November 2010 Archives

The world is bleh. Well, maybe the world ain't, but I certainly am feeling bleh. It's a phase, it'll pass. Maybe in an hour, maybe in two, maybe in a year, but it'll pass. I'm a boat, battered and cut loose, sailing the seven seas, leaky and barely floating.

But I'm a lifeboat, I won't sink. One day I'll be a strong and majestic sailboat again, sails filled with gusts of wind, my bow splitting the waves, carrying me to unseen places and sunny beaches, spreading joy and enthusiasm wherever I dock.

But right now I'm a battered and leaky lifeboat. So it is. It's life.

Bloody hell! It's white outside. Apparently it has been snowing (lightly, but still) all night and when I opened my eyes and window this morning, I noticed a bunch of the white cold fluffy stuff. I was impressed to say the least. I'm up relatively early today, and plan on browsing more houses and get in touch with a few owners/realtors. I mailed and texted someone over a house last night, but didn't get any response. Maybe they're out of the country, who knows?

One thing is sure though, I shouldn't take the photo's and appearance of the house in them for granted, because I've found out that those photographs were taken by a professional photographer. Adverts for buildings with photographs made by pro's should come with a warning : "warning - objects may appear larger then they are".

Anyway, off to check my mails now and wake up.

Had two pairs of extra eyes this morning while checking out a possible new house/home. Joco took quite a lot of photographs again - which is quite helpful when you need to recall a certain state or part of the building, or haven't spotted something while there, yet notice it on the photograph - and Jess was busy looking around as well, while I was listening to the current owner who was answering my questions.

Pro's :

• bathroom is done quite nice


• kitchen remains to be placed, so I would be able to pick and chose, depending on preference and budget


• living room floor needs to be placed, same pro above


• new windows and doors installed


• heating installation is only 2 years old


• electricity has been redone


• affordable


• close to my current place of employment

Cons :

• bathroom is rather small, but not too small (two adults would work, if there would be kids involved, forget it)


• two bedrooms (one large, one small) with no possibility for a third one


• two obvious leaks noticed (one in the front roof, one in the back). Back roof would be repaired due to guarantee according to owner


• state of walls in back section is dubious though not completely clear


• new stairs are needed


• roofs are not or very badly insulated (though a set back, it would also be an opportunity to do it correctly and even get some financial aid doing so)


• kitchen needs to be installed (see Pro's)


• Livingroom floor needs to be done (would allow for proper insulation as well)

As you can see, I've been going over pro's and cons quite a couple of hours already. Should I decide to make an offer, it won't be anywhere near the current asking price, and I'd have to take into calculation at least 2-3 months of work that needs to be done. Apart from the time needed to get it all installed and finished, I'd guess about 15k worth of investing would be needed as well. Which still is not that much, but definitely a factor to keep in mind.

Off to bed now, gonna let it rest for the night and review everything again tomorrow. Advice or first impressions may be asked from my two extra pair of eyes :)

Just got a call to see whether I can come in to work an hour earlier for a meeting. I suppose I can. Yeah, I'm working loads and loads right now, and it definitely is a change from earlier this year when I was winding down the time working to be able to spend more time with my family, but since that no longer applies, I put in more hours now, which will allow me to have a slightly higher budget when I find a new place to live.

Yesterday, as I was driving home, I made a quick calculation, which is actually quite confronting. Should I move to the house I'm checking out tomorrow, that would save me 30 minutes of travel each day, and that's a very low estimate. I think it may even be as much as 45 to 60 minutes depending on the time of day when traveling. Anyway, let's go for 30 minutes a day for the time being.

30x220 (the average number of working days in a year) = 110 hours

Moving closer to work would save me 4.5 full days a year, that I could spend on something more fun then being stuck in a traffic jam. I know that figure doesn't seem all that impressive, but if expressed in average work days (8 hours) we're talking about close to 14 days!

It certainly opened my eyes. Just for the fun of it, based on a 45 an 60 minute shorter commute, these are the figures :

165 hours saved = 6.8 days = 20.6 working days
220 hours saved = 9.2 days = 27.5 working days

I don't know whether it's the time of year, or even the time of week, but it seems everything is slowing down. I have several triggers set up on sites that alert me when anything interesting pops up (for instance when it comes to houses appearing on the market) but the past couple of days nothing has moved. Same situation on another site, where I have several communications in progress, and suddenly everyone seems to have vanished.

/me looks outside to check whether the world still exists... yep, it's still there. Ah well, probably just a temporary fallback.

I just returned from the Lady GaGa Monster's Ball concert in Antwerp, and while not blown away, I must say that I was definitely impressed. So far I only knew Lady GaGa from her hit singles (Paparazzi, Pokerface,...), but I must admit that the lady stands her ground, also on more intimate songs. She definitely can sing, which came as a bit of a surprise to me. I wouldn't put her up there yet with Pink (whom I've seen perform in the same location and who did blow me away), but she certainly earns a spot in history.

Off to watch the first episode of True Blood now, and then head off to bed. See you later, little monsters ;-)

I once again realize what friends are for. They are the ones that tell you what they think or feel, without hesitation, without holding back. It's what I need, plain and simple. They are the ones that look out for me if I don't - though in this case I'm pretty certain I wouldn't get caught in the trap called life again - and warn me when they feel I've lost it.

With that said, I've selected 13 interesting houses, that I'll be reviewing more in detail during the week. I hope to be able to go visit some within the next week or two, to see whether they are what I need, or not. If none of the places is what I need, or can afford, I'll just load up another batch and look around more. House are like girlfriends I suppose : you can take a look at many, yet not find one that really does it. But then, one day, one time, you'll just know you've hit gold and found one that fits you.

I'm forwarding most of the data to another e-mail address right now, so I can make a couple of calls tomorrow and on Tuesday.

Oh, the house in The Netherlands is still an option, though the term which the couple that has currently a bid on it has been extended with one week. More on that next week I suppose. I'm not putting my money down on it though and am actively for a new house. And girlfriend, but that's something entirely different. You don't go inputting data on a website to find the "perfect" or "affordable" match. If I had to though, here's my list :

Character : Witty, intelligent, likes humor, honest, open minded. Did I mention honest?
Physical : slim, tall, sexy, small breasts, lovely ass
Treats : non-smoker, kids welcome, enjoyable

While it may seem strange or even not masculine at all, I listed character before physical appearance. Character doesn't change, looks do. I take everything with a grain of salt and would rather live and be happy with a girl that lacks all of the physical appearance but has every single characteristic then the opposite. Oh, MILFS are welcome. I've learned first hand that children can be a very welcome addition to my life, and would love to include some again. On the other hand... they also make it ten times harder to let go if things go wrong. (Cries).

I'm not yet at a point where I can open up and be ready for someone new, the roller coaster has not yet stopped, I don't even see the end of the ride yet.

Back to square one we are. The house I was interested in got sold for a whopping €161k, not including costs. Way over my budget that's for sure, so I had to fold during the bids. It was good to have experienced a public sale of property as it has helped me understand the mechanisms and costs associated with it, but at the same time I'd rather would been able to buy that property.

Anyway, scouting more houses online today. It sure keeps me busy.

I've visited a house that seemed rather interesting on Saturday, along with my friend Joco, who offered to join me and shoot a ton of photo's. While the house itself still has my interest, there are some things that need to be cleared up before I'll even consider putting in an offer on Thursday evening. Actually, there are three major concerns right now :

1. somehow water has found it's way down, so a leak is occurring in the kitchen, where water leaks down from a light fixture. Not good to say the least. We've looked everywhere, but can't find any other wet spots or leaks for now, but it could indicate a major issue with the house. That combined with the fact that the outer wall of the house is obviously very wet in three different places, makes me believe the roof is not as waterproof as it should be, or there is any issue with the drains being blocked. It's hard to tell without further inspection and I'm not sure we will have the chance to investigate further before Thursday.

2. The costs are not only higher, but also calculated differently on this sale opposed to a regular sale, so I'll have to contact the notary to find out more and get a detail. I don't plan on offering 150k if I'm facing another 26k in costs, not including work that needs to be done in the house (for instance the leak issue, some heating issues and such).

3. An EPC certificate has been delivered and mentions a score of 638 which is incredibly high. A recently built house would score under 200 (a lower score means less costs heating the place). I do realize that an old but renewed house - such as this one - will never be as well insulated as a building that uses the latest techniques and materials, but I fear that this score would incur such a high additional cost that the whole thing falls down the drain. On the other hand, the certificate should mention all the insulation issues and even advice on how to fix them.

I'll be on the phone with the notary tomorrow to gather more info, and decide based upon that. If I can arrange for a second visit, I'll be taking my dad to see what he thinks about the place in general and the leak and/or roof issues. If it turns out that they are minor or relatively fixable, I'll take them into account and adjust the price offered depending on it.

Last but not least, I'd have to be able to get everything organized mortgage wise as well, because I believe that I'd have to pay the costs within 5 days (best case scenario) or 24 hours (worst case scenario) and the total price within 6 weeks. The latter I'm not so concerned about, but the costs could be another issue as I've not yet been bought out by my ex girlfriend. The paperwork is drafted up and signed, but not yet official. I sure hope that it doesn't block my ability to move on, that would suck big time.

The house in The Netherlands is still not listed as sold, so that - hopefully - too remains an option, though it would definitely complicate things.

#music : currently enjoying Robyn - Robyn from 2005.

Today was a bit of a rough day for me, but I think I did quite okay considering. This morning I went to see the notary with my ex-girlfriend to get everything started on the paperwork for me leaving the house to her. I was not looking forward to it - nor the meeting nor the paperwork - but I was able to remain calm and I didn't break down as I feared. It still hurts to see her, though I'm coping with it a little better each day. When I think about the kids though - which ain't even mine, though I consider them to be - that tears well up and I crash and burn. I miss them so much, I'd never thought possible.

As I write this, tears flow down my cheeks and I'm not even ashamed about it. I would never have imagined that those two could have such an impact on my life, for the better. It also makes me both sad and angry that I won't be able to see them that much anymore. She said I could come visit, and they could come visit me when I'm back on my feet and in a place of my own, but for the time being that ain't the case and I'd just break down anyway. I've not been able to give that a place in my mind or heart. I'm not sure I'll ever will be able...

Enough whining for now, let's focus on something else entirely. Went to work for but a few hours and then got stuck in traffic on the way home. After a delicious scampi and pasta meal, Joco and I worked out a bit - a 20 minute cycling session, followed by some light power training - and then took a sauna. I got out after 15 minutes, and completed it with a nice shower. I don't plan to go take a sauna every day, but I could get used to it. The workout though, especially the cycling, I can see me do every day/evening. I'm sure it'll help drive my weight down even more.

I did update my files, did some finances and read my mails, so now...

Off to play some Eve Online!

Even though I'm starting to feel "at home" a bit more every day at J&E's house, I'm still longing for my own place again. So, I've been scouting the web for interesting houses, and I've got two or three options that really look good. Two of them are just across the border with The Netherlands, and one is in Belgium. I suppose November 18th will be rather important since that's the final date for one of the house to be sold, and on November 19th (at the latest) I'll know whether or not that first property I spotted in The Netherlands is still available.

I've called for an appointment to visit a house in Belgium somewhere this or next week, but am waiting for the realtor to get back to me - they have to check with the owner - and on Saturday I'll go check out the house I'm definitely considering in Belgium (based on photo's for now).

In the end there are quite a few options it seems at first, but it'll all come down very much on cash flow and availability. I hope to take a very important step tomorrow and get more info on how and when I'll be bought out of the current house in Mechelen. I'd have it sooner rather then later, because that would give me more options to put down a substantial part if needed.

I'm definitely not aiming for February, as that would keep me restricted way too long.

I have little doubt that I'll feel like being hit by a truck tomorrow morning, but I actually wasn't. I've been working out together with Joco, and since it's been quite a while, it's bound to hurt... a lot :)

I do feel good about it though and will probably work out again tomorrow evening. See ya peeps!

Yesterday I ran into a friend of a friend online and we ended up going to the movies, where we saw Paranormal Activity 2, which I can really recommend if you're into that kind of horror flick. I enjoyed myself, and I think she did too.

Moved most of my stuff out, and took what I needed for daily or weekly routine into my room at J&E's place. I was already able to hook up the computer - hence this post - and the TV was showing the Simpsons just a couple of minutes ago. As I type this, I'm drooling over Cara Van der Auwera, who was just on the screen, grin :)

Tomorrow, I've got a meeting with my banker, and later my sis will be over. Today I'll try to head off to bed on time, because it's been a busy day and I haven't slept all that well last night. Lol, last night, quite an appropriate choice of words indeed.

Tonight I'll try to work on some documents that I hope will give me a clear outlook on what is feasible and what is not. I did spot an opportunity while moving today, so I'll be looking into it, keeping in mind that I don't plan to get my ass served to me, again.

Off to play Eve Online for a while now. If you're interested in giving Eve Online a shot too, send me a mail or leave a comment, and I'll send you an invite which will give you 21 days of free access (opposed to the regular 14 day trial account).

Date that I know for sure whether or not the property is sold : November 19th. In the mean time, I'll be keeping an eye open for other opportunities.

Got an appointment at the bank on Thursday, called the ISP to have them change things over to her name - will take up to three weeks - and have swapped over a major part of my online identities and e-mail addresses already. Will do the rest during the week. It's always such a hassle, moving in and out. Maybe I shouldn't worry about it all and just let her figure it all out, but I do realize that if I want it all done properly and in the correct order, I better take care of it.

Up next : getting the electricity switched... (call made, they will also be taking the necessary actions)

I finally got a reply from the real estate agent... it seems the property has been sold, pending financing that is. So, unless the people currently interested in it don't get the financing set up, I'm screwed. I've been looking at some other properties in the region and to be honest... no... I so don't feel like starting from scratch again. This year alone I've emptied and cleaned out my apartment, I've redone and moved to the house in Mechelen, and that is plain enough. I really don't want to start all over for the third time this year. I really don't. It makes me freak out.

Truth be said... if the situation were different, I probably wouldn't mind yet another project. I do realize that if you want to own property and not break the bank too much, you have to do a lot yourself. However, that takes time, loads of time. Even though I do feel fine about moving in with J&E, I also know that I'll never be at ease there. That is nothing personal at all, and I know they'll understand should they read this. Just imagine living on your own for over 20 years and then moving back in with your parents... no matter how good they are, no matter how little they expect, ask or interfere, it just doesn't work. Hence, I want to be back on my feet asap.

Maybe I'll find myself some rich old lady that likes the idea of a "young" man entertaining her, even though she knows it would be only for the money or the property. Grin, that sounds so wrong, doesn't it?

This morning she and the kids left for EuroDisney, while I just stayed in bed. I couldn't really bring myself to get out and face them. Last night she told Siebe that they would be visiting EuroDisney and that I wouldn't be here anymore when they returned. He didn't like it, which leaves me with very mixed feelings. On the one hand, I'm glad that he reacts that way, because it shows that I've left a positive impression on those two little rascals the past year and a half, but on the other hand I know it'll leave him confused and sad, which is something I'd rather not see him be.

I mailed the real estate broker to see if I can visit the property I've got my eye on. No reply so far, so if I don't hear back from them tomorrow, I'll be giving them a follow up call. Tomorrow I'll be contacting the current energy supplier, as well as the ISP that provides this place with internet connection and digital TV, to have everything put to her name.

I'll also try to set up a meeting with my banker, to verify that the data I was shown earlier are indeed correct. She conveniently forgot to mention that the mortgage would be for a property abroad, which definitely changes things.

I'm busy, yet not as busy as I should be I suppose. I'm coping, but not enjoying. May move some things out today already.

It seems a certain someone doesn't really care, or doesn't show. Anyway, I'm moving on, that's for sure. It may be a flee, but at least I'm fleeing forward, and not hiding somewhere.

I just ordered tickets for Alex Agnew, whom I really dig as a standup comedian. He's big, bold and bombastic, but it just works. He found his thing so to speak, and I like his style, or lack of it.

Speaking of concerts and shows... Here's what I've lined up for the time being :

Lady GaGa, November 2010*
Lord of the Dance, December 2010*
Alex Agnew, March 2011*

* I will be going to all these shows, and I do have a spare ticket for each of them. I'd rather not go alone, but will not be asking or allowing just anyone to tag along. If you are an interesting female (milfs welcome) that welcomes a night out, feel free to get in touch. I can't promise upfront that I'll pick you to go with me, nor can I promise that I wont (try to) get in your pants, but hey... give some and get some. I'm past caring about the feelings of others for the moment.

Note : the above words might sound sexist. They may be offensive to some. They may... hell I don't really care. It is a joke, yet it is not. I really do have tickets, and I will welcome company. Having huge hooters won't really help you catch my attention. Being witty, funny and honest will. But... I wasn't lying about getting in your pants ;-)