3rd Times A Charm

That's what I've been told. Actually, I've never been told that, but more like overhead it being used. What does it apply to? And what was its original context? Was it the 3rd time somebody got hitched? The 3rd time caveman attempted to get fire going? The 3rd time Dru moves in 3 months, while living in New York? I'm going with the latter.

In a little under 4 months (September 8th will be 4), I've managed to move apartments 3 times. Yes, I moved yet again on a whim this past weekend. Now before I go any further let me start out by saying that I came home from my last summer Friday to my neighbors that live below me on the 3rd floor moving out of their apartment. I'd been in the space before and really liked the layout of the apartment. It was more evenly distributed between the two rooms, the kitchen and bathroom were bigger and it felt more like an apartment.

Upon discovering their departure, I jumped on the opportunity to switch apartments. That would be moving from the 4th floor of this building to the 3rd floor. I simply needed to get my roommate on board and the landlord's approval. I wasted no time to make my interest in the space apparent and spoke to my landlord immediately. He was Ok with it. Now it was up to my roommate LH to be Ok with the move. For her, the deal would mean more effort than for me. She'd already had the bigger room in our current apartment, she had all the furniture and was comfortable in the arrangement. Me on the other hand, had the smaller rooms living in what felt like a glorified shoe box that just barely fit a twin size mattress and a night stand.

The living quarters were tight and my rent was going up $25 anyways. For a few bucks more each month I could move downstairs and have a MUCH larger room, 3 awesome windows overlooking a blossoming tree and the capability of purchasing a full/queen size bed somewhere down the line. How could I not?

Needless to say, the final arrangements-- after a bit of a debate with the roommate and a stipulation the landlord failed to mention when I first brought up switching was resolved-- we started hauling all our stuff one flight of stairs. By 10 p.m. I was exhausted and drained. I don't recommend wearing flip flops when lugging things up and down a flight of stairs. It can really work a number on your feet (especially if you're flat footed).

I've spend the past two nights in the new apartment and I'm so excited about the space. It's nice to be able to move around and have the option of getting furniture (which I'm still attempting to save for). There is one downside to the room--- it's painted teal from floor to ceiling. Not - I'm OK with this color teal -- it's more like this is nauseating teal. Florida Marlin's teal. Some may call it seafoam green or aqua, but I call it temporary lapse of psychosis by the previous tenant. Why?! Why?! would someone want to paint an entire room that hideous shade of blue/green? It escapes me.

All-in-all, I'm happy and settled in the new place. I'm officially signing the lease this week-- making my transition permanent for a year and I'm calling it home. Now, it's just a matter of sprucing it up for when the family arrives in December for the holiday. This will be my first apartment that I sign for on my own! That's a major accomplishment. No guarantor, no help from the parentals-- just me and my money. Whoat?! (my made up word to mean Whoa! and What?! simultaneously. It's a big deal and it's frickin' sweet to say.

Just be advised that if visiting New York and you need a place to say...I'm gonna have to say that I gotta really like you. Considering the unraveling of recent events where I had someone invariably crashing at my place turned out to be a sour experience-- prompting me to once again reevaluate my generosity with people and become more exclusive about who I want to extend a hand to. Some people, despite how much or how nice you think you're being, take advantage or grow resentful. However, I have not been completely tainted by the experience because while particularly unpleasant-- I haven't lost much from it and have gained back my space. Sometimes you need a wake-up call to realize you may be, becoming someone's doormat. Not me. Not here. I didn't move to New York to fall into the SAME EXACT social scene and context I found myself in while in Gainesville. New beginnings, new experiences-- that's what this blog and my adult life is about 'nough said.