zman13

The Paramount Summer Classic Film Series schedule is out! http://www.austintheatre.org/film/classic-film-series/

White Sands will be fun if they are up for dune sledding. You can bring your own or rent sleds. Arrive when they open cause it's hot as fuck in the afternoon.

Mostly through this non-fiction history of factories. Really interesting insights into how something so prevalent today is barely 300 years old. Goes into the beginnings in England, the advances in the US and how the idea of factories made it's way to the Soviet Union and other areas.

All hail the rain overlords for their generous gift. Allergy forecast for tomorrow:

Was hoping the scattered rain would knock down the oak more

At least oak is eased off

Everything sucks today

Stupid grass

This chart shows my level of unhappiness in Austin

Grass is still kicking ass

Added Wild Bubba's burgers in Elroy.

And they are back

Good recommendations. All three books are really enjoyable. A great overview of the atmosphere, the people, politics and egos.

Definitely second checking the comparables and calendar. Have two investment properties that rent as short term rentals. Some thoughts: - Target market - which type of guests do you want to attract? Bachelor parties? Families? That will help you decorate and market the property and plan for a deposit to cover damages - City legislation - are there any restrictions on short term rentals? - Cleaning - assuming you are not cleaning it, plan for a primary cleaner, a backup and a backup to the backup. This may be the most important piece of advice. - Maintenance - how many toilets do you want to unclog? How many walls do you want to touch-up? I believe everyone has a sweet spot for do it yourself vs pay someone else. Be honest about what you enjoy vs don't enjoy - Availability - the short term rental services (AirBNB, VRBO, etc.) will rank your house higher if you respond quickly to guest inquiries. Some guests will also require a lot of hand-holding and help. Be ready for lots of communication. Guests will be confused by the door locks, the coffee maker, want advice on restaurants, directions to the house again - Stocking the house - plan to buy more pillows, blankets, sheets, etc than you would ever consider reasonable. - Quick fixes - Sometimes you have to go by the house to fix something quickly for a guest. Or drop off something. If you are close by and have flexibility, it's easy to do yourself. If not, consider making a deal with the cleaners or someone who is available for last minute errands - Guest screening - Your life will be easier if you turn down some guests. There are guests that will trash the property, ruin furniture and carpets and deny everything. You'll start learning quickly to spot red flags - Replacement - plan to replace stained towels, sheets and washclothes pretty frequently. We replace at least one towel every two weeks

The electric utility spends all their money paying off dept instead of maintaining the electrical grid. They also give free electricity to all the cities and aren't that great on collecting on debts. They have been raising rates for years to pay off the debts, so residents cut back more and more on their usage.

Important advice:

So Leslie Pool is upset about the tax rebate agreement the city has with the Domain: https://communityimpact.com/austin/central-austin/city-county/2018/04/10/austin-city-council-member-auditors-report-on-the-domain-agreement-justifies-the-city-backing-out-early/ The article indirectly says that the Domain is complying with the agreement. So I guess she's upset that the agreement wasn't as details as it should be (a valid concern) but also wants the city to back out early, which seems idiotic. Here's the report. I don't see anything in the report that justifies backing out of the deal: http://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Auditor/Audit_Reports/Domain_Chapter_380_Agreemment_AS18102_March_2018.pdf So if the city backs out, the Domain can easily sue and win, using the city's own report to show compliance.

Finished it a few days ago. Really good book on the Donner party and goes into the details about the decisions they made, the advice the listened to/ignored, the arguments they had about which path to follow. Amazing how much they endured on their journey across the country and it ends in disaster because of a few bad choices at the end.

What are the thoughts on Navarre Beach?

http://www.vulture.com/2018/04/atlanta-donald-glover-teddy-perkins-backstory.html

If you have kids, this site makes it easy to find opportunities: https://www.generationserve.org/