In Defense of Condo Fees

Buying a condo can be a smart move. Condos are generally less expensive than single-family homes. This makes them ideal of a first-time homebuyer to get into the market. There's less upkeep and expenses are shared among the association.

Shared expenses come in the form of a monthly association fee. Many people feel that this fee is pointless but I would argue that, for what you get, condo fees are a bargain.

Consider my monthly fee of $325.00. This is on top of my monthly mortgage payment. Everyone in the building pays a fee calculated based on provisions in the DC Code. The Board of Directors of the building does not set the fee. Most of the fee derives from the association's expenses and is more if you have more square footage.

So, for my $325.00 per month I pay for:

• All building common utilities (hallway lights, outdoor lights, water in the community laundry room, gas for the stoves and dryers.) The only utility bill I pay myself is my own electricity usage.
• All regular building maintenance (weekly cleaning, monthly pest control, lawn care, trash removal, snow removal)
• All building repairs (repairs to damage caused by 'common elements' such as a leaky roof, painting/general  upkeep, replacing things like the garden hose if it leaks, changing the locks as needed, etc)
• Master insurance policy premium
• Master savings account
• Management company to handle the contracts/services and pay the bills

It's easy to forget just how much it takes to run a building, especially an old building, and even a building without 'luxury' amenities such as a pool, weight room, or concierge. 

I don't have exact numbers, but I can't imagine how paying for all utilities, lawn care and supplies (even if you don't outsource), repairs, pest control, etc would come to too much less than $325 per month for a single-family home that would most likely be 4-5 times the size of my condo.

And let's not forget the convenience factor: my association fee is auto-debited from my bank account every month and the services magically happen. I don't have to worry about finding or scheduling contractors for repairs. I don't have to do any of the lawn care. Snow and trash remove themselves. Bills get paid on time and in full. Maintenance happens sometimes without me even noticing. 

Condo living - and fees - comes with a community aspect that is really nice for someone like me who lives on  their own and would prefer to share some expenses with others. If the roof starts leaking a group of people put their minds together, vendors are at the ready - many of whom have more knowledge of this building than I do - and I benefit from living with a community of people who want the best for our awesome home.

Sick Kitty

My cat Elena doesn't feel good. She's hypersalivating which, for a cat, isn't normal at all (though growing up with our beloved black Lab, Daisy, who drooled like it was her job, the whole thing feels reminiscent).

It's so hard to figure out the extent of a cat's issue, though. Is she eating normally? Well, I have two, so who the hell knows. Plus I can't remember when I fed them last (they free-feed dry food so I just top off the bowl every day).

Is she in pain? Cats don't whimper or make noise when they're in pain so it's hard to tell. I've been trying to compare her mouth with Natasha's mouth to see if the gums are swollen but by now they're both so sick of me poking around that they're avoiding me.

Is she lethargic? Cats sleep 18 hours per day, so it's really hard to tell if she's sleeping more than usual. She slept all night with me and is asleep right now. But that's not abnormal.

So I made an appointment with the vet but they can't see us til Thursday. In the mean time I'll wait and see. I bought some wet food in case it looks like she's starting to avoid hard food.

My poor baby girl. Here are some of her toes just for fun. Kitty toes!

Feeling Blech

I have very high expectations for how I should feel on a daily basis. So when things start to go just a little bit awry I get anxious.

Not hopping out of bed wide awake in the morning? I must need to overhaul my whole sleep routine!

Feeling the 1pm slump? Not eating the right thing for lunch!

A little scratch in the throat? Time for a strict one-week regimen of anti-inflammatories and nasal decongestants!

I just have no tolerance for feeling anything but strong, alert, and healthy, and I feel like any little glitch in my state of being means I've done something wrong. It means that there's something I need to fix. A supplement, more meditation, more (or less) exercise, something! It must be under my control!

This afternoon, though, I'm taking a break from all that. I'm drinking a beer and sitting in front of the TV. I feel tired and worn out and instead of kicking myself into gear to fix it I'm going to take a cue from my body and just chill.

It's hard, though, because it's not doing something. 

Adjusting Expectations

Summertime running is really hard for me. I'm a cold weather lover and a December morning run leaves me feeling bright and energized. I can recover quickly and my pace is brisk.

In the hot weather I feel heavy and slow. A run in hot, humid weather drains me of energy. I don't feel strong or athletic plodding along in the heat.

So ordinarily I would scale way back on miles during the summer or not run at all. But this year I've committed to running a relay with a team of people at the end of September so I've had to figure out a way to endure the heat and humidity.

Part of the reason I've been successful thus far is a simple change in expectations. I've become happy just to finish my intended distance. I've stopped comparing how I feel during the summer to how I feel during the winter. I've stopped beating myself up over a slower pace or longer recovery.

And you know what... I've started to enjoy the feeling of accomplishment that comes with conquering the conditions. Anyone can run when the weather suits them; it takes commitment to run when the weather doesn't. 

All Wound Up

It's 3:36pm on a Thursday and I'm all wound up. I think this is how most people feel at this time on this weekday but for me the feeling is new.

Generally I get home from work about this time and aside from running, all I want to do is relax in a quiet apartment with a book or crossword. I don't want to talk to anyone, I don't want to go out. I'm drained and need to re-energize in solitude.

Thus, I've never understood how people can go straight from the office to happy hour, or come home for a quick change and then run out to meet friends. It's as if their work makes them feel like a coiled spring.

My work generally makes me feel spent after eight or nine hours.

Except for Thursday, my telecommute day. Make no mistake, I WORK that day. I may be at home, but I'm busy. Yet at the end of my telecommute day I feel wound up, like I need to get outside and do something. It's unusual for me to feel that way during the work week.

This must be what other people feel like every day.

Feeling Good

I'm in a groove lately and what's different about this one is I am enjoying it rather than giving into a feeling of foreboding that it's all temporary, a ruse.

• My health is great. I finally have a handle on some bad eating habits that have been plaguing me for years. Running is rock solid consistent but not punishing. I'm supplementing with plenty of yoga. I don't have any aches or pains. I feel lean, strong, and healthy.
• I'm having fun at work; feeling confident in my abilities yet still challenging myself.
• Though I've kind of fallen off my 2012 photo project my photography has been pretty good lately. I sold two prints that I'm proud of.
• I've begun playing Irish music again albeit at home. I've been struggling with the banjo for some time so this afternoon I picked up my whistle and played for an hour straight, having a blast. I think maybe I'll just rekindle my relationship with the whistle - it's fun, it's how I started, I feel more confident and more eager to play with something familiar in my hands. Each tune doesn't feel like an uphill battle, better in my head than in reality. It's nice.
• I love my scooter now that the cold weather has broken. It's fun to zip around (safely) without shivering and having numb fingers. I finally scheduled the test that will get me my full motorcycle endorsement. It will be nice to have that done and over with.
• I have some travel coming up - one family trip complete with baby and dog and one trip just J and I, a drive through upstate New York to Toronto for him to attend a conference and me to just chill. Then the whole summer stretches before us with sailing, running, road trips, and relaxing on the books.
• The Red Wings clinched their playoff spot so I still have that to look forward to.
• And... I don't know. I just have a feeling of optimism and for once I don't think stating it will jinx it.

River Walk

Given my last post it will not surprise my faithful readers to learn that I've been investigating new options for running this summer. And I have to run through the summer (as opposed to taking the summer off or running on a treadmill to avoid the heat as I've done in the past) because I'm contributing to an eleven-man team running 198 miles from Cumberland, MD to Washington DC this September.

The Navy Yard neighborhood has been slowly undergoing a revitalization, starting with the building of the baseball stadium and culminating, most recently, with the renovation of a 0.85-mile long river walk.

I can run from my home to the end of the river walk and back in about 3 miles. If I do the river walk twice it lengthens the distance to about 5 miles, which is great.

It's so nice to, as I did today, wake early and jog along the misty river, watching the herons stalk their breakfast and the university crew train alongside fisherman. It's nice to have a little bit of nature so close to the hustle and bustle of the city.

This is my new favorite route.

Tourons

Tourist season tests my patience! Don't these people know that I have a routine and they're disrupting it? Tax revenue benefits aside, how the hell can a family of three manage to take up an entire sidewalk AND not hear my strongly announced "Passing on the left!" as I try to jog by?

Good lord people. Don't you know that some of us actually live and work here? This is our home. You come and make use of the city but you don't love it like I do.

This is only the beginning. March. I'm already aggravated.

(For those who are wondering, 'touron' = tourist + moron).

The Monacle

This afternoon J and I had a really nice time outside in the sun taking advantage of our neighborhood.

First, we walked from my house ten minutes down the road to the US Botanic Gardens where I really wanted to see the orchid exhibit. It was lovely! There's something about an orchid - delicate, detailed, and unusual.

Then we walked through the Grotto and past the carillon, bells ringing, to The Monacle, a 60-year old bar tucked in behind the Senate office buildings. It's a small, cozy, dark bar that really fits its name.

One dirty martini (me) and bass draft (him) later, we strolled home fifteen minutes up First St SE back to my place, grabbing some Thai takeout on the way.

The weather was perfect - sunny and in the mid 50's. Great for spending the afternoon outside and finishing off with a cocktail, home early enough to feel mellow and relaxed for the evening.

2012 Photo Project - February - Silhouette

Ugh. I'm way behind on my photo project for no reason except laziness! The first half of February was supposed to be spent photographing images in silhouette. Finally I decided to march myself down to the National Mall to see if I could capture the planes flying in low across the Washington Monument. Unfortunately when I got down there I realized that planes were departing across the Mall instead of arriving. This means that the planes were much higher in the air when they crossed the monument than they would be if they were incoming. Oh well. Enjoy!

Cooking!

My President's Day Monday didn't start off quite according to plan but I'm back in the saddle and ready to go. I have a full day of cooking planned that will be fruitful but easy.

Sausage and Peppers:
Dice one green, one red, and one yellow pepper along with one large sweet onion. Peel one head garlic and toss all with olive oil. Spread on cookie sheet and bake in a 350-degree oven for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove casings from 5-6 mild Italian sausages and break apart. After 25 minutes, place on cookie sheet and into oven with vegetables for another 25 minutes (50 minutes total for the veggies, 25 minutes for the sausage).

Remove, toss together, serve hot.

Simple Roast Chicken:
Remove giblets and rinse one whole fryer or roaster chicken, inside and out. Loosen skin and tuck lemon slices and peeled garlic cloves between the meat and skin. Stuff one lemon, halved, and additional garlic into the cavity. Spread softened butter over skin, salt and pepper to taste.

Roast in a 350-degree oven according to chart for chicken's weight.

This should do it for lunch and dinner all week... throw together some wild rice or a salad as a side dish and slice off some of the chicken. Easy and delicious!

Nice Change of Pace

I'm having a very nice morning, for a Wednesday. Ordinarily I'm up and out the door in fifteen minutes flat. I leave for work so early that I just can't bear to get up any earlier than absolutely necessary. My morning routine has been chiseled to its essence; perfectly efficient.

Today, for various reasons, I don't need to be out the door until about 8am, a good couple of hours later than usual. But because I like to keep my sleep schedule consistent I woke up at the same time I ordinarily would. And my goodness is it nice to have a slow morning!

I've made coffee (which I never do at home on workdays, no time for a cup), checked my email, am watching the morning news. In five minutes I'm going to jump in the shower and I'll STILL have about an hour to relax, read, and get organized before heading out the door.

I could get used to this. Maybe. I do like that early start time means early quit time but this change of pace is quite nice.

Rebelling Against Busyness

I have a strong work ethic but no need to compete with the world over how busy I am. I've never understood people who wear their hectic lives as a badge of honor. Sometimes I wonder about their time management skills. Sometimes I wonder what they're avoiding by setting up their lives in such a way that they don't have a second to breathe.

Probably the most striking way in which I've actualized my low threshhold for chaos is in my decision not to have children. Another is my decision not to pursue the corporate career-ladder and rather keep a job that, while stressful, has defined hours and a generous vacation policy.

Rather than be impressed by people who are "crazy busy" (I hate that phrase), I usually feel sad for them, most often while practicing my banjo for an hour followed by an evening of reading, practicing yoga, prayer, and a good meal.

These are the ways in which I live well. Not by running myself ragged all day every day.

To each their own.

Did I Have A Good Run?

I was thinking about this today as I finished up my lap around the Washington Monument. What does it mean to have a good run?

Does it mean that the run felt easy or effortless? I don't necessarily want every run to feel easy. That would mean I'm not pushing myself and improving my endurance.

Does it simply mean that I finished? I should hope that's not the only indication as I always have to finish. The alternative would be to set up camp with the Occupy Wall Street folks in McPherson Square!

Does it mean the absence of stomach or muscle cramping? I could get behind that I guess. On this particular run I struggled with a side stitch briefly but it went away. My legs felt a bit heavy but not crampy. I felt fatigued on and off but finished relatively strong.

Overall I think it's a combination of these things plus just how much fun I have. I've been trying not to over-think it: no timekeeping, just the most basic of mileage tracking. Running for fitness and stress relief but not thinking about weight or control. Trying to get out there even when I don't really feel like it.

So I guess every run is good - but some are better than others.

Photo Project: January (2) - Abstract

Well, my second photo project for January was supposed to follow the category of Abstract but instead I think it became Modernism. Is there a difference? All abstract is modern but not all modern is abstract? I don't know.

The first one is a sculpture in front of the Hirshhorn Museum of Modern Art and the second one is the National Museum of the American Indian.

Hockey Rant

I am in a relatively unique position of rooting for a team that isn't the home team. There's absolutely no chance of me switching loyalties; I've been watching the Red Wings play since I was a child.

And I hate to sound smug but I just love watching the Capitals receive a slice of humility.

For some reason they (and their fans) have the infuriating habit of believe that they're God's gift to the NHL - a claim which, I will henceforth show, is ridiculous.

1. They obtain Alex Ovechkin, he has a few great seasons and they start calling him the 'best player in the universe.' Despite the fact that this simply isn't true on its face (there are five hundred Ovechkins playing in the KHL right now; Stateside Evgeni Malkin and Pavel Datsyuk are more consistent performers, etc) Ovechkin hasn't really made good on that label. He has yet to win a Stanley Cup.

2. They blow their wad early, every season. They have one or two great seasons but they either don't make the playoffs or don't make it past the last round. This season, they started off great (seven straight wins, a franchise record) but tank mis-season, fire their coach, and still can't dig out of the hole. They're in 8th place right now which squeezes them into the playoffs but isn't anything to brag about.

They do.not.perform. and yet their fans are full of hubris.

So this afternoon they lost in overtime to their arch-nemesis, the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was a hard loss but this is a team that needs to work for their wins. They can't rest on Ovechkin. Their reputation needs to fall more in line with their performance. They need to stop acting like entitled brats, put their head down, and work.

Meanwhile, the humble Wings will, as always, pose a serious risk to any team who would dare to reach for Stanley. We may not win, but we'll be in the top few teams left, quietly, as always.

Kitchen Renovation

I live in a great building. It's about 200 years old and was originally built to serve as a convent. All the units are small but spacious - enough for one person (a nun) to live and study. The building precedes the Capitol but my unit has a great view of the Dome and, in winter, of the Washington Monument.

Living in an old building has its challenges, and one of those is that, well, it's old. Before I bought it the prior owner did some renovations and not all of them succeded. The bathroom and floors are great; the windows and kitchen need a lot of help.

The granite countertops and appliances are nice and new but it seems like the contractors just kind of forgot to finish the rest. There's a large gaping hole in the wall under the sink to the extent that all the pipes are visible. Also the cabinets weren't cut correctly and have lots of 'mistakes' in them - mis-measured cuts and drilled holes in the wood for the handles were just kind of left there.

Plus, the cabinets are ugly.

I originally hired a contractor to fix the hole under the sink but he gave me a quote for new cabinets (all new, not resurfaced) that I just couldn't pass up. So, the contents of my kitchen are currently in my living room and the guys arrive tomorrow to begin the replacement.

Once this is done it will be the end of the major improvements I'll have to do. One thing about owning a home, though, you can always find more projects....

Stay tuned for pics and updates!

Photo Project - January (1): Pairs

As part of my new year's resolutions I have designed a photography project for myself. The point is simply to keeping shooting all year round and to take more risks. I generally don't like to take a photograph unless I am relatively sure it will turn out well. But I want to get better at being creative; I also want to take advantage of what DC has to offer in terms of photographic opportunity. There are tons of street fairs, festivals, people-watching opportunities.

So each month has two categories. One for the first half of the month and one for the second. The categories are general and open to interpretation. They're just to be used as guides.

I went for a walk this afternoon to work on my first category - Pairs. I saw a nice pair of benches in the shadow of the Capitol.

A little ways past I came to the Capitol reflecting pools which was filled with ducks and seagulls. I found these two lovebirds and think they definitely count as a pair!


Since I was down on the Mall already I decided to a) stop by a museum I'd never been in before and b) take the suggestion of my dad and his wife to see Andy Warhol's exhibit called Shadows. On the way out I noticed this pair of nuns sharing a snack at the Hirshhorn Gallery cafe. I'm not really comfortable taking candid photos overtly so that's why this one looks like more of a snapshop than a photograph - I left the camera hanging around my neck and shot without aiming!

Next Up: Modernism. Stay tuned!

Hard Sell At the Bank (Part Two)

This isn't really a hard sell just another bank thing that's annoying me lately. The chatter. And it's not the tellers' fault. From the continuity between employees I can tell they've been trained to do this, but really, I don't want banter. I just want my quarters or my cashier's check and to go home.

I can tell I'm not the only one. When people are running errands they're distracted. They have a lot on their mind.

I was next in line and could over-hear the conversation between a teller and the man in front of me.

Man: I'd like to deposit this into xyz account.
Teller: Okay, is this your account?
Man: No, the account is for someone else.
Teller: You didn't lose a bet did you?
Man: I didn't what?
Teller: Did you lose a bet?
Man:
Teller: I only ask because last week someone came in with a deposit for a third-party account and he had lost a bet and was paying it off.
Man (confused): Oh.
Teller: Anyway, you didn't lose a bet did you?
Man: I... no...?

I mean, I get it. They're trying to pass the time while they do their entries on the computer, but people are just not into banter at the bank. I know I'm not (especially when I think the teller is gearing up for Hard Sell Part One).

I wish I could get quarters out of the ATM!

Hard Sell at the Bank (Part One)

I've noticed something new in the past few months - the hard sell at the bank. I hate it.

This is how it usually starts:

Teller: Everything going okay with all your accounts?
Me: Yep!
Teller: Finding everything you need online and happy with your savings APY?
Me: Yep!
Teller: Do you own or rent your home?

Ughhh..... here it comes.

Me: I own.
Teller: May I ask what your interest rate is?

At this point I don't want to continue the conversation. Not only am I happy with my rate but I am not interested in refinancing even if a lower rate were available.

Me: 5%
Teller:

See? I know it's a good rate. They usually can't match it. I just hate the whole build-up to the offer. You can't cut them off mid-conversation and refuse an offer they haven't made yet (rude!) but it makes me anxious to know that the offer is coming.

Just give me my two rolls of quarters so I can go do my laundry!