#1 - Chris and I found what has to be one of Phoenix's most rad homes. I was quite thrilled with myself for discovering this modern gem. It's currently on the market, so maybe between now and the time we hit retirement we will have saved up enough money to buy it (assuming it's not going to sell for the next 50 years).
#2 - I have been diligently listening to Dave Ramsey's audio cd's on financial peace. Mind you, there are close to 10 cd's so I want to give myself a bit of public praise... even though I've only made it through the first three. But even after minimal exposure to Dave’s southern drawl and motivating success stories, I’m convinced that through smart saving and hardcore budgeting, I will be able to "build my wealth" in no time at all. (My translation: be in a position to buy the ridiculously expensive home above).
Anyhow, it was while I was immersed in a guilty but oh-so pleasurable shopping trip the most unsuspecting thing happened--I got flashed by a mannequin! I absolutely HAD to take a photo. Isn't the point of dressing a mannequin to persuade shoppers to want to buy the clothing? Big miss.
# 3 - Chris recently buzzed his head in an attempt to look like Justin Timberlake (his idea). Apparently this new look (short hair with something of a beard) made him feel like a hard knock because he has been driving like one. THREE tickets this month. Put your hands together for Arizona's most reckless driver! But in all fairness, two of the three were caught by photo radar.
For those of you who are not familiar with photo radar, take this opportunity to fear it... and vote against it, because it will more than likely be introduced to your state sooner or later. Phoenix is thickly speckled with photo radar cameras at intersections, on the freeways, and on random stretches of road. These cameras have sensors that detect traffic violations and will snap photos of the car and its operator when bad behavior is detected. This is commonly known as getting "flashed". And no, it has nothing to do with the mannequin above. Instead, an unpleasantly bright light flashes with each click of the camera. The photos are then sent to the violators with a fat ticket attached.
(The dreaded photo radar camera)
Chris has been the latest "flash victim" and at the rate he's going I'll be able to compile a scrapbook in a week or two. Because he drives my truck which is still registered in Wyoming under my parent's address, they have been the first to call us with the exciting news that we have mail.
After laying our options on the table we realized that we could do one of two things: come clean--just pay the tickets, and expect a fourth ticket for not having registered my truck in Arizona (I don't want to give up my WY plates) and probably die of starvation because we spent our food money on tickets. Or, the alternative--do research and find loopholes in the photo radar system. I chose the latter and this is what I found:
Arizona law states that all complaints and traffic tickets must be personally served before sanctions can be enforced. However, the state, in an attempt to bypass the law, has set up photo radar cameras and simply mails the ticket with a number of other threats (suspension of license, summons, court appearances, etc.) to the violator. Out of fear and ignorance, most people will mail back the required paperwork and pay the fine while naively waiving the states legal requirement to serve them.
However, those who study up on this subject quickly realize that they are under no legal obligation to pay the fines until the ticket has been personally served by a police officer. But because most cops don't have time to run around the city knocking on peoples doors, the charges are dropped after 120 days.
Is it legal? From what I understand (don't hold me to this in court). Is it ethical? That's subjective.
#4 – Chris and I temporarily adopted a stray dog that our next door neighbors rescued. It’s actually a rather uneventful story considering that we didn’t technically “find” the dog and only had her for a few hours, but she was beyond cute, and that’s enough for her to get mentioned.
In short: I kept hearing a dog barking during the night and swore it sounded like it was coming from our back yard. Low and behold—there was a dog in our back yard. Turns out that our neighbors found her on the street and brought her home with the intention to take her to the pound. After Chris and I spoke with them and explained that we were willing to take care of her and find her a home, they passed her off.
She was a miniature pinscher—basically a dwarf version of a doberman, and lucky for her, her stinking cute looks got her in the house. I have never known dogs to be cuddly, but this one was very much so--and sweet. She would jump on my lap, nuzzle her head under my arm, and fall sound asleep. With our hearts melting, Chris and I made her a little nest in our room and put her to bed. Just when we were feeling like the best doggie parents in the world, we realized that we weren't cut out for the job.
Our dog HAD to be held at all times or she would start whimpering and whining. I wasn’t about to let a stray dog on the bed, but I also wasn’t about to spend the night on the floor with her either, so she cried and cried and cried. After a while, the cuteness wore off and her separation anxiety got to be too much for Chris. He did what he could to pacify her till 4 am (I was dead asleep of course), until he couldn’t take it anymore. He eventually gave up on the nest idea and put her outside.
Well, that dumb little dog thought we were abandoning here like her last owner, so she ran away. I was so sad to wake up without our needy dog, but Chris said that he saw her running around Mesa today with another stray. On the bright side, now she knows where to find a bunch of suckers who will let her in, and make her a nest, and feed her bacon if she ever cares to come back. Come back!
I don't have any cute photos of our dog, but this is also a miniature pinscher. They have the striking looks of a doberman but without the attitude and they are always puppy sized!
Oh my gosh, that dog is soo cute! Sad day that she ran away! We just had an architect come and speak to us yesterday who lives in Tuscon, and you would LOVE his stuff. His name is Kevin Howard-look him up!
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