Archive for February, 2008

Can’t park? Blame the poor planning!

Thursday, February 28th, 2008

Anyone who’s ever driven through New York City would understand how horrible of a trip it really is, this is why the public transport does so well. Not only is it convenient, it saves on the precious gas mileage for anyone’s car. But what about those of us who are brave enough to take matters into our own hands and drive in and around every day? This is typically when companies like desmen services comes in handy. This company provides a service that helps countless numbers of people, all over the United States. They are a nationally leading group of specialists in transportation improvements. They started in 1973 and have provided the planning, design and restoration service for over 1,500 parking projects. They’re recognized as a certified Minority-owned Business by many states and they help clients meet and/or exceed affirmative action goals and policies.

Parking in major cities is almost as annoying as driving through them. I’m using NYC as an example only because of my personal experience with it. Finding a spot on the street is close to impossible but getting into some of the poorly designed parking garages (after paying an extremely high fee) is just as annoying. So when you see garages that are designed to be nothing more than 100% efficient, you tend to lean towards them that much more. Spots are easier to get into and navigation around the garage itself is easier as well.

If you’re a business owner looking for a more effective way of controlling every aspect of your employee’s satisfaction, from paycheck to parking, getting in touch with Desman Associates is the way to go.

What’s up with that?

Thursday, February 28th, 2008

The weather’s been kind of strange lately. Yesterday was extremely freaky. It started as a typical cold sunny day and then all kinds of cloud formations came through and it rained for a few moments, the sun came out and then while the sun was still shining across the street a cloud came by and dropped a quick but fearce snowfall on this side of the street. It didn’t stick, or even last that long but it was still pretty strange. Then the ground shook but I’m unsure of whether it was a mini-quake or just a truck dumping a heavy load somewhere in a 300 ft radius from the house. Either way it had me on edge, but my stomach and everything else on me has been feeling pretty “blah” lately, so naturally I’m sure that had something to do with it.

Today it’s just a bitter cold with a lot of wind. I know tomorrow isn’t going to be much better but that’s OK, life still needs to move on – right?

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When will things pick up?

Thursday, February 28th, 2008

It’s my hope to find a job with a reputable company down here, it’s not just about the money because even though things are tight this month, Sean and I do make a decent income to be able to support ourselves. The bank, however, doesn’t see it that way. Since we’re stay-at-home workers we’re considered a “risk” and they won’t approve us for anything, even with taxes being filed on time every year.

We’re working on two different things right now, a loan to buy a car and pay off the first loan (refinance) and then a mortgage somewhere down the line so we can get out of here and get our own place. We wanted to rent first but with Bella and our desire to just have things the way we want them, we’d be better off just getting our own place on our own land. You know?

Unfortunately my Google searches for more information haven’t helped me very much, I type in Delaware but find links for sites like Idaho mortgage refinance and Utah mortgage loan. This doesn’t mean that their main site (strategic-refinance.com) didn’t help me out, but I’m not really looking to refinance, I’m looking to just have a big chunk of change fall into my lap so that I can get myself out of debt and buy a car and maybe even put a down payment on a house sometime over the course of the next year. I don’t know how well things are going to go when Sean finally gets to launch the site he’s been working on for the last two years, but I do hope that his income and mine both at least double over the course of the next few months or I really don’t know what we’re going to do.

Nothing to watch.

Thursday, February 28th, 2008

Even with over 400 channels to flip through during my down-time, I’m still wondering what the point is for even paying for half of the ones we have. I wish you could pick and choose your plan, no one needs (or watches) half of the channels given to you with this line-up. Who seriously needs to sit back and watch a “Jewelry” channel where it’s all bobbles, all the time? It makes no sense to me.

I’ve found that I still stick to the standard channels we had before, there’s only one addition at this point. I flip between Lifetime and MPT (local channel). I also float around Comedy Central and Discovery Health quite a bit as well. I’ve added BBC America because of my love of British TV, I just wish there was more British Comedy. I’m sure that’s another channel entirely and I’m going to have to look around for it but for now I’m content with “How Clean is Your house” and “You Are What You Eat”. I have to say that while they aren’t meant to be a ‘comedy’, they certainly amuse the hell out of me.

The Real Estate Experiment

Thursday, February 28th, 2008

Sean’s aunt came down to visit last week and she’s coming back down this weekend because she’s on a mission. She’s having trouble holding onto her house in New York (as many people nation wide currently are), so she’s looking to purchase a house down here to hopefully escape the extravagant cost of living in New York. There have also been quite a few other topics that have come up during the term of her search. While she’s dead-set on moving to Delaware, Sean and I have also been thinking about other options for her, a big list of every-possible place out there: San Francisco Real Estate, Houston Real Estate, Austin Real Estate and lord knows what else. We’re only this imaginative because we’re looking into our own affordable options. I can’t tell you how many applications and resumes I’ve submitted over the course of the last few days. I just hope that my interview tomorrow at least gets me in the door to work for some place decent. It’s a retail position but any money is good money at this point in time.

Okay, so as I noted in the title – there is an experiment going on.  How much money could two 23 year-olds make working odd and end jobs for numerous different people?  At the same time the need for $1000 a month to just pay the bills takes a chunk out of any and all earnings available.  But say you do reach your goals.  Where would you finally hang your hat?  Would you stay in the same town you currently live in because you like the environment, or do you move out of state to start your life with the one you love and no outside influence?

Attack of the Scissors

Thursday, February 28th, 2008

I’ve finally remembered to call the phone number that’s been stuck to my screen for the last two weeks.  Bella’s been in desperate need for a grooming for a little while now and tomorrow I need to be out of the house by 9am so that I can get that taken care of.  I’m getting her shaved down, I would typically save her hair considering how cold it is outside but she’s matted down in a few spots and I think just shaving her down would be the best route to take.  I do have a jacket for her so I’m not too concerned about how cold it can get.  She’s also inside for 95% of the time, going outside to pee or poo just requires a jacket and a quick walk around the block, nothing her little coat can’t handle.

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Cable Upgrade

Thursday, February 28th, 2008

Sean recently upgraded the cable.  Up until a few weeks ago he was spending about $100 a month for Basic Cable and Internet from Comcast.  He was also spending another $30 on Vonage (which sucks horribly).  So he got a mailer about a new triple-play option from Comcast where you have basically everything you could imagine for $130 a month.  So he got rid of Vonage and then signed up for this triple-play and now we have over 400 channels, including the premium ones (HBO/Showtime/Starz – etc) as well as faster cable and a better phone line.

My only complaint?  He’s got two boxes, an HD one for the TV in the office and a standard box for the TV in the living room.  I have an HDTV in the bedroom and with no box I still have basic cable.   So I’m kind of stuck in the living room during the day to watch my shows on a rather blurry TV instead of being comfy in bed with my laptop to get work done.  Maybe he’ll get me a box sometime in the near future while they’re still $7 a month.  If he waits too long I think it’s going to be more like $15. :sigh:

Minor Updates

Thursday, February 28th, 2008

I’ve cleaned a few things off of the template, I’ve also added a few things as well.  I’ve signed up with ShoppingAds in hopes to earn some more money from my website.  At the same time, the ads are targeted to technology related items so naturally the two go hand in hand.  I am hoping to have a new template for this site sometime in the very near future.  I’m going to have a more clean-line template where everything has it’s own place, as opposed to just being scattered about wherever I felt like sticking it.

Cellphone Customization

Thursday, February 28th, 2008

I’ve never really been into it before but lately I’ve been doing a lot of customization when it comes to my cell phone. I have a prepaid Motorola W370 from Tracfone. It looks a lot like the Razr only it’s thinner without the Digital Camera and Bluetooth options. I don’t personally need any of that though, what’s the point? I have a digital camera that is usually in my purse 100% of the time and since it’s an 8 Megapixel camera (Olympus SP-350) then I really have no use for digital images via Cellphone.

What I have been looking into is Free Ringtones, the pre-set ones really are pretty horrible and I like to have an individual tone for every member of my phone book. The iPhone gives you the option for images and ringtones, I’ll never be able to afford an iPhone so I’ll do the best I can with just Polyphonic Ringtones and go from there. There are many sites out there to give me everything I’m looking for, even the ones I’m not (ie: Hip Hop Ringtones and Dance Ringtones). I have nothing against those genre’s, they just aren’t who I am. I like simplicity and I also like Rock/Metal so naturally that’s where I’m going to look first.

One of the sites I’ve been floating around is MSNEmotions.org. They have everything from Ringtones to Wallpaper, all subjects include your favorite artists from (#-A-Z) 50 Cent to ZZ Top and every artist in between. They’re all a free download and you can float through their featured artists sections as well – in case you don’t know what you’re looking for but know that you want something different.

Sick, Infected and Broke

Monday, February 25th, 2008

I’m running on little to no energy these days. My health is slowly beginning to deteriorate and it’s definitely got me in a funk. It started as a migraine and turned into nausea, now it’s a full blown sore throat and a pounding headache that just won’t seem to go away. I know exactly where it’s all coming from but unfortunately I don’t have the money to fix it. My filling came out and now it’s infected so I’m using all of the antibiotics that I have from previous dental visits to get the bacteria to die. I’m hoping to get out to Maryland sometime over the course of the next week and go to the Village of Hope clinic because they have inexpensive health care. There’s nothing in Delaware, not even a damn payment plan option just to yank the stupid tooth so it doesn’t reek anymore havoc on my system.

I also have to go to the DMV and get a few things changed over so that’ll be a Monday trip for me. If I can make it until Tuesday I may do the Maryland trip the following day. This is all based on an important factor though, job interview on Friday. I don’t want to go back into retail but that’s the only job I can find down here that doesn’t require me to truck it all over the state of DE. If I’m lucky it’ll be full-time but based on how things go around here I’m sure it’s going to be two part-time jobs if I happen to hear from another place I applied to.

At the same time, I’ve found two freelance positions for design work – I submitted my resume there as well. I’m beyond desperate for change these days.

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