Miscellaneous ramblings for today:
* Craigslist seems to be more trouble than its worth... it seems to be a thin veil hiding scammers galore. The laptop computer we were selling was fortunately purchased by a co-worker of Steve's, thereby passing the Craigslist need altogether. He took a smack to the chops on the purchase price, but when it comes to asking $450 for a laptop, it better have more programs (such as PowerPoint) that his did not have. At least it enabled him to keep from asking me for more money to keep him afloat.
* The latest on the housing issue has me more dizzy than usual (what with two does of anti-allergy medication adding to the woes): signing up on Auction.com to attend a bidding seminar on June 21st in Novi. Apparently, through my guidance on the internet, he found one in Westland: a recent build (1999) with nearly 1,800 square feet, three bedroom/two baths, and Steve figures through a remortgage, it would only cost us $200 each monthly.
One thing he's not taken into account, though, is property & school taxes. As much as I try to obliterate all self-blame for the Wyandotte house mess of 2000, any homeowner knows his or her duties to the city. Steve has only worked half of his days this year due to various thought-of ailments. It's also never known whether they may shut night shift down at work, the way things are going. It's good to think positive and think "big", but we also have to think reality.
Plus, I actually don't want to be a homeowner, with all the stress & responsibility involved. The last thing I want is to have more square footage to be responsible for. I'm looking to downsize considerably. If the opposite extreme holds true and they make me 7 days a week, that's 90 hours per week, which will leave me NO time to tend to anything in the house. A motel room would actually be more conducive, though it will take time explaining my rationale to Steve. I actually want less square footage to be responsible for, not more.
Consider this: I'm 38, and have been with him for seven years. I don't want to spend the rest of my life with them, plus any children when they choose to do so. I'm not looking to move up in quality of housing; the desire is simply not there. The simpler & the smaller, the better. I took down information about a place a mile from here, which will cut the gas bill and enable me to earmark money towards one thing only: room rent. One room with functional bathroom and perhaps a kitchenette would probably work well. It also enables independence & solitude, which I find myself craving more & more each passing day.
No empty hands either: he has to have a good $5,000 in his hand (cashier's check) to even think of making it through this seminar in Novi. He'd better start working double-shifts no matter if he has a headache or not. He's not going to have much support in the matter from someone he's counting on. I'm tired of the constant shifts in thinking; the alternate plans deserve a book devoted to them.
Complications do not help simplification. I just want to keep it simple at this stage.
* I'm getting all sorts of encouragement from ex-classmates to upgrade a classmates.com membership. I'm one of those who are interested in the whereabouts of some high school classmates, but I'm not one to think about attending our 20th reunion, which would be this year if they choose to host one. The high school years were not fond ones, a college reunion would be a different story.
* Finally, I'm starting to thank myself for phasing yardwork out of my repetoire. The allergies kicked in late, but BOY, did they kick in. Garden projects have been put on hold because of the pending/not pending move, and I find myself not missing the exertion. Maybe those busted lawn utensils were trying to tell me something.
