Exploring Other People’s Homes

With costumes filling the racks, bags of candy piled on the shelves, and dark shows and movies dominating the television stations it is impossible to look around and not realize that Halloween is quickly approaching. I remember when the treats and decorations would just now be getting put out for sale but these days we have been walking by them for weeks. The preparations and time from may have changed but some things have not.

I think back to those nights after school walking up and down the streets of developments thinking about what treats may be hiding behind the door. However, what I remember more are those moments when the doors opened and I could see the recently cleaned entry to the home. It was an interesting evening to peek into the homes of others and see where they lived. What was even better was when we were invited in to the foyer so that we were able to see just a little bit more of the house. It’s interesting to think about those times years later.

As I scroll through the pages on the real estate websites I get that same feeling of peering into the homes of others. Sometimes you see a beautiful home from the outside but one you open the doors, or click on the additional pictures, you can see that someone took great pains to polish a turd. Other times, the outside looks a little run down but the interior is spotless and looks nearly brand new. It is the same experience that I remember having when I was going house to house with my friends on Halloween night.

Things are a little different now both in the digital wall that now exists but also in my perspective. Things are no longer good and bad. Okay, maybe there are a few exceptions to that rule. Most of the time it is either discovering the aspects that we would want in a home or trying to see the potential in the property. It really is a balancing act between what you want to have in a home and what the realistic expectations that we have for our first home.

Of course, sometimes it is fun going through neighborhoods and peering into the homes we will most likely never be able to afford. That is the commonality that has transcended the decades… opening the door and stealing a glance at the homes of others. Some things don’t change.

Beware of Gumby

I want food not my picture taken!

Moseying around the resort on our final morning in Arizona it was a day like any other for everyone there (except the retired gaggle of ladies who arrived early in the morning for what I assume was a means to escape the bother of youngsters). The sun was out, the birds were hopping from tree to tree, and the horses didn’t seem to care what was going on they just wanted to see if I had any food for them. It was just a regular day when I would be heading back home.

Halloween has never really been a big deal to me. I remember growing up and going trick or treating but over the years it has become less and less of an event and, in some instances, more of a nuisance than anything. This year was the first time that I had ever traveled on this particular day and it was quite interesting to see the characters wandering about the airport in Phoenix.

Driving from Wickenburg to Phoenix there was really no sign of the day being different from any other day of the week or year. But when we pulled up to return the car you knew exactly what day it was and that this travel experience was going to be one that would be both interesting and slightly disturbing. Put it this way, the young guy that checked the car had a Batman sweatshirt on…. He would have been a spinning image if Batman fought crime by playing video games all day and never exercising.

As we walked up to the shuttle service to sit down and take care of a few last minute calls before the flight I noticed out of the corned of my eye a giant green mass frightening small children at the Enterprise check in counter… it was a giant Gumby which made me wonder what these kids are thinking as that character hasn’t been relevant for a good twenty years. Regardless, I couldn’t help the thought from passing through my mind, “I’m Gumby, damn it!”

As we headed to the terminal to complete our check in and make our way to our gate the only people who seemed to put any effort into what they were wearing were the TSA officers at the security check in. By the way, can we please standardize the security process at airports in this country? While the broad strokes remain the same the details are what hold up the line (i.e. belt/no belt, watch/no watch/ wallet/no wallet, etc.). I guess this is why it is recommended that you should get to the airport two hours days ahead of time.

Anyway, walking to the gate there were people heading off to all different locations with various accents and outfits indicative of the day. Some make you just wonder what they’re thinking while others make you wonder what they’re parents would think. Thankfully, when we got on the plane everyone around us was in their usual daily attire and by the time we landed we could see the rain and knew that the eclectic residue of the day had quickly washed away before our plane touched down. I guess Philly isn’t a Halloween hot spot.