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September 26, 2006

The Mic is On! It’s Your Dream Home for Sure!

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 7:00 pm

It’s Like Open Mic Only Different

Here’s how it works.

open mike night

It’s like any rambling conversation. Don’t try to read it all. Jump in whenever you get here. Just go to the end and start talking. EVERYONE is WELCOME
The rules are simple — be nice.

There are always first timers and new things to talk about. It’s sort of half “Cheers” part “Friends” and part video game. You don’t know how much fun it is until you try it.

Tonight we’re talking dream homes!

manor of the others

We might also talk about

  • littles homes in the countryside
  • mansions on the grounds
  • cottage in the woods
  • city apartments

AND THE EVER POPULAR,
Basil the code-writing donkey.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related articles
The Mic Is Open! Start Your Engines! It’s Cars!

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C'mon. Let's talk!

343 Comments to “The Mic is On! It’s Your Dream Home for Sure!”

  1. September 26th, 2006 at 7:01 pm
    Service Untitled - Douglas said

    Liz,

    What about McMansions?

  2. September 26th, 2006 at 7:01 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Doug!
    How goes the king of business bloggers? Living in McMansions?

  3. September 26th, 2006 at 7:03 pm
    Joe said

    Hey guys,

    Anybody have a house that has different buildings?

    I need to find one with all of the normal rooms, and one so that K. can have her shoppe…

  4. September 26th, 2006 at 7:03 pm
    Advice Librarian said

    I’ve always had this dream of a modest Fortress of Terror or perhaps a Duengon of Doom - that, or the world’s largest privately-owned library :)

  5. September 26th, 2006 at 7:04 pm
    Service Untitled - Douglas said

    Not quite yet. We should be launching in a week or so, though. :D

    I bought an iPod, though, but it has nothing to do with my (non-existent) business blog earnings. :P

  6. September 26th, 2006 at 7:05 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Joe,
    I thought the basement was the shop?

  7. September 26th, 2006 at 7:06 pm
    ME Strauss said

    AdLib.
    I see you in your Terror of Doom, getting a haircut from K.

  8. September 26th, 2006 at 7:06 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Doug!
    You can use that IPod to listen to podcasts from AdLib’s Terror of Doom!

  9. September 26th, 2006 at 7:07 pm
    Joe said

    Liz,
    Not until the contractors show up and remodel the whole thing.

    Until then, the kitchen is for cutting, dying, washing and the dining room is for drying.

    I think the living room has become a waiting room…
    :-(

  10. September 26th, 2006 at 7:08 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Joe,
    Sounds like you’ve moved to the bedroom . . . with the alien.

  11. September 26th, 2006 at 7:09 pm
    Joe said

    Yes, I did…
    If only I could make time warp to have the basement finished…

  12. September 26th, 2006 at 7:10 pm
    ME Strauss said

    How many comments does it take to finish a basement?

  13. September 26th, 2006 at 7:10 pm
    Advice Librarian said

    Nobody’s getting near The Hair with sharp implements :)

    Terror of Doom? Uh, I was thinking more along the lines of Melkor’s Utumno - though that was wrecked - or something more modest like Sauron’s Barad-Dur; though that one was destroyed by a couple of hobbits…

    Hmm.

    Perhaps rethinking that plan has some merits.

  14. September 26th, 2006 at 7:12 pm
    Joe said

    Liz,
    11,005,247

  15. September 26th, 2006 at 7:12 pm
    ME Strauss said

    I think I want my dream home to be an airplane.

  16. September 26th, 2006 at 7:13 pm
    Joe said

    Mine will not have the smell of hair dye or bleach.

  17. September 26th, 2006 at 7:13 pm
    Advice Librarian said

    A Blackbird SR-71 modified with Shi’ar technology, perhaps?

  18. September 26th, 2006 at 7:14 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Whoa, Joe,
    How many comments have you gone throught so far?

  19. September 26th, 2006 at 7:14 pm
    Joe said

    105

  20. September 26th, 2006 at 7:16 pm
    ME Strauss said

    I guess we’d better get commenting.
    This comment night is dedicated to Joe’s basement.

  21. September 26th, 2006 at 7:16 pm
    Joe said

    AdLib,
    I have a pic of an SR-71 Blackbird in my pic file, unfortunately, it’s not online.

  22. September 26th, 2006 at 7:17 pm
    Service Untitled - Douglas said

    Liz,

    Got it. Joe’s basement.

  23. September 26th, 2006 at 7:19 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Joe,
    What’s your dream house really look like?

  24. September 26th, 2006 at 7:19 pm
    Advice Librarian said

    Joe’s still living in his basement? Whoa, I thought your wife had agreed to let you back up?

    Or is it the pinball machine you have down there that just makes it look like you’re living in the basement on account of spending all that time there? :P

  25. September 26th, 2006 at 7:21 pm
    Joe said

    Thanks Liz,

    I am writing a series on the subject of “Working Together (Separately)”
    It’s meant to be a chronicle of the ups and downs, ins and outs, and trials and tribulations of her move from a separate building into a work at home environment. All the while, I have already established my WAH domain (household), now everything has to change to accommidate a new business in my world…

  26. September 26th, 2006 at 7:23 pm
    ME Strauss said

    AdLib,
    What’s your dream house really look like?

  27. September 26th, 2006 at 7:25 pm
    Joe said

    No AdLib, I’m relegated to the Bedroom…
    If I had the basement, I would at least have a separate entrance. :-0

  28. September 26th, 2006 at 7:27 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Joe, relegated to the bedroom, paces back and forth, like a caged animal. . . . the stress and pressure mounts.

    He begins talking to the alien head on his dresser.

  29. September 26th, 2006 at 7:27 pm
    Advice Librarian said

    Well, practically speaking the top-floor apartment with balcony I’m moving to next month is pretty dreamy - it’s a little outside of town, right next to the local yacht club and has a nice view of the water. It’s even got a spare room that’s big enough to hold all my book shelves with perhaps a bit of room to expand…

    Speaking from someplace in my wildest dreams though, I think the new Library in Alexandria looks very good.

  30. September 26th, 2006 at 7:27 pm
    Dossy Shiobara said

    Aha! I finally got the timing right … of course, now I have no idea what to say.

    The current housing bubble is going to burst soon, if it hasn’t already.

  31. September 26th, 2006 at 7:28 pm
    Joe said

    Liz, do you have a secret camera hidden around here somewhere???

  32. September 26th, 2006 at 7:29 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Dossy!
    That’s Joe, AdLib and Doug!

    Here’s a cold one!

  33. September 26th, 2006 at 7:29 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Joe,
    You know I live inside your computer. :)

  34. September 26th, 2006 at 7:31 pm
    Joe said

    At least I’m never alone. I have you inside the computer and the alien on my dresser. :-)

  35. September 26th, 2006 at 7:31 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Dossy,
    What does your dream house look like?

  36. September 26th, 2006 at 7:32 pm
    Advice Librarian said

    ..and the voices in your head? Ooops, no, sorry, that’s me :P

  37. September 26th, 2006 at 7:33 pm
    Joe said

    Hey Dossy, sorry I didn’t say hi earlier…

  38. September 26th, 2006 at 7:36 pm
    Kirsten Harrell, Psy.D. said

    Hi Liz! Hi all!
    I don’t think I could decide on just one dream home. I want a beach house, a house in the mountains, and then I need to have a beautiful place in Sedona! Is that too much to ask for?:)

  39. September 26th, 2006 at 7:36 pm
    Advice Librarian said

    Hey, nice to meetcha, Dossy!

    Yeah, all the material I’ve seen on real estate lately indicate pretty much one thing - you americans are about to take a royal beating from the housing bubble bursting. Japan had a serious real estate bubble in the 1980ies - and their economy STILL hasn’t fully recovered.

    If you’re lucky, it won’t be as bad for you guys - but I remember writing about the real estate bubble back in May. Though looking back at it now, I think I was being wildly optimistic…

  40. September 26th, 2006 at 7:38 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hey Kirsten,
    You get as many dream houses as you like. It works like parallel lives and beverages/snacks from the sidebar — as many as you like and their free!!!

  41. September 26th, 2006 at 7:39 pm
    Joe said

    Hey Kirsten…

    AdLib, that’s one good thing, a Dream House is Free, as long as it’s only a Dream

  42. September 26th, 2006 at 7:40 pm
    Kirsten Harrell, Psy.D. said

    Well… in that case… let’s add another on a private island in the middle of nowhere. I can only stay for a few tonight, but I thought I’d at least drop in for a bit.

  43. September 26th, 2006 at 7:42 pm
    Joe said

    Ok, we just passed my MAX Comments, and the night is still young… ;-)

  44. September 26th, 2006 at 7:42 pm
    Dossy Shiobara said

    Hi Liz, Joe, AdLib!

    My dream house? The yard paved with concrete … the house a large rectangle, stainless steel and plate glass windows. Clean, crisp, low maintenance. :-)

  45. September 26th, 2006 at 7:42 pm
    ME Strauss said

    AdLib,
    I didn’t have a chance to say so yet, but your new place does sound dreamy.

  46. September 26th, 2006 at 7:42 pm
    Advice Librarian said

    Well, sometimes when I’m feeling particularily misanthropic, I start thinking of a deserted semi-tropical island someplace…

  47. September 26th, 2006 at 7:43 pm
    Phil Gerbyshak said

    Dream a little dream, get a little result. I’ll be dreaming BIG here.

    My dream home would be a nice place on the water with a deck, and a patio, and 10 or more bedrooms where all my blogging buddies could stay and we’d play Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and Space Invaders, and we’d talk great talks, and sip great wine and/or coffee, depending on the time of day. And it would have to have major high speed wi-fi throughout, and the best electrical system you could imagine.

    And a sound studio, so we could podcast together whenever we wanted. Only everyone I wanted to podcast with I would be able to have conversations with.

    Someday…

  48. September 26th, 2006 at 7:45 pm
    Advice Librarian said

    It all started with me taking my own advice - when I ran out of room for more books, it was time to look for a new place with space for more bookshelves :)

    For some reason, right next to the yacht club isn’t all that expensive compared to downtown…

  49. September 26th, 2006 at 7:46 pm
    Kirsten Harrell, Psy.D. said

    Hi Phil! Sounds pretty awesome! Perhaps I will get in my boat and swing by! :)

  50. September 26th, 2006 at 7:46 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Cool dream house, Phil . . . like the details. How about the video studio for your pictures????

  51. September 26th, 2006 at 7:46 pm
    Phil Gerbyshak said

    Kirsten - you are welcome to swing by anytime. That’s why it’s by the water, for easy access.

    Room for more too! Come on over, the water’s GREAT!

  52. September 26th, 2006 at 7:48 pm
    Phil Gerbyshak said

    Ooh Liz, that’s right. Must have the video studio too. Thanks for the reminder.

    And the limo driver would always wait for us, so we wouldn’t have to worry about parking attendants either.

  53. September 26th, 2006 at 7:48 pm
    Advice Librarian said

    Huh, I don’t know, Phil. That water looks shark-infested to me.

  54. September 26th, 2006 at 7:48 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Dossy,
    I don’t think stainless is low maintenance???
    Is it really? Of course, I’m only thinking of the stainless sink. I hate how they always look so . . . so. . .

  55. September 26th, 2006 at 7:49 pm
    Phil Gerbyshak said

    And there would be room for Joe’s pinball machine too. Bring it along Joe, you’re welcome at the Gerby Shak anytime!

  56. September 26th, 2006 at 7:49 pm
    Renée said

    Good morning Liz and everyone,

    Make it slightly earlier this evening open mic!

    Dream Homes tonight, huh? My favorite topic.

  57. September 26th, 2006 at 7:49 pm
    ME Strauss said

    AdLib,
    You’re too funny, those aren’t sharks, They’re just political bloggers.

  58. September 26th, 2006 at 7:50 pm
    Phil Gerbyshak said

    Sharks are tasty meat, so we’ll just have to catch ‘em and eat ‘em. Should be fun! You in Advice Librarian? I bet you’ve got a book that would show us how to do it!

  59. September 26th, 2006 at 7:50 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hey Renee!
    You have to have a place to park that car . . . why not a dream house?

  60. September 26th, 2006 at 7:50 pm
    Phil Gerbyshak said

    Looking forward to seeing your house Renee. Should be a beauty!

  61. September 26th, 2006 at 7:51 pm
    Phil Gerbyshak said

    Ooh, a big garage too, for the boats and the beautiful cars!

  62. September 26th, 2006 at 7:51 pm
    Kirsten Harrell, Psy.D. said

    Well, I best be careful when getting off my boat and onto Phil’s deck! Don’t want to get a bite!

  63. September 26th, 2006 at 7:52 pm
    Phil Gerbyshak said

    We’ll have trained shark handlers to help you get across the deck. Or my levitation machine could help you out too!

  64. September 26th, 2006 at 7:53 pm
    Kirsten Harrell, Psy.D. said

    Ooohh! Cool a levitation machine! I like it! I can just see everyone floating around with their lovely beach drinks!

  65. September 26th, 2006 at 7:54 pm
    ME Strauss said

    The beach drinks come with cabana boys and girls to deliver them. :)

  66. September 26th, 2006 at 7:54 pm
    Advice Librarian said

    Have you read one of the books about the Bounty mutiny? One of the possibly fictional episodes that precipitated the mutiny was a couple of the able seamen using their rations of maggot-infested meat to fish for sharks and getting flogged for it…

    ‘Course, sharks are usually not dangerous to humans unless you dress up as a seal or something else on their normal menu - and if you want shark recipes I think the icelanders have some ..interesting ones.

    It involves burying the shark for 6-8 months to ferment. I think the only humans on the planet who can eat that stuff are icelanders…

  67. September 26th, 2006 at 7:54 pm
    Renée said

    I can’t complain much about the apartment I live right now. Got everything I want, had it remodelled and feng shui.

  68. September 26th, 2006 at 7:55 pm
    Phil Gerbyshak said

    Lots of cabana boys and girls. Sounds like a fun place for us all to hang out.

    Yep, I just invented the levitation machine for situations like this. Though sharks normally don’t harm humans, bloggers are another story.

    Renee - glad you’re loving your apartment. You can come visit me anytime if you like!

  69. September 26th, 2006 at 7:55 pm
    Advice Librarian said

    Hmm, new rule for visiting Phil’s Dream Home - don’t dress as a seal?

  70. September 26th, 2006 at 7:56 pm
    ME Strauss said

    AdLib,
    You caught me totally off guard with that one . . .

    ‘Course, sharks are usually not dangerous to humans unless you dress up as a seal or something else on their normal menu

    Excellent. :) I’m still laughing.

  71. September 26th, 2006 at 7:56 pm
    Phil Gerbyshak said

    Yep, no seal costumes allowed at the Gerby Shak. Though feel free to dress up like it’s Halloween if that makes you happy :)

  72. September 26th, 2006 at 7:57 pm
    Renée said

    Definitely Phil, what is the dress code? =)

  73. September 26th, 2006 at 7:58 pm
    Phil Gerbyshak said

    Dress code - come as you are, or don’t come at all!

  74. September 26th, 2006 at 7:58 pm
    ME Strauss said

    I still want to live in an airplane. Phil, you’ll need to put in a rather large airport.

  75. September 26th, 2006 at 7:58 pm
    Dossy Shiobara said

    Stainless steel … low maintenance: you don’t have to paint it, it’s easy to wash, it won’t rust. People might not like the way it looks, but hell, if I could afford a house like that, I could afford to live somewhere remote enough that no one would see it.

  76. September 26th, 2006 at 7:59 pm
    Kirsten Harrell, Psy.D. said

    Awwhh… shucks! I guess I better take off my pretty little seal costume!

  77. September 26th, 2006 at 7:59 pm
    Phil Gerbyshak said

    A stainless steel airport. SWEET! I wonder if my levitation machine could handle that…Yep, it’s good.

    Costumes optional, though I think I’d dress up like a relationship geek if I had my druthers.

  78. September 26th, 2006 at 8:00 pm
    Renée said

    Hi Dossy - won’t stainless steel a bit to warm for comfort?

  79. September 26th, 2006 at 8:00 pm
    Phil Gerbyshak said

    Kirsten - fur is so 1999. Let’s party like it’s 2099…Dress up like a porpoise instead!

  80. September 26th, 2006 at 8:00 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Good point, Dossy.
    Now I get it. Sometimes I’m a little slow on the uptake. :)

  81. September 26th, 2006 at 8:01 pm
    Ben Yoskovitz said

    Evening everyone!

    Dream homes is a great topic. I just sold mine so I’m looking for a new home. It won’t be a dream one though…*chuckle*

    How’s everyone doing?

  82. September 26th, 2006 at 8:01 pm
    Phil Gerbyshak said

    Yo Ben, come on over! The water’s GREAT! Where’s Basil?

  83. September 26th, 2006 at 8:02 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Phil,
    Did you lose your druthers again!???
    I told you to put them away. If you put them away where they go, you wouldn’t lose them. Then you’d never have to say “If I had my druthers . . .” again. “Cause you’d have them.

  84. September 26th, 2006 at 8:03 pm
    Ben Yoskovitz said

    Phil, you’re in the water?

    Basil’s on his way back to Montreal from Australia. Has an overnight flight to Nova Scotia, but I’m going to keep him a few days here, get him to do some work and show everyone a bit of Montreal…

  85. September 26th, 2006 at 8:03 pm
    Phil Gerbyshak said

    Dang, I lost my druthers. And they were made with the finest stainless steel seal fur too!

    If anyone finds them, please send them back to Milwaukee. The people at the post office know me well!

  86. September 26th, 2006 at 8:03 pm
    Joe said

    Ok, I love the water, I’ll be there Phil.

    It takes 25 comments to upload 2 pics for AdLib, here they are, I hope they work.

    http://workingathomeinternet.com/WP/wp-content/uploads/12×10_human-space-flight.jpg
    and
    http://workingathomeinternet.com/WP/wp-content/12×10_sr71.jpg
    I really hope they work.

    I think I got them from either NASA or space.com long ago.

  87. September 26th, 2006 at 8:04 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    Hi everyone! I always liked the idea of a concrete coated geodesic dome in the mountains, the entire top a sky light, solar power and heat, rainwater collection for water, craft room, playrooms, very large open floor living/dining/kitchen area, a dining table large enough that one end can be used for my office (I don’t like to be stuck by myself), a yard with no grass, only gardens that are self-maintaining, and a skycar.

  88. September 26th, 2006 at 8:04 pm
    Phil Gerbyshak said

    Ben - my dream house has a boat port, Kirsten was going to wear her seal costume, but thought better of it because our friend the Librarian said that the water’s are shark infested and that dressing like a seal might be hazardous to your health.

    But I can swim to you pick you and Basil up too if you like :)

  89. September 26th, 2006 at 8:04 pm
    Kirsten Harrell, Psy.D. said

    I thought I saw your druthers on Basil!

  90. September 26th, 2006 at 8:05 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hey, Ben, Phil’s got this dream house going . . . it’s a loony bin.

    Kirsten’s wearing porpoise and Dossy’s house is stainless steel.

    I’m living in a airplane.

    Joe’s relegated to the bedroom with the alien.

    Renee likes her apartment.

  91. September 26th, 2006 at 8:06 pm
    Phil Gerbyshak said

    Dude, we’ve got ALIENS? I thought Basil was a donkey?

    BEN?????

  92. September 26th, 2006 at 8:06 pm
    Joe said

    !@@##$%^%^&*(*()__+||
    Neither of them worked. :-(

    I’ll see what I can do to remedy that.

  93. September 26th, 2006 at 8:07 pm
    Ben Yoskovitz said

    Basil is a donkey. I’m not going to get too close and personal with him, but I think you can tell from a reasonable distance…Basil’s all donkey!

    Right now I’d settle for a 3 bedroom house in a nice neighborhood. But if we’re going DREAM HOUSE — then sign me up for an indoor ice rink.

  94. September 26th, 2006 at 8:07 pm
    Phil Gerbyshak said

    Joe - one click worked, the other not so much.

    No worries, if they’re your dream house, we can see it in your heart.

    Keep smiling :) Life is gouda, like the cheese!

  95. September 26th, 2006 at 8:08 pm
    Phil Gerbyshak said

    Glad to hear Basil is all donkey. If he’s wearing my druthers, I’m cool with that.

  96. September 26th, 2006 at 8:08 pm
    Advice Librarian said

    Stainless steel seal fur? Sounds like Dennis Leary’s line about the car he was going to get “..with baby seal fur hubcaps” from one of his less polite songs :P

  97. September 26th, 2006 at 8:10 pm
    Dossy Shiobara said

    Renee: I don’t know. I imagine metal isn’t going to be a very good insulator, but then, if I could afford the dream house, I’m sure I could afford to heat and/or cool the place.

    Rick: Other than the funky Bucky geodesic bit, I think you’ve captured the essence of my dream house.

  98. September 26th, 2006 at 8:10 pm
    Kirsten Harrell, Psy.D. said

    Well this was just great! Now I will be dreaming of donkeys riding dolphins to escape the sharks and Liz swooping down in her airplane to save the day!

    PHeww… I think it is time for me to call it a night!

  99. September 26th, 2006 at 8:11 pm
    Phil Gerbyshak said

    G’night Kirsten. We’ll leave a light on for you if you want to come back :)

  100. September 26th, 2006 at 8:11 pm
    Dossy Shiobara said

    Mmm, time to step away for a few minutes to go outside and enjoy a cigarette. Be back in a few…

  101. September 26th, 2006 at 8:12 pm
    Advice Librarian said

    It’s nice to be able to contribute to making your dreams weirder :)

  102. September 26th, 2006 at 8:12 pm
    Kirsten Harrell, Psy.D. said

    Thanks! Goodnight all! It has been fun! Thanks Liz for another great night - you really are the best host!

  103. September 26th, 2006 at 8:12 pm
    Starbucker said

    Howdy folks! My dream house is in the mountains of Colorado, next to a river. It has a big porch an an office with a big window. Nothing fancy (we’re quite the mininalists now, my wife and I). How’s everybody doing tonight? Great, I hope.

  104. September 26th, 2006 at 8:12 pm
    HART (1-800-HART) said

    Hi Liz and Everybody … ~waves

    Just doing a google search, I came up with THIS IMAGE .. something that would be home to HART’s Dream House.

    You see, it would be Shagadellic, James Bondish .. There’s a lever on that tree that brings up one of those Star Trek Elevators (remember when Dr. McCoy was dying?) and then my 4 acre house would be under ground, below 100 feet of ground and permafrost.

    Naturally, there would be one section of the complex that was sound proof - so I can blast my stereo and have band practices. You wouldn’t want to scare the MoooMoooMooo’s up on the surface!

  105. September 26th, 2006 at 8:13 pm
    Phil Gerbyshak said

    weird people rule!

  106. September 26th, 2006 at 8:13 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Good night, Kirsten
    I’m glad we got your fashions sorted out for you!

  107. September 26th, 2006 at 8:13 pm
    Starbucker said

    Kirsten, sorry I missed ya - bye!

  108. September 26th, 2006 at 8:13 pm
    Renée said

    Rick, that dream home of yours… is in heaven! ;-)

  109. September 26th, 2006 at 8:14 pm
    Phil Gerbyshak said

    Welcome Starbucker! Glad you could join us. Let’s move into your place. My place is full of sharks, and no seals allowed!

  110. September 26th, 2006 at 8:14 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    Fare thee well, Kirsten. Liz always saves the day!

    The thing about the geodesic bit (though this would be kind of neat), is the wind just slips right over it. Hurricane, forget it. Be nice and cozy.

  111. September 26th, 2006 at 8:15 pm
    Phil Gerbyshak said

    Nice house Rick! Got room for a crazy, weird relationship geek like me??

  112. September 26th, 2006 at 8:15 pm
    Renée said

    HART, on your dream home…where the internet connection :-(

  113. September 26th, 2006 at 8:16 pm
    Phil Gerbyshak said

    I need to get some work done to pay for my dream house. The place is wide open for you, please lock up when you leave. G’night :)

  114. September 26th, 2006 at 8:17 pm
    Starbucker said

    Yes Phil, I need to avoid sharks, thank you. And I guess my pet seal will have to stay put :-)

    And Rick, I dig your place. As for HART……yeah baby!

  115. September 26th, 2006 at 8:17 pm
    Ben Yoskovitz said

    Goodnight Phil…

    And Kirsten…

  116. September 26th, 2006 at 8:18 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Rick, Starbucker, HART!
    I was having so much fun reading, I forgot to say HI!! *waves and curties and gives them all cold ones*

  117. September 26th, 2006 at 8:18 pm
    HART (1-800-HART) said

    Renée .. the internet connection is buried underground.. T1 or T3 .. thanks for reminding me! I’ll have to add that to the blueprints.

  118. September 26th, 2006 at 8:18 pm
    Mike Sansone said

    knock knock

  119. September 26th, 2006 at 8:18 pm
    Starbucker said

    Don’t work too hard Phil, and as they say in Milwaukee, “take ‘er easy”!

  120. September 26th, 2006 at 8:19 pm
    Ben Yoskovitz said

    HART - is that house in Winnipeg?

    Hey Mike…good to see you!

  121. September 26th, 2006 at 8:19 pm
    Starbucker said

    It’s converstation man! How ya doin’ Mike?

  122. September 26th, 2006 at 8:20 pm
    Mike Sansone said

    the dream house on the post looks like the isle of eriska (http://www.isleoferiska.com/ )

  123. September 26th, 2006 at 8:20 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    Everyone’s invited, Renee, Phil! There’s always room for more.

    Hi Starbucker!

  124. September 26th, 2006 at 8:21 pm
    Mike Sansone said

    Hiya Ben, SB - I’ve missed coming here on Tuesdays - it’s like I need to set a timer!

  125. September 26th, 2006 at 8:21 pm
    Joe said
  126. September 26th, 2006 at 8:21 pm
    Ben Yoskovitz said

    Starbucker — how’s life in Stamford?

    I saw something in the news the other day about Stamford…what was it…shoot! Anyway, thought of you, and said, “I know someone there now!”

  127. September 26th, 2006 at 8:23 pm
    Starbucker said

    I’m so jaded about houses living out here in Connecticut - I never dreamed I’d ever have a mortgage this big! I watch “National Open House” on HDTV and openly weep when I see three times as much house for half the price!

  128. September 26th, 2006 at 8:23 pm
    Service Untitled - Douglas said

    Hey, I was distracted. :) Back now for a little bit.

  129. September 26th, 2006 at 8:23 pm
    Mike Sansone said

    My dream log cabin would have built in bookshelves, a huge fireplace and lots of candles. Maybe a coffee pot.

  130. September 26th, 2006 at 8:23 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    You’re busy, Liz. Thanks for the drink!

  131. September 26th, 2006 at 8:23 pm
    HART (1-800-HART) said

    Ben .. Actually .. that’s funny - I always pictured it just inside the northern perimeter around Winnipeg city .. :D

    Not on a desert island, or in California or Hawaii or in Europe anywhere .. go figure!

  132. September 26th, 2006 at 8:25 pm
    ME Strauss said

    No problem, Rick,
    Glad to serve you something after a long day working.

  133. September 26th, 2006 at 8:26 pm
    Starbucker said

    Hi Ben - Stamford is…..still Stamford. It’s kind of a town with no real identity (but really expensive). So I noticed Basil is having a grand ‘ol time Down Under!

  134. September 26th, 2006 at 8:26 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    Hi Mike. You gotta have a coffe pot! The more bookshelves, the better.

  135. September 26th, 2006 at 8:26 pm
    Ben Yoskovitz said

    HART - I had a feeling, that’s why I asked. It looks like the perfect house for Winnipeg - out of the elements!

  136. September 26th, 2006 at 8:26 pm
    Joe said

    Sorry all, I just can’t get it right, it works when I use the link directly, but not from here.
    Liz, please DELETE all of the junk I caused.
    Sorry :-(

  137. September 26th, 2006 at 8:27 pm
    Mike Sansone said

    Yep, I agree Rick. Coffee Pot is a must. and a mug:-)

  138. September 26th, 2006 at 8:27 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Joe,
    Don’t worry, I’ll take a look at them from this side.

  139. September 26th, 2006 at 8:28 pm
    Advice Librarian said

    Hart, Hart, Hart, what am I going to do with you, dear boy?

    When you’re installing connections in your dream home, go for either OC-48 direct to the backbone or one of the new Abilene Network links :)

  140. September 26th, 2006 at 8:28 pm
    Christine Kane said

    Not to mention, Starbucker, that hotels in Stamford are REALLY expensive too!

    hi everyone!

  141. September 26th, 2006 at 8:28 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    Bummer, Joe. When I was a kid I thought by now we would be living in space in L5 colonies at the least.

  142. September 26th, 2006 at 8:29 pm
    Starbucker said

    Why hello Christine! Yes, those hotels are expensive - I had to stay in one once when we lost power during the winter for two days.

  143. September 26th, 2006 at 8:29 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hey Christine!
    Great to see you!

  144. September 26th, 2006 at 8:30 pm
    Mike Sansone said

    Hi CK:-) Great show the other night!

  145. September 26th, 2006 at 8:30 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    Hey Christine! Starbucker’s building a soundproof studio in his dreamhouse, though.

  146. September 26th, 2006 at 8:30 pm
    Service Untitled - Douglas said

    Christine,

    I just got an iPod. I think I’m going to put your music on it. :)

  147. September 26th, 2006 at 8:30 pm
    Joe said

    and all I was trying to do was share a couple of pics of an SR71.
    Liz wants to live in a plane, so why not go for the fast sporty type?

  148. September 26th, 2006 at 8:31 pm
    HART (1-800-HART) said

    Adv.Lib .. // Noted and Logged :) OC-48 ..

    My uncle and aunt built their dream home in Alberta - a log cabin .. it was definately a “dream home” .. I’m looking for pictures on my hard drive .. They just sold it for about 5 times its cost and they moved to remote B.C. at 1/4 the cost, twice the size.. plus a houseboat. Go figure - elderly folks. They just don’t know what they want! hehe

  149. September 26th, 2006 at 8:31 pm
    Starbucker said

    Ah yes, thanks Rick for reminding me - I forgot about that. That’s where we’re going to record the Ramblings “theme song” (and where I can sing and not annoy any neighbors)

  150. September 26th, 2006 at 8:32 pm
    Mike Sansone said

    HART, I like their style. I’ll have a log cabin someday (Montana? Virginia?)

  151. September 26th, 2006 at 8:32 pm
    Ben Yoskovitz said

    Hi Christine…

    I’m trying to think of outlandish stuff for my dream home, and I can’t!

    All I can think is, “3 bedroom, backyard…” (cause I’m looking for that now!) Crazy. How boring!

    Ping pong table and high ceilings would be nice…*yawn*

  152. September 26th, 2006 at 8:32 pm
    Starbucker said

    I’d pick Montana over Virginia Mike!

  153. September 26th, 2006 at 8:33 pm
    Christine Kane said

    Hi Liz! I thought I saw you in the Charlotte airport. If you were there, I was the woman staring at you trying to figure out if you really looked like you. (never mind. it was funny at the time.)

    Mike! It was so great to meet you. Everybody, I met Mike in Des Moines. (and Tom Vander Well too.)

    Hi Rick… Yes, I’ll be recording my next CD in Starbucker’s imaginary studio.

    Hi Doug! Congrats on the iPod. I thought you weren’t a mac guy?

  154. September 26th, 2006 at 8:34 pm
    Starbucker said

    Please Christine, c’mon over to my studio! Maybe we could do a cover of “If I Can’t Have You” :-)

  155. September 26th, 2006 at 8:34 pm
    Service Untitled - Douglas said

    Christine,

    I’m not. However, I don’t like the iPod alternatives and am sad that I have to use iTunes. :(

  156. September 26th, 2006 at 8:34 pm
    Renée said

    HART, that’s what I want to be when I grow old. Confused and still making money! ;-)

  157. September 26th, 2006 at 8:34 pm
    Mike Sansone said

    Thought you might, SB. And I’ve done Virginia, though right on the TN border would be great! (Not too far from a Bob Evans or Golden Corral)

  158. September 26th, 2006 at 8:34 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    I’ve been working on it Starbucker. I’m about halfway through your blog, and have started with some verses, but nothing to send yet.

  159. September 26th, 2006 at 8:34 pm
    Advice Librarian said

    Hi, Christine! Doing another show tonight, or are you staying around this time?

    Oh, and the problem with Joe’s links is that for some odd reason they’re posted with the wrong character encoding, so that the x in 12×10 gets converted to %C3%97 - which mangles the address.

    Try this and this instead - assuming Akismet doesn’t eat this comment :)

  160. September 26th, 2006 at 8:34 pm
    Christine Kane said

    Hi Ben… yes, my dream home is one of those contemporary things in Dwell magazine. Preferably in Victoria, B.C. Other than that… I love my house. I live on a river in the woods.

  161. September 26th, 2006 at 8:36 pm
    Christine Kane said

    Starbucker! Let’s use banjos on our version… we could have a whole blogger harmony section!

  162. September 26th, 2006 at 8:36 pm
    Starbucker said

    I appreciate it Rick - thanks again for taking that one on!

  163. September 26th, 2006 at 8:36 pm
    Mike Sansone said

    My favorite toy as a kid was Lincoln Logs…think that has something to do with my Log Cabin dream house?

  164. September 26th, 2006 at 8:36 pm
    Joe said

    I want a house like the one on Eureka, it talks, has automatic everything, even chills your beer and dispenses it for you.

  165. September 26th, 2006 at 8:37 pm
    Advice Librarian said

    So your house is IN the river, Christine? Wow, that’s pretty cool :P

  166. September 26th, 2006 at 8:37 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    That or a fascination with maple syrup, Mike.;)

  167. September 26th, 2006 at 8:37 pm
    Christine Kane said

    Doug… you’ll get used to iTunes. It’s a great invention. I love it. I’ll send you a bunch of 8-tracks if I can find them somewhere…

    Maybe your dream home can have an 8-track?

  168. September 26th, 2006 at 8:37 pm
    Starbucker said

    Banjos - yes!! and we could get Peter Framption to do a little wah-wah pedal during the chorus! I smell a #1.

  169. September 26th, 2006 at 8:37 pm
    Renée said

    Adlib - Where do you plan to land your home at?

  170. September 26th, 2006 at 8:38 pm
    Mike Sansone said

    Good Call, Rick! Add a toaster along with that coffee pot. And I’ll share the Eggos

  171. September 26th, 2006 at 8:38 pm
    seanrox said

    Hi All. I actually stopped by a couple hours ago as I had in my head Liz was 3 hours ahead of me, not 2, so my chance to talk about huge houses first has been foiled. At least I saved a lot of money on car insurance!

    I recently moved into a house where the master bedroom is as big as the whole other house I lived in. Crazy. So many rooms and not enough stuff to fill it… yet.

  172. September 26th, 2006 at 8:38 pm
    ME Strauss said

    My dream home has music any time I think I want it.

  173. September 26th, 2006 at 8:39 pm
    Service Untitled - Douglas said

    I’m actually heading out now. Got work to do! See everyone next week.

  174. September 26th, 2006 at 8:39 pm
    Christine Kane said

    Joe, maybe you should purchase an R2 unit the next time the big brown truck comes wheeling in with the droids on it…? I think a droid could do all those things for you!

  175. September 26th, 2006 at 8:39 pm
    Joe said

    THANK YOU, AdLib…
    Everybody look, that’s what I was trying to show you…

  176. September 26th, 2006 at 8:39 pm
    Starbucker said

    OK folks, I gotta get going now - it’s time for my wife and I to get some together time. I’ll be sure to tell her all about all of our dream houses, and then I bet she will question our collective sanity. Hey, it’s blogging!

  177. September 26th, 2006 at 8:40 pm
    seanrox said

    Oh and if anyone gets hungry I’ve come up with a 5 minute meal that anyone can put together, no matter if you live in a huge house or small house.

  178. September 26th, 2006 at 8:40 pm
    Christine Kane said

    AdLib…not in… ON. But yes, it’s nice. Except when it flooded two years ago!

  179. September 26th, 2006 at 8:40 pm
    Becky McCray said

    I missed Starbucker! :(

  180. September 26th, 2006 at 8:41 pm
    Mike Sansone said

    Ciao Douglas, Hiya Sean

  181. September 26th, 2006 at 8:41 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hey Christine,
    It wasn’t me in the Charlotte airport, . . . unless my schizoprhenic thing has gotten out of hand again, but then I think my husband would know right? He’d know I was gone right? He’d figure that out and then I’d know too right?

  182. September 26th, 2006 at 8:41 pm
    Renée said

    Good night Starbucker and Douglas

  183. September 26th, 2006 at 8:41 pm
    Ben Yoskovitz said

    Gack! I’m falling behind here!

    I’ve never been to Victoria, but I hear it’s beautiful. I certainly love Vancouver…

  184. September 26th, 2006 at 8:42 pm
    Starbucker said

    Hi Becky ! Now I REALLY have to go - bye everybody!

  185. September 26th, 2006 at 8:42 pm
    seanrox said

    Hi Liz, with all the technology available today, it would be easy to get music all over your home with a wireless access point and some speakers.

    For added value, we could even connect a clapper to it… hehe… clap on, clap off… music!

  186. September 26th, 2006 at 8:43 pm
    Becky McCray said

    Ben, pay attention to at least one thing! :)

    Hi, Liz, and crew!

  187. September 26th, 2006 at 8:43 pm
    Christine Kane said

    Liz, maybe you’re bi-locating. It’s a handy trait!

  188. September 26th, 2006 at 8:44 pm
    Mike Sansone said

    Bye, SB, and dittos for me
    Gotta work on somebody’s site
    Needed a smile, so here I came
    And you folks made my night:-)

    Till next time, thank you

  189. September 26th, 2006 at 8:44 pm
    Christine Kane said

    bye starbucker! bye doug! goodnight mush!

  190. September 26th, 2006 at 8:44 pm
    Ben Yoskovitz said

    Becky — I was paying attention to one thing, that’s why I’m behind here!

    Did Mike leave already?

  191. September 26th, 2006 at 8:44 pm
    seanrox said

    Hi Mike Sansone! Welcome to the fun.

  192. September 26th, 2006 at 8:44 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Bye Guys!
    Hey Becky!
    Thanks for bringing your smiling face around to see us! What’s your dream house looking like?

  193. September 26th, 2006 at 8:45 pm
    Becky McCray said

    Mike could paint poetry around my fireplace!

  194. September 26th, 2006 at 8:45 pm
    Advice Librarian said

    My dream house? I like the new apartment I’m moving into - it’s got a walk-in storage closet that I’m in the process of turning into a library… but as for my dream home? I think this place has a lot going for it.

    And the SR-71 pictures shows something I’ve long thought - that’s one damn cool plane, that.

  195. September 26th, 2006 at 8:45 pm
    Christine Kane said

    bye mike! see ya at panera!

  196. September 26th, 2006 at 8:45 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Sean,
    I want to THINK a song on in my dream house. :)

  197. September 26th, 2006 at 8:46 pm
    Mike Sansone said

    ::::where’s that paint brush?::: thanks beck:-) stay contagious all

  198. September 26th, 2006 at 8:47 pm
    HART (1-800-HART) said

    96. Adv. Lib.. // it was “Whale Skin Hubcaps” by the way .. not “Baby Seal Skin hubcaps” :)

    It’s one of my favorite songs and always on my site somewhere

  199. September 26th, 2006 at 8:47 pm
    seanrox said

    Think a song Liz? Hmm… you might look funny with a wireless access point on your head but hey, it could be a lamp shade…

  200. September 26th, 2006 at 8:47 pm
    Becky McCray said

    Coming from a honest to goodness farm house built by farmers, I would love a real closet, reliable wiring, and a bit more room. I want to take along all my trim molding and other 1920’s details. :)

    And really, I just want to talk my Dad out of my Grandparents’ house! But don’t tell my brother! :)

  201. September 26th, 2006 at 8:48 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    Good night, Douglas!

  202. September 26th, 2006 at 8:49 pm
    Advice Librarian said

    Ah, now I get it, Christine - your house is on the river, except when it’s in it?

  203. September 26th, 2006 at 8:49 pm
    seanrox said

    My dream house would have lots of land around it. I really dislike being so close to my neighbors… I look out the bedroom window and I can see and hear the neighbors kids playing commando at 7am. Ugg.

    Don’t get me wrong, I like people and kids just not up in my face at 7am :)

  204. September 26th, 2006 at 8:50 pm
    Christine Kane said

    Hi Becky… oh lord, my last house was built in 1927…and seriously, I’ve never seen such tiny closets. It’s like they put them in just in case someone bought one coat!

  205. September 26th, 2006 at 8:50 pm
    seanrox said

    Oh and I need high speed internet. I could live in a shoe box as long as I can connect my laptop.

  206. September 26th, 2006 at 8:51 pm
    ME Strauss said

    I’m with you on that, Sean. I want my neighbor’s noise away from me . . . always.

  207. September 26th, 2006 at 8:51 pm
    Joe said

    AdLib, EM me to tell me how to fix that problem I had with the x and %whatever.

    I tried 3 times, and you got it right on your first try. ;-)

  208. September 26th, 2006 at 8:52 pm
    Renée said

    Seanrox - I’m with you about being too close with people. That’s why I live on the 18th floor with no blocking, just oceanfront

  209. September 26th, 2006 at 8:52 pm
    Christine Kane said

    AdLib… No. I believe it would be more that my house is ON the river, except when the folks from the City of Asheville haven’t learned how to work their flood gates and just decide one day after three days of rain to LIFT the flood gates and not warn anyone that the water would rise 14 feet and carry several houses away. (i was lucky. my house remained!)

  210. September 26th, 2006 at 8:53 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    I think I’m lost with Ben. I was looking for speakers and missed people leaving. Hi Becky! You’ll fill up the new house fast enough, Seanrox. Things just kind of …accumulate.

  211. September 26th, 2006 at 8:53 pm
    Becky McCray said

    Christine, you have me seriously thinking about water here! And I’m in dry, dry, dry western Oklahoma!

  212. September 26th, 2006 at 8:54 pm
    seanrox said

    Hey all… I gotta run… I will try and pop in a litle later… I have an evening meeting with a client. Thanks again Liz for throwing a nice get together.

  213. September 26th, 2006 at 8:55 pm
    Becky McCray said

    Hi, Rick! I agree; things have accumlated here up to my eyeballs! That’s why I need those big closets! :)

  214. September 26th, 2006 at 8:55 pm
    Christine Kane said

    oo becky, I don’t like dry. (Except Arizona. I love it there. As long as I have chapstick!) But I suppose there’s a happy medium, huh?

  215. September 26th, 2006 at 8:55 pm
    Ben Yoskovitz said

    Yup, I’m officially lost…but accomplishing stuff elsewhere…I think.

    I already live near the water, albeit not on the water. Water is always nice. And mountains…me like mountains.

  216. September 26th, 2006 at 8:56 pm
    Advice Librarian said

    Joe - in your browser, look at tools->options->character encoding. You want UTF-8 or Unicode, not US-ASCII, which is a limited subset of the other two. It’s not the only thing that can mangle character encoding, but it’s the first one that comes to mind when it comes to browser problems :)

  217. September 26th, 2006 at 8:56 pm
    Christine Kane said

    Ben…where do you live?

  218. September 26th, 2006 at 8:56 pm
    Becky McCray said

    Goodnight, Sean.

    Christine, this is kinda like Arizona…let’s see if I can find and link a pic.

  219. September 26th, 2006 at 8:58 pm
    Ben Yoskovitz said

    Christine - I live in Montreal.

    More specifically I live on Nun’s Island, but there aren’t many nuns left as far as I know…

  220. September 26th, 2006 at 8:58 pm
    Joe said

    Me lost like Ben, me also like water, have rivers on either side of city.
    Me also like Ocean, 2 hours away, but Big Bay just down few miles from where 2 rivers meet.

  221. September 26th, 2006 at 8:58 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Good Night, Sean.
    Thanks for being here!

  222. September 26th, 2006 at 8:58 pm
    HART (1-800-HART) said

    SeanRox .. that toasted cheese sandwich is quick .. but have you tried it in the frying pan with the butter on the outside of the bread? MmmmmMmmmmMmm
    Pan Fried Cheese Sandwiches…

  223. September 26th, 2006 at 9:00 pm
    Christine Kane said

    Ben…are you canadian? or just married to one? cuz now i’m a little jealous. i love canada.

  224. September 26th, 2006 at 9:00 pm
    Christine Kane said

    And Joe? Where do YOU live?

  225. September 26th, 2006 at 9:01 pm
    Ben Yoskovitz said

    Christine - I’m Canadian, born and raised…

    Born in Montreal. Lived the better part of my life in Guelph, Ontario. Moved back to Montreal.

    Now I live amongst the Nuns…or at least on their island.

  226. September 26th, 2006 at 9:01 pm
    Advice Librarian said

    Ah, NOW I get it, Christine! Your house is on the riverside, except when someone’s accidentally left the river open :P

    I can see the ocean from what will be my new balcony - it’s just across the road.

  227. September 26th, 2006 at 9:01 pm
    Joe said

    AdLib, it is set at UTF-8 it might have something to do with whatever BlueHost is using in their setup.
    That’s where my site is hosted and where I uploaded the pics to.

  228. September 26th, 2006 at 9:02 pm
    Becky McCray said

    Ben is such a proud Canadian!

  229. September 26th, 2006 at 9:04 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    I don’t know, Ben. Kicking out nuns to get your island? D-:

  230. September 26th, 2006 at 9:04 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hey, Becky, I think Ben is a little too interested in where all of the Nun’s went. :)

  231. September 26th, 2006 at 9:04 pm
    Becky McCray said

    Sorry I didn’t stay long!
    Liz, congrats on another award winning party. I’ll bring drinks again soon.
    I guess our dream houses need a good bar! :)
    Good Night, all!

  232. September 26th, 2006 at 9:04 pm
    Christine Kane said

    yea, ben…you are a little bit nun-obsessed!

  233. September 26th, 2006 at 9:05 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Yep, Rick, I knew there was a story there. . .

  234. September 26th, 2006 at 9:05 pm
    Renée said

    Good night, Becky! Nice meeting you ;-)

  235. September 26th, 2006 at 9:05 pm
    Becky McCray said

    Liz, you never know with Ben! He needs room to stable Basil when he travels through! :)

  236. September 26th, 2006 at 9:05 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    Good night, Becky.

  237. September 26th, 2006 at 9:05 pm
    Christine Kane said

    Joe, are you ignoring me?

  238. September 26th, 2006 at 9:06 pm
    Ben Yoskovitz said

    Hey now…hey now…let’s keep it clean people. They’re nuns after all!

    Actually, the nuns leased out the island for 99 years to a property company. I don’t know why, but I guess they didn’t need it anymore.

  239. September 26th, 2006 at 9:06 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Goodnight Becky!

    You tell ‘im Christine!

  240. September 26th, 2006 at 9:06 pm
    Christine Kane said

    Goodnight Becky! I’ll look for pics of western OK.

  241. September 26th, 2006 at 9:07 pm
    Ben Yoskovitz said

    Night Becky!

    Anyway those nuns took up a lot of space…

  242. September 26th, 2006 at 9:08 pm
    Joe said

    Christine, I didn’t even see you come in, I was trying to catch up. :-\
    Nite to all of the early leavers…

  243. September 26th, 2006 at 9:08 pm
    Christine Kane said

    Again with the nuns, Ben?

  244. September 26th, 2006 at 9:08 pm
    Advice Librarian said

    Quite possibly, Joe - hosting/browser interaction issues is an area where I’m .. uh, wearing a seal costume in shark-infested waters to use an earlier image :P

  245. September 26th, 2006 at 9:09 pm
    Ben Yoskovitz said

    Ok fine, no more nun talk.

    Anyway, if anyone ever visits Montreal and wants to meet some…you know…call…someone…ok…

  246. September 26th, 2006 at 9:09 pm
    Samuel John Klein said

    Coming up as a young rather poor person I didn’t think in terms of dream homes, more like dream rentals: a house that was big enough, that let us have our kitties, that had a landlord that didn’t just treat us like a profit center.

    We’ve had some good ones. The most memorable one was the one me and my The Wife lived in just as we were getting married. It was the result of an architectural quirk on what amounted to a mezzanine level in a building in downtown Corvallis, Oregon. It had three bedrooms, and was as big as a small house. Legend had it that it was fashioned as wartime housing. Conveniently located to pretty much every dang thing, it was a little bit north of $300/month (this was 1989-91, remember) and the only real drawbacks were lack of parking (somehow we skated by) and water pressure being horrid as the service was probably jerry-rigged to begin with.

    As far as houses go, I’ve never been one to dream of big mansions (Mc- or otherwise) or “waterfront property” or what have you. A modest thing, two or three bedrooms, attached garage, a corner for my home office. I’m one of those people who think that there’s a certain way to dream big, and if you dream big the wrong way, it makes you greedy and eventually destroys the perspective that enables you to know the difference between price and value (speaking of the housing bubble, there’s a disturbing trend in what they’re calling “serial remodeling”…but that’s for another comment).

    As it would happen, things have developed for me and mine that have actually turned us from renters into owners. We have a lovely place now. Two bedrooms, big finished basement with office, hardwood floors, attached garage, modest lot.

    Our dream house, as it turned out. And when everyone was going nuts over ARMs and those “interest only” loans, we insisted on a 30-year fixed.

    We don’t have a ‘dream house’ anymore, as we are really quite deliriously happy with our little home. I’d wish that everyone could find what they wanted, as good for them as what we have for ourselves.

  247. September 26th, 2006 at 9:13 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Samuel,
    It sounds like that little home is your dream house. :)

  248. September 26th, 2006 at 9:13 pm
    Joe said

    Yeah, but Samuel, Who Mows the Lawn???
    :-)

  249. September 26th, 2006 at 9:13 pm
    Advice Librarian said

    Oh God, yes, Samuel - ARM’s are Satan’s own invention. My brother and I went over the fine print of an ARM and we just about died laughing at the terms, until we saw some of the stories about people who HADN’T read the fine print.

  250. September 26th, 2006 at 9:13 pm
    Christine Kane said

    Ben, i grew up with priests and nuns coming over for dinner every weekend. there has to be something else to see in montreal???

  251. September 26th, 2006 at 9:15 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Christine,
    You could visit the monastery. :)

  252. September 26th, 2006 at 9:15 pm
    Christine Kane said

    Hello Samuel. I’ve been to Corvallis! (Ben wants to know if there are nuns there.)

  253. September 26th, 2006 at 9:16 pm
    Joe said

    Christine, I had an uncle that was a priest and an aunt that was a nun.
    How did I ever end up the way I am??? :-)

  254. September 26th, 2006 at 9:17 pm
    Samuel John Klein said

    Liz:
    It sounds like that little home is your dream house.

    Me:
    Yawp. You got the right of it! B-)

  255. September 26th, 2006 at 9:17 pm
    Ben Yoskovitz said

    Christine - no question :)

    There’s tons to see in Montreal. Come on over some time…

    And Basil’s with me this week, so I hope to snap some shots.

    Are you a hockey fan?

    Do you like smoked meat?

    We’ve got plenty of great sites too…

  256. September 26th, 2006 at 9:17 pm
    Christine Kane said

    I’ll meet you there Liz. Next time you bi-locate. A monastery could be a good home… if you’re into cold stone and darkness.

  257. September 26th, 2006 at 9:18 pm
    Samuel John Klein said

    Christine:

    There’s a Catholic church there (St. Mary’s), so, likely they have at least one or two nuns.

    B-)

  258. September 26th, 2006 at 9:19 pm
    Christine Kane said

    Ben… I don’t like sports much. And I’m a vegan. So, really…you might find me as about as exciting as those nuns for whom you have such a fondness…

  259. September 26th, 2006 at 9:19 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    Hi, Samuel. Congratulations on the house!

    Don’t forget mortgages with a balloon payment at the end. :-(

  260. September 26th, 2006 at 9:20 pm
    Samuel John Klein said

    Who mows the lawn, Joe?

    Why…me, of course.

    But…not…very…often….(ahem)
    B-/

  261. September 26th, 2006 at 9:20 pm
    Advice Librarian said

    By the way, just to tip my hat to my late uncle the union man - more reasons why you should be in a union if you don’t own the company

    Then again, over here in Norway the Labour/Union relationship tends to be berry, berry different from the antagonistic relationship you guys have. The latest union organizing move here was the management of one of the big shipyards who asked for help in getting a union organized among their polish immigrant employees. Management felt it was a lot easier to have a union on the premises, since it meant they’d have a single point of contact for everything to do with labour relations….

  262. September 26th, 2006 at 9:20 pm
    Christine Kane said

    Joe… it’s GOOD to have an aunt and uncle like that. So many good stage stories you could tell. I’ll invite you on stage with me next time I’m in… um… you never told me where you live….

  263. September 26th, 2006 at 9:22 pm
    Joe said

    Samuel, you should talk to Chris Cree (where is he anyway?).
    He hates mowing the lawn even more than I, he even writes posts about it.

  264. September 26th, 2006 at 9:22 pm
    Ben Yoskovitz said

    Christine — there’s actually a great vegetarian Thai restaurant. Not sure it’s Vegan though.

    I doubt I’d find the meeting boring. So we’ll skip hockey and smoked meat.

    We’ve got plenty of amazing architecture…oh, lots of French people too. French nuns, if you’re REALLY interested…

  265. September 26th, 2006 at 9:22 pm
    Christine Kane said

    Ben…I can watch you eat meat and play hockey. I just like to sit with Canadians and listen to them trash americans. (All in good fun. mostly.) Canadians are very funny that way!

  266. September 26th, 2006 at 9:23 pm
    Advice Librarian said

    Vegetarians are mean to animals - they’re eating their food :P

  267. September 26th, 2006 at 9:23 pm
    Ben Yoskovitz said

    Trash Americans? I’m shocked!

    Ok…no comment…

    Canadians do have a great sense of humor on all sorts of subjects.

  268. September 26th, 2006 at 9:24 pm
    Christine Kane said

    French nuns are my favorite. Aren’t they battered in egg and fried in oil and served with maple syrup?

  269. September 26th, 2006 at 9:25 pm
    Ben Yoskovitz said

    You bet! French toast…mmmm…

    Ok, with that in mind, I’m going to get a snack.

    Have a good night everyone!

    Please come visit Montreal…

  270. September 26th, 2006 at 9:25 pm
    Christine Kane said

    Ben, the last time i was in Vancouver, I got an earfull from you people. Luckily, I was pretty much on the same side… so there wasn’t much arguing.

  271. September 26th, 2006 at 9:26 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Christine,
    I don’t want to LIVE in a monastery. I think I’d choose a convent, but only if I could do it like Eleanor of Aquitane and let all of the nuns wait on me. :)

  272. September 26th, 2006 at 9:27 pm
    Rick Cockrum said