The Holtonian

The Deed is done

Well so its been a hectic 24 hours. Basically wifey and AK and copper went back to Chatty to take a bit of a break on the house hunt. Basically wifey was beat from three days strait of house hunting and toting the baby around ATL.

She went home and I stayed to continue looking with our realtor (and work of course). So me and the realtor went looking around and basically kept coming back to the same neighborhood, Vintage Vinnings. Its in the area we want, close to the Crabbs, close to a grocery store, about 20 minutes to downtown with no traffic, in an up and coming area, is a new home. Basically it was what we wanted.

IT was actually one of the first neighborhoods we had looked at, but for some reason we weren't thrilled about it. I think in some ways we felt we could do better. But as we look at what else was out there, we realized that what we want, was pretty much what Vintage was offering. New construction, with a community pool, in a safe and good area, near downtown, in cobb county, near the Crabbs, i mean it just sort of made sense.

Wifey had her heart set on another in an equally good area, a little more established though. The house was 6 years old and basically to me it had everything already done in it. Everything we would want to do it, was already done...which in some ways isn't very fun. It was also more expensive, and though we might have been able to talk them down, to me it made more sense to get the house that was already at the right price.

They pretty much have the same floor plan, though the one we got is actually a 5 bed 3 bath. A guest bed and full bath on the first floor. Nice big great room, a formal living/office/play room, a dinning room. The back yard isn't the greatest, but I think we'll make it work.

I am so excited about this house, real excited about the commute. Most excited about living in a good area close to a PUBLIX!!!! No more crappy bilo or walmart groceries for us. So pumped.

We got our closing costs covered and 5000 bucks in upgrades because we're closing in such a short time. So that's pretty nice. This weekend the wife and I will go and pick out what kind of carpet, paint, flooring, counters, and who knows what else we want. Its really cool.

GOD HAS BLESSED US SO MUCH!! And we are soo grateful and humbled. So hopefully our house will close all and fine, i think it will.

Head em up move em out

Well the great migration begins. We sold our house last Friday and close on it on the 26th of February, day after wifey's bday. Its been an insane week, we're frantically.... FRANTICALLY trying to find a home in ATL. We thought we had found one, but basically cost has come into play as we try to be wise with the money God has blessed us with.

Basically we've been house poor, we bought our first home because it was a great deal, not because we could afford it. So now as we look in a buyers market we're trying to not get into the temptation to buy more house than we could afford. I mean in some ways these houses could be great investments, but it would leave us cash strapped every month, and that's something that with kid, and more to come in the future that we just don't want to get into.

In some ways I guess Dave Ramsey has finally gotten to me. I've always been annoyed with people who were Ardent Ramsians, but there's wisdom there and I think buying a house that fits your needs, instead of one that is more than you can afford is important. There will always be homes out there that are great investments, and I think right now where we are it is smart to get one that fits our needs. We've had some cash flow the past few months with the new job, and its been real nice not having to worry too much about how to pay the bills so much.

We're looking in the Mableton area, in a lot of ways, because its Cobb county and its a good commute to down town. Basically you're provided several avenues to get into downtown. 75 if you have time, 20 if you leave before sunrise, or backroads which there are plenty of and just make sure you lock your car door.

Mableton is an up and coming area, basically folks are realizing its a good distance to and from downtown and new homes are sprining up like crazy. Its the south cobb drive area, and its got a good feel to it.

Since we're closing on the 26th though, we need to find a house pretty much this week so we can have 30 days to close. Its insane, we've looked the past two days and haven't found much we like. Wife's goin home with the baby to sort of take a break and I'm going to continue searching with our realtor hopefully today if she can squeeze in some time.

Then I also have this job to do... so its crazy trying to balance time. Luckily I got a laptop so i've been able to find hot spots here and there and work remotely. I'm in the office today, but yesterday I pulled some hours at panera.

The FIt is getting a lot of miles on it too, but hey that's what I got it for.

We feel very blessed that we sold the house though, and its important for us not to lose sight of that. We got what we wanted.... sometimes though I think we lose sight of the magnitude of what we want. We'll find something, or if push comes to shove we'll rent a few PODS and live in those.

If you want to help us move, call wifey and see if you can help us pack and keep the weekend of the 25 open as that's when we'll need some help.

Best Super Bowl Halftime Show

The Super Bowl is coming. I was reading a sports blog this morning that had some of the top superbowl halftimes... the best in my opinion is from the worst superbowl from a St. Louisan's perspective. I remember watching that game with agony at Covenant. For one everyone was rooting against me for some reason... even wifey... who at the time was just friendy, she was rooting for the Patriots.. probably because I had been rude to her or something (before we started dating in spring 2002 I was pretty much a jerk to her... long story).... so I guess she was right to root against me.

For one they actually looked like they were singing, heck if they were lip singing then they're amazing at it, way better than Ashley Simpson.

Not sure how I feel about Prince this year... He can put on a good show, but at the same time he's really weird.

24... wow

So 24 was beastily tonight... I'm using that word a lot more lately. If you didn't see it or last nights, Crabb, find it and watch it because this show was intense. I wish we had a real Jack Bauer... then maybe Iraq wouldn't be such a mess. Jack Bauer is my hero, that and Spiderman... but I'm not sure how effective Spidey would be in Iraq.

Bye bye Sentra

I sold the Sentra today for a cool 900 bucks cash. I asked for 1000, but when a guy comes to a meeting with 900 bucks in cool hard cash its hard to quiver over a 100 bucks. Plus after telling the guy all that was wrong with the car I felt getting 900 was fair. I mean the car runs great and everything, at least to my knowledge still works on it.

The guy who bought it operates a trash dumpster business. Basically you call him up 423-400-3870 and he brings a large dumpster to your location, then you have 3 days to fill it up for a $185. Seems reasonable. Anyway, glad to see the car go to someone who wants and needs it.

So tomorrow I'll head back to ATL to work. I'm driving in the morning strait there and I'll be honest that drive is a bear to get through. Its usually fine till I hit Wade Green Road, then it usually gets better once I pass 285. Hopefully I can get down there and work won't be beastily.

Movie Weekend

Well, we've watched Idiocracy, Syriana, and Ricky Bobby this weekend. I can honestly say I was disappointed with all of them.

Syriana I wasn't expecting much. Its the typical oscar type movie that has lots of political preachiness and generally is kind of boring. The movie was very hard to follow, especially when you try to keep the volume down so your baby can sleep. I can't for the life of me figure how Clooney got the best supportin oscar for it. He's barely in it. I realize I've beaten this drum before, but Cinderella Man was a way better movie in my opinion. And Paul Giamanti was WAAAAY better supportin actor that Clooney was in this one. This was probably like when Denzel won for Training Day instead of all the other movies he should have won for. Oscar's a joke anyway, its too subjective, its who people think should win, not who should win. Which granted there's no objective way to do it unless I do it, because I'm 100% objective all the time... like Fox News.

Anyway, syriana was ok, not bad, but just sort of feels like I've seen that movie a million times. Its a typical Geo-politcal convoluted movie with enough liberal preachiness to get an oscar nod.

Ricky Bobby I thought was not as funny as predicted as well. Granted I have friends who say things like, "THE FUNNIEST MOVIE EVER!!" So I obviously had high expectations. I found it kind of funny but I'm starting to think that comedy's such as this one really need to be seen in a theatre with lots of people. Two people on a couch can't get an accurate laugh track going. The last movie I fell out of my chair laughing so hard was Shaun of the Dead (i was by myself and had a few beers in me), and Old School. Old School was at the theater and when everyone is laughing it just makes a movie so much more enjoyable.

My favorite part of ricky bobby is the friendship between Ricky and Cal. "you wanna come over tonight?"
"Yeah sure, no wait you stole my wife and house, I'm still mad at you..."
"Come on man that was last week..."
"yeah you're right."

That part was hiliarious and reminds me of myself and my inability to hold a grudge.

We also watched a 24 season premiere last night. Wifey's new year's resolution was to start watching 24... its an easy resolution to keep. Everyone talks about it, and now I know why, it was a pretty cool intense little show. With actors that are movie caliber so kind of cool. I'll probably netflix the past few seasons after we move. Its a hard show though b/c you have to watch it every week. We knew it was time to start watching it when even my in laws were watching it.

Other than movies, we haven't really done much else this weekend. I'm trying to sell the sentra today to a guy who found it on craigs list. Hopefully he'll take it. Probably take the $$ and just pay off some of the Fit.

Idiocracy is Idiotic

I remember first hearing about "Idiocracy" a year ago or so when it was foretold that Mike Judge would finally make another movie. This movie would take place in the future where civilization has crumbled due to pop culture influences like Jerry Springer and America's Funniest Videos.

So that premise sounds pretty good eh? A good old social critique in the form of a comedy, starring Luke Wilson... right, sounds good eh?

It was awful. We watched it last night and the movie while making fun of our current society, by showing how we basically de-evolve into mindless hormonal children, basically glorified it at the sametime. Its hard for me to say the movie had a redeeming message as it says, true culture (literature, arts, etc) is important yet the movie itself is void of any virtuous culture. The funniest parts of the movie are the dumbest parts... so in essence while critiquing pop culture it portrays and embodies it too. Its kind of weird.

It also goes to show you that Luke Wilson really will do any movie that is offered to him.

Here's the plot: Joe (Luke Wilson) gets frozen and wakes up 500 years in the future (kind of like Futurama) but basically society has crumbled. The world is one big trash heep, no one does anything besides watching tv and going to starbucks (which in the future basically becomes a whorehouse... kind of funny if you think about it), and the number one movie at the box office is 90 minutes of a guys rear end... and thats it. Costco is pretty much the only store, Carls Jr (Hardees to us easterners) can have your kids taken away if you're a bad parent, basically gatorade has replaced all forms of water (thus a drought because plants are being watered by gatorade and thus they have all died), and the president is the WWF champion.

Its kind of funny to see how the world got in this situation in the movie. It shows two couples. Couple one are high powered work aholics with huge IQs who want to focus on their careers before settling down. Then 5 years later they don't think the markets right for kids. Then 5 years later they're both impotent.

Then there's the rednecks who are having a million and one kids and thus they are left to populate the earth. All science becomes commercialistic, instead of curing diseases scientists focus on better viagra and hair growth drugs.

So I mean the movie has some funny aspects but in comedy its a matter if you miss the mark by a little bit the joke is just killed. And in this one the joke is just killed before it can get off the ground... hence why it went strait to video. Basically it was just too dumb to be funny. Also I find Dax Sheperd to be very annoying.

Anna-Kate

I'm not sure what to say about this picture... its just so hysterical

COME ON ROCK, YOU CAN DO IT!

Went and saw the new Rocky movie with the Crabbarino last night. I must say we, being dorks, were both kind of really excited about this movie. I grew up LOVING the rocky movies. 1 and 2 pretty much are the same movie and they kind of go together. The tie in 1 and then Rock comes back to claim the title in the most dramatic fashion in 2. 3 was I think great as well, sort of a unique story that took three cultural icons of the 80s: Rocky, Hulk Hogan, and Mr T and had them all in the same movie, I mean that's great marketing. And the story pretty much held together. You had Mr. T as the Mike Tyson, jerk of a boxer and Rocky's gotta take em down.

Then there was 4… Rocky 4 is just one of those movies that to me is both cheesy but defines the Cold War. Its up there with Red Dawn, cheesy but so important and iconic to how pop culture was defined by the Cold War. "I will break you…" Drago… I mean that is a great opponent.

Rocky 5 was possibly the worst sequel ever made, I mean I really think Stallone felt bad for making people sit through it, thus his desire to make Rocky Balboa.

If you see this movie, you really have to suspend belief, I mean more than usual. A 60 year old boxing a young champ is hard to believe. But the movie captures the essence of the first one, adds a new angle with Rocky struggling with being a widow, and has a cool angle with the dad and son trying to rebuild their love and relationship. "Life's tough and its gonna come at you with every thing it has, and its gonna knock you down, but you gotta know if you have what it takes to get back up…." Some line like that, was in the movie and it was just kind of cool to see Rocky deliver some cool trite lines again.

Good montage… if rocky is good at anything it’s the montage. I need a montage. I wish I could have music play and I get fit in 10 minutes.

But the movie's overall point in Stallone's mind is to sort of redeem rocky and erase Rocky 5, which I think is respectable. It has him go out on top and in a way that's entertaining. Definitely worth Netflixing or a $2.50 Show.

1995 4door Nissan Setra For Sale $1,000 OBO

I'm selling my Nissan 4door sentra for a 1,000 bucks and if anyone is interested let me know, 423-505-5958. Its a stick, power windows and locks, cruise, 115K miles on it. Great for getting to and from down town. Good gas mileage.

Its Fit to be Square

My new year's resolution was to get more Fit...

So I did.

Yesterday went down to Pye Honda and picked out a Fit... well they had two so it was eaney or meany... miney and moe left town. The one I got was the same as the picture, color and style.

It was a hard decision, they had one sport and one base. The sport comes with alloy wheels, better stereo, a fin (spoiler to the lay person), keyless entry, cruise and floor mats.... and that’s about the only difference.

I had been pretty adamant about getting only a sport, but after contacting every Georgia and TN car dealer via phone I found that very few even had Fits, even fewer had Fit Sports, and every Fit Sport I found was white... and I'm not a fan of white. White doesn't hide dirt well... its white. So I knew I couldn't get a whitey. That and the dealers wouldn't budge on the price of the sport. I got them to come off $2000 on the base but they made me buy it yesterday and yesterday only.

So how's the car you ask? I love it. Its dorky looking, but I love it. Its big, roomy, the seats fold up. Yesterday I folded up the seats and put my propane tank in it to go get that refilled. It drives great and smooth and gets a great 38miles to the gallon highway, 32 I think in town. The stereo is nice, way better than what I had. Interior is basic, but it fits me, no pun intended. Auto locks and windows and cd and what not, but nothing flashy. The two things I wanted that it doesn't have are the alloy wheels and keyless. Alloy wheels can easily and probably cheaperly be added so not too concerned there. Keyless, can't unless I want to void my warranty, which I don't But I haven't had keyless on the sentra since 2000, so I'm not missing it. Cruise, I never used it on the sentra, never use the Accords so not really caring if it’s on there. I find when I use cruise on long drives I get the highway hypnosis really easy. If my foot is always on the pedal I pay attention to the road better.

It was a weird experience getting this car. I mean I felt good getting it, no real buyers regret. I mean I had a "is this the right move?" feeling but generally I felt like I was getting my money's worth with a Honda. Plus as I was "checking out" they said, "This is this... this is this... and this is your 7 year 100,000 mile warranty that covers everything in the car..."

I kind of asked, "Well I don't know if I want to pay for that."
He replied, "Well you kind of have to when you finance..."
Which, I kind of am like, "OK 7 years, 100K, that's pretty fantastic even if I'm paying for it"
We had the warranty on the Accord for a year or so before it expired and it was great. Anything wrong, they fixed it.

So, its pretty good little car. That being said... anyone want to buy a sentra?

Appreciating the Small things in life... again

As I drank my nice hot Sumatra blend coffee here this afternoon I stared out the window and just sort of took it all in.... I'm on the 20th floor of a high rise in down town Atlanta. I just sort of was taken aback by how amazing it is. A feeling of contentment came over me with my occupation and decision to take this job. Not because of the high rise or stature of the job, but from having prayed for so long for something and having kind of be given and exceeding my expectations. I mean I was not expecting Sumatra coffee that's for sure. More has been given, and in turn more is definitely expected. Not only from my new company but also from myself.

I think at my past job… well I know… that I had sort of been regarded as a goof off. I tried to synthesize my hard worker ideals with my goof off nature to be that guy who not only got things done, but did it in a way that was fun. But unfortunately I'd say the latter part of my personality was all people saw. I am naturally a happy go lucky guy and generally left that unrestrained at my old job.

With this new job I'm trying to hold back my "Happy Go Lucky" side a bit and let my hard worker personality do most of the talking. Maybe this is me maturing, or maybe I am just running out of material.

One thing that was enjoyable today: I got a number keypad USB thing. Petty and small I know. But Laptops don't have the number pads like a traditional keyboard does and when you work with spread sheets and such a numpad just makes things go so much faster. So I went to the tech department, asked for one, and got one… easy as pie.

Whereas at my old job, I was given a calculator to use for my work. Well the calculator I was given was a piece of junk. The add button never worked, most of the number pads had to be punched with your fist to work, and eventually it broke (the screen went all black). I went and asked for a new one but specified that I wanted a certain type… a type most of my other experienced co-workers had. I was told that particular brand was no longer available because it was too expensive and that I would get one just like I had. I kind of complained and said the brand didn't make calculators that worked (no one who had that brand was happy with it), but I was sort of told, "too bad."

That sort of inability or lack of desire to give employees the tools for the job was so frustrating. Imagine going to work for McDonalds to flip burgers and instead of a spatula they give you tiny little baby spoon.

From the coffee (my old company didn't provide coffee either) to the numpad, it’s the small things in life and at work that kind of make it more enjoyable. I try never to take the small things for granted, because the small things add up.