Tag: moving

CSGL – Enough with the Allusions

OK, I know I’ve mentioned in at least two blog posts that there were changes a comin’ to my life.   Well, here’s the big reveal – I moved . . . . again.

Yes, that would make the fifth move in four years.

Yes, I am crazy.

So, I am once again living with roommates.   No more pantsless-ness . . . well, unless I’m in my own room.

There are several reasons why this is way better –

  1. No more sleeping with a baseball bat to fend off things that go bump in the night.
  2. No more sleeping mere feet from drug dealers and prostitutes who are only separated from me by a thin piece of glass.
  3. No more sinking suspicions that my room is going to become an inescapable vortex which I will never be able to free myself from the very next time I close myself in it.  (Yes, that is a real fear that came over me while I was sitting home alone one night.)
  4. No more leaving the TV on 20 hours/day just to keep me company.
  5. I live in a house now.  A whole house.  Multiple rooms.  Living room, kitchen, bedroom, etc.  All separated by walls.   It’s astonishing.
  6. I have an instant social life.  (Just add beer.)
  7. I live with a cat now.
  8. I am living with some of the coolest folks, friends I’ve known for years, who I really truly love and respect.

So, there you have it.  Now you know why I have been taking my damn time posting up pictures from my holiday.  I couldn’t find my laptop in the boxes.  I’m slowly digging out from the pile, though.   Hopefully I’ll develop a routine for this new life.   (For example, I went to the gym this morning before work.   Damn that’s weird.)

I think it just was about time to shake it all up all over again.   So I did.

Just sayin’.

So Sleepy – Adjustments to New Life

Every night at the new place, The Rock, I sleep a little better. I’m still freaking tired, though, and I am considering taking a nap under my desk. Just a little one. Just a 20 minute power nap.

Things at The Rock are coming along. Last night I enlisted J4 (he lifts heavy things) to come with me to Tar-jay. I managed to pick up an essential item off of The List. I got a serious shelf unit that’s going to serve as my pantry. The kitchen at The Rock is minuscule, to say the least. There’s just one cupboard. I need more space than that, especially as I am planning to be eating in a lot more. Saving money on food is good, ’cause then I can still go out sometimes. (Out? What’s that?)

Anyway, the shelf was supposed to be on sale for $29.99, but unbeknownst to me, only the black was on sale. Not seeing the black on the shelf, but seeing a chrome one, I figured it made no difference. I was a little bit unnerved when it rang up at $59.99 at the register. So, I brought up the difference, the checker called the manager over, determined that it was the wrong one, found someone who confirmed that they had the right one, did I want it?, yes I did, running to go get the right one out of the back. You can see how this quick little run over to Target quickly devolved into chaos. Well, to my joyous surprise, when the correct shelf was finally brought up to the register, the store manager rang me up, and took an additional 10% off. I saved an additional three dollars! Hooray Target!

The List

The move is complete, and the settling in has begun. Every time I’ve moved (4 times in the last 2.5 years), I’ve purged. That’s what everyone always tells you to do. “Moving is a great opportunity to get rid of stuff!” I don’t know whether I really did it because I thought it was smart or because I was just too damn lazy to move all my stuff, but each time I’ve moved, I’ve gotten rid of a lot of stuff. I lived in the same apartment for almost seven years. I had a lot of stuff accumulated. I moved from there to a roommate situation where there was a full kitchen of stuff, to another situation with even more stuff, and then to another situation with still more stuff. Everyone else already had the stuff, so I got rid of mine. Problem is, now that I live alone, I don’t have any stuff.

That’s not exactly accurate. I have plenty of books. But I can’t bake a casserole in a book!

Between the stuff I don’t have, and the particular storage challenges of The Rock, I’ve started compiling a list. Up to this point, the list has existed on a Napoleon Dynamite magnet note pad on my fridge. This afternoon, I started hunting down items from the list on Amazon, and adding them to a special wish list. I don’t have any intention of going out and buying all this stuff new, except where certain size requirements would make it easier to do so. I’m just using Amazon as an electronic means to track my needs. If anyone wanted to get me something for my apartment, I suppose they could track down the wish list, and have it shipped to me. Better yet, though, if any of my friends out there have some of this stuff lying around, and they’ve been meaning to get rid of it . . .

So here’s The List:

pantry shelf unit

step stool/ladder

towel rack with shelf

kitchen garbage can

silverware insert

small frying pan

can opener

dish washing gloves

ironing board hanger

sauce pan with lid

kitchen floor mat/rug

brownie pan (8 inch square Pyrex)

cookie sheet

teakettle

single shelf spice rack

shower caddy

ice cube trays

adjustable garment rack

glass casserole with lid

soup ladle

So, you know, if you’re reading this, and you have something you’d like to donate, please shoot me an email.

Just sayin’.

Move Complete; Unpacking – Not Even Close

Friday night, I got the keys for my new apartment, affectionately known as The Rock. The Rock is a studio apartment. Here’s the first shot of it from the doorway:
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And the reverse angle:
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And the kitchen:

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Saturday was the big move day. J4, Dub, Jimmy, Ruth, Cat, and Kevin pitched in to help me get it done. With two pickups, an SUV, and two cars, we did it in under two hours. It was the least stressful moving experience of my life.

Here’s what it looks like with all the boxes:

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Jimmy shrink wrapped my dresser for transport:

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Then my new bed was delivered yesterday evening by Mancini’s Sleep World:

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I set up my fountain to help me get some zzzzzzzzzzzzz:

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This morning, Comcast came to hook up the cable and internet:

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And I got some things set up in the kitchen:

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But I still have a long way to go. So many boxes, so little motivation.

I’ve been pretty lonely off and on all day. But at least I was able to pick up some Cheerios earlier. Who can be depressed with Cheerios?

Can I Go Home Now?

Oh wait, I am home.  Sort of.   Today is the day that I get my keys.  I’m working from home so that I can continue to pack.

It seems like every time I pack a box, I realize that there’s more stuff that I haven’t packed that I had forgot about.   Stuff like bathroom stuff.    And so, even though I packed two boxes this morning, I’m no closer to where I need to be.

Anyway . . . . this will all be over soon.

And then the unpacking begins.    Oh brother.

Bed . . . Check

 

I went to Mancini’s Sleep World last night. I purchased a bed which will be delivered to my new place on Saturday. Basically, I’m getting there.If anybody in the East Bay Area is looking for a new mattress, let me know, because if I refer you to the guy who sold me my mattress, I can get a free set of sheets.So, I get my keys on Friday, and Saturday is the big push. I’m going to be doing a Target run on Friday evening for sheets and flatware. Glasses, too.Still so much to do, but it’s all coming in line, I think.

The Plow is Coming

So, this Saturday is moving day, and even though most of my things are packed, I still feel vastly unprepared.

I still don’t have a bed. I didn’t know until this afternoon what I’ll be able to pick up the keys for my place on Friday, so I’ve been holding off on getting the mattress so that I know when I can have it delivered.

I have to call PG&E to have the billing for the electric switched over into my name.

I have to call to get an appointment to have the internet hooked up.

I don’t have any forks or spoons.

I think I need a shower curtain.

Aaahhhhh – it’s all too much. I’m totally freaking out.