God, my head hurts. You know thinking always does that to me...
We met up with the owner/seller of the CR-V yesterday and had an interesting chat regarding the car... SUV... uh... vehicle. Apparently, it's a salvage vehicle. Huh... talk about a cringing, worried feeling all of a sudden. 'But, what does that mean?' I asked myself, not enitrely sure but having a pretty good idea.
According to the owner, and the VIN check we did (thanks Dad!), the car was in an auto-ped accident in '04 (woah...) and was in an accident before that when it was 700-ish miles old where the front end got banged up. Sheesh, talk about bad karma. Not that I believe in that schtuff but still... Anyways, the current owner bought the car, in that condition and, essentially, flipped it. Like a house, she fixed everything that was damaged. But, unlike a house, she kept it all these years and drove it around herself.
Let's see what the mechanics say about that.
Unfortunately, our trusty grease monkeys could only crawl over the car for 15 minutes and couldn't give us a complete check. But what they could see they liked... except for the air compressor for the air conditioner. $600 - $1000 for the entire system. Oh yeah, the tires were gonna need replacin' by winter time. Ouch, but what else? Again, in the time they had, everything looked great. Engine was clean and in good shape, brakes were practically brand new, oil pan was dry along with the transmission case and everything that the owner said she fixed looked just fine. So, the initial check went, pretty much, fine. But Wednesday is the engine compression test, the results of which will pretty much sell Zippy and I on the car... or not.
A small voice in my head is telling me that everything is going to be OK. I mean, we're already pre-approved for the loan needed to pay for the car. The E.C. test is going to be in the green. But one can't help those damn butterflies to start flittin' around in the stomach when it comes to a purchase such as this!
Further updates as events warrant. God... my head's still hurtin'. But ain't it fun?!
3.20.2007
3.19.2007
Crunch time...
Whoever said that "Money doesn't grow on trees..." needs to be bitch slapped. Hard. And then thrown into a room with geneticists (sp?) to figure out how to make trees do just that!
Wwwwhhyyyyyy?
Well... Zippy and I are really thinking hard about getting a new car! Again, why? Well, she'd like to have a bit more room than our Geo Prizm can give us right now. There's the issue of the carseat in the backseat, but that's where Roxy, our dog, usually is. I can just see the kid in the carseat crying its head offf 'cause Roxy's trying to stick her head out the window and stepping all over Peanut... or the tail wagging and smacking the poor tot right in the melon. Hmm... if we keep the Geo then Roxy's in the trunk!
And where to put the stroller? Sure we've got the trunk, but if we go errand shopping?! Baby in carseat in backseat with Roxy... and the tail. Stroller in the trunk with the goods, food or otherwise. Packed. Or what if we have some people with us in the car? Peanut and guests in the back seat with stroller in trunk. Again, packed. Keep in mind, this is all in a Geo Prizm right now, which are not known for their space. And what about car trips? Things are gonna get crowded quickly. Don't get me wrong, it's a great car: very reliable, great gas mileage, very east to maintain.
But there's also the safety issue. Eventually, Geo-rge (get it?) is gonna need some work. The driver side lock doesn't unlock with the key from the outside. The CV joints are fading quickly along with the struts. And, cosmetically, the ceiling "carpet", I guess you call it, is drooping in places. *sigh* The cost of all this would be a couple grand, which we could pay for and get Geo-rge all safe like.
Ooooorrrrr... we could use that money for a down payment on a new, used car. She's hooked on the Honda CR-V and I'm startin' to like those as well. They've got a bigger backseat, a bit more trunk room (vertically at least), airbags, power locks and windows, blah, blah, blah. They're Honda made, which is very reliable and safe. They too get great gas mileage. It's a bit taller, making getting in and out easier especially with an infant.
So, that's the car issue. There's also the house... still.
We wanna get working in the backyard this summer. Actually, it'd be me doing the work with the Mrs. Preggers playing the supervisor role. We would like to get the sprinkler system installed and the grass seeded soon. We'd like to build a small deck off the back room with the composite schtuff. And there's the ordeal of putting a stand-up shower into the bathroom downstairs. Also, before Peanut pops out, we should really think about putting in new, softer carpet in the living room. *sigh*
Oh yeah... did I mention that we OWE on our federal taxes this year?!?!?!
...crap...
Wwwwhhyyyyyy?
Well... Zippy and I are really thinking hard about getting a new car! Again, why? Well, she'd like to have a bit more room than our Geo Prizm can give us right now. There's the issue of the carseat in the backseat, but that's where Roxy, our dog, usually is. I can just see the kid in the carseat crying its head offf 'cause Roxy's trying to stick her head out the window and stepping all over Peanut... or the tail wagging and smacking the poor tot right in the melon. Hmm... if we keep the Geo then Roxy's in the trunk!
And where to put the stroller? Sure we've got the trunk, but if we go errand shopping?! Baby in carseat in backseat with Roxy... and the tail. Stroller in the trunk with the goods, food or otherwise. Packed. Or what if we have some people with us in the car? Peanut and guests in the back seat with stroller in trunk. Again, packed. Keep in mind, this is all in a Geo Prizm right now, which are not known for their space. And what about car trips? Things are gonna get crowded quickly. Don't get me wrong, it's a great car: very reliable, great gas mileage, very east to maintain.
But there's also the safety issue. Eventually, Geo-rge (get it?) is gonna need some work. The driver side lock doesn't unlock with the key from the outside. The CV joints are fading quickly along with the struts. And, cosmetically, the ceiling "carpet", I guess you call it, is drooping in places. *sigh* The cost of all this would be a couple grand, which we could pay for and get Geo-rge all safe like.
Ooooorrrrr... we could use that money for a down payment on a new, used car. She's hooked on the Honda CR-V and I'm startin' to like those as well. They've got a bigger backseat, a bit more trunk room (vertically at least), airbags, power locks and windows, blah, blah, blah. They're Honda made, which is very reliable and safe. They too get great gas mileage. It's a bit taller, making getting in and out easier especially with an infant.
So, that's the car issue. There's also the house... still.
We wanna get working in the backyard this summer. Actually, it'd be me doing the work with the Mrs. Preggers playing the supervisor role. We would like to get the sprinkler system installed and the grass seeded soon. We'd like to build a small deck off the back room with the composite schtuff. And there's the ordeal of putting a stand-up shower into the bathroom downstairs. Also, before Peanut pops out, we should really think about putting in new, softer carpet in the living room. *sigh*
Oh yeah... did I mention that we OWE on our federal taxes this year?!?!?!
...crap...
3.09.2007
Professional props...
"What do you wanna be when you're all growed up?" Well, I'm a TV news photographer and I love it. It's not so much my job, as it is my career. And I couldn't see myself doing anything else.
I was just talking with a reporter today while driving back from a story about our profession. How we're "...damned if we do, damned if we don't." People want to see the news, they want to know what's going on in their neighborhood. Good or bad. Who doesn't? When it's good, oh how the public loves us. When it's bad, then we get everything from "Thanks!" to "What the hell?!" *sigh* Whatever. We do it because we love to tell the story. The reporters tell it with words. I, and my fellow photogs, tell it with video and sound. And when those elements all come together... wow.
Case in point: Cody's Rescue happened in Denver, CO. and was told entirely by the photog, Everett McEwan of KGWN. And he does a great job too!
But a better example, Brush with History, from WTHR's Steve Rhodes, is one that made me stop and watch it several times. I see work like this and I get so jazzed up and so pumped to go out and tell the story to the best that I can each and every time. Professionally, this is what I live for!
I was just talking with a reporter today while driving back from a story about our profession. How we're "...damned if we do, damned if we don't." People want to see the news, they want to know what's going on in their neighborhood. Good or bad. Who doesn't? When it's good, oh how the public loves us. When it's bad, then we get everything from "Thanks!" to "What the hell?!" *sigh* Whatever. We do it because we love to tell the story. The reporters tell it with words. I, and my fellow photogs, tell it with video and sound. And when those elements all come together... wow.
Case in point: Cody's Rescue happened in Denver, CO. and was told entirely by the photog, Everett McEwan of KGWN. And he does a great job too!
But a better example, Brush with History, from WTHR's Steve Rhodes, is one that made me stop and watch it several times. I see work like this and I get so jazzed up and so pumped to go out and tell the story to the best that I can each and every time. Professionally, this is what I live for!
3.07.2007
Our first glance...
Monday was a huge day for Zippy and I... and Peanut for that matter. That morning, all three of us finally met: face to face to ultrasound face! Wow! To say the least...
The first time we heard the heartbeat, I lept up out of the chair and my jaw hit the floor. There was something in that tummy! Then, I felt little Peanut kick and was even more amazed. But that ultrasound was perhaps the best part for us. It's one thing to hear it, another to feel it, but to actually see it... I haven't stopped smiling since.
There was one point during the ultrasound that I thought Peanut was looking right at me! My heart stopped and a few tears welled up. If I'm like that at the ultrasound, then I'm gonna be an emotional nutcase at the birth! I'll be there to support Zippy sure, but I might need someone there to hold me up! While that was amazing, we were both so fascinated when we could see the little feet and hands flailing around! We got one shot of the hand, as you can see, that seemed to be saying: "Hi Mommy and Daddy!" It's now Zippy's desktop and mine at home! And for me, to take off my Transformers desktop is HUGE!
"Ohhhh... how cute! Is it a boy or a girl?" Umm... it's a baby... Stephen! Yup. That's right. We didn't find out. As hard as it's gonna be, and Zippy is already struggling with it, we wanna be surprised when it pops out! "Are you nuts?!" According to my mother, yes. But how much fun would it be to run out, after the birth of course, to the waiting room and yell out, "It's a BOY!" or "It's a GIRL!" That's gonna be awesome!
That's not gas bubblin' around in there! It's a beautiful baby... something!
The first time we heard the heartbeat, I lept up out of the chair and my jaw hit the floor. There was something in that tummy! Then, I felt little Peanut kick and was even more amazed. But that ultrasound was perhaps the best part for us. It's one thing to hear it, another to feel it, but to actually see it... I haven't stopped smiling since.
There was one point during the ultrasound that I thought Peanut was looking right at me! My heart stopped and a few tears welled up. If I'm like that at the ultrasound, then I'm gonna be an emotional nutcase at the birth! I'll be there to support Zippy sure, but I might need someone there to hold me up! While that was amazing, we were both so fascinated when we could see the little feet and hands flailing around! We got one shot of the hand, as you can see, that seemed to be saying: "Hi Mommy and Daddy!" It's now Zippy's desktop and mine at home! And for me, to take off my Transformers desktop is HUGE!
"Ohhhh... how cute! Is it a boy or a girl?" Umm... it's a baby... Stephen! Yup. That's right. We didn't find out. As hard as it's gonna be, and Zippy is already struggling with it, we wanna be surprised when it pops out! "Are you nuts?!" According to my mother, yes. But how much fun would it be to run out, after the birth of course, to the waiting room and yell out, "It's a BOY!" or "It's a GIRL!" That's gonna be awesome!
That's not gas bubblin' around in there! It's a beautiful baby... something!
3.06.2007
What the...?!
I've read plenty of blogs before and never considered starting one up myself... until now. I'm not sure where to begin even, but the beginning seems to be as good a place as any right?! Good Lord... how many times has that cliche line been used?! *sigh* And here I thought I was cool...
Anyways, on to the post.
Zippy and I have been married just over 2 years. We met playing co-ed indoor soccer together and still play to this day. We got engaged a little over a year after we met, while she was in CA for college, and got married 10 short months later! 10 months after that, we bought our first house! Then, maybe a week later, she got our Roxy dog! After all that, what was left? Oh, yeah... kids! And now, that's going to be a reality at the end of July! Whew... I need to sit down.
So, this blog, hopefully, will be an online journal for me about our family and the exciting adventure awaiting us. I'm sure other people will stumble on to this blog, and you're certainly welcome read along, but it's mainly for the family who aren't next door. There's some exciting times ahead and I thought that this would be a great way for everyone to keep up with the SLC Stephen's: Me, Zippy and coming soon... Peanut!
Enjoy!
Anyways, on to the post.
Zippy and I have been married just over 2 years. We met playing co-ed indoor soccer together and still play to this day. We got engaged a little over a year after we met, while she was in CA for college, and got married 10 short months later! 10 months after that, we bought our first house! Then, maybe a week later, she got our Roxy dog! After all that, what was left? Oh, yeah... kids! And now, that's going to be a reality at the end of July! Whew... I need to sit down.
So, this blog, hopefully, will be an online journal for me about our family and the exciting adventure awaiting us. I'm sure other people will stumble on to this blog, and you're certainly welcome read along, but it's mainly for the family who aren't next door. There's some exciting times ahead and I thought that this would be a great way for everyone to keep up with the SLC Stephen's: Me, Zippy and coming soon... Peanut!
Enjoy!
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