vested interests, united ties

...landed gentry rationalize.

I want to listen to Exhuming Mccarthy by REM, but sadly I no longer own Document. I used to have it on tape, but haven't made it a priority for my CD collection.

Today, I am loyal to the bank of america. Last night, I bought a house.

...

Okay, I haven't actually closed on the house. I made a bid. They accepted. I wrote a check for $500 to the realty company to hold the place. I get to pay another $300 to get it inspected. The walk-through w/ the inspector is next Wednesday. Then they fix whatever needs it, install a gas range [yes!] and we move towards closing, where I cough up another grand and some change. I got an amazing interest rate, which knocks my mortgage down to $720/mo. So weird to be throwing all these banking terms around.

My new roommate Christopher will help me defer some of the cost. He also has a kick ass dog. He also wants to do stuff with Sharecrop. Cool. My house will be the new Death Star. [This is an old dorky metaphor about my apartment going "on line" and becoming "fully operational," deadly even.] I always thought of my apartment as a place where my friends could come swap ideas, hook into my wireless network, get a beverage. Now, I have a second Death Star, more powerful than the first, but not nearly complete. I want to get a letterpress for the basement. Max wants to set up a screen printing lab. Oh yeah. We got Death Star.

...

While I enjoy Apartment Life, I love houses. I love going up and down stairs that creak. I love fixing things, as long as it's not too emergency based, or too expensive. I love walls that you can paint, hardwood floors that you can have restored, and porches that you can sit on. I also love the fact that I'm paying myself to live there instead of some management company. [No offense, Terry. You and my last landlord have both been great.]

I despise the fact that I'll have a yard to take care of. I hate mowing. I hate yardwork. I will hire little neighbor kids to come mow my lawn. I don't care what it costs. I'm allergic to grass, sneeze for hours afterward, and hate the smell. [But I like the taste of wheatgrass, a fact which never ceases to amaze me.] Jenn's roommate Alex [Allen] works for Earl May as a landscape artist, so I'll ask his advice. I like plants. I like flowers. I love my Maple tree.

...

Bruce Chatwin is one of my favorite writers, especially anything travel related. I have a book of his miscellanea titled An Anatomy of Restlessness, in which is published the essay, "A Place to Hang Your Hat" -- one of my favorites. This is the man who famously annouced via telegram, "Have Gone to Patagonia" Yet, for all his belief that humans are basically nomadic, he conceded that "home is where your friends are." For him, London. For me, Omaha. I'll be here for the next year or two, at least.

However, I'm going back to Australia in 2008. I need to see when Kumars are going to India next. I'd love to tag along. Shail said she'd help me pick out a rug to bring back. I, too, plan to go down to South America. I promise I'll send word. More likely an email than a telegram. Expect a Chatwinesque brevity.

Comments

[nicole bruni]

Let me just give you an early "congratulations." It's a really adorable house. I'm looking forward to getting to that point as well. Good luck!

[x e q u a]

Congratulations on the house- sounds like you've got a great place.

[kate]

congrats ben. This is wonderful for you.
Your purchase makes me feel immature and old all at the same time.
Perhaps, if you want, you could write something for obsessive consumption about buying a home for the first time.
just at thought.

congrats again.

[Anchal]

Congrats on the new house benj. I want to come and see it next time i'm in O-town.

[angel]

It's so nice to have your own space! Enjoy :)

[Eric of the West, man]

Congratulations to Ben. I am looking forward to moving home myself (home being Omaha). Chicago is a place to live, but not a place to call home. There are a few people here who are friendly, and a few less that I can I.D. as friends. It would be good to get back home before the Ben Schicker's of Omaha have moved on.

Congratulations again. (I may soon need your advice on buying a home in Omaha.)