(no subject)

I ran into my contractor drinking beer and smoking in the place tonight, and went over where things are (neither of us expected to see the other). I'm a month and change from moving in, more if things don't go right.

I'm beer #2 into being alone tonight so I think I'll fill this in later.

It's later. I still don't feel like writing.
AM - coffee in hand, not sure how I'm going to do a late day at work, major lift day in the gym, and make it to the ANC meeting in my neighborhood.

Last night I stopped by the house and Jordan was there, smoking and drinking beer with the architect. Sometimes I remember he's kinda hot, even if I'm "working," even if I'm not actually interested. Mostly I talk to him about work and just kinda like him - he's sort of a hard-working, down to earth, but free spirited guy. A have a beer with guy. Other times I'm like "Rawr, wow. Scruffy hot."

A different city inspector identified different issues not identified by the last one, leading to major delays. The contractor plans to pull permits this coming Mon, hope for inspection Wed or Thur. If we pass inspection, probably a month and change away from having a home upstairs I could move into. That's with construction still going on. That's what...mid October? Halloween?
(and it seems like more than before the upstairs and downstairs will be around the same time, though the downstairs (basement) still after the top)
One issue with inspection was the permit for removing and replacing may not have covered the addition of the master bath; Jordan noted "That's my fault." I like that he says that.

Underpinning: around $6500 There is more underpinning needed, and he agrees with that. Our test pits were generally along corners - however the front and back walls will need more support AND my entire porch, made of concrete, really needs a strong foundation.
Downstairs hvac: 2 separate units, ceiling mounted, $2800 total (I had planned on ducts at $10,000; this plan works for me). The ceiling mounted should be as invisible as registers in the ceiling - accessible for maintenance etc.
Cat 5 / ethernet - slight increase based on materials (I am somewhat baffled by that).
Bathroom vents - move to over mirrors. They won't be moved, in fact NOTHING will be moved prior to inspection because unlike before they want drawings on everything rather than just inspecting whether it is up to code on sight. That's a lot of the hangup.

Floor - putting the good stuff I bought from 2nd chance on the bottom floor, less good on the top, also if we need to use any junky stuff it'll go in closets if possible. The flooring I bought is good overall, some cut pieces but not too many (looks like enough tongue and groove remains), finish on good stuff / main floor probably mostly ok as-is with minor treatment, but with enough variation to look good.
Flooring upstairs - Stuff for upstairs "balding" (sanded down past the finish and stain) to just start from scratch. Longest pieces for the hallway as the longest part. Worst for closets.

Kitchen lights - agreed lights on one side are perhaps too far from the wall, easy to move and no rush (again, after inspection).

Living room speaker wire? Something I didn't bring up , was thinking of running speaker wire...could put in ceiling for ceiling speakers or just to make surround sound easier

Basement -
Utility room will be "elevated" (higher slab) (due to fact if we didn't they were going to ask for a lot more underpinning) I agreed to this, because the height of the ceiling in the utility room doesn't matter.
Back door - probably a change order / additional cost to get a partial or mostly glass door for light, yet something obviously secure enough to prevent breakin from a place that will not be occupied.

Kitchen sink "window" - NOT A DOOR into the unit, confirmed. Where the door is now will just go into a utility room, will let light in, but inside will be a NONFUNCTIONAL window like thing, plexiglass, for light only. No door through L shaped kitchen.
Transom kitchen? Great idea to run transom (ceiling level) window/glass over kitchen cabinets, back up with LED light to simulate daylight at night. Sure!
Gates/iron: reminding myself to have security gates in basement, cost involved. Concept is tiny unarmed female tenant would feel safe.
Might make sense to do rolling island - room will be huge.

For some reason I kind of want to go get mildly drunk in my shell of a house. I do currently have a working frig, but only an outhouse on the lawn. I am a boy though, immune to the dangers of sitting in public places...

Fucking hippies / jewish cult?

The hippies converged on another community meeting last night. It's funny how the same people a) complain about taxes being high, and b) ask the city to give housing to people who can't afford the prices of housing in our area. The price tag for bringing the property to it's current plan is 18-20 mil of taxpayer dollars from the city. I cringe as I kind of know these hippies from my subculture bouncing, and...they're not bad people, but in their version of a fair world they get to live wherever they want without regard to their income, chosen career, investment in the future - everyone gets the same thing whether they work or not. You know, fair. From the eyes of a small child.

Last night they clapped whenever one of them said something vague "We need less taxes, and more housing for people making less than 30,000" and of course snapped like slam poets. A few were notably pissed when I snapped for people advocating my position - they didn't like me doing the poet-snap, which made it more fun.

If they get their way I want a giant stone house from the 1800s in Georgetown near the metro for $500 monthly and no taxes.

One figure who always shows up is a hairy jewish mother. I'm more annoyed with her today as I involuntarily saw her crotch last night. She always comes with her kids, sometimes her hairy husband, and she never shushes them or removes them for making noise - she's incredibly rude. Every meeting I've been to has had some parts I missed due to their noise and disruption - they let them talk, sing, play with toys, walk up to and touch strangers...each and every time, she ignores all looks and direct requests to keep it down. Last night she let her child play with a metal water bottle on the floor, and when the child decided to waddle up to the front she just helped it walk to the front of the room. She sat down with the kid when it grabbed some people (I think she either knew them as they were younger jewish kids with the homeless advocacy group) and that's when I got the unfortunate upskirt complete with teal undergarments to go with her hairy legs. It was Private Ryan horror and no staring at the ceiling or speaker would make it go away.

But the hippies are killing me - I know these kids. They're idealistic yet incredibly selfish. They have countless spare hours - probably mock people who do not take hours of their day to ride public transportation, when the real poor here need cars to get to and from working multiple jobs (in part due to time). They have some signs of poverty like cute 2nd hand clothes and their general unwashed style (sandals are mandatory), but all have ink, piercings, dyed and expensively styled hair, and of course iphones (without fucking fail). They're all fresh out of college or active paid interns on their social causes - showing their well funded parental roots.

I have called others NIMBY but also sympathized as I've seen areas around homeless shelters. I could imagine not wanting that near me. These kids keep saying people who work in Target or Giant should be able to live in this neighborhood, but then quickly note that is their income level. They say "I have lived in the city" a tacit admission they don't live here, then they say they want to live here...right here. So they're asking for taxpayer dollars to allow them to move into a neighborhood they can't afford.

I think their version of fair is "everyone gets the same thing," regardless of if you worked for it, of chosen major or education level, of investment in the future, single or making children...it's that short-sighted mentality of seeing people with stuff and thinking everyone should have it. Bake your own damn cookies.

I wonder if their solution to fighting the crisis of high housing prices is to remove private ownership rights? Do they want to force me to charge the rent they'd like to pay? Prevent me from buying or selling a house?