At Last My Condo Has Come Along

It's finished! We have prevailed! Despite angry sellers, bad appraisals and a nasty housing market, Josh and I have successfully purchased our little condo. It's been a complex and winding road to get here, but today at 2pm we made it official. We now have our own corner of the world. It's a diamond in the rough right now, but with some work it's going to be gorgeous. And I plan on taking over the condo association so I can fix all the landscaping issues I don't like with the other 2 units. Yeah, I'm going to be that association president. As long as property value is at stake, the other residents will thank me. And fear me. Just kidding. Mostly...

Wild World of Funeral Webcasts

Now I can end up some pretty odd places online on a Sunday afternoon when it's snowing outside (yes, that's right, it's snowing on Easter Sunday in Vermont), but this is one of my odder finds. I give you FuneralOne:

http://www.funeralone.com/

In concept, the recording and web-casting of funerals so that loved ones who couldn't make the trip can feel a part of the process is honorable. That's not the part that weirded me out. Well, at first it was, but then I read an article about a family who had taken part in the process and it sounded downright cathartic. The part that truly gives me the jibblies is the company's website. It looks like it came straight out of a Mac commercial. And the copy? Here's the intro paragraph:

"funeralOne is a personalization, technology, and consulting company for the funeral care profession. funeralOne's core services include strategic funeral home web site design, personal funeral service consulting, and funeral tribute video software. Committed to delivering innovation, funeralOne collaborates with its clients to help them reach their full market potential. With deep industry expertise, broad resources and a proven track record, funeralOne can mobilize the right people, skills, and technologies to help clients reach their customers in new ways"

Delivering innovation? Reach their clients in new ways? How many ways can you reach them? It's a funeral for crying out loud! Thank you, FuneralOne. Thank you for understanding that I just can't be satisfied honoring my deceased loved ones unless I feel that death's middle men have a firm grasp of the information highway. It's great to know that society's pariahs truly understand the magic of synergy.

The Sky Hasn't Fallen

Congratulations to Vermont for being the first state to legalize same sex marriage through legislation and not a court order! A major boo and hiss to our governor for vetoing the bill, and a hearty thank you to the house and senate for overriding his idiocy. To all my gay and lesbian friends, I'm so thrilled for you all!

Excess Helps No One

I've come to an awful conclusion. In the last few years I've eaten too much, drank too much, gone out too much, spent too much and said too much. And now I'm tired. I'm overweight, I'm broke and I'm tired. It's time to reform. And to keep my mouth shut.

I've had three addresses in two years (Updated)

This just in - buying a condo sucks.

So for the last month cerebral drool reader Josh and I have been going through the steps of buying a condo in Burlington. Everything was going smoothly until the appraiser found that the value was $14,000 less than the agreed upon price. So the seller and I examined the appraisal and found some major flaws and I contacted all parties to try to get them rectified. I just found via a voice mail on my home number from the bank that essentially said the errors weren't enough to change the estimate. I disagree. Do I

1) walk from the deal and have no where to live after June 1
2) Ignore the bank and pay full price
3) Negotiate with the seller even though both of us know we're getting screwed

Inquiring minds want to know!!! I'll update as information becomes available.

Update - So I've counter-offered and am waiting to hear back. I've been a wreck. I hate situations where I'm not in control and the waiting game kills me. But three hours ago I found out that the house across the street from the condo is for sale and would only be $200 more a month, so if the seller rejects my extremely generous offer, he can suck it. I'm going elsewhere. And I'll have the fun of watching him try to find someone else as understanding an accommodating as we've been when it again appraises for $15k below his asking price. Which he won't. Which will mean I'll get to laugh at him for months.

Revenge is a dish best served cold. And from across the street.