To Quote Mr. Costanza...

"SERENITY NOW!!!"

What a crappy, crappy day. Today should have been the day we got to walk into our new house but paperwork was missing and, while it is still unclear exactly where along the route the ball was dropped, it means we won't be able to close until tomorrow. Argh. The culprit was the very critical bridge loan papers which provide the down-payment without which title can not be transferred.

After many phone-calls, emails, and some raised voices, we tracked down the paperwork and high-tailed it to the lawyer's office to sign and confirm their faxed receipt on the other end.

We also had to re-schedule the plumber and the cable company and we're going to have to buy some time with the movers tomorrow.

The stress levels in this house are very high right now; I think if things don't move swiftly tomorrow, you're likely to see us on the evening news, camped in front of whatever office is holding up the works, possibly with a moving van full of stuff.

sigh.

Word of the day: anxiety

The moving van gets here Thursday morning but we still haven't officially signed everything or got a set of keys. Before we get them, I need to get a plumber into the house to assess the situation and (with any luck) get the work done before the movers get there with a truckload of belongings.

Meanwhile, I have been suffering from a nasty head cold since last Wednesday night (Kiddo's sick too) that has kept me from working (or thinking) at full speed. Of course, I do still seem to have my strength. I tried to take down the folding table we bought to stage the office but could only find one latch. I thought the hinge was "stiff" but instead I ended up bending the other latch in a perfect U-shape. Ooops.

Happily I have an organized Hubby, a loving (though also anxious) daughter, and a cat, oblivious to the pending move:


At least I don't have to work this week. Sigh.

vancouver district map

vancouver district map
Originally uploaded by svacher

Wow! This is a clever map of Vancouver neighbourhoods that makes me wish I had enough time to replicate it for Victoria -- after the last few months of house-hunting, I've become pretty familiar with all the pet names for the little corners of this city.

This map was created by Stephanie Vasher who admits she lifted the idea from orkposters.com who publish a series of US city neighbourhood maps.

Props to Darren Barefoot for blogging this first.

Generation Motivation

More than anything else in this season of many elections, I have been drawn toward candidates who are "not boomers" -- I've been drawn to those who are closer to my age or even younger; those who don't think or act like the Baby Boomers and the older generations who've been in power since I've been voting.

Besides, I think it would be good medicine for the City of Victoria to take some direction from someone under 30. In fact, there may be enough city council candidates in Victoria that I can vote for my own unofficial "not boomer" slate. On the federal stage, all the leaders are Boomers but many individual riding candidates are younger.

I know that there is a lot to be gained by experience -- and I'm not discounting that at all -- but that experience also tends to make people stop pushing for change, to stop questioning ("Mavericks" aside, of course) and to acquiesce to The System. Often this is either because of or in order to avoid burnout. Either way, youth has as its advantage a certain naiveté.

On the other hand, consider that many of the "not boomer" candidates are well into their 30s or early 40s ("not boomer" starts with those born after 1964) which for many is plenty of time to build relevant resumes -- JFK was only 43 when he was sworn in as President of the United States and Brian Mulroney was only 45 when he took the top office in Canada.

And before I finish ranting, let's look at Barack Obama. He's technically a boomer (born in 1961), but he sure doesn't act like one. Most of what he says rings true to GenXers like me and I don't think that's accidental.

Of course, when it comes down to it, I am not flippant enough to vote based on age alone but where all else is equal and I'm in need of a tie-breaker, I'm putting my X next to the "not boomer."

The Ex List

I haven't started many new shows this year but there was really nothing else on before Numbers tonight so I am watching The Ex List. I am guessing the pitch went like this "My Name is Earl meets How I Met Your Mother -- relationship flashbacks through elimination!"

So far it's not too bad, but I'm only 15 minutes into it....