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11/01/2003 Archived Entry: "The simple joys of home ownership..."
The simple joys of home ownership...
I love my house, I really do. It's nice to know that if I want to tear down an old wall and put up a new one in its place (which I actually did last weekend), I can do it without getting a landlord's approval.
But it was nice here in the NorthEast today, and I decided to take advantage of it and work outside. Armed with my rake and leaf blower and plastic bags, I started cleaning up the yard and I can tell all of you with utmost certainty -
I hate leaves.
Four hours of work, and I've got about half of my front yard relatively leaf-free. The other half of my front yard has about a half-dozen huge piles of leaves, just waiting for me to go out tomorrow and pick them up. And that's not even taking into consideration the back yard, which is larger than the front.
I know that burning leaves is taboo, although it used to be one of the hallmarks of Autumn to have that burnt-leaf smell hanging in the air, and I miss that. But at this point, I'm wondering if my town has an ordinance against using napalm.
And to add to the misery index, the Knicks play the Spurs tonight.
Replies: 4 people speak up
I wish George Bush would make like a tree and leave.
Posted by Paul @ 11/01/2003 05:26 PM NY
Dude, that is why I moved out to California from Nebraska. If you think raking leaves is bad, just wait until you have to scoop your walk for the fifth time in a week. Oy, time for the Doan's Pills! I like the cold weather places, but not to live there. Just go visit, go skiing, go ice-skating, drink hot toddies, the whole schmear, but then get your Pacific Coast-Loving Ass back to Los Angeles. That's my joy. Now if I could just afford a goddamned house, fucking Bush crashes the economy, and I can't muster enough scratch to buy one of these overpriced condos, and mansions out here without resorting to bank robbery. We've got all these low loan rates, and I can't get a down payment together, because I'm busy paying ridiculously high insurance rates, being overtaxed because I don't make enough to qualify for entry into George Bush's great economy. I guess it's only the rich who can afford to live out here, even though I've got a Bachelor of Science in two fields of engineering from UC-Berkeley. What kind of shit is this when a college graduate (with a highly qualified job, even) can't afford to buy a house in Los Angeles where I want to live? It's a bunch of fucked-up shit is what it is. Rich people get a fucking tax break, and Bush continues the legacy of his father, and of Ronald Reagan in passing the tax burden onto the middle class from the millionaire & billionaire businessmen. Rich people use more of the infrastructure of this government than ordinary citizens. They build buildings, start businesses, apply for permits, and all of these businesses have to be regulated by the government. Who pays for that? Me, You, the ordinary taxpayer. Oh sure the businessman pays some of the cost, but with lower taxes on land out here for businesses because of Howard Jarvis, nobody's had the sack in the governors office to ever repeal that, and start taxing commercial property at it's true rate. They're rich, and they got that way off the labor of a lot of people. And the way I see it, they should pay more, and I shouldn't have to feel any guilt at all about that fact. If I made it big in business, or entertainment, or got a big patent that made me millions; I'd pay my taxes. I'd be happy to pay my taxes, but why are these people not happy to pay their taxes? Because they're all greedy motherfuckers, sure a little greed it good, it stimulates economies, spurs productivity, drives us all to some extent. But these Republicans want to force their morality down our throats as well. And that I can't stomach. And that's why I fight, because I want to live in a place where I can buy a home, or a condo, and not have to pay some ridiculous price, because I've saved my money, and I'm taxed at an appropriate level, and I have enough income to afford something. But that isn't going to happen in George Bush's America, because it will resort to a feudal situation as more and more wealth is concentrated into fewer hands. I want a piece of the pie, but I also want a fair chance to get there, and that bastard's making it too difficult.
Posted by Stentor @ 11/02/2003 12:10 AM NY
I just use a mulching mower, and mow them right into the lawn. Improves the soil. Result: greener lawn that requires less water.
Posted by ThomasMc @ 11/02/2003 11:07 AM NY
Compost 'em! What kind of progressive are you?
Posted by ymr049c @ 11/04/2003 11:31 AM NY
