You're Packed, Right?

Things you may have missed while I've been incommunicado:

• I was hired to teach this summer -yeah!
• They gave us raises for the summer session - yeah!
• Because of the raise, the class size has been doubled - Boo!
• That '2 years' that the university said that I could stay in the University housing? Yeah, well, they meant 2 academic years, not two calendar years. So, they just sent me an email reminding me that I need to be out of the apartment by the end of the month, thanks. Boo!
• So, um. That means I need to find an apartment and move in the next couple of weeks. I guess the pressure will at least get me off my lazy tukus, right? Boo?
• I spent all day today looking for apartments and hunting down managers to open doors. Don’t they want me to look at their apartments? Boo!

• Things I’ve learned today:

• There’s no way I can afford to live in a place anywhere near as nice as the place I live now. I’m going to have to live much further away and pay a whole lot more for a much worse place. Everyone I’ve talked to has told me this, but I really didn’t want to believe. Boo.
• Apartments don’t come with refrigerators anymore. Really? When did this happen? I’ve got to rent a regrigerator now? Boo?
• When they say that they want proof I make three times the monthly rent in salary, it’s hard to explain to management companies where my money comes from exactly: “Well, there’s a little bit from a fellowship, then I’ve got a TAing job, and of course, that pays my tuition, so that’s money, but I don’t see any of it because it goes directly to the university. And of course that varies from term to term, and it’ll be completely different over the summer. Then there’s those side jobs that I do, right? Um. A paycheck stub? Errr… Let me get back to you on that one.”

• After today, there are two possibilities:

• Apartment #1

• Closer to grocery stores and on several big bus lines
• Cheap(er): about the same as what I’m paying now for about half the space.
• Small – basically a studio with a kind of attached kitchenette thing, oh, and a miniature shower/bath seemingly made for a chihuahua.
• Lots of shelves and cabinets
• Old, partially refurbished
• No A/C (very bad for me, as my sweat point is about 77 degrees)

• Apartment #2

• Slightly far away from most major bus lines, but on one good line that goes directly to campus
• Very Pricey – more than I planned of spending, but still doable
• Good size, kitchen, main room and a bedroom
• Really gorgeous view out of the main window.
• A/C, dishwasher, laundry room
• Newer, more refurbished
• Nicer building, keypad lock enterance thingie.

I guess it’s clear which one I like better. I’ve got a couple more places I’m going to look at tomorrow, but I think if they’ll accept my application, I’ll take #2 and try to cut back of other things. Thank goodness I don’t have a car.