Overpriced!

The condo was dated, did NOT have a garage (as advertised), and was quite small. Cute, and overall a good financial decision--just overpriced! We're going to see it again next Thursday; perhaps to make an offer. The seller wants the same amount as they paid in 2006, in the peak of the housing bubble.Hopefully, we can get it for perhaps $65,000 or less. It needs a lot of work.

Mamma Mia... here he goes again!

I am strongly against having a TV in my bedroom; I'm not sure why, but I believe that my sleeping sanctuary and entertainment central ought to be separate. However, I am a firm believer in sleeping with sound. I nap on the couch while Matt sleeps in the LoveSac; the movie plays in the background.

Last night it was Mamma Mia. Matt HATES that movie. "I find myself singing the songs though, so I thought we should watch it again," was his reply when I saw the menu screen. Two hours later, I wake up to "Mamma Mia, here I go again..." sung in a slightly off-pitch, tired-sounding voice. Matt is singing the theme song to Mamma Mia at midnight.

My Boss Called Me a Bumblebee

I think the reason I started thsi blog is this: I feel that as you become older, you have to go out of your way to make your life interesting--or at least seem that way. The more you become the drone, the more you begin to believe it. So, I'm here to document every day occurances and make them funny.

This morning as I clambered out of bed, I rubbed a hole in the foggy glass and peered outside. Sunshine! I wore my brightest yellow skirt, complete with black tights and an informal black Beatles tee. Perfect.

Then, as I'm washing windows at work, my boss comes up with:"April, you look like a giant bumblee today," then proceeded to apologize for the next half hour for insinuating that I was round even though I didn't take it that way.

Meeting the Mortgage Guy

This afternoon, Matt and I met with a mortgage broker downtown. We established what costs go into purchasing a place, as well as closing costs, taxes, and H.O.A. fees. We can afford it, but the idea of buying seems awfully frightening.

Here's what we're thinking: right now, our rent is $612.50. We pay about $50 in electricity, and not much else. If we bought this condo, the mortgage would be $410 a month, the taxes would be $53, and the H.O.A. fees would be $145. Reasonable, right? However, it is only a one bedroom, one bathroom--and how guaranteed is it to either sell/rent once we're gone? Then again, we really don't know how long we will be living here (Matt is deliberating on his choice of Ph.D) program, and...I'm scared.

Twilight Night the movie event is happening at our apartment tomorrow!

I bet I can...

Matt and I are going to look at potentially purchasing a place this next week. The asking price is $74,900--a 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom place in downtown Moscow. It would be cheaper than renting, with the exception that you pay for 30 years. If we decide to buy it, however, the goal would be to rent it afterwards.

So here's my bet. I'm addicted to shopping. It fills me with this euphoria; yet mixed with a powerful burst of nausea. A sickening feeling every time a think about it. I bet that I can go an entire month (that's right, until April 19th) without purchasing a single "personal and frivolous" item for myself. That means: clothes, make-up, books, lunch, etc. I bet that I can take my weekly allowance, place it in the piggy bank and not look back.

With the single, pre-planned purchase of Twilight this Saturday.

I got it!

I have amazing news! I just recieved the official offer from the University of Idaho for a teaching assistantship in the English Department! I'll be teaching three sections of Freshman English Composition a year (for two years), attend staff meetings and hold office hours in return for: $12,650 per year.

Not too bad for a graduate student. Matt has a gig similar to mine, but he doesn't teach any classes and his pay is around $10K a year.

As excited as I am to begin, I feel somehow let down. I can't quite describe the feeling. I'm disappointed that my bosses will need to find another secretary (not that people here aren't jumping at the job), but I know their turn around is quick--and it takes a long time to train a new receptionist. The work isn't difficult, just a little hectic at times. Not only that, it takes repetitive experiences to get you to remember what to do with all these PAPERS!

Brighten A Day

Matt and I have officially arrived @ the culminating peak of Mormonication...the "we" blog. Well, I suppose it's actually just me blogging.

I was born in Copenhagen, Denmark on April 26, 1986. Matt was born in Harbor City (L.A.), California, on January 11, 1982. We met for the first time at a friend's wedding, and went on our first date in November, 2004. Nearly two years later, we were married in the San Diego LDS temple on August 26, 2006.

We've had many adventures as married folk. We've lived in Rexburg, Idaho, Las Vegas, Nevada, Kansas City, Kansas, and traveled from Catalina to Norway. We picked up a pet rat on the way -- Farley. He's named for his magnificent obesity. We enjoy the outdoors, we love to cook, and we live to travel. I'll document our adventures (tame and otherwise) in hopes that it might brighten your day.