[OnyxCougar]

We bought a house 2 years ago July during the subprime bubble. We financed $210K and now the house is worth $139K. We're about to be in foreclosure and we're looking for apartments. We're not devastated, as some are in our situation, but we're looking at it rather pragmatically. We couldn't afford the house when we got it, the whole situation was messed up to begin with, the builder gave us numbers that changed every time we went in there, the land guy hosed us out of a better piece of land for less money, it was just a mess. We have learned, though, how to do this and how *not* to do this. We'll just move into an apartment until my son is out of high school, then I'm set on going back to school for my degree.

Oh yeah, I finally decided what I want to be when I grow up!! But..let me start with the Czech Republic Story....

I've gotten into the whole family tree thing, and on my British side I've gotten back to early 1700's, but on the other side, I'm stymied in two places. One of those is one set of Great Grandparents.

GGF Jan Koprowski was born in Poland in late 1880s. GGM Marianna Sprc was born in what is now the Czech Republic a year later. GGF moved to the CR and apparently, his father was well off, a hotelier. Her father was a servant in the house. They got together, and she got pregnant. They eventually got married after my great aunt Stefania was born. They had 3 children in the Ostrava area, then Jan moved to the US. Three years later, Marianna and the children followed him, and they had 4 more children in Oklahoma (one of which was my grandmother).

Well, as I was researching all this, I noticed that as soon as I got to the Czech side, the research stopped, altogether. It was frustrating to say the least. I found out that the Czech Republic does not allow their records online, so I was out of luck.

My niece is a flight attendant, and her and my sister take trips overseas once a year on her flight passes, and last year they were going to Prague. I managed to go along, and we spent 7 days in the CR to see the sights and for me to do my research. It was PHENOMENAL!! I'd been to Eatern Europe before (Some of you may remember my Croatia trip) but this was a whole new experience for me. I didn't feel like a tourist, I felt like I was finally home. Everything about it felt right. The people, the places, the food, the "flavor". It felt right. I seriously considered staying. The responsible part of me (I know, who'dve thunk it?) won out and I did come home.

But I came home with a plan. I've always been enamoured with languages, and have self taught myself several languages. Since I learn them easily, what I want to do is to get a degree (preferrably a Masters) in the Czech language and Slavic Studies, and be an interpreter for the govt at the the Prague embassy or teach English at a university in the CR (preferrably the eastern side of the country, near Opava/Ostrava. Either way, I want to live there. That is the new, improved dream.

Arimoose quit the prison and started working at the cable company in a different department, but that didn't work out so well, so he quit a few weeks before Christmas. He hasn't found anything yet, but he's looking every day.

So...that's the reader's digest version. You're mostly caught up.

Told you it's boring. :P