Are those four-plexs the kinds with two side unit townhomes, one downstairs unit in front, and one upstairs unit in back? If so, you better have outstanding insurance. When there's a fire in one of those units the entire building is usually gutted. That is a very common design here in California. I forget the name of the man who designed them, the homes are named after him (something like McIntyre or MaCintosh). The guy made millions, drank hard, and died rather young. Those are the kind of condos we'll be getting someday. Mine's the front downstais unit, and the kids are in the back upstairs with my baby bro getting a side unit. Be interesting to see how all that will work out.

They were purchased in 1997 for $32,000-$37,000 each and as of last year units in the same complex were selling for $115,000. I don't think they will go up anymore, but I started saying that at $75,000. This area went absolutely nuts with homebuying and homebuilding and now there's brand spanking new neighborhoods with brand spanking new homes... sitting, empty, waiting.


[This message has been edited by grasstains (edited 09-01-2006).]

No, our four-plex is divided equally in quarter, it has a basement for laundry/storage. We got lucky when we purchased it. To get our foot in the door we offered them a thousand more than asking which was 217 thou. because we already had two other properties that were snatched out from us by realtors.

I'm halfway through reading Davy, its cool. Reminds me a lot of Canticle except much spicier. Can't wait to try out Simak too. I'm on break and rushing from chocolate Godiva coffee....whew! More busy than yesterday, gotta jet, have a good one Grass!

I started "High Castle" last night and I must say that it isn't really doing much for me so far. I should probably also add that I quit smoking on Monday and my ability to concentraaaa... umm, yeah, what was I saying? I need to step out for some sunflower seeds. I'm spittin instead of smokin and it works like a charm. You gotta step out to do it, you can use an ashtray, you can become a nuisance, you reward yourself at breaktime by indulging in your nasty habit. It's perfect.

Oh, the only time the seeds aren't working is after eating, because when I'm stuffed the last thing I want to do is eat more.

[This message has been edited by grasstains (edited 09-06-2006).]

When Johnny Carson quit smoking, he had pencils made with erasers on both ends. He found, without cigarettes, he needed to do something with his hands, so he'd fiddle with those pencils while he talked with his guests on his show.
Don't know if it worked, though...

Good luck with the quitting smoking, I need to very soon. Someone at work told me High Castle was a good book. Is it alternate history? I'm almost done with Davy, bout fifteen pages left. I thought it was good, not great. Definitely has the religeous aspect and the baughty as well. I also enjoy future histories that revert back to the primitive ways of the past for some reason. Probably because it seems so plausible.

Not so much reverting back to primitive ways in this one. The book examines what it may have been like had the Axis powers won WWII. My side of the Mississippi is controlled by the Japanese and your side is speaking German. A man in a high castle on a high mountain is the lone holdout. Sounds cool, seems cool. I was just finding the rythm and plodding through the introductions to several characters when I was having difficulty.

These withdrawals are not nice. I find myself thinking of smoking as a pleasure, a pleasure I am now denying myself. I say, "I'll replace it with something else pleasurable" HAAA!!! I've been a pleasure-seeking gluton my entire life, never denying myself such possible replacements. What do I replace it with? Skydiving? Dolphin petting? Swimming with Sting Rays? I should have been more reserved, denied myself such pleasures. My senses have been dulled. AHA!!! Wasabi!!! Wasabi will do the trick. If wasabi fails to stimulate my senses all hope is lost.

[This message has been edited by grasstains (edited 09-06-2006).]

Too much Dolphin petting will surely make it sore. And we all know about Stingrays now. Now they are at the interviewing a friend of a friend who knew someone stung by one and lived. Everytime I have tried to quit smoking, I experience the weirdest feeling of unrealness. I went a month about eight years ago. I can really feel the effects physically now so I too need to quit very soon, I dread getting over that hump. I wish ya the best in your endeaver. Hey maybe take up juggling?

Juggling? Nah, I'm way too j-j-j-jittery at the m-m-m-moment.

The worst time for me is after eating because when I'm full the last thing I want is a fistful of sunflower seeds. The cigarette always seemed to make me feel less full. Come to think of it, cigarettes always made me feel less of everything... less stressed, less angry, less sad, less happy. Cigarettes seem like the puntuation mark to all of life's moments (both special and commonplace), as if the experience isn't complete until that cigarette has been smoked. Wow, epiphany city. Who is this person?

I finished reading Davy last night. I started reading Way Station by Simak. Next, I'm either going to read Death is a Lonely Business by R.B. or Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.

WAY STATION is right up there with EARTH ABIDES, for me. I love that book. It really touched me on many levels. You're gonna love it.

I abandoned TAROT by Piers Anthony with only around 100 pages left. The first 200 pages were great, but the last 200 was just one rediculous excuse after another for the author to vent his warped sexual fantasies. I have never before read a book which began so well and with such promise of better things to come, then deteriorated to the point where it loses all merit; meandering rhetoric, pornographic images, and lowbrow "That's what SHE said!" type humor. After awhile there was a sameness to the story where nothing new was happening, it was just the same debates between the same characters regarding what is considered religion versus paganism/hedonism and always culminating with some lewd sex act and/or sacrifice. Weird.

THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE is getting better, or I'm getting better, or something. Other than one or two short stories, this will be my first Philip K. Dick book.

[This message has been edited by grasstains (edited 09-07-2006).]

Grass, I'm liking Way Station although I'm not very far into it. I'm where Enoch meets Lucy at the spring and she has a butterfly on her finger. Simak almost seems to write like a nature author, kind of poetic. Reminds me a little of Ray's style. Speaking of Anthony, I've never read anything by him but I've seen a number of his books at the store. I figured with that many books, he is either really good or really lousy. I guess it isn't the first. There is a running contest at the store to find the most outlandish title in historical romance. Someone found one titled The Very Virile Viking by Sandra Hill. I was looking in the sci-fi paperbacks last week and found one titled The Color Of Her Panties by Piers Anthony. The cover had a giant bird monster and three gorgeous women in bikini's battling it, go figure. We got a laugh out of it. I'm feeling a need to break from sci-fi for a minute or two. One time I read Dumas' Three Muskateers and I was astounded by the depth, complexity, and the feeling of his writing. I haven't read The Man In The Iron Mask or The Count Of Monte Cristo, I may try one of those next for a change, but I never know what I'm going to pick up next. I guess I like it that way. By the way, I admire your effort to quit smoking, I hope you do it. Your to be commended for making that sacrifice for yourself and your family. I hope I can do it too soon. I read my post of a few days ago about our properties and it seemed like bragging. I did not mean to sound like that. We are able to barely pay our bills right now with my change of occupation. At least we are able to pay them right now, knock on wood.

[This message has been edited by Robot Lincoln (edited 09-07-2006).]

I think THE COLOR OF HER PANTIES is the sequel to PORNUCOPIA. If not, I'm pretty sure it's a sequel to one of his most outlandish novels, anyway.

Never sounded like bragging, Robo. I too hope my posts didn't sound like bragging, or even worse... gold-digging. I know I'll be getting that property someday and I think it would be silly not to plan ahead (as much as God permits, anyway) in order to have at least a little bit of direction.

Wait till I tell them at work about that one. I wonder if I could actually read any of those similiar to watching Plan 9 From Outer Space just for the kicks, nah don't think it would be the same.

Look it up on Amazon.com, it's hilarious.

I'd like this thread to get a little racy in order to balance out all that bible-beating going on in the other discussion. Maybe I'll issue an invitation to Michael Newdow to join us, in the interest of equal time and all.
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/elkgrove.html

I'm not sure I'd catagorize it as bible thumping exactly. Just an engaging conversation regarding theology maybe or the meaning of it all which I'm sure we sometimes all wonder about. Oh, I can get racey, I run the full gamute...like how do you spell relief..................!
I can't remember, did you say that you had read Stranger in a Strange Land, I think you have. One of my favs.

[This message has been edited by Robot Lincoln (edited 09-09-2006).]