(no subject)

[realexplodingcat]

Between screaming under the weight of a million things to do and wanting to hide in a hole (and pay rent to do so) because I dread what I've gotten myself into, owning my first home actually feels rather awesome. I own every nail and hunk of wood in the house. I can paint walls. I can knock down walls.

I own a chunk of the Earth itself. I intend to charge crickets and squirrels rent. Can I charge the worms rent? Just how far down into the Earth's crust can I dig before I legally pass beyond the boundaries of my property? I used to love the old game Dig-Dug. I can't wait to play it again in my own yard. I've always wanted to see the Earth's mantle.

But there is one aspect of homeowning that has me troubled. I suddenly feel as if I've become The Man. Granted, I was born a white male in this country, which pretty much got me half way to being The Man before I had even developed the manual dexterity to pick up a coin and eat it. But as soon as I bought the house I immediately became aware of all the ways in which people and their behavior affect the value of my property, the value of the properties around my properties, and the value of each city block. Will I become the The Man who casts disparaging remarks at renters and who jumps for joy when genuine owners live in the houses around me? Will I become The Man who walks by the subsidized housing units and think, "Yup, those gotta go. That's prime real estate. Downtown really ought to expand and push those suckers out in favor of high-end retail and condominiums." Will I become The Man who puts different property value tags on people based upon their skin color or the way they dress? Dear God...will I become a Republican?

I suppose as long as I remain uncomfortable with these thoughts, I'll be OK. If ever these thoughts stop disturbing me, then I will know my soul has left me (and I probably won't care). However, I know enough about myself that I cannot truly be The Monk or The Punk (two archetypes about which I could right another essay of comparison and contrast). I enjoy being an active participant in our culture and society too much to run toward the other extreme. As in all things, I will try to take the middle path: participate in this society while expecting and respecting ethnic, cultural, and economic diversity.

Now give me a shovel, I'm digging down into my property and won't stop until I strike lava.

Comments

[blixa23.livejournal.com]

Now give me a shovel, I'm digging down into my property and won't stop until I strike lava.

1. Call before you dig! It's the law. You also don't want to dig through your cable and disable your broadband. krasota will have your testes.
2. Instead of a shovel, consider a gas-powered auger. Thousands of fence post digging professionals can't be wrong.
3. Asbestos is your friend.

You do realize now that owning a parcel of land in Virginia means that you need to register and own a hunting rifle, so that you can chase squirrels and children from your property. Vocally practice this phrase: "GIT OFF MAH LAY-AND!"

[krasota.livejournal.com]

We don't have buried cable here, they sling it across the power lines and hook it in through the rafters. Of course, we're opting for portable broadband. Take that, ya uncivilized line-freak!

[blixa23.livejournal.com]

Of course, we're opting for portable broadband.

Prude U. is working on it. Several 802.11b towers to be set up city-wide.*
Of course, you have to be affiliated w/ them to use it...but if it happens, I kill the DSL account.

So go get your husband a hunting rifle already! Or maybe just a Red Ryder model air rifle w/ compass in the stock.

*a lofty goal, which may not happen anytime soon

[explodingcat.livejournal.com]

I need a crossbow. I actually live inside a "town" in Virginia. Virginia does have an urban archery deer season.

By the way, thanks for the tip. I will call our local Miss Utility line before I dig my hole to China.

Tunes...

[flynnk.livejournal.com]

Dig a whole perpendicular...

Re: Tunes...

[explodingcat.livejournal.com]

I don't want the world, I just want your half.

[lightning-rose.livejournal.com]

One word. Fibre.

[onceupon.livejournal.com]

First, congrats on the home-ownership.

Second, I doubt you'll become a Republican. While property values are prime Republican chat up material, there are too many other aspects of You that are way too liberal.

*says the former president of her Young Republicans club in high school, who has since recovered mightily*

[explodingcat.livejournal.com]

Whew...glad to know I won't be watching Fox News anytime soon.

[tully-monster.livejournal.com]

When we took possession of our house in August two years ago, the first thing I did was go out back and hug my new trees.

I would worry less about property values declining based on who moves into the neighborhood--unless it turns into a war zone overnight. I'd worry more about deflation--and where I live, that's not likely to be a problem.

I think that over all, a neighborhood with a socioeconomically diverse community is likely to be more stable over time and help contribute positively to the city where you live. In Chicago, we lived (as apartment renters) in Rogers Park, which is probably the most diverse neighborhood in Chicago, and it didn't hurt property values any.

[explodingcat.livejournal.com]

I'm fairly confident the value of our house will increase. My city seems to be growing fast and everyone seems to think you cannot go wrong buying a house inside the city. Consequently, there's a lot of buying happening in this city. It doesn't look like demand will decrease anytime soon.

[deyo.livejournal.com]

The purpose of owning property is to allow you to dig a Batcave.

[explodingcat.livejournal.com]

Good idea! The wife and I are currently debating excavation methods...a singularity or C-4.

I wonder if we need a building permit.

[evilcresyluna.livejournal.com]

Now I'm imagining some particularly clever villain in a comic: "Ah-ha! If only I'd thought to check the county permit files earlier, Bruce Wayne would've been mine long ago!"

[explodingcat.livejournal.com]

This is why batman had to dig out his cave surreptitiously with a metal spoon in the middle of the night. Nobody noticed. No permit necessary.

[krasota.livejournal.com]

Oh, come on. You know Alfred was the one wielding the spoon.

[red-frog.livejournal.com]

You'll get over that feeling of being The Man. What you likely won't be able to avoid is suddenly becoming Mr Gardener Guy. I swear it's universal: give any man some land he owns, and he begins tending it. It's very endearing. :)

[explodingcat.livejournal.com]

We'll see. In the past, yards and I have had a rather adversarial relationship. Maybe that will change. If not, I have a Gardener Wife who has big plans for growing stuff.

[lightning-rose.livejournal.com]

When I last owned property with dirt, I had a spouse who vetoed my plans for converting the back yard into a privet maze. Now that I once again own dirt, unencumbered by said spouse, I seem to have lost the urge for a privet maze.

[explodingcat.livejournal.com]

wrong user.

That sounds like a lovely idea. I think I want a giant hedge maze in my front yard between the door and the sidewalk.

[klwalton.livejournal.com]

I am so looking forward to tales of your and krasota's home-ownership :):):):):).

[explodingcat.livejournal.com]

Me too. I always like having stories to tell :)

[nannar.livejournal.com]

So...what happens if you strike Oil instead of Lava?
Won't that put you onto the fast track to republicanhood? hehe

[explodingcat.livejournal.com]

I'll set up a non-profit organization that sells oil at a deeply discounted rate to environment conservationists.

Either that or use alchemy to turn the oil into lava.