Yikes! I'm really terrible at this blogging thing! My goal was to make it a daily (or at least, weekly) thing, but it's becoming monthly. Perhaps I need to increase readership. That might be added motivation to keep up...not that I don't appreciate the 2 or 3 of you who check here religiously. ;)
Like most of you, I've been in a funk since the new year started. I was hopeful for the first week of 2009, especially since I was looking forward for my boss to return to work. However, I've since been deflated and just can't get the motor running!
My boss was supposed to return part-time at the beginning of January. She showed up a couple of times for a couple of hours. Then, last Monday, she broke the news to me that she would be taking the rest of the year off...as in "See you next January!" As the only full-time person working on this shipyard-wide program, I am now the "Program Manager". O.M.G.
I could be coasting down the high road of optimism right now. However, I'm a closet pessimist and have been experiencing some selfish emotions. Afterall, I changed jobs with the understanding that I would be working for my boss, learning and being mentored by her. Now what?
Don't get me wrong. I understand why she's made this decision. I probably would have done the same thing. I think the way this was handled/broken to me just made the blow that much worse. Understandably, she was ecstatic that her extended leave got approved, but she never really acknowledged the impact this would have on others. It was kind of like, "Hehehe, see you, suckers!"
I'm not the type of person who values fortune and fame. Others would probably see this as a springboard for career advancement. I don't see it that way. I don't have those aspirations at this point. In case anyone is wondering, no, this is not a promotion of any kind. Same position/title/pay. That's fine. I don't want to enter the realm of "management"...not officially, anyway.
Like my wise friend, Dior, told me. It's okay to feel grumpy and selfish about it, at least for a little while. :) I'm not going to be in denial about how I really feel about the situation, but at some point, I need to accept it and move on. I'm still grateful and thankful that I have a job. :)
Okay, enough about that. What else...we bought a new refrigerator and are expecting to need a new washer/dryer in the near future. Last December, our water heater died. This year, the refrigerator started making some very scary sounds when the compressor shut off. I was afraid that the compressor wouldn't turn back on. I think the new refrigerator arrived just in time (this past Saturday). This one's Energy Star rated, which was another good reason to replace our ~15 year old Kenmore.
We also went to Kauai over the holidays. Ugh. Still need to upload photos and post reviews! It feels like and overwhelming task!!! It was a nice getaway for me and Brian. I think we'll only need to go back to Kauai one more time since we didn't make it over to the west side. Long story short, I had motion-sickness for most of our travels. It was a nice change of scenery, but I was happy to return to the creature comforts of Oahu!
We are also seriously looking into refinancing. Our current mortgage is with American Savings Bank. In all honesty, we used them because the loan officer was a good friend of our realtor and we didn't know any better. This time, we're shopping around and, come to find out (as a result of my grandma's passing), my 2nd cousin works for a wholesale mortgage broker (808 Home Mortgage). My gut is telling me to go with 808 Home Mortgage. They've already given us more personal attention (perhaps because I'm "family") than ASB ever has. I think ASB is just too big, whereas 808 seems like a smaller operation. ASB just operates differently. I'm still not quite sure how their process works, whereas 808 has walked us through everything as if we were 4 years old, which we really appreciate. Oddly enough, though, I think ASB might be able to offer us a lower fixed interest rate. We'd be dummies to pass that up, even if their customer service isn't the best, right?
Since property values have plummeted, we're going to have to put down some substantial cash to refinance. 808 recommended putting 20% down to avoid paying private mortgage insurance (PMI) and to avoid any hassle due to the fact that our townhouse complex owner occupancy ratio is only 60% (most lenders require at least 70% owner occupancy for 80%+ financing). This could save us $1,000 per month, in addition to what we're already able save every month, even with our current mortgage. However, this would probably require us to drain our savings and borrow some money from my dad. Draining our savings is a super scary thought, but it could potentially save us paying $8,000+ in PMI over 5 years. Aaah, decisions, decisions....
Anyway, now I'm rambling. Dinner is calling my name...homemade chili...yummm....
2 comments:
Loyal reader #1, here. It's great to see a new post!
Crikey, you've got a lot on your plate. As such, I'm going to give you a slight reprieve and will refrain from pestering you about those Kauai photos - at least for a little while. :)
I'm going to repeat it again, it's okay to feel grumpy and selfish - especially since you've always sacrificed your wants, and even your needs, for those around you. A little self-centeredness makes you human, just like the rest of us. But, don't wallow too long. That's not healthy either. Chinese New Year is coming up and I think that would be a great time to start anew with a confident, go-get-'em attitude. It is a good opportunity and I know you'll make the best of it.
this is an awesome blog! keep the posts coming!
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