Abra Staffin-Wiebe (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
abracanabra) wrote2011-02-25 10:54 am
abracanabra) wrote2011-02-25 10:54 am
Entry tags:
Federally Approved Angels and Their HARPs
When I followed up on the whole HARP refinance program for homeowners who owed slightly more on their house than it was worth but want to take advantage of the current low rates and maybe lower their monthly payment some, I found out that we're also eligible for the HAMP program, the one for homeowners who have some financial hardship and have more than 31% of their income going to their mortgage. Ug. It's nice knowing that we'll be able to refinance, but knowing that we qualify for the federal program for homeowners who are completely fucked? Not so reassuring.
However! We won't be doing the HAMP program, because it totally messes up the credit score. HARP is looking likely if we get a deal that would make significant savings. That requires negotiations with our bank mortgage holder, though. The federally approved, free financial counselor was very nice and walked us through our finances and everything and sent the report on our conversation to both our bank and to us. I also have the number for the follow-up program, who are basically the people to call if the bank gets sticky about something. Then they swoop in wearing their shiny armor and fix everything. The next step is to contact our bank and talk brass tacks.
PSA: If your significant other is the only person on the mortgage, have them authorize you to have conversations with the bank and such. Do this now. It will save you much hassle in the future. The same goes for if you're on their health insurance or other benefits.
I set up an interview with Pro Staff for today. More of an interview+tests, actually, but it has to be done. Any nest egg growth/debt clearance we can get before August is a reallyreally good thing. In preparation, I did a PowerPoint tutorial--probably should have been doing tutorials for the last week, but I wasn't. It's been ages since I've been on this side of an interview. I think I have some anxiety about it, since I didn't sleep well last night and two out of three of my dreams (more about which anon) were related. The third dream was about a T-Rex.
I trekked to the post office and mailed off our federal taxes. Go go gadget moneyback!
I cleaned out the Roomba's gearbox and discovered the brushes still aren't spinning. This exhausts my Roomba fix-it knowledge and means it is probably really broken (the battery was dying anyway). Phil says there is no budget space for a new Roomba, but if it comes on Woot, we'll see about that. Roomba is necessity, like dishwasher. :(
2/24/11, Thursday
Circus of Brass and Bone Writing Log
Total
Episode 10
New words: 1,067
Total words: 60,205
Overused word: people
Gratuitous word: gewgaws
Type of scene: How the city works now.
Challenge(s): How much is too much, how much is not enough.
Which line is it anyways?Of course, the instant she tried not to think about it, her imagination conjured up all sorts of gruesome images.
Researched: New York transport history
Added to spellchecker: horsecars
Notes: I find this sort of thing fascinating--how society changes after a disaster like this. But I worry that readers will want more action. Of course, Episode 11 should satisfy that need. Also, I'm at the wrap-it-up wordcount for this episode, which means it'll probably go live (for those with early access) early next week.
Other writingy stuff:
* Posted freewriting and writing log.
* Fiddled with trying to get the CoBB iTunes feed working. Needs more work. Damn iTunes-specific feed crap.
However! We won't be doing the HAMP program, because it totally messes up the credit score. HARP is looking likely if we get a deal that would make significant savings. That requires negotiations with our bank mortgage holder, though. The federally approved, free financial counselor was very nice and walked us through our finances and everything and sent the report on our conversation to both our bank and to us. I also have the number for the follow-up program, who are basically the people to call if the bank gets sticky about something. Then they swoop in wearing their shiny armor and fix everything. The next step is to contact our bank and talk brass tacks.
PSA: If your significant other is the only person on the mortgage, have them authorize you to have conversations with the bank and such. Do this now. It will save you much hassle in the future. The same goes for if you're on their health insurance or other benefits.
I set up an interview with Pro Staff for today. More of an interview+tests, actually, but it has to be done. Any nest egg growth/debt clearance we can get before August is a reallyreally good thing. In preparation, I did a PowerPoint tutorial--probably should have been doing tutorials for the last week, but I wasn't. It's been ages since I've been on this side of an interview. I think I have some anxiety about it, since I didn't sleep well last night and two out of three of my dreams (more about which anon) were related. The third dream was about a T-Rex.
I trekked to the post office and mailed off our federal taxes. Go go gadget moneyback!
I cleaned out the Roomba's gearbox and discovered the brushes still aren't spinning. This exhausts my Roomba fix-it knowledge and means it is probably really broken (the battery was dying anyway). Phil says there is no budget space for a new Roomba, but if it comes on Woot, we'll see about that. Roomba is necessity, like dishwasher. :(
2/24/11, Thursday
Circus of Brass and Bone Writing Log
Total
Episode 10
New words: 1,067
Total words: 60,205
Overused word: people
Gratuitous word: gewgaws
Type of scene: How the city works now.
Challenge(s): How much is too much, how much is not enough.
Which line is it anyways?Of course, the instant she tried not to think about it, her imagination conjured up all sorts of gruesome images.
Researched: New York transport history
Added to spellchecker: horsecars
Notes: I find this sort of thing fascinating--how society changes after a disaster like this. But I worry that readers will want more action. Of course, Episode 11 should satisfy that need. Also, I'm at the wrap-it-up wordcount for this episode, which means it'll probably go live (for those with early access) early next week.
Other writingy stuff:
* Posted freewriting and writing log.
* Fiddled with trying to get the CoBB iTunes feed working. Needs more work. Damn iTunes-specific feed crap.