Monday, May 19, 2008

dada




My posting here has been getting slower and slower, while the residential listings come faster and faster. An incongruity to be sure. I have a good reason - as seen above. My kid is now 15 months old, and demands more and more attention. I can't, in good conscience, neglect the precious moments of growth and development of my progeny to stoke my own self through regular posting.

So what, beyond the obvious, does dada have to do with the RE market? Why, lots of course (no matter how oblique).

The dictionary provides some congruity (it's saved my butt a few times);
n. A European artistic and literary movement (1916-1923) that flouted conventional aesthetic and cultural values by producing works marked by nonsense, travesty, and incongruity.

dada

1920, from Fr. dada "hobbyhorse," child's nonsense word, selected 1916 by Romanian poet Tristan Tzara, leader of the movement, for its resemblance to meaningless babble.

dada

noun
1. an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk [syn: dad]
2. a nihilistic art movement (especially in painting) that flourished in Europe early in the 20th century; based on irrationality and negation of the accepted laws of beauty
nonsense, travesty, and incongruity - Yes, the marketing nonsense perpetuates a travesty in pricing that is incongruous to the real value of a home.

irrationality and negation of the accepted laws - Hmm, does that not describe the RE market in Vancouver (and indeed, elsewhere)?

meaningless babble - That describes all the hyperbole about mountains, weather, Olympics, "it's different this time, ...here", "the fundamentals are strong", and indeed, a lot of the meaningless babble written on this blog.

nihilistic - Would describe the attitudes of those of us who saw that it was all a bunch of hyped bull crackers.

OK, so that is it about dada.

Now, I find myself wondering if I should wait for another 5 or 10 years for the bottom to buy a home to raise my kid in, or whether I should just save my money, and give it to him to buy a place (or two) for cash, when all of the boomers have died off and there is no one left to buy over-priced real estate.

I dunno, but time will tell.

My postings are much more sparse, and I have struggled with the idea of quitting the blog, but I have decided to keep it going for at least a while longer. It is just starting to get interesting.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

adorable, handsome lil'sol
life is beautiful
:))

Anonymous said...

solipsist,

Take a break when ever you need one. Although, writing and blogging is fun, it also can be tiring, problematic, stressful and interfere in your family life.

I enjoy your posts a breath of fresh air with a twist.

Coco

solipsist said...

Thanks for the kindest of comments Coco and anon.

Quote-of-the-week goes to Alpha_Bear over at vancondo.info - Sell now, or be priced in forever.

Tony Danza said...

Thanks for keeping up the blog Sol, I enjoy your eclectic posts. It would be a shame to lose your voice just as things are about to go to hell in a hand basket. However, there are much more important things in life than bubbles, bears and bulls.

jesse said...

Alpha_Bear's quote is da bomb. Right up there with "I can haz rate cutz!" and "We're all subprime now".

jesse said...

Seems the phrase goes back to early 2006.

Anonymous said...

For me, the decision to buy "soon" despite the insane overpricing, or wait until prices are rational, is looming ever closer. My kid growing up in a rental misses out on a tree fort, nature at the back door, a basement workshop, maybe a dog. What the heck am I going to do? I hate this god damned market full of insane people buying houses at insane prices for insane reasons, most of which boil down to profound stupidity.

Deb said...

great looking kid.
Your cat looks like our new cat. But our cat has to have sunblock on his nose and ears because they are already so pink. How about yours?

Anonymous said...

anonymous 7:34

The cost of owning is 2-3x the cost of renting. Why not upgrade to a decent rental house with backyard trees and all and settle in for a couple years? It will still be less expensive than owning, and your landlord will even keep the lawn mowed for you.

I predict a 50% decline in Van area RE by spring, 2012. Upgrade your rental accom, sit tight for a couple years, and save yourself a couple hundred $K.

Again,
Whybuywhenucanrent?

solipsist said...

the decision to buy...or wait

Well, you've waited this long...

How old is your kid? We had tree forts before we were ten, but the really cool stuff happened after ten.

Buying at what finally seems the top will consign you to years and years and years of being stuck in the same house. It best be what you really want.

Take your kid on a trip with the money you are saving. That will be more memorable that a tree fort.

Buy low.

Thanks deb. He is pretty cool, if I may say so.

The long-tailed cat is goos, no sunscreen. Pink ears/nose contrast nicely with her blue eyes. Our dog actually gets a tan!

Why not upgrade to a decent rental house with backyard trees and all and settle in for a couple years? It will still be less expensive than owning, and your landlord will even keep the lawn mowed for you.

Already there. Have laburnum, forsythia, hibiscus (two varieties), blackberries, roses, 14 varieties of iris, 5 of lilies, catalpa tree, lilac, clematis...

I cut the grass and do most minor repairs, have not had a rent increase for 5 years.

Sweeping 180 degrees mountain and city views to boot.

solipsist said...

tony danza - only too glad to amuse beyond myself.

I...just...can't...quit...

jesse - I'm likes your k-wotez too.

Alpha_Bear said...

Quote-of-the-week goes to Alpha_Bear over at vancondo.info - Sell now, or be priced in forever.

I've been using that statement on various housing bubble forums over the past few years. Nobody seemed to notice it until now. Perhaps the timing is such that now I'm not the only one who sees the impending housing collapse?

solipsist said...

Excellent job on the Blemish and Pittance vid.

Do you mind if I stream it here? (the embed code is there...)

Paul said...

Cute video my baby girl turns 1 June 8th. :)

mohican said...

Cute - my little just turned 1 year old. I don't even remember what life was like without him now.

Paul said...

Ya me too. I can't believe it's been 1 year already. Time flies. Kids are cool! :)

solipsist said...

Well Happy (upcoming) Birthday to wee Paul(ette), and a belated to mini-mohican.

You two kind of belie my excuse for the dearth of posting; you are still current on your blogs. But, but,...

I keep wishing that li'l solipsist will never grow up because he is such a joy, but at the same time look forward to no more soggy diapers, conversations, and reading books more complex than "Maisie's House" and the Bea and Ha-Ha books. It will be nice when he can cut the grass too! Grin.