Homeownership and HOAs

I have been a homeowner for several years now, which don't get me wrong, I love. However, I was not completely prepared for life in an HOA. HOA are for some people, but I have come to find out I am not one of them. I do not like paying a monthly fee to cover services which I feel are basic and not worth what I am paying each month.

This weekend I received a letter in the mail from the HOA management company, advising that someone had complained about our 1962 Mercury Comet being parked in the driveway and that the car had made a stain on the driveway. Maybe its my humble upbringing, but a stain on a driveway seems pretty commonplace to me, since you are parking cars there - which do drive on the dirty road and contain various types of different fluids.

Anyway apparently this vehicle and stain are bringing down property value for everyone else. The letter also asked that the vehicle be stored in the garage in the future and to make sure there was something protecting the concrete in the garage from damage from the vehicle.

HOAs may be for some people. They are definitely not for me. This has made me more motivated to find a new house.

Dear inconsiderate man at Taco Time

We patiently waited behind you in line as you chose to hold a conversation through your Bluetooth headset and order simultaneously, thus confusing the lady taking your order. Then after placing our order remarkably fast in comparison to you, we were once again held up by you at the condiment bar. You once again felt that your phone conversation was a priority and made a mess of the condiments, left your iphone in front of the condiments and then glared at us as we waited for you to finish.

Upon settling into our booth and beginning to enjoy our lunch your booming voice once again intruded into our afternoon. This time we had to endure your endless conversations with various individuals as you informed them about a guy named "Joe". Also, your eloquence in dropping the f-bomb multiple times during your conversations for all dinners to hear was more than enough for us to handle.

Thankfully, you then stood up as though you were going to finally exit the restaurant. However, you had to confuse the lady at the counter just one more time as you approached her and asked for bag while you once again were involved in a conversation via your bluetooth headset.

In the future, inconsiderate man, may I suggest that your conduct your "work" phone calls in privacy so that the rest of us do not have to listen to you carry on regarding Joe and your opinions of how many people really should be involved in that project.