[UCGal]

[quote=sdrealtor]We should make t-shirts:

Down Is The New Up![/quote]
too late.

http://www.zazzle.com/down_is_the_new_up_tshirt-235175468180454629

[UCGal]

There used to be a pool in my backyard. Here’s what I learned by the way my dad did it.

– Get a permit. If not the city will think you have a pool forever. Even with a permit, they will still have it in some of their databases.

– The basic process is drilling big holes in the side and bottom so that it can drain when it rains. Then filling it up with big stuff… In my dad’s case he was also removing some of the old hardscape patio around the pool to get a rectangular (vs kidney shaped) garden. He tossed all the concrete from the patio and coping and the first few feet of the sides of the pool, into the bottom.

– He then got the free mulch from the dump and filled it up… truckful by truckful. He rented a compactor and ran that over it in 8″ lifts. Rinse and repeat over many days.

– Then he put weed killer over the whole thing – since the free mulch has lots of weed seeds. Waited 2 weeks for new sprouts and retreated.

– finally he filled the top 18″ with a combination of clean fill and top soil.

My dad did it DIY style with some hired handyman help for the hauling of the free mulch.

There’s an entire subculture on moving around fill dirt in San Diego. Contractors are always looking for places to get fill dirt, or to dump fill dirt. Craigslist can be your friend if you’re willing to do the work. Make friends with a pool contractor – they are ALWAYS looking for places to dump fill dirt.

[UCGal]

I love how he sites that over 5 years he secured $1M in grants.
In that same period he was compensated $700k in salary and benefits. So net was only $300k.

It reminds me of stories my husband has of when he worked for the Franklin Institute in Philly. They had VP’s who were paid $200k/year. They had to raise $200k/year minimum. In other words – they only had to cover their own salaries.

[UCGal]

Hold stocks longer for longterm cap gains rates? Change careers to be a hedge fund manager so your entire income is taxed at cap gain rates?

[UCGal]

[quote=paramount]Any pics of Dino Park?[/quote]
I don’t have any… but a quick google turned up a few.
http://www.courtconcepts.com/portfolio/index.php?image=6&category=1&page=1

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=92122&hl=en&ll=32.853939,-117.189939&spn=0.004518,0.003535&sll=37.452996,-122.15517&sspn=0.38429,0.452499&t=h&hnear=San+Diego,+California+92122&z=18

(the latter is the satellite view – you can see there’s a canyon that runs on the north and west sides… I suspect that’s the source for the snakes and coyotes.)

It’s a pretty typical neighborhood park. Nothing special. But it does provide an AWESOME place to watch the Miramar Air show. Families set up picnics and chairs and hang out. Very social.

[UCGal]

Doh! I was thinking north county.

Sorry about that. 🙂

[UCGal]

We’ve also seen coyotes loping along in the canyon that is on 2 sides of it. We don’t let our dog off leash because of that.

[UCGal]

[quote=Former SD resident]Again, thank you HLS! We didn’t originally pick BAC, we went through a broker and that’s who we got. Right now I’m getting quotes from Mortgage Capital in LA and Quicken Loans. Do you know of a great broker/bank that will do loans in NC?[/quote]
FSDr
You do know that HLS is a broker. Home Loan Sheldon. I’ve used him, and referred a number of friends to him.

[UCGal]

Dinasaur park is nice – but like Standley – gets overrun with sports. Soccer, baseball, etc.
The parking is fine if there are no sporting events going on – but the lot fills up there are little league games or soccer tournaments. (Just like Standley.)

The one on Stressemann has no parking, but since it isn’t a sports park – that’s less of an issue. It’s called Marcy Park because the Montessori school used to be a Marcy Elementary (a public school).

Good luck with the pregnancy… Hope it’s healthy & happy.

[UCGal]

Paramount – that’s a nice view.

[UCGal]

[quote=walterwhite]3,000? no way! I’d rather spend the money here.[/quote]
No Geisers here.

And I get to show my kids the little 1 room cabin my dad lived in for a summer at Bowman Lake (Glacier National Park) He spent a summer in college working for the NPS clearing trails. No running water, he actually dug the pit toilet there. But a view that was INCREDIBLE. He spoke often of how neat that summer was.

Can’t show them that from here.

[UCGal]

[quote=sdrealtor]I completely get why people would hate it but it is really cool. Better yet, the coolest part is what is inside.

Another thing we loved about Seattle was the architecture. Its got to be an architects dream (or nightmare to have to be that creative) to work up there. That is one of my son’s interests careerwise and he is already trying to design Seattle style buildings on minecraft. He loved the Hammering Man kinetic scuplture as it reminded him of minecraft.

My daughter wouldnt climb on the pig for a picture until we found out the pigs name. Then I couldnt her off her twin sister.[/quote]

Have him talk to some actual architects about the career path and salary potential. It will probably be eye opening.

Specifically have him ask about salary post graduation but before you pass the series of registration exams (typically 5 -10 years after you graduate). It’s pretty much intern level salaries till you can get registered/licensed.

Even then – for a non-owner/partner… the salary caps out much lower than you’d expect. And become an owner/partner requires significant cash investment. My income ceiling as a software engineer is a LOT higher than that of an architect with similar years of experience.

It’s not all designing cool looking buildings. A lot of it is coordinating various groups to retrofit an elevator…. Or working with developers of business parks who want to cut all costs – including your fees.

Even working on the cool big name projects can be pretty much in the weeds. Hubby worked on an airport – but had to spend a lot of time working out the air handling for the food court and how to squeeze in more stalls in the restrooms on the concourse. He worked on stuff for the Franklin Institute when he worked for Venturi, but was paid crap while doing it. And the really cool stuff they expect you to take your pay in glory rather than $$. He turned down a gig to work on Euro Disney because they offered HALF his then salary. They assumed everyone would want to work for Disney, so they didn’t have to pay… and were surprised he turned it down.

Seriously – I am not allowing my sons to consider architecture now that I know about the career path. And my husband is on the same page.

[UCGal]

Definitely sounds like an awesome trip.

I haven’t been inside the EMP – but saw it when it was close to completion several years ago. I was with my husband (an architect) and his college buddy (a partner at a Seattle architecture firm). Lots of discussion about the Frank Gehry design and the local controversy. We concluded it was very cool… despite what the haters say.

(Lots of people hate the building. But like you, I find it stunning.)

[UCGal]

[quote=jwizzle]UCGal – you and I must live in the same neighborhood, since there WAS a shot (actually 2) of the play structures at Standley in the listing for the house I purchased last year. And yes, my first thought was a sarcastic ‘wow, there is a park in the neighborhood… I would never expect that in the suburbs.’ I’m speculating I would have found it even without a picture in the listing. That being said, with a toddler, I do go to the park a lot, so i’m glad it is there and it was a consideration in my purchase.[/quote]
Don’t get me wrong – it’s a nice playground. And the rec center has awesome sports programs for the kids when they get to grade school age. (Little League, soccer, basketball, etc.)
Have you checked out the other parks with playgrounds in south UC? – there’s one on the west end – on Stresseman adjacent to the montesori school, and another on the east end, nicknamed “dinosaur park” – but technically knows as University City Gardens Park, at Governor and Gullstrand. When my kids were toddlers I liked Dinosaur park a lot. And the loop around the play equipment makes for good trike/bike/skooter endless loops.

[UCGal]

I haven’t taken any I’d include in a real estate shot. But I see a lot of listings in my ‘hood showing pictures of the play structures at Standley Park. I guess the realtors don’t think people realize that there are parks with play structures all over San Diego.

Lets see here are some ideas for alternatives:
– Pictures of the jet crash sight from a few years ago.
– Pictures of people eating at Lorna’s Italian food.
– Pictures of the old folks at what used to be called “Leisure Life” and now goes under the various names: La Jolla Del Rey; University City Village; and Town Park Villas. (All the same 55+ community at one time – now three separate owners.)

Good thing I’m not selling. LOL.

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