An Update...Houses, Writing, and Oprah...Oh My!

I'm going to have to start labeling these posts Monday Update, Tuesday Update, etc because it seems I don't write much content of substance lately, just quick updates whenever I have the opportunity.  Here's what I've been up to lately...

• We will make an offer on home #5 today.  I swear we have looked at dozens and dozens of properties but it is like swimming with the sharks--we make an offer and an investor (and there are LOTS of investors looking at cheap Vegas property these days) swoops in and makes a slightly higher but all cash offer and "poof" our deal is off the table.  The property we have settled on is one that we looked at three times so hubby figures that is the one we were probably meant to have.  There's an equal number of positives (big bedrooms, really clean, high ceilings, great parking, granite counter tops) and negatives (further from the Strip, weirdly shaped living room, near a busy road) but I think we can live with the negatives because we don't plan to live there very long, maybe a few years until prices rise then we can sell it for a profit and move to something better if we decide to stay in Las Vegas.  If nothing else it is super cheap ($70k) so we could always use it for a rental.  We'll see what happens. I won't believe we have actually got a house here until the moving van pulls up and we unload all of our stuff!
• I am loving all there is to do in Las Vegas.  Yesterday I went to a Ron Paul Rally (I love Ron Paul!) which was exciting.  This weekend we are going to the national police K-9 trials (which is free) and we may spring for the $20 tickets to the national Pro Bull Rider finals which will be here next weekend.  We have found an awesome $7.99 complete steak dinner special, have enjoyed lots of free buffets compliments of hubby's poker playing, and relatives come and go from this city like it is next door to where they live instead of across the country so we have been seeing lots of people we haven't seen in ages which has been fun.
• I still need to make some money.  I haven't really needed money since we have been traveling and there is nothing to buy that we can take with us but now there are a few material items I would like but simply don't have the money for so unless I get some sort of income coming in, I will be relegated to enjoying all of the old stuff I have been carting around in my backpack for almost a year.  I have an idea for a business which I may start here.  A job would be a last resort.
• Speaking of money, I have started working on my book again.  I was going full force on it last year but got lazy and didn't look at it for months.  Then I thought about the whole process of getting it published and again, got kind of demoralized.  Then I read about this girl and it looks like there may be a light at the end of the tunnel.  Plus it seems like every time I turn on the TV Oprah is on there saying "find your calling!" and I know that writing is my calling but I just wish it was something else.
• Speaking of money and writing...the internet hasn't been very agreeable with my computer at the place we are staying so each day when hubby goes to play poker I usually go to a nearby library (or a closed Starbucks in the back of the Rio where I can sit and use their wi fi for free) and get all of my online stuff done.  It's kind of odd because I have had internet at my home for years as well as in most of the places we have been staying since we started traveling but by doing it this way, not only am I getting free internet and a nice place to concentrate to do my webs and blogs, but when we get home in the evening I am more or less forced to work on my book because I don't have internet accessable to kill time with.  I am seriously thinking about not having internet at our new house (or cable TV for that matter, I just want to get a digital TV converter box for the basic stations).  Not only will this save us money but I will get a lot more work done this way!