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Skyrim!
General | Posted 14 years agoYeah addicted, and also a werewolf already. *grins* Now I can go on vacation feeling like I accomplished something. ;)
Last stab at MFF
General | Posted 14 years agoAlright, I told my boss a couple of days ago that my trip has fallen through. I can still salvage the time off though, so that much isn't an issue.
I still haven't heard back from the IRS on that little $3,100 tax bill hanging over my head. I'm right, they're wrong, but I'll feel better about that if I have a letter in hand before I try to spend a bunch of money on something like a con.
If I shuffle my budget right I can make this trip still work and not bury myself in a credit card debt if I can split up room costs, so the question is does anyone have any leads on a room looking for one person. I'm supposed to be there Wed-Mon. I can pack an air mattress and pump in my luggage and I'll probably skip bringing a fursuit this year.
Leads have been cold so far and I'm just about out of time for passing off this Hyatt card to someone before the con hits.
I'd hit up the forums for a room, but really, I'm 34 not 21, I'm not so desperate to make this work that I'm going to go beating on doors looking for crash space. I got tired of taking vacations to sleep on the floor in a hotel a loooong time ago.
This would all be easier to take the jump on if someone would rent my friggin condo too...
I still haven't heard back from the IRS on that little $3,100 tax bill hanging over my head. I'm right, they're wrong, but I'll feel better about that if I have a letter in hand before I try to spend a bunch of money on something like a con.
If I shuffle my budget right I can make this trip still work and not bury myself in a credit card debt if I can split up room costs, so the question is does anyone have any leads on a room looking for one person. I'm supposed to be there Wed-Mon. I can pack an air mattress and pump in my luggage and I'll probably skip bringing a fursuit this year.
Leads have been cold so far and I'm just about out of time for passing off this Hyatt card to someone before the con hits.
I'd hit up the forums for a room, but really, I'm 34 not 21, I'm not so desperate to make this work that I'm going to go beating on doors looking for crash space. I got tired of taking vacations to sleep on the floor in a hotel a loooong time ago.
This would all be easier to take the jump on if someone would rent my friggin condo too...
Reap the benefits of my misfortune!
General | Posted 14 years agoSo, seeing as to how my MFF plans have pretty much gone to shit. I still have a $100 Hyatt gift card that I was going to use towards the room. Who's going that needs this thing since I sure as hell can't afford a vacation to use it on? I ought to sell it for like $75 to try and help pay for stuff or something, maybe give it away to someone that I really care about.
Only way I work it into my budget now is an 11th hour miracle room split kinda deal, and I'm just not expecting that to happen. :P
Only way I work it into my budget now is an 11th hour miracle room split kinda deal, and I'm just not expecting that to happen. :P
MFF again?
General | Posted 14 years agoAlright... I freaked out big time at the start of the weekend, which was entirely justified given the prospect of looking at a $4,000 hole in my budget overnight. In the aftermath, the electrical problem at the condo turned out to be nothing more than a bad outlet and not a blown breaker or fucked up wiring, so that was a non-issue expense wise and I had a productive weekend cleaning up the garage there in preparation of trying to get the 65 Stang up and running again. The IRS love letter was explained and apparently is a common issue for them. I sent in the paperwork for that and it *should* be a non-issue... so as such,
I'm still tentative for going to MFF. I mean hell the plane tickets are paid for already along with the con reg and I have a gift card for the Hyatt.. I'm kind of invested already in this. I'd feel a hell of lot more sure about it if I had the letter from the IRS saying they agree with the paperwork I sent in, but I won't hear back on that till just before the con.
I'd like to go, but I need to split off room costs better than I had planned before, let alone I don't want to be tied down to a reservation if I can avoid it since I might have to pull out yet.
Soooo the question is, who's available to room with that'll understand if things fall in all around me and I have to ditch? Anyone?
I'm still tentative for going to MFF. I mean hell the plane tickets are paid for already along with the con reg and I have a gift card for the Hyatt.. I'm kind of invested already in this. I'd feel a hell of lot more sure about it if I had the letter from the IRS saying they agree with the paperwork I sent in, but I won't hear back on that till just before the con.
I'd like to go, but I need to split off room costs better than I had planned before, let alone I don't want to be tied down to a reservation if I can avoid it since I might have to pull out yet.
Soooo the question is, who's available to room with that'll understand if things fall in all around me and I have to ditch? Anyone?
No MFF
General | Posted 14 years agoFuck life.
I'm pulling the plug on hoping for good things. Every turn is met by some bigger fucking pitfall, and I just can't keep smiling about it and pretending it doesn't bother me.
Apparently I've been audited. So yeah, not going to MFF, or FC or any other fucking con. Granted they're disputing the interest deduction on my mortgage which is horseshit and I should be able to prove everything is ok, but it's just the way it works. If I try to do anything fun or go on vacation life just utterly bitch slaps me back into place so screw it.
*Alright, I've read through this and I know exactly what they're doing to me. This is something my tax man warned me about. Because I co-own both properties, at the end of the year the tax return documents to show the interest paid comes in with the primary debtor's information on it (in this case mom). Her SS # is on the documents that support the return and not mine, so that cause it to be automatically flagged and now they're rejecting it. I have no idea if they're going to fuck me over on this or allow the deductions since I'm on the loan and I pay for everything.
My tax man was worried this might happen and had me get a couple of letters together from each bank to show this, and said that as long as I was claiming it on taxes I would be OK if mom didn't claim it. Since she didn't file, she didn't claim it, therefore I should be clear on this.
Still too jittery about things right now to say MFF is a go, not with this kind of crap hanging over me...
I'm pulling the plug on hoping for good things. Every turn is met by some bigger fucking pitfall, and I just can't keep smiling about it and pretending it doesn't bother me.
Apparently I've been audited. So yeah, not going to MFF, or FC or any other fucking con. Granted they're disputing the interest deduction on my mortgage which is horseshit and I should be able to prove everything is ok, but it's just the way it works. If I try to do anything fun or go on vacation life just utterly bitch slaps me back into place so screw it.
*Alright, I've read through this and I know exactly what they're doing to me. This is something my tax man warned me about. Because I co-own both properties, at the end of the year the tax return documents to show the interest paid comes in with the primary debtor's information on it (in this case mom). Her SS # is on the documents that support the return and not mine, so that cause it to be automatically flagged and now they're rejecting it. I have no idea if they're going to fuck me over on this or allow the deductions since I'm on the loan and I pay for everything.
My tax man was worried this might happen and had me get a couple of letters together from each bank to show this, and said that as long as I was claiming it on taxes I would be OK if mom didn't claim it. Since she didn't file, she didn't claim it, therefore I should be clear on this.
Still too jittery about things right now to say MFF is a go, not with this kind of crap hanging over me...
The wonder of Brony Week.
General | Posted 14 years agoBrony week on FA... I'd give this a thumbs up... but I don't seem to have thumbs anymore! :3
*BROHOOF!*
Denial is maaaaaagic!
(Yeah they got me too)
*BROHOOF!*
Denial is maaaaaagic!
(Yeah they got me too)
Returning Checks
General | Posted 14 years agoI hate fortune cookies.
Really I do.
It said I would handle adversity easily and it seems things have indeed worked out. >.>
I worked for a project on the coast that paid me per diem for a hotel which I pocketed by staying at the house and just driving into work every day. That covered the cost of the deer encounter. I also got refunds from a couple of bills that had overcharged me to the tune of about $300 between the two of them. Cap that off with me getting a commendation on my first project, which comes with a $100 reward certificate and suddenly things flipped the other way.
So without further ado, I'm flying out of SFO Wed the 16th and should be in Chicago around 5:30pm. I'll be flying home mid day Monday the 21st.
Fukin yeah. I'm going to MFF.
First time in over five years I do believe. I was still in my 20s the last time I was out that way... jeebus.
Two things: 1)There better be furry ice skating/hockey and 2) There better be rubberfurs and a party with such.
I guess I should turn up some roomies or something too for the con.
Really I do.
It said I would handle adversity easily and it seems things have indeed worked out. >.>
I worked for a project on the coast that paid me per diem for a hotel which I pocketed by staying at the house and just driving into work every day. That covered the cost of the deer encounter. I also got refunds from a couple of bills that had overcharged me to the tune of about $300 between the two of them. Cap that off with me getting a commendation on my first project, which comes with a $100 reward certificate and suddenly things flipped the other way.
So without further ado, I'm flying out of SFO Wed the 16th and should be in Chicago around 5:30pm. I'll be flying home mid day Monday the 21st.
Fukin yeah. I'm going to MFF.
First time in over five years I do believe. I was still in my 20s the last time I was out that way... jeebus.
Two things: 1)There better be furry ice skating/hockey and 2) There better be rubberfurs and a party with such.
I guess I should turn up some roomies or something too for the con.
Further thoughts on MFF.
General | Posted 14 years agoNah.
I know better. See the weekend went like this. On Friday I came home to the smell of something burning.... ah the power supply in my computer roasted itself ($-100)....
That's ok, drove down to the condo to do some repair work there, CalTrans is tearing up long stretches of I-5 for paving and one of the big trucks kicked up a shower of rocks. I didn't think much of it but the next day, mom noticed a huge crack in the windshield of her truck, which I borrowed while the Mazda is still stuck in the shop being repaired from the deer incident. (-$300 or so).
Meanwhile, at the condo I managed to get the bathtub masked off and scrubbed down to paint it with one of those restoration kits. I saw some black stuff by the tub though so I pulled the baseboards to check for mold. The wall pretty much crumbled there so I spent another -$50 at Home Depot to get supplies to fix it on yet another weekend trip that I wasn't planning to make.
So yeah, another weekend of suck. I can see the writing on the wall there. Vacations aren't allowed, so I'll stop thinking about taking any.
Have fun folks.
I know better. See the weekend went like this. On Friday I came home to the smell of something burning.... ah the power supply in my computer roasted itself ($-100)....
That's ok, drove down to the condo to do some repair work there, CalTrans is tearing up long stretches of I-5 for paving and one of the big trucks kicked up a shower of rocks. I didn't think much of it but the next day, mom noticed a huge crack in the windshield of her truck, which I borrowed while the Mazda is still stuck in the shop being repaired from the deer incident. (-$300 or so).
Meanwhile, at the condo I managed to get the bathtub masked off and scrubbed down to paint it with one of those restoration kits. I saw some black stuff by the tub though so I pulled the baseboards to check for mold. The wall pretty much crumbled there so I spent another -$50 at Home Depot to get supplies to fix it on yet another weekend trip that I wasn't planning to make.
So yeah, another weekend of suck. I can see the writing on the wall there. Vacations aren't allowed, so I'll stop thinking about taking any.
Have fun folks.
MFF contemplation
General | Posted 14 years agoSo... I'm feeling a mild urge to actually go to a con this year. I haven't been to MFF in... jeeze, six years probably. Is there anyone going that would be interested in splitting a room? I'm thinking of flying out there Wednesday and leaving Monday. Definitely doing the ice skating, other than that no real plans and no idea if I'll even bring a fursuit. For point of reference I haven't flown to a con since AC 2006, so yeah it's been a while.
Survived my week on the coast!
General | Posted 14 years agoMy work, at least for now, is done on the coast. Although they did ask me to come back and help more, but that'll be up to my supervisor. Either way that's the closest I've been to a nuke reactor, which is closer than I thought I'd ever get. >.>
Saw a few more deer during the week one of which jumped out in front of the truck I was behind. I decided to tuck in behind trucks when I could and let them plow the road for me. The strategy seems to have worked.
Also, picks of the damage from last week's encounter can be found here:
http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g52/CrosscheckFox/Mazda2/?action=view¤t=DeerMe1_110806.jpg
http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g52/CrosscheckFox/Mazda2/?action=view¤t=DeerMe2_110806.jpg
http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g52/CrosscheckFox/Mazda2/?action=view¤t=DeerMe3_110806.jpg
http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g52/CrosscheckFox/Mazda2/?action=view¤t=DeerMe4_110806.jpg
http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g52/CrosscheckFox/Mazda2/?action=view¤t=DeerMe5_110806.jpg
Geico gets to look at it this week and tell me how bad they think it is. Fortunately by avoiding a hotel last week, I should be able to funnel most of the per diem they paid me into the deductible for the car.
Saw a few more deer during the week one of which jumped out in front of the truck I was behind. I decided to tuck in behind trucks when I could and let them plow the road for me. The strategy seems to have worked.
Also, picks of the damage from last week's encounter can be found here:
http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g52/CrosscheckFox/Mazda2/?action=view¤t=DeerMe1_110806.jpg
http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g52/CrosscheckFox/Mazda2/?action=view¤t=DeerMe2_110806.jpg
http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g52/CrosscheckFox/Mazda2/?action=view¤t=DeerMe3_110806.jpg
http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g52/CrosscheckFox/Mazda2/?action=view¤t=DeerMe4_110806.jpg
http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g52/CrosscheckFox/Mazda2/?action=view¤t=DeerMe5_110806.jpg
Geico gets to look at it this week and tell me how bad they think it is. Fortunately by avoiding a hotel last week, I should be able to funnel most of the per diem they paid me into the deductible for the car.
Wish me luck...
General | Posted 14 years agoAs per what was originally scheduled. I have to drive out to the coast to work at a job site. Sooo that means I'm about to drive back to the house through the same mountains... If there's an upshot, it's that I know for a fact that same deer isn't going to jump out in front of me again...
I'm scheduled for the 17th to have the adjuster look at the damage. Just feeling numb to the whole thing like it couldn't have actually happened.
I'm scheduled for the 17th to have the adjuster look at the damage. Just feeling numb to the whole thing like it couldn't have actually happened.
Deer suck, people suck more.
General | Posted 14 years agoAs some of you know I sold my 2003 Cobra a few weeks ago. I flipped that money into paying off my 2011 Mazda 2, of which the title just arrived in the mail last weekend.
Last night at about 7:20pm, and 20 miles from my house a doe bolted out of the underbrush at full speed. I had no time to react other than to swerve and she got tossed off the road about 10 feet onto the shoulder. I have a few thousand in damages to the car for sure, but I'm ok physically. I managed to drive to town where I borrowed a crowbar to pull the fender back off the front tire.
Icing on the cake was that I went back to take a picture of the deer for insurance purposes and a couple of cars had pulled over with people standing around the deer. I tried to take a photo and sold big fat guy in suspender overalls says I'm un-fucking-belivable. Then he calls me a fucking asshole for trying to take the picture and stands in the way of the camera and then comes at me.
It's worth noting that NOBODY stopped to see if I was alright, but they'll stop for a dead deer on the side of the road and show compassion to it. So yeah, fuck people.
Last night at about 7:20pm, and 20 miles from my house a doe bolted out of the underbrush at full speed. I had no time to react other than to swerve and she got tossed off the road about 10 feet onto the shoulder. I have a few thousand in damages to the car for sure, but I'm ok physically. I managed to drive to town where I borrowed a crowbar to pull the fender back off the front tire.
Icing on the cake was that I went back to take a picture of the deer for insurance purposes and a couple of cars had pulled over with people standing around the deer. I tried to take a photo and sold big fat guy in suspender overalls says I'm un-fucking-belivable. Then he calls me a fucking asshole for trying to take the picture and stands in the way of the camera and then comes at me.
It's worth noting that NOBODY stopped to see if I was alright, but they'll stop for a dead deer on the side of the road and show compassion to it. So yeah, fuck people.
Having a movement!
General | Posted 14 years agoSo we're three weeks in and things are moving along pretty quick... hell I can't believe it's already been three weeks! First payday with the new job should be Friday. I sold the Cobra and paid off the Mazda, so I'm car payment free. Yes, that's part of the plan to make this work. I've been running up and down the valley the last couple of weeks working on repairs/improvements/cleanup at the condo. Not really much else going on aside from that.
I've already gotten sucked into a project at work doing some structure details and I'm doing my usual of shooting all kinds of holes in the sketches they're giving me to work from. Social life is no different because I just ignore the outside world already, so doing it somewhere else really doesn't change much!
I'm almost tempted to pick up one of the fuzzy projects again and finish one since it's been ... years since I did such. I wonder if I even remember how to build a suit anymore!
Yay random thoughts.
I've already gotten sucked into a project at work doing some structure details and I'm doing my usual of shooting all kinds of holes in the sketches they're giving me to work from. Social life is no different because I just ignore the outside world already, so doing it somewhere else really doesn't change much!
I'm almost tempted to pick up one of the fuzzy projects again and finish one since it's been ... years since I did such. I wonder if I even remember how to build a suit anymore!
Yay random thoughts.
Moving!
General | Posted 14 years agoWell I took the job up in northern CA so I need to move next month! First thing is I have my 03 Cobra up for sale on Craigslist.
http://sacramento.craigslist.org/ct.....447407291.html
I also will be looking to rent my condo out soon. It's a 2 bed/1 bath condo with shared garage space in the back of the building. I'm looking to rent it for $650/mo to someone I might know or trust to take care of the place. It'll be more pricey to outsiders.
http://sacramento.craigslist.org/ct.....447407291.html
I also will be looking to rent my condo out soon. It's a 2 bed/1 bath condo with shared garage space in the back of the building. I'm looking to rent it for $650/mo to someone I might know or trust to take care of the place. It'll be more pricey to outsiders.
Getting a raise!... just no idea from who yet.
General | Posted 14 years agoWell as some of you know, I decided recently to shop myself out to see if I couldn't force something within my current company or move on to greener pastures. Well it's a three way heat as the references I used for an interview I did expressed interest in bringing me on with them instead. The interview with the firm I would actually like to join went well and I should hear something within a week if they're going to make an offer to me. In the mean time, the guys I used for references just got into this fight by offering me a $2/hr raise. So now I have a number I can bargain with the other suitors for. My current company got wind of the interview and said compensation wasn't an issue, so I'll be putting that to the test, yeeeeaaaah. It's nice to be wanted!
Furries and the NHL
General | Posted 15 years agoOk... I had heard about the NHL Guardian Project... but the initial guardians to come out just seemed like your normal run of the mill comic superhero ideas... nothing special... then today I see the updates are out including.... these...
http://cdn.nhl.com/league/ext/guard.....shark-card.jpg
http://cdn.nhl.com/league/ext/guard.....ld-card-gc.jpg
http://cdn.nhl.com/league/ext/guard.....bruin-card.jpg
http://cdn.nhl.com/league/ext/guard.....dator-card.jpg
Holy.... arfing... OMG...
Comic book fan... hockey fan... and fuzzy things in spandex fan.... just... dear god...
Yes... I want them all as fursuits, not that I could afford it, but I dooooo. Starting with the shark. There's also 3D video teasers for each character by the way, just click on the pictures. There's one guardian for each of the 30 NHL teams... even if some of them are pretty lame.
http://cdn.nhl.com/league/ext/guard.....shark-card.jpg
http://cdn.nhl.com/league/ext/guard.....ld-card-gc.jpg
http://cdn.nhl.com/league/ext/guard.....bruin-card.jpg
http://cdn.nhl.com/league/ext/guard.....dator-card.jpg
Holy.... arfing... OMG...
Comic book fan... hockey fan... and fuzzy things in spandex fan.... just... dear god...
Yes... I want them all as fursuits, not that I could afford it, but I dooooo. Starting with the shark. There's also 3D video teasers for each character by the way, just click on the pictures. There's one guardian for each of the 30 NHL teams... even if some of them are pretty lame.
AC video done!
General | Posted 19 years agohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzqbHbqq2Zo
I just finished my AC 2006 video. Enjoy, and thanks to all the folks I saw at the con, especially the one's who hammed it up for the camera!
I just finished my AC 2006 video. Enjoy, and thanks to all the folks I saw at the con, especially the one's who hammed it up for the camera!
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