23.10.07

Oh, oh the joys

Before I go into the things that happened today I want to let you know I've found the perfect stress reliever. Click Here to see it. You can also click on the link I added in the "favorites" section.

Today was generally good until I got home and decided to make dinner. I took my multi-vitamin which very quickly upset my stomach. I realized I needed to eat quickly to calm it down.
Step 1: Evaluate general edible-ness of existing food and find very little to eat.
Step 2: Assess that spaghetti is the most appropriate dinner time food.
Step 3: Smell romano cheese and determine that it is still edible. Possibly because I have OCD, or just because I'm picky, I must have some type of cheese to enjoy with my spaghetti.
Step 4: Make food.
Step 5: Plate food and sprinkle with cheese.
Step 6: Eat.
Step 7: Realize that I did not perform step 3 at an acceptable standard and cheese is not edible. Again sadly, the cheese is mixed in the the spaghetti and there is no way to salvage the meal.
Step 8: I have Turkey Bacon. Yum. Make Turkey Bacon, Eggs and Toast. I didn't choose this at step 2 because it seemed more like breakfast food and I am likely to repeat the meal tomorrow.

And then I went to the co-op to buy more food, since I didn't have too much. And I went to Target. Seriously, the lot is always full. It was 8:00 on a Tuesday. Can you imagine what this place looks like on a Saturday? Or at Christmas? Oh boy.

My Dad called and we had quite an interesting discussion. I told him I didn't want to buy the condo until this whole "my bedroom is 83* and there's no way to cool it off" issue is managed. And he accused me of getting cold feet and not wanting to spend all that money on a mortgage and a kitchen. I feel the need to elaborate on my position before I go pop more bubbles.
  • It is sort of a relief to not have to think about a mortgage or ridiculous payments right now. It was overwhelming at first. Although, the more information I got, the more I believed that I could financially manage, even though it would be rough at first. And I might have to severely limit the number of lattes a I drink. So he's not totally wrong. Before you freak out, I am still paying his mortgage and association fees. I wish it were still free.

  • I would pay for the repair in my wall myself if I could just get it done with. So he is wrong that I wont commit financially at all to this. We actually had a discussion about that and I think he was surprised that I really was willing to pony up. Honestly, in my head it's not a big repair. It's cutting out a piece of dry wall, and putting insulation around one pipe, and putting the dry wall back up. It's not like it's a kitchen.

  • When I told my mom about the situation and my struggles with the management company, the first words out of her mouth were, "you can't buy a condo like that". I'm kind of aggravated because if it was a condo where I didn't already have all my things here, my dad wouldn't let me buy a condo like this either. The only power I have in the situation is that I don't own the condo and can theoretically walk away. Even though I'm not going to. I have no other power to negotiate for change in this situation.

  • When I wrote a letter asking for the participation of the board, I got an email back from the management company saying they couldn't give me my own set of pipes or re-pipe the building. Bite me. This is why I have my dad work with you. And I don't want the mortgage in my name because then I really won't ever get anything out of the management company. Bite me.

  • Dad says that I should learn to live with it. That pisses me off more than anything else, even the "cold feet" comment. Mom and Dad's house is the most uncomfortable place on earth because they heat it to 55*, shut off the front of the house and spend all winter complaining about how cold the place is. And it doesn't get that cold in Cincinnati. And in the summer they put air conditioners in the rooms they use and still shut off the rest of the house. And sweat. And I point out that I won't visit them because it's so uncomfortable. Dad was surprised. Like he didn't notice I haven't been home since last Christmas and even then I left two days early to come back to Minnesota to be more comfortable. Mom knows how I feel. Mom also understands that part of the agreement of me coming home for holidays is that they will turn the heat up to a more reasonable temperature while I am home.

  • Did I mention that when Dad stays with me, he sleeps in my bedroom and he complains about how hot it is in there? I'm still hacked off from the last bullet point.
I remember a time long ago when I was freaking out about another living situation and thinking about moving. (People kept getting shot across the street from me.) Amanda talked me down remarkably well and also remarkably fast. So if this is another instances of my freaking out, I would appreciate similar treatment. Although, it's probably not fair to judge the situation on the post alone because clearly I needed to vent. Now, go pop bubbles.

3 comments:

  1. I'll talk to your dad for you and let him know he is being NOT HELPFUL. He sounds like my mom before she realized that her words might not always have been helpful. It's been two years now, and it's excellent communicating with her now. That being said, it means I have 25+ years of experience with NOT HELPFUL parents. I'll take care of this.

    If you don't notice a change, consume more chocolate. Honest, it helps.

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  2. Ok, so maybe this makes me the bad guy, but...I see your dad's perspective. Liz, you CAN walk away. But when you say "walk away", your dad hears "I'll be stuck with a lemon of a condo several states away that I'll have to sell from a distance, in a tough market".

    I'd tell you to "get used to it" too. The alternative for him is not as easy as it is for you.

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  3. OK, I totally have the same problem with my multi-vitamin, and it's driving me crazy. Timing is of the utmost importance. Halfway through a meal. Not before a meal, not after a meal. Not with coffee. I spent way too much time two weeks ago focusing on NOT hurling, so I stopped taking my multivitamin last week. I'm trying again this week, but with not much luck.

    Curious, do you use a generic or a name brand vitamin? I'm wondering if that has anything to do with it, because I use a generic (the one-a-day women's that you can get at Target). Thoughts?

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