Things that make you smile

[Willow]

Re: Things that make you smile

Took a trip to the library and checked out Origin of the Species and Going on Being; Buddhism and the Way of Change.
Did I mention that I was in my flannel pajamas the whole time and it's raining? Because I was and it is

I totally go to stores in pjs. Life's too short to not be comfy! Besides, if you're always smiling like you have a hidden candy stash somewhere, nobody is able to judge you negatively for very long.

[Medusa]

Re: Things that make you smile

Going to the Ren Faire in the afternoon tomorrow

[Clive]

Re: Things that make you smile

Philip says we might be going to Dragoncon this August. Whether or not it actually happens, the thought is still nice.

[ChainLightning]

Re: Things that make you smile

Ren Faires make me smile, tho I can't go to them anymore.

And Mrs. P's youtube videos make me smile. A lot.

[desertrat]

Re: Things that make you smile

Harvesting my medical canabis

[B. de Corbin]

Re: Things that make you smile

I went out on my first morel hunt of the season.

It's really a bit early in my part of the universe so I didn't find any, but I did find some bone piles.

I picked some big leg bones for future projects, a nice ribcage which, cleaned and re-articulated will make a splendidly morbid lamp, and an intact doe skull, with all teeth and lowers.

I'll use my alchemical juju to turn the into money...

[Ouranos Ouroboros]

Re: Things that make you smile

I feel that we've been so blessed throughout the (finally finished) process of moving to a new home. We found out just over three months ago that the FHA was raising our insurance rates and that we could no longer pay for the home they'd been delighted to sell us back when the housing market sucked. But we had good news right away; we had evidence that the FHA inspector did a poor job and that his inattention could have had dire consequences for our family. The FHA agreed to more-than-double our credit toward the new house, which means we're getting a slightly better place but will only have to pay 20 years to own it; this is instead of paying for 25 years for the last (and much more dilapidated) house. The FHA also gave us a one-year home warranty on the new place.


There were quite a few homes on the market, but really only one that meets our needs (enough wall space for our collection of over 5,000 books, room in the back yard for my son to practice his martial arts, a kitchen where we can actually comfortably cook something more elaborate than ramen noodles, etc.). We asked about $8k under what they were asking because we knew they were asking way above the appraisal price and, probably as a consequence, the place had been on the market for a while. They accepted an offer that was about $3k above what similar houses in the area were appraised at, but they gave us $500 for home repairs and paid for some local Amish contractors to replace half the roof with 30-year shingles (it was important to us to use locals instead of a big company, and someone we trusted recommended these guys - who, by the way, did a fabulous job). Then, about a week later, the bank re-appraised the house at $12k more than we offered - and that was before the new roof went up (don't worry about the former owners, though, as they have plenty of money and won't go without anything necessary because we got a good deal).


Then, we thought we'd had a disaster in the form of a blessing (and, in some ways, it was). My wife found a program to help us get professional movers so we wouldn't have to break our backs. We would have to pay a small amount of the cost, but it would be less than we had figured it would cost to rent a truck and pay some of our friends to help us. We went with it. But the movers got really lazy in the middle of the move, as their manager had drastically underestimated how much we had to move. (For instance, she told the movers we had eight bookcases and four boxes of books, when we had 32 bookcases and over 120 boxes of books). They quit halfway through, and we had to call some friends to finish up what we could the next day (we had to leave a few things behind because our friends didn't have a big enough truck to move it, but, fortunately, nothing vital).


We decided to bring them to task over their multiple breaches of contract and several other problems, and we learned the result of the mitigation earlier this week. They are going to have to train and re-train a huge number of their staff, and in a number of ways that benefit customers rather than their business. They are going to talk to our city government about doing a better job of maintaining its public areas, especially in poorer neighborhoods (this pertains to a point that was too fine to include in this summary). They are going to discipline everyone involved who is still with their company. They're losing some major clients in our area for at least six months after the point when their training and re-training are complete - and, even then, will be used only for smaller, local moves until a certain trial period has passed. Neither we nor the organization helping us will have to pay one cent, and the company is offering us a settlement of well over $2k, including enough to pay our friends a generous fee for their help on top of their fuel cost.


We've been settled in the new place for slightly over a week. It's an awesome house - modest by many people's standards, but just right for us. It's in an awesome neighborhood that's quiet and friendly. It has a dishwasher! And it has insulation! And we've even got a little deck out back where I can meditate in the wee hours of the morning! I just stop every once in a while and wander around the rooms feeling grateful to our guides and warders.


And today we got some more great news. You see, the bad moving company had to give $1,450 of our settlement to charity. We knew they'd offer us more money for pain and suffering if we stipulated that it would go to charity. We knew they'd want to brag about their contributions. But they made no stipulations - they agreed to give the money to "charities of [our] choice". So we chose for the money to be divided between extremely liberal charities which support causes like veganism, gay and lesbian rights, and gun control. Let's just say that these aren't terribly popular causes in their main areas of service. We're in very good moods today, let me tell ya.

[B. de Corbin]

Re: Things that make you smile

Another quick mushroom hunt - still no luck.

But an hour in the woods beats a day of reading 9th grade essays.

I think Thomas Jefferson said that, or maybe it was Ben Franklin... or Mark Twain... or someone else frequently quoted...

At any rate, it's true.

[Medusa]

Re: Things that make you smile

Fridge full of foods and fruits. Cupboard full of snacks.

[ChainLightning]

Re: Things that make you smile

Hot sauce is hawt. I can haz more, please?

But!
It burns the mouth, burns the tummy, ...erm, you get the picture. And that's "good", is it?


Yup! I dunno why. Just gimme it!

[Torey]

Re: Things that make you smile

Goats riding horses.

[iflewoverthecuckoosnest]

Re: Things that make you smile

Last day of finals! Let's get this done.

[Corvus]

Re: Things that make you smile

Another quick mushroom hunt - still no luck.

But an hour in the woods beats a day of reading 9th grade essays.

I think Thomas Jefferson said that, or maybe it was Ben Franklin... or Mark Twain... or someone else frequently quoted...

At any rate, it's true.

I was talking with some of my former teachers, one of which is a 9th grade english teacher, and we decided fairly quickly I could never be a teacher because of my 'biting sarcasm' and impatience. The english teacher was grading papers and laughs over the stupid things the students write and I would just quietly whisper profanities if I was in her position. I really can't handle freshman. She told them the answers! and they still have it wrong. Nope teaching is not my best career path.

Our school quiz bowl team, of which I am captain, won second place in our division's league. We were eliminated in the play offs with other divisions but we still got this neato little plaque. This hasn't happened for our school ever (that I know of) so it's pretty keen! now we just need to figure out what to do with the award. It might be a bit funny to see it in with all the sports awards the school has... heh

[Gleb]

Re: Things that make you smile

I don't have school tomorrow! Yay! It's a long story, though, when I think of it.

- - - Updated - - -

But in any case, I have a chance to sleep for 2-3 more hours.

[ChainLightning]

Re: Things that make you smile

Mushroom hunting!

Aside from the fact that I'd have to send someone else out to do the hunting, we've had like 40 days and 40 nights of rain out here. I should take pictures. It's time to build a friggen ark.