Thursday, April 19, 2007

Day Off

It's been two weeks since I've had a day off, and I've been working hard all day at my 'life' stuff in order to catch up.

Thankfully, Gracie let me sleep in today, after a short time up early this morning to feed her and the fish. Then I went back to sleep and slept until noon. I apparently was very tired.

My first stop today was to visit a new home community in south Dallas to see if I like the builder, the homes, and the neighborhood. I am feeling increased pressure (brought about purely by myself) to own a home. The quality homes in this neighborhood are upwards of $250,000. Fifteen miles south of here, they are half that. I like the location of the community, the floorplans, and got a general good feeling as I was driving around, looking at one of the model homes, and talking with the representative. We'll see how it all turns out. I've requested more information and will contact their in-house mortgage company next week.

I also went to the grocery store, did laundry (still doing it), and cleaned and cleaned and cleaned. I'm feeling rather good that I was so productive today.
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Tomorrow I see Wicked, the Musical. I listened to the CD during my drive to and from Michigan, so I am completely familiar with all the songs. I've found this makes me enjoy a performance a lot more than just walking in to see a show cold.

I am trying to remember all the musicals I've seen live:

Peter Pan
Gypsy
Les Miserables
Jesus Christ Superstar
Phantom of the Opera
The Scarlet Pimpernel
Bring in da Noise, Brink in da Funk
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Guys and Dolls
Fiddler on the Roof
Ragtime
Aida
Miss Saigon
Tick Tick Boom
The Secret Garden
Kiss Me Kate
Bye Bye Birdie
and if you want to count:
Dralion
O
Corteo
and another Cirque du Soleil show I saw in Cleveland and can't remember the name of...

I have countless more on CD and DVD.
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I still haven't had the opportunity to celebrate my birthday in any way. I've either been working or out of town or both. We'll do a family birthday party this coming Sunday, and perhaps I can catch up with my friends in a week or two. Oh well.
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Does anyone have an opinion on front-entry versus rear-entry homes? I grew up in a house with the garage on the front, so that seems perfectly normal to me, plus it gives a person a bigger backyard. But I also like how the front of the house and the yard looks with a rear-entry home. It's cleaner looking and has more opportunity for front landscaping. I don't know if I would spend a lot of time in the front yard, though, as I prefer to be solitary when at home. Perhaps I would like a bigger tiny backyard to garden and play in rather than a tinier tiny backyard. Any thoughts?

Seriously, I am open to all advice regarding home building, buying, caretaking, etc.

Load me up with comments.

9 comments:

CatBoy said...

I hope you have a good time seeing Wicked. (You've no idea how hard it is for me to not start singing the song Popular (or at least the parts I remember) right now.) I had the chance to see the world premier in SFO, but was feeling cash poor, so I didn't. That was dumb, I would liked to have met Kristin Chenoweth at the stage door.

*

I think front, side or rear entry are all fine, but like you I want the majority of my yard to be private, so unless it is an ample lot, you might be better to go with a traditonal front entry.

I would have to see floor plans to know whether I liked a house or not. As a kid, I used to read floorplans and blue-prints like some kids read comic books. In school when we were asked to draw a picture of a house or a building, I always drew a floorplan. I don't remember if they were to scale.

If you really want input, give me a link to the development and I'll tell you what I think are the best parts of the various plans.

One suggestion- no more than 3 bedrooms. One for you, one for an office (or whatever) and one for a guest room. NEVER have more than one guestroom and even then, make sure it isn't TOO comfortable.

Jenny Robin said...

Popular...I'll help you be popular.
I'll show you the proper poise when you talk to boys
Little ways to flirt and glance
ooh
I'll show you what shoes to wear
How to fix your hair
Everything that really counts to be popular

You're gonna be popular
You'll hang with the right cohorts
You'll be good at sports
Know the slang you've got to know
So let's start, cuz you've got an awfully long way to go.

Don't be offended by my frank analysis
Think of it as personality dialysis
Now that I've chosen to become a palace
Sister and advisor, there's nobody wiser
Not when it comes to popular

I know about popular
And with an assist from me to be who you'll be
Instead of dreary who you were, um, are
There's nothing that can stop you from becoming popular....larrrr.

John Potter and I sang this at the top of our lungs in the hotel bar each night last week while listening to it on his iPod.

Jenny Robin said...

Go to beazer.com
search Dallas, TX
Wheatland Meadows
Valencia floorplan--front entry
Winchester--rear entry

Those are the only two plans that I am willing to buy. The other plans are too large and too expensive.

CatBoy said...

First off, did you notice something odd in the Valencia plan? They show a solid wall (no door, no arch) between the foyer and bedrooms. It makes it look like you can only get to them from the garage. They need to fix that.

In the Winchester, I don't like the fact that you have to walk through your bathroom to get to the closet. That's inconvenient should you at some point share that room. But the bedroom itself is a good 75 sq. ft. bigger than in the Valencia and that may not sound like much, but really it is.

Moving on, I think the living space of the Winchester is nicer. I doubt that you need the separate dining room featured in the Valenica, and it just takes space away from the greatroom and kitchen.

Yeah, from the floorplan alone, I'd be going with the Winchester. You can stand at your sink and wash lettuce (for the Caesar salad you will someday make) while talking to your guests in the great room. When you are alone, you can do things in the kitchen and be able to see the TV in the greatroom, which is convenient.

I still am not sure how'd I'd like entering at the back (depending on how that affects the yard), but I like the plan.

CatBoy said...

PS. Just not as popular as . . . Meeee.

Jenny Robin said...

I noticed the solid wall on the Valencia plan and asked the sales rep about it on site. She told me there is an entry way/opening like the model home we were in.

You're right, they do need to fix that.

CatBoy said...

You see, I do know my floor plans; I'm not just eye candy.

Jenny Robin said...

Shaddup. You know you're a cutie.

schell said...

Res, My garage opens on the side, and I wanted it that way. I really prefer not to see the garage doors from the front of the house. It gives it a nicer, cleaner line, I think. But, really it's all personal preference.