New Year, New Place, New Goals

I moved this past weekend, which was possibly the least painful move I've ever done. Still, there's nothing like navigating icy steps, arms full of a bow and arrow, wine glasses, and a hula hoop to make you take stock of your life.

Anyways, I'm still getting settled, but feel good about this new apartment - with more closet space than I know what to do with (that's a lie, I finally have room for all my clothes), good lighting, and a big front porch with a swing.

It's nice starting off the new year, with a new place to live.  And even though I did goal setting back at the end of December, I've clarified a bit more what I want out of this year, and thus will spend the next 11 months focusing on the following:

1. Working really hard. I love to work. I have for years. It makes me feel productive, it gives me a structure to my schedule, it allows me to be my best self. I also now, have the fortune of having a job I love, one that scares me so much I feel nauseous sometimes, so I know I'm doing something right. I also know if there's one thing I learned in the past year, it's that it's always less scary on the other side. Also, this job I love so dearly is helping to start a business in a developing country... so, there's lots to do. I am not worried about work-life balance (which I think is a myth anyways) right now. Right now, I want to work my butt off.

2. Running in cool places. After completing 3 marathons in the city of brotherly love, I have decided to expand my racing horizons. I am not a very fast runner, so a race is a great way to see a city. It's also a great reason to go somewhere I've never been yet. That being said, I've registered for the Montreal Marathon in September, and am trying to talk all the runners I know into coming with me. So far, I've got 1 other commitment, but it's early yet.  Chris and I are also looking at a wine country half marathon in May, and I'll be on the lookout for some fun races throughout the summer.

3. Making new friends and meaningful connections. Ok, this one is kind of always a focus, because really, what else matters more than human connection? But for the past couple of weeks, I have been saying yes to last minute brunches, clothing swaps, 6 am yoga classes, late night best-friend real-talks, gallery crawls, and hanging out for a beer after work with new friends. And it's so much better than staying home watching Netflix. Spending time alone is good. Giving yourself time for reflection, and relaxation is important. Spending time in situations where you're meeting new people, and making those new connections is really important too.

4. Looking cute while doing it. One of the few things I have control over in my life right now is my physical appearance. And, now that I have all this closet space, I should have no trouble seeing all of my clothes. I really like clothing, and fashion, and have every intention of reflecting that on a daily basis. You don't have to wait for some special occasion to look awesome. Look great on a Wednesday.

So there you have it. 2012 was all about ripping my life apart and 2013 is all about settling back into it. Work, running, relationships, fashion. This is what's important.

All I Want is a Room Somewhere

I moved into my new room this weekend.  And while it will eventually be great, right now it looks like this...

...a storage space with a mattress on the floor.

Anyway, Thread has a press photo shoot tomorrow, and so today my boss told me to dress "nice" and then "cool" and was confused when I told him those were 2 very different things, and which one should it be?

I don't know what to wear, and all of my clothes are in garbage bags.  

A Change Will Do You Good

In the past 3 weeks, nearly every aspect of my life has changed, or will shortly.

To recap:

- I started working full time for Thread, LLC, a social venture I have been with since it was an idea.  In true start up fashion, this means I have been working harder than I ever have, but am essentially unemployed.  Funding is coming, but it takes time, and we want to be sure all the legalities are correct. This means that I have stepped back into a socio-economic status I have not been in since I was a student.

- Being broke, means a whole new lifestyle outside of work.  Luckily, I live in a city where 10 bucks means a night out, and I have adventurous friends who are happy to re-visit places we haven't frequented since being students.  The artist, her boyfriend, and I went out last week and had 3 beers and 30 pierogies for $7.50. God bless Polish Hill.  It also means I've spent a lot more time running, and cooking for myself. (I may start working on a book, which I will entitle "The Start-up Diet".)  Being poor is actually making me healthier.

- My and Chris's landlord raised our rent by 10% this year, despite having done nothing to improve the apartment.  This came after a similar hike last year.  We love the space, but cannot justify the price increase, especially since the place is so expensive to heat and cool. Also, our landlord is largely absent, hard to get a hold of, and takes forever to fix anything. Anyway, this coupled with the fact that Precisely is ready to take on the world of adulthood by living alone, means that I needed to find a new place to live.  It also made me realize, that I am not ready to live alone.  So, at the end of next month, I will be moving to Highland Park.  I'll be renting a room in a house owned by a couple, who have a puppy.  There is also another tenant, who is a pastry chef.  Just to reiterate, I am going to be living with a puppy I don't actually have to take care of and a pastry chef! It's just about the best temporary fix I can think of.

- I also celebrated my 25th birthday! woo! Which I guess means that I can rent cars more cheaply now, so who wants to go on a road trip?

Here's the thing though.  April has brought a lot of unexpected tumultuous change. And while it has certainly come with a TON of uncertainty and A LOT of feelings, I have also never felt more at peace; with myself, with what I am doing, and with the knowledge that things will sort themselves out.

Thoughts While Apartment Searching on Craigslist

2 bedroom in Pittsburgh...oh really?  Pittsburgh?  that's it?  That's as specific as you're going to get?  Well guess what I don't even believe you. There's no way this apartment is even anywhere near Pittsburgh.


This is nice!  Oh my gosh this is so nice!  No wonder, for that much money it better be nice!  WHY DON'T I MAKE A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR?!?!?!  :: reconsiders career in non-profit ::

This is cool, this is nice.  The northside!  Gah!  Why the northside? That might as well be Siberia without a car!  Maybe I should buy a car...


Ew.  floor to floor carpeting.  no.  


This looks promising :: opens listing :: oh no. no way we're living in a building that looks like that.  How did that design ever get approved?  The seventies must have been an awful time...


Hmmm, handyman special.  We could do that.  We're industrious!  And the rent is so cheap!  of course, we've talked about doing a lot of things... and we're really not home much... and I don't really want to spend the time I'm home ripping out tiling... and I always hate painting 5 minutes into the process.




So Precisely and I are moving.  Well, looking to move.  And yes, we have a pretty sweet apartment.  Open, with lots of natural lighting, tons of space, a sweet shared walk-in closet, BUT, we've also had a leaking roof since I moved in.  And it's been patched, but it keeps coming back, leaks spring up in new places, and we're not in college anymore, so a leaky roof is neither romantic or tolerated, and our landlord seems to be less than interested in the maintenance of the roof, and we don't have money to make him an offer for the building... so we're moving.

Anyone know of a 2-3 bedroom apt. opening up in Lawrenceville come May or June???

This is why I Hate Moving.

But didn't I move a month ago? Why yes, actually it was a month and a half ago, which is apparently not enough time for me to unpack all of my worldly possessions. I hate moving for a lot of reasons, one of which is the fact that it uproots your life, processes, and any semblance of organization you may have had, for months.

So it's July 1 tomorrow, which means that rent is due, which means I have to put the rent-check in the mail today. Of course when I go to write the rent check, I find I'm out of checks. Which is fine cause I have extra. Until I realize that's not at all fine because I have no idea where I would have put my extra checks during the move, and I have no idea where they are. Also, I have to catch a bus so that I can get to work like the responsible adult I try to be 76% of the time.

So I tear around the apartment, and dig through the boxes that haven't been unpacked, and bang things around, and shout some expletives, and generally make Precisely probably really glad that he's living with me as he's trying to work in the other room. I do the thing where I think, "If I were me. And I am. Where would I have put those extra checks?" And they weren't in the closet, under the pile of clothes in my room, or in the bathroom/kitchen/behind the bar. I had no idea where they could be.

I was about to resign myself to getting a money order, when I found them literally as I ran out the door. They were in one of those plastic jack-o-laterns used for trick-or-treating at halloween which was under a table in the entry-way. Of course they were. Why didn't I think to look for extra checks in the jack-o-latern in the first place???

I swear, sometimes even I can't begin to fathom how my mind works.

Moved.

I moved this weekend. It was a far less painful experience than I was expecting, but a bit more bitter sweet than I was prepared for. I'm officially living with Precisely, in a 3rd floor loft which I would say has more square footage than we know what to do with, but we're pretty resourceful, so that would be a lie.

So I've left Bloomfield. And the house I've lived in for the past two years. The house we called a "grown-up" house when we first moved in, and where I graduated college, and threw game nights with 30 people, and kissed boys on the front porch after dates, and limped back to after the half marathon, and turned into party central for Love of Friends 4, and survived Snowmygod! It was a great house.

This move also marks the first time in my life since leaving my parents' house that I haven't lived with the Artist. She and I have been through a dorm room, and two apartments, and I can't tell you how strange it was when saying bye at work today and saying "I'll see you tomorrow" instead of "I'll see you at home."

BUT, she's staying in Pittsburgh, which is awesome, and we will be living in adjacent neighborhoods, and really, we've seen each other every day since I've moved out.

So, the new place. I'm so excited you guys! The space is awesome. It needs a little love, and some paint, but Precisely and I can't wait to get started. We've got plans. And when you get 2 Type A's on a project, things will happen. We spent Sunday afternoon drinking champagne and running around the place gesturing wildly, and planning, and speaking at very fast rates. We have a shared google doc going outlining what we need/want for each room, links to inspirational designs, and other miscellaneous ideas.

There's such great natural lighting in this place that while getting ready this morning, I was thrown off by the cheeriness with all the sunlight. And the water pressure! I haven't had good water pressure for the past 2 years y'all! I've missed it. And I've mentioned the shared closet before right? Because this is technically a 3 bedroom place, and we're turning the 3rd bedroom into a shared walk-in closet. And there's a 42" flat screen television, and high speed internet, and cable! And shows like "I didn't know I was pregnant", which omg how does that happen first of all, and how does it happen enough for there to be a show about it!? And there's an awesome kitchen! And a bar! And living at the bottom of this hill is going to make me skinny!

There will be parties, and you'll all be invited.