As you kind folks may be able to tell, I’m enthralled with most things having to do with London.
Save for one---their toilets.
It seems that the handle to flush is on the other side of the tank. Now that wouldn’t usually be a problem but when you’re in a public bathroom performing a modified iron cross so your ass doesn’t touch the seat and you’re trying to flush, I can tell you from experience that you may fail miserably.
It’s kind of like a person who puts their toilet paper on under the roll and has suddenly takes up residence with someone who put their tp on over the roll.
The classic under roller vs. over roller conflict.
It’s the same level of dismay when you discover that the handle is on the “wrong side” of the tank.
Ditto that for the “courtesy flush.”
I’m not quite sure how the Brits pull it off but I just gave up and began traveling with a pack of matches.
It’s not worth dislocating my shoulder to spare me a few moments of embarrassment. After all I did say that my shit does stink.
Monday, February 27, 2006
Fowl Ball
There are so many Canadian geese on the playing fields across the street from my home I feel like I'm in a remake of The Birds.
When I left to go to work this morning there had to be at least 300 fowl in the outfield of the baseball diamond.
Then of course, some of these geese and their descendants have been living on the south side longer than I have.
One of the great things about where I live is it’s proximity to Lake Michigan and the inlets and lagoons abutting the Museum of Science and Industry.
Wetlands=water fowl. And as luck would have it, water fowl equal coyotes.
Because of the influx of coyotes from the Cook County forest preserves, the geese, rat and general small animal population has been held down the past few years.
While the coyotes haven’t approached any full grown humans yet, they will take small pets (how do the stray cats thrive around the ‘hood?) and young children.
Despite that fact, I wouldn’t want to be boozed up walking home from the bus stop while being trailed by a pack of those bad boys.
So my web footed, loud honking friends have figured out an almost foolproof way to graze and nest safely during their molting season; they simply make their homes within the confines of a gated area.
If I were a goose, the large gated playing and practicing fields of the school across the street must look like heaven.
The fence line is kept up so it’s highly unlikely that there are any holes where a coyote could sneak onto the fields. The school also went ahead and completed the fence line on the western edge of their property parallel to the train tracks so that everything is gated.
As a result it’s geese as far as the eye can see for two blocks.
In a way it’s kind of intimidating, so many of one type of species suspiciously eying you as you walk down the street.
I had the privilege to see a Canadian goose up close and personal as he (or she) decided to camp out on my front patio table one Saturday morning.
While he (or she) was huge and seemed to very much enjoy the confines of my patio, since I wasn’t getting any rent money, he (or she) had to “get to stepping.”
My winged neighbors should be considered Chicago’s latest immigrant group---after all they are Canadian.
Perhaps I should alert the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Department.
When I left to go to work this morning there had to be at least 300 fowl in the outfield of the baseball diamond.
Then of course, some of these geese and their descendants have been living on the south side longer than I have.
One of the great things about where I live is it’s proximity to Lake Michigan and the inlets and lagoons abutting the Museum of Science and Industry.
Wetlands=water fowl. And as luck would have it, water fowl equal coyotes.
Because of the influx of coyotes from the Cook County forest preserves, the geese, rat and general small animal population has been held down the past few years.
While the coyotes haven’t approached any full grown humans yet, they will take small pets (how do the stray cats thrive around the ‘hood?) and young children.
Despite that fact, I wouldn’t want to be boozed up walking home from the bus stop while being trailed by a pack of those bad boys.
So my web footed, loud honking friends have figured out an almost foolproof way to graze and nest safely during their molting season; they simply make their homes within the confines of a gated area.
If I were a goose, the large gated playing and practicing fields of the school across the street must look like heaven.
The fence line is kept up so it’s highly unlikely that there are any holes where a coyote could sneak onto the fields. The school also went ahead and completed the fence line on the western edge of their property parallel to the train tracks so that everything is gated.
As a result it’s geese as far as the eye can see for two blocks.
In a way it’s kind of intimidating, so many of one type of species suspiciously eying you as you walk down the street.
I had the privilege to see a Canadian goose up close and personal as he (or she) decided to camp out on my front patio table one Saturday morning.
While he (or she) was huge and seemed to very much enjoy the confines of my patio, since I wasn’t getting any rent money, he (or she) had to “get to stepping.”
My winged neighbors should be considered Chicago’s latest immigrant group---after all they are Canadian.
Perhaps I should alert the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Department.
Friday, February 24, 2006
The P-Word
I just wasn’t searching for Slick Rick during my scant time in London town.
I also learned some of the local customs.
For example, pants aren’t pants---pants are underwear. Trousers are pants. When I kept on referring to what the British know as trousers as my pants, boy were people ever confused.
The looks were priceless.
By the way, I’m a heathen because I like my beer cold.
Cold---not cool. Ale, lager, bitters---it makes me no never mind. Just chill that bad boy down and put it in a frosted mug if you please.
Pissed does not equal mad but drunk.
Giving a backwards “peace” sign is the British equivalent of flipping the bird. Apparently popular American rappers would not do well in this culture.
But the most important thing I learned is what not to call someone of Pakistani descent. For the love of all that’s holy do not ever in your life refer to a Pakistani as a “Paki.”
Holy shit, you would of thought I had just shot the Queen.
As we sat and drank champagne, Abby and I were having our one and only serious discussion about life and things. Naturally the conversation rolled around to the multi cultural institutions that are now so ingrained in British life.
I told her that someone mentioned to me that I would start to wonder where all the white people had gone.
As she giggled, I stated in a low voice that there sure are a lot of Paki’s in London.
That sure killed the conversation---especially when we were literally surrounded by many people of Pakistani origin.
Well apparently my voice wasn’t too low and the P-word is not something that is said to a person of Pakistani background.
As I got the hairy eyeball, Abby explained that the P-word is the equivalent to the N-word.
I was appalled.
I mean who wants to go over to another country and give offense to fellow people of color? Not me, that’s for sure.
It seems that the large group of Pakistani Brits heard Abby’s explanation, sized me up as a clueless American and went back to their respective conversations.
Don’t we have enough people who don’t like Americans already? I’m sure I don’t need to create yet another international incident.
I also learned some of the local customs.
For example, pants aren’t pants---pants are underwear. Trousers are pants. When I kept on referring to what the British know as trousers as my pants, boy were people ever confused.
The looks were priceless.
By the way, I’m a heathen because I like my beer cold.
Cold---not cool. Ale, lager, bitters---it makes me no never mind. Just chill that bad boy down and put it in a frosted mug if you please.
Pissed does not equal mad but drunk.
Giving a backwards “peace” sign is the British equivalent of flipping the bird. Apparently popular American rappers would not do well in this culture.
But the most important thing I learned is what not to call someone of Pakistani descent. For the love of all that’s holy do not ever in your life refer to a Pakistani as a “Paki.”
Holy shit, you would of thought I had just shot the Queen.
As we sat and drank champagne, Abby and I were having our one and only serious discussion about life and things. Naturally the conversation rolled around to the multi cultural institutions that are now so ingrained in British life.
I told her that someone mentioned to me that I would start to wonder where all the white people had gone.
As she giggled, I stated in a low voice that there sure are a lot of Paki’s in London.
That sure killed the conversation---especially when we were literally surrounded by many people of Pakistani origin.
Well apparently my voice wasn’t too low and the P-word is not something that is said to a person of Pakistani background.
As I got the hairy eyeball, Abby explained that the P-word is the equivalent to the N-word.
I was appalled.
I mean who wants to go over to another country and give offense to fellow people of color? Not me, that’s for sure.
It seems that the large group of Pakistani Brits heard Abby’s explanation, sized me up as a clueless American and went back to their respective conversations.
Don’t we have enough people who don’t like Americans already? I’m sure I don’t need to create yet another international incident.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Feather
I received a phone call from a representative of the school across the street while I was away on my trip.
I'm sure you good folks remember my recent musing on how tall fences don't necessarily make good neighbors.
When I returned his call earlier today he told me that the funding and the plans for replacing the sidewalks had all but been finalized.
You could have knocked me over with a feather.
It looks like the hoody hoo will be getting (I think) two new city blocks of sidewalks and landscaping.
Maybe if we’re really good and don’t cheat during lent, they’ll lay actual sod.
So far---so good.
The school is stepping up to the plate after over a year’s worth of raising questions.
I would even go as far to applaud them but this is what they were supposed to be doing all along---taking care of the parkway. In light of that I’ll just give them a polite golf clap.
Naturally, the real test will be getting the Jenkins Boys and their cousins to stop throwing crap on the parkway. The amount of trash on the north side of the street is unbelievable.
It looks like Ol’ Woody will be schlepping down the street with a bag in her hand cleaning up random trash after the work has been done. I figure if a few people supplement the weekly maintenance provided by the school across the street, the trash problem shouldn’t get anything like it is now.
Here’s to hoping.
I'm sure you good folks remember my recent musing on how tall fences don't necessarily make good neighbors.
When I returned his call earlier today he told me that the funding and the plans for replacing the sidewalks had all but been finalized.
You could have knocked me over with a feather.
It looks like the hoody hoo will be getting (I think) two new city blocks of sidewalks and landscaping.
Maybe if we’re really good and don’t cheat during lent, they’ll lay actual sod.
So far---so good.
The school is stepping up to the plate after over a year’s worth of raising questions.
I would even go as far to applaud them but this is what they were supposed to be doing all along---taking care of the parkway. In light of that I’ll just give them a polite golf clap.
Naturally, the real test will be getting the Jenkins Boys and their cousins to stop throwing crap on the parkway. The amount of trash on the north side of the street is unbelievable.
It looks like Ol’ Woody will be schlepping down the street with a bag in her hand cleaning up random trash after the work has been done. I figure if a few people supplement the weekly maintenance provided by the school across the street, the trash problem shouldn’t get anything like it is now.
Here’s to hoping.
In Search of Slick Rick
Only I would fly across an ocean to look for a man who immigrated to the United States 27 years ago.
Well I didn’t specifically go there to look for the infamous rapper Slick Rick but it couldn’t hurt to poke my nose around while I was there.
Note: When in the ‘hoods of Richmond and Sheen you will get a lot of funny looks when to ask if anyone knows the whereabouts of Rick.
Imagine my surprise when no one knew who he was. Not so much on rap tip, those saucy southwesterners.
Nonetheless here a partial list of places I asked about Rick when I was on the town:
The American Bar at The Savoy
Portobello Road
Oxo Tower Bar
The Lobby Bar at The One Aldwych Hotel
The Hare and Hounds
No dice, nothing, nadda, nope. No sightings---No Rick.
When I did a little research and found out he actually lives in the Bronx, I pondered all of this over pasta and wine at the Harrod’s Terrace Bar.
Who knew?
Well I didn’t specifically go there to look for the infamous rapper Slick Rick but it couldn’t hurt to poke my nose around while I was there.
Note: When in the ‘hoods of Richmond and Sheen you will get a lot of funny looks when to ask if anyone knows the whereabouts of Rick.
Imagine my surprise when no one knew who he was. Not so much on rap tip, those saucy southwesterners.
Nonetheless here a partial list of places I asked about Rick when I was on the town:
The American Bar at The Savoy
Portobello Road
Oxo Tower Bar
The Lobby Bar at The One Aldwych Hotel
The Hare and Hounds
No dice, nothing, nadda, nope. No sightings---No Rick.
When I did a little research and found out he actually lives in the Bronx, I pondered all of this over pasta and wine at the Harrod’s Terrace Bar.
Who knew?
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
I Believe It’s Time For Me To Fly
So off I went to Merry Old England for a few days of well deserved fun and frolic.
Aside from seeing Jodeci on the theatre marquee, one of the first things I noticed when the tube came to the surface was the scruffy neighborhood we were passing through.
I whispered to Abby to ask her if we were in the middle of the projects.
She replied, “There not called projects here but council houses.”
I couldn’t help but thinking that the ‘hood is the ‘hood no matter what the country or the language.
Everything was practically the same, the Jenkins Boys was hanging out on the corner---you know; Rayshawn, Pookie and them---the Jenkins’. Even if you don’t have someone name Jenkins in your neighborhood you still have a Jenkinsesq crew somewhere in the immediate area.
Don’t pretend like you don’t.
Hell, I’ve seen Jenkins’ in Lake Forest. They just happen to be holding lacrosse sticks and wear L.L. Bean.
I know those Jenkins boys when I see them.
Nonetheless, the Jenkins’ were hanging out like wet clothes, graffiti and trash were quite abundant.
The train scooted through a few more neighborhoods with similar characteristics. The only differences were the complexion of the people.
Imagine if you will putting a neighborhood of Boston Southies next to some peeps from the Ida B’s?
Quite frankly I would imagine all hell would break out but there everything seemed normal. Honestly, I wasn't there long enough to find out and quite frankly wouldn’t have wondered through with my bright pink and green luggage to find out the answer.
Now that would have been interesting.
Eventually, the tube took Abby and I to our connecting station (my Jodeci spotting not withstanding) where we caught the bus and eventually arrived at our destination.
Aside from seeing Jodeci on the theatre marquee, one of the first things I noticed when the tube came to the surface was the scruffy neighborhood we were passing through.
I whispered to Abby to ask her if we were in the middle of the projects.
She replied, “There not called projects here but council houses.”
I couldn’t help but thinking that the ‘hood is the ‘hood no matter what the country or the language.
Everything was practically the same, the Jenkins Boys was hanging out on the corner---you know; Rayshawn, Pookie and them---the Jenkins’. Even if you don’t have someone name Jenkins in your neighborhood you still have a Jenkinsesq crew somewhere in the immediate area.
Don’t pretend like you don’t.
Hell, I’ve seen Jenkins’ in Lake Forest. They just happen to be holding lacrosse sticks and wear L.L. Bean.
I know those Jenkins boys when I see them.
Nonetheless, the Jenkins’ were hanging out like wet clothes, graffiti and trash were quite abundant.
The train scooted through a few more neighborhoods with similar characteristics. The only differences were the complexion of the people.
Imagine if you will putting a neighborhood of Boston Southies next to some peeps from the Ida B’s?
Quite frankly I would imagine all hell would break out but there everything seemed normal. Honestly, I wasn't there long enough to find out and quite frankly wouldn’t have wondered through with my bright pink and green luggage to find out the answer.
Now that would have been interesting.
Eventually, the tube took Abby and I to our connecting station (my Jodeci spotting not withstanding) where we caught the bus and eventually arrived at our destination.
Monday, February 20, 2006
The Trifecta
It appears that major construction on all three porches has been completed. Now for those small things like the roofs being sealed and the gutters...
Jodeci
I knew that London was going to be far more interesting than I first thought when I saw Jodeci’s name on a theatre marquee.
Americans go to London to reinvent themselves and return to the states even stronger. Jody Watley and Tina Turner both had major career resurgences that started in Britain so I thought I’d jump on the trend.
I’ve been struggling with my role as owner and board member in our association lately.
Caustic being a pain in the ass as well as a new emerging system of communication between board members has given me pause about my contributions to the association.
For example, at our board only meeting we all agreed that the association would get a post office box for all of our mailings. Since everyone is short on time and I had a day off prior to my trip, I went ahead and rented a mailbox on the association's behalf.
When I sent an e-mail to the rest of the board informing them of my actions, I was told that two of our members had discussed the abandonment of the mailbox idea.
It would have been nice if the issue had been discussed with the rest of the board.
It especially would have been nice so I wouldn’t have spent the money for six months rental on a post office box.
I mean this is such a little thing---you pick your battles right? But the foreshadowing is enormous. I already know what’s coming down the road.
So it was with a weary but optimistic spirit I boarded a plane to see Abby and Peter in London.
Americans go to London to reinvent themselves and return to the states even stronger. Jody Watley and Tina Turner both had major career resurgences that started in Britain so I thought I’d jump on the trend.
I’ve been struggling with my role as owner and board member in our association lately.
Caustic being a pain in the ass as well as a new emerging system of communication between board members has given me pause about my contributions to the association.
For example, at our board only meeting we all agreed that the association would get a post office box for all of our mailings. Since everyone is short on time and I had a day off prior to my trip, I went ahead and rented a mailbox on the association's behalf.
When I sent an e-mail to the rest of the board informing them of my actions, I was told that two of our members had discussed the abandonment of the mailbox idea.
It would have been nice if the issue had been discussed with the rest of the board.
It especially would have been nice so I wouldn’t have spent the money for six months rental on a post office box.
I mean this is such a little thing---you pick your battles right? But the foreshadowing is enormous. I already know what’s coming down the road.
So it was with a weary but optimistic spirit I boarded a plane to see Abby and Peter in London.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Where The Bottles Go To Die
Litter just pisses me off.
You may not live in the hot ‘hood of the moment but you can keep where you live relatively clean.
I know I live in a city and all but holy smokes; does my little block have to look like the place where the cheap malt liquor bottles go to die?
I’m sorry---my frustration is showing and I’m getting ahead of myself.
I live across the street from a large all boys’ Catholic high school and their campus encompasses most of block. Frankly the word pastoral comes to mind when I look over my balcony across the street.
Slightly rolling hills, lush grass, birds and geese strolling inside the school’s fenced in boarders---you would almost think you’re in the suburbs.
Except for one little thing---the mounds of trash that rest on the parkway on the south end of the campus.
The school has every intention of being good neighbors.
They’ve been responsive to my inquiries about the closing of a local street so that they could enlarge their campus.
They’ve responded to my inquiry about the height of the grass & weeds on the parkway this summer.
After all when the weeds are up to my hips and I’m 5’10---that’s a tad ridiculous.
Nonetheless, despite assurances that the parkway will be at a minimum tended to when the weather warms up, that ain’t feeding the bulldog.
The amount of trash on the parkway of the school across the street is unbelievable. So much so, that I personally went out and took pictures this afternoon.
In the City of Chicago the parkway is the responsibility of the owner of the property. Since the school across the street is the owner of several lots, they should be taking care of the parkway.
Not just what resides inside of their fence line.
Trust me, I’m not happy.
It’s bad enough I live around people who don’t either think enough of their neighborhood or are visited by people who don’t think enough of my block that they leave their litter all over the place.
Now I have to contend with well meaning but a slow moving neighbor across the street.
If their esteemed alumni had to look at shit like that at the entrance of the school, there would be an uproar.
But on the other side of the fence line on the south end of the campus, we’re treated as an afterthought.
I just have to look at this ghetto shit and be reminded of how tall fences don’t necessarily make good neighbors.
You may not live in the hot ‘hood of the moment but you can keep where you live relatively clean.
I know I live in a city and all but holy smokes; does my little block have to look like the place where the cheap malt liquor bottles go to die?
I’m sorry---my frustration is showing and I’m getting ahead of myself.
I live across the street from a large all boys’ Catholic high school and their campus encompasses most of block. Frankly the word pastoral comes to mind when I look over my balcony across the street.
Slightly rolling hills, lush grass, birds and geese strolling inside the school’s fenced in boarders---you would almost think you’re in the suburbs.
Except for one little thing---the mounds of trash that rest on the parkway on the south end of the campus.
The school has every intention of being good neighbors.
They’ve been responsive to my inquiries about the closing of a local street so that they could enlarge their campus.
They’ve responded to my inquiry about the height of the grass & weeds on the parkway this summer.
After all when the weeds are up to my hips and I’m 5’10---that’s a tad ridiculous.
Nonetheless, despite assurances that the parkway will be at a minimum tended to when the weather warms up, that ain’t feeding the bulldog.
The amount of trash on the parkway of the school across the street is unbelievable. So much so, that I personally went out and took pictures this afternoon.
In the City of Chicago the parkway is the responsibility of the owner of the property. Since the school across the street is the owner of several lots, they should be taking care of the parkway.
Not just what resides inside of their fence line.
Trust me, I’m not happy.
It’s bad enough I live around people who don’t either think enough of their neighborhood or are visited by people who don’t think enough of my block that they leave their litter all over the place.
Now I have to contend with well meaning but a slow moving neighbor across the street.
If their esteemed alumni had to look at shit like that at the entrance of the school, there would be an uproar.
But on the other side of the fence line on the south end of the campus, we’re treated as an afterthought.
I just have to look at this ghetto shit and be reminded of how tall fences don’t necessarily make good neighbors.
Friday, February 10, 2006
Communication
While you may not know it by this blog, I tend to procrastinate.
A great deal quite frankly.
One of my pet projects that was pushed to the back of the closet was the virtual bulletin board/chat room I've been working on for the association.
Weighing the fact that we had bigger fish to fry last year, it seemed like a small sacrifice.
Nonetheless, as an association we need a better way to communicate with each other and to turn our piles of paper into a manageable paperless system.
I feel like Dr. Frankenstein waiting to breathe life into his creation. I really hope it not only works but manages to make everyone's life easier.
In the 21st century it's all about accessibility.
Not only would it serve as a repository for important documents such as monthly meeting minutes, financials and the like but it could also serve as a virtual meeting room. Imagine having a monthly meeting with all of your neighbors in the comfort of your jammies.
Hopefully the online chat feature will be our new best friend.
Plus every time someone wanted to see minutes from the last three meetings or the financials from last June, we can simply point them to the group and let them get nuts.
Then of course, a computer and internet access would also be helpful. Most people seem to have some type of internet access either at home or at work so that shouldn't be a problem.
Now while it's all about accessibility---it's about selective accessibility. After all we don't want everyone to see our business. I believe I've got everything on lock but want to test this out five ways to Sunday before an announcement is made that the association is on the information superhighway.
A great deal quite frankly.
One of my pet projects that was pushed to the back of the closet was the virtual bulletin board/chat room I've been working on for the association.
Weighing the fact that we had bigger fish to fry last year, it seemed like a small sacrifice.
Nonetheless, as an association we need a better way to communicate with each other and to turn our piles of paper into a manageable paperless system.
I feel like Dr. Frankenstein waiting to breathe life into his creation. I really hope it not only works but manages to make everyone's life easier.
In the 21st century it's all about accessibility.
Not only would it serve as a repository for important documents such as monthly meeting minutes, financials and the like but it could also serve as a virtual meeting room. Imagine having a monthly meeting with all of your neighbors in the comfort of your jammies.
Hopefully the online chat feature will be our new best friend.
Plus every time someone wanted to see minutes from the last three meetings or the financials from last June, we can simply point them to the group and let them get nuts.
Then of course, a computer and internet access would also be helpful. Most people seem to have some type of internet access either at home or at work so that shouldn't be a problem.
Now while it's all about accessibility---it's about selective accessibility. After all we don't want everyone to see our business. I believe I've got everything on lock but want to test this out five ways to Sunday before an announcement is made that the association is on the information superhighway.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
1,000
I need to give a big "super awesome" to a kind reader in Phenix City, Alabama for giving me the 1,000 hit on this blog.
I'm now clocking four digits on the hit counter. I appreciate the interest.
I'm now clocking four digits on the hit counter. I appreciate the interest.
The Business
I feel like friggin Al Pacino in the Godfather, Part III.
Whenever I feel like we are home free from a situation, something (or someone) pulls us back in.
Like these flippin foreclosures.
It’s not bad enough that we had to deal with the deadbeats. It’s not bad enough that we have to diligently deal with property managers and mortgage companies. But now the latest outrage is that a young woman is being threatened with eviction by the new owners of her unit.
Happy new year and hit the bricks.
From what I understand, the young mother received a call last week from a representative of the new owner all but telling her that she must vacate the property in six days.
Now I wasn’t on the phone with her nor did I hear the conversation. In all honesty I got this third hand from another board member after the young woman told him about the call.
I know this sounds a touch Pollyannaish but, Jesus Christ, where has the freaking civility gone in this world?
A young mother now has to find a decent place to live toots sweet because her former landlord didn’t think it was important to pay his mortgage on time.
Like that’s her fault.
This situation also begs the following questions:
Did her former landlord inform her of his foreclosure?
Will she ever receive her security deposit back?
There aren’t a lot of vacancies in Chicago in February much less CHAC vacancies. How will she find a secure, clean and decent place to move in such a short period of time?
If she moves out of her children’s school district, will the children have to change schools mid year?
This is just about the worst news that anyone could receive at this time of the year. That poor woman is just getting the business handed to her---straight, no chaser.
If anyone who’s reading this is an investment property owner, keep this situation in mind the next time you want to play Russian roulette with your mortgage bills.
Whenever I feel like we are home free from a situation, something (or someone) pulls us back in.
Like these flippin foreclosures.
It’s not bad enough that we had to deal with the deadbeats. It’s not bad enough that we have to diligently deal with property managers and mortgage companies. But now the latest outrage is that a young woman is being threatened with eviction by the new owners of her unit.
Happy new year and hit the bricks.
From what I understand, the young mother received a call last week from a representative of the new owner all but telling her that she must vacate the property in six days.
Now I wasn’t on the phone with her nor did I hear the conversation. In all honesty I got this third hand from another board member after the young woman told him about the call.
I know this sounds a touch Pollyannaish but, Jesus Christ, where has the freaking civility gone in this world?
A young mother now has to find a decent place to live toots sweet because her former landlord didn’t think it was important to pay his mortgage on time.
Like that’s her fault.
This situation also begs the following questions:
Did her former landlord inform her of his foreclosure?
Will she ever receive her security deposit back?
There aren’t a lot of vacancies in Chicago in February much less CHAC vacancies. How will she find a secure, clean and decent place to move in such a short period of time?
If she moves out of her children’s school district, will the children have to change schools mid year?
This is just about the worst news that anyone could receive at this time of the year. That poor woman is just getting the business handed to her---straight, no chaser.
If anyone who’s reading this is an investment property owner, keep this situation in mind the next time you want to play Russian roulette with your mortgage bills.
Photos
Well snapfish can't link a photo album to a blog so if you want to see Phase I of the porches, you'll have to click on the "View My Complete Profile" link to get to my contact information so you can e-mail me.
Once you send me your e-mail address, I'll be able to send you an invitation to view the photos Please note that snapfish registration may be required to view the complete album. Don't shoot the messenger; these are their rules---not mine.
Frankly I think the progress that our porch crew has made has been nothing short of amazing.
Once you send me your e-mail address, I'll be able to send you an invitation to view the photos Please note that snapfish registration may be required to view the complete album. Don't shoot the messenger; these are their rules---not mine.
Frankly I think the progress that our porch crew has made has been nothing short of amazing.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Home Stretch
The third porch was lying in a pile of broken wood by the end of last Friday.
It continued to lie on the ground until yesterday.
I guess seeing our porch crew work on a few Saturdays made me think that that they would be working every Saturday. Apparently that is not the case.
Then of course the recent cold snap of weather may have played a part in the rubble not being removed until yesterday.
So at this point we have two quasi-completed porches (about 90%) and a clean slate on the last building.
Due to the temperatures, it’s more than likely concrete will not be able to be poured until it warms up a bit. Hopefully everything will be completed---lock, stock and barrel some time before St. Patrick’s Day.
I’m working on a porch photo album on snapfish. I’ll post when it’s completed and instructions on how to view the contents.
It continued to lie on the ground until yesterday.
I guess seeing our porch crew work on a few Saturdays made me think that that they would be working every Saturday. Apparently that is not the case.
Then of course the recent cold snap of weather may have played a part in the rubble not being removed until yesterday.
So at this point we have two quasi-completed porches (about 90%) and a clean slate on the last building.
Due to the temperatures, it’s more than likely concrete will not be able to be poured until it warms up a bit. Hopefully everything will be completed---lock, stock and barrel some time before St. Patrick’s Day.
I’m working on a porch photo album on snapfish. I’ll post when it’s completed and instructions on how to view the contents.
Monday, February 06, 2006
99 Problems
As if I don't have enough to deal with day to day I now found out that my cat Jack has lymphosarcoma.
Apparently I'm getting some major karma for some shit I pulled in the past.
Apparently I'm getting some major karma for some shit I pulled in the past.
Rolling Out
I saw my developer cruising down the street past our home last night.
Strike that---I saw one of my developer’s vehicles cruising down the street last night. There’s no mistaking that three-digit plate number on his black Range Rover.
He may or may not have been driving.
I’m sure that passing by our homes might have been the quickest way to get to his destination. Or perhaps he was performing property management duties somewhere near---who’s to say?
I just found the whole thing interesting.
Strike that---I saw one of my developer’s vehicles cruising down the street last night. There’s no mistaking that three-digit plate number on his black Range Rover.
He may or may not have been driving.
I’m sure that passing by our homes might have been the quickest way to get to his destination. Or perhaps he was performing property management duties somewhere near---who’s to say?
I just found the whole thing interesting.
Friday, February 03, 2006
Caustic’s Folly
As if acting like a shrill toddler at the community meeting weren’t enough, Caustic pulled out a whopper at one of our monthly association meetings.
In the first two years of the association the general association meetings were few and far in between. Communication between the board and the general membership was virtually non-existent.
Last year in 2005 the new board decided that since we had so much facing the association it would be in our best interest to have a general meeting every month. In both theory and practice it was a great idea so we could get together and brain storm as well as be informed about the multitude of issues facing the association.
While I’ve been giving you kind people the blow by blow about the porches, it isn’t the only maintenance/capital improvement issue facing our association. Quite frankly it was simply the one that needed the greatest attention at the time.
Anyone who lives in a vintage building will tell you that these old girls require a great deal of time and commitment to keep them looking their best.
The buildings that comprise our association are no different.
Being solidly middle class wage earners, the totality of saying to your general membership that a huge special assessment needed to be levied didn’t leave anyone jumping for joy.
After all, we belong to the association and pay assessments as well.
The special assessment we levied for the porches was bad enough. I can’t even begin to imagine if we totaled up all of the work that needed to be done and levied a special assessment based on that.
They would be coming for us with pitchforks and knives.
Caustic’s issue happened to coincide with the old homestead hitting the market.
At one of our monthly meetings, Caustic had the gall to suggest that the association file a claim with our insurance company to fix a plumbing problem in the basement.
Now I’m sure Caustic meant to have that money cover all of the plumbing issues in all of the basements, not just the one that affected Caustic’s potential home sale---but who knows a person’s true intent?
I was dumbfounded. I lost the power of speech.
At the time we just---and I mean just---renegotiated a significant reduction in our insurance rates.
Why in God’s name would we want to file a claim to have them skyrocket up again? And all for a cost that more than likely could be covered out of our (meager) reserve fund.
Let me not mince words here, it was the way it was demanded and the tone it was demanded in that struck me dumb.
Mind you the board wasn’t asked how this latest wrinkle could fit into the budget or Caustic take the onus to find estimates and work up a presentation at a future meeting.
It was just the attitude of “I’ve graced you dumbasses with my presence. Note that my concerns are far more important than the overall good of the association.”
Are you fucking kidding me?
Could Caustic’s sudden concern for the building’s plumbing problems and the home sale be any more transparent? Not to me it wasn’t.
I love the type of people who don’t give a flying fuck about something until it affects them directly.
Blinded by the tunnel vision of the goal, Caustic continued to rant about filing an insurance claim until someone, I can’t remember who, thankfully put the kibosh on that crazy talk.
I’m not against self interest but not at the expense of fiscal fitness of the association.
In the first two years of the association the general association meetings were few and far in between. Communication between the board and the general membership was virtually non-existent.
Last year in 2005 the new board decided that since we had so much facing the association it would be in our best interest to have a general meeting every month. In both theory and practice it was a great idea so we could get together and brain storm as well as be informed about the multitude of issues facing the association.
While I’ve been giving you kind people the blow by blow about the porches, it isn’t the only maintenance/capital improvement issue facing our association. Quite frankly it was simply the one that needed the greatest attention at the time.
Anyone who lives in a vintage building will tell you that these old girls require a great deal of time and commitment to keep them looking their best.
The buildings that comprise our association are no different.
Being solidly middle class wage earners, the totality of saying to your general membership that a huge special assessment needed to be levied didn’t leave anyone jumping for joy.
After all, we belong to the association and pay assessments as well.
The special assessment we levied for the porches was bad enough. I can’t even begin to imagine if we totaled up all of the work that needed to be done and levied a special assessment based on that.
They would be coming for us with pitchforks and knives.
Caustic’s issue happened to coincide with the old homestead hitting the market.
At one of our monthly meetings, Caustic had the gall to suggest that the association file a claim with our insurance company to fix a plumbing problem in the basement.
Now I’m sure Caustic meant to have that money cover all of the plumbing issues in all of the basements, not just the one that affected Caustic’s potential home sale---but who knows a person’s true intent?
I was dumbfounded. I lost the power of speech.
At the time we just---and I mean just---renegotiated a significant reduction in our insurance rates.
Why in God’s name would we want to file a claim to have them skyrocket up again? And all for a cost that more than likely could be covered out of our (meager) reserve fund.
Let me not mince words here, it was the way it was demanded and the tone it was demanded in that struck me dumb.
Mind you the board wasn’t asked how this latest wrinkle could fit into the budget or Caustic take the onus to find estimates and work up a presentation at a future meeting.
It was just the attitude of “I’ve graced you dumbasses with my presence. Note that my concerns are far more important than the overall good of the association.”
Are you fucking kidding me?
Could Caustic’s sudden concern for the building’s plumbing problems and the home sale be any more transparent? Not to me it wasn’t.
I love the type of people who don’t give a flying fuck about something until it affects them directly.
Blinded by the tunnel vision of the goal, Caustic continued to rant about filing an insurance claim until someone, I can’t remember who, thankfully put the kibosh on that crazy talk.
I’m not against self interest but not at the expense of fiscal fitness of the association.
Counting The Ways
As I stated in the Corrosive post, Caustic is a royal pain in the ass.
How, you ask?
Let me give you one of two examples of this person’s typical behavior.
Our association is located across the street from a prominent all boys Catholic high school. Around two years ago, this institution started work on what is now their brand spanking new field house. Unbeknownst to us, the school had petitioned the Department of Streets and Sanitation to officially take possession of the street.
The school’s plan was to close the street, turn it into green area and fence it in with the rest of their campus.
Unfortunately for those of us who live on the south side of the school’s property line, that street was the most direct route to the Metra platform
By the time any of us found out what was going on---our official notices and letters were going to the wrong address---it was too late to do anything about the process.
Sidebar: This incident was the catalyst for me becoming much more active within my association and my neighborhood. When I started tracking down why official mail was going to the wrong address, I started unearthing that our condo association’s paperwork with the Secretary of State’s office was out of date and had lapsed. It’s somewhat ironic that the school across the street prompted me into greater building and civic awareness.
Nonetheless, I sprang into action informing my neighbors of what was about to happen and also contacted the principal. This street was important for our commute to the Metra station. Without it, anyone who lived south of the school would have to take one of two other paths that not only are out of the way but both are along busy streets.
One of the routes is on a street that has no sidewalk on one side and a broken and crumbling one on the other. Additionally, both paths can be extremely dark and desolate and night.
Not an attractive alternative.
The school was sympathetic to our plight and arranged a kind of Q & A with the Principal and his staff as well as our alderman.
While the meeting itself wasn’t too well attended by my neighbors, a few did show up and questions were posed and answered.
We all got a quick education in how the City of Chicago works, what an alderman can and cannot approve and that the Streets and San is pretty much autonomous. In short, the school and their construction company did everything by the book.
Trust me, I went back and checked when the community letters were sent.
They hired a top notch law firm who literally told me when and where the letters were sent simply by me mentioning the name of the construction project.
The Principal was committed to finding a workable solution, but insurance rates and having their property fenced in ultimately made the decision for him.
He and his staff promised to notify us of any type of community altering actions in the future.
Do you think that their carving out time for a meeting, stepping us through the process giving us the name of their law firm to check on the details would be enough?
No, not for my neighbor Caustic.
Caustic ranted and raved about how unfair it was while offering no viable solutions to the problem. As I found out later, this is something that would be a mainstay of Caustic’s negotiation process.
If you can call being a “my way or the highway” philosophy a negation process.
Honestly, much of what Caustic said is fuzzy as it didn’t make sense with the set of definitives that were being presented at the time.
Construction wasn’t going to stop at this stage of the game because our association didn’t handle its business. It was a hard lesson to learn.
Also a few less minutes of sleep in the morning because I have to get out the door earlier, but nonetheless good came out of the experience.
I (and the collective) learned that if you don’t handle your business in the City of Chicago, your business will handle you. End of story.
I was just so personally embarrassed by Caustic’s escalating tone and behavior I just wanted to die.
Once Caustic was finished, I gave my best “I’m sorry” look to the Principal and his staff.
Thank God our alderman stepped in and executed a Caustic block and somehow defused a potential shouting match.
I mean if the Principal wanted to spend his spare time being berated by an angry homeowner, he’d sit on the property tax appeal board.
How, you ask?
Let me give you one of two examples of this person’s typical behavior.
Our association is located across the street from a prominent all boys Catholic high school. Around two years ago, this institution started work on what is now their brand spanking new field house. Unbeknownst to us, the school had petitioned the Department of Streets and Sanitation to officially take possession of the street.
The school’s plan was to close the street, turn it into green area and fence it in with the rest of their campus.
Unfortunately for those of us who live on the south side of the school’s property line, that street was the most direct route to the Metra platform
By the time any of us found out what was going on---our official notices and letters were going to the wrong address---it was too late to do anything about the process.
Sidebar: This incident was the catalyst for me becoming much more active within my association and my neighborhood. When I started tracking down why official mail was going to the wrong address, I started unearthing that our condo association’s paperwork with the Secretary of State’s office was out of date and had lapsed. It’s somewhat ironic that the school across the street prompted me into greater building and civic awareness.
Nonetheless, I sprang into action informing my neighbors of what was about to happen and also contacted the principal. This street was important for our commute to the Metra station. Without it, anyone who lived south of the school would have to take one of two other paths that not only are out of the way but both are along busy streets.
One of the routes is on a street that has no sidewalk on one side and a broken and crumbling one on the other. Additionally, both paths can be extremely dark and desolate and night.
Not an attractive alternative.
The school was sympathetic to our plight and arranged a kind of Q & A with the Principal and his staff as well as our alderman.
While the meeting itself wasn’t too well attended by my neighbors, a few did show up and questions were posed and answered.
We all got a quick education in how the City of Chicago works, what an alderman can and cannot approve and that the Streets and San is pretty much autonomous. In short, the school and their construction company did everything by the book.
Trust me, I went back and checked when the community letters were sent.
They hired a top notch law firm who literally told me when and where the letters were sent simply by me mentioning the name of the construction project.
The Principal was committed to finding a workable solution, but insurance rates and having their property fenced in ultimately made the decision for him.
He and his staff promised to notify us of any type of community altering actions in the future.
Do you think that their carving out time for a meeting, stepping us through the process giving us the name of their law firm to check on the details would be enough?
No, not for my neighbor Caustic.
Caustic ranted and raved about how unfair it was while offering no viable solutions to the problem. As I found out later, this is something that would be a mainstay of Caustic’s negotiation process.
If you can call being a “my way or the highway” philosophy a negation process.
Honestly, much of what Caustic said is fuzzy as it didn’t make sense with the set of definitives that were being presented at the time.
Construction wasn’t going to stop at this stage of the game because our association didn’t handle its business. It was a hard lesson to learn.
Also a few less minutes of sleep in the morning because I have to get out the door earlier, but nonetheless good came out of the experience.
I (and the collective) learned that if you don’t handle your business in the City of Chicago, your business will handle you. End of story.
I was just so personally embarrassed by Caustic’s escalating tone and behavior I just wanted to die.
Once Caustic was finished, I gave my best “I’m sorry” look to the Principal and his staff.
Thank God our alderman stepped in and executed a Caustic block and somehow defused a potential shouting match.
I mean if the Principal wanted to spend his spare time being berated by an angry homeowner, he’d sit on the property tax appeal board.
Let's Play Two
Porch number two is all but complete.
Our crew started demolishing the third and last porch this morning and there should be a big empty space where it stood when I return home tonight.
Our crew started demolishing the third and last porch this morning and there should be a big empty space where it stood when I return home tonight.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Cliff Notes, Part II
Now that I’ve been through the basics of what you should be looking for in terms of paperwork, let’s move on to more advanced methods of developer justice 101.
1. Start Writing Letters
The bar to your left has links to most local, state and federal government officials. Let them hear about your extreme displeasure with your developer. I’m sure that he or she is attempting to build or develop other properties in your ward, without your alderman’s say so it ain’t gonna happen. An unhappy alderman is one headache that a developer doesn’t want. Plus with an election cycle quickly approaching I’m confident that your alderman will listen to your concerns.
If you don’t know who your alderman is, find out---and quick. Be nice to him or her and their staff. You do not want to piss them off.
Hopefully at some point all of this effort will blossom into a full blown “damn the torpedoes” campaign to get the laws changed to protect the consumer as far as condominiums are concerned.
2. Be Nosy
The Federal Bankruptcy Clerk’s Office is a treasure trove of information. See if your developer has filed before. It’s public record you know---free and open to all who can pass through the metal detectors and have a picture ID. Be care of the reporters and camera people at the George Ryan Trial. They can be a bit testy.
Click on the link to the left for the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County. Choose the “chancery” drop down and the “defendant” option to see if your developer has ever been in foreclosure. Choose the “civil” drop down and the “defendant” option to see if your developer has been party to any lawsuits.
Enter the legal name of your condo association in the “civil” and “defendant” options to see if you guys are parties to any lawsuits. That’s how I found out that we had open litigation against our association.
Check the incorporation status of your developer’s business by going to the Secretary of State’s website link on the left.
Go to the city and pull all of the open violations (if any) for all of the addresses in your association.
3. Ask Uncomfortable Questions
Do you have your developer’s license?
Did you file a copy of the property report with the city?
(If I understood you correctly) Why did we have to file our own articles of incorporation with the state?
We would like to see the accounting and the assessments that you as the developer paid into our bank account.
4. Be An Even Bigger Pain In The Ass
File a fraud complaint with the Department of Consumer Services. Include as much paperwork to support your case as needed. More than likely the city will tell you that there is nothing that they can do. The laws concerning fraud with respect to condominiums has not yet been addressed and therefore isn’t on the books. But---and this is a big but---in the informal hearing your developer may be cocky enough and stupid enough to incriminate his or herself. Did I mention that the informal hearings are tape recorded?
Best of all you can get a copy of that tape and use it in any future civil litigation. Priceless, huh?
Happy hunting my new condo owning friend, I hope it all comes out in the wash. Don’t forget to apply for the refuse rebate from the city. It sounds like you kids are gonna need the cash.
1. Start Writing Letters
The bar to your left has links to most local, state and federal government officials. Let them hear about your extreme displeasure with your developer. I’m sure that he or she is attempting to build or develop other properties in your ward, without your alderman’s say so it ain’t gonna happen. An unhappy alderman is one headache that a developer doesn’t want. Plus with an election cycle quickly approaching I’m confident that your alderman will listen to your concerns.
If you don’t know who your alderman is, find out---and quick. Be nice to him or her and their staff. You do not want to piss them off.
Hopefully at some point all of this effort will blossom into a full blown “damn the torpedoes” campaign to get the laws changed to protect the consumer as far as condominiums are concerned.
2. Be Nosy
The Federal Bankruptcy Clerk’s Office is a treasure trove of information. See if your developer has filed before. It’s public record you know---free and open to all who can pass through the metal detectors and have a picture ID. Be care of the reporters and camera people at the George Ryan Trial. They can be a bit testy.
Click on the link to the left for the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County. Choose the “chancery” drop down and the “defendant” option to see if your developer has ever been in foreclosure. Choose the “civil” drop down and the “defendant” option to see if your developer has been party to any lawsuits.
Enter the legal name of your condo association in the “civil” and “defendant” options to see if you guys are parties to any lawsuits. That’s how I found out that we had open litigation against our association.
Check the incorporation status of your developer’s business by going to the Secretary of State’s website link on the left.
Go to the city and pull all of the open violations (if any) for all of the addresses in your association.
3. Ask Uncomfortable Questions
Do you have your developer’s license?
Did you file a copy of the property report with the city?
(If I understood you correctly) Why did we have to file our own articles of incorporation with the state?
We would like to see the accounting and the assessments that you as the developer paid into our bank account.
4. Be An Even Bigger Pain In The Ass
File a fraud complaint with the Department of Consumer Services. Include as much paperwork to support your case as needed. More than likely the city will tell you that there is nothing that they can do. The laws concerning fraud with respect to condominiums has not yet been addressed and therefore isn’t on the books. But---and this is a big but---in the informal hearing your developer may be cocky enough and stupid enough to incriminate his or herself. Did I mention that the informal hearings are tape recorded?
Best of all you can get a copy of that tape and use it in any future civil litigation. Priceless, huh?
Happy hunting my new condo owning friend, I hope it all comes out in the wash. Don’t forget to apply for the refuse rebate from the city. It sounds like you kids are gonna need the cash.
Monday, January 30, 2006
Reality Check
I just found out that the older gentleman of our three man porch crew died of a sudden heart attack last Friday morning. His son also happened to be on our crew as well. That explained why we didn't have anyone working on Friday or Saturday.
Obviously, the son needs to make funeral arrangements both here in Chicago and overseas in his father's homeland.
Geez, my heart goes out to the family and especially to the son. Burying a loved one is usually one of the hardest things you have to do.
The porches can wait.
Obviously, the son needs to make funeral arrangements both here in Chicago and overseas in his father's homeland.
Geez, my heart goes out to the family and especially to the son. Burying a loved one is usually one of the hardest things you have to do.
The porches can wait.
Cliff Notes, Part I
My new condo owning friend:
I know the urge to throttle your developer and/or inject damage upon his prized possessions is great, but a cooler head must prevail.
I also must remind you that I am not a licensed attorney, a law school graduate or have applied to or passed the Illinois State Bar Exam.
I have on the other hand been in quite a few bars (of the entertainment variety) in Illinois.
Yes, it sounds like you kids are in a sticky wicket but I urge you to gather together your troops their real estate contracts and closing documentations ASAP. Please do so while everyone remembers where they stuck everything or before Fluffy or Fido scent marks the closing documents.
It is imperative to fully understand what was and what was not promised in writing via the contracts.
Additionally, it would be helpful to find any advertising or promotional material about the offering of your development.
The point is that you need to find something somewhere that lists what your bootleg developer was going to do with respect to the renovation.
Those are just the basics. If you really want to start rattling cages you can move onto some more basic sleuthing techniques that I’ll give you in the next post.
I know the urge to throttle your developer and/or inject damage upon his prized possessions is great, but a cooler head must prevail.
I also must remind you that I am not a licensed attorney, a law school graduate or have applied to or passed the Illinois State Bar Exam.
I have on the other hand been in quite a few bars (of the entertainment variety) in Illinois.
Yes, it sounds like you kids are in a sticky wicket but I urge you to gather together your troops their real estate contracts and closing documentations ASAP. Please do so while everyone remembers where they stuck everything or before Fluffy or Fido scent marks the closing documents.
It is imperative to fully understand what was and what was not promised in writing via the contracts.
Additionally, it would be helpful to find any advertising or promotional material about the offering of your development.
The point is that you need to find something somewhere that lists what your bootleg developer was going to do with respect to the renovation.
Those are just the basics. If you really want to start rattling cages you can move onto some more basic sleuthing techniques that I’ll give you in the next post.
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Just Call Me Cliff
I recently found this one in the inbox:
WW,
I am a fellow Condo owner and fellow victim of a shitty, half-assed developer.
A sucker is born every minute, right?
My name is XXXX.
Through random googling that included the words "porches, chicago, developer, condo" I found your blog. It has been nothing short of the cliff notes for what could potentially save my condo association $30,000.... I know, I know, Small chump change compared to your building's debacle.
Basically, the reason I'm writing is to thank you for caring enough to put your biz out on the web for others to share in and learn from. And also to ask you a few questions.
If you have a minute, I'm going to give you a crash course in my situation:
Spring 2004 : XXXX Developer is selling condos at "pre construction" prices in west Rogers park. My wife and I see a great space gleaming with potential that is supposed to updated for "today's living" and is gutted to the studs.
We go under contract.
Late Summer 2004: we are the first unit to close. We, like you, went to our final home inspection with a seriously deficient unit. No fridge, no stove, no HVAC, etc, etc, etc..... We had to close for a variety of reasons and we did. We held money in escrow and got things completed. Things seemed good.
March 2005: With all of the units closed, the developer and his partner turn the association over to the residents (12 units). I am voted President, and having NO IDEA about the shitstorm of work that is about to hit me, agree. Thankfully, we were had some residents with some previous condo experience, and they guided us through filing with the state as an association etc...
November 2005: Everything seems to be going along fine. The last utility accounts are getting turned over from the developer. The developer even followed through on some additional repairs to common areas that he never go to in the rehab process. Then a "notice of violation" shows up in my mailbox from the city. It turns out that our porches (2 of them total) and some other small building things are in violation. HOLY SHIT!
January 2005: We appear at our court date, sans attorney, and ask for a continuance. we are granted one. In the mean time, I have asked the developer for the ever famous "property report" which he cannot provide. All he can give me is the "certif. of occupancy". And swears up and down that "inspectors were all over that building including the porches" and denies responsibility for repairing them. The city building court could give a fuck about the certificate and basically tells us to get the ball rolling on the repairs.
To make a long story even longer, We have collected a "developer's warranty's" from the 2-3 people that closed last spring and still are under the one-year grace period that these warrantees cover. We have talked to a private attorney about a litigation against the developer in hopes that he will pay for the porch re-build that architects and the city told us we needed to have.
So to get to my question : I am aware that you are not a lawyer, but do you think we have a fighting chance at this???? Any info or opinions you can offer up would be as good as gold at this point.
I am young, 26, and new to this whole world of home-ownership and condo-board stuff. From reading your entire blog, I have gathered that things could be much worse for us than they currently are, but 30 g's it just that. A lot of effing money. If we can stick it to this asshole, we will. Also, since I am such a novice at this, is it OK if I contact you with future random questions about condo board stuff? You seem like a wellspring of knowledge!
Thanks for anything and everything you can offer,
XXXX
I thought the situation had merit and could help others in a similar boat. I'll post my response to my new friend and fellow frustrated condo owner in the next post.
WW,
I am a fellow Condo owner and fellow victim of a shitty, half-assed developer.
A sucker is born every minute, right?
My name is XXXX.
Through random googling that included the words "porches, chicago, developer, condo" I found your blog. It has been nothing short of the cliff notes for what could potentially save my condo association $30,000.... I know, I know, Small chump change compared to your building's debacle.
Basically, the reason I'm writing is to thank you for caring enough to put your biz out on the web for others to share in and learn from. And also to ask you a few questions.
If you have a minute, I'm going to give you a crash course in my situation:
Spring 2004 : XXXX Developer is selling condos at "pre construction" prices in west Rogers park. My wife and I see a great space gleaming with potential that is supposed to updated for "today's living" and is gutted to the studs.
We go under contract.
Late Summer 2004: we are the first unit to close. We, like you, went to our final home inspection with a seriously deficient unit. No fridge, no stove, no HVAC, etc, etc, etc..... We had to close for a variety of reasons and we did. We held money in escrow and got things completed. Things seemed good.
March 2005: With all of the units closed, the developer and his partner turn the association over to the residents (12 units). I am voted President, and having NO IDEA about the shitstorm of work that is about to hit me, agree. Thankfully, we were had some residents with some previous condo experience, and they guided us through filing with the state as an association etc...
November 2005: Everything seems to be going along fine. The last utility accounts are getting turned over from the developer. The developer even followed through on some additional repairs to common areas that he never go to in the rehab process. Then a "notice of violation" shows up in my mailbox from the city. It turns out that our porches (2 of them total) and some other small building things are in violation. HOLY SHIT!
January 2005: We appear at our court date, sans attorney, and ask for a continuance. we are granted one. In the mean time, I have asked the developer for the ever famous "property report" which he cannot provide. All he can give me is the "certif. of occupancy". And swears up and down that "inspectors were all over that building including the porches" and denies responsibility for repairing them. The city building court could give a fuck about the certificate and basically tells us to get the ball rolling on the repairs.
To make a long story even longer, We have collected a "developer's warranty's" from the 2-3 people that closed last spring and still are under the one-year grace period that these warrantees cover. We have talked to a private attorney about a litigation against the developer in hopes that he will pay for the porch re-build that architects and the city told us we needed to have.
So to get to my question : I am aware that you are not a lawyer, but do you think we have a fighting chance at this???? Any info or opinions you can offer up would be as good as gold at this point.
I am young, 26, and new to this whole world of home-ownership and condo-board stuff. From reading your entire blog, I have gathered that things could be much worse for us than they currently are, but 30 g's it just that. A lot of effing money. If we can stick it to this asshole, we will. Also, since I am such a novice at this, is it OK if I contact you with future random questions about condo board stuff? You seem like a wellspring of knowledge!
Thanks for anything and everything you can offer,
XXXX
I thought the situation had merit and could help others in a similar boat. I'll post my response to my new friend and fellow frustrated condo owner in the next post.
Friday, January 27, 2006
Done and Done
It's official.
Our condominium association is officially out of the foreclosure business (for now).
The last two foreclosures happened this month. One I wasn't aware of until I checked the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County's website today for further information.
Now we just need to get these bad boys sold so our property values stabilize.
Yippee! This is the beginning of the end of our immediate money woes. All 18 units will be paying assessments which in turn will lead to increased revenue across the board.
Diligence trumps deadbeats any day.
Our condominium association is officially out of the foreclosure business (for now).
The last two foreclosures happened this month. One I wasn't aware of until I checked the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County's website today for further information.
Now we just need to get these bad boys sold so our property values stabilize.
Yippee! This is the beginning of the end of our immediate money woes. All 18 units will be paying assessments which in turn will lead to increased revenue across the board.
Diligence trumps deadbeats any day.
Corrosive
One of my neighbors is an honest to Pete pain in the ass.
A number one bona fide negative, it’s my way or the highway, piss and moan until I get my way, high maintenance individual.
Needless to say I find it difficult to be in the same room much less sit in a meeting with this person. But as luck would have it I have to do just that.
I’m sure God is punishing me for a number of past transgressions.
If I would have known that raising my skirt to show one of my kindergarten classmates my hoo-ha was going to get me to this level of Dante’s Inferno, I would have left well enough alone.
Well I’m not sure that the kindergarten episode was the push over the edge, but I’m sure it didn’t help.
This neighbor, who for naming purposes I’ll call Caustic, seems pleasant enough when you first meet. Caustic is attractive, outgoing, smart as whip and has seemingly endless good neighbor potential until a conflict arises.
Holy Christ.
The pissing and moaning Caustic does is legendary. Let me count the ways.
A number one bona fide negative, it’s my way or the highway, piss and moan until I get my way, high maintenance individual.
Needless to say I find it difficult to be in the same room much less sit in a meeting with this person. But as luck would have it I have to do just that.
I’m sure God is punishing me for a number of past transgressions.
If I would have known that raising my skirt to show one of my kindergarten classmates my hoo-ha was going to get me to this level of Dante’s Inferno, I would have left well enough alone.
Well I’m not sure that the kindergarten episode was the push over the edge, but I’m sure it didn’t help.
This neighbor, who for naming purposes I’ll call Caustic, seems pleasant enough when you first meet. Caustic is attractive, outgoing, smart as whip and has seemingly endless good neighbor potential until a conflict arises.
Holy Christ.
The pissing and moaning Caustic does is legendary. Let me count the ways.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
The Ties That Bind
Emotions are a powerful force.
There is no greater evidence of this than the contempt most of my fellow owners have for our developer.
How else could you explain the fact that a group of people with such strong personalities and opinions could come together for the sake of our home?
All of this despite repeated attempts to thwart the porch construction and the levying of the special assessment by our developer.
Utter contempt is such a unifying power.
That’s not to say that there isn’t a rat in the woodpile.
Maybe that’s the wrong way to phrase it---rat has so many negative connotations. Perhaps the way to phrase it would be that my blog has been the subject of conversations from someone who knows about it to other interested parties.
While this blog is no secret to most of my neighbors, someone’s been talking. But then of course, I knew that was going to happen. I counted on it happening.
I could truthfully give a rat’s ass who spilled the beans. You can’t put out a blog on the World Wide Web and not expect others not to eventually find out about its existence.
This blog receives hit from people---how shall I put this---who don’t necessarily have the association’s best interests at heart. Deadbeat former owners, the infamous "Attorney At Law" and our developer’s lawyer all may be popping in to take a peek ever so often.
No worries, all are welcome. As a matter of fact, I’d like to give those cats a big Woodlawn “howdy” from me to you.
You know how they say the truth will set you free? The truth, especially a well documented one, also happens to be an absolute defense. Funny how that works, no?
But I digress…
Wading through the delights of condominium building management this past year has at times brought out the somewhat crabby side of all of our personalities.
Nothing too serious----pissing here, moaning there, spirited meetings, a few raised voices, eye rolling, a tinge of attitude. Despite that everyone knew that in order to get financially healthy, we were going to have to dig down and bite the bullet for at least two years. The first year was going to be the toughest but afterwards it would start to get better.
Just think of two cats spitting and hissing as they circle each other but neither is seriously interested in fighting. That’s pretty much how it went.
Until now.
There is no greater evidence of this than the contempt most of my fellow owners have for our developer.
How else could you explain the fact that a group of people with such strong personalities and opinions could come together for the sake of our home?
All of this despite repeated attempts to thwart the porch construction and the levying of the special assessment by our developer.
Utter contempt is such a unifying power.
That’s not to say that there isn’t a rat in the woodpile.
Maybe that’s the wrong way to phrase it---rat has so many negative connotations. Perhaps the way to phrase it would be that my blog has been the subject of conversations from someone who knows about it to other interested parties.
While this blog is no secret to most of my neighbors, someone’s been talking. But then of course, I knew that was going to happen. I counted on it happening.
I could truthfully give a rat’s ass who spilled the beans. You can’t put out a blog on the World Wide Web and not expect others not to eventually find out about its existence.
This blog receives hit from people---how shall I put this---who don’t necessarily have the association’s best interests at heart. Deadbeat former owners, the infamous "Attorney At Law" and our developer’s lawyer all may be popping in to take a peek ever so often.
No worries, all are welcome. As a matter of fact, I’d like to give those cats a big Woodlawn “howdy” from me to you.
You know how they say the truth will set you free? The truth, especially a well documented one, also happens to be an absolute defense. Funny how that works, no?
But I digress…
Wading through the delights of condominium building management this past year has at times brought out the somewhat crabby side of all of our personalities.
Nothing too serious----pissing here, moaning there, spirited meetings, a few raised voices, eye rolling, a tinge of attitude. Despite that everyone knew that in order to get financially healthy, we were going to have to dig down and bite the bullet for at least two years. The first year was going to be the toughest but afterwards it would start to get better.
Just think of two cats spitting and hissing as they circle each other but neither is seriously interested in fighting. That’s pretty much how it went.
Until now.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Monday, January 23, 2006
Bob Goulet
There are times that I feel like I’m doing my best Don Quixote imitation; tilting at windmills, fighting giants that aren’t there.
Blinded out of my sense of justice to the stark reality of our situation.
To be told by not one but two governmental agencies that my developer has not broken any laws. Wading through the indifference of neighbors who are either too busy or too lazy to take the time to mount a campaign or file a charge in their own defense.
Daring to question and take on my developer who has seemingly played this game before.
It’s enough to wear a normal sister out.
Luckily for me I’ve never been described as “normal.”
Let me give you good folks a personal observation then a story:
Do you know someone who literally has everything dropped in their lap? You know the type of person who puts a quarter in the slot machine and hits the jackpot. The person whose fortune always happens to put them in the right place at the right time; the individual that always comes out smelling like a rose?
I am not that person.
Rather, I am the scrapper---the person who always had to work a little harder to keep up and exercise a considerable amount of effort to succeed.
And trust me; it hasn’t come at the cost of many mistakes. I’m just as much as a dumbass as the next person. But I do try to learn and not make the same mistake over and over. Twice usually does it for me.
Then of course no man (or woman) is an island. I have a select group of people who I count as friends and more importantly if gloves have to come off will be there for a sister.
My point is I have no choice but to work hard for what I have. Shit just won’t fall in my lap because that’s my most cherished wish. Get in the mix and make it happen. That’s how I was raised.
That’s why this whole bootleg developer thing bothers me so much.
It was never a case of asking above and beyond what was expected but rather what was fair. If my developer and I were in front of Judge Larry Elder in Moral Court, I’m sure I would win.
Now there’s an idea. Perhaps I should get to work on that.
Lying in a bed I didn’t make is not in my nature. No one will stand up for you if you don’t stand up for yourself.
O.K., I’m finished with the insight, now for the story.
From my freshman to senior years in college I applied every spring for an internship with the Chicago Cubs.
Every year I was shown the door; except for my senior year.
After much persistence and showing up every year like the swallows coming back to Capistrano, I finally secured an internship in the marketing department.
I had an amazing summer, made some great friends and had an experience that some people would kill for----to get an intimate business view of a Major League Baseball Team.
Straight, no chaser within a storied franchise no less. That’s about as baseball as baseball can get.
The moral: Don’t accept the first, second or even the third no as a final answer. I still have to remind myself of that from time to time.
No laws to address shoddy development? Bah, I’ll start a grassroots effort to get them changed.
Disinterested neighbors? I should be thankful for the ones who are in the good fight with me.
But if need be I’ll stand alone tilting at windmills singing about my impossible dream.
Blinded out of my sense of justice to the stark reality of our situation.
To be told by not one but two governmental agencies that my developer has not broken any laws. Wading through the indifference of neighbors who are either too busy or too lazy to take the time to mount a campaign or file a charge in their own defense.
Daring to question and take on my developer who has seemingly played this game before.
It’s enough to wear a normal sister out.
Luckily for me I’ve never been described as “normal.”
Let me give you good folks a personal observation then a story:
Do you know someone who literally has everything dropped in their lap? You know the type of person who puts a quarter in the slot machine and hits the jackpot. The person whose fortune always happens to put them in the right place at the right time; the individual that always comes out smelling like a rose?
I am not that person.
Rather, I am the scrapper---the person who always had to work a little harder to keep up and exercise a considerable amount of effort to succeed.
And trust me; it hasn’t come at the cost of many mistakes. I’m just as much as a dumbass as the next person. But I do try to learn and not make the same mistake over and over. Twice usually does it for me.
Then of course no man (or woman) is an island. I have a select group of people who I count as friends and more importantly if gloves have to come off will be there for a sister.
My point is I have no choice but to work hard for what I have. Shit just won’t fall in my lap because that’s my most cherished wish. Get in the mix and make it happen. That’s how I was raised.
That’s why this whole bootleg developer thing bothers me so much.
It was never a case of asking above and beyond what was expected but rather what was fair. If my developer and I were in front of Judge Larry Elder in Moral Court, I’m sure I would win.
Now there’s an idea. Perhaps I should get to work on that.
Lying in a bed I didn’t make is not in my nature. No one will stand up for you if you don’t stand up for yourself.
O.K., I’m finished with the insight, now for the story.
From my freshman to senior years in college I applied every spring for an internship with the Chicago Cubs.
Every year I was shown the door; except for my senior year.
After much persistence and showing up every year like the swallows coming back to Capistrano, I finally secured an internship in the marketing department.
I had an amazing summer, made some great friends and had an experience that some people would kill for----to get an intimate business view of a Major League Baseball Team.
Straight, no chaser within a storied franchise no less. That’s about as baseball as baseball can get.
The moral: Don’t accept the first, second or even the third no as a final answer. I still have to remind myself of that from time to time.
No laws to address shoddy development? Bah, I’ll start a grassroots effort to get them changed.
Disinterested neighbors? I should be thankful for the ones who are in the good fight with me.
But if need be I’ll stand alone tilting at windmills singing about my impossible dream.
It's All In The Details
It’s always the little things that escape notice.
Why should this porch project be any different?
I mentioned a slight wrinkle in the Nirvana post a few days ago. Well that slight wrinkle turned out to be the roof and the gutters. We---and I mean that in the collective sense---completely spaced the additional cost to re-seal the roof and to re-attach or purchase brand new gutters.
The recent spat of inclement weather has reminded us of this little oversight.
There’s nothing quite like seeing a sheet of water go past your window and collect in the entryway to the basement to remind you of what slipped your mind. There was so much water down there I saw animals lining up two by two.
That is never a good sign.
The water threatened to overrun the threshold to the basement and start ever so slowly seeping inside. Mmmm…let’s make a dank basement even danker.
I don’t even know if that’s proper English but I’m sure you good folks get the point.
The improper use of water is every homeowner’s enemy. It doesn’t matter if you live in a single family home, condo or a town home. Water can not only cause serious damage on it’s own but it can also lead to mold and mildew problems. Trust me when I tell you that the only thing you want to happen with water in your home is that you want it to be clean when it comes out of the tap, hose or into the washing machine and go away down a drain.
Anything else will lead to drama.
To protect our porch investment as well as the roof and the bricks on the back of our building, a decision on what to do will have to be reached before the end of the month.
Do we go out and find other contractors or do we accept The Porch People’s estimate?
Whoopee more decisions.
Of course now the finger pointing has started.
I readily admit that I personally dropped the ball on this one. But I wasn’t the only chef in the kitchen. The other former board members as well as any one else who had a copy of the proposal missed it as well.
Naturally people are concerned---we don’t exactly have coffers overflowing with cash---but one person’s objections and strident opinions stand out head and shoulders among the rest.
No one every said having 17 other neighbors was easy. Then of course I don’t remember who died and gave me the title “Easiest To Get Along With.”
I can give as good as I get but for the most part we all build a bridge and get over ourselves as all of our fates (and fortunes) are tied together by a little thing called our condo association.
Nonetheless a major personality conflict was bound to happen. It was only a matter of time.
Why should this porch project be any different?
I mentioned a slight wrinkle in the Nirvana post a few days ago. Well that slight wrinkle turned out to be the roof and the gutters. We---and I mean that in the collective sense---completely spaced the additional cost to re-seal the roof and to re-attach or purchase brand new gutters.
The recent spat of inclement weather has reminded us of this little oversight.
There’s nothing quite like seeing a sheet of water go past your window and collect in the entryway to the basement to remind you of what slipped your mind. There was so much water down there I saw animals lining up two by two.
That is never a good sign.
The water threatened to overrun the threshold to the basement and start ever so slowly seeping inside. Mmmm…let’s make a dank basement even danker.
I don’t even know if that’s proper English but I’m sure you good folks get the point.
The improper use of water is every homeowner’s enemy. It doesn’t matter if you live in a single family home, condo or a town home. Water can not only cause serious damage on it’s own but it can also lead to mold and mildew problems. Trust me when I tell you that the only thing you want to happen with water in your home is that you want it to be clean when it comes out of the tap, hose or into the washing machine and go away down a drain.
Anything else will lead to drama.
To protect our porch investment as well as the roof and the bricks on the back of our building, a decision on what to do will have to be reached before the end of the month.
Do we go out and find other contractors or do we accept The Porch People’s estimate?
Whoopee more decisions.
Of course now the finger pointing has started.
I readily admit that I personally dropped the ball on this one. But I wasn’t the only chef in the kitchen. The other former board members as well as any one else who had a copy of the proposal missed it as well.
Naturally people are concerned---we don’t exactly have coffers overflowing with cash---but one person’s objections and strident opinions stand out head and shoulders among the rest.
No one every said having 17 other neighbors was easy. Then of course I don’t remember who died and gave me the title “Easiest To Get Along With.”
I can give as good as I get but for the most part we all build a bridge and get over ourselves as all of our fates (and fortunes) are tied together by a little thing called our condo association.
Nonetheless a major personality conflict was bound to happen. It was only a matter of time.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
No Sugar, No Cream
My coffee gesture was not a big hit.
I went downstairs to collect the urn and the contents were barely touched. One of two things may have happened---either they were too busy to drink the coffee when it was hot or coffee making is not one of my core competencies.
At least I tried.
I went downstairs to collect the urn and the contents were barely touched. One of two things may have happened---either they were too busy to drink the coffee when it was hot or coffee making is not one of my core competencies.
At least I tried.
Nirvana
Construction on the first porch is almost completed.
The decks themselves are finished and the crew are presently errecting the banisters and railings. Chicago had a bit of a snowstorm Friday night and the gentlemen were here bright and early Saturday morning---go figure.
They're so close to finishing the first porch that they have already demolished the second porch. It's nothing but a great empty space and a pile of rotted wood. I've been taking pictures from day one so as soon as I can get them developed and on a disk, I'll post them.
Naturally a project of this size is not without a few miscalculations. A slight wrinkle has surfaced on our association's way to porch nirvana.
The decks themselves are finished and the crew are presently errecting the banisters and railings. Chicago had a bit of a snowstorm Friday night and the gentlemen were here bright and early Saturday morning---go figure.
They're so close to finishing the first porch that they have already demolished the second porch. It's nothing but a great empty space and a pile of rotted wood. I've been taking pictures from day one so as soon as I can get them developed and on a disk, I'll post them.
Naturally a project of this size is not without a few miscalculations. A slight wrinkle has surfaced on our association's way to porch nirvana.
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
My Response To The City
January 17, 2006
Barbara Gressel
Department of Consumer Services
Richard J. Daley Center
50 West Washington Street
Room 208
Chicago, IL 60602
Re: Case #XXXX
Ms. Gressel:
It was with great disappointment I received your letter dated January 12, 2006.
I appreciate and thank both you and your staff for the extensive review of the fraud complaint I filed against XXXX with regards to the XXXX Condominium Association.
I am curious about what document(s) or burden of proof one needs to file to successfully prove a violation of the deceptive practices ordinance? Further clarification would be gratefully appreciated.
Lastly, I recently found a copy of a newspaper ad that ran in the Chicago Sun Times advertising the sale of the XXXX Condominium Association and have included a copy for your records. Above the starting price of $99,500 reads a tag line that states “Fully renovated 1, 2 and 3 bedroom units…”
If the words “fully renovated” don’t imply or indicate that the home that you’re buying is free from latent defects, poor workmanship, unheeded code violations and third party lawsuits then the laws and ordinances of both this city and state need a major overhaul.
Once again, thank you for you and your staff’s scrutiny of my complaint. I look forward to receiving your answer about my deceptive practices question.
Sincerely,
The Woodlawn Wonder
Cc: XXXX, Attorney General’s Office, State of Illinois
Re: XXXX
Alderman Leslie Hairston, 5th Ward
Barbara Gressel
Department of Consumer Services
Richard J. Daley Center
50 West Washington Street
Room 208
Chicago, IL 60602
Re: Case #XXXX
Ms. Gressel:
It was with great disappointment I received your letter dated January 12, 2006.
I appreciate and thank both you and your staff for the extensive review of the fraud complaint I filed against XXXX with regards to the XXXX Condominium Association.
I am curious about what document(s) or burden of proof one needs to file to successfully prove a violation of the deceptive practices ordinance? Further clarification would be gratefully appreciated.
Lastly, I recently found a copy of a newspaper ad that ran in the Chicago Sun Times advertising the sale of the XXXX Condominium Association and have included a copy for your records. Above the starting price of $99,500 reads a tag line that states “Fully renovated 1, 2 and 3 bedroom units…”
If the words “fully renovated” don’t imply or indicate that the home that you’re buying is free from latent defects, poor workmanship, unheeded code violations and third party lawsuits then the laws and ordinances of both this city and state need a major overhaul.
Once again, thank you for you and your staff’s scrutiny of my complaint. I look forward to receiving your answer about my deceptive practices question.
Sincerely,
The Woodlawn Wonder
Cc: XXXX, Attorney General’s Office, State of Illinois
Re: XXXX
Alderman Leslie Hairston, 5th Ward
Coffee
I took hot coffee to our porch crew this morning.
I don't know about you but I want people working on my home to be fully alert and caffeinated in this crappy weather.
Plus since I don't drink coffee and only have it for guests and family, I get to improve my coffee making skills.
I don't know about you but I want people working on my home to be fully alert and caffeinated in this crappy weather.
Plus since I don't drink coffee and only have it for guests and family, I get to improve my coffee making skills.
Monday, January 16, 2006
Ain’t That A Bitch
I just solved a mystery.
It seems that the electricity in the basement of my building may be directly tied into the electrical circuit for my unit. I may be wrong but I strongly suspect this to be the case.
How do I know?
Today when the porch crew’s power tools tripped the electricity and shut down the power to my laundry room and to the refrigerator’s outlet; flipping the switches on the main circuit breaker panel produced zero results. I flipped the switches on the circuit breaker panel that controlled my unit and voila---we had power back in the basement and to my outlet and laundry room again.
I am so pissed I could spit nails.
No fucking wonder my electric bills have been so consistently high. At first blush, it would seem that I’ve been paying for my building’s basement electricity. Every time someone leaves the light on downstairs, it’s money out of my pocket.
Now ain’t that a bitch.
It seems that the electricity in the basement of my building may be directly tied into the electrical circuit for my unit. I may be wrong but I strongly suspect this to be the case.
How do I know?
Today when the porch crew’s power tools tripped the electricity and shut down the power to my laundry room and to the refrigerator’s outlet; flipping the switches on the main circuit breaker panel produced zero results. I flipped the switches on the circuit breaker panel that controlled my unit and voila---we had power back in the basement and to my outlet and laundry room again.
I am so pissed I could spit nails.
No fucking wonder my electric bills have been so consistently high. At first blush, it would seem that I’ve been paying for my building’s basement electricity. Every time someone leaves the light on downstairs, it’s money out of my pocket.
Now ain’t that a bitch.
Construction Progress
As I write this post, the second story of the porch is being nailed down and the base of the stairs are being erected and fleshed in.
On Saturday the work crew began pouring concrete at the base of the footers. I'm assuming that the rest will be poured at some point but from poking my head out the window to gauge progress and the multiple pictures I've taken, construction seems to be going along swimingly.
I hope the weather continues to hold and our workmen continue to be safe and speedy.
On Saturday the work crew began pouring concrete at the base of the footers. I'm assuming that the rest will be poured at some point but from poking my head out the window to gauge progress and the multiple pictures I've taken, construction seems to be going along swimingly.
I hope the weather continues to hold and our workmen continue to be safe and speedy.
Sunday, January 15, 2006
The City's Response
January 12, 2006
Re: Case #XXXX
Dear XXXX,
The Department of Consumer Services has completed an extensive review of the complaint you filed against XXXX. The legal staff examined the douments submitted by you and by Mr. XXXX, and reviewed the testimony from the informal hearing held December 7th 2005. This department is unable to proceed on your behalf in this matter.
The department is limited to issuing citations for violations of specific ordinances such as a business obtaining the required city license(s) and providing mandated documents for home repair contracts. The department does enforce a deceptive practices ordinance, however the documents do not show that a violation of that ordinance has occurred.
The latent defects that exist in your condominium unit and in the building's common areas may be actionable in another forum. I urge you and the condominium association to contact a private attorney to discuss your legal rights and options.
Your case is now closed. Please contact this office if we can be of service to you in the future.
Sincerely Yours,
Barbara Gressel, Attorney At Law
Department of Consumer Services
Richard J. Daley Center
50 West Washington Street, Room 208
Chicago, Illinois 60602
Re: Case #XXXX
Dear XXXX,
The Department of Consumer Services has completed an extensive review of the complaint you filed against XXXX. The legal staff examined the douments submitted by you and by Mr. XXXX, and reviewed the testimony from the informal hearing held December 7th 2005. This department is unable to proceed on your behalf in this matter.
The department is limited to issuing citations for violations of specific ordinances such as a business obtaining the required city license(s) and providing mandated documents for home repair contracts. The department does enforce a deceptive practices ordinance, however the documents do not show that a violation of that ordinance has occurred.
The latent defects that exist in your condominium unit and in the building's common areas may be actionable in another forum. I urge you and the condominium association to contact a private attorney to discuss your legal rights and options.
Your case is now closed. Please contact this office if we can be of service to you in the future.
Sincerely Yours,
Barbara Gressel, Attorney At Law
Department of Consumer Services
Richard J. Daley Center
50 West Washington Street, Room 208
Chicago, Illinois 60602
Friday, January 13, 2006
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Foodstuffs
When I get up in the morning I attempt to do a chore or two before dashing out the door.
Laundry, scrubbing out the tub, loading the dishwasher; whatever---just as long as I have one less task to do when I drag my ass in from a long day at work.
I had finally finished washing the cat’s bedding and popped it and an entryway rug in the dryer. It was getting close to the time I was supposed to leave so I started grabbing food from the fridge.
An odd thing happened, though. The refrigerator light wasn’t coming on.
Well I suspect after four years the bulb should burn out so I didn’t think it was a big deal
When I got back home last night I realized that yes, it was a big deal.
Everything was still cold but my ‘fridge seemed out of whack.
I couldn’t put my finger on it so I checked the freezer. My ice was still solid but the telltale heart of a ‘fridge and freezer is the ice cream. My Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches were beginning to melt.
Fuck that.
At $5.79 a rip for six of those tasty treats I wasn’t going to let them melt into a puddle of goo without putting up some resistance.
Because of their lofty price I rarely get them but Jewel was having a buy one get one so how could I resist?
I started doing some basic troubleshooting.
I attempted to flip on the light in the laundry room and start up the washer and dryer. No go.
I called my neighbor Tony as extra muscle might be needed. I then pulled the ‘frig out from it’s nook to see if the issue was the appliance or the electricity. After attempting to plug in and activate my curling iron, the electricity seemed to be the culprit.
The rest of the lights were on in my unit so the problem had to be a blown fuse or a tripped circuit breaker. That meant that I had to go downstairs.
Now I was pissed.
Our circuit breakers are located in the creepiest basement of all time. It’s dark, dank and also has that Texas Chainsaw massacre vibe that I just despise---all and all a treat.
Did I mention the dead bird that’s directly underneath my circuit breaker box?
Fun everywhere you look.
Tony found my circuit breakers and began to flip them in an attempt to see if the power would come back on to the laundry room and the refrigerator socket. I thought I had left the light to the on position in the laundry room so if we hit the right switch we wouldn’t have to employ any guess work.
I forgot to leave the switch in the on position.
Naturally, nothing happens as Tony is flipping switches.
I cursed loudly.
Thinking that this might work better with me upstairs in my unit and him downstairs flipping switches, I go back up grumbling all the way.
Apparently Tony must have done something right as I tested the old curling iron again and I had power to my refrigerator’s outlet. The laundry room’s electricity was okey dokey as well.
The Skinny Cows were saved along with $300 worth of other assorted frozen and refrigerated foodstuffs.
I vaguely remember hearing someone say that the electricity problem couldn’t be as dire as the professional evaluation made it out to be as most of us have been living in the buildings for several years and have yet to have a major problem.
I beg to differ.
Laundry, scrubbing out the tub, loading the dishwasher; whatever---just as long as I have one less task to do when I drag my ass in from a long day at work.
I had finally finished washing the cat’s bedding and popped it and an entryway rug in the dryer. It was getting close to the time I was supposed to leave so I started grabbing food from the fridge.
An odd thing happened, though. The refrigerator light wasn’t coming on.
Well I suspect after four years the bulb should burn out so I didn’t think it was a big deal
When I got back home last night I realized that yes, it was a big deal.
Everything was still cold but my ‘fridge seemed out of whack.
I couldn’t put my finger on it so I checked the freezer. My ice was still solid but the telltale heart of a ‘fridge and freezer is the ice cream. My Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches were beginning to melt.
Fuck that.
At $5.79 a rip for six of those tasty treats I wasn’t going to let them melt into a puddle of goo without putting up some resistance.
Because of their lofty price I rarely get them but Jewel was having a buy one get one so how could I resist?
I started doing some basic troubleshooting.
I attempted to flip on the light in the laundry room and start up the washer and dryer. No go.
I called my neighbor Tony as extra muscle might be needed. I then pulled the ‘frig out from it’s nook to see if the issue was the appliance or the electricity. After attempting to plug in and activate my curling iron, the electricity seemed to be the culprit.
The rest of the lights were on in my unit so the problem had to be a blown fuse or a tripped circuit breaker. That meant that I had to go downstairs.
Now I was pissed.
Our circuit breakers are located in the creepiest basement of all time. It’s dark, dank and also has that Texas Chainsaw massacre vibe that I just despise---all and all a treat.
Did I mention the dead bird that’s directly underneath my circuit breaker box?
Fun everywhere you look.
Tony found my circuit breakers and began to flip them in an attempt to see if the power would come back on to the laundry room and the refrigerator socket. I thought I had left the light to the on position in the laundry room so if we hit the right switch we wouldn’t have to employ any guess work.
I forgot to leave the switch in the on position.
Naturally, nothing happens as Tony is flipping switches.
I cursed loudly.
Thinking that this might work better with me upstairs in my unit and him downstairs flipping switches, I go back up grumbling all the way.
Apparently Tony must have done something right as I tested the old curling iron again and I had power to my refrigerator’s outlet. The laundry room’s electricity was okey dokey as well.
The Skinny Cows were saved along with $300 worth of other assorted frozen and refrigerated foodstuffs.
I vaguely remember hearing someone say that the electricity problem couldn’t be as dire as the professional evaluation made it out to be as most of us have been living in the buildings for several years and have yet to have a major problem.
I beg to differ.
Monday, January 09, 2006
Rip It Up
The demolition crew is almost finished tearing down the first porch. They started tearing down the roof to the porch around 9:30 AM. It's now a tad after 1:00 P.M. central time. Those cats are ripping through the demo.
There's something a little surreal about seeing your back porch being dismantled and flying past your window.
There's something a little surreal about seeing your back porch being dismantled and flying past your window.
A Piece Of The Puzzle
It occurred to me that I’m leaving an important part of the porch story.
Let me give you kids some perspective.
Now this may not be true for everyone who lives on the south side of Chicago but I’ve found it to be true based on my four scant years down here.
It’s easier to find a senior class virgin in a Chicago public high school than to get fairly priced, quality contractors to bid on any type of construction projects on the south side of Chicago.
I only wish I was exaggerating about this.
You can speak with people about estimates and the like but the moment you give them your address either they don’t show up or all of a sudden their schedule “is full.” The unfortunate side effect of these actions are that if you live on the south side and don’t have access to people that know others in the building trades---you’re left at the mercy of “contractors” who generally advertise on telephone poles.
In short you’re screwed.
I’m not saying that contractors who advertise on telephone poles (sometimes with hand printed signs) are any less qualified than contractors who you find from friends or in the phone book, but it’s been my experience that it’s difficult to check references, licensing and possible litigation with the telephone guys.
That goes ditto for those jokers who pester you in the parking lot and the store at Home Depot.
“Excuse me Miss, do you need a reliable contractor, carpenter or painter? If so, I’m your man.”
So why exactly would I let a man into my house that I don’t know to do work that he may or may not be qualified to do? Can you spell dumbass?
A friend that works for the local phone company tells me that he knows several trades people who won’t even take estimates or bids in the city, much less the south side, because they’ve had bad experiences getting tools or vehicles stolen. He also cited several incidences of workpeople being assaulted.
In short we got quite the bad rep down here in our little slice of the world.
To underscore this fact, I tried to have a contractor give me an estimate to replace my tub and shower backsplash with this super groovy glass mosaic tile sometime this spring. After two appointments, no one from the company showed up. They didn’t even bother to call or anything.
Now that would only be par for the course around here but this lead came from a client/contractor matching service that I’ve belonged to for several years. All of my information, including my address, was already a part of my profile. If they simply didn’t want to come to the city or the south side all they had to do was not to respond to my call for contractors.
Pretty simple concept---jackasses.
While the Porch People have been great so far in terms of responsiveness and price, I will continue keeping my fingers crossed until the last nail has been hammered.
Nonetheless man about town, marathon runner, devoted husband and real estate professional James Lackland goes on the list of “peeps with props” who’s advice was instrumental to me in this whole porch process.
Let me give you kids some perspective.
Now this may not be true for everyone who lives on the south side of Chicago but I’ve found it to be true based on my four scant years down here.
It’s easier to find a senior class virgin in a Chicago public high school than to get fairly priced, quality contractors to bid on any type of construction projects on the south side of Chicago.
I only wish I was exaggerating about this.
You can speak with people about estimates and the like but the moment you give them your address either they don’t show up or all of a sudden their schedule “is full.” The unfortunate side effect of these actions are that if you live on the south side and don’t have access to people that know others in the building trades---you’re left at the mercy of “contractors” who generally advertise on telephone poles.
In short you’re screwed.
I’m not saying that contractors who advertise on telephone poles (sometimes with hand printed signs) are any less qualified than contractors who you find from friends or in the phone book, but it’s been my experience that it’s difficult to check references, licensing and possible litigation with the telephone guys.
That goes ditto for those jokers who pester you in the parking lot and the store at Home Depot.
“Excuse me Miss, do you need a reliable contractor, carpenter or painter? If so, I’m your man.”
So why exactly would I let a man into my house that I don’t know to do work that he may or may not be qualified to do? Can you spell dumbass?
A friend that works for the local phone company tells me that he knows several trades people who won’t even take estimates or bids in the city, much less the south side, because they’ve had bad experiences getting tools or vehicles stolen. He also cited several incidences of workpeople being assaulted.
In short we got quite the bad rep down here in our little slice of the world.
To underscore this fact, I tried to have a contractor give me an estimate to replace my tub and shower backsplash with this super groovy glass mosaic tile sometime this spring. After two appointments, no one from the company showed up. They didn’t even bother to call or anything.
Now that would only be par for the course around here but this lead came from a client/contractor matching service that I’ve belonged to for several years. All of my information, including my address, was already a part of my profile. If they simply didn’t want to come to the city or the south side all they had to do was not to respond to my call for contractors.
Pretty simple concept---jackasses.
While the Porch People have been great so far in terms of responsiveness and price, I will continue keeping my fingers crossed until the last nail has been hammered.
Nonetheless man about town, marathon runner, devoted husband and real estate professional James Lackland goes on the list of “peeps with props” who’s advice was instrumental to me in this whole porch process.
Sanctuary
Today is the day.
Demolition on the north porch, the first of our three porches, starts this morning around 8:00 A.M.
Keys have been made, a (huge) check has been cut, the building permit is ready to be posted and in about an hour or so a work crew and a big lumber truck will leave the north side winding their way to our place on the south side.
Unfortunately due to allergies that have decided to show themselves at this advanced stage of my life, I may not be able to see anything that’s going on today.
Last Thursday while I was at work, my right eye started to itch. I really didn’t think anything of it as the weather changes here in Chicago almost on an hourly basis. My skin has never taken kindly to such fickle weather so I just thought it was voicing its displeasure the way skin normally would, by getting tight and itchy.
When it didn’t go away when I put a medicated ointment on it, I knew what I was in for.
I didn’t feel the swelling right away but I knew it was there. When I looked in a mirror, underneath my right eye was bright red and puffy.
In a half an hour my upper lid matched the bottom.
In another two hours my eyes were swelling shut at work.
Not in a nice swelling type of way but in a Quasimodo, climb the bell tower and scream “Sanctuary” type of way.
If my co-workers---and more importantly my boss---had not been there to see it, I’m sure they would of thought that I made such tales up when I want to take a sick day.
I could still see but my field of vision was shrinking. Nonetheless, I could see the looks of abject horror on their faces that was mixed with pity. I could almost hear them thinking, “God, that was so quick.” And “How can she live like that, not knowing when any of this will come on?”
We all have our crosses to bear, right?
The onset of my allergies in my 30’s is somewhat of a mystery but on the upside it has forced me to become a much cleaner person as I don’t want my skin to crawl and to sneeze all over the place.
This from the person who didn’t get chicken pox when she was put in the bed next to other children that had active itchy cases of chicken pox.
So much for that invincible immune system.
So when the work crew gets here this morning I’m glad that another board member has taken the day off to make sure the crew and the foreman has all of the access they need and to be here to answer any questions.
My eyes are itchy.
Demolition on the north porch, the first of our three porches, starts this morning around 8:00 A.M.
Keys have been made, a (huge) check has been cut, the building permit is ready to be posted and in about an hour or so a work crew and a big lumber truck will leave the north side winding their way to our place on the south side.
Unfortunately due to allergies that have decided to show themselves at this advanced stage of my life, I may not be able to see anything that’s going on today.
Last Thursday while I was at work, my right eye started to itch. I really didn’t think anything of it as the weather changes here in Chicago almost on an hourly basis. My skin has never taken kindly to such fickle weather so I just thought it was voicing its displeasure the way skin normally would, by getting tight and itchy.
When it didn’t go away when I put a medicated ointment on it, I knew what I was in for.
I didn’t feel the swelling right away but I knew it was there. When I looked in a mirror, underneath my right eye was bright red and puffy.
In a half an hour my upper lid matched the bottom.
In another two hours my eyes were swelling shut at work.
Not in a nice swelling type of way but in a Quasimodo, climb the bell tower and scream “Sanctuary” type of way.
If my co-workers---and more importantly my boss---had not been there to see it, I’m sure they would of thought that I made such tales up when I want to take a sick day.
I could still see but my field of vision was shrinking. Nonetheless, I could see the looks of abject horror on their faces that was mixed with pity. I could almost hear them thinking, “God, that was so quick.” And “How can she live like that, not knowing when any of this will come on?”
We all have our crosses to bear, right?
The onset of my allergies in my 30’s is somewhat of a mystery but on the upside it has forced me to become a much cleaner person as I don’t want my skin to crawl and to sneeze all over the place.
This from the person who didn’t get chicken pox when she was put in the bed next to other children that had active itchy cases of chicken pox.
So much for that invincible immune system.
So when the work crew gets here this morning I’m glad that another board member has taken the day off to make sure the crew and the foreman has all of the access they need and to be here to answer any questions.
My eyes are itchy.
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Crikey!
Porch demolition and construction will start on the north porch on Monday, January 8th. Holy crap I can’t believe this is finally happening.
The people in the affected buildings need to be notified, notices need to be hung, keys need to be given to our porch vendor.
I’m sure they’ll also want some more money as well.
If we get lucky and the weather holds (just enough), the first of three porches may be built and waterproofed before February.
Everyone keep their fingers crossed.
The people in the affected buildings need to be notified, notices need to be hung, keys need to be given to our porch vendor.
I’m sure they’ll also want some more money as well.
If we get lucky and the weather holds (just enough), the first of three porches may be built and waterproofed before February.
Everyone keep their fingers crossed.
Crappy New Year
I am an insensitive ass who sends offensive e-mails.
Or at least that’s what I was told in so many words by one of my neighbors late last week.
The bone of contention seems to be the ever-popular maintenance schedule.
One of my neighbors dropped me an e-mail last week stating that she had been cleaning her hallways and she wanted to know if the maintenance schedule had been adhered to. I replied to her original inquiry plus added in a few more tidbits for future reference.
Perhaps that was the problem---I should have answered only the question(s) that was posed to me.
If you’re on a witness stand and offer any more information other than a truthful answer to a question, you’re more than likely to get yourself into a heap of trouble.
I should of stuck to that rule. I’m such a dumbass.
In return I got a concise dressing down about my offensive e-mails.
That right---emails---as in plural, as in more than one.
This was all news to me.
I replied back to my neighbor---a person who I’ve really had no problem with until now by the way---that I didn’t quite know what the issue was but I answered her question with facts and didn’t quite know how she misinterpreted my message.
I backed that up with a call inviting her to discuss this if she felt the need.
Now that ought to be an interesting phone call.
For all intensive purposes I’m done with it---I said what I had to say. If we both need to talk about it at a later date, I’ll be game but it’s not tops on my “to do” list.
So I guess I won’t be nominated for neighbor of the year. Oh bother.
Or at least that’s what I was told in so many words by one of my neighbors late last week.
The bone of contention seems to be the ever-popular maintenance schedule.
One of my neighbors dropped me an e-mail last week stating that she had been cleaning her hallways and she wanted to know if the maintenance schedule had been adhered to. I replied to her original inquiry plus added in a few more tidbits for future reference.
Perhaps that was the problem---I should have answered only the question(s) that was posed to me.
If you’re on a witness stand and offer any more information other than a truthful answer to a question, you’re more than likely to get yourself into a heap of trouble.
I should of stuck to that rule. I’m such a dumbass.
In return I got a concise dressing down about my offensive e-mails.
That right---emails---as in plural, as in more than one.
This was all news to me.
I replied back to my neighbor---a person who I’ve really had no problem with until now by the way---that I didn’t quite know what the issue was but I answered her question with facts and didn’t quite know how she misinterpreted my message.
I backed that up with a call inviting her to discuss this if she felt the need.
Now that ought to be an interesting phone call.
For all intensive purposes I’m done with it---I said what I had to say. If we both need to talk about it at a later date, I’ll be game but it’s not tops on my “to do” list.
So I guess I won’t be nominated for neighbor of the year. Oh bother.
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Back To Work Checklist
Now that the flurry of holiday activities have come and gone, I realize that I still have some outstanding business to wrap up from 2005.
I never got my initial fraud complaint to Representative Bobby Rush, State Representative Barbara Flynn Currie and State Senator Kwame Raoul. Their offices are located on the south side and it’s difficult for me to get the mountain of material that I’ve amassed to them during regular business hours. Sometime this month, I’ll take a day or two off and play mailperson and finish what I started.
I also am thisclose to finishing a do-it-yourself website for the association. Since we still have a cadre of non-resident owners, it makes sense that they should be able to access old meeting minutes and financial records. Hopefully we’ll be able to hold virtual meetings at this website so we won’t have to worry about finding a physical spot to meet each month. I also think it’s important to have a virtual repository for important information and documents in the event of a fire.
The great thing about the website is that the information can be seen only by invited members who complete the registration. While I pitched this to the board last year and received approval, I have yet to bring it up to the current board. Then of course we have yet to have a meeting in 2006. I don’t anticipate anyone having a problem with open communication among a pre-approved membership.
We also need to make sure that we file our non-profit annual report with the state as well as prepare to file taxes.
Lastly, I think we need to prepare some kind of comprehensive report for 2005; a document highlighting the significant progress in the management of the association.
It never hurts to do a post mortem on what ideas work.
I never got my initial fraud complaint to Representative Bobby Rush, State Representative Barbara Flynn Currie and State Senator Kwame Raoul. Their offices are located on the south side and it’s difficult for me to get the mountain of material that I’ve amassed to them during regular business hours. Sometime this month, I’ll take a day or two off and play mailperson and finish what I started.
I also am thisclose to finishing a do-it-yourself website for the association. Since we still have a cadre of non-resident owners, it makes sense that they should be able to access old meeting minutes and financial records. Hopefully we’ll be able to hold virtual meetings at this website so we won’t have to worry about finding a physical spot to meet each month. I also think it’s important to have a virtual repository for important information and documents in the event of a fire.
The great thing about the website is that the information can be seen only by invited members who complete the registration. While I pitched this to the board last year and received approval, I have yet to bring it up to the current board. Then of course we have yet to have a meeting in 2006. I don’t anticipate anyone having a problem with open communication among a pre-approved membership.
We also need to make sure that we file our non-profit annual report with the state as well as prepare to file taxes.
Lastly, I think we need to prepare some kind of comprehensive report for 2005; a document highlighting the significant progress in the management of the association.
It never hurts to do a post mortem on what ideas work.
Monday, January 02, 2006
Happy New Year
You may have noticed that I've changed the template here at I Hate My Developer.
The green templates' time had come and gone. Change was afoot.
Unfortunately I didn't completely realize that once I changed the template that I would also lose all of my links and my counter. One by one I'll eventually put them back---I want to make sure that you good folks can get information at the click of a mouse.
By the way happy 2006.
The green templates' time had come and gone. Change was afoot.
Unfortunately I didn't completely realize that once I changed the template that I would also lose all of my links and my counter. One by one I'll eventually put them back---I want to make sure that you good folks can get information at the click of a mouse.
By the way happy 2006.
Saturday, December 31, 2005
Uneven parallel
I finally wanted you gentle readers to see what all this porch fuss is about.
The pictures in the Thousand Words post pretty much says it all. Nonetheless if you didn’t catch the what’s wrong in the first picture let me lay it out for you.
All of the current porches are of the same style, construction and height. You’ll notice that the porch in the foreground is not parallel with the porch in the background. Because if the porches were parallel, you wouldn’t see the second porch---everything would line up evenly. Your eyes would travel straight across.
Obviously that is not the case.
The second picture let’s you know why the porch in the foreground it tilting. One of the support beams that are anchored to the building is not properly fixed to the vertical support that comes out of the ground. If the vertical support beam from the ground and the horizontal support beam coming out of the building fit properly it would form a nice tight “T”.
Obviously that is not the case.
The Porch People are working on scheduling a crew to start the actual work some time in January and February. They were caught a little flat footed when the building permit came in so early.
So God love you if you thought for even a second that I was taking poetic license in telling the porch tale of woe. Yes, folks they really are that bad.
The pictures in the Thousand Words post pretty much says it all. Nonetheless if you didn’t catch the what’s wrong in the first picture let me lay it out for you.
All of the current porches are of the same style, construction and height. You’ll notice that the porch in the foreground is not parallel with the porch in the background. Because if the porches were parallel, you wouldn’t see the second porch---everything would line up evenly. Your eyes would travel straight across.
Obviously that is not the case.
The second picture let’s you know why the porch in the foreground it tilting. One of the support beams that are anchored to the building is not properly fixed to the vertical support that comes out of the ground. If the vertical support beam from the ground and the horizontal support beam coming out of the building fit properly it would form a nice tight “T”.
Obviously that is not the case.
The Porch People are working on scheduling a crew to start the actual work some time in January and February. They were caught a little flat footed when the building permit came in so early.
So God love you if you thought for even a second that I was taking poetic license in telling the porch tale of woe. Yes, folks they really are that bad.
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Flashing Clock
**Cell phone ringing***
"Hello."
"Hello Woody, are you at home today?"
"No, I actually have to work. What's up?"
"ComEd is in the alley setting up a work area and I thought you might want to know about it."
I almost fainted in my cube.
After many months of chasing ComEd to come and put a protective housing around our taped and seemingly spliced together wires, the rubber finally met the road yesterday when the task was actually completed.
Naturally another neighbor called because the power was shut off for about a half an hour but the inconvenience was kept to a minimum.
This neighbor also commented about ComEd informing us about any work and the ensuing power outages, but I kindly reminded her that it was a minor miracle that the work was getting done at all after five years. Additionally she wants a major utility that has no way of internally tracking work requests to have the ability to inform the consumer about work that will affect their homes or businesses?
Yeah, right.
Nonetheless big props to ComEd for finally making the magic happen. I'm sure the call my alderman's staff made to one of their ComEd contacts didn't slow the process down either.
At least now we know that if our power goes out it won't be because of some bootleg ass taped up wires.
"Hello."
"Hello Woody, are you at home today?"
"No, I actually have to work. What's up?"
"ComEd is in the alley setting up a work area and I thought you might want to know about it."
I almost fainted in my cube.
After many months of chasing ComEd to come and put a protective housing around our taped and seemingly spliced together wires, the rubber finally met the road yesterday when the task was actually completed.
Naturally another neighbor called because the power was shut off for about a half an hour but the inconvenience was kept to a minimum.
This neighbor also commented about ComEd informing us about any work and the ensuing power outages, but I kindly reminded her that it was a minor miracle that the work was getting done at all after five years. Additionally she wants a major utility that has no way of internally tracking work requests to have the ability to inform the consumer about work that will affect their homes or businesses?
Yeah, right.
Nonetheless big props to ComEd for finally making the magic happen. I'm sure the call my alderman's staff made to one of their ComEd contacts didn't slow the process down either.
At least now we know that if our power goes out it won't be because of some bootleg ass taped up wires.
Friday, December 23, 2005
Mundane
I’ve been perusing the Walgreens weekly sales paper looking for deals.
I planted basil seeds and tulip bulbs that I’ll force up sometime in the late winter when the Chicago weather makes me wish I lived somewhere else.
I’ve caught up reading all of my favorite blogs.
I’ve finished cleaning up from my Christmas party---finally washing and packing away the chaffing dishes as well as getting every last spot out of my white cotton embroidered Pottery Barn reindeer tablecloth.
Hint: Purex liquid detergent applied directly to the stains (satay sauce, meatball drippings, cocktail sauce) along with the regular amount in the wash water. Let the machine agitate for a few minutes and if possible stop the washer and let the object(s) soak for a good four hours. When you turn the machine back on and let it finish its cycle that bad boy will not have a stain on it---guaranteed.
I’ve vacuumed and swept.
I’m starting to plan my garden for the 2006 planting season. I know it’s early but I really do like to garden. Plus when you have no car you have to plan and execute things with military like precision.
I’ve spent time with my cat. I believe he wonders where I go everyday to keep him in kibble and squeaky toys.
I made a huge crock-pot of beef barley soup that I’m going to divide into smaller containers and put up in the freezer.
I’m figuring out bills and expenses for the next few weeks as payday coincides with New Years. And let’s face it, who wants to enter in a new year with no cash?
By the way, paying bills sucks.
I’m also trying to figure out what to wear to the Eve of the Eve. Classic Black or an icy light blue? Strapless or sequins? Decisions, decisions…
I mailed off the condo association’s refuse rebate form to our Alderman.
I’ve decided that I’m going to bake a white chocolate pound cake for a New Year’s Day brunch that I’ve been invited to.
I suppose this is what life is really like when condo and developer issues don’t dominate your every waking moment.
I planted basil seeds and tulip bulbs that I’ll force up sometime in the late winter when the Chicago weather makes me wish I lived somewhere else.
I’ve caught up reading all of my favorite blogs.
I’ve finished cleaning up from my Christmas party---finally washing and packing away the chaffing dishes as well as getting every last spot out of my white cotton embroidered Pottery Barn reindeer tablecloth.
Hint: Purex liquid detergent applied directly to the stains (satay sauce, meatball drippings, cocktail sauce) along with the regular amount in the wash water. Let the machine agitate for a few minutes and if possible stop the washer and let the object(s) soak for a good four hours. When you turn the machine back on and let it finish its cycle that bad boy will not have a stain on it---guaranteed.
I’ve vacuumed and swept.
I’m starting to plan my garden for the 2006 planting season. I know it’s early but I really do like to garden. Plus when you have no car you have to plan and execute things with military like precision.
I’ve spent time with my cat. I believe he wonders where I go everyday to keep him in kibble and squeaky toys.
I made a huge crock-pot of beef barley soup that I’m going to divide into smaller containers and put up in the freezer.
I’m figuring out bills and expenses for the next few weeks as payday coincides with New Years. And let’s face it, who wants to enter in a new year with no cash?
By the way, paying bills sucks.
I’m also trying to figure out what to wear to the Eve of the Eve. Classic Black or an icy light blue? Strapless or sequins? Decisions, decisions…
I mailed off the condo association’s refuse rebate form to our Alderman.
I’ve decided that I’m going to bake a white chocolate pound cake for a New Year’s Day brunch that I’ve been invited to.
I suppose this is what life is really like when condo and developer issues don’t dominate your every waking moment.
Monday, December 19, 2005
Giving Thanks
When I look back on this past year it’s difficult to believe that as an association we’ve been able to achieve so much in so short a time.
If you’ve been reading this blog you already know the stories. In a nutshell, we’ve turned this ship around and charted a course for (hopefully) smoother waters.
Our achievements are also a testament to the collective power of the group.
Seeing that this is the end of the year and the usual amount of pat on the back retrospectives abound, I only feel it fitting to give some shout outs to all of my neighbors who either served on the association board or who volunteered for maintenance duty.
I also want to give props to my neighbors who sat in monthly meeting after monthly meeting and took an active interest in the management of their home.
Much love to everyone who graciously donated extra time and/or supplies to the multitude of important but minor projects.
We really are rock stars.
Who in Pete’s name would of thought that we would made it (part way) through the fire?
If you’ve been reading this blog you already know the stories. In a nutshell, we’ve turned this ship around and charted a course for (hopefully) smoother waters.
Our achievements are also a testament to the collective power of the group.
Seeing that this is the end of the year and the usual amount of pat on the back retrospectives abound, I only feel it fitting to give some shout outs to all of my neighbors who either served on the association board or who volunteered for maintenance duty.
I also want to give props to my neighbors who sat in monthly meeting after monthly meeting and took an active interest in the management of their home.
Much love to everyone who graciously donated extra time and/or supplies to the multitude of important but minor projects.
We really are rock stars.
Who in Pete’s name would of thought that we would made it (part way) through the fire?
Thursday, December 15, 2005
(Almost) Free Money
If you live in a condo development that has to pay for its own scavenger service (trash), the City of Chicago Department of Finance offers a program that will reimburse your association for a majority of your bill.
This period of reimbursement can either be for six months or a year and you have up to a year to apply for the previous period. All of the information can be found by clicking this link.
It's a great program but I've found few associations in my neck of the woods who know about its existence. Apparently someone must know as our applications for 2003 and 2004 were initially submitted in January of 2005 and we're just now getting the check for 2003. Go figure.
Even though it's a great program and I'm sure all interested parties read the instructions via the link in a through manner, here are a few things to remember:
1. You have to file a copy of you scavenger service agreement AND a detailed total of your trash bill for the period you're applying.
2. When your association is applying for the first time the application must have the previous year's trash bill (i.e. If you’re apply for 2005, you must also submit the 2004 bill) and a copy of a recycling certificate (check the instructions on the Finance Department’s website)
3. A governing board resolution must accompany the application authorizing the association’s application for the program. For example purposes a sample is included on the refuse rebate link.
4. When you get all of this together, it must be submitted to your alderman's office who in turn submits it to the city council. If I'm correct, they it needs to be approved for payment by the City's Finance Department; once that happens the checks are cut in the order of approval.
In short, don't hold your breath waiting for the cash to roll in. But make no mistake---unless the city scraps the program---the cash will eventually get to the association.
It's more annoyance than work but in the end a couple of hundred (or thousand) bucks may mean the difference between raising assessments or not raising assessments.
Just trying to share the knowledge---now go get your Benjamins!
This period of reimbursement can either be for six months or a year and you have up to a year to apply for the previous period. All of the information can be found by clicking this link.
It's a great program but I've found few associations in my neck of the woods who know about its existence. Apparently someone must know as our applications for 2003 and 2004 were initially submitted in January of 2005 and we're just now getting the check for 2003. Go figure.
Even though it's a great program and I'm sure all interested parties read the instructions via the link in a through manner, here are a few things to remember:
1. You have to file a copy of you scavenger service agreement AND a detailed total of your trash bill for the period you're applying.
2. When your association is applying for the first time the application must have the previous year's trash bill (i.e. If you’re apply for 2005, you must also submit the 2004 bill) and a copy of a recycling certificate (check the instructions on the Finance Department’s website)
3. A governing board resolution must accompany the application authorizing the association’s application for the program. For example purposes a sample is included on the refuse rebate link.
4. When you get all of this together, it must be submitted to your alderman's office who in turn submits it to the city council. If I'm correct, they it needs to be approved for payment by the City's Finance Department; once that happens the checks are cut in the order of approval.
In short, don't hold your breath waiting for the cash to roll in. But make no mistake---unless the city scraps the program---the cash will eventually get to the association.
It's more annoyance than work but in the end a couple of hundred (or thousand) bucks may mean the difference between raising assessments or not raising assessments.
Just trying to share the knowledge---now go get your Benjamins!
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Results
Our condo association has received the building permit for the porches. I literally had to be picked up off the floor when I found out the news. The permit was issued yesterday. It took approximately 33 days from our application date.
If you remember correctly I thought the permit process would take at least three months.
This has to be a record for the City of Chicago's Department of Construction and Permits.
Additionally, the field service manager from Commonwealth Edison (the electric company) placed an order to get the metal housings for our tape wrapped electrical wires.
I'm not used to this much co-operation. Perhaps it's the association's early Christmas present.
If you remember correctly I thought the permit process would take at least three months.
This has to be a record for the City of Chicago's Department of Construction and Permits.
Additionally, the field service manager from Commonwealth Edison (the electric company) placed an order to get the metal housings for our tape wrapped electrical wires.
I'm not used to this much co-operation. Perhaps it's the association's early Christmas present.
Monday, December 12, 2005
Won't You Be My Neighbor
There she stands in all of her majestic red brick glory. A beautiful girl, no?
While you’ve read of the trials and tribulations of our association you also know, kind souls, that a great deal of work has been done to put us on the straight and narrow. As an association we’re about halfway through our journey. A large portion of our fate rests in the hands of the future owners of the foreclosed upon units.
We need good, honest to God resident owners. No investors or speculators, just people who understand the definition of community.
As we all know, good neighbors are the lifeblood of any population. While it’s my biased impression that I live around some dedicated and wonderful people, the future owners of the foreclosed upon units will hopefully integrate into our buzzing little hive.
Nonetheless, I need some help on this one.
I need you kids to spread the word about the units that are on the market. Refer people to this blog and most importantly to the links at the end of this post.
I have well documented the problems that the association is facing and has faced in terms of the porches and the electrical. Nonetheless we will have brand new porches before the summer of 2006 and we’re continuing the process on how to best approach our electrical situation. Both are significant undertakings so I’m sure all of you understand that it will take some time before each are resolved.
But to borrow a phrase from a famous print ad: “We’ve come a long way baby.”
My previous post was about the positive press the ‘hood got from the Chicago Tribune Real Estate Section. In another five years, people will be slapping themselves that they didn’t buy in sooner.
The units are prices at $176,900 for a two bedroom, one bath and $174,900 for the three bedroom one bath.
I haven’t seen the condition of the two bedroom unit but I can honestly say that the three bedroom property needs painting (three kids are rough on walls) and the carpets in the bedroom are trashed (I like hardwood floors throughout anyway). Someone will have to put some TLC into that unit but I think the effort will bring out a diamond in the rough.
Don’t forget---these foreclosed upon units were CHAC rentals you know.
More importantly the price on the three bedroom dropped from $198,000 to its current price. Methinks that means that the mortgage company wants to get out of the real estate business and back into the mortgage business.
A good price got better and I’ll garner that even a novice negotiator would be able to get them down several thousands of dollars more based on the condition of the unit. Due diligence from the realtor would be able to uncover the price reduction and a good home inspector would be able to provide evidence on the condition of the porches and the electrical.
All in all a pretty strong position to start a potential negotiation.
Tough times don’t last---tough people and buildings do. This old girl has been around since 1909. Barring anything major, she’ll hopefully be around for quite a while to come.
Any building that can go through a neighborhood’s sharp decline, years of neglect and an urban rebirth deserves more quality people that will take care of her.
Boy oh boy if those walls could talk.
So tell your friends, co-workers and don't forget about the paper boy. Hell, if you want to be my neighbor take a look see for yourself.
Bonus good neighbor points will be given if you like to garden.
1501, #1
6511, #3
The Word Is Out
The Chicago Tribune did a nice little story on the 'hood in yesterday's Real Estate section.
Surprise, surprise---the south side is nice and affordable. Read what Ms. Almada wrote about Woodlawn and other south side neighborhoods here.
Surprise, surprise---the south side is nice and affordable. Read what Ms. Almada wrote about Woodlawn and other south side neighborhoods here.
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Gall, Yet Again
Our association had a visitor recently---our old maintenance man Mike.
He had been sent by our developer to collect what he claimed to be his snow blower. Unfortunately Mike couldn't gain access to the basement where the lawn equipment is stored, as we had changed all of the basement locks this summer.
Now whether our developer had sent Mike or he simply said that he was sent in order to throw off anyone who questioned him, I can't say. Mike doesn’t seem like a dishonest person and had plenty of time and opportunity to take whatever he wanted out of the basement prior to the locks being changed later in the summer.
That snow blower has been sitting in the basement for several years. With the recent spate of snow that Chicago's been having I can see why it's absence would be missed. Nonetheless why would anyone mix their personal or business belongings with those of a condo association that they developed?
I'm curious to know if our developer will try to approach one of us about this little quandary instead of sending people to trespass on our property.
He had been sent by our developer to collect what he claimed to be his snow blower. Unfortunately Mike couldn't gain access to the basement where the lawn equipment is stored, as we had changed all of the basement locks this summer.
Now whether our developer had sent Mike or he simply said that he was sent in order to throw off anyone who questioned him, I can't say. Mike doesn’t seem like a dishonest person and had plenty of time and opportunity to take whatever he wanted out of the basement prior to the locks being changed later in the summer.
That snow blower has been sitting in the basement for several years. With the recent spate of snow that Chicago's been having I can see why it's absence would be missed. Nonetheless why would anyone mix their personal or business belongings with those of a condo association that they developed?
I'm curious to know if our developer will try to approach one of us about this little quandary instead of sending people to trespass on our property.
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Fan Mail
I'm not in the habit of posting letters that I receive, but this week has been a tad bit unusual in that respect. This little ditty came in yesterday:
Wow, what a fantastic job you are doing. I came across your blog while looking for some info; I was hoping to buy a new condo in the city. I read through the whole archive and I'm amazed at all the things I never even thought about asking or finding out. If it's any consolation from your horrible developer problems, you've helped at least one person to think critically and maybe look a little deeper into any condo development they may be interested in purchasing into. I wish you the best of luck with that developer and your association issues.
While I don't need a pat on the back to do what I'm doing, it's nice to get the love.
Wow, what a fantastic job you are doing. I came across your blog while looking for some info; I was hoping to buy a new condo in the city. I read through the whole archive and I'm amazed at all the things I never even thought about asking or finding out. If it's any consolation from your horrible developer problems, you've helped at least one person to think critically and maybe look a little deeper into any condo development they may be interested in purchasing into. I wish you the best of luck with that developer and your association issues.
While I don't need a pat on the back to do what I'm doing, it's nice to get the love.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
The Hearing
The wheels of justice grind slowly.
Today was the informal fact finding hearing between me, my developer and the City of Chicago’s Department of Consumer Services. All of the above parties plus my developer’s lawyer and an aide from my alderman’s office were in attendance.
The hearing lasted a little over an hour and I kept my talking points were the following subjects:
The poor condition and replacement of the porches.
The poor condition of the electrical system.
The fact that we as a condo association got stuck with a fine that was the result of our developer’s mismanagement.
I was direct, had supporting documentation and kept on message. The facts spoke for themselves. So much so that if I continued on, I would have been repeating myself which would have made me look disorganized.
My developer responded by confirming what he did and did not do with respect to the rehabilitation of the buildings. During his explanation, the hearing officer interrupted to establish several facts:
My developer did not and does not have developer’s license.
Very little, if any, demolition was done on the building.
My developer did not replace or pull any of the existing electrical wiring.
My developer did not replace any of the existing plumbing.
What my developer called a property report was actually a small portion of what constitutes a true property report.
A property report of any kind was never filed with the city.
My basic argument was the filing of the property report was key to triggering inspections. Many of the latent problems that we as an association are encountering today could have been corrected.
My developer countered with a whole bunch of talk about who was called at the city to come out and inspect the property for a certificate of occupancy and that it had been completed.
Unfortunately for him, he didn’t come with any documentation that could prove his claims. Perhaps he’ll unearth his paperwork and present it to the hearing officer at a later date.
She did seem miffed that documentation she had requested a few weeks ago from my developer had not been produced in enough time for the hearing. He offered the excuse that one of his business partners took care of those issues and that the paperwork was never given to him.
He also mentioned the same tired excuses that he did in the letter that he sent to the Attorney General’s Office----the building was the worst building on the block; he kept the prices low so that the units could be affordable; in some cases he spent his own money to address punch list items; he offered to buy our places back from us but none of us accepted; the reason why none of use accepted is that our property value is estimated to be somewhere in the low $200’s and the fact that we got stuck with a fine that was originally his was due to a dishonest employee.
Nothing was ever his fault. There was an excuse for every issue.
Once he was finished, I countered that due to the four foreclosures in our building that the true value of our homes has yet to be firmly and consistently established, Furthermore I had neighbors attempt to sell their two bedroom at the $160 price point and had no luck as the electrical system was a major deterrent to potential home buyers.
Additionally, I told the hearing officer how we’ve turned our fortunes around as an association by establishing standard bookkeeping practices as well as saving money by doing our own maintenance.
My developer jumped in by stating that because he wanted to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest that he largely told the board that we could do whatever we wanted to do in our governing. That he would stay out of the way.
The hearing office seems puzzled by this and asked him why he remained condo board president for two years if he was to “stay out of the way?”
He replied, “Because the original officers were re-elected.”
Who can argue with that logic?
Our hearing officer is a seemingly nice lady---but a seemingly nice lady with a massive poker face. There was really no reading her. I have no idea how she will “take this under advisement.”
I’m concerned that the building’s issues will be given the brush off once again---only time will tell.
My fingers are crossed.
Today was the informal fact finding hearing between me, my developer and the City of Chicago’s Department of Consumer Services. All of the above parties plus my developer’s lawyer and an aide from my alderman’s office were in attendance.
The hearing lasted a little over an hour and I kept my talking points were the following subjects:
The poor condition and replacement of the porches.
The poor condition of the electrical system.
The fact that we as a condo association got stuck with a fine that was the result of our developer’s mismanagement.
I was direct, had supporting documentation and kept on message. The facts spoke for themselves. So much so that if I continued on, I would have been repeating myself which would have made me look disorganized.
My developer responded by confirming what he did and did not do with respect to the rehabilitation of the buildings. During his explanation, the hearing officer interrupted to establish several facts:
My developer did not and does not have developer’s license.
Very little, if any, demolition was done on the building.
My developer did not replace or pull any of the existing electrical wiring.
My developer did not replace any of the existing plumbing.
What my developer called a property report was actually a small portion of what constitutes a true property report.
A property report of any kind was never filed with the city.
My basic argument was the filing of the property report was key to triggering inspections. Many of the latent problems that we as an association are encountering today could have been corrected.
My developer countered with a whole bunch of talk about who was called at the city to come out and inspect the property for a certificate of occupancy and that it had been completed.
Unfortunately for him, he didn’t come with any documentation that could prove his claims. Perhaps he’ll unearth his paperwork and present it to the hearing officer at a later date.
She did seem miffed that documentation she had requested a few weeks ago from my developer had not been produced in enough time for the hearing. He offered the excuse that one of his business partners took care of those issues and that the paperwork was never given to him.
He also mentioned the same tired excuses that he did in the letter that he sent to the Attorney General’s Office----the building was the worst building on the block; he kept the prices low so that the units could be affordable; in some cases he spent his own money to address punch list items; he offered to buy our places back from us but none of us accepted; the reason why none of use accepted is that our property value is estimated to be somewhere in the low $200’s and the fact that we got stuck with a fine that was originally his was due to a dishonest employee.
Nothing was ever his fault. There was an excuse for every issue.
Once he was finished, I countered that due to the four foreclosures in our building that the true value of our homes has yet to be firmly and consistently established, Furthermore I had neighbors attempt to sell their two bedroom at the $160 price point and had no luck as the electrical system was a major deterrent to potential home buyers.
Additionally, I told the hearing officer how we’ve turned our fortunes around as an association by establishing standard bookkeeping practices as well as saving money by doing our own maintenance.
My developer jumped in by stating that because he wanted to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest that he largely told the board that we could do whatever we wanted to do in our governing. That he would stay out of the way.
The hearing office seems puzzled by this and asked him why he remained condo board president for two years if he was to “stay out of the way?”
He replied, “Because the original officers were re-elected.”
Who can argue with that logic?
Our hearing officer is a seemingly nice lady---but a seemingly nice lady with a massive poker face. There was really no reading her. I have no idea how she will “take this under advisement.”
I’m concerned that the building’s issues will be given the brush off once again---only time will tell.
My fingers are crossed.
Sunday, December 04, 2005
I Was Right The First Time
The word has come down from on high---the State of Illinois is closing my complaint against my developer. To quote directly from the letter dated November 22nd, "We are doing so because we have exhaused all efforts available to us on your behalf."
In other words, as I previously stated, there are no protections against disreputable condo developers in the State of Illinois.
In other words, as I previously stated, there are no protections against disreputable condo developers in the State of Illinois.
Witchy Poo For Mayor
Coming back from my much needed R-n-R I have many tales to tell of Gotham.
I met and reconnected with friends I hadn't seen in quite a while.
I sat at the bar at the Waldorf-Astoria while NASCAR was setting up for its convention and end of the year banquet. That was too surreal.
I saw the Christmas tree lighting at Rockefeller Center.
I made an interesting brand new friend while taking a sip at the Peninsula Bar.
The Mandarin Oriental is the bomb.
I saw a relatively new friend who feels like an old friend. We had a lovely day together.
Yet reality reared its ugly head when I got back home.
I've never made a secret about my blog to my neighbors. I've told or mentioned it to most, if not all of the people I talk to on a regular basis. They know it's my voice and my voice alone. What I write isn't endorsed or sanctioned by our board. No big whoop---In fact, I've gotten alot of positive reaction about my writing from my neighbors.
Obviously that had to come to an end.
Ladies and gentlemen, boy and girls, someone in cyberspace has taken exception to what I write and took enough time to register with blogger in order to leave a comment. The writer called himself (or herself) AttorneyAtLaw. Their original comments in black text along with my responses in red are below:
This is in response to the Woodlawn 2faced Witch (excuse me, Wonder).
Yowsa, a new name.
It is funny how you act polite when speaking to one in person but then rip them on your website. We’ve spoken? Actually it’s not a website but a blog.
We call that 2faced.
Who’s we? Didn't abbreviations like 2faced go out with 2legit to quit?
You must not have a real job (Actually I have two. I write about one of them here) since you have so much free time on your hands to discuss other people's personal business on your wack website. Is that the best way to resolve your condo association issues?
A massive amount of teamwork by some dedicated owners has helped us resolve some of these issues. I write about it here.
Just because you don't understand people's issues does not give you the right to rip them on your website like your shit does not stink, like you are perfect, like you are god.
From what I understand there is only one God but he (or she) takes on many different names. As for understanding people’s issues, Attorney what specifically are you referring to? It seems like you haven't read all of the blog as I speak very matter of factly about my shit stinking right here.
The statements you make are opinions not facts
Which ones? Once again be specific. You don’t seem to make very convincing arguments for a lawyer.
Opinions come a dime a dozen, everyone has one. If you really want to help people with similar issues as yours you should try obtaining positive results then inform.
That’s exactly what I’m doing. I wouldn’t wish this drama on my worst enemy.
Anyone can sit back and complain about their problems. Smart, successful people resolve their problems by actions and not by bitching.
You must not have read the blog all of the way through. I write about positive changes here and here.
By the way, I strongly suggest you remove any personal information and any statements you have made that slander or defame a person's character from your website within 48 hours unless you want to suffer the legal ramnifications.
By the way you spelled ramifications incorrectly.
It is against the law to make an individual's personal information available to the public without their consent What information? I name very few people on my blog so if you have an issue you need to name the individual in question and then we can get down to brass tacks about what is and isn't public and private information. and it is also illegal to slander or defame a person's character.
Whom am I allegedly slandering and defaming?
If you are unaware of this then check the law. You have been notified.
There you have it ladies and gentlemen, I've been notified.
I met and reconnected with friends I hadn't seen in quite a while.
I sat at the bar at the Waldorf-Astoria while NASCAR was setting up for its convention and end of the year banquet. That was too surreal.
I saw the Christmas tree lighting at Rockefeller Center.
I made an interesting brand new friend while taking a sip at the Peninsula Bar.
The Mandarin Oriental is the bomb.
I saw a relatively new friend who feels like an old friend. We had a lovely day together.
Yet reality reared its ugly head when I got back home.
I've never made a secret about my blog to my neighbors. I've told or mentioned it to most, if not all of the people I talk to on a regular basis. They know it's my voice and my voice alone. What I write isn't endorsed or sanctioned by our board. No big whoop---In fact, I've gotten alot of positive reaction about my writing from my neighbors.
Obviously that had to come to an end.
Ladies and gentlemen, boy and girls, someone in cyberspace has taken exception to what I write and took enough time to register with blogger in order to leave a comment. The writer called himself (or herself) AttorneyAtLaw. Their original comments in black text along with my responses in red are below:
This is in response to the Woodlawn 2faced Witch (excuse me, Wonder).
Yowsa, a new name.
It is funny how you act polite when speaking to one in person but then rip them on your website. We’ve spoken? Actually it’s not a website but a blog.
We call that 2faced.
Who’s we? Didn't abbreviations like 2faced go out with 2legit to quit?
You must not have a real job (Actually I have two. I write about one of them here) since you have so much free time on your hands to discuss other people's personal business on your wack website. Is that the best way to resolve your condo association issues?
A massive amount of teamwork by some dedicated owners has helped us resolve some of these issues. I write about it here.
Just because you don't understand people's issues does not give you the right to rip them on your website like your shit does not stink, like you are perfect, like you are god.
From what I understand there is only one God but he (or she) takes on many different names. As for understanding people’s issues, Attorney what specifically are you referring to? It seems like you haven't read all of the blog as I speak very matter of factly about my shit stinking right here.
The statements you make are opinions not facts
Which ones? Once again be specific. You don’t seem to make very convincing arguments for a lawyer.
Opinions come a dime a dozen, everyone has one. If you really want to help people with similar issues as yours you should try obtaining positive results then inform.
That’s exactly what I’m doing. I wouldn’t wish this drama on my worst enemy.
Anyone can sit back and complain about their problems. Smart, successful people resolve their problems by actions and not by bitching.
You must not have read the blog all of the way through. I write about positive changes here and here.
By the way, I strongly suggest you remove any personal information and any statements you have made that slander or defame a person's character from your website within 48 hours unless you want to suffer the legal ramnifications.
By the way you spelled ramifications incorrectly.
It is against the law to make an individual's personal information available to the public without their consent What information? I name very few people on my blog so if you have an issue you need to name the individual in question and then we can get down to brass tacks about what is and isn't public and private information. and it is also illegal to slander or defame a person's character.
Whom am I allegedly slandering and defaming?
If you are unaware of this then check the law. You have been notified.
There you have it ladies and gentlemen, I've been notified.
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