't mean I hope to be as active as her when I'm 46. I mean I hope to be as active as her now! She runs all the time, and talked about jumping on the trampoline with her kids before the game. It is good to have role models who show that you don't have to give up on life once you hit 40.

Age doesn't stop me. I marched my 28 (very nearly 29! yikes!) year old body to the scorers table and wrote down that very nearly perfect score without any qualms. Who cares if I'm half the age of the opponent. She's got twice the experience of me, but I don't bring that up when I lose ;)

I can never go home again.

Literally and figuratively.

I think my parents are competitive. I announce my home-buying intentions. A few weeks later, they decide that they are going to move. And 2 days later, they are going to put on offer on a house. They are stealing my thunder! Granted, my mom has always talked about wanting to move to a house with a better kitchen. And my parents don't need a 4 bedroom house anymore. But still, the timing is a little suspicious. 34 years in a house, and then in the same 6 month period as me, they are moving.

They didn't even ask my opinion. This is the only house I have ever known. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for them. It will be a step up. In fact, in high school I had dreams about them moving to this neighborhood. But did they do it while I would have enjoyed the benefits? No.

I guess I can be a big person about this and learn from them about the buying process. Or maybe I will go to my old bedroom and pout. Because I won't be able to do that for much longer if they have any say about it.

Best episode ever!

So, if you had to travel with your boss by car for 8 hours, what would you talk about? For the first leg of the journey, would you talk about the upcoming meeting, and strategize, practice what you were going to present? That would be a good idea. On the way back, would you discuss how the meeting went, what you could do to improve? Other possible sales potential, new clients,etc.? That would be good too.

But my world is not normal. So what did we talk about? Thanks for asking. We discussed our favorite episodes and lines from the Simpsons. Yes, the edutainmental and sophisticated animated sitcom. How does one fill 8 hours with that? I don't know but it happened. I may be exaggerating the 8 hours. Some of the time was spent in silence (trying to remember the exact quotes from the show). Some of the time was spent discussing the meeting (maybe 30 minutes total). Some of the time was spent discussing the horrible rainy condition of the driving weather. However, by far, without a doubt, the dominant conversation involved Homer and other non-existant Springfieldians.

I guess it could have been worse. My boss could be a science fiction fanatic.

Next trip...classic Seinfeld episodes. Business world, here I come!