By and large I'm very happy to have been born during the "modern" age that I was. I realize that modern is always changing. I like indoor plumbing, cell phones, color TV, computers and obviously the internet! However, I do think that our imagination for labeling eras or movements has seriously declined. When I was in college (which was more than a couple of years ago) the current architectural movement we were studying was called "Post Modern" which of course followed Modern. Really!? Where do you go from there? Maybe Post Modern will just have to have various phases which continue until the end of time! I don't know I'm not keeping up on the architecture trends. I can hope they've improved their historical legacy, giving greater meaning to the eras. After all, Post Post Modernism just doesn't roll off the tongue!
In any case, my love and appreciation of modern conveniences has been tested lately in the realm of a kitchen sink. Conclusion: Yes, I love them and find them incredibly useful!! Going 5 days without a kitchen sink, because ours was being resurfaced, cramped my style or rather - daily routine. This absence also propelled the greater use of other conveniences, namely the microwave. It's pretty hard to cook or clean up without a sink so microwave dinners came to the rescue. Still, it's not like a microwave and a sink are interchangeable. So glad to have the sink back in use, plus, it looks like new! The rest of the house, though, still is a disaster area.
Thankfully, we see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. It's not over yet but... It should be gorgeous when it's all done. The five and a half weeks spent painting, repairing, replacing, cleaning and staging will be worth it in the end, I trust.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Sunday, April 15, 2012
One type of "Reality" TV Experience
I watched one of the recent House Hunters International the other day. Guess what! It was filmed in Merida, Mexico, so I had to watch!! Since I've watched that real estate market for so long, I'm always curious if they'll show one of my favorites. Sure enough, two of my all time favorites were given the chance to shine.
The first one shown was in the more modern area of town, in the outskirts. That area I never did a lot of perusing because I love the colonials; plus, it was on a golf course - no interest. The second one was none other than "The Hidden Street." Always fun to see, and I liked hearing the couple's reaction to this rather eccentric place. Our reactions were similar - it's fun but too spread out. I always told Brian we would have to get walkie talkies to ask each other a question if not in the same room, or to find each other with ease. This couple sells sofas so I thought it was rather funny to take them to this place which has a sunken, cemented in living room furniture! They talked about jackhammering out the seating! It was only selling for 565K so why not jackhammer! Although actually I'd seen the place selling online for a mere 495K earlier in the year.
Lastly, they showed the couple Casa Chablis. Yes, if I had the money this place would be our number one choice. Amazing! As anyone would (if they had that kind of money) they picked this stunning place. But speaking of money, "that kind of money" definitely went up for the show. Too bad this couple hadn't done some earlier homework. Just like the Hidden Street which had gone up in price so had Casa Chablis. On HHI they were selling it for 450K, a bargain for those who had a budget of 500K. However, I had never seen it online for that price. I can't remember the highest I had seen it for but I saw it go as low as 365K. It appears this couple "negotiated" the price down to 439K. Truly a bargain for them but if only they had a little more information behind them. In the end, they are happy and certainly do have a wonderful home. I'm just not in their league so all that money as a gift seems a bit excessive!!
The first one shown was in the more modern area of town, in the outskirts. That area I never did a lot of perusing because I love the colonials; plus, it was on a golf course - no interest. The second one was none other than "The Hidden Street." Always fun to see, and I liked hearing the couple's reaction to this rather eccentric place. Our reactions were similar - it's fun but too spread out. I always told Brian we would have to get walkie talkies to ask each other a question if not in the same room, or to find each other with ease. This couple sells sofas so I thought it was rather funny to take them to this place which has a sunken, cemented in living room furniture! They talked about jackhammering out the seating! It was only selling for 565K so why not jackhammer! Although actually I'd seen the place selling online for a mere 495K earlier in the year.
Lastly, they showed the couple Casa Chablis. Yes, if I had the money this place would be our number one choice. Amazing! As anyone would (if they had that kind of money) they picked this stunning place. But speaking of money, "that kind of money" definitely went up for the show. Too bad this couple hadn't done some earlier homework. Just like the Hidden Street which had gone up in price so had Casa Chablis. On HHI they were selling it for 450K, a bargain for those who had a budget of 500K. However, I had never seen it online for that price. I can't remember the highest I had seen it for but I saw it go as low as 365K. It appears this couple "negotiated" the price down to 439K. Truly a bargain for them but if only they had a little more information behind them. In the end, they are happy and certainly do have a wonderful home. I'm just not in their league so all that money as a gift seems a bit excessive!!
Friday, April 06, 2012
Gracefully?
There is talk about growing old... gracefully. I don't think there is anyone who would spontaneously comment that I was someone who is growing old gracefully. Hopefully, there are even people out there who wouldn't think I was even getting that old, yet! (If you are out there - I love you, whoever you might be!)
Nonetheless, age keeps adding up, day by day. It can creep up on each of us, at a certain point in life. Although I have to say, some days it doesn't creep; there are days it's more like slamming into a wall. Yesterday that wall was a little spongy, thankfully, but I couldn't move through the day at the pace or with as much progress as I would have liked. In fact, while grocery shopping I decided an espresso treat was just the necessary direction to take so I might continue on - with a spring in my step!? :-) At the cafe stop within the store, I made my order. Not my typical order of a double 12oz. soy latte. No, it truly was a day for a treat, the decision - a caramel macchiato. BUT there was a special going on, I could get a 16oz. for less than a 12oz. SOLD - give me 3 shots, please! I did feel much better by the end of shopping!
Beyond necessary amounts of coffee, for me, I have discovered that the whole "graceful" part revolves mostly around my attitude or perspective. In other words, my body is going to do what it's going to do. (Darn it!) Perhaps I can slow the process a bit by trying to take care of myself but...I can't stop the unfortunate (and inevitable) decline. However, I can adjust my thinking. Somethings are just better to let go. My energy comes in a finite amount. I choose to let many frustrations go because I don't want to waste my energy! Life is simpler and that's not bad. I'm really beginning to understand the phrase - don't sweat the small stuff. I thought I got it before. Well, I'm getting it more now. It's good to find some positives to this whole process. :-)
Nonetheless, age keeps adding up, day by day. It can creep up on each of us, at a certain point in life. Although I have to say, some days it doesn't creep; there are days it's more like slamming into a wall. Yesterday that wall was a little spongy, thankfully, but I couldn't move through the day at the pace or with as much progress as I would have liked. In fact, while grocery shopping I decided an espresso treat was just the necessary direction to take so I might continue on - with a spring in my step!? :-) At the cafe stop within the store, I made my order. Not my typical order of a double 12oz. soy latte. No, it truly was a day for a treat, the decision - a caramel macchiato. BUT there was a special going on, I could get a 16oz. for less than a 12oz. SOLD - give me 3 shots, please! I did feel much better by the end of shopping!
Beyond necessary amounts of coffee, for me, I have discovered that the whole "graceful" part revolves mostly around my attitude or perspective. In other words, my body is going to do what it's going to do. (Darn it!) Perhaps I can slow the process a bit by trying to take care of myself but...I can't stop the unfortunate (and inevitable) decline. However, I can adjust my thinking. Somethings are just better to let go. My energy comes in a finite amount. I choose to let many frustrations go because I don't want to waste my energy! Life is simpler and that's not bad. I'm really beginning to understand the phrase - don't sweat the small stuff. I thought I got it before. Well, I'm getting it more now. It's good to find some positives to this whole process. :-)
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