"There's got to be a better way!"

Could anyone please explain to me how MasterCard's new paypass system is so revolutionary? So I can now "tap" my card to pay for stuff, instead the usual "swipe" motion. Great! I still need to sign for my purchase anyway, or if I'm using the debit feature I have to type in my PIN. Is there a problem with swiping-related injuries in the United States? Something that tapping can solve? At least it's not as bad as those retarded min-cards that Bank Of America sent out a couple years back. I refuse to change my payment motion until I can get a chip implanted in my hand and just snap my fingers to pay for stuff. That'd be cool. Besides, I'm tired of looking like an idiot when I am standing in line tapping my card on a machine where the stupid paypass thing doesn't work.


That reminds me of a sci-fi short film I saw one day. In the future, everyone has a card with a kind of timer on it, which they can use to purchase anything they want. However, for every purchase, a little bit of time is subtracted from the timer. Only problem is that the timer indicates how long your life will be. Essentially, increased spending results in shorter lifespan... interesting concept. Takes out the middle man we have right now: work. 'Cuz right now the whole increased spending = more time at work = shorter lifespan isn't for me.

This Land is My Land

Well, it's official: I'm buying a house.

After wrangling with some old lady over the price of a house a couple weeks ago, we gave up on her and the prospect of purchasing a home... or at least we'd though. That night, I went home and searched the listing service, finding a very decently priced place, located even closer to the downtown area than the one we'd bid on earlier. A quickly placed call to the realtor had us taking a tour of the house the next day, with 4 other groups of potential buyers! We liked it, a pseudo-bidding war ensued, and we emerged victorious.

Now is where the real fun begins. The inspection revealed what I had expected: that that house is really old and is going to need some work. It was built in 1936, for god's sake. The location is perfect though, and the work is manageable. Wrangling with multiple banks to find the best loan has been a hassle, and getting contractors to come out for estimates has proven even more difficult. As long as everything proceeds as planned, I should have the title in my hands some time mid next month.

The thought of posessing my own little piece of land, with a house on it, is pretty exciting. I see potential for this place, and I'm excited about doing the work to take it there. It's taking a bit longer for Ewa to warm up to the idea, but either way, we will both be happy to stop paying rent.

I'll get some pictures together for the next post. Anybody up for a housewarming party next month?

On another note: Check out "So This is Goodbye" from the Junior Boys. Give it a listen, and let me know if you would like to catch them at the Doug Fir next month. Other live music I plan to check out in the next couple months: Decemberist @ PetAID, Killers @ Roseland and Sufjan Stevens @ Crystal Ballroom.

Back to Blogging

Sorry everyone, it's been a while. Went to Germany for a couple weeks (business, building up my tolerance), came back, got caught up at work during the week I was home, then went to Blacksburg, NoVa, Baltimore and Philly for a week to hit up a couple weddings after that. Congrats to the happy couples: Dana & Drew, Brez & Lisa.

Now though, I'm finally back with no plans to travel for a while, especially by plane. Sure, now I've still got some catching up to do at work, but there's no urgency anymore. It's a feeling I haven't been able to enjoy in a while.

Ewa and I finally have a weekend together with nothing to do, nowhere to go. Sure, we might go somewhere (the beach, tubing, hiking, etc.) but for the first time since she's moved in, we don't have to pack our suitcases and rush to the airport. So far this week has been great too. We've been able to enjoy our meals, spend time with the dog, and even check out a couple houses.

Yep, tonight I am meeting up with my realtor to put an offer in on a house we checked out on Monday. I don't want to hype the subject up to much yet, since we are lowballing the seller, and might get rejected. However, if things work out, then things are about to get real interesting. I'll keep everyone updated on the situation.

Unfortunately, with all this stuff going on, I have to duck out on the annual Labor Day weekend excitement. I feel pretty bad about this, and as a consequence got my drunk ass in trouble in Philly complaining about something beyond my control. The best thing that's come out of my non-attendance though, is a nice litigious e-mail I received from one "Brother Catto".

• Apparently: “By a preponderance of evidence, it is abundantly clear that Defendant was on notice that his presence is required at this yearly event, nay, ceremony.”
  
• Sooo... “Defendant has not met the criteria for excuse set out in Catto's Second Restatement of Contracts. Therefore Defendant should be found in breach of Contract, as well as in a state of extreme pussitis.”