Random thoughts:
Taxes are coming.
I need to assemble all my tax information. (you do too)
I have yet to finish cleaning my house.
Some "home"work is required - building a new kitchen on the other house, fixing the countertops in this one, new stairs, deck, etc. Big expenses, but really, really need to get this monkey off my back. We've decided to move into the other house instead of renting it out. It's just become too difficult to take that route.
That being said. I need to figure out what and how this affects on my taxes... Obviously this is a conversion of an investment asset into a personal asset, but what is the value? Or is it a conversion? Can I "live" in investment property?
Oh, and I need to get hold of the plot of the investment property as well. There are way too many bushes, trees and to quote Monty python, "Shrubberies" that need pruning or removing.
Like I said, "Home"work.
Relapse.
This is apparently the part of the movie where the superhero loses his powers and has to fight his way back to his mission. I've had a smll relapse and been spending too much time working and not enough of getting things back in order. As a result, the house is a mess, projects are stacking up and my taxes, which I had honestly hoped to have done by now, are looming larger every day.
I did get a note from someone lately who commented that my blog was about the troubles of the modern day man and that if I keep it up, I might be famous someday.
I wonder if being famous for "getting simple" would feel good?
I did get a note from someone lately who commented that my blog was about the troubles of the modern day man and that if I keep it up, I might be famous someday.
I wonder if being famous for "getting simple" would feel good?
Progress in the new year
Sorry that I've not posted in a while (really, I doubt that many read this blog, so I guess I'm feeling sorry to myself ;-)
On the last day of last year, We took our ninth carload of donations to goodwill. This load contained three computers. workhorses that have performed flawlessly over the years and it was actually hard to let them go. I know that sounds strange, but I've formed a small bond with the machines that I've used over the years. Like a viking names his sword and is later buried with it, my steady companions were my Macs, each giving me the power to slay many dragons over the years and allowing me to survive.
I'm going to go watch "electric Dreams" (for those of you who rightfully don't know, this is a very bad movie made in the eighties about a living computer ;-)
So anyway, nine loads. Nine full Honda Element loads. That figures out to somewhere around 900 square feet of donations. I'm sure that if I took a ton of time, I could have sold all of that on eBay for a good amount of cash, but the hassle of doing all that and the fact that I would have to have continued living with all of that stuff until it sold tells me that donations were the right decision. Of course, I'm sure that I'll have much more to donate as I continue to go through everything around the house, but I think we got most of it.
It feels good.
I've been spending a lot of time recently thinking about one of the next steps that I'm taking, which is refinancing. I'm really trying to figure out if this is a good idea, but I think I have to if I plan on keeping my rental house. I purchased it on a short term interest only loan. while I can (and do) pay over the interest only payment in order to reduce the principal, the interest rate will increase in two years and if I don't refinance, keeping the house could cost me a good deal. My research is leading me to believe that I can still get a good rate for a reasonable cost, but I have yet to do the emotional math on whether I want to keep the property or sell it. (Tax deduction and possible income versus Tax liability for profit made and possible deflating market - ugh!)
On another topic, my brother sent me an email the other day. I've not spoken with him for two years now. Not because I haven't wanted to, but because of all the work that I was doing. I know, this sounds nuts, but it was really easy to let happen. I find this to be the saddest thing that I've written here. I hope to rectify it as soon as I can with a visit to San Francisco to see him.
-Don
On the last day of last year, We took our ninth carload of donations to goodwill. This load contained three computers. workhorses that have performed flawlessly over the years and it was actually hard to let them go. I know that sounds strange, but I've formed a small bond with the machines that I've used over the years. Like a viking names his sword and is later buried with it, my steady companions were my Macs, each giving me the power to slay many dragons over the years and allowing me to survive.
I'm going to go watch "electric Dreams" (for those of you who rightfully don't know, this is a very bad movie made in the eighties about a living computer ;-)
So anyway, nine loads. Nine full Honda Element loads. That figures out to somewhere around 900 square feet of donations. I'm sure that if I took a ton of time, I could have sold all of that on eBay for a good amount of cash, but the hassle of doing all that and the fact that I would have to have continued living with all of that stuff until it sold tells me that donations were the right decision. Of course, I'm sure that I'll have much more to donate as I continue to go through everything around the house, but I think we got most of it.
It feels good.
I've been spending a lot of time recently thinking about one of the next steps that I'm taking, which is refinancing. I'm really trying to figure out if this is a good idea, but I think I have to if I plan on keeping my rental house. I purchased it on a short term interest only loan. while I can (and do) pay over the interest only payment in order to reduce the principal, the interest rate will increase in two years and if I don't refinance, keeping the house could cost me a good deal. My research is leading me to believe that I can still get a good rate for a reasonable cost, but I have yet to do the emotional math on whether I want to keep the property or sell it. (Tax deduction and possible income versus Tax liability for profit made and possible deflating market - ugh!)
On another topic, my brother sent me an email the other day. I've not spoken with him for two years now. Not because I haven't wanted to, but because of all the work that I was doing. I know, this sounds nuts, but it was really easy to let happen. I find this to be the saddest thing that I've written here. I hope to rectify it as soon as I can with a visit to San Francisco to see him.
-Don
Good advice
I found this article today... It mentions a pretty good idea, putting a list of goals for the year in the mail to yourself and reading it on years end with the idea that you will then have perspective on what you did or did not meet... kind of a letter to the future or a time capsule of goals.
Keep in mind that the article is financial in nature, but the general idea is a great one. Much of the thoughs cross over to what I'm trying to accomplish with this blog. Enjoy.
-Don
Keep in mind that the article is financial in nature, but the general idea is a great one. Much of the thoughs cross over to what I'm trying to accomplish with this blog. Enjoy.
-Don
Lets talk about old friends
We all have friends that we have known over time. Sometimes these friends seem like the best ones in the world when we are around them, often, it seems like they will always be around.
Friends are transient.
I don't mean that in a bad way. Friends just come and go. Often, not by your or their choosing. Things just add up one day to a parting of ways. The really sad thing about this is that sometimes, with friends that aren't best friends... Friends that are just good friends - they can go away without even so much as a goodbye. You never say goodbye because you don't intend that last time you saw them to be "the" last time you would ever see them.
They move... You move... You get busy.
That last one was my excuse. I've been so busy over the last three years that pure exhaustion prevented me from keeping up the friendships that I really should not have left in the weeds.
So now I have a lot of work to do. I've got a ton of friends in Omaha that I do keep up with, but not as well as I should.
I've also got some people down here that I should follow up with... some that I don't even know how to get hold of.
How does one get hold of someone when you don't know where they are and their last known email and phone numbers are all dead?
Suggestions?
Friends are transient.
I don't mean that in a bad way. Friends just come and go. Often, not by your or their choosing. Things just add up one day to a parting of ways. The really sad thing about this is that sometimes, with friends that aren't best friends... Friends that are just good friends - they can go away without even so much as a goodbye. You never say goodbye because you don't intend that last time you saw them to be "the" last time you would ever see them.
They move... You move... You get busy.
That last one was my excuse. I've been so busy over the last three years that pure exhaustion prevented me from keeping up the friendships that I really should not have left in the weeds.
So now I have a lot of work to do. I've got a ton of friends in Omaha that I do keep up with, but not as well as I should.
I've also got some people down here that I should follow up with... some that I don't even know how to get hold of.
How does one get hold of someone when you don't know where they are and their last known email and phone numbers are all dead?
Suggestions?
Visitors
Not the kind that come from outer space... the kind that come from Omaha, Nebraska. My sister and nephew came down this past few days and we had a great time. I had her down so that we could work on some details for a family business that we have, but also just to visit and spend time together. It was great to see them.
In the process, I've learned a couple things. First, it's much easier to have a clean house if there are not a lot of things in it. Second, sometimes the best tips in life come from the movies. (a tip in itself that sort of came from "grand canyon", a movie) - The tip I'm referring to is about toys, and I got this from the Great movie "Toy Story" made by one of my favorite companies, Pixar. In toy story, the toys have an innate fear of not being played with.
My nephew played with the toys that I've saved since childhood - saved mostly because my mom saved them and they wandered down here when she passed away - but also saved because they might be valuable (star wars toys, micronauts, all manner of other collectable and fun things.)
These toys might bring in a combined value of a thousand bucks if I slaved over selling them on eBay. If they were in great shape.
The truth is, when I looked at these items it was obvious they needed playing with. They still have value, but I think the value of giving them to a boy to play with is far greater than that of a few dollars for a good deal of effort.
Of course, I may keep luke's landspeeder.
Update: Just for fun I've added this google video of a couple minutes of fun had while cleaning... silly I know.
In the process, I've learned a couple things. First, it's much easier to have a clean house if there are not a lot of things in it. Second, sometimes the best tips in life come from the movies. (a tip in itself that sort of came from "grand canyon", a movie) - The tip I'm referring to is about toys, and I got this from the Great movie "Toy Story" made by one of my favorite companies, Pixar. In toy story, the toys have an innate fear of not being played with.
My nephew played with the toys that I've saved since childhood - saved mostly because my mom saved them and they wandered down here when she passed away - but also saved because they might be valuable (star wars toys, micronauts, all manner of other collectable and fun things.)
These toys might bring in a combined value of a thousand bucks if I slaved over selling them on eBay. If they were in great shape.
The truth is, when I looked at these items it was obvious they needed playing with. They still have value, but I think the value of giving them to a boy to play with is far greater than that of a few dollars for a good deal of effort.
Of course, I may keep luke's landspeeder.
Update: Just for fun I've added this google video of a couple minutes of fun had while cleaning... silly I know.
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