I'm nearly prepared for the movers, which is good because they're arriving very soon. My goal is to have everything packed and ready for them. My fallback goal is to have everything I can't move myself (due to weight, size, shape ...) ready for them. I'm very close on the fallback goal, and I'm not too far off the whole megillah.
My contractor has done a fabulous job, but there is more gypsum dust in my future. And my floor contractor seems to be waiting on supplies, so there is wood dust in my future. My plan is to leave everything in boxes until the dust settles ... and is cleaned up. I have two rooms with doors that are not impacted: the front bedroom (originally the master bedroom) and the bathroom. The cats will live in the front bedroom, and I will sleep on the guest bed and live out of a suitcase. I'm thinking of it as "camping" in the house.
I was really hoping the dust making activities would be done by now, but my timeline was unrealistic. We'll see how long it takes for me to hit the breaking point of too much chaos in my environment. At least I'll have the internet available.
This house buying / remodeling / moving has been all about letting go. I would have liked to have the tubular skylights installed, but picking out what I want has been more involved than I expected, so I'm letting that go for now. I would have liked to have a screen door for the front door, but picking out what I want has been more involved than I expected, so I'm letting that go for now. I would have liked to have the floors done before I moved in, but I'm letting that go for now. You get the idea.
There are lots of choices I'll be making, and I intend to enjoy learning about the options and making the selections.
Meanwhile, I think purchasing some large drop cloths is indicated.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
aaaah .... NOW I've visited
No visit to Syracuse is complete without at least one trip to Wegmans. And we've had the bonus of two trips to Home Depot as well (fixing some stuff at Mom's).
Sunday, December 19, 2010
in da 'cuse
Oh yeah - this is how 25 degrees feels. I'd forgotten.
Was chatting with Mom on her bed, and her tremors were shaking the whole bed. I asked her when I needed to put in another quarter. It took her a minute, but when she understood, we had a good laugh.
Was chatting with Mom on her bed, and her tremors were shaking the whole bed. I asked her when I needed to put in another quarter. It took her a minute, but when she understood, we had a good laugh.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Flooring ...
Have two diff guys looking at the flooring job tomorrow; someone looked at it last week but he's too busy to do anything before I move in.
At this point, it will be a miracle if it can be completed before I move in. Cats will be spending some time in the front bedroom or the bathroom - the only way to isolate them from the floor treatments.
Sent the contract docs to the termite fumigation folks today. There is actually a page you have to sign that essentially is "don't forget about Fluffy!" I had no idea how noxious these chemicals are - I can't imagine doing this AFTER I've moved in. You have to find a place for you, your pets, and your plants for 3 days. You also need to thoroughly seal any foodstuffs.
Note to self: do NOT move in any kitchen stuff until after fumigation, and after the post fumigation cleaning.
At this point, it will be a miracle if it can be completed before I move in. Cats will be spending some time in the front bedroom or the bathroom - the only way to isolate them from the floor treatments.
Sent the contract docs to the termite fumigation folks today. There is actually a page you have to sign that essentially is "don't forget about Fluffy!" I had no idea how noxious these chemicals are - I can't imagine doing this AFTER I've moved in. You have to find a place for you, your pets, and your plants for 3 days. You also need to thoroughly seal any foodstuffs.
Note to self: do NOT move in any kitchen stuff until after fumigation, and after the post fumigation cleaning.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Leaves and a Sprint
As with my two other houses, my new house has mature trees in the yard. Yay!
Guess what mature trees do?
They shed lots and lots of leaves. Leaves get in gutters. Wet leaves make the walkways slick, and thoroughly cover the lawn. They stick to your shoes and get tracked into the house. Dry leaves get blown into the house. (For some reason, around these parts screen doors are the exception, not the rule.)
It's been raining on and off for a couple of days, so I have both wet and dry leaves. I cleaned the gutters yesterday, mostly after the sun went down. This afternoon I finished cleaning the gutters and did (another) big rake in the front yard, where the two trees have dropped all their leaves. I did some raking in the back, but my giant curbside compost bin is full, so I can't fit those leaves into it. (Pickup isn't for another week! Eeep!) But it should help keep the leaves outside, rather than inside. I love the smell of fall leaves. I'm glad there is a fall here, even though it's all due to non-native trees. But I get to experience the colors and the smells, and that makes me happy.
I have a handyman combining the two smallest bedrooms into a single bedroom, shaped a little bit like Oklahoma, with patio doors at the end of the panhandle. (Patio doors in my bedroom! So very California!) And widening the doorway between the dining room and the living room. These changes have exposed gaps in the flooring (because they were under the walls), so I need a floor guy to fix it. So we now have:
After moving day:
Unlike my undergraduate days, I intend to get a full night of sleep every night.
Guess what mature trees do?
They shed lots and lots of leaves. Leaves get in gutters. Wet leaves make the walkways slick, and thoroughly cover the lawn. They stick to your shoes and get tracked into the house. Dry leaves get blown into the house. (For some reason, around these parts screen doors are the exception, not the rule.)
It's been raining on and off for a couple of days, so I have both wet and dry leaves. I cleaned the gutters yesterday, mostly after the sun went down. This afternoon I finished cleaning the gutters and did (another) big rake in the front yard, where the two trees have dropped all their leaves. I did some raking in the back, but my giant curbside compost bin is full, so I can't fit those leaves into it. (Pickup isn't for another week! Eeep!) But it should help keep the leaves outside, rather than inside. I love the smell of fall leaves. I'm glad there is a fall here, even though it's all due to non-native trees. But I get to experience the colors and the smells, and that makes me happy.
I have a handyman combining the two smallest bedrooms into a single bedroom, shaped a little bit like Oklahoma, with patio doors at the end of the panhandle. (Patio doors in my bedroom! So very California!) And widening the doorway between the dining room and the living room. These changes have exposed gaps in the flooring (because they were under the walls), so I need a floor guy to fix it. So we now have:
- handyman finishes wall changes, up to painting
- handyman hopefully installs tubular skylights!
- flooring person needs to install the new boards (with accompanying demo mess), sand them down, and apply 4 coats of finish. no one can walk on boards during the finishing coats (and perhaps not in house due to fumes ... not sure) ... for 3 days.
- termite people need 3 days with no one in the house to tent and fumigate.
- cleaning service needs a day to thoroughly clean house (gypsum dust everywhere!), and garage (smells like an ashtray!). Garage is currently the handyman staging area.
- Naomi visits her Mom for 6 days
After moving day:
- washer/dryer delivered and installed
- refrigerator delivered and installed
- everything out of apartment ... and work with apartment cleaning person so new tenants can move in Jan 1.
- unpack substantial portion before work resumes on Jan 3.
Unlike my undergraduate days, I intend to get a full night of sleep every night.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Yep, it's true. Gaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
I'm buying a house. In the bay area. For a zillion dollars. In Redwood City, "weather best by government test" -- a little further "north" on the peninsula from where I am now in Menlo Park. I'll be able to walk to downtown, to a nice Whole Foods and a lovely fruit market, to Caltrain. Here is an approximate location (don't want to post the exact address on here).
Here are some links showing how stupid a decision this is:
http://www.housingbubblebust.com/OFHEO/Major/NorCal.html Redwood City is part of the "San Francisco" line, which is clearly a broad mix of neighborhoods. 35 years of data.
http://realestate.aol.com/Redwood_City-CA-real-estate showing sales prices over the last 3 years. Eep!
Worst cases: house could lose $200,000. of its value, per that first graph. Or if I lost my job (hopefully not likely).
Here is a "virtual tour" with music that you can turn off. It gives you a much better feel than my pix below, except it uses a wide angle lens.
The living room:
There will be a guest room, and the bathroom has a really sweet shower that doubles as a steam room. And it's designed to accommodate tall people, unlike my current shower. The picture isn't great - but you can see the two shower heads - one from the ceiling.
The yard is practically all hardscape or flowerbeds with mulch, aside from the lovely mature trees. Perfect for me!
And a citrus tree with orange fruit (not sure what specific variety). As well as freshly planted meyer lemon and seedless lime trees.
The hardwood floors have a really cool feature strip around every room: a visual contrast running parallel to the walls.
The windows are all new, because the former owners were pissed they had to leave, and they took the removable half of every window with them. They also took the entire kitchen: appliances, cupboards, everything. So the kitchen is new:
Oddest feature: the garage has 4 skylights. And a 1/4 bath. 1/2 if you count the laundry sink.
Still working out my exact moving dates, but I'll be living there by the end of January at the very latest.
Here are some links showing how stupid a decision this is:
http://www.housingbubblebust.com/OFHEO/Major/NorCal.html Redwood City is part of the "San Francisco" line, which is clearly a broad mix of neighborhoods. 35 years of data.
http://realestate.aol.com/Redwood_City-CA-real-estate showing sales prices over the last 3 years. Eep!
Worst cases: house could lose $200,000. of its value, per that first graph. Or if I lost my job (hopefully not likely).
Here is a "virtual tour" with music that you can turn off. It gives you a much better feel than my pix below, except it uses a wide angle lens.
The living room:
There will be a guest room, and the bathroom has a really sweet shower that doubles as a steam room. And it's designed to accommodate tall people, unlike my current shower. The picture isn't great - but you can see the two shower heads - one from the ceiling.
The yard is practically all hardscape or flowerbeds with mulch, aside from the lovely mature trees. Perfect for me!
And a citrus tree with orange fruit (not sure what specific variety). As well as freshly planted meyer lemon and seedless lime trees.
The hardwood floors have a really cool feature strip around every room: a visual contrast running parallel to the walls.
The windows are all new, because the former owners were pissed they had to leave, and they took the removable half of every window with them. They also took the entire kitchen: appliances, cupboards, everything. So the kitchen is new:
Oddest feature: the garage has 4 skylights. And a 1/4 bath. 1/2 if you count the laundry sink.
Still working out my exact moving dates, but I'll be living there by the end of January at the very latest.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Dating - Ain't it Grand?
Two news items:
1. I went on a date on Sunday; the conversation was easy but the chemistry was not there. Hopefully we can be activity buddies as the guy lives about 8 buildings away from me.
2. One of the people who looked at my profile is the conductor of the community orchestra I play with (when I am not injured). Turns out we both like classical music - who would have guessed?
1. I went on a date on Sunday; the conversation was easy but the chemistry was not there. Hopefully we can be activity buddies as the guy lives about 8 buildings away from me.
2. One of the people who looked at my profile is the conductor of the community orchestra I play with (when I am not injured). Turns out we both like classical music - who would have guessed?
Friday, October 8, 2010
Grief Bubble
I was walking down University Ave in Palo Alto just now, just after watching "Never Let Me Go" and a big bubble of grief for John welled up. I had to duck into a doorway to cry - luckily, one without a homeless person.
I'm writing a little eulogy of my memories to send to the Slate family.
I'm writing a little eulogy of my memories to send to the Slate family.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
What's Up with House?
Okay people - what is so great about "House"? The plot is always the same: person is sick, someone needs to be convinced it's "interesting", they try 5 different diagnoses and the one 5 min before the show ends is the right one. House insults everyone. Whee.
Are you saying that you don't hear enough negativity so you want to be entertained by it too?
Please enlighten me.
Are you saying that you don't hear enough negativity so you want to be entertained by it too?
Please enlighten me.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Wow - it might be working!
So there is a free online dating site called okcupid (http://okcupid.com) that has multiple choice questions you answer for *your* answer and for what you'll accept in a match's answer. The questions are submitted by the members, and there are a zillion of them, so you can just skip questions that you don't want to answer. The questions/answers are how the site determines if you are a match. It's pretty neat, and it's very geek-centric for my population base in silicon valley. In fact, I think there might be more men on it than women!
So the folks who created the site are taking anonymized (is that a word?) data and munging it to get some very interesting insights into online dating, which they post to a blog (http://blog.okcupid.com/). They have looked into what sorts of photos get the best results, how long a first message should be (short!), the amount of dead accounts you get matched with at paid sites, how people lie in online dating, etc.
My take-away from reading all their blog entries: be briefer. I have trimmed my profile prose quite a bit, and I am sending briefer messages. I was reminded (indirectly) how dating is like looking for a job. The point of a cover letter and resume is to get an interview. The point of a profile and messages is to get a response. There are going to be a LOT of "No's" -- you are looking for a mutual fit, just like in a job search.
My profile - too long. My messages - too long. Not to me - I type fast and I read fast. But it's like having a resume that's too long - NOT a good thing.
So it's only been about a week since I edited it ... and I got a nibble. Odds are that it won't pan out, but you don't land a job without interviews.
So the folks who created the site are taking anonymized (is that a word?) data and munging it to get some very interesting insights into online dating, which they post to a blog (http://blog.okcupid.com/). They have looked into what sorts of photos get the best results, how long a first message should be (short!), the amount of dead accounts you get matched with at paid sites, how people lie in online dating, etc.
My take-away from reading all their blog entries: be briefer. I have trimmed my profile prose quite a bit, and I am sending briefer messages. I was reminded (indirectly) how dating is like looking for a job. The point of a cover letter and resume is to get an interview. The point of a profile and messages is to get a response. There are going to be a LOT of "No's" -- you are looking for a mutual fit, just like in a job search.
My profile - too long. My messages - too long. Not to me - I type fast and I read fast. But it's like having a resume that's too long - NOT a good thing.
So it's only been about a week since I edited it ... and I got a nibble. Odds are that it won't pan out, but you don't land a job without interviews.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
I must be tasty.
I was just at a meeting at the Cafe between Meyer Library (my office) and Green Library (Michael*'s office). The tables are outdoors, so we were chatting while he had coffee and I ate an apple (a Fuji - a good apple if you are buying from a grocery store). A yellow jacket (or some yellow and black wasp-like insect) landed on my LIPS. I thought it was a leaf or something so I blew it off. It didn't sting me, thank goodness.
The power of a good apple is known to multiple species, apparently.
* Michael Olson, not Michael Keller (who is the University Librarian)
The power of a good apple is known to multiple species, apparently.
* Michael Olson, not Michael Keller (who is the University Librarian)
Saturday, September 11, 2010
new mattress!
In the last week or two, I have been so unhappy with my bed that I am delighted to fall asleep on the couch. That's really sad. Particularly because I've worn out my couch springs after lying on them for 4 months straight.
My current mattress is past its prime, and the box spring or whatever squeaks (a LOT) when i move around. I worry I'm disturbing my neighbor. And the dorky metal harvard frame under the box spring has loosened and I can't do anything about it. Mostly because I shouldn't lift my mattress or box spring, and also because there is a clamp missing (I jerry-rigged something and it's not currently holding).
Today I treated myself to a new mattress. I'm tired of my mattresses lasting less than 10 years, and now I have a back problem to boot. I did mattress research on the web yesterday and this morning. Because I believe in it and can afford it, I decided to prioritize thus: 1) Comfort and Support 2) Longevity 3) Eco-friendly (also includes supporting local businesses).
In this information age, you can tell Google Maps where you are, and then type "mattress" into the search box, and ta da! You've got a decent idea of nearby mattress stores. Because I live in a highly moneyed area, there are three different high end mattress places within a mile of my apartment (and within 4 blocks of each other).
One of the stores sells (only) Dux beds, which are outrageously expensive. Like $12,000. for a mattress. http://www.duxiana.com/us_en/index.shtml Insane. Not going there.
One of the stores sells (only) a locally made mattress line - high end, manufactured after the order is received. http://www.mcroskey.com/
The third store also sells (only) a locally made mattress line - but they are more eco-friendly. http://www.thenaturalmattressstore.com/index.html They also have a wonderful marketing strategy with a mattress comparison page.
They paint Dux as ridiculous (surprise!), McRoskey's as more similar to conventional manufacturing of old, and then they take on European Sleepworks in Berkeley.
I would love to check out European Sleepworks, but it's too far for me at this time. With no traffic, it's a 40 minute drive at least. No can do. Can't ride that long either.
McRoskey has its prices posted - ouch. European Sleepworks also has posted prices - less ouch, but inaccessible. The Natural Mattress store has no posted prices - uh oh.
So I decided to start with the Natural Mattress Store in order to get their prices, and also because it sounded like the greenest of the lot.
Walked in, was the only customer. The salesman was excellent. Knowledgeable, but not at all pushy. He's been a mattress salesman for 20 years. Egads! I didn't know there were such people. (Jacobsen's rug sales staff: interesting new rugs all the time, some travel; mattress sales staff: same spiel, nothing new?) He asked for my price range up front, in the good way - wanting to help me stay in range rather than pushing me higher. Turns out their prices are lower than McRoskey, so they are in the running. A little more blah blah, but then it's all about getting horizontal.
For the record, I want my mattress to support my spine properly, avoid painful pressure points (hip, shoulder), allow me to roll over easily (I do that a LOT and the springy mattresses make it too difficult), accommodate different sleeping positions comfortably -- I sleep on my side mostly at the moment, but was a stomach sleeper before I hurt my back, and even so, I sometimes wake up on my back.
I probably spent 90 min in there lying around ... on various mattresses. First on one side waiting to see how I felt after my body settled, then flipping over and repeating the process. I felt like Goldilocks: "this one is too hard" "this one is too soft" "this one is too springy". Just rolling over that much made my back a little sore, which was kind of a good thing for selecting a mattress - the soreness got better on some mattresses (yay) and worse on others.
In the end, I saw no reason to go anywhere else. I picked what felt best and ordered. W000t. Job done. (This would NEVER have happened before I was on anti-anxiety meds - far more shopping around would have been required ... to allow me to justify to myself the decision that I had already made.)
So my new mattress has no springs - it's all latex. And it turns out that in this case, it just needs to be on a hard surface with some breathe-ability (think slats). A box spring is not going to make sleeping more comfortable. The only reason to buy a box spring is to raise the height of the mattress. (Salesman told me this, obviously giving up the sale of a box spring).
My new mattress will be ready in 7-10 days.
Yay! Eep! I need to buy a bed!
Off to Ikea. As I feared, nothing I liked there. And too much walking - man, that store is a maze.
Back home to the web again. Found a basic platform bed with slats, which is really all I want.
And then ... sheets! This is a deeper mattress. I also went up from full to queen -
I can always hope I'll get lucky ...
At this point, I think I'm most dissatisfied with the eco-friendly sheet options. Would you like a solid color, or a solid color?
Why am I being so obsessed with eco-friendy, you may ask. Well, I've heard that cotton is probably the worst crop ecologically because of all the incredibly nasty chemicals used. The stats are astonishing.
The most ecological choice would be to find some gently used sheets on craigslist or whatever. But enough is enough. Mattress, bed, sheets ...
... nap.
My current mattress is past its prime, and the box spring or whatever squeaks (a LOT) when i move around. I worry I'm disturbing my neighbor. And the dorky metal harvard frame under the box spring has loosened and I can't do anything about it. Mostly because I shouldn't lift my mattress or box spring, and also because there is a clamp missing (I jerry-rigged something and it's not currently holding).
Today I treated myself to a new mattress. I'm tired of my mattresses lasting less than 10 years, and now I have a back problem to boot. I did mattress research on the web yesterday and this morning. Because I believe in it and can afford it, I decided to prioritize thus: 1) Comfort and Support 2) Longevity 3) Eco-friendly (also includes supporting local businesses).
In this information age, you can tell Google Maps where you are, and then type "mattress" into the search box, and ta da! You've got a decent idea of nearby mattress stores. Because I live in a highly moneyed area, there are three different high end mattress places within a mile of my apartment (and within 4 blocks of each other).
One of the stores sells (only) Dux beds, which are outrageously expensive. Like $12,000. for a mattress. http://www.duxiana.com/us_en/index.shtml Insane. Not going there.
One of the stores sells (only) a locally made mattress line - high end, manufactured after the order is received. http://www.mcroskey.com/
The third store also sells (only) a locally made mattress line - but they are more eco-friendly. http://www.thenaturalmattressstore.com/index.html They also have a wonderful marketing strategy with a mattress comparison page.
They paint Dux as ridiculous (surprise!), McRoskey's as more similar to conventional manufacturing of old, and then they take on European Sleepworks in Berkeley.
I would love to check out European Sleepworks, but it's too far for me at this time. With no traffic, it's a 40 minute drive at least. No can do. Can't ride that long either.
McRoskey has its prices posted - ouch. European Sleepworks also has posted prices - less ouch, but inaccessible. The Natural Mattress store has no posted prices - uh oh.
So I decided to start with the Natural Mattress Store in order to get their prices, and also because it sounded like the greenest of the lot.
Walked in, was the only customer. The salesman was excellent. Knowledgeable, but not at all pushy. He's been a mattress salesman for 20 years. Egads! I didn't know there were such people. (Jacobsen's rug sales staff: interesting new rugs all the time, some travel; mattress sales staff: same spiel, nothing new?) He asked for my price range up front, in the good way - wanting to help me stay in range rather than pushing me higher. Turns out their prices are lower than McRoskey, so they are in the running. A little more blah blah, but then it's all about getting horizontal.
For the record, I want my mattress to support my spine properly, avoid painful pressure points (hip, shoulder), allow me to roll over easily (I do that a LOT and the springy mattresses make it too difficult), accommodate different sleeping positions comfortably -- I sleep on my side mostly at the moment, but was a stomach sleeper before I hurt my back, and even so, I sometimes wake up on my back.
I probably spent 90 min in there lying around ... on various mattresses. First on one side waiting to see how I felt after my body settled, then flipping over and repeating the process. I felt like Goldilocks: "this one is too hard" "this one is too soft" "this one is too springy". Just rolling over that much made my back a little sore, which was kind of a good thing for selecting a mattress - the soreness got better on some mattresses (yay) and worse on others.
In the end, I saw no reason to go anywhere else. I picked what felt best and ordered. W000t. Job done. (This would NEVER have happened before I was on anti-anxiety meds - far more shopping around would have been required ... to allow me to justify to myself the decision that I had already made.)
So my new mattress has no springs - it's all latex. And it turns out that in this case, it just needs to be on a hard surface with some breathe-ability (think slats). A box spring is not going to make sleeping more comfortable. The only reason to buy a box spring is to raise the height of the mattress. (Salesman told me this, obviously giving up the sale of a box spring).
My new mattress will be ready in 7-10 days.
Yay! Eep! I need to buy a bed!
Off to Ikea. As I feared, nothing I liked there. And too much walking - man, that store is a maze.
Back home to the web again. Found a basic platform bed with slats, which is really all I want.
And then ... sheets! This is a deeper mattress. I also went up from full to queen -
I can always hope I'll get lucky ...
At this point, I think I'm most dissatisfied with the eco-friendly sheet options. Would you like a solid color, or a solid color?
Why am I being so obsessed with eco-friendy, you may ask. Well, I've heard that cotton is probably the worst crop ecologically because of all the incredibly nasty chemicals used. The stats are astonishing.
The most ecological choice would be to find some gently used sheets on craigslist or whatever. But enough is enough. Mattress, bed, sheets ...
... nap.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Overheard Persistence
The juxtaposition of leaving my windows open for the fresh air in this mild climate, and living in an apartment building with a courtyard and separate entrances, is that you sometimes overhear things. Usually I'd be happier without, but today I heard a gem.
The couple who lives below me are in their 80s and stay home a lot. They are very sweet. A little while ago, I heard their doorbell ring. It was a guy from AT&T. The following is really and truly an abridged version.
"We are looking into the interference reported. What cable service do you get?"
"We don't get cable service."
"You get a comcast bill every month, though, right?"
"We do get mail from Comcast every month, yes."
"Okay, so you get cable. How much do you pay for cable every month?"
"We don't get cable."
"Okay. But do you get 0-400 channels, or 0-99 channels?"
"uh ... "
"Okay, so 0-99 channels - that's basic cable."
"We don't get cable."
"Well, there was a report of interference. What do you pay every month for cable?"
"We don't get cable. We sometimes get a lot of noise on our phone."
"Oh, so it was a problem with the phone. Well, we are replacing the aging copper wire in this area with fiber optic cable. Do you know about fiber optic cable?"
"Uh, I think we've heard of it."
"Okay, well, basically, it's unlimited bandwidth. The copper wire is corroding, so that can sometimes cause static. With fiber optic cable, you'll have great cable reception. So what cable service are you using now?"
"We don't get cable."
"Okay, but what is your cable bill every month?"
"We don't get cable."
(somewhere in here, I was tempted to stick my head out the window and yell down: "they don't get cable, they don't want cable, they were reporting a problem with their phone!)
"No, how much is your bill every month?"
"About 30 dollars."
"Okay, that's for what?"
"Our phone."
"I see. So you have separate cable service."
"No, we don't get cable."
"Okay, but do you watch TV?"
"Yes."
"So you get cable. How much do you pay Comcast or TimeWarner every month?"
(This continued so long that I realized with a little massage it could become an Abbot and Costello routine.)
"John??? Do you want to talk to this gentleman?"
(John takes over)
"Hi. How can I help you?"
"I'm looking into the interference reported. Was that with your cable channels?"
"No, we sometimes get noise on our phone."
"Oh. ... But what is your cable service?"
"We don't get cable."
"But which channels do you watch? Between 0 and 400, or 0 to 99?"
"We just watch the usual five channels."
"Okay, but what are you paying for cable?"
"We don't get cable. We never upgraded to digital."
"Oh - analog. So how are you getting channels?"
"We're getting BROADCAST channels."
"Yes, but which cable service?"
"We don't get cable. We just watch the five channels everyone gets."
"???"
"The broadcast channels. We've been watching the same channels on the same TV for years."
"Ok, so you don't get cable. Have you heard about our cable service?"
(Now I wanted to yell down "they don't get cable, they don't want cable. They're not interested in it." (Like, duh, they're a couple in their 80s ... of course they have a limited income!))
"We're not interested in getting cable."
"And the interference is on your phone? How much do you pay each month for the phone?"
"About thirty dollars."
"Does that include long distance?"
"Well, we don't make a lot of long distance calls. That's for local service."
"And you pay thirty dollars a month?"
"Yes."
"So we have a package where you can get phone and cable together."
"We don't want cable."
"Okay. Do you know Mrs. Greer who lives a couple of buildings down? She was on a similar phone service, and we got her set up with unlimited distance calling for thirty five dollars a month. Do you know Mrs. Greer?"
"I think so."
"Yeah, so we can get you unlimited long distance with that package."
"We don't make a lot of long distance calls."
"It's an excellent service - you can make as many long distance calls as you want."
"Yes, but we don't make a lot of long distance calls."
"Oh. Well, do you record any TV?"
"Yes, sometimes."
"Do you have a TiVo box?"
"???"
"You can record shows and watch them whenever you like"
"Well, we record on tapes."
"Oh - well, this would be much better. You could record more."
"We don't record much."
(At this point I really wanted to dump a bucket of water on the guy, and say "Look, I know you're a salesman and your job is to sell services, but they don't want anything more than what they have right now. You've put in an excellent effort, but they're not going to buy anything. Time to move on.")
Thankfully, after a couple more exchanges, I think it was clear to John that he had to communicate that they wouldn't be buying anything. Since John is a polite man, it took a few rounds. Then I finally hear John thanking the salesman (for what?) and the salesman says "Thank you for your time" which seemed like a nice touch. I guess he wanted to be on a good footing with the Crippens when he comes around next week.
Today I was once again extremely grateful that the entrance to my apartment isn't obvious. I had already decided if he knocked on my door (my doorbell is broken) that I wouldn't answer.
I don't get cable, I don't watch TV (except for streaming video from Netflix -- free with my Netflix subscription), and I only have a super basic phone line because I need one to get Stanford DSL. Which I'm hoping will improve greatly with the new AT&T fiber optic cable I learned about recently ...
The couple who lives below me are in their 80s and stay home a lot. They are very sweet. A little while ago, I heard their doorbell ring. It was a guy from AT&T. The following is really and truly an abridged version.
"We are looking into the interference reported. What cable service do you get?"
"We don't get cable service."
"You get a comcast bill every month, though, right?"
"We do get mail from Comcast every month, yes."
"Okay, so you get cable. How much do you pay for cable every month?"
"We don't get cable."
"Okay. But do you get 0-400 channels, or 0-99 channels?"
"uh ... "
"Okay, so 0-99 channels - that's basic cable."
"We don't get cable."
"Well, there was a report of interference. What do you pay every month for cable?"
"We don't get cable. We sometimes get a lot of noise on our phone."
"Oh, so it was a problem with the phone. Well, we are replacing the aging copper wire in this area with fiber optic cable. Do you know about fiber optic cable?"
"Uh, I think we've heard of it."
"Okay, well, basically, it's unlimited bandwidth. The copper wire is corroding, so that can sometimes cause static. With fiber optic cable, you'll have great cable reception. So what cable service are you using now?"
"We don't get cable."
"Okay, but what is your cable bill every month?"
"We don't get cable."
(somewhere in here, I was tempted to stick my head out the window and yell down: "they don't get cable, they don't want cable, they were reporting a problem with their phone!)
"No, how much is your bill every month?"
"About 30 dollars."
"Okay, that's for what?"
"Our phone."
"I see. So you have separate cable service."
"No, we don't get cable."
"Okay, but do you watch TV?"
"Yes."
"So you get cable. How much do you pay Comcast or TimeWarner every month?"
(This continued so long that I realized with a little massage it could become an Abbot and Costello routine.)
"John??? Do you want to talk to this gentleman?"
(John takes over)
"Hi. How can I help you?"
"I'm looking into the interference reported. Was that with your cable channels?"
"No, we sometimes get noise on our phone."
"Oh. ... But what is your cable service?"
"We don't get cable."
"But which channels do you watch? Between 0 and 400, or 0 to 99?"
"We just watch the usual five channels."
"Okay, but what are you paying for cable?"
"We don't get cable. We never upgraded to digital."
"Oh - analog. So how are you getting channels?"
"We're getting BROADCAST channels."
"Yes, but which cable service?"
"We don't get cable. We just watch the five channels everyone gets."
"???"
"The broadcast channels. We've been watching the same channels on the same TV for years."
"Ok, so you don't get cable. Have you heard about our cable service?"
(Now I wanted to yell down "they don't get cable, they don't want cable. They're not interested in it." (Like, duh, they're a couple in their 80s ... of course they have a limited income!))
"We're not interested in getting cable."
"And the interference is on your phone? How much do you pay each month for the phone?"
"About thirty dollars."
"Does that include long distance?"
"Well, we don't make a lot of long distance calls. That's for local service."
"And you pay thirty dollars a month?"
"Yes."
"So we have a package where you can get phone and cable together."
"We don't want cable."
"Okay. Do you know Mrs. Greer who lives a couple of buildings down? She was on a similar phone service, and we got her set up with unlimited distance calling for thirty five dollars a month. Do you know Mrs. Greer?"
"I think so."
"Yeah, so we can get you unlimited long distance with that package."
"We don't make a lot of long distance calls."
"It's an excellent service - you can make as many long distance calls as you want."
"Yes, but we don't make a lot of long distance calls."
"Oh. Well, do you record any TV?"
"Yes, sometimes."
"Do you have a TiVo box?"
"???"
"You can record shows and watch them whenever you like"
"Well, we record on tapes."
"Oh - well, this would be much better. You could record more."
"We don't record much."
(At this point I really wanted to dump a bucket of water on the guy, and say "Look, I know you're a salesman and your job is to sell services, but they don't want anything more than what they have right now. You've put in an excellent effort, but they're not going to buy anything. Time to move on.")
Thankfully, after a couple more exchanges, I think it was clear to John that he had to communicate that they wouldn't be buying anything. Since John is a polite man, it took a few rounds. Then I finally hear John thanking the salesman (for what?) and the salesman says "Thank you for your time" which seemed like a nice touch. I guess he wanted to be on a good footing with the Crippens when he comes around next week.
Today I was once again extremely grateful that the entrance to my apartment isn't obvious. I had already decided if he knocked on my door (my doorbell is broken) that I wouldn't answer.
I don't get cable, I don't watch TV (except for streaming video from Netflix -- free with my Netflix subscription), and I only have a super basic phone line because I need one to get Stanford DSL. Which I'm hoping will improve greatly with the new AT&T fiber optic cable I learned about recently ...
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Amusements
1. Perhaps my favorite amusement from my current situation is that I bike, but use a cane. I walk with a cane to the bike, then I get on the bike, sometimes using the cane for an extra balance support. I bike with the cane on my handlebars, because it really doesn't fit anywhere. I arrive at my destination and carefully dismount and lock the bike, etc. And then walk away with a cane. I haven't seen anyone staring or doing a double-take ... but I think it's pretty funny.
2. So I was picked up this evening to go over to my boss's house for some game playing. The woman who picked me up has health problems and walks with a cane. My boss's partner had a stroke a few months ago and is recovering and currently walks with a cane. I currently walk with a cane. I found it amusing that my boss was the only one of the four of us that didn't use a cane.
2. So I was picked up this evening to go over to my boss's house for some game playing. The woman who picked me up has health problems and walks with a cane. My boss's partner had a stroke a few months ago and is recovering and currently walks with a cane. I currently walk with a cane. I found it amusing that my boss was the only one of the four of us that didn't use a cane.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Health Update
Current status:
- standing: can stand normally for a short while (a few minutes)
- walking: about 5 minutes or 1 short block, on a good day, without pain. Then my leg starts hurting and my gait becomes less symmetrical and I start putting weight on the cane.
- biking: to avoid falling (very bad) given that i have a weak leg, I cannot be on busy streets and I must have a curb to stop/start. Starting from a standstill, with good foot on the ground, is dicey. Mounting and dismounting the bike is also dicey.
- driving: no can do. Weak leg still not ready to use the clutch in my manual transmission auto.
- swimming: no can do. Painful to be on my stomach.
- carrying or lifting things: nothing remotely heavy. A thick book in my bike bag is probably the max I should carry.
- working: I just got clearance to work part time, up to 2 hrs/day, as pain permits.
Thus, I am still fairly house-bound, and often need to be horizontal. (Once I am in pain, the best way to get it to dissipate is to lie down.)
Medical Details:
I am just home from my appointment with the physiologist. The upshot:
The cortisone shots I received 3 weeks ago have not been sufficient. I have two nerves impacted by my disc, and she thinks one of them is now doing ok (L4), but the other (L3) is not.
my choices seem to be additional cortisone shot(s) or surgery. My brother the doc, who readily admits this is not his area, suggested a treatment where they inject an enzyme into the disc in question to speed up the dissolving of the material pressing on the nerve. The physiologist and I looked this up in google. The enzyme my brother mentioned is a form of papaya juice, which is something the physiologist had talked about. But: it's no longer approved by the FDA as of many years ago.
I have chosen to have additional cortisone shots, since surgery isn't really what I want. I may get a second opinion from a surgeon ... but surgeons tend to believe surgery is a good solution. Unfortunately, I couldn't get on the schedule for shots until July 22, which is two weeks away.
I also couldn't get a physical therapy appointment before this Friday ... so I'm starting p.t. on Friday.
- standing: can stand normally for a short while (a few minutes)
- walking: about 5 minutes or 1 short block, on a good day, without pain. Then my leg starts hurting and my gait becomes less symmetrical and I start putting weight on the cane.
- biking: to avoid falling (very bad) given that i have a weak leg, I cannot be on busy streets and I must have a curb to stop/start. Starting from a standstill, with good foot on the ground, is dicey. Mounting and dismounting the bike is also dicey.
- driving: no can do. Weak leg still not ready to use the clutch in my manual transmission auto.
- swimming: no can do. Painful to be on my stomach.
- carrying or lifting things: nothing remotely heavy. A thick book in my bike bag is probably the max I should carry.
- working: I just got clearance to work part time, up to 2 hrs/day, as pain permits.
Thus, I am still fairly house-bound, and often need to be horizontal. (Once I am in pain, the best way to get it to dissipate is to lie down.)
Medical Details:
I am just home from my appointment with the physiologist. The upshot:
The cortisone shots I received 3 weeks ago have not been sufficient. I have two nerves impacted by my disc, and she thinks one of them is now doing ok (L4), but the other (L3) is not.
my choices seem to be additional cortisone shot(s) or surgery. My brother the doc, who readily admits this is not his area, suggested a treatment where they inject an enzyme into the disc in question to speed up the dissolving of the material pressing on the nerve. The physiologist and I looked this up in google. The enzyme my brother mentioned is a form of papaya juice, which is something the physiologist had talked about. But: it's no longer approved by the FDA as of many years ago.
I have chosen to have additional cortisone shots, since surgery isn't really what I want. I may get a second opinion from a surgeon ... but surgeons tend to believe surgery is a good solution. Unfortunately, I couldn't get on the schedule for shots until July 22, which is two weeks away.
I also couldn't get a physical therapy appointment before this Friday ... so I'm starting p.t. on Friday.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
MRI mumbo jumbo
Doc's write up of my problem: "Low back and left anterior thigh weakness with left hip flexor and knee extensor weakness. Loss of left knee patellar reflex and decreased sensation on the left at L3-4."
MRI Results (just part of them):
"There is minor disk desiccation. Mild to moderate disk space narrowing at L3-4. Minimal retrolisthesis of L5 on S1. Vertebral marrow signal is grossly unremarkable. Small Schmorl's nodes at L2 and L3."
"L4-5: Minimal disk bulging with minor bilateral neural foraminal
narrowing."
"1. Far left lateral superiorly extending disk protrusion at L3-4 contacting the left exiting L3 nerve.
2. Indistinct tissue in the left lateral recess extending inferiorly from L3-4, probably extruded or free disk material and in position to contact the budding left L4 nerve roots.
3. Relatively mild lumbar spondylosis at the remaining levels. "
Basically, this seems to say I got disc tissue pressing on nerves and it hurts.
---
A friend brought by groceries for me today and remarked that I seem to be getting around better. I guess it's true - I can walk better and be upright or seated longer. No opiates required during day or at night. No ibuprofen even. I still can't stand up straight, nor am I quite ready to fully trust my left leg, but it's progress. My pain level stays the same, because I just end up trying to do more normal activities. Not that I'm all that close yet.
Then again, who's normal?
MRI Results (just part of them):
"There is minor disk desiccation. Mild to moderate disk space narrowing at L3-4. Minimal retrolisthesis of L5 on S1. Vertebral marrow signal is grossly unremarkable. Small Schmorl's nodes at L2 and L3."
"L4-5: Minimal disk bulging with minor bilateral neural foraminal
narrowing."
"1. Far left lateral superiorly extending disk protrusion at L3-4 contacting the left exiting L3 nerve.
2. Indistinct tissue in the left lateral recess extending inferiorly from L3-4, probably extruded or free disk material and in position to contact the budding left L4 nerve roots.
3. Relatively mild lumbar spondylosis at the remaining levels. "
Basically, this seems to say I got disc tissue pressing on nerves and it hurts.
---
A friend brought by groceries for me today and remarked that I seem to be getting around better. I guess it's true - I can walk better and be upright or seated longer. No opiates required during day or at night. No ibuprofen even. I still can't stand up straight, nor am I quite ready to fully trust my left leg, but it's progress. My pain level stays the same, because I just end up trying to do more normal activities. Not that I'm all that close yet.
Then again, who's normal?
Friday, June 18, 2010
Adventures in Naomi-land
I am delighted to report that I got my epidural cortisone shots yesterday afternoon. Yay! I think they're helping - I was able to sleep in my bed last night, as opposed to the couch for the previous 3 nights (I think I needed to press against the back of the couch to mitigate my back pain signals). And I didn't need to take vicodin last night either. Best of all, I woke up with sensation returned where my left leg has been "tingly to the touch" and I think I may have gained a little strength back. These are great improvements. I'm trying to take it one day at a time and not get my hopes up - disappointments are killer.
Speaking of which: I sprained my left ankle Wednesday night. I was briefly standing in my kitchen and I must have shifted weight to my left left without realizing it. My leg collapsed under me and I fell (not gainfully) into a heap. I lost it for a while, then buzzed my physiologist (who was on call) to make sure the epidural was still a go. At her direction, I now have an appt with a neurosurgeon at the end of the month, which will be, essentially, the followup appt for my epidural. (The epidural doc suggested that it would be good to get "in the system" with the neurologist, just in case.)
At my own initiative, I now have a cane. Before this happened, I was making do with a hiking pole, as I noticed my leg weakening. It worked great on grass, and with the plastic tip on, it was okay on carpet too. But wood floors - not so much. My kitchen is bamboo, plus I mostly wasn't using it in my apartment because there is always something to grab onto as I gimp (and the noise to my downstairs neighbors). The fall in the kitchen caught me unaware. I was very upset ("I can't even get around myself in my apartment???"). The progressive weakening was happening more quickly than I realized, I guess.
My cane happens to be the same model as my mother's. I estimate that at my worst, I am 5% more mobile than she is when she walks. I know I get into and out of autos the same way she does. Thanks for providing the example, Mom!
The epidural procedure itself provided interesting, new sensations (most of them unpleasant) during the injections and lying on my stomach, even with the fentanyl administered, became increasingly painful. However, it was all over in about 20 minutes, and I believe the surgeon did a great job. They say if the surgery sensations are in the same place as your pain, they are getting the right spots -- he was definitely on target. And our pre-op talk definitely covered exactly what happened, including the range of sensations.
The other fun part reminded me of the importance of MORNING surgery appointments. Nothing-by-mouth meant I didn't eat or drink anything all day before the surgery, added to the night while I was sleeping. This made me dehydrated enough that my veins were uncooperative. The first nurse tried once with a vein that rolled (dig dig). Next with a vein that blew. She passed me off to someone with better IV skills, and she used some new techniques but also had two unsuccessful tries. Then a third nurse came in and managed to get one going. Much to my delight, I am only sporting two mild bruises today.
Hooray for modern medicine and canes. And for a truly multicultural surgery center.
Speaking of which: I sprained my left ankle Wednesday night. I was briefly standing in my kitchen and I must have shifted weight to my left left without realizing it. My leg collapsed under me and I fell (not gainfully) into a heap. I lost it for a while, then buzzed my physiologist (who was on call) to make sure the epidural was still a go. At her direction, I now have an appt with a neurosurgeon at the end of the month, which will be, essentially, the followup appt for my epidural. (The epidural doc suggested that it would be good to get "in the system" with the neurologist, just in case.)
At my own initiative, I now have a cane. Before this happened, I was making do with a hiking pole, as I noticed my leg weakening. It worked great on grass, and with the plastic tip on, it was okay on carpet too. But wood floors - not so much. My kitchen is bamboo, plus I mostly wasn't using it in my apartment because there is always something to grab onto as I gimp (and the noise to my downstairs neighbors). The fall in the kitchen caught me unaware. I was very upset ("I can't even get around myself in my apartment???"). The progressive weakening was happening more quickly than I realized, I guess.
My cane happens to be the same model as my mother's. I estimate that at my worst, I am 5% more mobile than she is when she walks. I know I get into and out of autos the same way she does. Thanks for providing the example, Mom!
The epidural procedure itself provided interesting, new sensations (most of them unpleasant) during the injections and lying on my stomach, even with the fentanyl administered, became increasingly painful. However, it was all over in about 20 minutes, and I believe the surgeon did a great job. They say if the surgery sensations are in the same place as your pain, they are getting the right spots -- he was definitely on target. And our pre-op talk definitely covered exactly what happened, including the range of sensations.
The other fun part reminded me of the importance of MORNING surgery appointments. Nothing-by-mouth meant I didn't eat or drink anything all day before the surgery, added to the night while I was sleeping. This made me dehydrated enough that my veins were uncooperative. The first nurse tried once with a vein that rolled (dig dig). Next with a vein that blew. She passed me off to someone with better IV skills, and she used some new techniques but also had two unsuccessful tries. Then a third nurse came in and managed to get one going. Much to my delight, I am only sporting two mild bruises today.
Hooray for modern medicine and canes. And for a truly multicultural surgery center.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Treatment Plan
Based on what the internist said, my pinched nerve <-> herniated disc will heal on its own over many weeks and the main thing is to reduce inflammation. My web research agrees with the doc: it will heal on its own and will take weeks to months to fully heal. ( http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/back-pain/spinal-cord-and-spinal-nerve-roots, http://www.rebuildyourback.com/pinched-nerve/diagnosis.php)
Chiropractors could help or harm. "exercises can make sciatica worse if it is due to a herniated disc. Acupuncture makes it easier to tolerate the pain but doesn't fix the problem. Chiropractors can be helpful or harmful in any case of sciatica depending on their skill and experience." (http://www.backpain-guide.com/Chapter_Fig_folders/Ch07_Symptoms_Folder/Sciatica.html)
--
My favorite quote from my research: "Now if the disc is herniated and damaged to a degree that degenerative healing will not occur ..." (from http://en.allexperts.com/q/Chiropractors-965/herniation-L4-5-L5.htm)
I sure hope I don't have degenerative healing!!!!
Chiropractors could help or harm. "exercises can make sciatica worse if it is due to a herniated disc. Acupuncture makes it easier to tolerate the pain but doesn't fix the problem. Chiropractors can be helpful or harmful in any case of sciatica depending on their skill and experience." (http://www.backpain-guide.com/Chapter_Fig_folders/Ch07_Symptoms_Folder/Sciatica.html)
--
My favorite quote from my research: "Now if the disc is herniated and damaged to a degree that degenerative healing will not occur ..." (from http://en.allexperts.com/q/Chiropractors-965/herniation-L4-5-L5.htm)
I sure hope I don't have degenerative healing!!!!
Saturday, May 22, 2010
It shouldn't be about me
In an effort to stop feeling frustrated and incapacitated, I just sponsored a Women's group in Nepal http://www.etc-nepal.org/sponsorship.php and a female survivor of war http://www.womenforwomen.org/sponsor-a-woman/sponsor-a-woman.php.
I just finished a compelling book about women in Iraq: Sisters in War: a Story of Love, Family and Survival in the New Iraq by Christina Asquith and was re-convinced that grassroots charity is the way to go. Hopefully my unmarried, godless, childless life in the land of plenty won't be completely off-putting to these women, once we start corresponding.
I just finished a compelling book about women in Iraq: Sisters in War: a Story of Love, Family and Survival in the New Iraq by Christina Asquith and was re-convinced that grassroots charity is the way to go. Hopefully my unmarried, godless, childless life in the land of plenty won't be completely off-putting to these women, once we start corresponding.
two observations
1. Biking is more comfortable than walking.
2. I can sit in a lounger chair on my patio. In the sun.
2. I can sit in a lounger chair on my patio. In the sun.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
cat photos - a lame Mothers' Day post
Delilah was a little camera shy.
But I coaxed her out of it.
Shindy pretended she was a bag lady.
Then she wanted to play.
And on the umpteenth shot, she rested.
I can't imagine where she gets her energy from.
But I coaxed her out of it.
Shindy pretended she was a bag lady.
Then she wanted to play.
And on the umpteenth shot, she rested.
I can't imagine where she gets her energy from.
Monday, April 19, 2010
My weekend
Have you ever noticed, when looking at games in a store, that some of them have a sticker "mensa select?" Well, some mensa pals of mine invited me to join in the process of choosing this year's 5 games. I am not a Mensa member, so I didn't get to vote; I just played a zillion games over the course of 2 days.
49 entries. Each participant is assigned 30 games to rate. Each voting member ranks the top 7 of their 30 games. It was an interesting weekend. It was in San Diego, but it could have been anywhere, because we never ventured outside the hotel. Too many games to play in too short a time.
Not all the games are "gamers games" - I played a lot of party games and word games. Some baaad games. I was fortunate in not being assigned the worst of the religious games. Some games were essentially rip offs of other games. Some games were designed to appeal to children, some for adults.
After diligently working on my 30 assigned games, getting about 20 of them done, it occurred to me that I wasn't voting. So why the hell was I trying so hard to stick to my list? After that, I just played games that interested me, or that other people needed to try or whatever.
My favorite game was a cooperative game very similar to Pandemic, called Forbidden Island.
49 entries. Each participant is assigned 30 games to rate. Each voting member ranks the top 7 of their 30 games. It was an interesting weekend. It was in San Diego, but it could have been anywhere, because we never ventured outside the hotel. Too many games to play in too short a time.
Not all the games are "gamers games" - I played a lot of party games and word games. Some baaad games. I was fortunate in not being assigned the worst of the religious games. Some games were essentially rip offs of other games. Some games were designed to appeal to children, some for adults.
After diligently working on my 30 assigned games, getting about 20 of them done, it occurred to me that I wasn't voting. So why the hell was I trying so hard to stick to my list? After that, I just played games that interested me, or that other people needed to try or whatever.
My favorite game was a cooperative game very similar to Pandemic, called Forbidden Island.
House - no go
Crawlspace under the house: Subterranean termites; airborne termites. Affecting the rim joist (what the house sits on at the edge, between the house and the foundation), lots of regular joists. Huge amount of fungus. And best of all: a huge drainage problem.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Adulthood: It's Just Not What It Was Cracked Up to Be
As a child, I remember thinking it would be great to be a grown-up, because I would get to make my own choices. Now that I'm an adult(!), decision making is often more difficult than I used to imagine. Nevertheless, I have "high quality" problems - my selection of options is more like "do I want melon or mango" rather than "do I buy food or pay rent"
The current dithering is, of course, about purchasing a home. I like the house - I would never bid on a house I didn't like. The location is okay. I cannot afford all of these: 0. safety 1. easy walk to public transportation (Caltrain) 2. easy walk to walkable downtown with stores of interest (e.g. groceries) and restaurants 3. biking commute to work 4. that je ne sais quoi along with 5. a free standing house of acceptable size.
Facebook photo album
Acceptable size: as always, it's relative. I've never wanted a mansion - I like to keep the cleaning more manageable, for one thing. My house in Ithaca is significantly bigger than the one I'm buying here. My apartment here is about the same size as the house. The house has a better bathroom and kitchen. The apartment has a better living room - dining room layout and bigger bedrooms, too. For my single lifestyle, two big bedrooms work a lot better than three small ones.
House: no shared walls! I'll be able to practice freely, at all hours. (Literally, any hour, if I'm willing to keep the windows closed -- hurray for double pane windows!) I envision fixing up the front yard into more of a flower garden with some seating. I have a nice patio with this apartment, but I never use it - I think it's because it's not really connected enough with the house. It's down the staircase and out of the sightline, and Shindy cat will meow plaintively (and LOUDLY) if I hang out there (she can't come out).
I'll be 10-15 minutes closer to the city, by car. 1-2 stops closer by Caltrain. A block away from a great locally owned fruit market. Too close to some big box stores.
I'm looking over the inspection reports now - no red flags on the play so far ...
The current dithering is, of course, about purchasing a home. I like the house - I would never bid on a house I didn't like. The location is okay. I cannot afford all of these: 0. safety 1. easy walk to public transportation (Caltrain) 2. easy walk to walkable downtown with stores of interest (e.g. groceries) and restaurants 3. biking commute to work 4. that je ne sais quoi along with 5. a free standing house of acceptable size.
Facebook photo album
Acceptable size: as always, it's relative. I've never wanted a mansion - I like to keep the cleaning more manageable, for one thing. My house in Ithaca is significantly bigger than the one I'm buying here. My apartment here is about the same size as the house. The house has a better bathroom and kitchen. The apartment has a better living room - dining room layout and bigger bedrooms, too. For my single lifestyle, two big bedrooms work a lot better than three small ones.
House: no shared walls! I'll be able to practice freely, at all hours. (Literally, any hour, if I'm willing to keep the windows closed -- hurray for double pane windows!) I envision fixing up the front yard into more of a flower garden with some seating. I have a nice patio with this apartment, but I never use it - I think it's because it's not really connected enough with the house. It's down the staircase and out of the sightline, and Shindy cat will meow plaintively (and LOUDLY) if I hang out there (she can't come out).
I'll be 10-15 minutes closer to the city, by car. 1-2 stops closer by Caltrain. A block away from a great locally owned fruit market. Too close to some big box stores.
I'm looking over the inspection reports now - no red flags on the play so far ...
Monday, March 29, 2010
Let the chaos begin
It appears I will have a contract signed to buy a house by 11 am tomorrow. Then comes the inspection, locking in the loan interest rate, etc. My realtor and mortgage broker are awesome. Apparently they had something like 4 offers higher than mine (but close), but they liked mine best because of the obvious due diligence of my mortgage broker and my 20% down. Thank you, Ithaca housing market!
Turns out I was smart to hang on to that chandelier I never hung up in Fort Collins.
I won't post the address here for obvious reasons. You'll have to IM or email me for it.
Oh god - I may have to move soon. Yuck.
Turns out I was smart to hang on to that chandelier I never hung up in Fort Collins.
I won't post the address here for obvious reasons. You'll have to IM or email me for it.
Oh god - I may have to move soon. Yuck.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
gee, I *thought* I was being genuine
Went on a hiking date today with someone I met on match.com. We had a lovely time.
Apparently, I absolutely suck at marketing myself. From a post-hike email:
"For what it's worth, you come across completely differently in person than in your profile (maybe everybody does), and I like the real you better than the profile you."
So how does one make a self portrait in words more accurate? I have no idea. Well, I have one idea - he suggested I tone down the "geekiness" of my profile. Okay, vote for one of these openers, or even better, make a suggestion, or even better, write my whole profile for me:
a. "I'm apparently incapable of writing a profile describing myself reasonably accurately. So here are a bunch of actual quotes in response to me or my profile: 'no b.s.' 'I like the real you better than the profile you.' 'wow - you are MUCH better in person' 'I was going to write but I didn't know what to say because your profile was so intimidating' ..."
b. "Relaxed. Goofy. Sincere. Loving. Centered. ..."
c. "Uptight. Stressed. Flash point. Intense. Inappropriate. ..."
d. "Top ten reasons NOT to date me: ..." (an actual suggestion I received)
e. "Seeking smart, responsible, foolhardy, loving, cuddly ..."
Apparently, I absolutely suck at marketing myself. From a post-hike email:
"For what it's worth, you come across completely differently in person than in your profile (maybe everybody does), and I like the real you better than the profile you."
So how does one make a self portrait in words more accurate? I have no idea. Well, I have one idea - he suggested I tone down the "geekiness" of my profile. Okay, vote for one of these openers, or even better, make a suggestion, or even better, write my whole profile for me:
a. "I'm apparently incapable of writing a profile describing myself reasonably accurately. So here are a bunch of actual quotes in response to me or my profile: 'no b.s.' 'I like the real you better than the profile you.' 'wow - you are MUCH better in person' 'I was going to write but I didn't know what to say because your profile was so intimidating' ..."
b. "Relaxed. Goofy. Sincere. Loving. Centered. ..."
c. "Uptight. Stressed. Flash point. Intense. Inappropriate. ..."
d. "Top ten reasons NOT to date me: ..." (an actual suggestion I received)
e. "Seeking smart, responsible, foolhardy, loving, cuddly ..."
Saturday, March 20, 2010
I love this time of year. When I bike between my office and the very first roundabout, there is a line of trees/shrubs that smell fantastic. I'm sitting on my couch with the windows open, and something smells wonderful - I'm not sure if the jasmine is starting to bloom or what. And this afternoon, I think the wisteria outside my window was bursting because every now and then, I would hear the sound of some little hard thing going flying outside, and the cats weren't paying attention. The wisteria grows outrageously fast and I have to actually lean out my window and trim it back or it grows right in to the apartment. (Let's recall operation mouse rescue).
Saturday, February 13, 2010
SFSymphony Concert
Went up to the city last night to hear the symphony. Had a "date" with my (gay) friend Tom and we really enjoyed catching up. First piece was the Walton violin concerto played by the concertmaster. I'd never heard it before and I really liked it. (Who could dislike a concerto without a slow movement?) The soloist had a lovely sound and was very musical and in tune and everything.
Holst "The Planets" was wonderful. I don't think I've seen it before - I've played it a couple times, but not seen it. I loved watching the two tympani players. And Tommy started checking out the guys in the orchestra, so I did too. Tee hee. It's so much more fun to go to concerts when you bring binoculars. Then you can sit up high for the sound but still look at musicians faces or shoes or whatever.
There were some amazing moments that gave me chills. And some disappointing moments as well. Some entrances weren't together, and the balance was off at times. A friend who has played under Charles Dutoit confirms that he doesn't have a clear ictus. The offstage chorus was terrific. I remain completely un-enamored of Bob Ward's playing (principal horn). I really like playing of the woman who played principal for the Walton. Mr. Ward's approach is much too dry and I don't like his sound. Boo hoo!
Got these tickets during the January sale: $20 / seat. Life is good. And now I'm off to look at a townhouse in Redwood City.
Holst "The Planets" was wonderful. I don't think I've seen it before - I've played it a couple times, but not seen it. I loved watching the two tympani players. And Tommy started checking out the guys in the orchestra, so I did too. Tee hee. It's so much more fun to go to concerts when you bring binoculars. Then you can sit up high for the sound but still look at musicians faces or shoes or whatever.
There were some amazing moments that gave me chills. And some disappointing moments as well. Some entrances weren't together, and the balance was off at times. A friend who has played under Charles Dutoit confirms that he doesn't have a clear ictus. The offstage chorus was terrific. I remain completely un-enamored of Bob Ward's playing (principal horn). I really like playing of the woman who played principal for the Walton. Mr. Ward's approach is much too dry and I don't like his sound. Boo hoo!
Got these tickets during the January sale: $20 / seat. Life is good. And now I'm off to look at a townhouse in Redwood City.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
geekette meets technology
I luuuuuurrrvvvvv my new iPhone. An awesome piece of technology. And huzzah for free apps! NPR News is my favorite so far - I can read the news headlines. AroundMe is really cool also - it shows the X closest to your current location (coffee shops, restaurants, ATMs, parking, gas stations, movie theaters ...). Please tell me about your favorite apps - I've only had an iPhone for a week, so I'm still a noob.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Dating sucks
Latest sniff from an online dating site:
"I saw your profile and your beautiful Picture, I can't let go, So i decided to write you this letter so that we can get to know Our selves better. I must confess you are very beautiful and I like you. Please don't ignore me ... hope to hear from you soon. Thanks and remain bless,"
Clearly I am a L-O-S-E-R.
"I saw your profile and your beautiful Picture, I can't let go, So i decided to write you this letter so that we can get to know Our selves better. I must confess you are very beautiful and I like you. Please don't ignore me ... hope to hear from you soon. Thanks and remain bless,"
Clearly I am a L-O-S-E-R.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Introducing Sven
This is Sven.
Sven is a coat rack.
I'm going to take him to my office this week. On the days when we wear coats, we end up draping them over our chairs or on the couch or someplace. It's ridiculous. I was in Ikea today with my friend and new colleague Bess Sadler, and the woman ahead of us in line had Sven's brother. She said they were in the children's section. I should look in that area more carefully, I guess. I made Bess wait as I dashed back upstairs (in Ikea, this means weaving around people with carts, finding the "shortcuts", getting disoriented, battling traffic flow and so on). I am so pleased to have rescued Sven, though. And he's going to love our office. And we're going to love having him around.
Sven is a coat rack.
I'm going to take him to my office this week. On the days when we wear coats, we end up draping them over our chairs or on the couch or someplace. It's ridiculous. I was in Ikea today with my friend and new colleague Bess Sadler, and the woman ahead of us in line had Sven's brother. She said they were in the children's section. I should look in that area more carefully, I guess. I made Bess wait as I dashed back upstairs (in Ikea, this means weaving around people with carts, finding the "shortcuts", getting disoriented, battling traffic flow and so on). I am so pleased to have rescued Sven, though. And he's going to love our office. And we're going to love having him around.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
First Earthquake!
Felt like a big truck driving down Albany Street when I was laying in bed in my Center Street house. Only a little more, and a little longer.
I think I'm getting the hang of this California thing.
I think I'm getting the hang of this California thing.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
gross little story about shindy
Most of you have heard the tale of Shindy the kitten getting really ill, going to the vet, creating a stumper for the vet, staying overnight for observation and getting hydrated via I.V. and then returning home ... to eventually pass a shoelace, explaining the cause of the whole incident. The vet informed me that she could have died, not only from dehydration at not being able to keep anything down, but due to intestinal bunching or some such.
Since then, I am vigilant about keeping shoelaces, rubber bands, string, twine and other such objects in cat proof places. I also tell all my guests and cat sitters about this rule. Eight years of success!
Most of you also know that Shindy's favorite toy, when I lived in Ithaca, was the "string", which was actually a shoelace given to me by my dear friend Heidi. Shindy would follow the string anywhere, any time. I kept it tied to a strut on the leg of the kitchen table when it wasn't in use, so she could play with it on her own, if she wanted.
Unfortunately, when I gave away the table before I moved out west, I forgot about the string. So it was back to twist-ties ... which she doesn't eat, for some reason.
Here in California, I got a couple of packages shipped to me with plastic strapping. Turns out plastic strapping is just as appealing to my little tortie as the string. There are lengths of it lying around my apartment here, ready for play action. Sometimes Shindy will sort of push a length along with her head, which is super cute. It also means "don't you want to play with me? now now now now now now now now now?"
Well, I bought something or other that had one of those thin hard plastic one use straps (you thread the 1/16" strap through the little box and tighten it and you can't loosen it). I cut off the strap, and Shindy was interested in it, and it seemed like a safe enough toy. Very similar to a fully plastic twist tie, but made of harder plastic, and a bit thicker. She played with it on and off for months.
This morning, I discovered a lovely hairball, placed for once in a location where I would see it easily, and NOT on a carpet. It seemed to have a shoelace in it. But no, it was the black plastic tie thingy. And I remembered I *thought* she might have been swallowing it one day when I looked up, but it was too late for me to do anything about it.
Cat: older, but not any wiser.
Owner: further cat-proofing vigilance indicated.
Since then, I am vigilant about keeping shoelaces, rubber bands, string, twine and other such objects in cat proof places. I also tell all my guests and cat sitters about this rule. Eight years of success!
Most of you also know that Shindy's favorite toy, when I lived in Ithaca, was the "string", which was actually a shoelace given to me by my dear friend Heidi. Shindy would follow the string anywhere, any time. I kept it tied to a strut on the leg of the kitchen table when it wasn't in use, so she could play with it on her own, if she wanted.
Unfortunately, when I gave away the table before I moved out west, I forgot about the string. So it was back to twist-ties ... which she doesn't eat, for some reason.
Here in California, I got a couple of packages shipped to me with plastic strapping. Turns out plastic strapping is just as appealing to my little tortie as the string. There are lengths of it lying around my apartment here, ready for play action. Sometimes Shindy will sort of push a length along with her head, which is super cute. It also means "don't you want to play with me? now now now now now now now now now?"
Well, I bought something or other that had one of those thin hard plastic one use straps (you thread the 1/16" strap through the little box and tighten it and you can't loosen it). I cut off the strap, and Shindy was interested in it, and it seemed like a safe enough toy. Very similar to a fully plastic twist tie, but made of harder plastic, and a bit thicker. She played with it on and off for months.
This morning, I discovered a lovely hairball, placed for once in a location where I would see it easily, and NOT on a carpet. It seemed to have a shoelace in it. But no, it was the black plastic tie thingy. And I remembered I *thought* she might have been swallowing it one day when I looked up, but it was too late for me to do anything about it.
Cat: older, but not any wiser.
Owner: further cat-proofing vigilance indicated.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Eavesdropping ... and Happy New Year
Okay, these are shamelessly stolen from an SF Chronicle article:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/01/DDTS1AVBBR.DTL&tsp=1
I found them hilarious. Please send in yours.
"No, I don't want sex today. I had sex yesterday. ... OK, here's my stop." (Woman on cell phone on 38-Geary)
"If you don't get a cell phone, then we're not friends anymore." (Woman to woman, shouting at a cafe in Berkeley)
"I hate people from San Francisco. They won't shut up about their Mexican food." (Woman to woman on beach in Cape Cod)
"Do chickens even have wings anymore?" (Man to woman, overheard at Andronico's on Shattuck in Berkeley)
"You can never really have too many animal-print shoes, can you?" (Woman to friend, overheard at Nordstrom in Corte Madera)
And from the comments:
"2009......My wife & I eating brunch elbow to elbow @ local popular eatery......Super Hot chic & skateboard look dude......next to us....You could tell they had drunk monkey sex night before.......at the table she says....yes I love reading etc. etc...my hobbies are I work with red cross spend quality time evolving bla! bla! what do you do?
he responds.....Well I'm unemployed...have been forever....(has no money for the food).....and i read comic books...Her response (jaw hanging open)...WHHAAAAAAAA!!!!!! The dear in the headlights look was priceless.......she left for the girls room.....never returned to the table.......
our Best meal ever.............Gawd ! How we love San Francisco!"
Okay, all you peeps - get your butts out here. The mexican food is awesome.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/01/DDTS1AVBBR.DTL&tsp=1
I found them hilarious. Please send in yours.
"No, I don't want sex today. I had sex yesterday. ... OK, here's my stop." (Woman on cell phone on 38-Geary)
"If you don't get a cell phone, then we're not friends anymore." (Woman to woman, shouting at a cafe in Berkeley)
"I hate people from San Francisco. They won't shut up about their Mexican food." (Woman to woman on beach in Cape Cod)
"Do chickens even have wings anymore?" (Man to woman, overheard at Andronico's on Shattuck in Berkeley)
"You can never really have too many animal-print shoes, can you?" (Woman to friend, overheard at Nordstrom in Corte Madera)
And from the comments:
"2009......My wife & I eating brunch elbow to elbow @ local popular eatery......Super Hot chic & skateboard look dude......next to us....You could tell they had drunk monkey sex night before.......at the table she says....yes I love reading etc. etc...my hobbies are I work with red cross spend quality time evolving bla! bla! what do you do?
he responds.....Well I'm unemployed...have been forever....(has no money for the food).....and i read comic books...Her response (jaw hanging open)...WHHAAAAAAAA!!!!!! The dear in the headlights look was priceless.......she left for the girls room.....never returned to the table.......
our Best meal ever.............Gawd ! How we love San Francisco!"
Okay, all you peeps - get your butts out here. The mexican food is awesome.
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