Saturday, July 30, 2011

Pissing off the neighbors.



My wood guy showed up at 7:00am. Where he dumped 2 cords. You have to do this under the dark of night now.

When my fence went down this past winter I got to know one of my neighbors pretty well. Turned out I really liked them. Well - I really like the husband. I mean, I like her too. Which is why I feel somewhat guilty right now. They said the only thing that bothered them about us, was our fireplace smoke. She has allergies. Which I am sympathic towards. I have them too. And Mr S. has asthma.

Still - every single one of these houses have fireplaces. Our last house didn't have a fireplace, and we really wanted one. Now that we have one, we're going to enjoy it.

The funny thing about her was - she mentioned many times how she wished there were less chemicals in our environment. I roll my eyes at this talk, because there is a huge echo chamber about this right now. People have become hysterical about being killed by chemicals. (Not to mention that technically, EVERYTHING is made of chemicals)

I thought the whole thing was funny because the husband kept telling me I should Roundup any of the bamboo that escape their yard into mine. (I personally never use RoundUp. I'm not against it. I'd take a bath in the stuff. But the bunnies. I don't want to forget I have it on my hands. I opt for a good sharp box cutter for anything growing through cracks, and a shovel.) So the wife is worried about 'chemicals', while the husband is encouraging me to wage herbicidal chemical warefare.

The sucky thing is, b/c I like them, I now even have to feel guilty for enjoying my fireplace. I mean - it sucks for them. Heck, in a few years they might even get to sue me for trying to kill them a la second hand smoke litigation.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

When I grow old - I want a spine made of Cantor. Eric Cantor.

"The idea seems to be that if the House GOP refuses to raise the debt ceiling, a default crisis or gradual government shutdown will ensue, and the public will turn en masse against . . . . Barack Obama," McCain said, quoting the Journal article.

"The Republican House that failed to raise the debt ceiling would somehow escape all blame. Then Democrats would have no choice but to pass a balanced-budget amendment and reform entitlements, and the tea-party Hobbits could return to Middle Earth having defeated Mordor."


Memo to McCain - the public has already turned en masse against Obama. I think it was that whole social security check nonsense. And we don't care if the Republicans get all the blame. We'd throw any one of them under the bus in a heartbeat. We are tired of you all. We'd put you all in a pen and make you fight it out death match style. 500 enter. One leaves.

Last week I felt a glimmer of hope. I was talking with a long time acquaintance. This is what he said to me -

You know what Snarkolepsy? (of course he calls me by my name) Even my mom, a lifelong Democrat is saying Obama is the worst president we've ever had.

Then in a hushed whisper he added - and she isn't even a racist.

My internal dialog was going wild. You have to know that. It was a weird tick he just blurted out. But I managed to say "I think it's funny that if you say anything bad about the president, you have to put a disclaimer at the end".

He catches himself and smiles. Oh, I guess that was pretty random. Did I do that?

Me - Yeah, but you are far from the first.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Now that is a funny wrinkle.

California gets $5.4 billion bank loan to bypass U.S. debt drama

I am pretty sure no one gives a shit by now. But....

"Eight banks funded the loan: Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, Citigroup, Barclays, JPMorgan, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley and US Bank."

They did get a really awesome interest rate. Still, what if that revenue anticipation doesn't really play out the way they thought? No big whoop. Just go groveling to President Money Bags who will promptly ask for the banks to hold more capital.

Now for a totally awesome update - Just two short months ago, Moody's was threatening to downgrade Citi,BofA, and Wells Fargo. Read more here. I am completely sure they are all better now. They have tons of money to lend!

"Moody's said the banks' ratings are currently buoyed by "uplift" from government support of the banking system during the financial crisis."

So tell me again what happens if state revenue comes in lower than expected? Looks like the banks have bled the states dry. Now the states will bleed the banks dry.

Misery Index quietly hits highest level since 1983.



Honestly, I have no opinion about the debt ceiling. I think we are effed either way. Raising the debt ceiling will cause interest rates to rise. As will not raising it. President Money Bags has backed us into a lose-lose corner. It is sort of "his thing". Make it hard for people to escape from whatever shit you are proposing today.

The thing I do find interesting however - the miseryindex. When I saw it last week, I said to myself - self, that is quite a lot of inflation you have there mister president.

Other presidents have had higher inflation readings. But they also had much lower unemployment readings. People could much more easily absorb inflation.

With the dollar sagging - we know that gas will rise. As will all products transported by gas. Inflation will rise. Unemployment will also rise. Large scale layoffs have accelerated the past month. This is not the Borders,Cisco, RIMMS. It is banks, health services, wireless seems to be getting hit especially hard.

Obviously government is also being hit - but that needs to happen.

A few weeks ago Mr S. and I were talking about something when he said "the best way to make a die hard liberal turn into a hardcore conservative is to toss them out of their cushy government jobs".

I was so stunned, I turned to him and said - what?

Yeah, haven't you noticed all these really hardcore conservatives that used to work for government. Once you make them one of us, and not one of them - their attitude changes.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Vettes just suck.

The night before the car show - we were discussing what we might see there. The promoter is fairly new.

Mr S. said - wouldn't it suck if we pulled up, and there are nothing but corvettes?

He knows I have a strong dislike for them. You almost never see them on this blog.

Me - Oh! That would be the worst thing ever.

Guess what happened?

Seven corvettes rolling in as we arrived. Luckily it seemed like some vette club that was not in the show.

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Turning a "Meh" into a "Yeah".



I made it to that jet reception last night by the skin of my teeth. I was fashionably late. The venue was hard to find. I think most of the cars had left. Which was okay, because the sun had started casting all these long shadows.

Immediately this car above caught my eye. I didn't know what is was.



When I asked the owner about it, he told me it was a kit car based on an Altima. Mr S. was taking shots of other things and didn't seem that interested in this car at the time.

When we got home that night Mr S. and I talked about the car. I'd recounted what the owner had told me. Mr S. seemed skeptical and uninterested because it was a kit car. It is a little like getting socks for Christmas. Even I remember feeling disappointed by it's status.



Today however we got to see the car again at the Concours. The owner had the doors and boot popped up. Where Mr S. exclaimed - oooooooh. It's an Ultima. Not an Altima. What's that - I asked? He didn't know.



Luckily later we ran into the owner. He was talking with a few guys. Until he mentioned that he'd printed some of the inside components with a 3D printer. This is where I kind of edged the guys out. I like cars, but I'm not going to do car talk. I will however talk 3D printing. You know I am all about the 3D printing.

You can see these vents don't look perfectly smooth. Because they were printed with a 3D printer. Mr S. and I have had many debates about which sector is going to embrace 3D printing first. We always felt car guys will push the technology first. There are tons of little parts they can just print.



Turns out this is a "component" kit car. Which is a very distinct difference. Your average 'kit' car is just some new body panels you put over an existing car. Like a ferraribird. But a component kit car is just a bag of parts -- You really have to assemble it all yourself. They ship you everything in separate, assembled boxes, (frame, body panels, windshield, seats, ...), You supply the motor, and put it all together.



Ultima Sports Wiki.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Lotus Evora in the wild.



Mr S. came home with pictures from the work parking garage. He's had a pretty good week. He got to see a Bugatti in the wild. And a convertible Audi R8 on the freeway. He was solo, so pictures didn't turn out that well.

I'm most jealous of the Bugatti though. I wasn't sure if people actually drove those, or they only got shipped to car shows. I've never, ever, seen them in the wild. He wasn't able to get a shot because he saw it in cross traffic.

I'm not sure I love these Evoras or not. I remember liking them at the Pebble Beach Concours. This one seems wrong somehow. I bet it is that color. Grey. Barely a color at all.

The AP is such a douche.



Yes.... we are all "helping".

Likely this will make interest rates go up on every corner of the planet. Because people like to get paid more for "helping". I.e. taking a hair cut for lending people money.

Which I admit - if you didn't see this coming...

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

The mall is everything I hate about women.

You normally won't find me walking the mall. But I have that snooty jet reception which I am now regretting. I figured I'd try to pick up some Ed Hardy gear to blend in. (eye roll) No big deal though. I started early. And I wanted to see how retail was doing pre back to school anyway.

There was the normal 40-75% off signs that have infected mall stores for the past few years. No alarm there. Somewhat problematic was the hovering sales people.

You got hit two steps in the door. "Can I help you find something". I'm just browsing - I'd reply. But my mental dialog was screaming - I just got here. I don't even know what you have yet! No big deal though. Women need someone to hold their hand through their whole shopping "experience". I understand this.

I debated buying some really cute platform heels. Then decided against it. I am not a social climber. I just want some interesting content. So I decided to get some new tennis shoes. Oh here go hell come.

Ladies... what the eff is your obsession with glitter? I love glitter as much as the next girl - but I am not even being dramatic a bit when I say every single ladies tennis shoe was covered in glitter. And 20 colors. And 15 patterns.

Normally I wear men's tennis shoes, because women's always have this really pointy toe. But, even though I was going casual I didn't want to look like a dude. 7 stores later I found a simple white pair of tennis shoes. But first I had to go through the gauntlet. One shoe store I stepped into, the sales guy hit me up right away. "Can I help you find something? Shoes - I reply. This is a shoe store right?

Okay, so back to my find. Simple white tennis shoes. I finally acquired my target and just needed my size. There was only one girl working the desk and she was swamped. Finally though, I had to ask her if she was the only one working the area. I have stuff to do. I mean, she had a line of people at the register. She couldn't even help anyone get shoes from the back. She of course called someone from another department.

While she is running her ass off, the women's (purposefully misspelled) were getting surly. One girl - I saw her thought bubble and laughed. Where she immediately looked at me. Sorry... I can just see you and I are in the same place. We'd already politely smiled at each other and then gave a WTF look to each other. Immediately she understood and went back to her own surly thought bubble.

Another woman was complaining about the lack of staff. Where I countered - Everyone has to cut back, but if some one wants to give you money - find a way to let them.

I suspect the girl could hear what we were saying. The department was small. I was not being rude. Like it sounds in text. This girl was doing the best she could with the resources she had.

When they finally found my shoe size I immediately whip out my card. Where the sales girl apologized. I told her I knew it wasn't her, and that every department should have an express line.

And my shoes? Glitter shoe laces. I'd gotten the last pair in that size. Someone else must have already hated the laces because I have one shoe with glitter, and the other with a plain shoe lace.

All of this took me three hours. And all these stores wonder why Amazon is eating their lunch. Oh yes.. if you want someone to help you find something. All set! If you actually want to buy that item? Effed!

Something else happened at the mall today. I saw a women who's ass was an isle wide. I am not even exaggerating. I don't hate fat people. Whatever they want to do is their choice.

It was in bras. And her hips touched the merchandise on both sides of the isle. I had to turn around immediately because my face is very expressive. I immediately texted Mr S. who wanted to know if I'd taken pictures. Which I was never going to do. So you just have to take my word for it.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Stupid evolution.



Yesterday I was still putting in my framing for the mow strip. I was going to run it over what I thought was a dead sprinkler head. So I was a little surprised when a hammer didn't just chunk that thing out.

Turns out it is not a sprinkler head. It looks like a two inch vent pipe. Which is really unusual for this area. We don't just vent things out of the ground.

Not only do I have to find out that that thing is and get it out - it effed up my back. Or I slept on my shoulder wrong, because when I woke up I went to stretch.... POP.

Now I've spent every waking moment watching the clock to see how long before I can get into the chiropractor.

And I hate everyone that worked on this house. Their motto must have been "look, if we just cover it with dirt, nobody will notice. Which I guess was true. But I keep having to rip stuff out that I wasn't expecting because I didn't know it was under the ground. And it isn't even good stuff.

I would have been happier to find my house was on top of an Indian burial ground. At least then, this vent pipe might have been a portal to the underworld or something. Not that I'm into that. It would just be more interesting than what I've got.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Don't wiz on the .......





I might write this in my mow strip concrete.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Sweat equity. Oh wait. Just sweat.

We decided this weekend to handle our forever lawn project because next weekend we have a snooty car show to go to.

Normally I don't plug these things because the minute I do - they find some way of not having any content for me. And I don't know what to expect because they were marketing it as a show where the cars would cost as much as the median cost of a house in California. Of course, this was a few months ago. By this weekend there could only be VW bugs there.

We promptly started calling this show the Ed Tardy car show. I just know it's going to be full of spiky haired dudes with silk screened t-shirts with wings on them. It's actually a two day event starting with a jet reception at a local airport.

At any rate - back to my yard.

I'm made my whole existence out of sweat equity - but lawns should be installed by people half my age. I thought I'd gotten to a point where I could just pay people to do these things. Still, since I don't have any equity in my house - why would I pay someone? The project has been fighting me since day one. It's just big. Really big.

Still, it's always good to do your own projects. That way you know if your are overpaying or underpaying people. Lawns - definitely pay people.
Not even 10:30 and Mr S. is already telling me to stop beating him with my eyes.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Nothing will ever be as good as you Mr B.



I finished Bioshock 2 late last week. I'm kinda bummed about it. It's one of the few games you spend almost as much time saying - look how well they did the water! It was the prettiest game ever. And I spent the last half with bees as my primary weapon. Oh..... bees were the best.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Full apathy and beyond.

I think the world changed last week. Those job numbers have crawled into everyone's psyche and killed productivity. Not my usual - you people suck. But, really killed productivity. You can see it everywhere. Most especially at government offices.

The kind of killing that makes the Feds "we won't have inflation because productivity has gained so much" spiel seem crazy. Those numbers will dive eminently.

There was a time I thought the DMV had become pretty efficient. I mean, for the DMV. Now it's back to 90's style lethargy. And, I get the wait times. I do. I get it!

Still, when I almost get into an argument with the DMV - you know something is up. I'm mostly shy. Not one to make a scene.

It all started over my truck. The registration is a few weeks overdue, and I need a smog check. I had fantasies about buying a new one for a few years. But President money Bags feels I don't need a new truck. So I keep limping this thing along.

No big deal though. You just pay the registration, and it buys you time to make infinite repairs to clear smog.

I simply asked the girl "once i get the smog done - will they send me the new tags or do I have to come back"?

Her - well they might give you a ticket.

I roll my eyes and say - they are not going to give you a ticket for that.

Her - well your registration is expired. The might give you a ticket.

Me (More firmly this time) - they might pull you over - but they are not going to give you a ticket. I just paid my registration.

Her - but you don't have the smog.

She tried again to say my registration was expired and that I might get a ticket. Where I had to tell her again that I was NOT getting a ticket. I asked again if the DMV would make me come back after I'd gotten my smog done or not.

Her - well... they may or may not.

Which I have to admit - super pissed me off. When our world wasn't all fucked up - they used to have these things that sent your smog report straight to the DMV. I think they call them computers. The past couple of years I've noticed that the DMV is very spotty about caring about the system. I'm sure it cost businesses a lot of money to install, only to be worthless half the time now.

I think the DMV has pulled the whole Albertsons trick of getting rid of their self checkouts. Because they feel you want to talk to a checker instead. Those automated systems are causing unemployment after all. The President says so.

Additionally, Police have these things called computers too. When they drive up on you - they run your licence plate. When those fancy things with buttons tells them the fees have been paid - they move along. Because it isn't profitable anymore for them. It is a 10 dollar ticket after all.

I won't even go into how much I hate people who refuse to turn their cell phones down, and proceed to ignore them. Listen.. the Dirty Harry theme is funny for the first 10 minutes. After two hours - can't tell you how much I want to punch you in the neck.

And really. Some of the old people getting handicap placards. Huge eye roll. One old lady tried to sit on my lap. No lie. It makes you think that maybe they should take her placard away.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Robber who broke into hair salon is beaten by its black-belt owner and kept as a sex slave for three days... fed only Viagra

So..... do you think this makes shop owners more, or less, likely to get broken into now?

I heart sheep.

Sometimes I get so ADD and cranky I forget about all the funny stuff I come across. I think this was from last week.

Now back to our regularly scheduled program of watching the EU figure out which child it is going to drown.





Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Amazon is the new Walmart. Enemy #1.

Retailers face uphill battle against Amazon.

Dear Retailers,

If you stopped sucking so much - Amazon wouldn't be crushing your business. It isn't the tax free money. It's that they send you exactly what you want without having to deal with your crummy sales people.

When I go to amazon - I'm pretty sure the item will be there. When I go to you Dear Retailer, I burn gas and time, only to find out you don't have what I want. You do the math.

Oh wait - you can't or else you would have already stopped sucking.

Monday, July 11, 2011

I blame the Statue of Liberty.

Yesterday I was out getting stuff ready for the trash pickup and I realised a small part of me hates all my neighbors. The Obama lovers/union house. The guy who just bought a new place with his dads tax free police retirement. Obama lovers/retired nurse. It's kind of a theme in my neighborhood I guess.

When you realize that 20% of our population is living off the government now - you start placing a lot of people in categories. And honestly, I hate that I am so aware of how much everyone is bleeding me dry.

You see, I was the first in my family not to take welfare. Most people brag about being the first in their family to go to college. That was too high of a bar for my family. They aren't bad people. They were actually very honest people. (Otherwise) But they exemplified the love affair with America. The quest of relaxation. Isn't that really why people come to America now? To not have to work so hard? And they wonder why other countries are taking jobs. They want to work. It isn't rocket science.

It doesn't matter that you don't make enough money. You just default on your credit cards every few years. My family used to have this whole time period mapped out. They knew that credit companies bet on your inability to claim bankruptcy in the next three years. This meant you could get a card a year after claiming.

I'd like to say this is an isolated incident, but our whole country is based on the premise that if you make a decision and you screw up - you can just start over. As many times as you want.

"Bring us your tired huddled masses."

Usually there are more productive people than not. Now, we've had so many generations of people trying to do as little as possible. Hell, even the street bums were making bank a few years ago. There were all these news reports of bums trading out of their bum attire and going back to their homes.

So how do you get a nation so comfortable with default, not to spend with abandon before cutting their cards up? People used to paying at least 25% more for things, because they don't pay their cards off every month. Why would they care? Their whole "backup plan" is default.

It goes a little like this. They plan to pay their cards, but they know if things are a little rough that month - who is it going to hurt? Not them. They are all of a sudden a better credit risk for their inability to be able to claim bankruptcy.

And things couldn't have changed that much - because i know a person who jingle mailed their house back to the bank, and they expected to be able to get a new loan in three years. I'm not saying they would. But it was their expectation.

Once I was at the chiropractor. We were talking about the housing market and he asked why I didn't just default on my crapshack. Trump does it - after all. I'm not sure I know anyone who doesn't hold these values today.

Honestly I don't know how you get it through the thick heads of the average American how when government has to pay 25% more on their credit cards - things get extremely painful before you get to cut up your cards.

When the bond vigilantes are done with Europe - they will come for us. Which fascinatingly will shred those 20% living on government aid. It's like they are committing slow suicide. They want more entitlements, yet all that spending makes everything single thing they buy - more expensive. But what do they care?

They just will just default as soon as they are able.
Obama says - if everybody gets in the boat at the same time. It doesn't tip over.

No - it just sinks.

It would be better if the boat simply tipped over. You can still retrieve your boat! If you sink it, it's at the bottom of the lake.

Used to be my weekend after glow could get me to Wednesday. It was already gone at 9 this morning.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Because I'm dedicated.



You guys are so lucky to get content today. This sleeping till 11 thing is throwing me off. I'm just in a funk.

I made it to the Strangers Car Show. Which didn't really have anything that interesting. But I have a snooty car show coming up in a week or two, and I got to experiment with some car angles which I found I needed more work on. In my head it seemed way more awesome. I'm glad I found out now, and not when I had these uber expensive cars shots I couldn't live without.



And then, I'm still trying to make you love flat colors. I am! Flat midnight blue has to be my favorite. If I were rich - I'd definitely have some awesome sports car in flat midnight blue.



Louvers in the back window.



For some reason I am in love with the image of people being photographed. I don't know how to describe it. I like the photographer being in there with the umbrellas. I could have just squeezed in with my lens and got just her and the car - but I like the set up stuff.

Saturday, July 09, 2011

Dreamland Mr B.



I tried to escape my recently slothenly ways to get you some content today. But I got the day wrong. Instead I'm sitting at home with a new Samsung Galaxy Tab. We almost wound up with a Transformer, but I liked the UI better on the Gtab.

After all, I wouldn't want to have to get my ass out of bed to find out what the headlines on Doomberg are about.

Maybe I will try again tomorrow for content. For now though.... more Bioshock.

Friday, July 08, 2011

I don't want to hear you tell me - everything is wonderful now.

I have to admit, when the jobs numbers came out yesterday - the only thing that kept running through my head was that song Wonderful from Everclear.

Although I started to wonder if I was suffering from being overly pessimistic. Maybe we were having a slight summer tick up. Despite my uncontrollable fear of the October layoff cycle. But maybe we would have a few weeks of good news.

The other thing that was running though my head were the words of Newt Gingrich. Obama is going to be really tough to beat. Which I think is complete bullshit. Then I started fantasizing about being their PR spokesman. Because I'd have this shit on an infinite loop.



I mean seriously? Only pussfied Republicans would be having angina on how to beat President Money Bags. I'd pull almost everything he said from his first two years in office. It's all you need.

I also find it fascinating the PMB's current buzzword is confidence. When he's done everything in his power to create uncertainty. It was then I realized that all you had to do to destroy a country to to keep changing the rules faster than people can adjust. Now there is so much uncertainty everyone is closet terrified. Well, anyone that owns anything.

Take for instance that crapshack I was talking about last week. We will call it the Darwin crapshack. Because it isn't mine and it's the street it resides on.

Last week, we thought that flipper could eek out a small profit. He had to've stuck a 100 grand into that house. Windows, floors, new stucco which was cracked to shit. Bathrooms, kitchen. Everything. And it was a big house.

This week I think he can't make a profit at all. Why? The government just changed the jumbo mortgage rules. In California this is a much bigger deal. That guy was listing the house right at the current max. Which most likely means he will not get that price. With closing costs, a buyer is going to want to be well under the cap.

So each time the government changes the rules - people like me think it's not worth it again.

Additionally, PMB has made things so much worse. There are some seriously shitty things lurking out there. And no one knows how bad things are going to get. The very nature of uncertainty.

Huh. Now that is mildly interesting.

Remember a few weeks ago I asked why the LIBOR kept falling? Here.

Trading Firm Accuses Bank of America, JPMorgan, UBS, and Citigroup of Conspiracy to Manipulate LIBOR

Thursday, July 07, 2011

They ARE totally embarrassing to wear.

US Army Bans Toe Shoes for Looking So Damn Goofy

I hate that I love these shoes. They stand out like a sore thumb. Everyone claims they aren't hideous when they ask about them. Which I also hate.

If you plan on doing a ton of walking though - you've got to give it to the shoe. Awesome. But extremely, extremely, hideous. Like wearing polyester hideous.
I wish I could ban my in laws from sending anything with the words "forward" in it.

One day.



I had a full blown Siouxsie and the Banshees thing back in the 90's. This song reminds me a little of them.

Monday, July 04, 2011

For you weekend readers.

I am basically a mess this weekend. I've got the never ending cold. My nose is running non stop. I put my back out laying sod on Saturday morning. So, Mr S. had to do most of the work. And I've been sleeping in till 11.

But, I still have a story for you die hard weekend readers.

Yesterday Mr S. and I were doing our Saturday stuff. So we could hunker down and ride out the heat - lazy style. Maybe it was good the city axed the fireworks, because I couldn't have climbed to the roof this year. Yes, all white trash style.

Anyway, we were driving down the street and I say - hey, there's an open house sign. Want to go to an open house?

I have no idea why I said this.

Suddenly Mr S. turns down the street. We find the house. However it looked too great to stop. BUT! This took us by another house Mr S. and I had looked at a year ago. Here. I wanted that house so bad. It was in dreadful shape.

At the time the agent was trying to convince me there was going to be a bidding war on the house. Lets, just say there wasn't a bidding war. The house sold for 200 grand less than it was listed for.

When we drove by though - we almost couldn't recognise the place. Some flipper had picked it up at a discount. And that house needed everything. You can read about it in my story. I had to hold my breath even to be in the house the first time.

Honestly, the guy did a really good job. This guy gutted the place, and made it somewhere peoples kids would walk down the giant stairway when graduating.

Mr. S hated the stairway in that place. We make jokes about it all the time. When you first walked into the door it practically stabbed you in the eye. When we left viewing the house, Mr S. said - what was with that staircase?

Me - what? It didn't bother me.

Him - Oh. Really? It was like "welcome to my staircase". Now we say that when there is a huge monolith of an eyesore that takes up all space and time.

We spent several hours that day trying to figure out if we thought that guy could make money on that house. We found out he was a contractor, and at least gets stuff on discount. See people - this is why you keep your life offline. We didn't even know that guy, and now we know a lot about him.

I guess we get to see if he gets his head chopped off or he has giant balls. Someone has to test the waters. Personally I think flipping is a suckers game right now. The real action is in rentals.

Sunday, July 03, 2011

Bitter - party of one.



Just a friendly reminder of how much we suck. Oh, and our overlords say we can't BBQ today in California. Tomorrow is up in the air.

Ironic this Independence Day.

Friday, July 01, 2011

Maybe it is finally percolating down.

Today I went to pick up some stuff for the holiday in the town next to me. As the checker was going through my stuff - he made small talk by saying he was coming to my house.

Me - well, it's not going to be as fun. My town cut their fireworks this year.

Him - Why?

Me - budget cuts!

Then something magical happened that you never see in California - this guy became all spun up. Young guy.

You mean they are spending all that money on that fountain, and they can't pay for fireworks! They've had to fix it like six times!

I made a guess of the one he was talking about, but I hadn't heard anyone else complaining. And I didn't want to hold up his line by asking him which fountain it was.

He also went on to complain about our city putting in these expensive faucets in a public restroom that keeps getting stolen at two grand a pop.

He started to touch the firefighters. And even though I'd have died to talk to him for a few minutes - I really hate holding up other people. So the conversation became fragmented quickly. All I can feel is their laser beam eyes on me. Cause that is what I'd do.

Still... I walked away kinda feeling happy. Like people were finally starting to "get it". All the way down to the video game checkout dude. Hell yeah he's a gamer.