Been a little while

So, I've taken a little time away from the old site here... as if you couldn't notice. New title bar subheader though, for those keeping score at home. Besides being loaded down at work, we've also had a couple of house projects on the plate as well. The fifth wedding anniversary is heading down the road directly at us, and we're heading out of town next week to avoid the collision celebrate that without the interruptions of kids, work, house projects, etc., not necessarily in that order. Coitus Interuptus, if you know what I mean. Coitus Terminus, even.

I know, too much information.

So, to pass the time, and convince you that I haven't simply dropped off the face of the earth altogether, I offer a little post of Miscellaneaeaeaeaaaeeeee...

First, what has happened since I last posted something seriously entertaining. Some might argue that that has actually been quite a long time... but I digress.

We had the 43rd anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy. I know that because he was killed three months after I was born. Even though I was not born here in the US, my parents were compelled by it and kept the newspaper from that day. I remember seeing it when I was old enough to understand. I have had a fascination with the Kennedy murder since then.

We had the Pearl Harbor anniversary as well. Although this was also an horrific event, I never was really as compelled by it as much as the Kennedy thing. Maybe I'm just a conspiracy nut.

We had the confirmation of Nancy Pelosi as the new majority leadership. I like her idea of the "first 100 hours" - a take on the "first 100 days" as a measuring stick for new presidents. We are starting to hear the "I" word bandied about a bit more as well. Although I don't think it's overall a great idea to impeach a president, I can't think of a more deserving defendant. Sounds to me like the Democrats are trying to convince the repubs to make the first move, which will benefit both parties, because it will give the repubs distance from the now-obvious stupidity of the current WhiteHouse, and it will insulate the dems from the venom of the registered repubs who think the president is the greatest thing since sliced bread (still).

I have posted two or three newer articles/observations over at the Mortgage Times. I've also set up a WordPress version of it, hoping to move all that over there at some point at the first of the year, when I hopefully have the time. (hopefully is perhaps the most misused word in the English language...)

Mortgage rates have dropped through the FLOOR over the last 6 weeks, and the base rate for a 30 year fixed loan right now is, get this, 5.5%. That doesn't suck right now. There's speculation that the Fed will actually DROP the base rate in January, or at least in the first part of the year. I think not though, because there is too much external, international pressure on the value of the dollar, which is more important to the fed than domestic mortgage rates. They will keep it where it is, to shore up the value of the flagging dollar in international markets, in particular, China, Japan, and the Euro countries, all of whom have a HUGE vested interest in the value of the dollar, because they all own MAJOR positions in US currency compared to the rest of the currencies in their portfolios. When the dollar value drops in market trading, those countries LOSE money (value) IMMEDIATELY, which COULD spur a dollar currency sell-off. If you think times have been bad around here over the last five years, you ain't seen NOTHIN' yet, if our major dollar-holders want to dump their dollar positions. Very. Bad. Look for interest rates at the FED level to remain the same until at LEAST May of next year.

The good news is that mortgage rates are expected to stabilize over the next year and plateau generally where they are right now, or move only slightly higher. So that helps.

Utah Jazz off to their best start in franchise history, best in the league as well. When did THAT happen? You gotta love it baby.

I am currently VERY out of love with DirecTV. To the point I am almost ready for a divorce. Unfortunately I have a significant investment in their HD TIVO boxes, etc. GAAK. Dammitohell.

Let's see, what else....

Back to house projects for a moment. I laid hardwood at home over the weekend. Basic floor went awesome, but I thought the stairs would end me. Stairs, in and of themselves: not so bad. Stairs, when you have to cut around railing parts: SUCKAGE.

When you have to cut everything in the garage during a cold snap - also suckage.

Before/after pictures coming soon.

New countertops for the kitchen should hit right after we get back from vacation, cabinets in January. We were looking around the house a day or two ago, and couldn't find ANYTHING that would have been original to the house when it was built. Very little as well that is original to 6 or 7 years ago, even.

So, I think that is all for right now - sorry no pictures, one of the very few in a long time. Sorry to you visual types. I'll get back to it soon enough. On second thought, have a small picture of the entire family, taken in August, just before ThatOneSecondOldest left for his mission to New Caledonia. Don't worry, I don't know where that is either. But I do know that it costs $94 to send 20 pounds of Jello there. Just sayin. Pretty sure it's halfway to Mars. He can use the newly-discovered water there to mix it up. MMMMmmm, Jello.