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Twenty-three is an exciting age
Thursday, 12:51 am
By Kate
Oct
14
2010
Since his graduation, the lad has lived here working as a beat reporter for the local news rag and as a cook at a local eatery while applying for every possible position under the sun and trying to decide if he wants to go back to graduate school and/or in which direction he wants to go to get the rest of his life started. This past Friday, things started hopping. He was summoned to New York City over the weekend, had a couple of interviews, arrived back home late last night, had to write and submit a news article today, and by tonight was accepted as an intern with MediaGlobal at United Nations Headquarters in New York where he will be trained to be a development and global issues writer/journalist with a focus on human rights and humanitarian issues. It’s an intensive six month stint and he starts on Tuesday. It’s one more notch in his belt toward wherever he is going...which, I have a feeling, is not, ultimately, going to be in the US. But that’s something to think about later. He is so excited he can hardly see straight.
So, for the next couple of days, we’ll be sorting his stuff out, figuring out what he needs to take and what he can leave behind. Since he will travel by mass transit, he’s limited to what he can carry. I’m not sure how he will manage the rest of what he needs. Well, he does have a very lovely girlfriend who lives a short commute over in Jersey and her parents loooove the lad. They have offered their minivan to the cause and he can also stay at their house for as long as he needs, while he’s getting himself sorted out.
He is negotiating with two of his former frat brothers over living space. They’ve offered him a rather spacious walk-in closet (no, really) with dimensions of about 6’x9’ for $350 per month in a really nice apartment in White Plains...with laundry facilities. He laughed initially. I said..."grab it. Laundry? In two months you’d kill for on-site laundry.” He can’t beat the price and it’s a place to hang his hat and rest his weary head at the end of the day. It’s for 6 months, no lease. Who could ask for more? They suggested that if he’d cook for them 4 nights a week, they’d knock off more rent. He is a good cook and they know this about him. They haven’t had a decent meal in weeks. Well, I have heard of unconventional living arrangements over the years, so this doesn’t sound all that bad to me. Especially that rent in New York City.
It’s going to be interesting. It’s going to be exciting. It’s going to be one heck of an amazing opportunity. And it almost makes me wish I was twenty-three again. Not quite, but...you know. It’s so much fun seeing them starting to spread their wings that you want to spread yours right along with them. I’m so pleased for and proud of him.
The new 'perfect' wedding gift....
Friday, 8:47 am
By Cyn
Sep
24
2010
Just read an article about Divorce Insurance. Darn, why didn’t I think of that! The insurance is designed to provide financial assistance
in the form of cash to cover the costs of a divorce, such as legal proceedings or setting up a new apartment or house. It is sold in “units of protection.” Each unit costs $15.99 per month and provides $1,250 in coverage. So, if you bought 10 units, your initial coverage would be $12,500. The company apparently adds a certain amount per year as long as the policy is in effect--out of the goodness of their hearts??
If you get divorced you have to send the company proof of your divorce and I suppose once your proof is accepted, you receive a sum of money back. There are safeguards in place to be sure people do not purchase the insurance while they are contemplating or in the process of getting a divorce (DUH) and a waiting period once you purchase the policy, but I read that if you pay an additional amount, you can cut the waiting period back a few months.
A long time ago, I used to refer to myself as “cynical cyn,” but I do not think I was ever so cynical that I would have considered divorce insurance was a good thing. There are people I know--some fairly new at the marriage thing and some who have been in for the long haul that probably could benefit from it, but.............. I suppose in the long run it is not much different from life insurance--you are either betting on living or now, betting on whether your marriage will last or not.
So, we all missed the boat on starting up a company like this.......maybe we can get in on the gift certificate business. Perfect wedding gift--divorce insurance!!
Anyone have any thoughts??
Ciao’
Oh come on...
Thursday, 1:04 pm
By Kate
Sep
23
2010
Ethical much? I suppose it’s a fine line since I lifted an Edward Gorey image and created the darned thing to use as an avatar on Goodreads and Kindle Boards and as a much larger screen saver on my Kindle, but geez, at least I don’t have the brass to try profiting from stolen property squared. I want a commission. Well, okay, maybe not.
The Gauntlet has been thrown down
Saturday, 11:37 am
By Kate
Sep
11
2010
Oh.My.God. A neighbor across the street just installed two Tea Party candidates’ signs in her front lawn. Where I can’t miss them whenever I walk out my front door. I knew there was something off about her. I hate those signs. I hate them with a rich, deep, and abiding passion. If I wasn’t the person I am, I would rip them out of the ground some dark foggy night. But, I’m fair minded. Kind of. I believe, however, the answer to this is two signs for Democrats in my front yard. The Democratiest Democrats that I can find.
Hawaii!!
Saturday, 4:51 pm
By Cyn
Aug
21
2010
OK, so been here a week and a half and today is partly cloudy with some light showers, first time! Usually it rains through the night and is gorgeous all day. But I am not complaining--somehow a rainy-ish day here is not like one in New England, it really is not a factor at all unless it is torrential! So I just might postpone my daily swim at Kailua Beach until later.
After all of our trips here, we pretty much have it down to a science Our first day here, Joe joins a gym for a month (yeah he is one of THOSE types), this year it is 24 hour FItness. On the days he goes to the gym, he drops me off at Kailua Beach--me, my boogie board and my books (life is VERY good), when he finishes whatever he does, he comes and joins me for an hour, back to the house, shower, change and off. If it is not a gym day, then we go early to sightsee, explore new places and revisit all of our favorites. Already made one trip out to the North Shore, will hit it one more time before we leave.
A hike in the Waimea Valley is on the schedule next week, along with a tour of the Macademia Nut Farm. We have been there at least 4 times--in fact we took our friends who live here to it!!--but never took the tour cause we were never there on the right day, so we are determined to do it.
Spent yesterday at the Blaisdell (sp) Center in Honolulu at an “All things Hawaiian” show (Steve, if you are reading this, I would recommend it, it was terrific, lots and lots of samples of foods etc to try - and lots of made in Hawaii products. We were there, along with another college friend of mine Marcia for over 4 hours. Then off to Waikiki Beach, watched the sunset - spectacular as always, and dinner at one of our favorites.
Did I mention I could get real used to this?? My body is totally on Hawaiian time right now, I so do not want to go back to NE. Love swimming every day, being able to stay in the water for hours without freezing to death! Not too many negatives to living here, other than the cost of real estate and food.
Went shopping for ingredients for a dinner I made last week, plus some extras and the bill was close to what I spend a week at home. Food is HIGH! But you do not pay heat and a lot of other things we pay for on the mainland so I think it is a wash.
Taking everyone out for Mexican food tonight, so should be fun!
OK, just thought I should post something. More when we return to work, home and reality!!
Ciao’