Dryer out of commission

So sometime on Saturday the dryer decided to die.  Obviously this was not something I was looking forward to.So it isn't exactly dead, but it started making a horribly loud banging sound. Afterwards it started to smell, like horrible.

No Worky

Anyway I turned it off and checked everything I can check including the lint pipe thing that goes outside.  I cleaned all that out but it made no difference. Luckily my wife remembered that we have a home warranty through American Home Shield.  So I logged on and checked and determined that dryers are covered by the warranty.

American Home Shield

So we setup an appointment and the earliest they could come out was today between 8 and noon.  It's 9:45 as I write this so as you might imagine they aren't here yet.  The dryer is a Kenmore so they set up the service through Sears. I got an auto call yesterday at work to confirm the appointment today.  Hopefully they'll be here soon.

In the meantime since Saturday we've used the tried and true method of hanging our clothes outside, because going to a laundromat can get pricey and the washer still works so this seemed like a good idea.

This morning's laundry

It does take a few hours and usually we can only get two loads of laundry done in a day, but it mostly works.  I have learned if the laundry is hung too late in the day it just doesn't get dry.  Added to the fact that it is actually getting colder for a change that isn't exactly helping the laundry dry.

Weather is getting colder, a lot colder

I'll be updating this post after they get here and provide their initial diagnosis and/or fix it.  I'm not expecting anything good though and have already been searching the appliance stores for new dryers in the sub $500 range because at this point I just want a working dryer.

-- Update 11:15 AM --

Around 10:15 the Sears repair showed up.  They went straight to work and 45 minutes later it seems to be working just fine again.  They literally took the whole machine apart and checked everything.  I was actually quite impressed.  In the end the part that goes from the lint trap back to the back where it leaves the machine was apparently FULL of line and other debris. He cleaned everything out.  Once he got it back together he ran the machine, empty, for over 10 minutes. Well I guess it was ten minutes total, but he stopped it a few times to check stuff.  He also said that everything was in good working condition.  I have no reason to doubt them.

So I just started a new load of laundry and will be drying them in an hour or so.  I'm just going to leave those white clothes outside to air dry.  I'll post an additional update once I get that in there and let you know if it actually works when it is full of wet towels.


-- Update 2 --

I wasn't paying attention to the time but sometime before 1:00 PM I started the dryer and sometime after 4:00 PM I got home and in between then the clothes dried and the dryer works again.  That's it really. I have a second load of clothes in the dryer already and a 3rd load in the washer which will HOPEFULLY catch us back up again.  Anyway that's all for laundry.

Monthly Shopping Update 1

Well, we've bought everything and the pantry, freezer and refrigerator are fully stocked. Including household goods such as laundry soap and diapers plus other things like that we came in around $360. We'll have to see how this endeavor goes. I think the helpful thing on my part is that I am also dieting. More on that later.

Monthly Shopping

We're trying out this new thing where we buy all our groceries, save a few perishable items, on a monthly basis. This got us to buy a lot of stuff at Sams Club. However we're also shopping around at all the other local stores, not that Tyler has much variety besides Walmart, Brookshires and Super1. Although we also got a few things at Walgreens and Dollar Tree. Basically we're looking for the most economical and at the same time largest quantity. The exceptions are Bananas, milk and yogurt, plus a few other items with short shelf lives that we don't want to freeze like bread.  We're trying to do whatever we can to save money. We're also trying to not eat out anymore and cook at home as much as possible. It's just hard to avoid the temptation and convenience of fast food. Either way we'll see how this experiment goes.

Money again

So, just saying.  I decided to monetize this blog, don't actually intend to make money, but decided to turn on the AdSense and Amazon stuff.  We'll see what happens.  I expect nothing.

Money

Money is funny. Money separates us more than borders, oceans and walls.  Money makes the rich rich and the poor poor, but money can make the rich poor and poor rich.  Money can make us friends and money can make us enemies.  Money fuels governments and brings them to their knees.  Some say money is the root of all evil and others think money is the best thing ever.  Some people have no money at all and other have so much they don't know what to do wit it.  Some people obsess their whole lives over money, even though they can't take it with them.  Some people don't ever think about money their whole lives.  Some people have no sense of money.  Money can force people to do things they wouldn't normally do, sometimes good and sometimes terrible.  Money is the driving force in many people's lives, although they may not admit it.  People work for money.  Some jobs pay good money, some jobs pay very little.  Some people may refuse your money, while others may want more.  People always counting money.  Banks they want to store your money and make money from your money.  Crooks they want to steal your money and waste it, spend it, or make more.  Money can kill people, or at least the thought of it can.  Losing money, winning money, making money, stealing money, finding money, giving money, paying money, hoarding money spending money - its enough to make your head hurt. So much money and what's the point?

8.6 Years

So I did the math today and realized I still have 8.6 years left on my student loans.  Does any one else wonder why you go to school for 4 years (give or take) and pay it back over 10 years (give or take).  Of course I find it intesting, at least based on my own math at the current pay schedule, my private loans will take 8.6 years and my stafford loans will only take 7.6 years.  Somehow, there is a whole year difference. Oh well, I don't mind, really.  I think I will see what I can do to possibly pay these off ahead of schedule, although they currently hit my wallet, rather hard so I may have to hold off until some other stuff gets paid off.

Coupons, Gas and More

I have started cutting coupons.  I don't know if I will use any of them, but somehow cutting them has seemed a worthwhile endeavor.  It seems that the price of everything has increased at a rate that my Debit card doesn't want to keep up with, especially the price of gas, unfortunately no coupons there.  If things don't start going the other way soon, I may have to re-think my route to work and possibly the car I am driving.  I am sensing that $3 a gallon gas may become the normal here in the short term and beyond.  I mean where I live it hasn't yet, but I certainly do see it on the horizon.  Money is one of this issues I don't really like discussing, but it always come up.  Just recently I have refinanced my auto loan to save money, in the now.  I am just not sure how much it will help in the long run, but ultimately, its about having more in the bank each month that really matters.  Now if I could just figure out some way to get rid of my student  loans without waiting 10 years or more.  Student loans are terrible, it seems you'll never get rid of them.  I am currently searching out electricity rates as my contract expires this next month, hopefully I can save some money there.  However water and gas are only provided by one company so no luck there at all.  Additionally, the Cable company raised their rates recently, so I am contemplating dropping several of my services and maybe just keeping Internet with Hulu Plus and Netflix, as this actually comes out to save me money.  Of course, who knows what I will actually do.  Then of course, there is a baby on the way, and honestly, I haven't budgeted for that at all.  I don't know how much anything is going to cost.  I am going to need to sit down and figure this out.  My goal and hope was to allow my wonderful wife to stay at home full time with the baby, however, right now I just don't think I can afford it.  I may need to take on a second job or find some other means of income.  No matter what, I think we'll be alright.  I suppose nothing can go as you plan it.  I just wish the future were more clear.

The More Things Change The More They Stay The Same

I've been doing some thinking. It is true that the economy isn't doing well, but that doesn't mean that things aren't going to get better. Although things could still get worse before then. I, however, hope that it gets better sooner rather than later. Like so many people out there I am currently unemployed, not for lack of trying. I mean, by my own count I have sent out over 60 resumes and or applications and of those gotten only 4 or 5 hits, in terms of call backs and interviews. I don't know. It is sad and depressing, but at the sometime maybe it is a good thing. Maybe the job I am really looking for is still out there and by some odd chance I am going to get it. Or maybe nothing will happen at all. All I know at this point is that discouragement and feeling down aren't the way to go. As hard as it is to put a happy spin or a smiling face on the situation, that is just what I have to do. I need to know that there will be something good around the corner. I guess in a way I've been putting myself and those around me in a rut. All I've done lately is talk about what I am doing, or trying to do and how I am getting nothing in return. In essence I bitch, moan, and complain and all those around me suffer. I want to foremost say that I am truly sorry. I don't want to disappoint anyone or let anyone down and I am sometimes afraid that is exactly what I am doing. There are some days, and they are such long days, that I just sit in my apartment and I can't do anything. I guess maybe that's the wrong idea. I should say I lose all interest. I spend most of my day at home cleaning up, and then I spend the rest of my time looking for jobs, but I have to be honest it sometimes doesn't take up my whole day and I just sit and do nothing sometimes. Even TV doesn't interest me. That is probably the low point. I'll be honest if it wasn't for the fact that we have a dog I probably would go crazy. Even with his company I sometimes just want to scream and cry. I hate it and I want it to end. That is why I know it is going to get better and I hope it is going to get better and I pray that it is going to get better and I just really want it to get better. So now the question, when is it finally going to get better? The answer: " ". Exactly no one ones, and no guess is justifiable, unless you're just the worlds best economist, which I am not.

Gas, OMG, WTF, WOW

Oil

As the graph currently shows to the right and below, because I know it will change:

Gas has dropped below $120 a barrel and the national average price for gas is below $3.50 for regular. Well, the question I have, will this trend continue? Probably not, but if it does, SWEET!!

Microsoft Blesses LGPL, Joins Apache Foundation

As told on Slashdot:

Penguinisto writes "According to a somewhat jaw-dropping story in The Register, it appears that Microsoft has performed a trifecta of geek-scaring feats: They have joined the Apache Software Foundation as a Platinum member(at $100K USD a year), submitted LGPL-licensed patches for ADOdb, and have pledged to expand their Open Specifications Promise by adding to the list more than 100 protocols for interoperability between its Windows Server and the Windows client. While I sincerely doubt they'll release Vista under a GPL license anytime soon, this is certainly an unexpected series of moves on their part, and could possibly lead to more OSS (as opposed to 'Shared Source') interactivity between what is arguably Linux' greatest adversary and the Open Source community." (We mentioned the announced support for the Apache Foundation earlier today, as well.)

Well, what an odd turn of events.

I finally bought a monitor

So, I got a 19" Viewsonic Widescreen LCD Monitor (VA1930wm). I think this will be a good monitor. I researched it and I like the specs. Further, I found it cheapest at OfficeMax. I found this quite surprising. Just thought I would share.

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Now playing: Queen - Fat Bottomed Girls
via FoxyTunes

Too much work

I guess that's all I really wanted to say, work is over rated.

However money is very good