Well, as of today, I have been at my job for one full calendar year. I had my annual review, and get my promotion/raise effective March 5th! Yay! Now when I send my entire paycheck off to various creditors (father, mortgage holder, second mortgage holder, student loan services, credit card, etc.), it will be a bigger check that I send them! Seriously though, it makes me much more comfortable to have a raise, given the uncertainty of Briana's school (charter school that might have to close).
In other news, it looks like I may be getting a Chevy Aveo as a result of the car situation explained in my last posting. I will owe my dad some extra cash, since it is a 2005 Aveo that will be replacing my 1998 Escort. But the car is pretty sweet. 5 door, 35mpg, stick shift.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Sunday, February 26, 2006
funny? not funny.
For those of you who have heard stories about my Dad before, you may see the humor in what happened this weekend. Of course, all of you will see the horror.
So, mein Vati calls me on Saturday, and tell me that my mom will be taking over my Grandma's car, now that my grandma is in a nursing home. This means that they will have an extra car-- a 1999 Mercury Mystique with only 50,000 miles on it. If I were to sell my 1998 Ford Escort ZX2 with 100,000 on it, he would be willing to give me the mystique for the amount I get for the ZX2.
Too good to be true, huh? Well, my dad generally comes through, so I told him I would list the Escort on my.bgsu and see if I could get it sold. I listed it for $3400, the fair value on Kelly Blue Book. Well, within 3 hours, I got the first call. I told my dad about it, and asked him what the lowest offer I should take would be (since he would be taking the money from that in exchange for a 1 year new, 50k fewer miles vehicle). He said $2995.
Well, today, somebody came over and offered $2800 cash for it. I called my dad, again, and he said to go for it, since they were offering cash. I figured I would give him the difference out of pocket. So, I met them, got the $2800 in cash, and signed over the title today, Sunday. Fast. huh?
When I got back, I called and told him. Again, he said it was good, it would be about a week and he could bring the Mercury.
A little later, he called and said it might take a bit longer, the engine light had gone on. Then he said he had the parts to fix it, but he had to work some things out. Then he said that my mother came home and said she thought he knew that she had changed her mind--she doesn't want to give up the car.
So my dad says "well, maybe we can get you Max's car (another ford escort ZX2 that was recently hit and has a smashed up front quarter). Of course, I would wonder what Max would drive then. His second offer was the 1997 Ranger pickup he was storing in my gargage. The one with pick-up truck gas mileage, a battery that dies every week if you forget to take a drive, and a smell that is not helpful to my sinus problems. Finally he said maybe we could have his new 2006 Aveo (which, despite the fact that that would be a great deal for me, would probably cause hard feelings, so I have to turn that offer down).
So now he is thinking about it. I have no car, and I took a lowball offer for a car that I just recently had almost everything fixed up on, new brakes, tires, rotors, tie rod ends, a transmission flush, etc.--and at this point, I only have a very complicated family mess to deal with.
Pretty funny, huh?
So, mein Vati calls me on Saturday, and tell me that my mom will be taking over my Grandma's car, now that my grandma is in a nursing home. This means that they will have an extra car-- a 1999 Mercury Mystique with only 50,000 miles on it. If I were to sell my 1998 Ford Escort ZX2 with 100,000 on it, he would be willing to give me the mystique for the amount I get for the ZX2.
Too good to be true, huh? Well, my dad generally comes through, so I told him I would list the Escort on my.bgsu and see if I could get it sold. I listed it for $3400, the fair value on Kelly Blue Book. Well, within 3 hours, I got the first call. I told my dad about it, and asked him what the lowest offer I should take would be (since he would be taking the money from that in exchange for a 1 year new, 50k fewer miles vehicle). He said $2995.
Well, today, somebody came over and offered $2800 cash for it. I called my dad, again, and he said to go for it, since they were offering cash. I figured I would give him the difference out of pocket. So, I met them, got the $2800 in cash, and signed over the title today, Sunday. Fast. huh?
When I got back, I called and told him. Again, he said it was good, it would be about a week and he could bring the Mercury.
A little later, he called and said it might take a bit longer, the engine light had gone on. Then he said he had the parts to fix it, but he had to work some things out. Then he said that my mother came home and said she thought he knew that she had changed her mind--she doesn't want to give up the car.
So my dad says "well, maybe we can get you Max's car (another ford escort ZX2 that was recently hit and has a smashed up front quarter). Of course, I would wonder what Max would drive then. His second offer was the 1997 Ranger pickup he was storing in my gargage. The one with pick-up truck gas mileage, a battery that dies every week if you forget to take a drive, and a smell that is not helpful to my sinus problems. Finally he said maybe we could have his new 2006 Aveo (which, despite the fact that that would be a great deal for me, would probably cause hard feelings, so I have to turn that offer down).
So now he is thinking about it. I have no car, and I took a lowball offer for a car that I just recently had almost everything fixed up on, new brakes, tires, rotors, tie rod ends, a transmission flush, etc.--and at this point, I only have a very complicated family mess to deal with.
Pretty funny, huh?
Saturday, February 25, 2006
life, flavored with orange peels and exotic spices.
1:28 and I am flipping channels. can't sleep tonight for some reason. probably that after work nap that I took from 5 to 7.
there was a time when such an occurence would have prompted me to write a story or a poem or something.
there was a time when such an occurence would have prompted me to write a story or a poem or something.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
krank
Well, I'm home from work today. My throat feels like I have a ball of spikes in it around which my tonsils and the back of my throat constrict each time I swallow. Apparently, Snap Crackle and Pop (TM) have hidden in my left ear canal, too.
Hopefully a full day of rest will get me back up to par. I'd hate to miss two days of work only a week before my first annual review/evaluation.
My guess is that I caught what Briana had last week and over the weekend. My further guess is that she caught it at the eTech Conference (the State educational technology conference). A conference full of teachers and other educators is bound to be a cesspool of sorts. It's like coming into contact with the germs of every school kid in the state. F.
>>Update: Just got back from the doctor. I seem to have a really bad sinus infection that is spreading into my ear and throat. Solution? $20 for the copay to get a massive antibiotic treatment ("At this dosage, you will have diarrhea for about 10 days"). And for the chronic sinusitis that caused it? $35 for zyrtek ("well, if claritin, nasacort, flonase, and nasanex didn't work, maybe this will"). Oh and a free sample of some nose spray that will also cost me $35/month if I start getting it. Of course, without insurance the medicines would be $120, $85, and $90 respectively, so I guess I should be grateful...
Hopefully a full day of rest will get me back up to par. I'd hate to miss two days of work only a week before my first annual review/evaluation.
My guess is that I caught what Briana had last week and over the weekend. My further guess is that she caught it at the eTech Conference (the State educational technology conference). A conference full of teachers and other educators is bound to be a cesspool of sorts. It's like coming into contact with the germs of every school kid in the state. F.
>>Update: Just got back from the doctor. I seem to have a really bad sinus infection that is spreading into my ear and throat. Solution? $20 for the copay to get a massive antibiotic treatment ("At this dosage, you will have diarrhea for about 10 days"). And for the chronic sinusitis that caused it? $35 for zyrtek ("well, if claritin, nasacort, flonase, and nasanex didn't work, maybe this will"). Oh and a free sample of some nose spray that will also cost me $35/month if I start getting it. Of course, without insurance the medicines would be $120, $85, and $90 respectively, so I guess I should be grateful...
Sunday, February 19, 2006
musicals and mucas
Bryan Bird came over today along with Jason Smith. The plan was originally to go get f-ing good gyros and then go to the Black Swamp Players' production of "Anything Goes".
However, Briana is in her 3rd day of a rather nasty "cough-your-lungs-up" sickness, and I decided to stay behind and play nurse (not like that, pervert). Actually, the problem seems to be that nothings getting coughed up, despite the promises of the Mucinex box...
I hope she gets better soon, and that I don't end up with what she has, because it is pretty nasty. No temperature, so that's at least a good sign...why does stuff like this always happen on 3 day weekends???
However, Briana is in her 3rd day of a rather nasty "cough-your-lungs-up" sickness, and I decided to stay behind and play nurse (not like that, pervert). Actually, the problem seems to be that nothings getting coughed up, despite the promises of the Mucinex box...
I hope she gets better soon, and that I don't end up with what she has, because it is pretty nasty. No temperature, so that's at least a good sign...why does stuff like this always happen on 3 day weekends???
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Tell me what you really think
I had to steal this Johari window from Kristy. Please tell me what you really think.
I won't comment on the results until I have received at least as many respondents as a barrel of monkeys has monkeys.
Of course, he dislikes coffee and is a vegetarian.
I won't comment on the results until I have received at least as many respondents as a barrel of monkeys has monkeys.
Right now it is about 7:45AM. I just got off the phone with my cousin Christian's girlfriend Betti. He is at work. They are really cool, and I got to know them this past summer when they came to visit (well, I knew my cousin before, but I had never really spent more than a couple of days around him until now, at least not while we both spoke the same language).
They are part of a middle ages club in Germany. But unlike such clubs in the US, their club preserves the history of their city's actual medieval castle--Burg Linn. My cousin towers over me in height, and looks like a real nordic butt kicker (see link above, top-right of the individual photos). But his career aspiration is not that of a Berzerker (yes, I know that's not German, but it is still funny). Rather, he is working on a degree in social work.
So here's the real point of this post:
Despite the fact that we grew up in different countries and barely knew each other until 2005, I found it amazing that we have the following common interests:
- He's going into social work, I work for soc ial se cur ity
- We both like Dr. Who (that alone is amazing) and various other cheezy sci fi shows
- We share many of the same political views (although he is a tad further to the left)
- We both like many of the same music groups, German and American.
- We are both inept at home and auto repair, even though our fathers are great at it
Of course, he dislikes coffee and is a vegetarian.
And today's random link is to an article written by Jim Schutze (no relation, as far as I know)
Friday, February 17, 2006
Charmed, I'm sure
So what is it that makes me like corny sci-fi/fantasy television so much?
I can only asume it goes back to the younger years, when my dad always watched Dr. Who on PBS and played both the record and the BBC movie of Hitchhiker's guide with great frequency.
Of course, he also played Opera and masterpiece theater, and I never really picked those up (yet).
I'm sitting here watching Charmed on a Friday afternoon...I don't get to watch it much because Briana thinks I watch it for the girls. But it's not that. I like Stargate SG-1, too (and I certainly don't have the hots for big dudes with weird things on their foreheads, or for McGuyver).
I think maybe it's the simple idea of good versus evil, and the fact that lots of science fiction plays out the way that good and evil can blur. Oh well. Commercial break's over.
I can only asume it goes back to the younger years, when my dad always watched Dr. Who on PBS and played both the record and the BBC movie of Hitchhiker's guide with great frequency.
Of course, he also played Opera and masterpiece theater, and I never really picked those up (yet).
I'm sitting here watching Charmed on a Friday afternoon...I don't get to watch it much because Briana thinks I watch it for the girls. But it's not that. I like Stargate SG-1, too (and I certainly don't have the hots for big dudes with weird things on their foreheads, or for McGuyver).
I think maybe it's the simple idea of good versus evil, and the fact that lots of science fiction plays out the way that good and evil can blur. Oh well. Commercial break's over.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Valentine's Day
It is Valentine's day. Mrs. Schutze is off at an Educational Technology Conference in C-town (Ohioans are funny when they call their city C-town, since every major city starts with a C). Bouffer is sleeping on the couch, and I am trying to think of something clever to post. But alas, I can not share the good stories from work, and I don't want to share stories of the past few months without a reason to do so. Nothing's worse than a "forced" blog, you know?
Well I don't. You could live in the Sudan, have leprosy, or be sold into slavery. That's much worse.
So, on Valentine's day, remember that all things are relative. What is cripplingly difficult for you to deal with in your own life can be easily scoffed at and made to sound insignificant by rattling off some other horrible things. And remember, as Farin says, "Die Sonne scheint auch weiter hin Das ist ja grad die Schweinerei | Die Sonne scheint, als wäre nichts dabei".
Now, smile.
Well I don't. You could live in the Sudan, have leprosy, or be sold into slavery. That's much worse.
So, on Valentine's day, remember that all things are relative. What is cripplingly difficult for you to deal with in your own life can be easily scoffed at and made to sound insignificant by rattling off some other horrible things. And remember, as Farin says, "Die Sonne scheint auch weiter hin Das ist ja grad die Schweinerei | Die Sonne scheint, als wäre nichts dabei".
Now, smile.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Strohwitwer
Well, the wife is off at an Educational Technology conference, so I'm playing bachelor. If, by bachelor, you mean "doing the same things I always due, but it is eerily quiet and much more boring". I think the most exciting thing I will do is work overtime in order to recoup the cost of paying for parking downtown.
On top of that, it is friggin' freezing in the house. Despite the new windows and the new furnace (all of which cost a whole lot of money), the house still doesn't do very well when the temperature goes below 20 Fahrenheit. Then again it probably doesn't help to be eating ice cream, does it.
So, happy Sunday and hopefully something I post in the next day or two will be worth you reading.
OH yeah, one thing I heard about from a Special Ed teacher recently... The Kids of Widney High. Apparently, this is a group of special education students who's teacher started having the kids try songwriting. Once on the site, you can see their video for "pretty girls". Just click on Videos, then look along the right-hand side for the link.
Is this a great way for them to apply what they learn and build self-esteem, or exploitation of these special kids the likes of which we have not seen since, well, the middle ages? Discuss.
On top of that, it is friggin' freezing in the house. Despite the new windows and the new furnace (all of which cost a whole lot of money), the house still doesn't do very well when the temperature goes below 20 Fahrenheit. Then again it probably doesn't help to be eating ice cream, does it.
So, happy Sunday and hopefully something I post in the next day or two will be worth you reading.
OH yeah, one thing I heard about from a Special Ed teacher recently... The Kids of Widney High. Apparently, this is a group of special education students who's teacher started having the kids try songwriting. Once on the site, you can see their video for "pretty girls". Just click on Videos, then look along the right-hand side for the link.
Is this a great way for them to apply what they learn and build self-esteem, or exploitation of these special kids the likes of which we have not seen since, well, the middle ages? Discuss.
Friday, February 10, 2006
If you lived in Darrow . . .
you may know somebody like this.
and for those of you who bug me about when I am going to have kids:
Watch this public service announcement about children
and for those of you who bug me about when I am going to have kids:
Watch this public service announcement about children
cutting Guinea Pig nails
One of the many joys of owning 9 Guinea Pigs is that you have to cut their nails. With 3 nails on each rear foot, and 4 on each front foot, that gives me 126 chances to cut a nail too short.
Cutting a nail too close to the "quick" (the pinkish reddish part that you can't even see if the nail is black instead of white) causes them to yelp and then bleed profusely.
I managed to do that last night to Ginger (pictured below). Sorry Ginger!
Luckily, there is something called styptic powder (which seems to be made of clean dirt and various metal shavings?) that we keep handy for such situations, which stops the bleeding pretty quickly.
Cutting a nail too close to the "quick" (the pinkish reddish part that you can't even see if the nail is black instead of white) causes them to yelp and then bleed profusely.
I managed to do that last night to Ginger (pictured below). Sorry Ginger!
Luckily, there is something called styptic powder (which seems to be made of clean dirt and various metal shavings?) that we keep handy for such situations, which stops the bleeding pretty quickly.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
beagles?
This post is for Bryan Bird. But don't ignore my doggy post from earlier today...
http://kutv.com/topstories/local_story_039115107.html
http://kutv.com/topstories/local_story_039115107.html
Uninvited guest
About every 3 months or so, our dog Bouffer (seen to the right), decides that 3:47am is a good time to wake up, start circling our bed, then jump into it. Last night was one such night.
Mind you, he weighs about 110 pounds. And of course, once in the bed, he continues his antics by stretching his legs into my face, and shoving his nose under any part of my body that he can.
About 10 minutes after he falls asleep, he promptly wakes back up, sits up, then stares at me for a few minutes. He then lays back down, starts again with the leg-streching/nose-shoving, and repeats the cycle until it is time to get up.
Like I said, he only does this every few months.
Does anybody have an explanation?
Mind you, he weighs about 110 pounds. And of course, once in the bed, he continues his antics by stretching his legs into my face, and shoving his nose under any part of my body that he can.
About 10 minutes after he falls asleep, he promptly wakes back up, sits up, then stares at me for a few minutes. He then lays back down, starts again with the leg-streching/nose-shoving, and repeats the cycle until it is time to get up.
Like I said, he only does this every few months.
Does anybody have an explanation?
Monday, February 06, 2006
W-4s
Standing in line last night at Taco Bell, I overheard a girl say "I already did my taxes, and I'm getting back like $400". Her friend said, "What? I thought we made the same amount this year, you must have a good tax guy, because I only got back like $50."
OK. Maybe, just maybe, this girl made enough donations or took some college classes and got a tax credit. But most likely, both of these girls actually did pay about the same in taxes, and both of the girls' parents claimed their tax credits. The difference? One girl probably filled out her W-4 incorrectly, which means she had too much withheld from her paychecks. What a patriot! She made an interest free loan to the government!
Just imagine if people all filled out their W-4 correctly. Fewer refund anticipation loans to rip off the low-income folks, no annoying Turbo Tax commercials where the wife goes "if it's so good, how much are we getting back? [pause] [stupid face] WOOWWWW!", and more money to spend on Elvis throw rugs every pay day. OK, maybe it wouldn't be that great. And maybe you don't always plan on the IRA deposit or charitable gift until half way through the year (although you CAN change your withholding at anytime). But dude, seriously, W-4s.
OK. Maybe, just maybe, this girl made enough donations or took some college classes and got a tax credit. But most likely, both of these girls actually did pay about the same in taxes, and both of the girls' parents claimed their tax credits. The difference? One girl probably filled out her W-4 incorrectly, which means she had too much withheld from her paychecks. What a patriot! She made an interest free loan to the government!
Just imagine if people all filled out their W-4 correctly. Fewer refund anticipation loans to rip off the low-income folks, no annoying Turbo Tax commercials where the wife goes "if it's so good, how much are we getting back? [pause] [stupid face] WOOWWWW!", and more money to spend on Elvis throw rugs every pay day. OK, maybe it wouldn't be that great. And maybe you don't always plan on the IRA deposit or charitable gift until half way through the year (although you CAN change your withholding at anytime). But dude, seriously, W-4s.
Sunday, February 05, 2006
jumping on the blog wagon
Dude, seriously. I'm starting my own blog. Just like most people, I have no good reason why. I suppose the topics will range from my ineptness at home and auto repair, to the inordinate number of Guinea Pigs in my house, to whatever. Plus, I just wanted to get schutze.blogspot.com before some German did.
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