This humor makes cents

Currently listening to: Coheed & Cambria - Devil in Jersey City

So I noticed that I had a lot of pennies in my mug on my desk and decided to count them out and deposit them at the bank. I had 214 pennies, several of which were Wheat pennies that I'd save for my dad because he collects them. So, I put 210 in a zip lock back and start to walk there when lunch time rolled around.

My boss asked me what I was doing with all the pennies and offered to buy them off of me to save me the hassle of bringing them up to the window that has the change counter. I gladly accepted because this made my life easier. Immediately afterwards he goes "I always like to buy pennies off of people because I like to find the Wheat ones and add them to my collection!". I did my best to hold back my smirk, knowing damn well that the bag contained ZERO Wheat pennies.

When I got to the bank, the teller at the window I went to was named Penny. Wierd, huh?

Overstressed

Currently listening to: Papa Roach - Wanna be loved

So, in an effort to accumulate some more financial resources, I started to work at the Palladium again on Saturday night. Granted, it was the Dropkick Murphy's, so, it was a fun night and not really that hard work, but it made me realize something. I'm way overstressed right now.

I'm always busy and I don't do anything for myself anymore. I spend 1/3 of my time working at a job that bores me, 1/3 at a school that's killing my bank account while taking classes that I hate, and the last 1/3 volunteering my time to help others. In addition to the high school robotics team that I've been doing for years, I also mentor 2 Lego League middle school teams now and I'm apparently roped into also working with the Woburn Boys & Girls club now (we built an entire playground on Saturday morning/afternoon). Hopefully the latter doesn't go far beyond this weekend.

I need a serious change of pace ASAP. I'm growing increasingly unhappy with my lifestyle and see no change of action anytime in the near future unless I bring the change about myself.

Exhausted

Currently listening to: Metallica - Wherever I may roam

I'm freakin exhausted. The past several weeks have seen a new element added into my schedule: home touring and mortgage applying/searching. As if I weren't busy enough.

However, it seems that the search to find someone dumb enough to give me a huge chunk of change is almost over. This makes me relieved beyond words because it was going to be literally impossible to purchase this condo without the particular loan type that I'm looking for.

It's going to be weird buying this thing. I'm going to have to put myself on an extremely strict budget and stick to it in order to prevent bankruptcy. But, for the past two years I've lived in a pretty carefree lifestyle because I was making enough to pay for rent and the car and the rest went either to school or fun stuff. The fact that I've gone this long without worrying (well, worrying a lot) about money is surprising. I've always lived on the frugal end of things, so, it shouldn't be hard to make myself do. It feels like this is my right of passage to finally become an adult. I've graduated with my BS, soon to have my MS, I have a good job, a great car, and all that's left is my own place to live.

Wow, I feel old.

Things that Weird me out

Currently listening to: Nothing - Massive Headache

Is it just me, or does it weird you out when you walk into an empty public bathroom, sit down in a stall, and find the toilet seat to be surprisingly warm upon butt-seat contact?

Just knowing that someone was just sitting there, a mere minute or a few seconds ago, soon enough that the seat is still warm from their butt, gives me the willies.

Lesson Learned

Currently listening to: The Clash - Rock the Casbah

Bearded Dragons don't really need to "washed" as their skin is often shedding so they always have pretty new skin, and he doesn't really encounter anything in his cage that would make him "dirty". However, it is helpful to keep their skin moist with a sprayer or let him run around in some warm water in the bath/sink.

I used to do this to Trogdor when he was a baby because he was shedding constantly and it helped the skin to come off by loosening it up. Once he stopped growing so fast, I eased up on the act. However, Bethany wanted to see him play in water last night and I thought it was about time to get the lil' guy wet again.

I filled up the sink with like 1/2" of water and put him in. He's never been in the sink before, and with the combination of the slipper stainless steel surface, he really didn't know what to make of it. He kind of moved around, but not as much as I'd been hoping for. So, to get him going, I started moving the water around in waves and dribbling some on his back. This was all fine and dandy and he sat there and took it. However, at times like this, Tim Baird can become mischievous. I made a slightly "bigger" wave and splashed some on his head.

Trogdor did not like this. He let me know about his displeasure by flipping out, flailing his legs (read: claws) like crazy, vectored for my arm, and proceeded to run (read: claw) his way up my bare arm. Those claws can press in deep when he's pissed.

Lesson Learned: Don't splash water on Bearded Dragon's faces. They will burninate you.

Condo?

Currently listening to: The Killers - Sam's Town

For a while now, I've been looking around at housing options in the Clinton-Worcester area, more importantly, something in between the two, but favoring Clinton seeing how I plan to work there indefinitely and only be in Worcester for a few more years for school.

I've been considering two options in this matter: a triple decker where I'd live in one and rent the other two for added income or a single-family house/condo type thing. The former has it's appeal because my mortgage after receiving payment from my renters would be pretty cheap. However, it would require me to actually be a landlord and do stuff for them. I don't have time, nor do I want to depend on somebody actually living in the other two. If they move and I go several months with no renters I'd be screwed. The latter option has it's appeal because the total cost would be cheaper but with a higher monthly payment for me, and I'd own less house.

However! In Clinton for the past year, they've been renovating this old factory (I think it was built in 1895) into condo units. I love the look of converted factory units where the combination of brick walls and modern conveniences all come together. They finally have pictures up on the site and I found some pictures on the page of my cousin's real estate page, Hogan Real Estate. If I do this, I'd want a 2 bedroom unit, but the pictures are the same more or less.
I'm taking a tour a week from today and there are units that will be completed right before my apartment lease ends, so, this could work out pretty smoothly if I find one I like and time it right.

We'll see. Your personal comments on this matter are highly appreciated and welcomed, I'd like to see what people think about this.

Driving in the Fall is Awesome

Currently listening to: Panic at the Disco - I Constantly Thank God for Esteban

The past few days have been a driving joy. The stretch of Route 70 between Route 140 and Clinton is lined on both sides and covered by a canopy of trees. For about 6 miles you drive surrounded by the branches and leaves of the trees.

With the fall season changing now and causing the leaves to slowly fall to the road, there is usually a decent amount waiting on the ground for me when I come flying down doing 60mph in the morning. As I pass by, they rustle up behind the car and go flying. There's nothing more satisfying than sitting on my heated leather seats, cruising in 6th gear while watching leaves go flying in the wake of my German driving machine.