Monday, January 19, 2009
A new begininng
New posts coming soon! What better way to start a new presidency than with a new blog, right? Stay tuned!
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Lilac festival changes
One of Rochester's big events is the Lilac Festival, which happens in mid-May every year. It has a parade, lots of craft booths, yummy fair food, live music, and cheesy little kid rides. Of course the highlight were all of the deliciously smelling lilac bushes - I think they had 50+ varieties that grow in the park. Last week I even bought a room spray in lilac because it reminds me of the festival.
Bryan and I have made it to 3 Lilac Festivals in a row. I thought it would be fun to show how we have changed.
2006 - Bryan's first trip to Rochester, a mere 3 months after we started dating. I was going out for the inspection on my house, and he decided to tag along and come see the city. In hindsight, we clearly both knew at that point we'd end up getting married. We went, prepared for cold, and they had record highs in the 70's that weekend. Bryan is going to kill me for this picture, since he's +20lbs or so here.
2007 - Our second year together, and he has lived in Rochester for only a couple of weeks at this point, newly in nursing school. We took Lani and Cassie, and Lani took this picture (hence the morbidly obese guy in the background - what else can you expect from a 6-year-old?). Again, it was remarkably sunny and warm.
2008 - We returned from our honeymoon just in time for the last day of the festival and to see Ingrid Michelson. We had come from 80-90 degrees and sunny, to 40 degrees and rainy in Rochester, so we weren't too happy. We faked a smile for this picture though :) One week later we left Rochester for good. I just won a grant in Rochester, so maybe I'll have to make one of my 3-4 annual visits in mid-May this coming year.
Bryan and I have made it to 3 Lilac Festivals in a row. I thought it would be fun to show how we have changed.
2006 - Bryan's first trip to Rochester, a mere 3 months after we started dating. I was going out for the inspection on my house, and he decided to tag along and come see the city. In hindsight, we clearly both knew at that point we'd end up getting married. We went, prepared for cold, and they had record highs in the 70's that weekend. Bryan is going to kill me for this picture, since he's +20lbs or so here.
 |
| From Lilac festival 2007 |
2007 - Our second year together, and he has lived in Rochester for only a couple of weeks at this point, newly in nursing school. We took Lani and Cassie, and Lani took this picture (hence the morbidly obese guy in the background - what else can you expect from a 6-year-old?). Again, it was remarkably sunny and warm.
 |
| From Lilac festival 2007 |
2008 - We returned from our honeymoon just in time for the last day of the festival and to see Ingrid Michelson. We had come from 80-90 degrees and sunny, to 40 degrees and rainy in Rochester, so we weren't too happy. We faked a smile for this picture though :) One week later we left Rochester for good. I just won a grant in Rochester, so maybe I'll have to make one of my 3-4 annual visits in mid-May this coming year.
 |
| From Lilac festival 2008 |
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
More funnies
Bryan sometimes says to me sarcastically, "I bet you're going to put that thing I just said on your blog now." I think he secretly enjoys it. The one this morning was too good not to post.
Me (staring at the empty plate of brown crumbs on the table): Is a cupcake all you had for breakfast?
B: No. I had two cupcakes.
Me (staring at the empty plate of brown crumbs on the table): Is a cupcake all you had for breakfast?
B: No. I had two cupcakes.
More funnies
Bryan sometimes says to me sarcastically, "I bet you're going to put that thing I just said on your blog now." I think he secretly enjoys it. The one this morning was too good not to post.
Me (staring at the empty plate of brown crumbs on the table): Is a cupcake all you had for breakfast?
B: No. I had two cupcakes.
Me (staring at the empty plate of brown crumbs on the table): Is a cupcake all you had for breakfast?
B: No. I had two cupcakes.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
How the orthodontist ended up (and BB management is awful)
Many months ago I ranted about my orthodontist in these 2 posts. Someone recently commented that I never gave the ending of the story. Shame on me, because it is a good one!
For those of you who missed the story and didn't click on the link, I waited a very long time at 2 appointments while I had braces, and I was getting them off 6-12 months earlier than they had predicted. I called them wondering if there might be a discount. I know you pay for straight teeth, but my treatment was significantly shorter than they had estimated.
While I was down in Florida for the wedding, I got a call the day before while I was on my way to get my wedding dress pressed. It was the bookkeeper at the orthodontist's office, and she told me she talked to Dr. Kaufman about my case. He decided to WIPE OUT THE REST OF WHAT I OWED. I asked her to say it again, since I didn't believe it! It turned out to be be about $1,900 that I didn't have to pay. Awesome!
-----------------
On a completely different topic, I have to make it known how much BB Management is an awful company. We decided to move closer into the city once our apartment lease was up. I happened upon condo conversions that weren't selling, so they were renting them. I was wowed by the granite counters, SS appliances, pergo floors, and new carpet. The owner who did the flipping had left some things undone and the units have been vacant for awhile, but we were assured that all would be fixed when we moved in. BB Management doesn't do walk-throughs with new owners (we should have said no then), but they told us all was fine. Here is what we found when we moved in:
- the place was filthy
- there was a HOLE in the OUTSIDE wall where there was supposed to be a built-in A/C
- 2 of 3 drains didn't drain
- the hot water on the kitchen faucet and the cold in the tub didn't work
- we weren't given a key to the deadbolt, a key to the mailbox, or the garage door opener
- the heat doesn't work in the master bedroom
- the linen closet shelves are missing
- 2 pieces of granite backsplash in the kitchen aren't attached at all
- the fan cover in the bathroom is missing
- grout was missing in the bathroom floor
- the electrical outlets were missing the covers in the living room and bedroom
- and more that I'm forgetting
The management company basically told us that we were overreacting and that all of this was "just cosmetic." They claimed it wasn't their fault, it was the owner at fault. I'm confused, since on their website it says "we make sure everything is ready BEFORE you move in." It was also now our job to schedule all of the repair guys and let them in since we are the tenants. Um, yeah. We couldn't live in the place because we couldn't heat it due to the HOLE IN THE WALL. We said we wanted out of the lease, and they threatened to sue us for the entire length of the lease. We spoke to an attorney who said we could win in court, but unfortuantely we don't have the time to do all of that. The time off of work would have cost us too much.
We were able to move in 4 days late, with most things fixed (still no bedroom heat). I met the neighbor when we moved in, and she said she had the same AND MORE issues with BB Management. Same with the downstairs neighbor. Had we known this info, we for sure would have sued them. It is clear the management company is knowingly negligent and they know the condition of these condos. They were flipped quickly and the owner ran out of money, so he cut corners wherever he could.
My one consolation in this is that my sister was using BB Management as the marketing company for her place. I didn't know this, nor did she know I was working with them. She figured it out when I told her about the whole situation. She has now canceled her contract with them, and she said they weren't doing anything to market her property. Looks like their crappy service has already cost them one client.
We are in the new place now, and the up side is the location. We're locked in for a year, and we're hoping that things calm down now with BB since we are in (the neighbor said she almost lost her mind when they moved in, but 2 months later it is much smoother). Wish us luck!
For those of you who missed the story and didn't click on the link, I waited a very long time at 2 appointments while I had braces, and I was getting them off 6-12 months earlier than they had predicted. I called them wondering if there might be a discount. I know you pay for straight teeth, but my treatment was significantly shorter than they had estimated.
While I was down in Florida for the wedding, I got a call the day before while I was on my way to get my wedding dress pressed. It was the bookkeeper at the orthodontist's office, and she told me she talked to Dr. Kaufman about my case. He decided to WIPE OUT THE REST OF WHAT I OWED. I asked her to say it again, since I didn't believe it! It turned out to be be about $1,900 that I didn't have to pay. Awesome!
-----------------
On a completely different topic, I have to make it known how much BB Management is an awful company. We decided to move closer into the city once our apartment lease was up. I happened upon condo conversions that weren't selling, so they were renting them. I was wowed by the granite counters, SS appliances, pergo floors, and new carpet. The owner who did the flipping had left some things undone and the units have been vacant for awhile, but we were assured that all would be fixed when we moved in. BB Management doesn't do walk-throughs with new owners (we should have said no then), but they told us all was fine. Here is what we found when we moved in:
- the place was filthy
- there was a HOLE in the OUTSIDE wall where there was supposed to be a built-in A/C
- 2 of 3 drains didn't drain
- the hot water on the kitchen faucet and the cold in the tub didn't work
- we weren't given a key to the deadbolt, a key to the mailbox, or the garage door opener
- the heat doesn't work in the master bedroom
- the linen closet shelves are missing
- 2 pieces of granite backsplash in the kitchen aren't attached at all
- the fan cover in the bathroom is missing
- grout was missing in the bathroom floor
- the electrical outlets were missing the covers in the living room and bedroom
- and more that I'm forgetting
The management company basically told us that we were overreacting and that all of this was "just cosmetic." They claimed it wasn't their fault, it was the owner at fault. I'm confused, since on their website it says "we make sure everything is ready BEFORE you move in." It was also now our job to schedule all of the repair guys and let them in since we are the tenants. Um, yeah. We couldn't live in the place because we couldn't heat it due to the HOLE IN THE WALL. We said we wanted out of the lease, and they threatened to sue us for the entire length of the lease. We spoke to an attorney who said we could win in court, but unfortuantely we don't have the time to do all of that. The time off of work would have cost us too much.
We were able to move in 4 days late, with most things fixed (still no bedroom heat). I met the neighbor when we moved in, and she said she had the same AND MORE issues with BB Management. Same with the downstairs neighbor. Had we known this info, we for sure would have sued them. It is clear the management company is knowingly negligent and they know the condition of these condos. They were flipped quickly and the owner ran out of money, so he cut corners wherever he could.
My one consolation in this is that my sister was using BB Management as the marketing company for her place. I didn't know this, nor did she know I was working with them. She figured it out when I told her about the whole situation. She has now canceled her contract with them, and she said they weren't doing anything to market her property. Looks like their crappy service has already cost them one client.
We are in the new place now, and the up side is the location. We're locked in for a year, and we're hoping that things calm down now with BB since we are in (the neighbor said she almost lost her mind when they moved in, but 2 months later it is much smoother). Wish us luck!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
"I think this is my favorite day of my whole life"
Those are some pretty strong words. Let's see what that day looks like in the world of Bryan.
Start here:
Step #1
Wake up in the king sized bed in this room:
Step #2
Open door to get the morning coffee waiting for you outside of your room.
Step #3
After enjoying morning coffee, walk downstairs for your custom breakfast. We both had a quiche-type thing with eggs, cream cheese, potatoes, cream, spinach and onions (me), bacon and mushrooms (him). He had a homemade caramel pecan roll, while I had a cinnamon roll. We also had a second cup of coffee, plus fresh grapefruit juice (me) and cranberry juice (him). Oh yes, he also had homemade white bread toast with local marionberry jam.
Step #4
Play a game of disc golf on the 9 hole course around the B&B
Step #5
After disc golf game, take a 2 mile walk in the sun around the B&B where you see this
Step #6
Head to spa for deep tissue massage and pedicure. Wait in this room while drinking wine in your robe
Step #7
Enjoy complimentary meal between services, which was a fabulous healthy treat after the gluttonous breakfast (with another class of wine).
Step #8
Head downtown to wander through the shops. End up at a happy hour and enjoy a local brew, tempura veggies with 3 dipping sauces, margarhetta(sp?) pizza, and cheese fries. Cheer on the Packers while said food is enjoyed. Declare day "the favorite of my whole life," even though more stuff is to come.
Step #9
Go back to B&B and grab fresh cookies and hot chocolate and milk waiting outside of our room
Step #10
Enjoy cookies and milk while watching DVD (Baby Mama) and relaxing on the couch with TWO footrests
Step #11
Sit in outdoor hot tub while gazing at the stars, unpolluted by city lights
Step #12
Crawl into king sized bed and feel so grateful for a weekend of relaxation and time to reconnect without worrying about moving, work, bills, etc.
Start here:
 |
| From Bend Nov 08 |
Step #1
Wake up in the king sized bed in this room:
 |
| From Bend Nov 08 |
 |
| From Bend Nov 08 |
 |
| From Bend Nov 08 |
Step #2
Open door to get the morning coffee waiting for you outside of your room.
Step #3
After enjoying morning coffee, walk downstairs for your custom breakfast. We both had a quiche-type thing with eggs, cream cheese, potatoes, cream, spinach and onions (me), bacon and mushrooms (him). He had a homemade caramel pecan roll, while I had a cinnamon roll. We also had a second cup of coffee, plus fresh grapefruit juice (me) and cranberry juice (him). Oh yes, he also had homemade white bread toast with local marionberry jam.
Step #4
Play a game of disc golf on the 9 hole course around the B&B
 |
| From Bend Nov 08 |
 |
| From Bend Nov 08 |
Step #5
After disc golf game, take a 2 mile walk in the sun around the B&B where you see this
 |
| From Bend Nov 08 |
Step #6
Head to spa for deep tissue massage and pedicure. Wait in this room while drinking wine in your robe
 |
| From Bend Nov 08 |
Step #7
Enjoy complimentary meal between services, which was a fabulous healthy treat after the gluttonous breakfast (with another class of wine).
 |
| From Bend Nov 08 |
Step #8
Head downtown to wander through the shops. End up at a happy hour and enjoy a local brew, tempura veggies with 3 dipping sauces, margarhetta(sp?) pizza, and cheese fries. Cheer on the Packers while said food is enjoyed. Declare day "the favorite of my whole life," even though more stuff is to come.
Step #9
Go back to B&B and grab fresh cookies and hot chocolate and milk waiting outside of our room
 |
| From Bend Nov 08 |
Step #10
Enjoy cookies and milk while watching DVD (Baby Mama) and relaxing on the couch with TWO footrests
 |
| From Bend Nov 08 |
Step #11
Sit in outdoor hot tub while gazing at the stars, unpolluted by city lights
Step #12
Crawl into king sized bed and feel so grateful for a weekend of relaxation and time to reconnect without worrying about moving, work, bills, etc.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Tomorrow
Tomorrow, November 9, will mark 6 months since we got married. I can't believe it has been 6 months already. It has been a stressful 6 months:
- moving 2,700 miles
- finding a place to live
- house hunting (put on hold now)
- sickness (darn gallbladders)
- studying for the NCLEX
- 2 new jobs for B
- family drama
- car buying
and plenty of other things I'm sure I'm forgetting.
We've done plenty of fun things to balance the stress, including a long-weekend trip to Vegas, a trip soon to Bend (bed and breakfast, spa, and showshoeing), lots of fun meals out, and hanging out with friends.
Despite the stresses, being married is the best. I have someone that makes me laugh everyday (even on a grumpy day), someone that doesn't let me take myself too seriously, someone to give me perfect advice, someone to make me feel special, and someone who shares my goals in life.
Maybe 2 weeks ago I popped by his office in the middle of the day and brought cupcakes for everyone. He caught sight of me through the door, got the biggest smile on his face, ushered me in and planted a huge kiss on my lips in front of everyone exclaming "It's so great to see you baby!" Yep, he knows how to make a girl feel loved. Of course, I'm wondering if I would have gotten the same greeting had I been sans fancy cupcakes ;)
I was reading on someone else's blog the other day that she missed her fiance while she was at work. Someone commented that she knew she had never found "the one" because she hadn't ever missed anyone that she lived with. I think about Bryan all the time while I'm at work, missing him, hoping his patients that day have good veins, don't need a full hive work-up, and aren't spaced 14 in the span of an hour. I'm in Denver right now on the last day of a 4-day conference, and I've missed him terribly. It's the first time we've been apart since we got married. I'm looking forward to getting a big hug tonight, but mostly I'm looking forward to having my human electric blanket back. It's cold sleeping alone!
I'm off to do a presentation on working with an IRB (props if you even know what that is), but happy 6 months my love! It has been a great ride so far, and I'm looking forward to more.
- moving 2,700 miles
- finding a place to live
- house hunting (put on hold now)
- sickness (darn gallbladders)
- studying for the NCLEX
- 2 new jobs for B
- family drama
- car buying
and plenty of other things I'm sure I'm forgetting.
We've done plenty of fun things to balance the stress, including a long-weekend trip to Vegas, a trip soon to Bend (bed and breakfast, spa, and showshoeing), lots of fun meals out, and hanging out with friends.
Despite the stresses, being married is the best. I have someone that makes me laugh everyday (even on a grumpy day), someone that doesn't let me take myself too seriously, someone to give me perfect advice, someone to make me feel special, and someone who shares my goals in life.
Maybe 2 weeks ago I popped by his office in the middle of the day and brought cupcakes for everyone. He caught sight of me through the door, got the biggest smile on his face, ushered me in and planted a huge kiss on my lips in front of everyone exclaming "It's so great to see you baby!" Yep, he knows how to make a girl feel loved. Of course, I'm wondering if I would have gotten the same greeting had I been sans fancy cupcakes ;)
I was reading on someone else's blog the other day that she missed her fiance while she was at work. Someone commented that she knew she had never found "the one" because she hadn't ever missed anyone that she lived with. I think about Bryan all the time while I'm at work, missing him, hoping his patients that day have good veins, don't need a full hive work-up, and aren't spaced 14 in the span of an hour. I'm in Denver right now on the last day of a 4-day conference, and I've missed him terribly. It's the first time we've been apart since we got married. I'm looking forward to getting a big hug tonight, but mostly I'm looking forward to having my human electric blanket back. It's cold sleeping alone!
I'm off to do a presentation on working with an IRB (props if you even know what that is), but happy 6 months my love! It has been a great ride so far, and I'm looking forward to more.
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