by "Snuze: Needs another Swede" (markg)
Published 09/08/2017 at 17:02
by "Snuze: Needs another Swede" (markg)
Published 09/08/2017 at 17:02
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STARS: 5
Well, I tried to not wait like 2 years between posts like I did the last time I semi-quit Oppo. Actually, quit isn’t the right word, I just went MIA because life got in the way. Anyways, the same thing has kind of happened but to a lesser extent. So I’m just trying to keep up appearances.
Not that anyone probably cares too much, but I got a new job, which I think I mentioned back in April or May, or you could see the post to the left. It’s a gov’t job doing cool stuff with submarines. The downside is I have a limited ability to reach the outside world at work , and I mean to the point that I have to lock my cell phone in an adorable little locker outside of the *vault* I work in. Because you know, submarine stuff. It’s not like the previous cushy gig where I got paid lots of OT to go fix Canada’s problems and had lots of time to read and post here when I wasn’t doing that. But there’s going to be a lot of cool travel, I’ll try to keep the hive updated.
In other news, Mrs. Snuze and I *FINALLY* bought a house. We’re going to be in Great Falls, VA. Snazzy, I know. I’ll be about 10 minutes from Katie’s Cars n Coffee. Now, I’m sure you all are wondering, and yes, it’s got a garage. Two cars, even. That means one bay for her, and one bay for my project car! I’ve pretty much already decided I’m just going to buy my ‘90 to ‘92 IROC-Z once I recover financially from THE AWFUL PROCESS OF CLOSING ON A HOME. Seriously, it seems like about every 3 days SOMEONE needs $500 for SOMETHING. We don’t actually close until October 16th and I’ve already sunk $1735 into this thing, not including my earnest deposit (another $4,000), nor all the time and gas money. She put up another $4,000 towards the earnest, and we’re probably still going to have to come up with about another $3,000 at closing.
Also, please don’t misconstrue the above as bitching, I’m really excited to be in a position to even buy a house. I just find the whole ordeal incredibly frustrating because WHY DOESN’T ANYONE TEACH YOU THIS IN SCHOOL? Like, you know what would have probably been more helpful to me than “Pre-Columnbian South and Central American Art and Artifacts”? A class on how to buy a freaking house, including the difference between interest and APR, what amortization is, what an escrow is for, how to evaluate mortgage offers, and explain what the hell a title company actually spends that $1735 on so I know I’m not getting screwed.
Still, it will be worth it to have that garage. And a home for all my pew-pews.
"Jcarr" (jcarr)
09/08/2017 at 17:07, STARS: 0
Not working on the SS United States thing anymore?
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
09/08/2017 at 17:16, STARS: 0
A class on how to buy a freaking house, including the difference between interest and APR, what amortization is, what an escrow is for, how to evaluate mortgage offers, and explain what the hell a title company actually spends that $1735 on so I know I’m not getting screwed.
Haha! I’m just imaging how many people would sign up for that class. Just ithink how much kids bitch about math nowadays without adding finance to it!
Good to hear from you though. The house process is great and scary at the same time. Plus, you have to start saving up for the roof replacement every 15-20 years, the A/C that will blow every 7-8 years...well, don’t think about that now. One thing at a time.
"Snuze: Needs another Swede" (markg)
09/08/2017 at 17:17, STARS: 1
Sadly, no. I don’t think there’s anything from stopping me talking about it now, but we were trying to keep things low key for a while. Basically a cruise line wanted to buy the ship, repower and refurbish it, and take her back to sea. They came to us as the original designers and asked us to do some studies about what all that would take. I think it ended up being *WAY* more than what they expected, so the plan was scrapped.
Now that I’m gone, I’m kind of out of the loop regarding what’s going to happen to her these days, I think there’s kind of always been this half-thought-out plan to make her into shops or a hotel or something, kind of like the Queen Mary, so that could still maybe happen. I can ask my friends that are still there and see if they have heard anything about her.
"Jcarr" (jcarr)
09/08/2017 at 17:18, STARS: 0
I sure hope they can do something with it. It’d be a shame to see it scrapped.
"Snuze: Needs another Swede" (markg)
09/08/2017 at 17:20, STARS: 2
I’ve already thought about that. I’m very fortunate in that my dad is in construction and I spent my summers growing up working for him, so I’m pretty handy and have a lot of contacts in that industry, so it won’t be any problem for me to get things done free or cheap (besides the cost of materials).
Also, I think maybe that’s what’s screwing me up, the financial issue. I’m an engineer, and I’ve learned that engineers can do amazing things, like multi-variable differential calculus. But you put a $ in front of the numbers and we instantly become slobbering morons.
"Snuze: Needs another Swede" (markg)
09/08/2017 at 17:22, STARS: 1
I do too. One of Gibb’s daughters (or maybe his only one) is the president of the conservancy that’s trying to preserve her, and several people at the company are heavily involved.
When I left the company we were getting into 3D laser scanning and had done the top-side and promenade deck of the ship. It was really cool to fly through the model and see it.
"CB" (jrcb)
09/08/2017 at 17:27, STARS: 0
I kind of feel you. I moved to another province, and the amount of paperwork that I have to deal with is staggering. Owning a home is going to be a nightmare.
Glad that things are going well for you!
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
09/08/2017 at 17:29, STARS: 1
Finance is a weird intersection of math and psychology. Many really brilliant people are miserable at money. Money policy is mostly influenced by how we were raised, I think, not what we learn in school.
"Snuze: Needs another Swede" (markg)
09/08/2017 at 17:43, STARS: 1
I think you’re right on. And it’s hard to change once you get into certain habits, though it can be done. My wife is much, much better with money than me, when we met I was in a lot of debt and now I’m basically debt free and have a nice savings (though the house has eaten into that a bit). It’s been a hard change to make, and I still screw up sometimes (i.e. buying crap I don’t need, etc.) but its SO worth it. I don’t really stress about money at all anymore and my quality of life is so much better.
Not living pay check to pay check is an amazing feeling, and yet I still kind of do it in a way. I set my accounts up to auto transfer money into my savings and leave myself just enough in checking to survive check to check and try to hold myself to that budget, which is interesting, but sometimes stressful if an unexpected expense comes up... but then I’m like “oh wait, I’ve been good and saved a bunch and don’t need to worry.” I think, though, sometimes I need that thrill of freaking out. Like crack for an addict.
Of course, if you want to talk about crazy financial psychology... the stock market. All the above aside, I actually have a nice little investment nest egg that my aunt setup for me when I was born, but I’ve never touched that money until the house down payment. There’s a guy who manages that. But I did try my hand at investing some of my own money last year and oh my god. It was crazy. And I lost money on what should have been sure fire good deals, and made money on crazy stupid gambles. Investing psychology, I think, is that everyone is just insane on Wall Street. Haha.
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
09/08/2017 at 17:53, STARS: 0
The thing that I think people forget about Wall Street is that the money managers trade other people’s money and make their commission whether a trade goes up or down. Makes them much freer about diving in.
We all have our ways of working with our minds. I will not use debit cards, because they withdraw money directly from my bank account without me seeing what the balance is. I only use checks or credit cards so I can monitor more closely. My wife is an organizational genius that tracks everything in a notebook. She balances the checking account each month by hand, without a calculator. It’s her way of taking control and feeling good about things. Sounds like you have developed a system that works around your mind.
"RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars" (rallydarkstrike)
09/08/2017 at 18:36, STARS: 0
Welcome back friend! Congrats on the house - hope we see you around more often again :)
"Snuze: Needs another Swede" (markg)
09/08/2017 at 19:46, STARS: 1
Thanks, I’ll try to come around a little more often :)
"Snuze: Needs another Swede" (markg)
09/08/2017 at 19:47, STARS: 1
I think you’re absolutely right. It took me a while to figure out how to make it work for me, but I did.
"dogisbadob" (dogisbadob)
09/17/2017 at 19:04, STARS: 0
Glad to see you again