patrick.net

astrid Says:

> If the Future Mrs. FAB is a stay at home (or working
> severely reduced schedule) wife, she should learn to cook.

Everyone should learn to cook…

I hated that my parents made me cook as a kid (and work as an unpaid caterer/bartender with my brother and sister when they had big parties), but today I’m glad I’m a better than average cook (and bartender)…

It is fun to have a little healthy competition in a relationship when both people try and impress each other with their cooking (and wine pairing) skills…

I like to "impress" people with the amount of oil/fat/lard in my cooking. :)

Thanks, Forsaken! Must've been done by the Mortgage Lender Implode-O-Meter guy.

They, at least enjoyed the roller coaster ride. You, on the other hand, have not lived.

This is sadly true. You haven't really lived until you've woken up at 3am in a cold sweat, because your NAAVLP payment just tripled. I should really get out more (to open houses). :-(

(OT)
Peter P,

I remember your mentioning at one point that some dealership could go as low as $7K below MSRP on Lexus SUV, since we are shopping for a new car, I was wondering if you can point me to any resources. Thanks

I eventually drove my old car into the ground after 14 years. So we are really excited to get into a solid new car that can last a long time.

The hardest working among all Asians are Vietnamese.

I didn't know much about them until I came to the US, since in HK Vietnamese were usually associated with the boat people locked up in a detention camp engaging in gang fights, so the general image was quite negative. However, as I got to know more and more Vietnamese people, my impression changed drastically.

If there is a shop in the neighborhood that is open 16x7x365, it's gotta be a Vietnamese shop. What is even more amazing is, Vietnamese women work much harder than guys. When I was taking a leisure trip in Vietnam, I saw plenty of women working in the fields with their guys playing poker in the shades.

Did anyone see the API score of Faria elementary school? 1000.

What the hell does that mean? Does it mean that every single student at that school who took the test must have obtained FULL score on the API test?

@GC,

No worries - I figured you were being sarcastic.

FAB queried,

I’m just curious, do you know if their near term plan was for the wife to become a soccer mom when they bought in the East Bay?

It would be pure hell to sit on BART for an hour and a half every night looking forward to a dinner at the new Olive Garden before heading home to see the Prego floors in our “Great Room”…

I can't tell for sure. She comes off as the type who never wants children; but I've found that's not necessarily a reliable indicator.

It's 'Pergo', not 'Prego', although we'll pass that off as a Freudian faux pas, given the context.

by the way, i often don't use uppercase letters on purpose. after looking at YetAnotherCamelCaseCompany all day, i'm quite content to deal with the shorter end of the alphabet. it never impeded my earning ability, though poor writing skills will put a ceiling on one's career very effectively.

It is you guys who constantly mock the FB’s and imagine all sorts of hellish punishment for them. I have compassion for them. What that really means is that I leave them alone. They, at least enjoyed the roller coaster ride. You, on the other hand, have not lived.

Huh? How do you figure? What do you know about me? I live well, have a great family, plenty of real wealth, but best of all, I am debt free!!

Forsaken,

Great video! I miss your site!

Space_Acer Says:

“Considering all the outsourcing, I don’t see much of a future for “these kids”. We are at the very beginning of a big fallout. No one gets out of here alive!”
_____

I hope you're not right.

Unfortunately, you just might be...

Time for another chockychip cookie and some Hi-C fruit punch.

I wonder what my broke a-- neighbors are up to today?

Allah,

It is you guys who constantly mock the FB’s and imagine all sorts of hellish punishment for them.

He also charged me with being a realtor because I dared to posit that price corrections just might be sticky (almost a year ago at this point, mind you). I don't know, maybe they just aren't not sticky yet.

Filtered blog rss aggregating is essential these days. FeedDemon is your friend.

I remember your mentioning at one point that some dealership could go as low as $7K below MSRP on Lexus SUV, since we are shopping for a new car, I was wondering if you can point me to any resources. Thanks

I think that was CB. But you can start by reading newspaper for good deals, which tend to come and go.

I prefer used cars. :)

OO

Two possibilities on the API score - one it's an error - two - they were all/some given the actual test to study beforehand.

I had some lovely non-conventional Vietnamese friends, but I've also encountered a couple *conventional* skinny little Vietnamese girls who were borderline bitchy.

Randy,

You must tell me more about this filtered blog RSS aggregate thing. That sounds very exciting. (more concentrated goofing off for me???)

Do ask for a scent strip of it if you find yourself trapped in a mall against your will.

I will keep in mind, thanks.

I do like to hike in the mall. At least there is no horse shit on the "trail". :)

Space Acer,

Now there's a Web 2.0 application I hope somebody is working hard on developing! A good spell/grammar check that automatically corrects capitalization, fills in missing words, remove nonsensical sentences. Me + That might one day convince others that I have greater brain capacity than an ordinary gnat.

Or even better, an incoming email filter that condenses 2 page emails into 3 KWIC sentences.

Instanteous telepathy would be the best, of course.

After I asked about the DINK couple that bought the East Bay “McMegaMansion” (aka “TractMansion”) Randy H Says:

> I can’t tell for sure. She comes off as the type who never
> wants children; but I’ve found that’s not necessarily a
> reliable indicator.

I’ve never met a woman that just “comes off as” “the type who never wants children” since there is a very short list of women that I have met (or even heard about) who have actually said “I never want children”…

> It’s ‘Pergo’, not ‘Prego’, although we’ll pass that off
> as a Freudian faux pas, given the context.

Sorry, but remember I grew up in a neighborhood with actual top nailed hardwood floors, redwood window sills and copper gutters…

My favorite East Bay TracMansion “feature” is the plastic/foam “wood beams”
http://www.fauxwoodbeams.com/fauxbeams.php

> by the way, i often don’t use uppercase letters on
> purpose. after looking at YetAnotherCamelCaseCompany
> all day, i’m quite content to deal with the shorter end of
> the alphabet.

when u write in all lower case most people will assume that u are a younger person. i have always assumed that randy h is older than i am since he has kids, but he may be a lot younger since i just heard from a fraternity brother (that pinned his girlfriend sophomore year and got engaged before graduation) has a son that was accepted to the junior university on palo alto…

My favorite East Bay TracMansion “feature” is the plastic/foam “wood beams”

For a second, I figured you MUST be talking about the recycled 'green' beams and was going to defend alternative and recycled building materials.

Then I clicked that link.

Useless painted styrofoam glued to your ceiling for decorative purposes? You've GOT to be sh*tting me! You know what I want? Styrofoam babies to glue to the ceiling. Because at least THOSE would be conversation starters.

I can write a software that removes 100% of all writing mistakes.

FAB,

Some of my friends already have kids and the others seem quite uninterested in kids.

I'm pretty sure Randy is a couple years younger than you. He is an early Gen-Xer, while you're a very late Baby Boomer.

"that pinned his girlfriend sophomore year" I've never heard that one before, does pinned = knocked up or does pinned = hook up?

"I can write a software that removes 100% of all writing mistakes."

Does it also remove 100% of all writing?

Does it also remove 100% of all writing?

That is an unfortunate side effect.

What I really hate are people (usually secretaries or ditsy support desk people) who set their email (or word document) to 18 pt font Script default. That reflects really badly on both them and their bosses.

18 pt font Script

Huh? I have used 7 pt courier before. :)

If I had faux timber beams in my McMansion, after a couple of beers I might be inclined to rampage about like Godzilla, snapping 8x8 beams with my bare hands. :)

I am going to look at a loft for lease on Friday. My back of the envelope calculations are that PITI+HOA is about $1450, but rent is only $1000. Quite a premium for ownership in a 1 bed, 1 bath place. Great location though.

OO Says:

> I remember your mentioning at one point that some
> dealership could go as low as $7K below MSRP on
> Lexus SUV, since we are shopping for a new car,
> I was wondering if you can point me to any resources.

I love the current Lexus LX470 and rented the Toyota version (with the live front axle that was never available in the US) on my last dive trip down under.

The dealers will be doing everything they can to move the current models off the lot before the new model gets here (the official intro will be in a couple weeks at the NY Auto Show):
http://www.topspeed.com/cars/lexus/lexus-lx470-ar14943.html

If you buy a Lexus LX 470 it will drop like a rock in value the day you drive it off the lot (and drop even more when the LX 570 hits the road). If you wait for the new LX 570 model you will do a lot better (and get a better vehicle)…

FAB

I think you and I are on opposite sides of the cusp, as astrid says. My son is pretty young but we also got started late. We married when we were both 28, even though we'd been together since the end of school.

Any chance you'd come to a Marin Brewing Company night if we can get enough people? We need someone to pay, lol. Where I grew up the hardwood floors were top nailed too (though not much redwood), but only because the houses were 100 years old then, 30-40 years ago.

Any chance you’d come to a Marin Brewing Company night if we can get enough people?

When? If it is on a week night perhaps a party in the Ferry Building may attract more people.

We need someone to pay, lol.

Just do a Lucky (Unlucky) Draw? :)

I will sulk tomorrow if Edwards drops out. Why do bad things happen to non-Stepford wives?

OO

Putnam Lexus has 07 RX 350 for $7000 off MSRP ($2500 under invoice) as of 2 weeks ago. If they run out of 07, I would think 08 would be around invoice or slightly (

OO

My last post got cutoff, if you are looking to see how much to pay for a car, go to edmunds, car talk forum, people post how much they pay for each model, it's a good resource.

BTW, Millikin in Santa Clara also has 1000 API scores or 998 or something like that, doesn't do anything for me, but everytime I say that my wife say I don't care about my kids education.

Scores are really over-rated. Education is not video game.

When? If it is on a week night perhaps a party in the Ferry Building may attract more people.

Anywhere convenient, so long as there is quality beer and wine available. I thought a Thursday or Friday night would work best. Probably not for a couple weeks yet, I'm just trying to stir up interest. We tried a year ago and it never happened.

As to who pays, I say we make surfer-X drive up and open the tab.

New thread: What is going on?

FAB and CB,

thanks a bunch for the advice.

Friday night works for me. Or we can have some sushi too?

BTW, I afraid the spring ("dead cat") bounce is here.