Our local mall is very poorly managed, and they haven't upgraded the a/c since they opened in the mid-70s. Some of the stores have indepenent units, so occasionally it will be raining in the door of the Gap or something. Of course, since they haven't upgraded the a/c, they also haven't bothered with the roof (did I mention the rent goes up every year? there are more empty stores than full right now), which is holier than swiss cheese. I know, I used to work in a store with an attic that sold various collectibles. You haven't seen from outraged old biddies until you tell someone their Cherished Teddy box got soaked in the last downpour.

Also: really? we have a sweating smiley? That's handy.

Hey! Have I missed anything? Sorry I've been out, but last week was crazy. And not as in "what a wild and crazy week that was!!!". More along the lines of "Is it over now?" As some of you may know, we hired a new person in our department about a year ago, and that person cannot add, subtract, multiply or divide. Nor, apparently, can he get any sleep at home. Mostly what he does is come in, screw up a bunch of things, make a bunch of people mad, and then sleep it off for the rest of the afternoon.
It all came to a head last Monday when Citibank threatened to cut us completely off for what he had done over the weekend (b/c of contractual details and stunning boredom, I won't go into it here.). Tuesday, three other counterparties jumped on that bandwagon, so I was called in for alligator patrol (wrestling with.) and we got a new manager. Then Wednesday the only other person besides me and the new guy who can do my job? He had a stroke. I realize it is horrible to include his stroke in a list of things that was annoying for me last week, but still. And the doctor doesn't know if he'll be able to return this summer, which is of course our busiest season. So, it's me and the dumb guy, a host of irate counterparties, a new manager...

In all, I picked a hell of a week to stop sniffing glue (Airplane!). Plus, to top it off, Accounting hasn't been paying our invoices, so the counterparties that weren't mad at the dumb guy are now mad b/c we owe them money. The girl who's mostly responsible for paying our bills got sent home on Wednesday b/c she couldn't stop crying over Danny (which is weird, since she's never met him. Only exchanges strictly business related emails about why people aren't getting paid), and today I mentioned something about part of hell breaking loose, and she sent me back an email (on which she had also copied her boss) about why she didn't think Hell was a joking matter, and neither should I. Someone please pass the rum.

Have I missed anything?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

I don't know how it is where you are, but if you don't put down like 10% on a house here, you have to also buy mortgage protection insurance. I had the 10% to put down, but Dad gifted me some money so I would still have a savings account b/c he REALLY didn't want me to pay for MPI. He offered the same deal to my brother, but my sil declined. They took out one loan for their house and another for their downpayment, and therefore their payment is artificially higher than it should be, b/c their loan wasn't 10%. (Why bother?). My unprofessional advice would be the more you can afford to put down, the better. If nothing else, it will knock off some of what you'll have to pay over the next 30 years.

And, if you get the opportunity to split your monthly payment into payments twice a month (half of your total payment every two weeks. Not the total payment twice a month. That's just crazy talk), do that. It shortens the overall life of your mortgage, while helping you build a better credit rating. Everyone wins!