By The Wiz
When cooking chicken in a crock pot, your odds of success will be greatly increased if the crock pot is plugged in. I’m just sayin…..
And now for the contest, entitled: Operation Optimism, or Sell Wiz’s House, Already!
Here’s how it works: Leave a comment with your guess as to when the house will be sold. By “sold” I mean a contract is signed by both buyer and seller. I know technically it won’t be considered sold until the home inspection is done, and the closing date is set and passed, with much signing of names, but my main goal right now is a signed contract.
It was listed on May 8. It’s a perfect, perfect house.
OK, then, once all the comments are in, I will (or let’s face it, my husband will) make up a chart of some sort, possibly Excel based, with all the guesses on it. The person with the closest guess wins…..SOMETHING! Let’s say…..$10 at Amazon. (That’s an easy prize to send, and I am nothing if not lazy.) If TWO people are closest, they BOTH get $10. If more than that, we’ll see. It all depends on how much I get for the house, see, and how soon it sells. Once a date is chosen, nobody else can take it. In other words, you can’t all jump on the “June 1st” bandwagon. Although, how cool would that be???
So, leave a comment, pick a date, and with all of you vibing on getting this house sold, the universe HAS to respond. Isn’t that the secret? I love forcing the universe’s hand.
You may also leave a Totally Obvious Life Tip if you wish. I do love those.
I wil leave comments open until the end of Friday. Thank you!
Not only does the crock pot have to be plugged in…it has to be turned ON!
And just because when you do the laundry and fill the wash machine up and load it with soap…it accomplishes nothing if you don’t put clothes in there too! Yep… I’ve done that…twice! I went to transfer the clothes from the washer to the drier and to my surprise there were no clothes there…thought DH was helping…nope, thought I was loosing my mind…yep!
And I vote for the selling of the house to be July 14. I know you wish sooner so I won’t vote later than that, plus thats our anniversary, so maybe it will be good to you!
Comment #1 by JSMay 21st, 2008 at 1:03 pmMy guess is for June 10th (that’s my hubby’s birthday, and our 8th anny!) good luck Wiz!!!
Once when I was about 13, my mom told me to put the meat form the fridge into the crockpot when I got home from school. Totally did it. what she did not tell me was to turn it on. I never lived that down. That was a lot of stinky, wasted beef.
My life tip: If you have to turn around the doorknob on your 2year old’s bedroom door so that an adult can lock her IN so that she cannot escape in the night, make sure you keep a key with you at all times. Otherwise, you, your husband and older brother might end up all locked in little sister’s room as she runs laughing and screeching with joy all around the house while you pick the lock with a screwdriver that is on your husband’s beloved gerber tool.
Comment #2 by mellocelloMay 21st, 2008 at 1:06 pmMy vote for the house: June 2. It could happen. I am nothing if not ridiculously positive.
Obvious life tip: If you’re tired already, you might consider sleeping instead of reading way past midnight. Especially if you start teaching piano at 6:30 the next morning.
Comment #3 by AhnaMay 21st, 2008 at 1:14 pmI vote for July 24. Sorry. I’m not in a very optimistic mood today. And hey, I say if your house sells at all within a year then you’re lucky. The market here has been terrible!
Comment #4 by apple pieMay 21st, 2008 at 1:32 pmI’ll say July 1st. Good luck (to me too)!
Comment #5 by JessicaMay 21st, 2008 at 1:34 pmWho takes piano lessons at 6:30 am? I’m against that kind of thing.
I vote for July 18th. In this market, its difficult to know when a particular house will sell.
My obvious life tip is that you shouldn’t bake chocolate chip cookies with bread flour, because the resulting cookies will suck. I speak from experience.
Comment #6 by Nancy R.May 21st, 2008 at 1:35 pmJune 17th.
Comment #7 by Kelly HMay 21st, 2008 at 1:37 pmHouse: June 20th.
My obvious life tip: Have diapers and wet wipes in Van at ALL times. This helps when 1 yo has a massive blow out and you are 1/2 hour from home, with no change of clothes for either of you!!!!!!!!
Comment #8 by AbbyMay 21st, 2008 at 1:40 pmHouse:June 12th It’s my birthday, so obviously quite the lucky day! :>)
Life Tip: Never be in too big of a hurry to get gas in your car… You can only go so far on fumes. yeah. I know from experience.
Comment #9 by themotherboardMay 21st, 2008 at 1:44 pmJune 13th, since the 12th was taken by the previous poster.
Good luck!
Comment #10 by ColleenMay 21st, 2008 at 1:50 pmLet’s see. . . today is May 21st, so I’ll go with May 22nd! How’s that for optimism???
And do we get to see pics of the said perfect house?
Comment #11 by JamieMay 21st, 2008 at 1:58 pmA lot of June birthdays around here. If I went with mine, it’d be June 4th. But I’ll go with my brother’s, June 24th.
Comment #12 by Susan MMay 21st, 2008 at 2:01 pmAugust 2nd - ’cause I know you’ll be out of town, and the universe just works that way.
Comment #13 by wbprawMay 21st, 2008 at 2:02 pmHmmm…I’ll say August 20th.
Maybe instead of tempting commentors with possible gifts, you should save them and use them to bribe potential house-buyers with.
Life Tip: If you are going to plant grass seeds, kill any weeds with Round-Up BEFORE you put the grass seeds down. Not after. Hear that husband dear? Kill the weeds BEFORE!! Sorry.
Comment #14 by fluffychickyMay 21st, 2008 at 2:03 pmJune 29th. Far enough it’s realistic, close enough it’s optimistic!
Life Tip: Frozen Salmon Fillets must be thawed out before you bake them.
Comment #15 by cherylMay 21st, 2008 at 2:04 pmJuly 4th. Independence Day, baby!
Comment #16 by Tracy MMay 21st, 2008 at 2:11 pmJune 22, as it’s my anniversary. *sell house, SELL*
As for life tips: if you are raising bread dough in the oven in a large, new Tupperware bowl, make sure you make a mental note of that fact. I used to always set my dough in a warm (off) oven in the winter to help it rise. If you don’t make a mental note, you will then set the oven to 425 to make french fries for the kiddos.
Comment #17 by RasJaneMay 21st, 2008 at 2:12 pmTupperware bowls are able to handle many things. 425 degrees Fahrenheit is not one of them.
Since this is Operation Optimism, and it concerns real estate in Utah, I can’t participate.
But I hope everyone else is right.
Comment #18 by SueMay 21st, 2008 at 2:26 pmJune 18th.
Comment #19 by JustRandiMay 21st, 2008 at 2:28 pmObvious Life Tip: Scheduling kid’s activities 30 minutes apart with a 45 minute driving distance in between may not be the way to go.
Jamie - www.utahrealestate.com/797612
fluffychicky - if I thought offering a free Amazon gift card to a buyer would attract more people, I’d do it in a heartbeat! Buy this house, get $10.!!!!!
Sue, party pooper.
Comment #20 by The WizMay 21st, 2008 at 2:35 pmJune 16th
life tip: never give a 4 year old crayons in their room during quiet time with out also giving them paper to color on.
Comment #21 by moddyMay 21st, 2008 at 2:42 pmWiz, the bedding in your master bedroom is beautiful, where did you get it?
Comment #22 by moddyMay 21st, 2008 at 2:44 pmFluffy, I highly recommend Weed B Gone. It worked way better than Roundup (for us) and it didn’t kill our lawn even though I sprayed more grass than weeds, probably
I vote for August 4. And maybe if we sell OUR house by then, we’ll buy your house!
(Don’t hold your breath though, the market here is way worse than in Utah.)
Comment #23 by KrisMay 21st, 2008 at 2:45 pmWhat a lurvely home. If I needed a home in Utah, I would totally buy it. I’ll say July 9.
Comment #24 by bythelbsMay 21st, 2008 at 2:47 pmBedding - Pottery barn. Throw Pillows - Target
Pay no attention to the fact that there are towels on the bed! They were meant to be in the master bath (and they are now) but the tile wasn’t quite ready to be walked on. I didn’t know he was taking the picture with TOWELS on the bed until I saw the listing. Oh well, at least they match.
Comment #25 by The WizMay 21st, 2008 at 2:47 pmAugust 15th. I know that is wayyy not optimistic, but my sister-in-law put her house up in early march and just signed a contract yesterday. So there ya go. That is why the amount of time I chose.
Comment #26 by AprilMay 21st, 2008 at 2:51 pmAugust 7th
Comment #27 by MichelleMay 21st, 2008 at 3:09 pmTotally obvious life tip: When steaming green beans, be sure to put water int he pot underneath the steamer.
Sell date: August 14th
Comment #28 by JanelleMay 21st, 2008 at 3:09 pmGood luck with the listing and all, but DANG! Is that really what homes are going for in SLC these days?
We recently built a similarly-sized and equipped brand-new home for just over half that. Wow.
My mother’s dream of us moving nearer to her has just been crushed.
Comment #29 by Chad TooMay 21st, 2008 at 3:13 pmAugust 8th 8-8-08
Life tip: Never start potty training without a firm plan. i.e. Don’t let your husband give your child the reward of golfing at the “big boy” golf course for only just sitting on the potty. Backtracking with potty training is not pretty.
Comment #30 by ZinkaMay 21st, 2008 at 3:22 pmAugust 1
Obvious tip: Don’t watch slasher movies with your husband the night before he leaves for a week.
Comment #31 by LisaCMay 21st, 2008 at 3:26 pmI’m voting June 5th, my due date!!!
Life lesson: When the plastic wrap in the microwave is making a balloon off the bowl, don’t touch it, you may have one nasty burn afterwards.
Comment #32 by SarahMay 21st, 2008 at 3:46 pmI say July 16. I love the house! Very cute!
Comment #33 by BMay 21st, 2008 at 3:57 pmI say June 27th—then you can go watch Wall-E to celebrate!
Comment #34 by Jill MMay 21st, 2008 at 4:41 pmJuly 5th. I know it’s a Saturday, and a holiday weekend, but it’s my guess anyway.
Tip: Make sure your infant’s nails are clipped very short before you pick him up to breastfeed when he’s screaming and flailing his hands wildly about.
Comment #35 by kaduseyMay 21st, 2008 at 5:01 pmYou all have me ROFL, love the life tips.
Comment #36 by AbbyMay 21st, 2008 at 5:13 pmI’ll take July 3rd, my birthday. All the best
Comment #37 by staceyMay 21st, 2008 at 5:34 pmNovember 20th. Just before Thanksgiving. And what a Thanksgiving it will be!
Life tip: If you’re 8 months pregnant and that little voice in your head says to go by the tire place and have them check the tires before you go out of town (without your husband) listen to the voice. If you don’t you’ll be changing a tire in the middle of nowhere.
Comment #38 by chroniclerMay 21st, 2008 at 5:36 pmHope no one has taken this date yet..
Comment #39 by ValerieMay 21st, 2008 at 5:40 pmAugust 25th. Sometimes right before school starts houses sell.
We’ll see.
June 21st. Many sweet and sappy reasons.
Obvious life tip: Do not try to buy a house from crazy people. They will flip out on you a week before closing.
Less obvious life tip: Cooking microwave popcorn for 20 minutes instead of 2 minutes may not be the best way to enjoy a smoke-free home.
Comment #40 by SallyGirlMay 21st, 2008 at 5:49 pmHaving been house hunting for months now here in Utah, I know things aren’t moving very fast (unless it’s something we look at-there was seriously a house that had been listed for 950+ days that went under contract the day we decided we were interested in it). Sorry, I’m going to be more pessimistic. Let’s say August 15.
And we’re in the wrong area and way too poor to buy your house. Even in Ogden, we’ve found ourselves to be pretty screwed. The house we’re getting inspected tomorrow is basically our last hope-we pray that everything that’s wrong with it isn’t too terrible so we can keep to our contract with it!
Comment #41 by FirebyrdMay 21st, 2008 at 6:01 pmAck, I hadn’t refreshed the comments. I guess August 21, then.
Comment #42 by FirebyrdMay 21st, 2008 at 6:08 pmJuly 12
Comment #43 by BeckyMay 21st, 2008 at 6:18 pmI’m going to go with August 30.
Obvious life tip: Markers and scissors DO NOT mix well with a toddler.
Comment #44 by SusieJMay 21st, 2008 at 6:33 pmAugust 12. Why not?
If you have a premonition that your toddler is going to fall off the bed in the guest room of your s-i-l’s house, AT LEAST move the bedside table out of the way so she doesn’t bust her lip open. On the night before you give birth to number 3.
Just sayin’.
Comment #45 by KerynMay 21st, 2008 at 6:42 pmJuly 16. I have a cousin who is also trying to sell her house in your area, and it’s not going so well so far. Hopefully you will get the perfect buyer sooner rather than later!
Don’t eat cotton candy, ice cream and drink root beer at the Camp Fire skating party, and then go to gymnastics practice later that afternoon. Blue puke, anyone?
Comment #46 by TiffanyMay 21st, 2008 at 6:49 pmI pick August 2nd. My Dad is getting re-married…and it’s my mom’s b-day, and my sis is boycotting the wedding….so the universe could use some good news.
Obvious life tip: When the transgendered he/she in Relief Society cracks open a cold diet Pepsi, keep it in perspective.
Comment #47 by Can't say...yetMay 21st, 2008 at 7:09 pmShoot,I was busy reading the other posts and didn’t refresh before putting my guess up! We’ll go with July 17.
Comment #48 by tiffanyMay 21st, 2008 at 7:11 pmObvious life tip: don’t blog about the winner of American Idol when part of the country has not yet seen it. My brother sucks!
Comment #49 by wbprawMay 21st, 2008 at 7:57 pmI went from Cornell’s blog to this one, so I got to read wbpraw’s rant in stereo. Wow!
Obvious life tip: Don’t tell a woman who is 8 months pregnant that she looks like a beach ball with legs - no matter how much she loves you.
I can pull a date out of my land down under as well as anyone. How about . . . July 22 - in the early evening.
Comment #50 by RayMay 21st, 2008 at 8:09 pmWith the housing market being so baaaad….I’m going to be the pessimistic one….September 2.
Obvious life tip: Make sure your teenager knows that using dish soap in the dishwasher won’t clean your dishes, but it will clean your floors, rugs and the dog lying near by.
Comment #51 by LeanneMay 21st, 2008 at 9:31 pmAugust 22. If your daughter asks if she can use the plunger in the toilet don’t just assume she’s messing around and for sure don’t go tell her to just go and flush the toilet.
Comment #52 by KarlaMay 21st, 2008 at 11:07 pmWow, I’d love to buy your house, but unfortunately there is no way I could ever in my life afford it. Also, I have a house for sale in Beaver. It’s been on the market for almost a year now. So, I hope Heaven smiles upon us this year.
I am going to say your house will sell on July 28th. Good Luck!
Comment #53 by AmyboBamyMay 21st, 2008 at 11:41 pmAugust 28th.
School will be starting. Plus, it’s a Thursday. They’ll see the house on Friday or Saturday, make an offer, and be signing papers on Thursday. Wanna know more? He’ll already be working in Utah, the wife will have come out from Vermont to house hunt for the weekend and she’ll just know the minute she walks in. She always wanted french doors on the dining room. Mark my words, lassie.
Obvious life tip: If you really like finishing that favorite song or NPR program when you pull in the driveway, leave the garage door open or shut off the engine. Don’t leave the car running, shut the garage door, and then fall asleep listening to Regina Spektor. It’s an embarrassing trip to the ER. And no one will believe you have an affinity for living.
Comment #54 by solMay 22nd, 2008 at 12:26 amSeptember 4th.
Always own more than one copy of the key to your car.
Comment #55 by JamiMay 22nd, 2008 at 6:16 amsol-yeah for regina spektor! What’s your favorite song by her?
Comment #56 by mellocelloMay 22nd, 2008 at 6:20 amHard to pick. Her sound is so varied, so it depends on my mood. I do tend to like “That Time” and “Hotel Song” no matter my mood, but they’re all good.
What, no life tip?
Comment #57 by solMay 22nd, 2008 at 7:39 amAh, my life tip was comment #2.
I agree, they are all good. Lately I like “Us” and “Ode to Divorce” from Soviet Kitsch. DH and I love her music sooooo much. He wrote a song about her. At first I was a little miffed (read: jealous). But it’s actually a really good song. and I have to say, I am such a huge fan, that if I could write music I would write a song about her too
Obsessed? youbetcha. Apologies? not a one!
Comment #58 by mellocelloMay 22nd, 2008 at 8:07 amP.s.
sorry for the thread jack.
sol, all I can say is wow. I’m glad you’re not dead.
Comment #59 by The WizMay 22nd, 2008 at 8:31 amSeptember 30.
Don’t back your car out of the garage without opening the garage door first.
Comment #60 by StrollerbladerMay 22nd, 2008 at 9:47 amI say August 28th.
Life tip: My husband’s electric razor has a little sticker on the cord with a picture of scissors cutting the cord, and a big red X through it. I’m SO relieved that they put that on there, because I was just about to do it.
Comment #61 by CrystalMay 22nd, 2008 at 10:33 amSorry Crystal - sol took that one. And I’m very glad you told me about that, because cutting up razors was on my list to do today.
Comment #62 by The WizMay 22nd, 2008 at 11:29 amCystal(61) I was going to say don’t use the electric hair trimmer when there is a little tiny bit of wire exposed. I wish they’d had an idiot tag. It was a shocking experience.
Comment #63 by JamiMay 22nd, 2008 at 11:52 amOctober 17th. Only because I haven’t seen anyone guess in October. I really hope you sell today, or tomorrow, or at least next week.
Life tip: Don’t shut the door to your car unless you absolutely know where your keys are (such as not on the car seat)… plus it’s helpful if your child is with you, not inside the car locked in. Also, if you decide to lock your child in the car (they being too small to get out their carseat and unlock it for you), make sure you don’t do it on a hot day. You just might have the entire fire department in the parking lot at Michael’s helping you.
Comment #64 by AndiMay 22nd, 2008 at 12:39 pmJuly 7th (my one year anniversary!, that’s right, I was a 07-07-07 bride…that has to count for something, right?)
Tip: Make sure when you are finished baking cookies that you actually take the last batch out and move the oven dial to OFF. Take care not to move the dial a centimer past OFF…which happens to be Broil.
There is a video on my blog of my experience with this life tip, complete with hubbie impersonating the Take Home Chef. Who knew he was so funny, right?
Comment #65 by BrittanyMay 22nd, 2008 at 1:02 pmJune 28th.
Comment #66 by Alison WonderlandMay 22nd, 2008 at 2:38 pmLife tip: Don’t expect your husband (or kids for that matter) to just do the dishes with out being asked. Even if they’re piled up out of the sink and on the counter and the table and… and he has to empty one side of sink to warm up some breast milk for the baby. Washing the dishes rather than just adding to the existing piles won’t even occur to him, and realistic expectations are so much easier to live with.
July 1?
Obvious life tip: when you need a pick-me-up, read Mormon Mommy Wars!!!! You ladies are all HILARIOUS!
Comment #67 by AngieMay 22nd, 2008 at 6:54 pm[…] I haven’t forgotten my contest, and the winner is “the motherboard.” Apparently today is her birthday as well, and she says it’s a lucky day. I couldn’t agree more. So, my dear motherboard, go check out your email (I used the one you provided for commenting) for a gift card from Amazon. Add it to your pile of presents. […]
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