04 May 2005

Unrelated dispatches

We're a few days into May and I'm still wearing a jacket around. I'm used to late April and May being the best months of the year in DC, with warm days, mild evenings, and low bugs. In fact, it'd be great if weather in DC between May and September was 75 to 80 degrees with low humidity all the time. Of course, then it would be southern California.

Tomorrow's Cinco de Mayo, the day when Americans everywhere stop to reflect on the amazing victory of an outnumbered and under-equipped Mexican militia over the French. Yes, the Battle of Puebla is a story that will be retold up and down 18th Street tomorrow.

I have been reading recent novels lately. Mired in my dissertation, it's been a long time since I've been able to read anything of my own choosing. It's refreshing and it reminds me of why I began studying literature in the first place. Unfortunately, it's back to the dissertation next week. Still, in many ways this glimpse of freedom has inspired me to complete this hulking albatross and get my life back. Onward then once more unto the breach.

For the last few years they were building a condo complex behind our house. They sold these unfinished concrete boxes for somewhere around $550K for a 2 bedroom. Sounds like there's great housing demand, right? Well, yes, but a lot of that demand is from investors who are just looking to buy the place and turn it immediately for a nifty profit. Nothing wrong with that, except it gets dangerous when too many sales are investor sales, because it artificially drives up prices and can create a bubble. Keep in mind this building is almost brand new -- from my backyard I can see five realtor lockboxes dangling off the garage driveway fence, and I know in the front of the building a few more are hanging. I may have to do some more research into this issue.

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