Resolutions for a new year of my life

[ClaireTalon]

Since the latest year of my life started the day before yesterday, I guess I have to put my resolutions somewhere, so that I'll be reminded of them when they are threatened by oblivion.

1. Grow up and get a house. My life has played in small housings so far, trailers, BOQ rooms, small apartments. For my off year, right after my retirement, I had rented a stone farm house in Virginia, furnished and ready to be lived in, and liked it. Now I'm searching for one again, a bit tired of my 3-room apartment. But I'm not yet willing to forfeit my roof pool yet.
2. Get behind the stick more often. I've been behind the controls of a plane less often as I wish I'd been after retirement. But a rather stressful job, and too many other activities make it difficult for me to observe the application of my engineering skills first hand in a cockpit.
3. Get in touch with aviation history. Another resolution I'll not so easily forget, I have a trip to Europe booked in summer, together with a new friend, and get my butt into a training course (private) for a L-1049. Not to forget the solo on a restored warbird.
4. Blow the dust off my surf board. And use it more often! The last time I've had a decent surfing must have been last year in July, another thing I plan to do more often. I guess that's the curse of multi-activity persons like me, we have so many activities we can't pursue them all equally.
5. Read better stuff. This year it is official, I want to read more classic literature. Talk about Graham Greene, Steinbeck, Hemingway, for starters. Right now, I'm a strict fan of the bestseller lists of NYT, WP and all their names. Or should I join a Book Club?

Remind me and give my head a biff when I'm about to forget!

 

[SpeedoGuy]

1. Grow up and get a house. A worthy goal. I enjoy the heck out of owning a home after my vagabond-like youth. But keep in mind that homeownership requires bucketloads of money and time for landscaping, upkeep, insurance and everything.

2. Get behind the stick more often. See item 1 above.

3. Get in touch with aviation history. I love going to summertime airshows and touring the vintage static displays and such. Soloing a restored warbird? Now that rocks!

4. Blow the dust off my surf board. Same thing I keep telling myself about my mountain bike. See item 1 above.

5. Read better stuff. Another worthy goal. I'll be interested to hear your reactions to the classics you listed. I'm cheap so I just get books on loan from the local library.

 

[Matthew]

And don't forget there's more than one "list" of classic literature ... 3 of my favorite brilliant classic authors: Dostoyevsky, Toni Morrison, Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

 

[Rikter8]

Purchasing a home is one of the biggest investments that you will make in your life. It's worth every penny - if in a good area.

I'm very glad I ditched Renting, and purchased a small starter home.
My rent went up to $720 a month for my 2 bedroom apartment.
I said screw that, and bought a 3 bedroom ranch, 2 car garage, full basement, fireplace, etc etc all the amenities for under $650/mo (Minus the taxes and insurance).

I'm growing Equity, live in a great neighborhood, and things are pretty good.
For example, I bought my house at a low price as it was an estate - and right off the bat, got an equity loan because the house was worth $40,000 more than what I bought it for. That's $40K that I can use for emergencies, repairs, updates, etc.

Yes, Money is tight for new home owners - but its a sacrifice that will pay off big down the road.

Remember - Location is KEY!!, Start out smaller, and build your way up.
Traditionally stick-built homes are your best bet for resale value. (At least in MI).

It's Nice to be able to come home to your apartment..

But it's Better to Come HOME!

 

[ceg1526]

Claire:

A few comments (what else do you expect from putting resolutions on here?):

1. Grow up and get a house. First, grow old, but never grow up. Second, there's no reason to get a house if you think it's something you should do, rather than something you want. I wouldn't trade my house (I like my garden and being rooted in my community). On the flip, I had a couple of friends from college that bought a plane rather than get married and buy a house. They're still together and still flying, and I think they finally bought a house.
2. Get behind the stick more often. See above. If flying is more important than mowing the lawn, go fly.
3. Get in touch with aviation history, and Blow the dust off my surf board. Combine the two and go to Kitty Hawk <G>.
4. Read better stuff. Read what you like. I loved Steinbeck, but even he wrote some trash, as did Hemingway. I get ideas off Amazon.com's recommendations list. Try Blink or Freakonomics.

Good luck in "retirement."

Take care

Ceg

 

[ClaireTalon]

I am not "retiring", the main reason for moving to a house is that I have purchased a second car, and my landlord doesn't want to assign me more parking space. There are only single garages around my apartment house, and the rule is one per car holder, and mine is already taken. I don't want to park the Mustang outside, I'd never forgive myself having made it easy for thieves.

Also, I really want to try this more often and have sex on the stairs, which is just a lot more comfortable when they aren't stone (hard, cold) and any neighbor can walk out on you taking a fucking up the stairs.

The thing is, people always think you're cool when you tell them that you've always lived in rooms rented, or assigned to you, have hardly had own furniture, and the only things you had to take with you could be taken into a few boxes. Vagabond life, a little like from a Kerouac, or Coupland novel. But Rikter said it nicely, it's great to come HOME. Then again, I'm terribly afraid of becoming another victim of suburbia...

Matthew, thanks a lot for your literature tips! But remember, I'm only starting. Actually, there are great novels out there, I'm a sucker for thrillers. I've never wanted to try some "serious" stuff because I was afraid of being bored by it, too much allusions, artsy playful things in them for me to catch. Maybe I should really try to start by loaning from the library, won't be so costly.

 

[Ethyl]

Happy belated birthday, Claire!

Book clubs can be a great way to discover new authors and meet interesting people (if you find the right one). I just finished "The Historian" from Elizabeth Kostova. Makes me want to go to Instanbul, Bulgaria, Romania . . .

 

[GoneA]

And don't forget there's more than one "list" of classic literature ... 3 of my favorite brilliant classic authors: Dostoyevsky, Toni Morrison, Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

D-I-T-T-O