Stress

You all know what I am talking about here. Stress ... that thing that ties your insides up in knots, or makes you nauseous, or unable to sleep, or puts you on edge. My life has been all about it the past few weeks. I seem to be stressed out constantly. Now, you may be wondering what I am doing about it. Well, the answer I had been giving to myself over the last few weeks. Working out/Aerobics is helping to alleviate my stress. Not thinking about it is helping as well. Well, in fact, it seems that it isn't helping. So, now I am resolving to sit back and breathe a few times per day in addition to the above methods. *sigh* I am not sure what else to do.

I have never been someone who dealt well with stressors in my life. I am still not that someone. I want to be that someone. I try to be that someone, but I never seem to succeed at it. So, I think the first thing to identify is what is causing me stress. So here is my list:

1. Time constraints

Schedule:
Saturday - Open House
Sunday - Open House
Monday - Laundry, Cleaning, Errands, Dinner out with friends
Tuesday - Work Out
Wednesday - Aerobics
Thursday - Dinner Out with friends
Friday - Dinner in Lansing for Patrick's dad's birthday
Saturday - Groceries, Open House, AFDS, Work out
Sunday - Open House

Yeah, I know most of my friends have busier schedules than that. I know Patrick does. I understand it...conceptually. But, as Patrick will no doubt confirm, I need 'down time'. Time to just sit and veg. I feel as though I last had some of that a few weeks back.


2. Selling the House

There is not much I can do about this. It will sell when it sells. But, if one more person at work tells me that we are heading for a 'burst in the real estate bubble'...I swear to God....Well, we will just leave that unsaid, otherwise I may be hauled off as a Terrorist Suspect...(See, I am trying humor...).


3. Building the new place

Okay, nothing I can do here either. They will finish it when they finish it. They could quit dicking me around on start dates though. If they actually followed through on what they told me, we would have basment walls already (and maybe some framing), instead of a field of dirt.


Things to alleviate stress

I have decided to make a list of things to do to reduce my stress...you can't always whine about it. You have to do something about it, right?

Ambercon - go, relax, enjoy
AFDS - See above
New Tara - See above
Genealogy trip to PA - Call Mom, and try to pin down a time
Continue Aerobics/Working out
Liz's B-day party
Watch some of the many DVD's we have downstairs. Have a downtime day on Monday????

Crow


What Is Your Animal Personality?
brought to you by Quizilla

Ambercon

I have registered for my games.....

Thanks for all of the GM Feedback...you know who you are....

My Land
Jarrodland

Ambercon Game Selection

I am getting ready to submit my game selections, and am looking for feedback on GM's prior to submitting them. So, if anyone can give me information on the following games and GM's, please do. Obviously, I know Kristen, Jack and James.... Are there any I should avoid? Any I missed based on description that people think are really good GM's?

Slot 1.
Amid the Ruins of Time - Randy Cox
Bed of Roses, Nest of Thorns - Simone Cooper & Kat Lemmer
The Enigma Society Revisited - John Schleick
Knights & Pawns - Kristen Gibbs

Slot 2.
Amber: The West Wing - J.P. Brannan
Fortune Favors the Bold - Sol Foster
A Midwinter Night's Dream - Jennifer Crice

Slot 3.
Clockwork Pattern - Dana Bayer
Exalted: Beyond the Burning Sea - Seth Blumberg
The New Gods - James Arnoldi
Nine Princes in Juniper - Jeremy Zimmerman

Slot 4.
One Her Majesty's Secret Service 4: The Man with the Golden Sword - J.P. Brannan
To 'Scape the Serpent's Tongue - Deb Atwood, Bridgette Ruggles
The Zelazny Affair - Jennifer Crice

Slot 5.
Ghosts of the Past - Paul Weiner
It's Crazy What You Could Have Had - Simone Cooper
Unto the Third Generation: Bad to Worse - DJ Quinn

Slot 6.
Beyond the FIelds that We Know - John Schleick, John Schippers & Joe Saul
The Black Unicorn: Redux - Anton North
Eat at Joe's - Jeremy Zimmerman
Morpheus Interrupted - James Arnoldi

Slot 7.
Emperors & Fools - Kristen Gibbs
One Uncle is Down the Well... - Dana Bayer
We Were Demons - Joe Saul

Slot 8.
Playing Favourites - DJ Quinn
To Live and Die in Texormai: For a Few Shadows More - Chris Kindred


So to sum it up...What do you think of the folowing GM's?

Randy Cox
Simone Cooper
Kat Lemmer
John Schleick
Kristen Gibbs
J.P. Brannan
Sol Foster
Jennifer Crice
Dana Bayer
Seth Blumberg
James Arnoldi
Jeremy Zimmerman
Deb Atwood
Bridgette Ruggles
Paul Weimer
DJ Quinn
John Schippers
Joe Saul
Anton North
Chris Kindred

Teeth

The teeth are cleaned and polished and scraped. 6 months until the next one.


House

We had open houses on Saturday and Sunday last weekend. We had 2 people come through on Saturday, and 4 or so on Sunday. We had a realtor call and make an appointment for Tuesday, and she brought some clients through then. So, overall, we are 5 days into FSBO (For Sale By Owner) and have had 7 people/couples tour the house. I am told that is a good number for so short a time. That is encouraging.


New House

We signed the paperwork last night for a mortgage for the house. It is 5 months until we are tentatively scheduled to close, but with rates as attractive as they are, we thought we should definitely get our mortgage now. So, we set up a floating rate loan. Basically, we have a rate of 5.75% right now for a 30 year fixed loan, which can float until closing time with a cap on how much it can float of .5%. This means the most our rate can be is 6.25% at closing. If rates drop, we will get the lower rate. It is a win/win situation for us I think. I am feeling much better just having that decided.


Gym

Kristen and I have been going to the gym on the weekend to hit the treadmill, and weights. We have been pretty good at doing this so far. We, along with Matthew, are also still taking the Step Aerobics class on Wednesday night. I seem to have pulled a muscle in my shoulder last night. (Yeah, I know...how do you pull a muscle in your shoulder in Step Aerobics???) Well, the short answer is: I don't know, but I seem to have managed.


Mortgage Information

So, I was curious how the war in Iraq might affect interest rates, so I ran a Google search. One article I thoguht summed it up nicely was this one.

Teeth

On the way to the dentist for my semi-annual cleaning. Wish me luck!

House

The house flyer is done. If anyone knows of good places to post it near them, please do. WARNING, it is a large file...about 9 megs.

House Word Document

Cold

It is COLD over here. The building is heated with a radiant heat system. The water pipes burst on the 7th floor last night. They thought they fixed it, and then restarted it to have it burst again. They had to shut down the entire heating system. It is not frigid yet, but it will be in another few hours if they don't get it fixed. It is starting to be cold enough that I now have a cold nose. Incidentally, I work on the 6th floor, so our floor and all lower floors have areas which were drenched with heating water, so not only is it cole. It is humid and smells bad. You would think we would be sent home.

House and more

So, we got all of our selections made on the house... Can I get a 'Hip-Hip-Hurrah?'!!!! I think we both feel better that it is behind us now. At least I know I feel better. We accomplished this on Saturday, betwixt gaming, and before dinner at 'La Fiesta Mexicana', which was fantastic and fun. The conversation at home after the fact was fun too. I got a bit tipsy, as did many people, but everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. A house down the street just went up for sale at the astonishing price of $194,500. Yeah, it has an extra 250 square feet and central air, but I was personally a bit surprised. Our house is still not up. It is beginning to drive me crazy, but I am remaining calm. Patrick is laying out the flyer and stuff, and he has been SO busy lately, that I know he hasn't had the time. Incidentally, we have set a price...$172,500. This is the full price of the house, but I figure we can negotiate with people. I have a belief that everything is negotiable. I also checked 30 year fixed rates today.... 5.75% at Standard Federal. God, I hope they hold there for a few months.

Moving

In preparation for the move, I have gone through my clothing, and set aside 5 trash bags worth of it, for charity. They are mostly clothes that I no longer wear, or no longer can wear. I got scared while doing this though when I found a sport jacket I got when I was 16. I have been moving that Damn jacket around for 15 years, and I think I may have worn it 2 or 3 times total. *sigh* Incidentally, I found my Acid-Wash Jean Jacket from the '80's. *ugh* I also have begun to collect boxes. In about 3 months, we will need to start packing stuff. I want the bulk of stuff packed at least 2 weeks prior to the move in July. I absolutely hate not being ready for things like this, so am always finished way early. I usually am eating off paper plates with plastic silverware the last week....

Busy

Do you ever feel like life has you by the tail, rather than the other way around? This week is a prime example of it. Monday, did laundry, cleaned up around the house, and in general just did nesting stuff. Tuesday, I made dinner for Patrick after work, and he was late getting home. I knew in advance, and help dinner, but it meant less together time. Patrick had to go back to work after dinner. Wednesday, Patrick got his haircut after work, and I had step class with Kristen and Matthew. I got home at 9:00 and saw the boyfriend for an hour before bed. Thursday, Patrick had an afterwork thingie with friends, and got home at 11:00. Friday, tonight, we have dinner plans with John and Sam. John was my college roommate, and sam was one of the first roommates in the house. Saturday, tomorrow, we have to meet with the builder at 10, get Patrick to POM by 12, show Kristen the basement floor plans, and get some ideas from her on possible layout of windows, and get the plans back to the builder by 5, Meet at 6:30 at 'La Fiesta Mexicana' to celebrate mine and Carla's birthdays, and then home for movies/games and what-not. Sunday, like the Lord, we rest. I am looking forward to Saturday, it will be fun, but honestly, I am really looking forward to a quiet Sunday...

which art movement are you?

this quiz was made by Caitlin

Proud Heart Bear, all your friends come to you for
advice. You have alot of self confidence and
love helping people.


Which Care Bear Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

I'll Never Tell....


Which Buffy Musical Song Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla


YAY! I got my favorite Buffy 'The Musical' song!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Music CD Class Action Settlement

Has everyone heard about this? If you bought a Cd, Tape, or Record (Unlikely) between January 1, 1995 and December 22, 2000, you are eligible to receive part of the settlement, up to $20 per person. I just signed up as a claimant.

Some websites for more information:

Article

Music CD Settlement Site

Health

Doctor's appointment yesterday for my allergies...

Blood Pressure: 120/78
Pulse: 88

Both are major improvements...