Yea, I've got options for places to crash for little or no rent (as I'm doing right now) for a few months and could always do the parents thing if need be.

Buying a place isn't something I'd do for 6 months to a year anyway, when I'd have 20% or more to put down, I'm just trying to think what the most practical option would be. I'd much prefer to not buy a place there, but seeing that I wouldn't be there that much anyway, could easily find a friend to rent a room to, I think that would be the best option.

lethal wrote:My brother gave up his apartment and lived in hotels/friends places/my place/parents house on weekends. He didn't have to fly home, he could fly anywhere he wanted (not sure if that's an option for you).

In 2 years he saved something like 50K on rent and utilities.

From my understanding, they'll fly you anywhere in the continental US or pay for the lodging to stay on weekends if you have to be there the next week. The only requirement is that you have to be located close to a major airport.

I'm excited about the travel, but I think after a few months, I'd really need a home base to relax at on weekends and days off.

kruker wrote:

lethal wrote:My brother gave up his apartment and lived in hotels/friends places/my place/parents house on weekends. He didn't have to fly home, he could fly anywhere he wanted (not sure if that's an option for you).

In 2 years he saved something like 50K on rent and utilities.

From my understanding, they'll fly you anywhere in the continental US or pay for the lodging to stay on weekends if you have to be there the next week. The only requirement is that you have to be located close to a major airport.

I'm excited about the travel, but I think after a few months, I'd really need a home base to relax at on weekends and days off.

Another benefit is he racked up a ton of airline miles, hotel points and rental car points. Something you can use for a honeymoon or something.

One thing to remember to avoid is establishing a domicile in a state with high income tax or a city with a wage tax. You live in Philly (or NYC), they'll tax you on your income that you earned in the other state where you actually did your work. Of course, you'll get taxed by that state for the days that you were there. If that's Florida, that's nice since there is no state income tax.

The tax thing is one reason why I was thinking if I rented I'd do Austin.

I really need to avoid playing basketball with 17 year olds. I got into a shoving match with a kid and came very close to knocking to him out. The best case scenario would have been if i ran away and nobody could identify me when the cops came. However, I wouldn't be able to ball at my favorite hoop. I'm glad I didn't punch him.

If none of the kids know who you are, you'll get away with it

MrsVox wrote:

Houshphandzadeh wrote:Does anyone like the fluffy cream more than Boston cream (creme?)?

the voxes

The nicholsons too. Well, Dad anyway.

Barry Jive wrote:If none of the kids know who you are, you'll get away with it

actually, honestly as long as you don't put anyone in a hospital you're probably good too, and even then you're probably still good, unless you stab or shoot someone. especially in Northeast Philly

90% chance kolb2celek4td is a moron

/eagles fans suck as phillies fans

so I've now failed to pass my driving test at the 5 time of trying.

I am a potent mix of anger, frustration, despair and irrational hatred.

I'm seriously losing track of how much money this is involving.

The worst thing is, every time it's something different. The inside of my head felt like a massive crowd of vast majority of phillies fans this morning - panicked, second-guessing, with a strident voice trying to tell everyone to STFU AND FUCKING CONCENTRATE.

Man, I'm so pissed.

5 fucking times. I've been riding a bike since I was fucking I dunno how old. It's not like I don't have road sense. This is beyond a fucking joke. Plus I need it for my event work.

fuck.

fuck.

fuck.

kruker wrote:Yea, I've got options for places to crash for little or no rent (as I'm doing right now) for a few months and could always do the parents thing if need be.

Buying a place isn't something I'd do for 6 months to a year anyway, when I'd have 20% or more to put down, I'm just trying to think what the most practical option would be. I'd much prefer to not buy a place there, but seeing that I wouldn't be there that much anyway, could easily find a friend to rent a room to, I think that would be the best option.

the thing to consider if going this option is the resale of the house. If you buy this cheap house, will you be able to sell it when the time comes?

Plus, if you're traveling a great deal, you're going to have to consider maintenance. A water heater that bursts on Monday afternoon is going to be a heck of a pain to deal with, especially when you're not around during normal business times to get it repaired.

I'd think that finding a rental in an area like this might be a better option. I don't know the area in which you'd think to buy, but I know around where my parents live (45 minutes from Greenville/Spartansburg airport in SC), there were apartments in a complex going for $350/month. My parents had a decent 2br/ba apartment nearby in what would be called "luxury" down there, for probably $100 more. That place had free cable and a pool.

Wizlah wrote:so I've now failed to pass my driving test at the 5 time of trying.

I am a potent mix of anger, frustration, despair and irrational hatred.

I'm seriously losing track of how much money this is involving.

The worst thing is, every time it's something different. The inside of my head felt like a massive crowd of vast majority of phillies fans this morning - panicked, second-guessing, with a strident voice trying to tell everyone to STFU AND $#@! CONCENTRATE.

Man, I'm so pissed.

5 $#@! times. I've been riding a bike since I was $#@! I dunno how old. It's not like I don't have road sense. This is beyond a $#@! joke. Plus I need it for my event work.

$#@!.

$#@!.

$#@!.

So what sort of things do they look for in the UK? It seems like once they've agreed to drive on the wrong side of the road anything should be ok. You're not taking your test in Swindon, are you?

Is that what Yes is singing about in that song?

Wizlah wrote:so I've now failed to pass my driving test at the 5 time of trying.

I am a potent mix of anger, frustration, despair and irrational hatred.

I'm seriously losing track of how much money this is involving.

The worst thing is, every time it's something different. The inside of my head felt like a massive crowd of vast majority of phillies fans this morning - panicked, second-guessing, with a strident voice trying to tell everyone to STFU AND $#@! CONCENTRATE.

Man, I'm so pissed.

5 $#@! times. I've been riding a bike since I was $#@! I dunno how old. It's not like I don't have road sense. This is beyond a $#@! joke. Plus I need it for my event work.

$#@!.

$#@!.

$#@!.

Wiz, Can you go to a different testing center or something? I don't know how it works there, but maybe there's something about where you're taking the test.

You should slip the guy a few bills in a handshake. Or, you could just learn how to drive a fucking car

swishnicholson wrote:

Wizlah wrote:so I've now failed to pass my driving test at the 5 time of trying.

I am a potent mix of anger, frustration, despair and irrational hatred.

I'm seriously losing track of how much money this is involving.

The worst thing is, every time it's something different. The inside of my head felt like a massive crowd of vast majority of phillies fans this morning - panicked, second-guessing, with a strident voice trying to tell everyone to STFU AND $#@! CONCENTRATE.

Man, I'm so pissed.

5 $#@! times. I've been riding a bike since I was $#@! I dunno how old. It's not like I don't have road sense. This is beyond a $#@! joke. Plus I need it for my event work.

$#@!.

$#@!.

$#@!.

So what sort of things do they look for in the UK? It seems like once they've agreed to drive on the wrong side of the road anything should be ok. You're not taking your test in Swindon, are you?

that thing is legendary.

As regards a different test centre, I guess I could (I think there's another one further out), but I'm a stubborn fuck when it comes to stuff like this. Discounting the first test (which only 1/10 people pass in the UK - on average people pass on their 3rd), and the fact that between my 4th and 5th test they changed testing procedure to include something called 'independent driving assessment' (examiner tells you to follow road signs and markings to a particular place and then gives you another location, and then another for about 10 minutes), I've had two tests where I've been focused and calm and missed things/misjudged situations, and two where I've been fighting my dumb brain which has wanted to quit from about 10 minutes in because surely I must have failed by now.

In the UK they grade you on minor errors (up to 15 allowed in total, but no more than 3 in any category), serious errors (non permitted) and dangerous errors (guess how many of those you're allowed). previous two tests, my minors were right down, and I had two serious (things like lane indiscipline, not good enough observation of road signs leading to speeding on a bypass). Today the minors crept up a bit, I got a serious on not performing a maneuver exactly as requested (parallel park) (never happened before -most you got was a minor, so it seems like the test standard has tightened up) plus another serious and a dangerous.

It's like I can't stay focused 100% throughout the drive. I'm so fucking angry with myself. Fuckin' little jerkoffs of 18 do this shit in their sleep and I can't manage it. Plus, you know, it calls into question my own capability and judgement on things like risk assessments of courses and races when my own judgement on car maneuvering is so clearly off.

Basically, If I could physically slap myself upside the head for being useless right now, I would.

So fucked off.

Wizlah wrote: $#@!' little jerkoffs of 18 do this $#@! in their sleep and I can't manage it. Plus, you know, it calls into question my own capability and judgement on things like risk assessments of courses and races when my own judgement on car maneuvering is so clearly off.

Basically, If I could physically slap myself upside the head for being useless right now, I would.

So $#@! off.

I blame (your) society.

Stateside, my son failed his 1st road test because the namby-pamby DMV official felt his near-T-boning of a local policeman's cruiser indicated a risky attention deficit. Fucker wasn't even a state trooper.

We all have evidence of your positively frightening powers of concentration, Wiz. Heaven help the examiners should you turn your gamma rays of disdain on them full-force.

whatever you do, wiz, don't watch spongebob once monkeywiz is so inclined. on second thought, maybe it'll make you feel better about only 5 misses.

today is going way too slow

I failed the driver's test my first time. I hit the curb on the parallel park and the guy failed me. I suppose it was warranted but I was pretty pissed at the time. However, I did pass my second attempt with a much, much cooler instructor.