Oklahoma Nesties
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
I'm bored
What's going on with you today?
I'm hungry. Eating well sucks. I want ice cream.
I got the super awesome shoes that I wanted for my wedding for 23% of the original price. That's not 23% off, it's 23% of the retail price. They came in the mail and I'm in love.
I am going to try a shellac manicure on myself tonight (got the gear for Christmas) and dye my hair. Apparently I'm a real cheapskate about salon services 
Re: I'm bored
I am bored too. I have a lot to do and am working but, still, bored.
I love the shellac manicures. What all stuff did you get to do it yourself meaning, did you get that dryer thing too?
I am so glad the shoes worked out!
Extremely, filthy jealous over here. How fun!
I missed work yesterday because JJ was sick, so I'm catching up. It's been a crazy day, but I finally get a break. I can't wait until 5...I'm ready to go home. I don't feel good, either.
Wendy - can't wait to hear how the home shellac goes. I want to get all the stuff to do my own at home, too, but am not sure if I should or not.
I'm in the same lots-to-do-but-still-bored boat.
Wendy, definitely PIP or let us know how the home shellac goes! I had that done for my wedding in a "nude" shade and loved it.
I'm trying not to be debbie downer lately. I need to whine a little.
I've had some serious weight gain lately, so I've set a goal of losing 15lbs before we continue TTC. We've been doing P90X, and I thought I'd lost 1.5lbs, but this morning (even though I did awesome on the workout and diet yesterday) that 1.5lbs was back. I know it'd ridiculous to get discouraged about that because 1) we JUST started; 2) I'm building muscle, I can't be weighing myself every morning, etc., but it's so hard. I want to see some sort of improvement.
House hunting BLOWS. It feels like one crushing disappointment after another. I've fallen in love with four houses now, all of which haven't worked out for one reason or another. I'm really tired of looking.
Work is awful this week. One of my co-workers has the week off, so I'm covering for her, which would be fine, except she didn't do anything to prepare her clients for her being out. Nothing. So I'm trying to tie up loose ends on her accounts while trying to keep up with my real job. Probably a good reason why I shouldn't be nesting. Oh well.
On a positive note, I did get to read some Catching Fire, the second Hunger Games book, over lunch. Have any of you read them? I think they're interesting and well-written, but the one girl choosing between two dudes bit is annoying. I'm trying to look past it.
Mcg, after a tough workout your muscles will also retain water I think. Try not to get too discouraged.
PW: if I have a loan on real property that is not my (current) primary residence, is that interest tax deductible in addition to my mortgage interest on my primary residence? I'm fairly sure this is a no, but thought I'd ask.
I would enjoy a photo essay. When it comes to this stuff, I am completely lost so the more info, the better!
I'm bored, too. I'm between meetings at the moment.
I was all set to FINALLY start running again after I lifted last night, but I effed my leg up at some point yesterday. I wasn't even able to finish the leg part of my workout. I'm pissed because I need to start running again if I'm going to be in fighting shape for the Runderground in February.
Generally, no.
My quads hurt just thinking about Runderground.
Actually, my legs hurt in general. (in a good, sore from yesterday's workout way) I think I should probably forego running until tomorrow when I lift.
Does this change at all if I take out a construction loan for the new house? It would be for the construction of a new (but future at that time) residence.
Runderground sounds like fun.
My legs are KILLING ME from plyometrics day of P90X. I wince every time I get out of a chair, and then can barely walk.
My BIL and SIL talked me into committing to a 5K in April, and I'm worried. I'm definitely not a runner.
I really enjoyed HG and can't wait for the movie. That said I think the 1st book was great and hooked me in. The second and the last books were good but not as much as the first. I did look past the romance part of it but luckily the books are not solely based on that. Glad you have been enjoying them.
Runderground really was pretty cool. It's not a timed race, so there's no pressure.
Are you doing a couch to 5k or any sort of program?
Actually, yes, it does since it is "home acquisition debt!" You can deduct interest paid on mortgages used to pay construction expenses as long as the proceeds from the second mortgage are used to acquire land to build a second home. You can take the interest deduction on the land for up to two years but if you decide not to build, you have to restate your returns and the IRS will want some extra tax $$$.
Honestly, though, I would check with a tax CPA to make sure. I work for a publicly traded company in financial reporting so my tax knowledge is simply what I learned while I was in school which has changed A LOT.
Well, assuming that in the beginning of the loan, more of your payment is allocated to interest than principle, I would start taking the deduction now. Take the deduction for 24 months and if the house is not yet complete within the 24 month period, then stop taking the deduction after the 24th month.
I was looking forward to the movie until I saw the actors. It's full of Abercrombie models! So not how I pictured these people. Except for Haymitch ... I think Woody Harrelson was a good choice for him. I'm worried that it's trying too hard to be Twilight. That said, I'm sure I'll go see it.
I really haven't decided.
Several months ago, I was trying to run. I'd walk for 2 minutes or so to warm up, then run a mile, then walk/run another mile. I sort of planned on just taking that up again. I like the idea of C25K, but it seems tough to keep track of the intervals, and I don't have a good sport watch.
McG and Lizzy - Why you should not buy a home in Edmond:
I have had two friends sell their homes in Edmond in the past three months. One of them bought their house five years ago for $220k and sold it for....$225k. The other bought their house for $255k and sold for $245k, I think. They lived there three years.
Can you say OUCH? Over expansion of new construction causes big-time issues for those that already own homes there and want to move on.
Then again, if you don't care about making a profit on the sale of your home, more power to you!
There are C25k podcasts, iPhone apps, etc. that will track the intervals for you if you want to do that.
Personally, C25k never worked for me--I spent too much time concerned about when I would hear the stupid ding again. When I'm training for a 5k, I generally prefer to start by measuring time--look at my watch as I start running, and when I can't run anymore stop and see how long I've been going. Next time out I try to better my time by a minute (sometimes I did, and sometimes I couldn't--no big deal). Then I graduated to distance--I have a park near my house that has a great loop with 1/4 mile markers. So I would use those to gauge my distance. Having something to work towards instead of waiting for my app to ding worked better for me--my last 5k was far more successful than my first!
my bookshelf!
Bloggy
This is part of my concern with my current neighborhood, even though it isn't Edmond. I love it, but there's still SO MUCH new construction, with more phases in the works. If we were to sell it now, we would likely make little to no profit. Even in three years or so, I'm worried we'll still be running into that issue.
my bookshelf!
Bloggy
Fair point, but I'm wondering if every area of the metro has this issue, to some extent? It sucks, though.
At this rate, it'll be about 20 more years until I move, anyway. :P
So you run until you have to stop, and check the time, and the next time you run, you try to run a minute longer? Or you try to run that exact distance quicker? (Forgive my lack of comprehension... I'm a newb.) Did you work up to running a certain amount of time before graduating on to distance?
Guess I should have been more clear! I just try to run for one minute longer. I am a s.l.o.w. runner (did I mention I'm SLOW?), so I haven't gotten to the point where I'm working on speed yet. My goal with the last 5k was to just finish in a way I found respectable--mainly running the whole thing or nearly the whole thing.
my bookshelf!
Bloggy
Wellllll....this is what I love about Norman. It is land locked on the west side which makes the property more valuable. Yes, homes are still being built, but the lots are SO expensive - well over $80k each - plus the covenants of these neighorboods have a square footage minimum of something ridiculous like 2,600. So your options are to a. build a ginormous house on a $80k lot b. buy an already built house of which there is a high demand so the prices are higher WHICH MEANS when you sell, you will sell quickly and make money on your investment or c. buy on the east side.
I've only read the first book, but I looked up the trailer for the movie and was surprised at how pretty Katniss was. Not at all what I pictured.
Nothing wrong with the east side! ;-)
Well, today I'm just going to try and get caught up at work since I've been gone for the last day and a half for an honor band. I'm also still getting over a mild cold.
Yesterday I was at an honor band in Shawnee. I had a blast catching up with other directors from smaller schools (they're way nicer than some of the snootier people who teach in certain districts around here), hanging out with my students, and creating some very interesting memories with them.