So I'm Looking for a New Job... (Self Therapy)

...and it's not because I wanted to be looking. In all seriousness, I probably should of been marketing my skills a long time ago. I used to joke that I was just one step up from a ditch digger, but in all actuality, I have a series of traits that are crucial to any employer. Not to toot my own horn, but "TOOT TOOT!" I have a Work 1st mentality. Not to say that work is actually first in my life, 'cause it isn't. My Family has that priority spot. But I have always been the guy who comes in early and stays late. I was the guy who you called to fill a spot and the one you knew who can work independently, without any serious amount of supervision. I consider myself intelligent, no genius mind you, but I can hold a conversation about a world of topics and love debating the undebatable. You know, Philosophy, Politics, Religion, Ethics, etc. etc. I'm a quick learner. I've done a little bit of everything and have taken a bit from each of them. I've done sales, retail, office, automotive, stock, clerk, child care, computer repair, homemaker and more. My devotion is rarely in question. I'm the definition of a "Good Employee"

My problems reside in my official "Skill Set", the one on paper, the one that is quantifiable and measurable. I only have a two year Associates degree. I am the guy everyone comes to for computer repairs or advice, yet I have no Microsoft Certification or technical training. I'm a self motivator and have learned much of what I know on my own. I have years of experience in an industry that is considered a nitch market and while I used many of the industry standards in computer software, I've used none of it in an advanced fashion, so Intermediate is as far as
I can morally state my education is in their use.

Here are some little known facts about my skills. I can paint miniatures, you know the kind that are used in table top war games. Big market for that I'm sure. I can weave Chainmaile. So I'll be a hit at the next Renaissance Festival in your area. I can reformat a computer and get it running again, but I can't tell you how to set up server architecture, how to make it inter-operable in a cross platform environment, set up account logins or extensive use of remote access.

My Point is, I have the drive to be someone special to an employer, but an inspiration is rarely a marketable skill.

Mike

I'm puzzled by the housing market...

...and not just the mortgage industry, but in general, how the realty business and banks make any money with the asinine way they do things. Take a look at my predicament and judge for yourself what a peon like me could possibly do differently to get this done.

After just under two months of looking, making offers on homes, and being rejected or outbid on them, we finally found a house we liked, could afford, and made an offer. We opted to go with FHA financing, which is fine because this house is up to code. We made our offer, essentially an overbid because we are asking the bank who owns the property to cover the closing costs. Within a couple days they accepted our offer and said they had an addendum that needs to be signed.

We received the addendum and everything was in order. It was essentially some time lines and whatnot, just your standard paperwork for the bank. We signed it (After having it revised because they had some wrong names on the paperwork), and sent it to the bank along with a $1000 check, earnest money, to show we were committed to buying the house.

At this point we had to hire an inspector to look over the house to be sure we weren’t getting involved with a problem property. $250 later, he gives us the nod and says it’s good.

Then we have to have the FHA inspector come in to be sure it’s up to code. We took care of a few problem spots that would get flagged. We had to install a fire door between the garage ad the kitchen and paint the deck. $250 later, the FHA inspector gives us his blessing and O.K.’s the Government backed financing. The whole process take about 3 weeks and the mortgage people want their stuff and in the end we get our rate, everything is in order and we are ready to close…NOT.

Remember that addendum? The addendum that the seller bank wanted signed immediately. Their own paperwork, I might add. They have yet to sign it and return it to us. And until they sign off on it, we can’t close. And they are in no hurry to do so. In fact, repeated calls by our mortgage lady and now, my wife have resulted in nothing. They are not going to be hurried and don’t give a shit either.

Here is what puzzles me. The bank is sitting on a property, which is unoccupied and not making them any money. They are paying a larger than average insurance rate on the property and larger than average tax rate on the property due to the fact that it is not occupied as homestead currently. They only have to sign a few pieces of paper and not only will those bills go away, we’ll also give them $130,000.00.

Lack of patience aside, this is going to shortly cause me further financial discomfort. My locked in mortgage rate is only good until the 31st of July, at which point that may, and probably will, increase. I will have to pay for additional time at the rental storage unit as that’s only rented until the end of the month. Not to mention my renters want to move in ASAP because of their own agenda.

All I know is that if for some odd reason I do not get this house, I swear to cheese, I’m gonna sue someone. I’ll sue for lost time at work. I’ll sue to get my $1000 back plus interest. I’ll sue to get them to cover my inspection \ mortgage costs so far. I’ll sue for pain and anguish. Etc. Etc.

With that said, I believe will we still close this month, but my original question remains. How can these people do business like this and expect to remain profitable?

The Golden Compass: The Rant

So I finished reading the first book in the "His Dark Materials" Trilogy, The Golden Compass, and I have some issues with it. I thoroughly enjoyed the strange setting. It felt unique, fresh; it had a similar feel but took it in a different direction. It was a sort of Indiana Jones fantasy keeping mired in ground scientific fact but altering those facts with a fantasy flair. I enjoyed the setting immensely. However, this book was written to be a trilogy and as such, we were chasing a McGuffin the entire book, only getting enough answers to make us ask further questions, which can only be answered by reading the entire trilogy. And while I respect the grandiose method of his story telling, and in his defense, he sells the whole trilogy as one book, I am irked by the serial nature of novels written for the younger audience. Furthermore, the big reveal at the end of the first book revolves around a sort of church bashing and alternative Judeo-Christian belief structure where the church seems to be the unnamed enemy to scientific knowledge as they have been seen historically, which doesn't bother me as it is a fictional tale loosely based upon our own reality, but it's almost an agenda and I can see why some Church groups were asking people to boycott the movie. I guess I should go see the movie now.

With that said, I recommend the book and I'll get around to the second book soon, after I finish reading Children of Men, which the movie was based on. I recommend the movie if you have not seen it. It's very good. The book is way different and also very good, if somewhat unrelated.

Rant over

Mikey

Just Like Everyone Else

I am an individual
Just like everyone else

I have a plan
Just like everyone else

I think I can fix this
Just like everyone else

I have an opinion
Just like everyone else

But Mine Is Right
Just like everyone else

I THINK EVERYONE ELSE IS STUPID
Just like everyone else

i'm a failure
Just like everyone else

On Genetics

I often wonder about genetics and how I am going to be impacted by what was given to me by hapinstance through my genetic disposition of being my parents offspring. Will I be predestined to get cancer as both my parents had suffered through it, my father twice? Will I have baldness like my father or does that skip a generation? Will I have stark white hair like my grandfather as his hair is snow white? If so, when?

Well, you can't predict if and when these things will happen, but I do know one thing that I acquired from my father which has onset most recently...Excessive nasal and ear hair growth. Yes, at the ripe old age of 31, I have nonstop, unmaintainable nose goblin hair issues and furry mammoth ears. I can't go one day without having to cut or pull out some disgusting rubbery snot covered hair which annoyingly clings to the side of my nose and often dangles freely for the world to see.

*SIGH*

Thanks Dad.

So I have a Myspace Page

The Wife started a page for me on Myspace as a way to get me excited about it. I'm not real excited about it. I think, for the most part, Myspace.com is a novelty for children to goof off and trash talk each other. It's not something I have a real use for. With that said, I couldn't just stand by and see my page look as ugly as it was, so I decided to give it some personality. Don't expect me to add much to it very often though.

http://www.myspace.com/mike_campero

See new Poll on the right to chime in on how you feel about My Space.

Mikey

Sick Sick Sick

What kind of Glorious God would teach others to kill over disagreement or differences? What kind of All Loving God would allow a 17 year old girl to be stoned to death in public for falling in love? I don't have the words.

Allah is better than this