TORTURE!

Now, let me preface this little rant with the fact that I have been thinking this for MONTHS, without saying anything. Unlike some of my dear friends, I try my best not to use Facebook and other online avenues as my own personal complaint filing cabinet or therapist or something. But, figuring the minuscule number of people that might actually read this, I figured I could share.
Here goes...
Everyday, on my way to work, I drive by my perspective new house. Now, obviously that means that one of the lovely traits about the house is that it is smack dab in the middle of about 4 freeway interchanges. If it were any closer to the freeway, I would have to pay car registration for the place rather than property taxes. It's that close. Looking on the bright side, it will be easy to get everywhere, since I walk out of my front door and say hello to 50, 80, 99 and 5. Want to go to LA? Done. Want to go to Tahoe? Done. Want to go to Wyoming? Come over and I'll show you the way!
See, convenience?
Anywho... So I drive down Hwy 50 every day on my way to work. Usually I am stoked on my way to work because I am fortunate enough to have a job I love and work with people who I actually like spending my days with. (Most of the time.) I consider myself quite lucky in this.
However, these days, as I wait patiently for Said Bank #1 to deny my plea for help paying Homeowner Schmuck's delinquent SMUD lien, I drive by this house with furrowed eyebrows. This process was started almost 5 months ago and I have yet to see a "Sale Pending" sign put up at the place. Now, I know that short sales often fall through, but I would like to tell the selling realtor that even just that little sign would give me a little piece of mind. Come on, woman, work with me here!
So everyday, like clockwork, I drive by the place and see it sitting there, getting older and more lonely by the day. Sometimes I try to block it from my mind by blaring a little Jamiroquai or Stevie Ray. But no matter what I try, my eyes always wander to my little shack by the road. (Don't worry, mom, I still watch where I'm going... Usually.) Today I even found myself listening to Aaron Neville love ballads on my way to work, singing about his yearning for that missing girl, and I could almost commiserate with that feeling of longing for "the one." Although I'm sure Aaron Neville's "one" would put my "one" to shame.
So, here's to another month of lonely drives to work. Although, I guess I should be thankful because all of this has really made me desire to take the light rail more than ever. What are a few unsolicited advances from homeless people compared to having to see my long lost (and seemingly unattainable) friend everyday on the way to work?
Here's a status update for you: Said Bank #2 has declined our pleas to help pay for part of the SMUD lien. (Hey, can't really blame 'em... They are getting $3k in the deal, rather than the $80k that is owed.) So, now we wait for Said Bank #1 to decline our pleas, then we suck it up and get rolling on the appraisal (and finding someone in need of a kidney, to whom I will sell one of mine).
Cheers and Happy Friday!

Hey, with shenanigans like this, why not share?

So, why did I choose now to start a blog? Welp, to tell you the truth, I finally have something others might find interesting going on in my life. I mean, I know the antics of my two mutts and the tomfoolery my friends and I come up with are often great conversation starters, but I figured that now that I have big kid prospects on the horizon, I might as well share it with my friends and fam.

So, I will get you up to speed, with the short version of it:

I am in the process of purchasing my first home. Yep, a home with my name on the title, no kind of co-signed stuff with my folks. I picked it out, fell in love and put in an offer. Now, that's not to say it is a dream house by any stretch of the imagination. Nope, it's a shack. But it will be my shack. And it's downtown. Close enough to my work to ride a bike or walk without having to call for a ride half way there. Oh, and the mere possibility of selling my car gets me giddy inside. I would LOVE to join the hordes of on-the-grid dudes and chickies who make their way around town without leaving giant carbon footprints and polluting the earth with tons and tons of carbon emissions. Needless to say, I'm stoked.

Here's the catch.... It's a short sale (collective sigh of despair). In laymen's terms, NOTHING will go as planned.

First, it took more than two months to get my measly offer accepted. Then, come to find out there were not one, but three surprise liens on the place. We have now gotten two taken care of, but as it turns out, the third one is the burden of the purchaser (little old me?!) upon sale of the property. The amount would be considered by some to be small, but $5k is a lot for a mid-20's "legislative assistant" like me. So the big decision comes: suck it up and pay for someone else's bad money management or forget about the place. So I am in the midst of making the big decision and I think all signs point to sucking it up and forking over the extra dough. It will be worth it, right? I guess my affinity for good wine will be put on hold for 12 packs of PBR this summer.

I can't help but mention that I am already getting out a big chunk of change to make repairs to the place, simply to make it livable and workable for my lifestyle.

But hey, we (the bf, mutts and I) will finally live downtown... Where the magic happens.... There are fun dog walks galore, awesome places for afternoon cocktail imbibing (if I ever have a spare dollar not going to home repairs) and great fun things to do all over this area. It really can't be beat. And with the recent awesome cruiser I received as the best xmas gift ever (thanks, Shupie!) I am ready to hit the road pedaling!

So this little experiment of online blabbing will be my way of sharing the ups and downs of homeownership (hopefully!) with those who might care, those who might need a laugh, and those who want to feel good about not making the mistake of purchasing a one bathroom great depression area barn. So, here's to the next year, may it be a great one for all of us.

Oh, and where does the name come from, you ask? Welp, along with the added bonus of about 100 doorknobs we found in garage #1 at the new house, and the dishwasher full of dishes, hooked up to the back yard water hose, the house comes with an awesomely random disco ball!!! Lucky us!! I can't wait to spit shine that thing and hang it in the kitchen! (Kidding, mom!) So, hence the disco ball. And the speakeasy is a goal of ours. A fun place for friends and fam to gather, cocktail and cause a little trouble.

The place was built in the wee years following prohibition, but still during the doldrums of the great depression. I am hoping we can dust off it's pride and turn it into an awesomely fun casa. Here's to the 21st amendment!

I look forward to sharing the events of the next year with you! :)