Archive for March, 2005

And so it begins…

// March 5th, 2005 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

Last July, I started a project which has turned out to be a second job for me. The project was to list some of my dad’s N Guage trains on eBay in an effort to accumulate some money which could be used for home repairs and enhancements. Over a period of 15+ years, my dad had literally accumulated thousands of individual train cars (most of which had been organized into plastic part bins).

When I started the project I mentioned that the money I made from them should go into fixing up the kitchen. 10 months and $3K later, the remodeling has begun. My mom, with help from all of us, decided that we would not only replace the kitchen floor but the 70′s era cabinets, wall tile and counter-top as well. We’re replacing the cabinets with new maple ones. The floor will be a cherry laminate and the counter will either be a blue or dark grey Formica.

The old cabinets are down and the old flooring is removed. Phase two begins Monday.

Yes, I’m still alive…

// March 4th, 2005 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

A lot has gone on since I last posted.

To bring people up to speed: Meg and I are very much a couple and we’re extremely happy. In the past month we had a nice post-Valentine’s celebration downtown, went to the auto show (where I had to clean up Meg’s drool over the new Jetta ;) ), fought and made-up a couple of times and have fallen more and more in love.

We’ve also seriously begun discussing our future. In regards to housing, we’ve both decided that it would be best to focus on one housing effort rather than trying to manage two. It’s just a matter of when.

Frankly, I think that Meg’s mom (and my mom to a lesser extent) would have a serious problem with both of us living together before we’re engaged (yes, I said engaged — though that hasn’t happened yet). Whether her mom would be more comfortable with the fact of us living together before we’re actually marriage is another issue. Right now, I’m trying to eliminate as much debt as possible before making that big of an investment.

Also, we’re both trying to address unknows as best as we can. The problem is, most of these items are out of our hands. Things such as pay raises, Meg getting a teaching job (a where that job will be) are things that, unfortunately, can’t be solved with the wave of a wand.

In regards to marriage, this is another item we’ve been seriously discussing. I love this woman and I do want to marry her. Of that, I have no doubt. However, reality has a nasty habit of rearing it’s ugly head. I’m trying to come to terms of when I’d like to propose, how to I’d like to propose and how this is all going to work in combination with obtaining a household. Now would be a really nice time for that Lotto ticket to pay off… :)

On a side note, I’ve started a new Cubs blog: A Cub Fan’s Lament. I intend to chronicle the 2005 season on the blog providing my own bias and criticisms of the team as they either go to the series or, again, wait ’til next year. Check it out.