Sunday, April 30, 2006

Back to Work & of course TiVo

We are back from Vegas, it was a lot of fun. I was sometimes overwhelmed at NAB, but I learned a lot. Now I am back in the thick of it. I can't believe I have less than one month of teaching left this year. It's crazy, to think it's almost summer.

This weekend, we had our first open house since the "makeover." We only had four groups of peopole through, but one seemed very interested. But what do I know. I meet with three realtors, which makes me realize I must be allegeric to them, because many of them give me a rash. The first smelled so much like smoke, that I think by sitting next to him, that I am one step closer to lung cancer. The next group I actually liked and am thinking about hiring. This realtor is married to an Armenian, looks very much like my mom and actually has a great marketing plan. Then the last, not only was this man nearly an hour late, but gave me a bad feeling within minutes of our introduction. He managed to tell me that he wanted to sell my house at a price where I would loose money and that the bedrooms are small. Well genius the bedroom are small tell me something I don't already know, since I did live in them, but it didn't bother me any. I wish I would have kicked him out. How are you (this realtor) going to sell my house if you can't even reason with me why someone should by it? I figured out that what he likes to do is get as many listings as cheap as possible and then they turn over and he makes money. I am not a fan. Nor will I hire him. Ha see I showed him. He was trully an ass.

Also this weekend, I found my cross country notebook, I now feel that maybe I can run fast. So saturday night while bruce was at wdiv, I went running, the only thing is I am not fast. And my dog does not cooperate, daisy is sitting trying to smell everything, it's not the thing a world class runner has to deal with. So that's what is holding me up, obviously.

I also caught up on my TiVo veiwing for the past week, while doing loads of laundry and organizing my closet. We moved the winter stuff to storage and then I rearranged Bruce's cloths of course they are all in color order. Well it's off to bed to start the another week as a teacher, anal rententive organizer, real estate expert and of course world class runner.

Monday, April 24, 2006

Time Away from TiVO

I am in Las Vegas now for the National Association of Broadcasters convention, it is very much a male attraction. I am learning a lot however, but it's a good thing I have Bruce along because though I can "speak the geek" I sometimes need a translator.

On another note, this past weekend, I spent in Lansing with four of my students for the SkillsUSA contest. There were two teams of two: Cortney and Jolene, Megan and Karl. The all did an amazing job. They were such great kids to spend a weekend with, really I spent a weekend with many more but these were my responsibility the others, that's a different story. Well it's really not most of them were very well behaved, however I felt that the welders needed to learn a lot about respect, especially to women. But that's a story for another day, I guess.

Anyway back to my rockstars: we went out on Friday, and then woke up bright and early on Saturday (5:30 am) to compete. They shoot video for 2 hours and then they edit for 2 hours. By the end of the day they have a 1 minute pr video on SkillsUSA. This year for the first year in the existence of my program at TEC, we took home a medal. Karl & Megan placed second in state. I am like a proud mother, I can't help but beam. Bruce is taking credit for half since he technically taught Karl last year, but hey I will let him, I am just so proud.

So I am in Vegas until Friday, and then I work Friday and after work channel 4 films there last bit at our house and then the finished product will air in May and hopefully, we will be single homeowners. :) As for now, I can only hope that TiVo is working it's magic, making sure all my shows are there for me when I get back.

Saturday, April 15, 2006

Local 4 News is going to help Sell My House

So a new chapter to my two house saga... My struggle to sell my house in Berkley is hitting the television airwaves. I have been selected or my house rather, has been selected to be featured on Channel 4 News for May sweeps. I will post when it will air as soon as I know. They are doing a story and they are working with Lowes, a realtor, a professional stager/designer and a contractor to show viewers little things they can do to sell a house.

So we will be landscaping, painting and some other construction work. It is crazy. I am excited, but a little nervous. On Friday we meet for four hours at my Berkley House, and they picked it apart. Then today we spent 3 hours at Lowes. This week, there will be construction and therewill be rental furniture in our house (which was picked out by a designer, I am not sure about this furniture, because there would be no way I would ever put that in my house, but they are the alleged experts: so far this stagger is no Roger Hazard (from sell this house.)) I have been doing my best not to be offended or take what they say personally, but its hard not to, especially when you have never seen their work. And they let you know how much they hate the colors you have picked out for your house. Did you know that "blue" doesn't sell? I didn't, hence my blue kitchen.

Monday, Bruce, my dad and I will be landscaping, then this week, I will be painting. I will keep you updated and let you know when to set your tivo's to catch my house's television debut.

Sunday, April 09, 2006

Sell This House... why won't you Sell My House

So today I held another "open house" this is where you open your home that you are trying to sell to strangers, then you do this uncomfortable dance of wondering if they like your house enough to buy it. But you aren't sure if they even like the house and they aren't sure how to act around you. It's a very uncomfortable 10 - 15 minute meeting. It's like a first date of sorts, but I would argue it's more uncomfortable. So how does this relate to TiVo, I have been TiVoing 'Sell This House' on A&E for the past 6 months, watching it religiously, trying all the suggested tips and tricks. And still nothing. The most calls I get are from realtors trying to get me to list with them, where I say to them, if you have a buyer I will pay you, and they say, well I don't exactly have a buyer, but I can put you on the MLS. Oh yes the MLS that would list me with the 100+ other homes up for sale in Berkley, you are ingenious, oh realtor, your marketing plan is unbelievable, where did you come up with that. Oh wait was that sarcasm... the answer. yes yes it was. Ok, maybe I should be watching something else, like instead of Sell This House, any suggestions.

Saturday, April 08, 2006

Reconnecting With TiVo

So this past week was crazy busy, but thank God for Saturday, because today i reconnected with TiVo. Of course we started off the season with the latest episode of America's Next Top Model: I can't believe they kicked off Molly Sue. It's crap, but you know that they are only keeping Jade because of the drama. But can't they do something with the orange hair, if I were here I would not be complaining about the length so much as I would be about the color.

Next I watched Nashville Star, yes I like country and I am amused by this program. I watched another program, but I must be losing it because for the life of me, I can't remember what it was. However, I didn't get a chance to watch Desperate Housewives and/or Lost because I made myself get off the couch and go to the gym. Even I have limitations of how long I can sit in front of the TiVo. But the good news is, I have something for tomorrow.

Tonight Bruce and I went to watch Benchwarmers, and that is 90 minutes of our lives that we will never get back. It was bad, but it was funny. It seems odd that it can be both. However, I wouldn't rush out to the movie theater, it's definately a rental.

Bruce just announced his new blog, it's called Tivo Stole my Wife. Look for it. Well it's time for this old lady to go to bed.

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

TiVo v. Ipod

Tonight I was at the gym running on the treadmill, ok jogging on the treadmill, although some might call the beginning a fast walk, however nonetheless, I was on the treadmill and I was listening to my Ipod. Since my computer recently crashed I have not updated my Ipod in the fear that I would lose all my current playlists and have to start from zero, like I am restarting the rest of my computer life because I failed to listen when I was told to back up my files. But whatever, I am slowly getting over the pain and putting my life back together. Back to the Ipod, I was thinking what would I do if I lost all my playlists, would I remember my perfect gym playlist, that starts off with Gold Digger than goes country, 80's rock and some 90's classics. Or recover the perfect order for my all G. Love playlist. I am a playlist girl all the way, the shuffle doesn't work for me, I need order in my life. So as I was running, I was wondering, could I sit there and lists all the songs on my Ipod, like the shows on my TiVo, the answer, absolutely NOT. So does that mean that my Ipod is less important than TiVo. And I would have to answer, probably on the whole yes, but not always, like for instance TiVo is no good to me at the gym, however when I come home from the gym, ANTM is ready for me to watch. So I will go to bed and think some more about my ipod dilemma, I am not sure if I have the patience to write out all my favorite playlists so they can be recreated. Maybe I will come up with a new favorite Gym playlist.

Sunday, April 02, 2006

a TiVO Break...

The great thing about TiVo is I can take a break from it, but it never breaks from me. This weekend, I was super busy, it's hard when you are as sophisticated and popular as me to keep up (as you can see by the blog the previous statement is sarcasm.)

But I did have a really busy weekend. On Saturday, Bruce and I volunteered for the Spring Pledge Drive for Michigan Radio the NPR station out of the University of Michigan. We trekked down to A2 (those not familiar that stands for Ann Arbor.) We answered phones with a host of other volunteers, it was fun. I did take the time to share with some of the other volunteers my true love for TiVo, many I believe think I may be certifiable.

Then we went to Grizzly Peak for dinner with my folks. It was followed by dessert of ice cream at the Washtenaw Diary. We headed back to the great north to our house guests: Cheryl & Nichole. Nichole is 11 and she was competing in the United States Girls Wrestling Association National Championships in Lake Orion. Which she finished 1st in her weight class. Let me digress for a moment, this tournament was so cool, I am not a wrestler, but it was truly amazing there were girls from all over the country, including Hawaii that came to Michigan to compete. If Tyra Banks saw these girls she would definitely call them "fierce." (sorry I must always try to tie in ANTM.) Anyways check out their website: www.usgwa.com.

Then Sunday, today, I woke up early well it was 7:30 a.m. but with Daylight saving time it felt like 2 a.m., I know it's only an hour but tell me how one hour can feel like a ton of bricks. I need my beauty sleep. I went and watched Nichole kick butt in wrestling, I couldn't watch the championship match because I had to head down to our summer home, in Berkley, its for sale if you are interested in buying it email me.

And for those of you who don't know it's not really our "summer" home it's our previous home that just hasn't sold yet. I held an open house today, I had four real groups through and two realtors. I don't hate realtors, but I would like them to either bring me a buyer or leave me alone. I am willing to pay them for their work, but the idea that I just let them put a sign in my yard stick me up on a list serve and give them 3%, on top of the 3% I am giving to the realtor that actually brought a buyer to my house. I hate to say anyone was promising because so far, six months and nothing. Oh real estate in Michigan, its super fun, however, I would not suggest investing at this moment.

But back to the focus of my blog, despite the fact that I wasn't here with TiVo, it kept thinking about me and all my shows. It just recorded away, so now this week, I have all my shows to look forward to. Thank you TiVo.