Shamrocks and shenanigans
While the morning is still semi-calm, I have cleared enough space in my mind to jot down some thoughts...
After much calculation, comparison and rational thinking/talking, we came to the joint conclusion last night that we cannot afford to buy a house this year. It just isn't feasible or financially possible, nor realistic and that's fine. I'm (surprisingly) not disappointed, etc.--if anything, it makes the idea of doing it in one year's time even better and much more solid. We have absolutely no intention of living over our heads. Liz and I will be able to clear the deck this year of all credit card bills (albeit minor) and save money for a house, plus we'll be able to actually afford to lease the Mini once we've moved.
Do I feel foolish or embarassed by having spoken so openly about buying a house or our projection of the future? No, not at all. Nothing's changed; there was always a contingency plan in case we couldn't do it. Better to know now than later (God forbid). The plan is clear and simple: we apply for a 3/4 bedroom apartment in New Jersey (Bayonne? Jersey City? Irrelevant, really--there is plenty to choose from at this juncture.) in November for a January move-in. We then start to clear out from our current place, and move my dad as well, by mid-January. I lease the car in March (May at the latest), all the while continuing to look for the right house, area and to build up the necessary funds. In keeping an optimistic eye on the situtation, I'll be getting a raise this June and then June '06 (should I still be at this job, certainly--and hoping, so that will only serve us well; how Liz fares is always questionable with her company), but that's more than enough to get us where we'll need to be. In looking at some of the apartments now available, I'm still chomping at the bit to get this going. So I feel really good about going to Plan B with no time, cost or tension involved.
I guess the only thing that's a minor deflation is the whole "first barbecue" fantasy and the creation of a permanent home for Synchronic Studios, but it's just delayed, not abandoned or "not going to happen". The fact that I'll be able to see Bob, the Wolfe, B., etc. more frequently by living in N.J. makes it all so much more pleasing. This is a major life shift, by moving out of New York and getting used to completely new surroundings and the fact/beauty that all my friends and my uncle live in New Jersey--it all adds up to "yes". If you step back and look at this scenario in a "big picture" fashion, then it will be a lightning fast year before the house becomes a reality.
Speaking of Synchronic, I've just e-mailed the guys to solidify the 26th as the next recording session date. I'd love to have had two weekends with the band this month so we can progress onto the last two songs. I believe once these songs are laid down, then the overdubs, embellishments and re-visits will be easy to jump right into mixing. My hope is that this album is done and available for public consumption by the beginning of summer--that does NOT seem unrealistic. The interesting thing is, that when I tried to total up the number of actual recording days spent on this record since it began exactly a year ago, it doesn't add up that high. At the outset, it was only Chris and myself and we recorded 3 songs in 3 weeks (I think), then did nothing until September (Bob joined in June and we focused on practicing for that show in July). So really, if my calculations are correct--if we've spent a total of 14 days recording, then it isn't a lot. It's the infrequency that bothers me. But okay--nearer to the end and it makes it easier to cope with. So I'd love to get one more song recorded by March's close with April to finish recording and mixing. We'll see...
A nice morning. Sunny and I feel pretty good. Going to the gym tonight and I have tomorrow off. This is as good a place as any to stop.
After much calculation, comparison and rational thinking/talking, we came to the joint conclusion last night that we cannot afford to buy a house this year. It just isn't feasible or financially possible, nor realistic and that's fine. I'm (surprisingly) not disappointed, etc.--if anything, it makes the idea of doing it in one year's time even better and much more solid. We have absolutely no intention of living over our heads. Liz and I will be able to clear the deck this year of all credit card bills (albeit minor) and save money for a house, plus we'll be able to actually afford to lease the Mini once we've moved.
Do I feel foolish or embarassed by having spoken so openly about buying a house or our projection of the future? No, not at all. Nothing's changed; there was always a contingency plan in case we couldn't do it. Better to know now than later (God forbid). The plan is clear and simple: we apply for a 3/4 bedroom apartment in New Jersey (Bayonne? Jersey City? Irrelevant, really--there is plenty to choose from at this juncture.) in November for a January move-in. We then start to clear out from our current place, and move my dad as well, by mid-January. I lease the car in March (May at the latest), all the while continuing to look for the right house, area and to build up the necessary funds. In keeping an optimistic eye on the situtation, I'll be getting a raise this June and then June '06 (should I still be at this job, certainly--and hoping, so that will only serve us well; how Liz fares is always questionable with her company), but that's more than enough to get us where we'll need to be. In looking at some of the apartments now available, I'm still chomping at the bit to get this going. So I feel really good about going to Plan B with no time, cost or tension involved.
I guess the only thing that's a minor deflation is the whole "first barbecue" fantasy and the creation of a permanent home for Synchronic Studios, but it's just delayed, not abandoned or "not going to happen". The fact that I'll be able to see Bob, the Wolfe, B., etc. more frequently by living in N.J. makes it all so much more pleasing. This is a major life shift, by moving out of New York and getting used to completely new surroundings and the fact/beauty that all my friends and my uncle live in New Jersey--it all adds up to "yes". If you step back and look at this scenario in a "big picture" fashion, then it will be a lightning fast year before the house becomes a reality.
Speaking of Synchronic, I've just e-mailed the guys to solidify the 26th as the next recording session date. I'd love to have had two weekends with the band this month so we can progress onto the last two songs. I believe once these songs are laid down, then the overdubs, embellishments and re-visits will be easy to jump right into mixing. My hope is that this album is done and available for public consumption by the beginning of summer--that does NOT seem unrealistic. The interesting thing is, that when I tried to total up the number of actual recording days spent on this record since it began exactly a year ago, it doesn't add up that high. At the outset, it was only Chris and myself and we recorded 3 songs in 3 weeks (I think), then did nothing until September (Bob joined in June and we focused on practicing for that show in July). So really, if my calculations are correct--if we've spent a total of 14 days recording, then it isn't a lot. It's the infrequency that bothers me. But okay--nearer to the end and it makes it easier to cope with. So I'd love to get one more song recorded by March's close with April to finish recording and mixing. We'll see...
A nice morning. Sunny and I feel pretty good. Going to the gym tonight and I have tomorrow off. This is as good a place as any to stop.
posted by R L Ross at
10:28 AM
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