Ok, so I know its been a long time since I’ve written…and my first post in two months is a complaint, but I need to vent.  When we bought our house in Feb. 07, the previous owners had redone the kitchen – new appliances, the whole thing.  Well the broiler on my stove has NEVER worked properly.  I’ve had two different appliance guys out to look at it.  Finally, someone found out what was wrong – and what’s worse, Whirlpool new about it because they issued a service bulletin on the issue with a kit to fix it.

So, I got my stove fixed and called Whirlpool because it cost me $300 and I wanted a reimbursement.  Talk about the run-around.  I had to call 4 times before someone could help me and then they told me “We don’t do reimbursements.”  Also, since I didn’t have reciept of purchase, I don’t have a warrently. ARG!!!!  I’m so annoyed!!!  I’m definitely calling the better business bureau.

I just got the most amazing news!  Christian Turpin, who was born in July, has finally come home from the hospital!!!!  Christian was born with an illness called Charge Syndrome.  I had not heard of it previously and frankly, I’m almost glad I hadn’t.  This tough little fighter in his first few months of life has already dealt with multiple surgeries, hearing loss, heart problems and a plethora of other issues.  Christian is not out of the woods entirely, yet.  He’s going to have heart surgery in a few weeks, but I was just THRILLED to hear from Colleen (his mom) that she and his dad (Chris) got to bring him home for the first time.  CONGRATULATIONS to the Turpin Family!  The Burns clan is wishing you all the best and will continue to pray for Christian.  He truly is a miracle child.

The finance guy at my company sent around the following article from MarketWatch today.  The description of what happened really puts things into perspective.  I hope everyone reads it and calms down a bit.  It’s going to get worse before it gets better and panicking won’t help.

MARKETWATCH FIRST TAKE

How bad was Monday, really?

Commentary: From long-term perspective, Monday plunge isn’t unique

By MarketWatch

Last update: 12:45 a.m. EDT Sept. 30, 2008

Comments: 61

ANNANDALE, Va. (MarketWatch) — A little historical context, please.

Monday’s market plunge may have been the worst point drop ever for the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($INDU: $INDU 10,365.45, -777.68, -7.0%) , but in percentage terms it came nowhere close. It dropped 7% on Monday, or just one-third as much as the 22.6% decline in the 1987 crash. In fact, there have been 16 other occasions since the Dow was created in 1896 in which the Dow’s percentage drop was greater than it was Monday. That works out to an average of every seven years. It furthermore has been almost exactly seven years — Sept. 17, 2001 — since the last time the Dow dropped by a greater amount than it did on Monday. From at least one statistical perspective, this all adds up to Monday’s drop being overdue. Several years ago, researchers at New York University and Boston University derived a complex formula for calculating how often drops of a particular magnitude will occur over long periods of time (measured in centuries). Read study. According to their formula, 7% declines will occur, on average, every 4.3 years. Going into Monday’s session, the market had been going 2.7 years longer than this without that big a drop. To be sure, the S&P 500 index (SPX: S&P 500 Index SPX 1,106.42, -106.85, -8.8%) dropped by more than the Dow did on Monday — by 8.8%, in fact. And, according to the researchers’ formula, drops of that magnitude should occur only once every 10 years, on average. But the last time the S&P 500 dropped by more than it did Monday was in the 1987 crash — more than 20 years ago. So, from this perspective, the S&P 500 was more than a decade overdue for a decline like the one we saw Monday. This doesn’t make Monday’s losses any less painful. But the researchers’ data serve to remind us that big drops are an inherent part of stock-market investing. If we didn’t know that going into Monday, we surely do now.

– Mark Hulbert

I know, I know, the concert was Friday and I’m not posting until Sunday – I apologize.  But, the concert was SO great!  NKOTB played ALL of their old stuff with a few new ones.  Tons of choreography, two stages and costume changes – these guys can move pretty good for their late 30’s/early 40’s.

What was even better – at the end of the concert NKOTB did Hangin’ Tough for the encore and came out in full Celtics garb.  To take it a step further – Paul Pierce came on stage with the championship trophy.  The Garden erupted!  I can’t tell you how close I was to getting tickets for tonight’s show too!!!  Even if you’re not a fan, it is a good show – extremely entertaining.

Moving on to the rest of the weekend – because I’m old and my friends and I decided to have “regression night”, we went to the concert and then to the Harp after.  Needless to say, I spent most of Saturday on my couch.

Sunday, I decided to become the domesticate again.  I made home made chicken soup, shampooed my living room rung, washed floors and went to the grocery store.  In between all of that, my in-laws came by and I played with my son – all in all – a good day.

Well, I just came back from a walk with my dog Sophie, so I’m going to end this post and go watch the Family Guy with Sean.  Have a good night and for those of you who are currently at the NKOTB concert – I’m VERY jealous!!!

~ Erica

I know, I know, its supposed to be TGIF, but I don’t work Fridays so I’m happy its Thursday.  Work has been killer this week and today traffic was a nightmare.  93 was bumper-to-bumper so I drove 495 to Rt. 3 to 95 just to get jammed up on 95.

Its all good though because when I got home I saw Jack who was in a fabulous mood!  He’s at the age now where he gets excited when I walk in the door and will give kisses when I ask for them.  He doesn’t know that you’re supposed to shut your mouth for kisses, but that’s OK.  I’ll take them anyways.

Oh, just so you’re aware, tomorrow night I’m likely not going to blog – why you ask?  Because its the big NKOTB concert – can’t wait!!!  I’d blog during the day, but for the first time in I can’t remember how long, Sean and I both have the day off.  We’re not doing anything special, unless you count taking the air conditioners out as special, but it will be nice to have the three of us home for the day.

Anyway, I’ll be sure to report back all of the details on the concert in my next post.  Until then, ciao!

~ Erica

Yep, so this was my day yesterday.  Work FLEW by because I spent the day doing a bunch of research.  I’m freaking a bit because we have a ton of stuff to do and working a 4-day week doesn’t help.  I’m not complaining though – I LOVE having Fridays with my son. 

Anyways, enough about work.  Beyond that, I got home last night and felt like garbage – I really hope I’m not getting sick since tomorrow night is a big girls night out – we’re going to see NKOTB!!!!!  Can’t wait!!!!  So, fortunately, Sean was nice enough to handle Jack while I vegged out on the couch watching Dancing with the Stars.  Obviously, not an overly interesting day – but I’ll take it.  It’s now Thursday and the week is almost over.

More to come!

Ciao,

Erica

Today is my parent’s anniversary.  They have been married 36 years.  I personally think that is quite an achievement in this day and age.  Especially if you think about the fact that they got married at 19 (mom) and 21(dad). 

They’ve been through so much in the 36 years they’ve been together. They’ve travelled, raised two children and now have 3 grandchildren.  I think of both of them and am very impressed because they’ve worked hard for everything they have and everything that they have given to me, my brother and our children.  

In addition, they’ve been faced with very difficult situations, but managed to get through them together.  Both fought and beat cancer as well as other illnesses such as my dad’s epilepsy – which caused him to be unable to work – a difficult pill to swallow for the man who was the provider for his family. 

So, I won’t get into the boring details of my day, but rather, I’m putting into words the admiration and respect I have for both of my parents.  Congratulations to you both and I hope you have had a very Happy Anniversary.

So today was a bit interesting.  I’m sure you’ve all seen what chaos Wall St. has been in.  Well, for the second time in a matter of days, it is effecting me.  First, one of my good friends was quoted in the Sunday Globe – check it out - Benay, Mike and baby Ryan also had a nice photo in the print edition.  Second, over the last couple of weeks I’ve been in the process of trying to refinance my house – to lock in a lower interest rate.  Today I found out that it isn’t going to happen.

For those of you who don’t know, I own a two-family with my parents – yes I know, I’m nuts.  Anyway, the issue is that no one can get a fair appraisal on my house – and why you ask?  Because the only two-families even remotely close to my house are being sold as condos.  Those being sold as actual two-families are mostly rental properties and kind of run down, so there is not an equal comparison out there.  What does that mean?  Either convert my house to condos or no refinance for me.  Oh well, we are fine with our mortgage anyways.  We’ll just keep paying and maybe when the market rectifies itself, we’ll try again.

Other than that – it was a Monday as any other.  The weather in the a.m. was a bit depressing, which made getting out of bed tough, but I muddled through.  Work flew by today – which was great, but it also means that I have more to do tomorrow.  That said, I’m keeping this post tonight short so I can actually sit and watch TV – can’t wait to check out the new season of dancing with the stars!!!  After all, I’m named after Erica Kane so the least I can do is watch Susan Lucci!

Ciao!

Erica

Ok, so I’ve been doing this blog thing for about a year and you know what I’ve realized?  I’m not good at posting as often as I should.  The reason for this is because I spend too much time trying to think of things to write about.  So, I’m going to take a page out of Kevin Smith’s book and blog (literally) “My Boring Ass Life” and try to blog everyday.  Not on anything special, but just what I did that day.  I know this won’t be the most exciting thing to read, but its me and its what I do – enjoy!

So, that said, today is Sunday, September 20 (correction September 21).  It was a pretty busy day.  It started with my wonderful husband (Sean) letting me sleep in and then bringing me tea and a muffin from D&D.  Sundays don’t get much better than that!  From there I read the paper and played with Jack.  Once he went down for a nap I ran a few errands – picking up pictures, grocery store, gas, etc…

Shortly after I got home my sister-in-law (Carolyn) came by with my niece (Madison) and nephew (Thomas) because my parent’s anniversary is on Tuesday and we wanted to give them their anniversary gift.  We all chipped in and got them a digital camera - its a pretty sharp one.  Good for people (like my parents) who are not very technically inclined.  Now I just hope they use it.

My other sister-in-law (Amy) also came by, as did my father-in-law (John).  It was nice to have Jack see so much of his family in a single day.  After everyone cleared out, I decided to do some cooking – I made a meatcake (meatloaf) and rice, as well as a roasted chicken and mashed potatoes – I love to cook to have enough leftovers to pick during the week.

Jack had Spaghetti O’s, strawberries and a pudding – the other stuff I was cooking wasn’t done by his dinner time – he’ll get the good stuff tomorrow.  It was then time for tubby, which unfortunately, turned into a not so pleasant turn of events because my 16 month old chose, for the first time in his life – to poop in the tub.  Yeah – not fun.  Needless to say, the next hour was spent bleaching the tub and all of his toys in it.  At least we got to play for a little while before he was off to bed.

Now, my hubby is watching football and I’m writing what I think is my longest entry ever.  I’m sure not all of them will be this long, because my days are usually pretty boring.  Well, that’s all for tonight.  Hopefully, I can keep up with this daily blogging thing – we’ll see!

Ciao!

Erica

Can you believe it is Sept.!!!  I can’t.  Where has the time gone!  I was thinking about things over the weekend and I am just floored that we’re two-thirds of the way through the year.  I feel like 2007 just ended.  Now, the summer has gone, the Olympics are over (congrats Michael Phelps!) and the running mates have been chosen.  The election should make for some pretty entertaining TV, through Nov.  Then I hate to say it, but Christmas will be here before you know it.  I liked it better when I was a kid and summers seemed to last forever.  Going out with friends every day, not worrying about bills, the state of the economy or the state of the world, for that matter.  You know what, I’m going to get off my computer and go outside and enjoy some of that fresh air before its gone!!!