Good-Bye, Blogger!

Farewell! I've launched my new website. Check out http://catherinegacad.com/

Happy New Year, everyone. I am reinventing myself for 2010!

A Long Life and a Short One

Dean's maternal grandmother died today at the age of 91. She had a full life and very family-oriented. I heard so many stories about her. Her home was surrounded by pictures of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She always sent cards and cried whenever anyone talked about our wedding because she wanted to come. A rich full life was had and shared.

On a very sad note, my mother emailed me when I told her about Dean's grandma. "We also got very sad news this morning. Our co-worker lost his 4 month old daughter yesterday. We don't know the details yet. When he went to pick her up from day care after work, there was an ambulance infront not knowing it was his baby the paramedics were trying to resuscitate. She did not make it."

My heart is breaking! Here is more from my mom.

"this is their first baby. they were married two years ago. he was just showing me the baby's pictures with santa claus last week. he is such a proud dad and takes care of the baby like a mom giving bottle feedings and changing diapers during the night. that's what makes us so sad because we don't know how he is taking it.

"went to the cathedral for the noon mass with one of my coworker and we were there early. right before the mass the priest was saying hello to everyone and i went to him and asked him to include the baby's intention. he had a pen and pad and wrote the name. my friend and i were surprised when he announced at the beginning of the mass that the mass is for the baby and her family. and he mentioned her name again at the offertory. that made us feel better."

Transition

We're shaking it up at 2420 Geary.

In February of 2005, a couple bought the upstairs two-bedroom. I bought one of the downstairs one-bedrooms--the one facing Geary Boulevard. And another couple bought the other identical, but mirror image one-bedroom across from me. This couple would separate and divorce soon after. Still, the four of us (one couple and two single women) lived harmoniously for almost five years, watching each others' dogs, collecting mail, working together to remedy pipe leaks, drainage problems, and fixing an eyesore of a backyard.

I moved out and in with my fiance this past summer, rotating my condo with an MBA summer intern and a Stanford post-doc. In January, a couple of doctors will move in. The doctors had no use for the garage spot so I'm renting that out, too, to a neighbor across the street to house his weather-damaged BMW.

Newly-maried, my neighbor with the identical unit moved out a month ago. She initially paid $500K and sold for $525K which is a slight loss when you account for the broker fees. I paid $455K for mine which profits me $40K right now if I sold. All of this is public information. It's easy to determine whether or not your place is under water. I have no plans to sell. It's been surprisingly easy to find tenants to pay rent that covers my mortgage and HOAs.

The upstairs neighbors are now preparing to put their place on the market in 2010. When they leave, it'll be sad knowing I'm the only remaining original owner and I don't even live there anymore.