Friday Five

1. Work/Programming
I’m starting to get into a groove on my current work project. Granted its the same evolving project that I’ve worked on for the last few years.. but it’s complex DOM manipulating javascript.. and I think I’m actually starting to understand what I’m doing (instead of doing it and poking the DOM to see if ti works).

It’s kind of nice feeling like an expert.

2. Home
At the beginning of January I was contacted by Jimmy from Remax who is in contact with a company called “Dignified Solutions” which is a third party working for BofA. It turns out that BofA has decided that I qualify to try to do a short sale of the house. They determine the price and then give me 4 months to sell it. If it sells then they forgive the difference between the originating amount and the sale amount.. and as part of the deal the realtor negotiates with Citibank (the folks who hold our second mortgage) so that goes away as well AND BofA offers us $2.5k for relocation costs.

So let’s get this straight.. my house goes away.. the first and second mortgage goes away.. I do a “short-sale” instead of a “foreclosure”.. I get a bit of money towards the first/last months rent+deposit I’m going to have to come up with and I get to get on with my life. Yes, please.

So we are going through with it. On Tuesday BofA sent an assessor to our house. He went through the house and came up with a fair market value.. which he told to BofA. BofA then uses that to set the price.

In December 2005 I paid $320+$80(2nd mortgate). This last year the taxes were assessed on the property assuming it was worth $128k. The assessment came in at $89k.

So my house is now on the market.. and frankly at $89k I think it’s a steal. So please.. someone steal it.

At $89k with 4% interest on a 30-year loan that’s $550/month. That’s less than 1/4 of what I’ve been paying on it for the last 6 years.

3. Health
My back is still killing me. I bought Egoscue’s book but haven’t managed to read it yet. F has also made me promise to go see a chiropractor in California. It’s on the to-do list.

Tooth has become sensative to cold. Dentist says it’s cracked (in 6 places) and I need a Crown. Crown is estimated to cost $600 (after insurance). It’s scheduled for next month.

Weight is mostly stable. I went to Vegas and had a heavenly hedonistic weekend and gained 4 pounds.. and then promptly lost them when I got back (it’s like pounds gained in Vegas don’t count)(I wish the rest of the excess pounds would slide off that quickly). Still poking away at weight loss.. but no huge wins.

This month I’m trying to up my morning protein by having a protein shake for breakfast. So far so good. I’m still tweaking it to find something that makes it so I’m not STARVING at lunch time.. and something that still tastes good. Still tweaking (that and I’m kind of freaked out at the idea of a green shake.. so I haven’t been adding spinach to it.. idaknow.. it just freaks me out).

I’ve heard a lot of people who have had startling weight loss on “that crazy diet” (HCG). I’m not yet to the point where I want to try it.. it just seems terribly crazy.. but I am HCG curious.

4. Projects
I need to do projects.. but every time I think about doing a project a little voice in my head demands that I start packing instead. It’s a tussle. I need to pack so my tiny little house looks bigger.. and so that we’re prepared to move when the house sells.. but I’m also kind of paralyzed at the idea. I think I need to just get on with it and pack. Once I finish packing up the books I think I’ll be ok to do a few projects.

For March Crown I need to make a tunic and pants for Fearghus and a over-coat for me. I also need to make banners. Much to do and little time to do it in.

5. Moody bitch
A few weeks ago Juliana asked Fearghus if I was on medication (I wasn’t there for that conversation). Essentially I’ve been less moody and bitchy the last few months. What’s funny about this is that the day before F&J had that conversation I told F that I felt like I had been depressed for the last few years.. but it seems to be wearing off now. Yeah.. wearing off like a hang over or, you know, like when you get blue dye on your hands and it just takes a while for it to wear off.. something. Idaknow. I think that finally grabbing the reins of my life both in eating and in dealing with the sucking whole that has been my house has alleviated a HUGE amount of stress.. and really made me feel less depressed. I guess I’m glad that someone besides me has noticed.

So anyway, no, not medicated.. just high on life.

Goals for 2012:
– Learn to make a good wheat bread that can be used for sandwiches and doesn’t cheat by being mostly white flour. (no progress so far)
– Make and can homemade chicken and beef stocks. (bought a pressure canner…)
– Lose 10 lbs/month. (nope.. stayed the same in January)
– Join the Saluminati and make at least one Bresola and one preserved sausage. (Bresola is in the fridge. Will start dryng it next week)
– Complete the C25K program (Still in week 5. Plugging along)
– Pay off credit card debt (I was going to use the tax return for this.. but I think it’s a better idea to save the tax return money to pay for my tooth.. and to help with the first/last months’ rent+deposit we’ll need in a few months (hopefully))

Future
Feb 11: Culinary Symposium
March 24: March Crown