Take another one off the list

Some long time readers may remember an entry I wrote about a year ago (hyperlinked for those of you with short attention spans) where I spoke of a list I have on a white board in my home.

The list is simple with four things:

1. Sell the house
2. Get out of debt
3. Find a job
4. Marry Julie

I was able to cross #3 off for a little while last year. I did have a job, but it ended back in January. Once again, I'm unemployed and looking. If you know anyone between Rockford, IL and Chicago's Western Suburbs who's looking for a geek with 15 years Tier I/Tier II experience, put in a good word for me, please.

As of this past Wednesday, I was able to scratch another one off that list. Actually, its been on the whiteboard for so long, it didn't wipe off easily. There's still smudges on the board that won't come off.

I sold the house.

It'd been on the market for over a year with no buyers until about a month ago. I won't go into details, but...I didn't get as much as I'd hoped for the place. I wanted to get enough to pay off all my bills and get out of debt, but that's not going to happen, I fear. (Yes, I owe that much.)

But I finally sold the old homestead.

That house had been in my family for 50 years. Generations passed and it was in our name. It was a good house. It needed some work and some love: I fear I'm not the best at keeping up with some of the home improvement projects, and for it to be fixed up well, I didn't have the much needed cash.

Wednesday morning, the final papers were signed and the house was sold.

When I told Julie it was finally done, she asked me if I was all right with that. Kinda late for regrets, I'd say...but yeah. That house was part of my "old" life, and I'm firmly committed to this new life with her. We decided that we'd have to find a place of our own at some point, and make it "our home". She then hummed a little Madness while I oped for CSNY. It was funny...guess you hadda be there.

I'll be able to pay off some of the bills with the money from the sale of the house, some of the smaller ones. I'm still not sure if I'll have to file for bankruptcy to pay off the bigger credit cards, or if (when) I get another job, see if some of those credit counseling services can help me. I already tried once, and wasn't able to qualify...but things do change.

When it's all said and done, it was just a house. Here, now...with Julie and the kids and the cat who's walking around the table in the middle of the night as I write this...I'm home. I'm where I want to be, and I can't be happier.

Of other weddings and snowfall

Today, I was supposed to be in Pittsburgh, to be there for my best friend and stand by his side when he gets married.

Mother Nature, however, decided it was not meant to be.

Let me back it up a bit.

It was shortly after I met Julie that I showed Tim the Social Me app on Facebook. Tim has two kids and was looking for "adult conversation"...get yer minds out of the gutter, ya pervs, I mean something other than kids stuff...and I told him he might be able to find someone to talk to there.

It was there he met Connie. The two of them started talking, like Julie and I did, except that she only lived about half the distance that I was traveling on a regular basis.

They had found each other like Julie and I had. I got the chance to meet her when I was back in the 'Burgh for Mum's funeral...not the best occasion, but sometimes, you don't get to pick the right moment all the time...and I could tell right away that they were good together.

Scratch that. They were DAMN good together.

Tim asked Connie to marry him, and she said yes. She left Ohio for the hillsides of Pittsburgh, moved in together, and began to make wedding plans. Originally, it was scheduled for next month, but like I said, you don't always get to pick the right time.

Connie's dad is very sick. I won't go into details, out of respect for their privacy, but it's bad. Tim and Connie went out to see him a couple weeks ago, and Tim...one of the classiest guys you'll ever meet...asked Connie's dad for his blessing.

He said yes, but he had a condition: He wanted to be there. Given his health, a trip for him to Pittsburgh was out of the question, and they weren't sure he'd be around for March, so they began to move the date up to as soon as possible.

They found a church. Made arrangements to get married today. Tim got a video camera to record it, and planned to set it up where her dad would be sitting, so it'd be like he was there.

I made the plans to be out there today. Checked the forecast earlier this week (something sensible from me, given the time of year) and it called for light snow. Nothing I can't handle.

Then the forecast changed. Enter the Nor'easter.

Now, out here in Corn Country, we got nothing. Back East...well...big storms hit every 7 to 10 years, and Pittsburgh was due for one, I guess. It just decided to hit this weekend.

I hated to do it, but I canceled my trip. Tim and Connie, bless 'em both, understood. Doesn't make me feel much better, but they understood.

So they're getting married today, and I...like her dad...will have to watch the wedding video later. I'm just glad he'll get to see his daughter marry one great guy.

P.S. Whoever's in Pittsburgh running Windows 7 and Chrome 0.2, send me a note via the e-mail link to the left. I'm curious what you think of the OS and the browser. (Told you I know when you stalkers come visit me.)