commonplacebook.com – Page 584 – The online journal, notebook and playground of HFM

Otto’s Lighthouse

Post author:HFM
Post published:December 10, 2001
Post category:Brain Food Travel

I visited the Pilsum Lighthouse (AKA Otto’s Lighthouse in 1997 when I visited my friend Cate. According to Wikipedia:

The Pilsum Lighthouse (German: Pilsumer Leuchtturm) was built in 1891 in order to provide a beacon for the Emshörn channel on Germany’s North Sea coast. It is located on a dyke near the village of Pilsum in the municipality of Krummhörn. It has guided ships through the narrow channel since 1915.
The tower grew in popularity as a result of the film Otto – Der Außerfriesische (“Otto – the Outer Frisian”) by comedian, Otto Waalkes. In the film Otto lives in the lighthouse.

White Elephant Gift Exchange at Buca Di Beppo’s

Post author:HFM
Post published:December 9, 2001
Post category:Journal My Photos

Dinner at Buca’s wasn’t the raucous blow-out that it was in years past, but it was still great fun. I got a t-shirt with Geupel’s picture on it. Maybe I can use it to pick up chicks with Westies, like in the commercial. 🙂 Now if I can just get a house, I’ll have the shirt and the house to entice women with.

In other news, I got cable modem, and it ROCKS! It ROCKS HARD! You could call me up right now, as we speak, and we could talk on the phone, while I write in my journal. I’m buying an answering machine and cancelling my voice mail later, as well as telling the friggin’ people at iquest to shove the poorly-serviced account I had for so many years. So if you still e-mail me at the old address (batgirl) it’s going to be gone, baby! Plus I now have a super-secret e-mail account that I’m not giving to anyone. No sir.

house hunting

Post author:HFM
Post published:December 7, 2001
Post category:House and Home My Photos

So, I saw the house and took photos and made an offer on it. I’m not going to put any of the photos on the site yet, because every time I do that, I find out I’m not getting the house. This time I’m waiting until I know more, which may be awhile. In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy the holidays. The annual dinner/white elephant gift exchange at Buca Di Beppo’s is tonight. I’ve got a great thing to give away, (no hints until it’s over) so it should be fun.

This was the house. I did not get it. It sold to some investors for $40,000 and the flipped it for $250,000. Then the new owners got into trouble and it sat empty for a long time. I believe it may be a rental.

house update, and Sims

Post author:HFM
Post published:December 3, 2001
Post category:Art House and Home My Photos

Well, that house didn’t work out. I have one more possibility, and then if it doesn’t work, I’m going to just give up and try to build a house in Fall Creek Place instead. I’m going to do an official tour of those tomorrow.
I installed the “livin’ large” expansion for the Sims; more addiction, more fun. I really should try to do some socializing with others, though.

UPDATE: Fall Creek Homes I looked at.

Visited with Cate

Post author:HFM
Post published:November 30, 2001
Post category:House and Home Travel

I made an offer on the house… it’s pretty cool but needs a lot more work than I had expected. So now we wait. Again.
Seeing Cate was great- we went to P.F. Changs and ate and plotted my next visit to Europe, which I hope will be in the fall of next year, and will cover London, Paris and Münster. Cool. Somehow I think “big things” will be few and far between in Europe, but I’ll have to scout out, just in case.

The Sims

Post author:HFM
Post published:November 27, 2001
Post category:Art House and Home My Photos

So tonight I get to see another house– maybe the one I’ll buy. Cool! Also, Cate’s in town and she’s coming over to see it with me, then we’re going out to eat.

I bought The Sims this past week, and I’m very addicted. I have a whole little neighborhood built to manipulate… fun fun fun! This really takes the stress off looking for a house.
(2010 Note: This would be the Sims 2. When they came out with 3, the aging time limits made it no fun anymore. To much anxiety trying to get ahead before my characters got old. Too much like real life.)

Control of the world cannot be handed over to evil men

Post author:HFM
Post published:November 21, 2001
Post category:Brain Food Favorite Quotes

In the battle between against evil, when all peaceful options are exhausted, men of good conscience must get up and fight. Control of the world cannot be handed over to evil men by good people too weak-willed to stand up against them. — Krishna, The Bhagavad Gita

Me on TV!! Woo Hoo!!

Post author:HFM
Post published:November 20, 2001
Post category:Big Things

My wackiness is finally paying off… I talked with Dick Wolfsie of Channel 8 news this morning about doing a news story on my “Big Things” photo galleries. Woo Hoo! It seems he’s also writing a book on wierd and interesting stuff around Indiana… which is exactly the kind of stuff I like; that’s a book I’ll be buying.

Interest rates

Post author:HFM
Post published:November 16, 2001
Post category:House and Home

Damn. Interest rates have been jumping the last couple of days, so if I do find a house, it won’t be as good a deal and I’ll be paying a higher mortgage rate than I would if I’d gotten the Talbott house.

investors buying houses

Post author:HFM
Post published:November 15, 2001
Post category:House and Home

Pretty much everything I want to look at in Herron-Morton Place is currently being being bought by investors who are planning to renovate with the bare essentials and then try to flip the property for a profit. The house on 16th that was one of my other possibilities is pending with a deal with investors, too. This sucks, because they usually have cash on hand, where I have a loan, so their offers are more attractive. Sadly, it’s not as good for the renovation and preservation of house in the long run, because it won’t be purchased by someone who wants to live there long-term.