The Heat Index

What will Denny Green say this week?

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Larson) — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 23:34:00 +0000

Last week's outburst quickly made it onto YouTube...

I can only imagine what he'll have to say after the Raiders trounced the Cards 22-9 today. OK, the Raiders did pull some sucky moves, just to be fair. But they were still the better team today.

Upgrade.

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Larson) — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 22:48:00 +0000

The new apartment is divine. Perfect. Blissful. I feel so lame now for resigning my lease at the dumpy apartment back at the beginning of the year. The people are so much better at the new place and there are no problems. Neighbors are friendly and polite. There are no ghetto problems like domestic violence and shopping carts all around. I feel like a better person. I can walk tall now living in a better place. It's so worth the extra money we are paying for it! I love it. The gym is great, the pool is wonderful...we're in Heaven, The Man and I.

Rackers is having the Best Week Ever.

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Larson) — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 22:46:00 +0000

That Rackers guy -- you know, the kicker for the Cardinals -- he's having the Best Week Ever. He kicked two field goals for the Cards today, and considering MY Raiders are beating the Cards 22-6 at the moment...it kinda makes the Cards look like a one-man team.

The Heat Index belongs on Placeblogger.com

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Larson) — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 01:10:00 +0000

Too bad it's not launched yet! Read about it on Pynter.org. I suppose I will now have to stalk the site so I don't miss the day it launches. I want to find other cool Phoenix bloggers! Yes, I'm a geek. I know.

It's garage sale time!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Larson) — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 22:53:00 +0000

And I can't wait. I haven't partaken in the joy of a yard sale since I was a little kid. It's been too long, I know! I just can't wait to get rid of all the stuff I don't want and possibly make a little cash as well. Goodbye, mini rota-tiller. Goodbye, grandma's headboard. Goodbye, mom's old clothes. Goodbye to all my old crap!

Just chewed out Toni Mace on the phone.

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Larson) — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 19:24:00 +0000

I told her she was shady and we felt taken for our $100. She said they treat all their applicants the same way. I told her I talked to many complexes since and that they all agreed that nobody should do business like Greenspoint. She said they are thorough. I told her I would be filing a complaint with the BBB. She said I was welcome to. Can't wait!

Meanwhile, I am still waiting on my final approval on the much more fabulous apartment we did find. So far our credit came back fine and they still have my man's rental/ownership history to go through so I'll be getting a call later this afternoon. This place is so nice, it almost makes me want to thank the evil folks at Greenspoint for taking me for a ride. Because if they hadn't, I wouldn't have felt compelled to keep looking for a better place and I wouldn't have found the wonderful apartment I hope to be approved for shortly. But that also doesn't change the fact that Greenspoint is shady. So I will still be calling the BBB. I want my damn $100 back!

Apartment hunting is over.

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Larson) — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 23:25:00 +0000

Now, we wait. I have finally found the coolest apartment available in Phoenix and am waiting on approval from the management. It is hard not to stare at my phone right now.

We have looked everywhere and I've learned a few things. Apartments downtown carry a hefty price tag. The one for rent across the street from The Peak was renting for $1,100 a month. I should say that was considered a townhouse/condo and had two large master bedrooms to start...I never actually saw it because by the time I called on it, it was rented out.

In the midst of our search, which has been going on for a couple months, we have noticed the trend of painting apartment complexes a wide variety of anything-but-white which can most often be described as "cat vomit." My apartment is now such an amalgamation of colors and it's just hideous. Good taste has definitely gone out the window in the Phoenix metro area as far as apartments are concerned. As my building became approximately six new colors, (grey, cat vomit light, cat vomit dark, dirty off-white, evergreen and brown) we endured a horrible three-week ordeal with Toni Mace at the Greenspoint apartments.

Like any idiot couple on the search for their new home, we were excited to see the Greenspoint. I liked the white buildings, green awnings and nice landscaping. They have since began repainting a garish combo of dark grey, evergreen and something else... But we found a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment for $900 a month there and put down $100 on site because we really liked it. It wasn't all that, but we were looking at a two bedroom at this point because it was the only way to get decent square footage. We figured it would be nice to have a guestroom/office for me. (Jon is disturbed by my working at home. I grew up in a home office, so I do my best but it's the only life I know).

Toni Mace took our $100 deposit and told us it was refundable within 72 hours. She then proceeded to take THREE WEEKS to approve us. All along the way she demanded that Jon and I obtain documents it was her job to obtain like Jon's mortgage history. She even told us to spend $20 to get it faxed to her, which we didn't do, thank goodness. She even made me get the number to the apartment complex Jon lived in while he stayed briefly in Wisconsin. All Jon did was look it up online in about one minute's time, which Toni was too lazy to do. Everything she made us obtain should have been on Jon's credit report. I have told this story to someone at every other apartment complex we have looked at and they are amazed Toni went so far. They just shook their heads at how long it took and how Toni should have just used our credit reports to get the information. So I'll soon be making a complaint to the Better Business Bureau about that.

After it was all over, Toni said I didn't have ENOUGH rental history and so we would need to throw down an extra $884 to get into the apartment, making our deposit total on move-in a whopping $1,470! (I'm off a couple dollars and cents but you get the idea). Excuse me? You want me to put down $1,400 just to move into an apartment? In Phoenix? Come on now, this isn't the San Francisco Bay Area. So we walked away. By the way, I have been renting for the last 16 months. No other complex has asked for more rental history than 6 months or a year.

I was going to give up and keep living in my dumpy apartment I hate for another six months at that point. It may be dumpy, but it's cheap and I was beginning to be seduced by all the money I could save in six months. Then the complex left me a notice about my lease being up and they are raising my monthly rent by about $90. What!? Just because you painted the dump to look worse with that cat vomit color? Now I'd love to save the cash, believe me -- I am the cheapest person alive after my boyfriend and father of course. But I'm not putting up with a rent hike like that for a place where I have to call 911 almost every weekend because my neighbor beats his wife and vice versa. I am not putting up with that when the complex gym hasn't worked in THREE YEARS! And that's just the beginning. My complex is shady beyond belief. The only reason why I chose it in the first place is because I needed a place to live immediately. And I was on a serious budget. They approved me fast and it was $150 to move in and I moved in a couple days after I first saw the place. I was also grieving my mom's death at the time and wasn't in my right mind. It was the any-port-in-a-storm apartment and I have stayed too long. At the beginning of the year when my lease was up, I resigned because I had no idea where I wanted to go and I was too busy working 2+ jobs to look around. So I mistakenly stayed. I didn't know it would get this bad!

So the search took me through some pretty skeevy properties. I didn't know it was this bad around here. I saw the Ville Encanto at Thunderbird and 44th Street. Ew. Yuck. Their apartments were like tombs and lacked serious lighting and windows. I pointed out to the leasing agent every dent I saw in the walls and she acted like she'd never seen them before. Ironically, she used to work at my current complex. So she basically had the "nothing's wrong with this dump" act down pat. Nice lady, but full of it. Oh, and this complex had no baseboards. NONE. It was very strange looking and cheap and practically identital to my place -- just without baseboards and the latest edition of aging Hotpoint appliances from 1978. Seriously, I grew up with those in the 80's and can't believe they are still in use. Yes, I know, Hotpoint is still around. But these were the very Hotpoint appliances my mom used when I was growing up. Very bad. My stove at my current complex actually ignited one day because the coil wore out. Very scary.

After Villa Encanto was the much better Paradise Trails around Tatum and Paradise Village Parkway. I stumbled upon it. Another $1,400 deposit! And no patios. None. Instead, they offer "sunrooms" which amount to extra square footage that can be used for a desk. I was still thinking about having an office of my own in the apartment so this was actually an exciting prospect. It was the most decent thing I found around PV Mall, I must say. But again, the price was wrong!

So we've finally found a good place and I'm waiting on approval. It's brand new and has every feature we could ever want, including a full-size kitchen with faux granite countertops and cabinets that match my maple Denmarket furniture. The place also pipes in The Peak on every speaker in the office and pool area, so I took that as a sign it was the right place. (The Peak is where I work). I just hope they don't tack on extra money to our move-in fee of $800 (which includes all deposits, pro-rated rent and the pet deposit with $300 of it refundable when we move out). After all our experiences since the evil Greenspoint, I see tacking on crazy deposit fees is the norm around here now. Man, a few years back there were "free rent" signs on every apartment complex. It was like you couldn't give them away. I guess with housing prices going up, apartment living is where it's at. It seems to be the only place where it's at. No one can afford to buy a home, so they are streaming to these things that are going condo and I don't think those start at anything less than $160 at the lowest -- that being the Taos at Paradise Village Parkway and Tatum.

Jon and I would like to own a home -- someday. For right now, I'm going to fight like hell to get into this good apartment I found and I should probably sign the damn longest lease I can so I can be assured the prices don't get jacked on me in just a year's time. If I can sign a 15-month-lease at this point, maybe I should. My rent has risen over $100/month in just over a year.

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Larson) — Sun, 10 Sep 2006 04:25:00 +0000

You can also visit my donation page! I don't care how you donate, just donate! And join the walk too. We want not just donations, but tons of participation this year. It will be a feel-good time!

The proper procedure for driving in a storm when traffic lights are out

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Larson) — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 03:51:00 +0000

I am getting really frustrated here, people. When the traffic lights are out during a storm, you first of all are required by law to STOP. Yes, you must stop at the traffic light. Just because the light is out does not mean you get to blow through the intersection. A dark traffic light does not in any way translate to "green." That said, the next thing you must do is wait. TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC DO NOT GO AT ONCE! Hello? What is wrong with people out here? It goes around to the right. The lanes to your right go, then the lanes to the right of them go, then the lanes to the right of them go and THEN YOU GET TO GO. ONE DIRECTION OF TRAFFIC AT A TIME GETS TO GO, and the right of way goes according to THE RIGHT. That would be counter-clockwise for you idiot Arizonans. No wonder I pay so damn much for auto insurance here!

I got my picture taken at 40th Street and Bell!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Larson) — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 01:15:00 +0000

How many times do I have to do this? This is my second ticket at that intersection since I've lived in the fabulous (lol) 85032 neighborhood in six years. Why? Not because I am a red-light runner, because I am not. I never gun it when the light turns yellow because I have lived here too long and I know that's a sure way to die or incur minor-to-major injuries because of other idiots who habitually run red lights. And considering how many people don't have auto insurance, I don't want to play that game.

I was driving to work Friday night, going 45 and hit the intersection as the light turned yellow. It turned red immediately, not even giving me a chance to clear the intersection and the flashbulbs went off. I know I do not deserve the ticket that will surely arrive soon in the mail. I was going too fast to stop right then and there because I was literally AT the intersection going 45 mph. There were no cars in front of me and at any other light I would have had plenty of time to clear that intersection. What I am saying here is that the intersection is rigged to give out tickets so the city makes money. Which I refuse to let happen. I plan to fight the ticket the best way I know how.

I am told you find out when your court date is, then reschedule it on a day your officer can't make it to court, and you're free. I am not spending 4 hours and $175 on traffic school. I can't afford the money or the time as a freelance writer and disc jockey, I work almost 7 days a week. Time is at a premium in my life. But more than that, it is the principle of me not even deserving that ticket. If I ran it, I wouldn't fight it. But I didn't run a red light! I was crossing an intersection as the light turned yellow and then red about two whole seconds later. That should not cost me $175. It's rigged. I am going to fight back and I am going to enjoy every minute of it.

Two words I never thought I'd say:

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Larson) — Mon, 14 Aug 2006 00:46:00 +0000

Go Cardinals! I know how weird that sounds from someone who has lived here a total of 16 years and remains a Raider fan, but I think I caught the fever that is running rampant this weekend throughout the Valley. Between the fabulous new stadium and the hot team as well as the win against the Steelers yesterday, everyone is suddenly a Cardinals fan. Everywhere I went yesterday, people were talking about the Cardinals! Did that quarterback ever get signed?

Metro Bus alert!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Larson) — Mon, 14 Aug 2006 00:38:00 +0000

This is so funny! I meant to blog a week ago about seeing a broken-down Metro bus at 12th Street and Bethany Home Rd. after midnight last Saturday night, but I forgot. You know how I love to make fun of the omnipresent broken-down Metro buses! I was reminded of the bus last night at 16th Street and Bethany Home Rd. again after midnight when another broken-down Metro bus was being towed from there! Why can’t Valley Metro keep their buses running and is the Central corridor of Bethany Home Rd. where they go to die? Is Bethany Home Rd. really that bad of a place? It is turning into a Valley Metro graveyard every Saturday night!

Metro Bus alert! +

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Larson) — Mon, 14 Aug 2006 00:38:00 +0000

Booing Barry Bonds is great fun!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Larson) — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 20:16:00 +0000

The staff of 98-7 The Peak enjoyed the company suite last night at Chase Field. It's been a long time since I've been to a Giants game either here or in SF, and let me tell you something, D-backs fans are a quiet bunch any and every game. They aren't like Mets fans, they aren't like Giants fans, they are just not like traditional baseball fans. They are quiet, they show up late to the games, and I just have always attributed it to the fact that we aren't experienced baseball fans here. We didn't always have an MLB team, so Arizonans are still learning how to be proper baseball fans. I don't even think we have a real heckler yet. But last night walking away from the ballpark, I did enjoy a saxophonist on the street, which was very "city" for Phoenix.

Last night, the usually-quiet D-backs fans became rather vocal when Barry Bonds stepped up to the mound. That was the best part of the game -- everybody booing. It was this huge boo you had to be able to hear all the way to Alice Cooperstown. It seemed to work too, as Bonds and his squeaky girly voice didn't get a hit. The D-backs won and fans celebrated quietly.

It is 103 degrees in downtown Phoenix right now.

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Larson) — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 20:27:00 +0000

That website went down fast!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Larson) — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 20:25:00 +0000

To recap Friday's activities, we found out serial shooter suspect Dale Hausner had a website. As you can see, you can no longer surf it. It was still up at 3pm Friday when I showed it to Steve Douglas here at the Peak, but it was down later in the evening when I was showing a friend. But I have posted his phone number here just for fun. Look below!

The serial shooter suspect's phone number and e-mail address

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Larson) — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 20:27:00 +0000

Oh yes, it's online! Dale Hausner has his phone number listed on his website as 602-299-6512. His e-mail is listed as hausnerboxer@aol.com. Spam him! Have fun! Screw the "innocent until proven guilty" stuff. Spare me. Every police chief in town has gone on CNN to say they are sure these two guys arrested today are definitely the right guys. And our community has been terrorized for a year. People died.

Serial shooter creepiness!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Larson) — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 18:56:00 +0000

Apparently, serial shooter suspect Dale Hausner has quite a bit of experience "shooting people." He's a professional photographer. He even does weddings! I just heard through the grapevine about his website, so I went there and I see a friend in one of his photos. I am not naming names. That's just creepy and further proof that Phoenix really is the biggest small town ever. Here's the creepy vermin's website.

Mildly funny Ikeaisms

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Larson) — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 20:32:00 +0000

I really do love the Ikea we've got here. But only on weekdays, if you know what I mean. We're playing thier commercials on the Peak, and it cracks me up every time that the guy can't pronounce "Tempe." He says it "tempeh," which isn't a city at all but a fermented soy product I eat because I'm vegan.

This Ikea commercial is slightly funny. I'm only posting it because I'm sure you'll appreciate the striptease.

Well, this shouldn't be a surprise

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Larson) — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 20:56:00 +0000

But the Mandala Tea Room is closed until after Labor Day. So tragic. I'll be eating at Green Restaurant at Scottsdale and McKellips until the end of time anyway. Before you wonder why I'm still on the Mandala Tea Room mailing list despite the fact that I hate their food, let me reiterate that I did enjoy their tea. The place is good for beverages ONLY. Here's what came in the newsletter today:

"Mandala Tearoom's doors will be temporarily closed for the
remainder of the summer season.

No worries, the tearoom will re-open after the Labor Day
Holiday on Tuesday, September 5th - Renewed, Revived and
Better than Ever!

Thanks to all you who supported Mandala for the premier
weekend brunches. We are proud to be the only vegan organic
brunch spot in the valley and look forward to continued
success.

In the meantime, take advantage of these Mandala events:

Dr. Kären van der Veer's 11 Steps to Health Workshop.
Date: Sunday August, 6
Time: 3:30-5:30pm
Cost: $28 per person or $50 per couple
A foundational, motivational plan towards greater health.
11 crucial elements to increase physical, mental and
spiritual health based on a nutritional life support
program.

The Mandala Apothecary's organic beauty boutique and
healing spa will remain open for business during August
from 11am-7pm Tues-Sat.

The healing spa offers organic facials, 5 Element Massage,
Naturopathic Medicine, Nutritional Counseling, Acupuncture
and much more..."

Look, I'm hard core. I live here year-round. I wish the damn art galleries were open year-round...

Today's Urband Legend: Where Does Stevie Nicks Live?

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Larson) — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 19:43:00 +0000

So I throw it out on the air today knowing full well that Stevie Nicks lives in Paradise Valley somewhere...but where exactly does she live? The first caller says she lives at Arcadia and Camelback Road in the big brick house on the NW corner...which she knows because a friend of a friend of a friend delivered a motorcycle there. Yeah... Then some guy calls to say 32nd Street and Lincoln on a cul-de-sac in a valley there... OK. The next caller says Stevie lives in a gated community on Yucca Road off Lincoln Drive in Paradise Valley and the guard will never let me in. The next caller says she lives in Finisterre right across from the Campbell Soup estate. And on the legend goes... You know, I never hear of Stevie sightings around here. But I hear plenty about Jenna Jameson shopping at Fashion Square!

Go watch my friend John Janezic perform his funny stuff.

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Larson) — Sun, 30 Jul 2006 23:10:00 +0000

John works on the air with me at The Peak. His day job (and we all have those silly things) is teaching kids. Yay! But John moonlights as a comic in his spare time...when he's not on the air at The Peak with the rest of us, of course. Check him out!

He's perfoming at Big Daddy's North on Saturday, August 19 at 8pm. Tickets are $5 or $15 for VIP.

On the air tonight

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Larson) — Sun, 30 Jul 2006 06:53:00 +0000

I've been on the air tonight and had an amusing call about killing rattlesnakes. "Bill from Desert Hills" called to say he beat a rattler over the head with a shovel and killed it. Then a caller who said he was a herbatologist called to say that killing rattlers is illegal and there is a fine for it. Who knew? So I asked the herbatologist what you are supposed to do if there's a rattler on your property. He says you call 911 and have the fire department come out and get the snake for you so they can release it somewhere. Personally, I'd shoot it. I may be a vegan, but I've lived here long enough to know not to mess with the poisonous creatures, of which there are many. If it can kill me, I can kill it in self defense. Bill called later to say that he had to defend his kids and his German shepard, which I totally agree with.

CURRENT TEMP IS 88 DEGREES!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Larson) — Sun, 30 Jul 2006 06:52:00 +0000

After Green...

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Larson) — Sun, 30 Jul 2006 06:46:00 +0000

We went to Martini Ranch. This kid with a Dave Matthews vibe, barefoot and in ripped jeans, was playing accoustic guitar to warm up for The Chadwicks. His name was Bobby St. Vincent and he was great! Loved him! Martini Ranch was fun and The Chadwicks were great. I'd like to hear some original stuff of theirs on a demo...that would be cool. Till then, I'll check out this MySpace page.