Month: January 2010

The 2010 List

We have many projects we would like to accomplish this year on our home.  With last year being primarily dedicated to two areas, this year we are focusing on a large number of smaller projects.

1.  Complete Taylor’s bedroom.  We are slowly but surely changing our trim and doors to white versus stained.  Taylor’s room is also the last room to get new cable, phone and LAN lines ran to it.  I’ll be happy when that is over with as we under estimated how much CAT5e cable we would need and have paid through the nose for 100 ft sections at a time.  When we’re done her room will look like Amelia’s room, except Taylor’s room is pink.

2.  Refurbish foyer area.  This area needs a lot of love.  Our home is a bi-level, which means when you enter the front door you are faced with a decision – up or down.  Our stairs are covered in carpet, which I’ve tripped on several times.  My neighbor removed his and underneath was hardwood and I believe mine is the same.  If so, I’m going to stain the treads and paint the risers.  We are also going to lay down a new floor for the foyer.  The current floor is horrible at best.  It’s a fake parkay and very dark, we plan on replacing it with laminate wood of some type.  Last but not least is the stair railing.  What we have was mainly used for outside hand rails.  It’s a solid metal piece that doesn’t really go with the rest of the home.

3.  Remodel master bathroom.  We have a 1/2 master bathroom, at 4′ by 6′ it’s quite small.  It’s also in need of a lot of work.  When we moved in, the room had some hideous wallpaper.  We removed it to find the walls had never been painted.  We plan on replacing the vanity, medicine cabinet, toilet, re-finishing and painting the walls and replacing the entry and closet doors.  We should be able to do this for around $500 on a long weekend.

4.  Change coat closet door.  Our coat closet door is not level and obtrusive.  We plan on replacing it with a closet door instead of an entry type door which is what is currently installed.  It’s the door on the right in the picture.

5.  Replace moldy insulation and replace drywall in garage.  Our home had from what I can tell many water issues prior to us moving in, and some after we moved.  Not too long after we moved in I (with my helper) removed a vast majority of the drywall sealing our home from the garage.  See the black areas?  That’s mold folks!  This needs to be replaced to help keep our home sealed from the elements.  We will also be replacing the door separating the garage from the living area of the house with a steel door, something our home inspector noted should be done.

Now onto the smaller stuff

6.  Remove cat door on garage door, seal and insulate it.  Pretty much self explanatory – I’ve used this access to get myself back in the house when I was locked out by our Roomba.  It’s something a thief could do as well.

7.  Create self sealing door in attic for whole house fan.  We have this fan, it’s great – but we never use it.  I need to create a door that will seal it when not in use, but open automatically when in use.  Hopefully this will keep our heat and air from escaping through the attic.

8.  Landscaping.  This is work I have done before and really don’t enjoy doing.  I would hire it out if our financial situation was better.  I only plan on fixing some grading issues in the backyard.  My neighbor is going to lend me his roto-tiller so I can cut down the hump left where our pool was.  I will also do the same for where our shed was.

Whoever told me that a homeowners work is never done was sure right!  There is an amount of self satisfaction that I get from doing all of this work.  I think the fact that I’m turning this place into mine and not what some builder planned, is the biggest factor.  These builder neighborhoods with HOA’s really drive me insane.  That’s why I love where I live.

Ouch!

Today we were able to receive our 2009 W-2 statement online and I must say it was quite a shocker.  My income has significantly went down since I left Baxter, but I think this is a new low.  I’m not going to publicly state how much, but lets just say it’s under 10 grand by a significant amount.

There were many issues that contributed to this.  I’m going to outline them for documentation should I need a reference.

  • CSR – They didn’t schedule me to work since April of 2009.  Last week I resigned that position.
  • School – I decided to take off over the summer and focus on my studies and remodeling of our home.  Mainly due to the fact that I could not attain summer employment, or any employment for that matter.
  • Unemployment – While off for the summer I applied for unemployment, received it – now they want it back!

I have been in a war of words with our state unemployment system.  Technically employees of state funded educational institutions cannot receive unemployment during “an established break period.”  We all know that summer is an established break period.  However, this is only the case when there is “reasonable assurance” that the applicant will be returning to their position after that break.  This was not the case here.

Since I have two positions, it can become muddy water from there.  I was “assured” by both of my supervisors that I would indeed return.  This only happened with one of them.  With the job market virtually non existent, it has taken me this long to find another position.

I was paid around $1,000 in unemployment in a 4 week period.  Of that money, I only received around half of that due to taxes, child support, etc.  It then stopped, with potentially libelous statements to follow.  The DWD actually stated that it was “the claimant’s fault.”  It was my fault that I received benefits?  Isn’t it the DWD’s job to ensure I’m applicable to receive them before they are paid?  I appealed the findings, hoping to receive a hearing with an administrative judge.  I received a letter that my appeal had been received, but still no hearing.  I’m now receiving statements on a semi-regular basis demanding I pay this back or “severe civil and or criminal findings may be placed against me.”  I say bring it!  I deserve due process.

When I received the first notice, I responded quickly inquiring about why I never received a hearing.  I Highlighted incorrect data that was entered by the DWD, not myself.  I then asked to receive my hearing, but am still only receiving the mentioned notices.  I have evidence that I believe shows my case – if I ever get a chance to show it.

I just wish this nightmare would come to an end.  Seriously.

Spring Semester 2010

It’s a new year and a new decade (for those who believe).

I’m still taking classes at Ivy Tech and this semester will make me or break me.  I’m taking MATH-111, Intermediate Algebra and CINS-102, Information Systems Fundamentals.

I took the math course years ago, and failed miserably.  I don’t know why exactly, but I do know that I have much more desire and drive to succeed than I did back then.  My instructor seems like a really nice guy who is good at explaining concepts and ensuring everyone understands.  Something lacking in instructors at that school.

My CINS course seems to be another story however.  While I believe the content of the course shouldn’t be too hard, the instructor’s attitude clashes with me in a big way.  I won’t go into specifics, but I would change courses if I could.  This course focuses on XHTML, HTML and CSS.  The main focus of this class is to create a web site and to learn how to manage it on a Unix server.  Ivy Tech has one for student use, it’s name is Bob.

Little Amelia is growing and changing like never before.  At her last checkup, Dr. Laughlin said this would be a period of “social explosion.”  Boy was he right.  She loves using her voice, and discovering what new sounds she can make.  She also likes to support her own weight by “standing” with support from someone.

She has also learned how to grasp and hold objects.  Her rattle and yellow duck are her favorites at this point.  She tracks objects with her eyes, which are beautifully deep.

Rachel has been on maternity leave since the birth of our daughter.  However, all good things must come to an end.  She went back to work on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.  Next week she goes back full time.  I’ve noticed it’s difficult on her, but it’s good for her to have time away and get a greater appreciation of our little miracle.  We found a stay at home mom who will be watching Amelia.  She has a 4 year old daughter, named Madison who adores Snow White.

Today I officially sent in my resignation to the CSR or what I would like to call “the window to hell.”  I wasn’t scheduled at all for last semester, which was really hard on our checkbook.  I looked and looked and in the end a co-worker at TS, Kasey became the connection to my new 2nd job, TCC or Technology Center Consulting.  It is a division of UITS which is Indiana University’s information technology department.  TCC’s primary objective is to staff the numerous computing labs around campus.  We also help students in the dorms with networking issues.  I have worked one week with them and it’s been interesting to say the least!

e-smoking

I recently purchased this model of e-cigarette, to try it out and see if it actually did all it claimed.  I was amazingly surprised!  Since it’s disposable, once the battery died I had to find another option.

So I decided to purchase a “real” model and try to convert myself to something healthier to feed this addiction to nicotine that I have.  I bought this model and a “charger pack.”  It looks like a pack of cigarettes, but charges the battery while you’re on the go.

If you haven’t heard about e-cigarettes, they are very interesting.  They are essentially a battery connected to an “atomizer” which heats up a piece of cotton which is soaked in a liquid.  That liquid can contain just about anything.  I chose a Tobacco flavor with the “high” level of nicotine.  Thus giving me the closest possible resemblance to actually smoking.  To compare it with another addiction, it’s much like heroin addicts receiving methadone for treatment.

Now the hard part begins.  I have been trying to not purchase smokes while I go to work or run errands, but like the habit smoking is – so is buying them.  I’ve found that there are many of my behaviors that I still need to change or work on, and it’s been really difficult.  If I can successfully change these behaviors, I believe I can make this switch.

I’m not trying to quit at this point, I’m trying to move to something “more healthy.”  Once I’m fully adjusted to e-smoking, I can step down the nicotine levels and even remove the nicotine completely!  On a financial note, while this has been an investment at nearly $90, with refills equaling to $0.70 a pack – it’s much cheaper than the real thing!

I’ve shown this to my 10 year old daughter, who it quite amazed at it.   I’ve told her that while this is still smoking, it doesn’t contain all of the “bad things” real cigarettes do.