Back on the East Coast

[DPietz]

The log-in tag said it has been almost a year since I last logged into the community. Has it truly been so long?

The stars seem to have moved again and I find myself turning again to some old familiar places.

My job has finally freed me from the Rocky Mountains and has returned me to the home of my childhood, well almost. My new home in Harrisburg, PA isn’t that far from my home in Northern VA.

It has only taken 10 years to return. I find a lot has changed. Leesburg is no longer the sleepy little town I recall, Eve Con is no more, Ren Fest has its own support group, BlueBlood is now a pay site, and many friends have vanished into the background.

I trust, however that they still run in the same circles.

Maria, Gelf, and Maggie, should you hear of me and my return drop me a line and let me know what has happened in the past decade.

[malcolm]

dude,wtf? was there like an invasion of children's cough syrup monsters or something today?

[karyn]

The log-in tag said it has been almost a year since I last logged into the community. Has it truly been so long?

The stars seem to have moved again and I find myself turning again to some old familiar places.

My job has finally freed me from the Rocky Mountains and has returned me to the home of my childhood, well almost. My new home in Harrisburg, PA isn’t that far from my home in Northern VA.

It has only taken 10 years to return. I find a lot has changed. Leesburg is no longer the sleepy little town I recall, Eve Con is no more, Ren Fest has its own support group, BlueBlood is now a pay site, and many friends have vanished into the background.

I trust, however that they still run in the same circles.

Maria, Gelf, and Maggie, should you hear of me and my return drop me a line and let me know what has happened in the past decade.

i enjoyed your posts. welcome back. what is harrisburg like?

[karyn]

dude,wtf? was there like an invasion of children's cough syrup monsters or something today?

maybe in your medicine cabinet

[DPietz]

From what I have seen of Harrisburg, it is a large cold warehouse with pallets of pails holding various versions of polyurethane. The sky is lit with florescent lights. In one small corner is a smaller office where the fluorescents have brunt out and the desk is always buried under stack of paper and the phone rings constantly. The voices on the phone are always mad about something.

There is also a maze like freeway ramp with signs that point in no particular direction. Cars travel at twice the speed limit and change lanes without thought.

There is another small room with a hard bed, old TV and a small lamp. I seem to spend a lot of time there too.

On occasion I find places where they bring me food when I wave a little plastic card at them. I send the slips of paper they give me to an office in Cleveland with the hopes that something called a ‘paycheck’ will be credited. I have never seen this ‘paycheck’. My wife could have an offshore account and I would never know.

My rental car is arrest-me-red and much too powerful for commuting and it’s a shame not to push it up past the century mark. The radio only plays christen talk or country. I hit the scan button a lot and drive in idle.

There are lots of homes for sale, but we can’t seem to close on any of them. There area lots of really small apartments that we would need to rent 3 to fit the needs of our family. The family, by the way, is still in Utah. I get guilt updates periodically about how the kids miss daddy.

So that, is Harrisburg.

[Amelia G]

From what I have seen of Harrisburg, it is a large cold warehouse with pallets of pails holding various versions of polyurethane. The sky is lit with florescent lights. In one small corner is a smaller office where the fluorescents have brunt out and the desk is always buried under stack of paper and the phone rings constantly. The voices on the phone are always mad about something.

There is also a maze like freeway ramp with signs that point in no particular direction. Cars travel at twice the speed limit and change lanes without thought.

There is another small room with a hard bed, old TV and a small lamp. I seem to spend a lot of time there too.

On occasion I find places where they bring me food when I wave a little plastic card at them. I send the slips of paper they give me to an office in Cleveland with the hopes that something called a ‘paycheck’ will be credited. I have never seen this ‘paycheck’. My wife could have an offshore account and I would never know.

My rental car is arrest-me-red and much too powerful for commuting and it’s a shame not to push it up past the century mark. The radio only plays christen talk or country. I hit the scan button a lot and drive in idle.

There are lots of homes for sale, but we can’t seem to close on any of them. There area lots of really small apartments that we would need to rent 3 to fit the needs of our family. The family, by the way, is still in Utah. I get guilt updates periodically about how the kids miss daddy.

So that, is Harrisburg.

I've been looking with interest at a bunch of East Coast locations ever since California real estate went so bonkers. I really need to get commercial space and a house distinct from one another. It is such a pain having people work remotely too when little things go wrong like a computer prob or whatever and meetings etc. What have you found difficult about closing? A few people have mentioned that to me, but most don't seem to get what the holdup is.

I think that it is always wise to speed while listening to country music (disclaimer: I am not an attorney and own more than one Garth Brooks CD)

[DPietz]

I've been looking with interest at a bunch of East Coast locations ever since California real estate went so bonkers. I really need to get commercial space and a house distinct from one another. It is such a pain having people work remotely too when little things go wrong like a computer prob or whatever and meetings etc. What have you found difficult about closing? A few people have mentioned that to me, but most don't seem to get what the holdup is.

I think that it is always wise to speed while listening to country music (disclaimer: I am not an attorney and own more than one Garth Brooks CD)

This first house we found, via internet, was sold 30 minutes before I could get in touch with our real estate agent. The second house we fell in love with is bank owned by Wells Fargo. (we despise them for good reason) They will not accept our current pre-approved loan and refuse to provide us with a loan that matches the terms we currently have. And since it is bank owned we either have to use them or make a cash offer. Since the move was very fast. (72 hours from offer to move) we are not in a position to make any cash offers. So we are currently on house number 3. After going over our pre-approval I noticed that some of the financial paperwork that they need me to document are impossible due to the fact that the agent can’t do simple math.He took my salary and divided by 12 to get a monthly income. Problem is that is that I get paid bi-weekly. Therefore I get an extra check every 6 months but my monthly income is less than 1/12th of my salary. I can't prove a monthly income above what I actually make. I am foreseeing it falling through. Fortunately I have a rental back up. But the house is TOO DAMN NICE to pass up. even with all the work that has to be done.
early 1900's with 2.5 levels, full basement. 7 bed rooms 3 full bath and a 4th roughed in. for less than $100,00.

[Amelia G]

This first house we found, via internet, was sold 30 minutes before I could get in touch with our real estate agent. The second house we fell in love with is bank owned by Wells Fargo. (we despise them for good reason) They will not accept our current pre-approved loan and refuse to provide us with a loan that matches the terms we currently have. And since it is bank owned we either have to use them or make a cash offer. Since the move was very fast. (72 hours from offer to move) we are not in a position to make any cash offers. So we are currently on house number 3. After going over our pre-approval I noticed that some of the financial paperwork that they need me to document are impossible due to the fact that the agent can’t do simple math.He took my salary and divided by 12 to get a monthly income. Problem is that is that I get paid bi-weekly. Therefore I get an extra check every 6 months but my monthly income is less than 1/12th of my salary. I can't prove a monthly income above what I actually make. I am foreseeing it falling through. Fortunately I have a rental back up. But the house is TOO DAMN NICE to pass up. even with all the work that has to be done.
early 1900's with 2.5 levels, full basement. 7 bed rooms 3 full bath and a 4th roughed in. for less than $100,00.

Did you say SEVEN BEDROOMS for under a hundred k? Holy fuck. I'm moving to Harrisburg.

[HempKnight]

Did you say SEVEN BEDROOMS for under a hundred k? Holy fuck. I'm moving to Harrisburg.

Hell yeah, this West Coast living ain't fucking cheap by
no means... I got my first house just outside Detroit,
6 bedroom, 3 stall garage w/ attached workshop, 1/2 finished
basement, 2 full bathrooms with 2 half bathrooms, gourmet
kitchen all marble countertops on 2 1/2 lots

(Big enough to shoot archery targets in the backyard...
it was the right neighbourhood to do it in since Deadly
Teddy Nugent was my closest neighbour) not to mention
I turned the unfinished half of the basement into a small
arms pistol range.

It was only $151k... cash.

Hard pressed to find a one bedroom crackerbox around
these parts for the same kind of loot, especially when
most everything in the 'slumming' price range is $350k.

[Amelia G]

Hell yeah, this West Coast living ain't fucking cheap by
no means... I got my first house just outside Detroit,
6 bedroom, 3 stall garage w/ attached workshop, 1/2 finished
basement, 2 full bathrooms with 2 half bathrooms, gourmet
kitchen all marble countertops on 2 1/2 lots

(Big enough to shoot archery targets in the backyard...
it was the right neighbourhood to do it in since Deadly
Teddy Nugent was my closest neighbour) not to mention
I turned the unfinished half of the basement into a small
arms pistol range.

It was only $151k... cash.

Hard pressed to find a one bedroom crackerbox around
these parts for the same kind of loot, especially when
most everything in the 'slumming' price range is $350k.

See, I'm thinking I can work on the internet from anywhere. I can write anywhere. And, although Los Angeles is convenient for shooting, it is more inspiring to shoot people in a variety of locales anyway and I love to travel. Detroit, huh? Would I like Detroit?

[DPietz]

Did you say SEVEN BEDROOMS for under a hundred k? Holy fuck. I'm moving to Harrisburg.

Well it DOES need a ton of work. For example there is no ceiling in the kitchen. The previous owners were half way through renovating when they lost it. Good news is all the pipes and wires are exposed to make our work easier.

We will have a 3rd floor that we won't even use. 2 bedrooms, 1 full bath and 2 cedar walk in closets, All yours Amelia if you want to help with closing costs...

[Morning Glory]

right now mine says my last visit was 4 weeks ago, even though I think I posted last week. before that it said like october 17th from that point up till today.

[HempKnight]

See, I'm thinking I can work on the internet from anywhere. I can write anywhere. And, although Los Angeles is convenient for shooting, it is more inspiring to shoot people in a variety of locales anyway and I love to travel. Detroit, huh? Would I like Detroit?

Yeah, I could see you shakin' up Motown and the Big
Mitten... it'd be a rockin' location as far as being close
to central US... other than like Nashville or around them
parts (couldn't really see you in BFE, Kansas).

But most definitely can certainly see you with a crib in
Walled Lake or Royal Oak (unless things have REALLY
changed a fuckton since I've been gone) plus you'd be
just across the lake from the fabulous night life of the
ever wonderful Toronto... not to mention short skip around
the corner to Chicago or NYC or Nashville (if road trips are
your thing). Also wouldn't be but a stone's throw from that
Funkatron character too.

And the most special part... SEASONS... other than rain
or shine

[Amelia G]

Yeah, I could see you shakin' up Motown and the Big
Mitten... it'd be a rockin' location as far as being close
to central US... other than like Nashville or around them
parts (couldn't really see you in BFE, Kansas).

But most definitely can certainly see you with a crib in
Walled Lake or Royal Oak (unless things have REALLY
changed a fuckton since I've been gone) plus you'd be
just across the lake from the fabulous night life of the
ever wonderful Toronto... not to mention short skip around
the corner to Chicago or NYC or Nashville (if road trips are
your thing). Also wouldn't be but a stone's throw from that
Funkatron character too.

And the most special part... SEASONS... other than rain
or shine

I soooooooooo miss seasons and I adore road trips. A road trip here, except for Vegas, takes like 8 hours to get any place that feels at all like ya actually got somewhere else.

I swear you have lived all the places I haven't. Together we are like a nation

[HempKnight]

I soooooooooo miss seasons and I adore road trips. A road trip here, except for Vegas, takes like 8 hours to get any place that feels at all like ya actually got somewhere else.

I swear you have lived all the places I haven't. Together we are like a nation

Oh yeah, I hear you on the forever and a day drive to get anywhere...
not quite so bad here... generally we're somewhat centered between
Porkland*, OR and BC (especially if you drive the way I do) it takes
about the same amount of time.

(Or unless you're Bondage Clown, who also drives like I do, and goes
from here to OKC in three days... glad to see you made it safe you
crazy fuck, best of luck on the new culture shock life, 17 miles for
a cappuccino... think of me on that drive for your java fix.)

I don't particularly miss the sometimes crazy winters back east,
but I do miss the most excellent low cost of living, low sales taxes,
tax breaks for businesses, a MOTHERFUCKING LIQUOR STORE
that isn't STATE OWNED & OPERATED and stays open past SIX PM
... among other things.

But there are benefits of being here... Muse, of course... being why I
am here... no state income tax, the whole Seattle scene (not that
there isn't a kickin' one in the D, just different)... COFFEE COFFEE
COFFEE, I have never drank so much fucking coffee in my life, other
than when I lived in Miami... and I'll be goddamned if I can find anyone
here to make me a real or even a decent Cubano. Or while in Istanbul,
now THAT'S some coffee... if you finish it and you can't see your heart
beating... it wasn't a real Turkish coffee. Also can't forget the lack of
strict laws about marijuana here as well as the medical marijuana


* Nothing against anyone or the city of Portland, but for two reasons
it is forever stuck in my head that it's PORKLAND.

One, because of a morning radio show there... now defunct...
The Marconi Morning Show, who's sidekick was a 650 pound DJ
by the name of Tiny, who at the ass crack of dawn and for hours
after would yell at the top of his lungs...
"POOOOOOOOOOOOORKKKKKKLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAANNNNDDD"
as an announcement of local weather or caller.

Two, because it's the ONLY fucking place I have ever known to have
found street vendors of what I can only call
'HEART ATTACK ONNA STICK'...
being a jumbo 1/4 pound beef hot dog wrapped in smoked bacon, batter
dipped and DEEP FRIED, served with CheezWhiz dip and other condiments.