They are almost all b's. Maybe if I changed eagles to birds. But they are really so much more than birds.
I admit it. I was skeptical. No, I was Skeptical. I thought "great, we'll be out there for like hours and we'll see two birds flying off somewhere."
Oh should we be so unlucky. Bad thing, we can't find the lens hood/cap thingy and BF is freaking about that. Understandably so since it was rented and now he'll have to pay for it. BUT...my word. Just when I was convinced I would not see any friggin' birds, I spotted my first perch. And they were so easy to spot after that I could not understand why I had never thought to go out and see them before. We were impressed to see about ten of them today. The "serious" birders were all about "wow, we missed them this year."
Evidently, the eagles were early.
But it was so fun to see some and to even see the baby ones. BF never ceases to amaze me in his vast knowledge about anything and everything and it's always fun to go out with him on these journies.
Boarding. Went to the board retreat for the Feminist Women's Health Clinic yesterday. I could go on for a whole other post on my views and thoughts with this group. I'm not radical (we have plenty of those on the board) and I'm not the conservative voice of reason. But I got that tingly "thank you very much" feeling yesterday again. Our facilitator was a well respected local non-profit/fundraising consultant. At the one break we had yesterday, she asked what I do for a living. Told her "I'm not a lawyer, I just make them." and she then wanted to know what I did before that. Gist of it finally coming down to her saying she was thoroughly amazed with my input because she would have expected it from someone twice my age.
This would have been nothing much except (and I guess this confirms her observation) that I had heard a lot of similar comments like that this week. To the point that I had to ask BF if I was "old". I asked because I tend to find that people older than me think I'm mature for my age--as if to say my generation is a bunch of slackers. Folks in my gen (or slightly older) tend to think I'm smart, but nothing totally "out there". Younger folks tend to think I'm younger than I am. Not immature, but just younger. I tried to explain that I was raised a good portion of my formidable years by my grandmother and try to funnel my decisions through a "what would she do" lens. The facilitator said "some of it. but really, I think you just seem to look at and process the world around you in a way very unique to what I have seen from most people--regardless of age." Essentially, she went on to say that I tend to pay attention. This in the midst of catching me doodling Hall of Fame wannabe layouts. Note to self--we will not be entering this year if we have to pay more than $20 to ship off the entry. No more overnight express. The payoff is not worth it.
BF. He is fantastic. And then some. I love watching him think. Had a little heart to heart last night because I'm at the point where I just really think he needs to know who I am before we get too much farther into this. I'm really falling for him. I mean, I've fallen for him as is my typical infatuation with the new. But now that the newness is very much wearing off (we're going on a year of knowing each other in April--still some time for a year actually together, but still--I can distinctly separate my life into before knowing him and after), I'm really trying to let down that guard of not really getting wrapped up in someone. I had the guts/nerve to assure him that I'm not his ex-wife or his ex anything. So now I have to understand that he's not my ex-husband or my ex anything either. Living in the moment is good. But it is time to start being afraid of living for the next moment too. Time to start thinking about what next.
Reading is done for the evening. I actually get to go home, climb into bed and sleep. Payday couldn't come sooner. Got a really great idea for something and can't justify tapping into savings for it. Have to do some budget adjusting to factor in the once a month paycheck thing. Which sorta blows, but really is probably a good thing at this stage of life when I should be saving a lot more and thinking about what I want to do with life. Be that lots more travel, finally buy a place, get the consulting gig launched (note to self, remember to email Jon tomorrow)... Time to get up and do. I've coasted for a bit and now need to hit the gas.
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Friday, January 27, 2006
Good word
I can think of many right now. But none of them are good. it is Friday night. about an hour since I should have left. And I sit. Waiting for 7200 emails to go out under MY email address (probably shut down the whole server in the process) and REALLY looking forward to the bounce from 7200 worth of bad emails.
I suppose I could do the papercut version of this. Or we could just pay someone to mail out the paper copies. I should calculate it out. My hourly rate plus the hours additionally it will take for me to get trained on how to do this the RIGHT way (instead of the WE way) and to clean up the mess from this...
I really do think it would be cheaper to pay the $1000 to just mail them already.
Anyhow.
Oh happy day! Got to go out with BF (actually convinced his roomie to come out too) and Andrea and crew on the "East Side". Yuppie ville. Gotta love it. I do. I love people watching though. BF can't stand it.
Tomorrow I have a board meeting I will likely get lost trying to find. Tonight is tacos and a movie. Sunday is bird picture taking (well, Eagles...but they're birds last time I checked).
Time for me to assume that the email will go out and just go home. I found out that I'm going to be published again. I'm super psyched about that. I'll update the scrappy blog with more information but the detectives among us will figure it out.
Still gotta serve my landlord. Acting a fool. Filed. Should put that date on my calendar.
Going south to Palm Springs for Easter. That should be fun to see BF in his habitat. Then I really need to start planning for time back in El Paso.
Saw Glory Road. I can't believe how you can grow up all your life knowing someone, but not really knowing them. I come from a basketball family in El Paso and it took the rolling credits at the end for me to place some of those players in context within my life. I'm ever fascinated by how few degrees tend to separate me from the aha moments (and people) of my life.
Okay. Bus calls. Probably not now that it is past rush/rush hour. Sigh...
I suppose I could do the papercut version of this. Or we could just pay someone to mail out the paper copies. I should calculate it out. My hourly rate plus the hours additionally it will take for me to get trained on how to do this the RIGHT way (instead of the WE way) and to clean up the mess from this...
I really do think it would be cheaper to pay the $1000 to just mail them already.
Anyhow.
Oh happy day! Got to go out with BF (actually convinced his roomie to come out too) and Andrea and crew on the "East Side". Yuppie ville. Gotta love it. I do. I love people watching though. BF can't stand it.
Tomorrow I have a board meeting I will likely get lost trying to find. Tonight is tacos and a movie. Sunday is bird picture taking (well, Eagles...but they're birds last time I checked).
Time for me to assume that the email will go out and just go home. I found out that I'm going to be published again. I'm super psyched about that. I'll update the scrappy blog with more information but the detectives among us will figure it out.
Still gotta serve my landlord. Acting a fool. Filed. Should put that date on my calendar.
Going south to Palm Springs for Easter. That should be fun to see BF in his habitat. Then I really need to start planning for time back in El Paso.
Saw Glory Road. I can't believe how you can grow up all your life knowing someone, but not really knowing them. I come from a basketball family in El Paso and it took the rolling credits at the end for me to place some of those players in context within my life. I'm ever fascinated by how few degrees tend to separate me from the aha moments (and people) of my life.
Okay. Bus calls. Probably not now that it is past rush/rush hour. Sigh...
Friday, January 20, 2006
Life
is wierd
is weak
is precious
is odd
is here
is now.
Not very colorful today though. Posted on my other blog about the sw fiasco of a day and though it is not raining outside, god is it raining in here. Few more moments until I have to get it together and go back to work but man it is one of those days.
I'm definitely hormonal. no doubt to that.
I find it highly ironic that I can sit in my posh little job deciding on real life decisions--not just who will get paid $150 a month in scrapbooking product, but real life decisions like what people will get to do with the next 20-40 years of their lives and here I sit shook over not making the cut.
How is that for life?
I find it highly odd that I've got not only a friggin' ivy league degree, but a master's degree to complement it and I'm sitting her worried about whether or not I can compete in the "sport of stay at home moms" so many of my friends have taken to calling my little hobby/side gig.
How is that for life?
I find it downright disturbing that instead of thinking of the real goals at hand, you know, making sure I am really setting myself up to do the consulting I want to do that will change the world someday, instead, I'm trying to figure out if it is anywhere near worth my time to even try for Hall of Fame. Disturbing because really, logically, I know I should spend that time really prepping to take over the world in a far more realistic endeavor.
Scrapbooking. Sigh. Not really for me. I'm overeducated. Live in the wrong part of the country. Don't have enough kids. Don't have the requisite husband. Work too much outside of the home. Get PAID too much for the work I do outside of the home. Really don't have a very unique talent. Really have TOO unique a talent. Have a bit too much melanin. Might be a bit too thin. Might be a tad shy of perky enough...
Definitely don't have a thick enough skin for Type A Scrapbooking.
is weak
is precious
is odd
is here
is now.
Not very colorful today though. Posted on my other blog about the sw fiasco of a day and though it is not raining outside, god is it raining in here. Few more moments until I have to get it together and go back to work but man it is one of those days.
I'm definitely hormonal. no doubt to that.
I find it highly ironic that I can sit in my posh little job deciding on real life decisions--not just who will get paid $150 a month in scrapbooking product, but real life decisions like what people will get to do with the next 20-40 years of their lives and here I sit shook over not making the cut.
How is that for life?
I find it highly odd that I've got not only a friggin' ivy league degree, but a master's degree to complement it and I'm sitting her worried about whether or not I can compete in the "sport of stay at home moms" so many of my friends have taken to calling my little hobby/side gig.
How is that for life?
I find it downright disturbing that instead of thinking of the real goals at hand, you know, making sure I am really setting myself up to do the consulting I want to do that will change the world someday, instead, I'm trying to figure out if it is anywhere near worth my time to even try for Hall of Fame. Disturbing because really, logically, I know I should spend that time really prepping to take over the world in a far more realistic endeavor.
Scrapbooking. Sigh. Not really for me. I'm overeducated. Live in the wrong part of the country. Don't have enough kids. Don't have the requisite husband. Work too much outside of the home. Get PAID too much for the work I do outside of the home. Really don't have a very unique talent. Really have TOO unique a talent. Have a bit too much melanin. Might be a bit too thin. Might be a tad shy of perky enough...
Definitely don't have a thick enough skin for Type A Scrapbooking.
I'm way too hormonal for it really.
Life. It's pretty off skew and off kelter when your life revolves around scrapbooking for the noteriety instead of scrapbooking for the fun of it. I don't do "fun". That's my problem.
Life. It's pretty off skew and off kelter when your life revolves around scrapbooking for the noteriety instead of scrapbooking for the fun of it. I don't do "fun". That's my problem.
"Hi...my name is ______ and I have a problem."
Monday, January 16, 2006
Fireworks
There are cool little towns in America. Well, at least in places like NM, AZ and WA.
This weekend, the BF so graciously plotted a little getaway for us to a town called Leavenworth. We went for Ice Fest.
So we left at way too early on Saturday morning because I wanted to see the dog pulling competition. Never seen it before and probably won't make much of a point of seeing it again because there is something about some of the ultra-competitive handlers that are there more for the points than the love of what their dogs can do. In any event, there were some gigantic dogs there.
yeah.
Had some fantastic tomato basil bisque, saw a new book by J. Diamond (Collapse) that I want to get and then went and had a great time back at the hotel kicking it until we went out for fireworks. After fireworks, went back to the hotel, nice little WOOD fire...fun times.
Viewed some models, came back home watched The Office and West Wing...done.
Time to go home.
This weekend, the BF so graciously plotted a little getaway for us to a town called Leavenworth. We went for Ice Fest.
So we left at way too early on Saturday morning because I wanted to see the dog pulling competition. Never seen it before and probably won't make much of a point of seeing it again because there is something about some of the ultra-competitive handlers that are there more for the points than the love of what their dogs can do. In any event, there were some gigantic dogs there.
yeah.
Had some fantastic tomato basil bisque, saw a new book by J. Diamond (Collapse) that I want to get and then went and had a great time back at the hotel kicking it until we went out for fireworks. After fireworks, went back to the hotel, nice little WOOD fire...fun times.
Viewed some models, came back home watched The Office and West Wing...done.
Time to go home.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Landlord crap...
tired. really. And I've gotten to bed at a decent hour both of the last two nights.
Just got the letter from my old landlord. She's trying to tell me I owe $6500. So I gotta take her to court to get my security deposit back. Which is really not so much what I want as not to have her trying to send me through collections.
Here are the issues, I'm having--lawyers among you feel free to weigh in:
She listed a late fee for Oct. 05 of $40.00. This was the month that she lost my rent check. I don't have it in writing that she waived the fee, but I do have the paper trail of me writing to her about it because she initiated a 3 day "pay up or get out" deal. Soon as I got that, I hunted her down and we had the chat where she noted she must have lost the check and she waived the fee. I have the receipts for rent from October and November and December where none of them note a carry over of the $40 fee still due or that I paid it. She's tacking this on after the fact.
For cleaning, she lists a full clean with shampoo for $100. That's fine. She charges a $225 cleaning fee to clean the carpets and paint the apartment. That shouldn't be deducted from my damage deposit unless it is above and beyond. I lived there 6 months and took plenty of pictures to show that I didn't damage the carpet. However, I did mention to her that my toilet had overflowed so she probably charged me for the plumbing crap that caused my moveout.
For repair, she notes "full paint at $100 for material and $100 for labor". Again, it specifically notes in my lease that painting is required after each move out and that is what the cleaning fee is for. If she already requires that and it is in a non-refundable fee I have to pay, I am not understanding how she can double charge me for it.
Under misc, she notes the costs of Roto-Rooter coming out to my apartment. She NEVER got authorization from me to have them come out for one. Secondly, she never asked me to pay for any of these visits in the months that they happened. She noted 8/16 and 11/9. Roto Rooter did not visit MY apartment on either of these dates. They visited back in June.
She wants to try and charge me for the 1.5 months rent special at a rate of 937.50. My contention is that I didn't break the lease. Her non-fixing of the problem is why I moved. If she would have fixed the problem, I would still be there in my lease. Secondly, there was a half month free with a 6 month lease. I stayed there for 6 months so at the least, I should get that half month special. Also, she tries to charge me the $1000.00 lease cancellation fee. Yes, it is in my contract, but again, I didn't cancel the lease. She didn't fix the problems, so I had to move.
Further, the $1000 is for the efforts to release the place. I came up with three viable renters for her and asked for permission to sublet to mitigate her costs and not have to break my lease. She would never grant permission.
Essentially, she is telling me that I forfeit my deposit, but does not give a breakdown of what she is charging against that deposit in terms of damange. The whole deposit I gave her was $500. So from there, she should deduct the cleaning of $100 and the repairs (painting) of $200. That's $75 more than the cleaning fee, but I should get the rest of my deposit. Under my premise of moving out under the RCWs, I don't think she can hold my deposit or extra rent (she also notes my move out as 12/31 when in fact I vacated on 12/28) as a lease break.
Good thing I work for a law school now. Fun times.
So...to court we go since the almost illegible fine print at the bottom of the page says that accounts not paid within 30 days will be turned over to collection.
Just got the letter from my old landlord. She's trying to tell me I owe $6500. So I gotta take her to court to get my security deposit back. Which is really not so much what I want as not to have her trying to send me through collections.
Here are the issues, I'm having--lawyers among you feel free to weigh in:
She listed a late fee for Oct. 05 of $40.00. This was the month that she lost my rent check. I don't have it in writing that she waived the fee, but I do have the paper trail of me writing to her about it because she initiated a 3 day "pay up or get out" deal. Soon as I got that, I hunted her down and we had the chat where she noted she must have lost the check and she waived the fee. I have the receipts for rent from October and November and December where none of them note a carry over of the $40 fee still due or that I paid it. She's tacking this on after the fact.
For cleaning, she lists a full clean with shampoo for $100. That's fine. She charges a $225 cleaning fee to clean the carpets and paint the apartment. That shouldn't be deducted from my damage deposit unless it is above and beyond. I lived there 6 months and took plenty of pictures to show that I didn't damage the carpet. However, I did mention to her that my toilet had overflowed so she probably charged me for the plumbing crap that caused my moveout.
For repair, she notes "full paint at $100 for material and $100 for labor". Again, it specifically notes in my lease that painting is required after each move out and that is what the cleaning fee is for. If she already requires that and it is in a non-refundable fee I have to pay, I am not understanding how she can double charge me for it.
Under misc, she notes the costs of Roto-Rooter coming out to my apartment. She NEVER got authorization from me to have them come out for one. Secondly, she never asked me to pay for any of these visits in the months that they happened. She noted 8/16 and 11/9. Roto Rooter did not visit MY apartment on either of these dates. They visited back in June.
She wants to try and charge me for the 1.5 months rent special at a rate of 937.50. My contention is that I didn't break the lease. Her non-fixing of the problem is why I moved. If she would have fixed the problem, I would still be there in my lease. Secondly, there was a half month free with a 6 month lease. I stayed there for 6 months so at the least, I should get that half month special. Also, she tries to charge me the $1000.00 lease cancellation fee. Yes, it is in my contract, but again, I didn't cancel the lease. She didn't fix the problems, so I had to move.
Further, the $1000 is for the efforts to release the place. I came up with three viable renters for her and asked for permission to sublet to mitigate her costs and not have to break my lease. She would never grant permission.
Essentially, she is telling me that I forfeit my deposit, but does not give a breakdown of what she is charging against that deposit in terms of damange. The whole deposit I gave her was $500. So from there, she should deduct the cleaning of $100 and the repairs (painting) of $200. That's $75 more than the cleaning fee, but I should get the rest of my deposit. Under my premise of moving out under the RCWs, I don't think she can hold my deposit or extra rent (she also notes my move out as 12/31 when in fact I vacated on 12/28) as a lease break.
Good thing I work for a law school now. Fun times.
So...to court we go since the almost illegible fine print at the bottom of the page says that accounts not paid within 30 days will be turned over to collection.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
dagnabit
Tired. Bone tired. I layed in bed a good hour this morning contemplating whether or not I wanted to take the bus to work. You see, I can drive up the road and hop the bus, but then I only have a very limited window of opportunity for getting the bus back to the car. I could drive forever to where the BF parks, but then I might well just drive to campus. Driving to campus—plenty of parking, but I only have a pass for 5 days a month. Sigh…to give up the bus pass or not to. That is the question.
Social responsibility is for the birds. The seagulls at that.
Stormy, stormy night. As in waves splashed up on the deck. Fun. And I slept through most of it.
Tonight, let’s try not to take work home. Really. Really. Delegation is a good thing. Tomorrow is Wednesday. Day after is the MLK Jr. dinner. Day after is the MLK Jr. luncheon. Then there is a three day weekend. God I love working in higher education.
What am I qualified to do? What am I pushing to do? Why am I here loving the easy life when I should be joining the struggle? Sigh. My brain hurts. Telling people no hurts even more. Laughing my butt off at lunch is even more painful. I love it.
Speaking of pain. Time to get in shape. Next year. Or so.
Back to the rat race. I almost thought I heard rats this morning. Then I realized it was just a branch scraping my window. Phew.
Social responsibility is for the birds. The seagulls at that.
Stormy, stormy night. As in waves splashed up on the deck. Fun. And I slept through most of it.
Tonight, let’s try not to take work home. Really. Really. Delegation is a good thing. Tomorrow is Wednesday. Day after is the MLK Jr. dinner. Day after is the MLK Jr. luncheon. Then there is a three day weekend. God I love working in higher education.
What am I qualified to do? What am I pushing to do? Why am I here loving the easy life when I should be joining the struggle? Sigh. My brain hurts. Telling people no hurts even more. Laughing my butt off at lunch is even more painful. I love it.
Speaking of pain. Time to get in shape. Next year. Or so.
Back to the rat race. I almost thought I heard rats this morning. Then I realized it was just a branch scraping my window. Phew.
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Boxed out
Another day, another moment. Woke up to three alarms—one the nifty new alarm clock boyfriend gave me. Two, the trusty standby cell phone just in case the alarm clock wasn’t set right. Three, the seagulls. My good word.
Love my place. Such a lucky find.
Blah rain. Blah, blah, more rain. Time to actually work now. Call me girl with pearl earring. Sigh. Settling in. Need to do a grocery run. Need a tv stand. Need to really finish unpacking (really…as in hang the curtains—BF gets to drill for that—unpack the scrap room, get it all together. Yeah.
No internet at home. What is a girl to do? Go to BF’s place of course. Of course.
My poinsettia is almost dead (almost) and I had a healthy dose of laughter at lunch with a good long lost (well found really) friend. Yet another of those “are we living up to our potential moments.” The master plan needs work. I know it.
Looking forward to washing clothes. Not putting them up mind you, but washing them and drying them sure. And maybe hanging that big bad bag of them up. Will weed through and rid myself of the stuff I will honest to God never wear. And then buy more. Sigh. I need a more professional look. So I think.
Rugs. A couple or so would be nice so my feet don’t freeze. Yeah and an oil change. Ugh. Oil. Change. Borders gift certificate to spend because, as BF says, it is not like I have oh so many books right? Challenge for the day. {s}he who guesses closest to how many books I have gets to reduce my stash by 1. Hey…it’s not everyday I get rid of a book.
Because some of you are adamantly opposed to letting folks know you’re into the blog thing, I suppose I’ll accept answers via email. But I’ll grumble at you. Growl.
Love my place. Such a lucky find.
Blah rain. Blah, blah, more rain. Time to actually work now. Call me girl with pearl earring. Sigh. Settling in. Need to do a grocery run. Need a tv stand. Need to really finish unpacking (really…as in hang the curtains—BF gets to drill for that—unpack the scrap room, get it all together. Yeah.
No internet at home. What is a girl to do? Go to BF’s place of course. Of course.
My poinsettia is almost dead (almost) and I had a healthy dose of laughter at lunch with a good long lost (well found really) friend. Yet another of those “are we living up to our potential moments.” The master plan needs work. I know it.
Looking forward to washing clothes. Not putting them up mind you, but washing them and drying them sure. And maybe hanging that big bad bag of them up. Will weed through and rid myself of the stuff I will honest to God never wear. And then buy more. Sigh. I need a more professional look. So I think.
Rugs. A couple or so would be nice so my feet don’t freeze. Yeah and an oil change. Ugh. Oil. Change. Borders gift certificate to spend because, as BF says, it is not like I have oh so many books right? Challenge for the day. {s}he who guesses closest to how many books I have gets to reduce my stash by 1. Hey…it’s not everyday I get rid of a book.
Because some of you are adamantly opposed to letting folks know you’re into the blog thing, I suppose I’ll accept answers via email. But I’ll grumble at you. Growl.
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