Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Here we go....
Monday, May 24, 2010
The fall of mortgaged backed securities
As I am sure some of you know, RJB has been gnawing at the bit to buy a home. We have been living under the thumb of fiscal responsibility for about a year and finally got in a position that allowed us to start looking. So that's what we did on Saturday. Went out and viewed seven properties with a realtor. Then went back to one of them on Sunday for an open house. And decided we want to put an offer in, pending our discussion with the mortgage broker on Wednesday. Talk about anticipation! And this has been a typical JMB situation - the property we are interested in was the second one we viewed on Saturday. Yep, add this to the list of Big Decisions that have happened quickly and easily for me (most recent easy Big Decision was my wedding dress - the first one I tried on when mom and I went out looking. Done and done!). Since home buying is a Big Decision, there's a part of me that thinks we are done. Clearly we just started looking at places even though we have been internet stalking properties for about 6 months, so if this one falls through, fine. We will find another. No worries experienced homebuyers, we are not getting emotionally attached!!
Now comes the interesting linguistic barrier. I say we are buying a house. This is what I tell people. But we are really buying a condo. I don't know if it clicks with non-residents that only millionaires own stand alone, single family houses in the city. This home is a bargain at about 1.2M and you share with 8 other owners. Not even a true "house"!
Ok, maybe there are some affordable shanties in some areas of the city, but for the most part condos are how people roll in Chicago. (actually, not sure we could afford that jewel to the left - there's a lot of land around that guy) We own condos/flats in three-flats/high rises/midrises. However when I say we want to buy a house, people correct me: oh, you mean a condo, not a house. Perhaps home is the better word. We hope to move from a rented home to purchased home. Better? But this also begs the question, are condos second rate? I hope not.
Otherwise, it is quiet here. Work is busy. In fact, I'm about to power up again for a few hours, as will the Hubs. RJB is a few weeks away from starting his official marathon training program. We will be reunited with the P clan in FdL in a few days - I think the first time I'll see RTP in FdL in about 2 years? Goodness! I am looking forward to all the tasty food mom will cook, playing some golf, seeing the pets, and of course being in great company.
More later in the week. Hopefully it will be a good post about how much money the bank is willing to lend us!
Now comes the interesting linguistic barrier. I say we are buying a house. This is what I tell people. But we are really buying a condo. I don't know if it clicks with non-residents that only millionaires own stand alone, single family houses in the city. This home is a bargain at about 1.2M and you share with 8 other owners. Not even a true "house"!
Otherwise, it is quiet here. Work is busy. In fact, I'm about to power up again for a few hours, as will the Hubs. RJB is a few weeks away from starting his official marathon training program. We will be reunited with the P clan in FdL in a few days - I think the first time I'll see RTP in FdL in about 2 years? Goodness! I am looking forward to all the tasty food mom will cook, playing some golf, seeing the pets, and of course being in great company.
More later in the week. Hopefully it will be a good post about how much money the bank is willing to lend us!
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Time sure does fly....
I can't believe that one year ago from RIGHT now I became a married woman. A happily married woman. It is crazy how quickly time flies. RJB and I discussed that this morning. We need to slow down and basically not get caught up in all the noise of every day life. Hear, hear!!
We had a nice anniversary weekend so far. We both took Friday afternoon off and went to the Art Institute to see the Matisse exhibit. My favorite was Portrait of Yvonne Landsberg. I'm sure it has intensely deep modernism overtones and importance but I just like it for the colors and the symmetry.
Saturday we checked into the Palomar Hotel in Chicago and pretended to be tourists. The hotel just opened at the end of April so it was neat to be in a brand new place. We had floor to ceiling windows and when you looked straight down, it was a drop right to the street. Only draw back was the bathroom: no fan and the door doesn't officially shut all the way.
We had dinner at Roy's (yes, I know we always go there but it is easy and we love it). Poetically we were seated at the same table we sat at for our very first date. RJB surprised me with a beautiful necklace and I finally talked him into buying a new pair of jeans he has been hemming and hawing about for, oh, three months. And we got a sizable shipment of the shortbread cookies we ate almost everyday while in Hawaii.
This morning, our actual anniversary, we had a nice breakfast and headed home. It's nice we still have a whole day left of our weekend!
By the way, Sylvester was very happy that we came home:
This past year has been exciting - first summer in Chicago, we did some traveling, my brother got married, we made some milestones with finances....this upcoming year will be even more exciting. We will buy a condo, furniture, and currently we are planning on going to China in 2011. I'm lucky to look forward to experiencing these adventures with my love!!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
CYA box is filled
If you drive a car, I'll tax the street
If you try to sit, I'll tax your seat
if you get too cold, I'll tax the heat
If you take a walk, I'll tax your feet
Taxman!
If you try to sit, I'll tax your seat
if you get too cold, I'll tax the heat
If you take a walk, I'll tax your feet
Taxman!
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Iconic Tricycle
So what's been going on in my fun, big city, newlywed life? Well, not a whole hell of a lot (gasp!) Busy season is upon me, the obsession of the Olympics has monopolized my late nights, and the Shamrock shuffle is quickly approaching.
The economy is still challenging me. A few colleagues of mine are no longer colleagues and are now respected friends in the small world of public accounting. It is amazing that while layoffs have been occurring for well over a year, it still hits me hard. Probably because now it's not about wondering how the young kids will survive, but why some of the more experienced contributors are no longer seen as "producing assets." I guess in all that is trying and soul challenging in public accounting, some of these losses truly challenge my public soul (I know, I know, this is business, life in the fast lane, result of the economy, and should be seen, big picture, as a super charged opportunity for me...and yes, it is true but hard when some of those being sacrificed are people I respect).
Nonetheless, I will step off of my woe-is-me soapbox and share something special and nerdy that I did today. I scooted away from the office for 2 hours and waited in line for a book signing. Not only is it my first book signing, but it was a special one. Here's the scoop: the Art Institute of Chicago has just opened a new exhibit of William Eggleston's photography. Now, this is unique. For those who are lucky enough to frequent ARTIC, the photography exhibits are held in the basement in the old section of the building. This grand-daddy is in the modern wing and takes up two whole sections of the main floor. Wowsers. So the book signing - Mr. Eggleston was there signing his books for an hour and a half. I was on the fence - how many people would be there? How early should I go over, especially given it is busy season and I am in fact busy (oh those accountants and their creative descriptions!)? Everyone that I mentioned this exhibit to pretty much gave me blank stares so I thought either (1) I am around those who are not in the know of American photography and the signing will be packed, or (2) I am a huge dork and only the dorkiest of the dorks will come out, thus maybe manageable. Well surprise surprise, it was PACKED. I literally waited 2 hours to get "William Eggleston" on my newly purchased hardcover book cataloging the exhibit. And it was worth every minute.
If I were a sociology professional, this scene would have been an interesting study. First, I estimated at least 150 people, if not more, were waiting in line. In addition, amongst all the waiters, a ton of people milling around being general ARTIC patrons, including people lined up on the stairs and upper levels waiting for a camera shot of Mr. Eggleston. Malay, you ask? Well, I was anxious....hey, stop letting people cut through the line to cross the floor! they may sneak in line!.....oh no, that gaggle of "artists" are standing back-turned to the line and there is a space! pay attention folks!!!.....oh my goodness, i haven't moved in 20 mins! what if I wait all this time and I don't get a signature?!.....stop all your yakking folks! eyes on the prize!....come on people, don't tell him your life story, pretend it is the Soup Nazi and move along!!! The people were from all walks of life - young, old, wealthy, poor (as in the artist college student type), hipsters, young blowhards, foreigners, people who use pachouli rather than soap and showers, and then yours truly, the dorky CPA. I will say I may have fit in more than I give myself credit for given my glasses. Never seen so many dark framed glasses in one room before. And that includes hipster shows I've attended in Dallas.
Bottom line, this was about the coolest thing I've done in awhile. Interesting people, fantastic photographer, beautiful setting, and everything opposite of what my February 27th reality has been for the last 8 years. Plus now I have a beautiful big book signed by an artist that doesn't venture out for such events often and and frankly, Mr. Eggleston is getting a little old. I felt sorry for those who bailed 15 minutes in...it is likely that for me at least, this opportunity will not cross my path again.
The economy is still challenging me. A few colleagues of mine are no longer colleagues and are now respected friends in the small world of public accounting. It is amazing that while layoffs have been occurring for well over a year, it still hits me hard. Probably because now it's not about wondering how the young kids will survive, but why some of the more experienced contributors are no longer seen as "producing assets." I guess in all that is trying and soul challenging in public accounting, some of these losses truly challenge my public soul (I know, I know, this is business, life in the fast lane, result of the economy, and should be seen, big picture, as a super charged opportunity for me...and yes, it is true but hard when some of those being sacrificed are people I respect).
Nonetheless, I will step off of my woe-is-me soapbox and share something special and nerdy that I did today. I scooted away from the office for 2 hours and waited in line for a book signing. Not only is it my first book signing, but it was a special one. Here's the scoop: the Art Institute of Chicago has just opened a new exhibit of William Eggleston's photography. Now, this is unique. For those who are lucky enough to frequent ARTIC, the photography exhibits are held in the basement in the old section of the building. This grand-daddy is in the modern wing and takes up two whole sections of the main floor. Wowsers. So the book signing - Mr. Eggleston was there signing his books for an hour and a half. I was on the fence - how many people would be there? How early should I go over, especially given it is busy season and I am in fact busy (oh those accountants and their creative descriptions!)? Everyone that I mentioned this exhibit to pretty much gave me blank stares so I thought either (1) I am around those who are not in the know of American photography and the signing will be packed, or (2) I am a huge dork and only the dorkiest of the dorks will come out, thus maybe manageable. Well surprise surprise, it was PACKED. I literally waited 2 hours to get "William Eggleston" on my newly purchased hardcover book cataloging the exhibit. And it was worth every minute.
If I were a sociology professional, this scene would have been an interesting study. First, I estimated at least 150 people, if not more, were waiting in line. In addition, amongst all the waiters, a ton of people milling around being general ARTIC patrons, including people lined up on the stairs and upper levels waiting for a camera shot of Mr. Eggleston. Malay, you ask? Well, I was anxious....hey, stop letting people cut through the line to cross the floor! they may sneak in line!.....oh no, that gaggle of "artists" are standing back-turned to the line and there is a space! pay attention folks!!!.....oh my goodness, i haven't moved in 20 mins! what if I wait all this time and I don't get a signature?!.....stop all your yakking folks! eyes on the prize!....come on people, don't tell him your life story, pretend it is the Soup Nazi and move along!!! The people were from all walks of life - young, old, wealthy, poor (as in the artist college student type), hipsters, young blowhards, foreigners, people who use pachouli rather than soap and showers, and then yours truly, the dorky CPA. I will say I may have fit in more than I give myself credit for given my glasses. Never seen so many dark framed glasses in one room before. And that includes hipster shows I've attended in Dallas.
Bottom line, this was about the coolest thing I've done in awhile. Interesting people, fantastic photographer, beautiful setting, and everything opposite of what my February 27th reality has been for the last 8 years. Plus now I have a beautiful big book signed by an artist that doesn't venture out for such events often and and frankly, Mr. Eggleston is getting a little old. I felt sorry for those who bailed 15 minutes in...it is likely that for me at least, this opportunity will not cross my path again.
My view of Mr. Eggleston after waiting nearly 45 minutes.
View a little over an hour later.
I was at the ready, book jacket already marking the red title page he was signing. Partly surprised I was this close to a famous person.
Ahhh....success!
PS - true to people who respect one another, there was no cutting in line, no funny business, no rudeness, no pushing, no crying, nothing overly obnoxious (other than those people who brought every Eggleston book they owned to be signed...really?). This was refreshing.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
For Lovers Only
Ahhh....the weekend for lovers....and the start of the Olympics. For the next two weeks, I will walk that delicate line of busy season work schedules and watching as much ice skating as possible. It's a challenge I get to undertake every two years (yes, because the IRS is satanic on many levels, busy season starts every six months, so the summer Olympics (gymnastics) also fall in busy season).
But back to the weekend of lovers. RJB and I have big plans. To chill at home and count our pennies to put towards a condo. And please don't take that as being sarcastic - I'm soooo okay with this. I'll do a special cook on Sunday, RJB requested brownies, so the peapod man is delivering the mix tonight (though I may transform the brownies into Mississippi Mud Pie). Otherwise, we both have work to do (which will be from the South Loop office) and we are going to trek over to the car show. I haven't been to a car show since I was a new associate in MKE and cannot wait! And RJB and I received a special treat - chocolate croissants! They have to rise for 9 hours before baking....mmmm.....so thankful that treat arrived to our crib on Thursday. We are loved.
But back to the weekend of lovers. RJB and I have big plans. To chill at home and count our pennies to put towards a condo. And please don't take that as being sarcastic - I'm soooo okay with this. I'll do a special cook on Sunday, RJB requested brownies, so the peapod man is delivering the mix tonight (though I may transform the brownies into Mississippi Mud Pie). Otherwise, we both have work to do (which will be from the South Loop office) and we are going to trek over to the car show. I haven't been to a car show since I was a new associate in MKE and cannot wait! And RJB and I received a special treat - chocolate croissants! They have to rise for 9 hours before baking....mmmm.....so thankful that treat arrived to our crib on Thursday. We are loved.
My Valentine
My Furry Valentine
(he looks overly pleased, yes?)
My Valentine's weekend loss (c. 2007)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
