Now They Have Standards?!?!?

So, I'm sure you all have been chomping at the bit for an update on my journey towards home ownership. (Humor me here, okay?) Well, I made the offer on the condo, and things were looking pretty good. From a personal standpoint, my credit is spectacular and there didn't seem to be any worries on that front. The only stumbling point (or so we thought) was that it was a short sale, so the seller's bank was going to have to approve the sale - not a sure thing, but I was okay with some things being out of my control.

Turns out, that the nice folks at the FHA don't like it if there are too many condos in a complex that are rentals. I'm not sure what the preferred Owner Occupied ratio is, but apparently it is not 22%, which just happens to be the ratio of the complex where my target condo is. Okay, we may have to go a more conventional route, which would mean a down payment of 5% instead of 3% - still very doable. Any more surprises? Oh, yes.

While the bank would love to give me buckets of money toward buying a condo, apparently it is impossible to get mortgage insurance for a condo in a complex with an OO ratio that is lower than, say...50%!!! But, not to worry - if I just put down a little bit more, I won't have to get mortgage insurance. How much more, you ask (I sure did)? Instead of 5%, a measly 20% down will do!!!!!!! (Yeah, like I have that kind of scratch in my couch cushions!)

I'm concerned my writing may be too subtle here, so I will be very clear - I am frustrated, annoyed, and seriously pissed off!!! I didn't go for the cheap money several years ago, when I could very easily have gotten a loan that I couldn't afford while substantially overpaying for the condo. But, I was responsible, and waited until I was making a good salary, and had minimal (my car loan) debt. So, because the banks gave loans to anyone who had a pulse - maybe even some folks who didn't - Now they have standards!!! And, they are punishing the folks who tried to be responsible and play by the rules. The rules as they should have been, not the free-for-all they were all too happy to participate in two years ago. If I had just played along, I too could be facing foreclosure today, instead of having trouble buying a frickin' home. Seriously, does this make sense to any of you folks?

Political Yogurt

Since it's movie awards season, I thought we might have a semi-polite (HA!) discussion regarding political movies. Here are a few of my favorites:

1. Bullworth - Warren Beatty as the last honest politician.
2. Primary Colors - John Travolta does a better Clinton than Bubba.
3. Bob Roberts - Tim Robbins as a guitar-strumming fascist.
4. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington - James Stewart as a lamb among wolves.
5. Meet John Doe - Gary Cooper as the little guy who won't be chewed up by the political machine.

Has anyone seen "Frost/Nixon" or "Milk" yet?

You Guys Rock!!!

UPDATE: This blog has been temporarily declared a sanity-free zone. Twinfan/Michael & Yogi/Yankee/SOAB have some issues they are working out. Control of the blog will be returned to your host, momentarily.

And I mean all of you! Thanks for the input, and the new ideas. I was going to go with Yogi's suggestion of more culture, but frankly I don't know enough about yogurt to fill a whole blog. (These are the jokes, folks.)

I have come up with a semi-solution for the initial comments - not today's, but in the future. I can set the parameters so that I have to 'approve' the comments before they post on the thread. So, when I first publish a post, I will set that up. You won't get to see your comments right away, but at least the first few will pertain to the post, and not the comments. After that, I will just let you all have at it. Basically, no indecency or sales pitches (not a problem thus far - anonymity has it's benefits!)

And, per Suza's request, I will attempt to post more than twice a week...though that may require a broader mission than just politics - but isn't everything political, in some way??? (Maybe, if I try really hard, and you squint your eyes...?)

Somebody Call the Waaaambulance!

I'm going to ask you all to indulge me for a minute. I am feeling a little disheartened by my efforts here at Brushfires. I was very proud of what I wrote in anticipation of the inauguration. Whether justified, or not, I felt that I had written something both thoughtful and thought-provoking, and I went to bed Monday night looking forward to hearing what you all felt about the historic nature of the next day's events. Imagine, then, my disappointment at reading the first two comments. Name calling, nasty comments that had nothing to do with the post. Even someone who didn't vote for, or doesn't like, Obama should at least be able to recognize with wonder, that once again we have managed a peaceful transition of power. When George Washington willingly left office, all those years ago, ceding power to the next President - that was a truly REVOLUTIONARY act! And, that we've continued that for ALL of these years is something in which I think we should all be proud.

So, when I read those comments, I was sorely tempted to delete them. I knew that those comments would set the tone for the thread to come, and more people would be reacting to the negative tone of the comments, than the positive feelings I was hoping the post would engender. I resisted the temptation. As I have said before, I do not wish to be Commissar de Comments. And read, with increasing regret, the discussion that followed. A lot of you tried to stay on message, but it's hard to maintain your composure in the face of one who is determined to spoil it.

I won't beat around the bush: Gina, I have welcomed you with open arms. Not that I consider myself a trendsetter, I did try to bring your blog to the attention of others, and I was sincere in that, because I really believe that your photographs are not only beautiful, but artful. However, the sensitivity you express through your camera lens is absent when you come to Brushfires. I asked you the other day if you had anything positive to add to the discussion. I don't mean that you have to post happy-time, up-with-people comments, but something constructive rather than destructive. From day to day, I'm not sure which Gina will show up, but lately it seems that it's the troll version, rather than the voice of opposition you were in the beginning. Perhaps, always being in the minority gets frustrating for you, and I can understand that. Perhaps, I haven't been as diligent in discouraging impolite 'cross-talk' in the threads. But, you have a tendency to hi-jack a thread, and lead it to a really unpleasant place. Maybe that's your goal, some people seem to enjoy being thought of as 'trolls', which I think is rather sad. I guess for some, negative attention is better than none...

Now, I'm faced with a dilemma. I created the blog because I wanted to start a dialogue between Democrats and Republicans, seeking to find the common ground from which we could start bridging the gap between the two schools of thought. Not that I expected to bring healing to the nation - I'm not that delusional! - but I was disappointed by the way every political discussion on SFGate devolved into "I know you are, but what am I?" And, here we are... While I hate to give too much power to the blog vampires, they have managed to suck the joy out of blogging for me. I was humbled that any of you bothered to come check out Brushfires, and continue to be amazed that you keep coming back, and participating. I don't want to give up blogging, but right now I'm just not sure how to continue. Any suggestions?

01/20/09

Years from now, when we recall the inauguration of the 44th President, what will we tell those that weren't here, or were too young to remember? What emotions will we describe, how best to explain the significance of the event?

On this night, before the inauguration of Barack Obama, I get choked up by what I believe it means for our country. There were times when I truly believed I would not live to see the election of an African-American President. (Though, I always knew it would happen before a woman was elected.) Ironically, the nation's capital wasn't built by the sweat of the ancestors of Mr. Obama, but of his wife, Michelle. I find it interesting, that while 'black' - as defined by so many in our nation - Barack Obama is not descended from slaves. So, while he has experienced the ill effects of our national shame, his connection is tenuous. Odd how things work out...

For so long, I have been grieving for the nation that I love so dearly, the danger I felt the Republic was facing, that I can't help but feel hopeful by what Barack Obama represents. He is the epitome of poise, grace and dignity. I can tell you quite honestly, if it were John McCain that were being sworn in tomorrow, in this economy, I most certainly would not be contemplating buying a condo right now. (I'd be stuffing all of my cash into my mattress, and buying gold!) Is Barack the saviour? I'm not hoping for the second coming, I'd just like us to have a good President. One that doesn't make me ashamed for my country, how far it has fallen from it's promise. Someone who has studied the Constitution, and a man who, I believe, will mean it when he swears to 'defend and protect' it.

Right now, I truly believe that Barack Obama is the perfect man for our country, in this troubled time. Not so much for who he is, but for who he believes We The People to be. When the shit hits the fan, we will not be told to go shopping, but to roll up our sleeves, put on some gloves, and start wiping off the walls. The success or failure of his Presidency rests in our willingness to do just that. It's as true in 2009 as it was in 1936 when FDR said: "There is a mysterious cycle in human events. To some generations much is given. Of other generations much is expected. This generation of Americans has a rendezvous with destiny."

We will be called upon to be the saviours of our Republic. What happens depends on if we answer that call...

Leap of Faith...

...or Insane Plunge? I'm on the brink of starting the process of owning my first home. I have made an offer for a condo, which makes me a little scared just thinking about it. I have a good job, my only debt is my car loan, and the mortgage payments will only be about $150 more than my current rent. However, there is no guarantee that I will keep my job, as so many around me are losing theirs...

So, here's a question for you all: In this economy, am I out of my frickin' mind?!?!?

Wow!

I saw an incredible film today. "The Wrestler" with Mickey Rourke. I know this isn't a movie blog...though, exactly what it has become, post-election, I'm not quite sure. That said, I can't recommend you see this film enough. I'm watching the Golden Globes, and the song from the film won...when they played the excerpt, I started crying - that's how deeply I felt this film.

Have you seen anything recently that has struck a chord, that has seemed so true that it stayed with you for days, or weeks?

Morality Play

I watched "Dark Knight" last night, and it made me think of something that I also ran into watching "Burn Notice" on hulu.tv. (If you're not familiar with it, "Burn Notice" is the story of a spy who is cut loose from the government and is trying to figure out why. Nice mix of humor and action...but I digress.) The question that occurred to me is this: Which is worse - doing a bad thing for a good reason, or doing a good thing for a bad reason?

In "Dark Knight", Batman breaks some pretty serious rules, in order to stop the bad guy. It's the whole 'do the ends justify the means' question. But, that got me to thinking also about the flip side - if you do something good, for the wrong reasons, does it detract from the good?

If there is a really bad guy in your neighborhood, preying on the weak (mugging elderly, dealing drugs to kids, etc.) and you just can't get the police to do anything about it, to what lengths would you go to remove this scourge from your neighborhood? Would you try to drive him out, using an escalating plan of action - spiking his tires, threatening him with violence, firebombing his empty house? Or, maybe you frame him by planting a large quantity of drugs in his car? If you succeed, you've definitely improved the lot of your neighborhood, but can you really say that you've accomplished good by doing bad things?

Conversely, say I have a relative who is in severely declining health. This person is not long for the world, but wishes to live out their remaining days at home, surrounded by familiar things. So, I take a leave of absence from my job, move in with this person - reading to them, feeding them, bathing and caring for their most basic needs. On call, 24 hours a day - wiping chins, changing diapers, sincerely trying to make their last days as comfortable as possible. Now, the sincerity is key here - this is being done without a grudging thought at all. However, the only reason I am doing this is that this relative has A LOT of money, and I figure that if I do this, I will be generously rewarded in their will. This act of kindness is not done out of love, or charity but for personal gain. So, does the good that is done, the care and consideration given to this dying person any less good if the motives are selfish?

So, do the ends justify the means? Are bad motives redeemed by good actions?

(UPDATE: Apropos of nothing...http://tinyurl.com/9azomt)