I have been in my new place almost three weeks now, so of course I am all moved in, unpacked and organized! Yeah. Right.
I did have a plan. I had seen some perfect shelves at Goodwill that I imagined holding all my books that are currently still boxed up. They were $30 each, however, so I decided to wait until Thursday March 19th when they would go 50% off. This waiting, however, ended up being a stupid idea because they were gone when I arrived on Thursday.
So I am still without a place to put books.
I also have some collectible stuff that I'd like to get out of boxes....but without shelves to put them on... Well, you see where this is going.
Last Tuesday I finally donated my car. It was a hard day. Turns out I really did love that car. Of course, I got another bit of news on Thursday. A guy at work had been interested in taking the car, fixing it up and using it himself. He told me that I'd be able to use the car for errands during the day. Of course, by then the car was gone. While I still think my plan is a good one, it was tough walking home at the end of the day and seeing my parking space empty. I donated to a pretty good charity that fixes up cars and gives them to struggling families, so I'd like to think that life will still be gotten from that sweet little car that I once owned.
Last weekend was the big reunion with my college friend Gavin and his family. His parents live in Mount Vernon, north of Seattle, so they planned a Saturday trip to Seattle to hang out with me. The day was a lot of fun. Gavin's daughter Bronte is such a sweetheart! She wasn't sure what to make of me at first, but as the day progressed, she seemed to accept me.
Of course, I had to find a way to contribute to her education and that opportunity came when we showed her the International Fountain at the Seattle Center. Her father started wheeling her up the slanted wall surrounding the fountain. As they flew by me, I raised my hands and yelled "Bronte! Hands up!" She threw her hands up with a huge grin! She even did it later on the monorail. Okay, so I didn't teach her to read, but fearless hands up on a roller coaster is important, too! Oh, I also taught her how to put money in a bank!
It was also so great to see Gavin and Lisa. It's been a good ten years since I last saw them at their wedding. Ten years! It really felt like old times, though. We did a lot of catching up (of what we hadn't done over facebook) and of course, visited Gavin's favorite comic book shop at Pike's Place Market.
They're expecting a second child, this one a boy. Of course I asked them if they had decided on a name. Back in college, Gavin was insistent that when he had a son, the name would be Merlin. Gavin's name means "Hawk of Battle" and Merlin means "Son of Hawk". It really is a great name as far as meanings go, but one wonders how a boy with that name would fare on the playground. I was told that Merlin has been vetoed and they're going to name their next child Brenden. That's a name I absolutely love!
The rest of my time has been devoted to getting ready for the upcoming SMC concert. It's only a week away! We're actually meeting Debbie Reynolds on Thursday! I was dismayed to find out that we won't be able to take any pictures WITH her, though we will be able to take pictures OF her. Also, she has offered to autograph everything we give her as a chorus, so I handed over my special edition of Singing in the Rain for her to sign.
I am really excited about the concert, though there are still several lyrics I don't quite have memorized yet. Tonight is our first big chance to run the show. We have an out of town concert in Edmonds. It feels like we're not quite ready, but that's usually when things come together and we have an amazing concert.
I'm still in the trolley song dance number, though it's been a LONG time since we rehearsed the dance as a group. I'm due in Edmonds at 2pm and we've been promised some rehearsal time. It think I'd better end this blog, however, and run over some more lyrics. I don't want to completely rely on our human teleprompter (aka our director Dennis Coleman)!
I just got back from seeing Slumdog Millionaire. Yes, I should have been packing, but at least I got a fair bit of work done.
On Saturday I went and bought myself a bed. My method, like most things in my life of late, was hurried and poorly timed. I had already checked out a store near my soon-to-be-former apartment and decided that I was going to buy a bed there. I could get a regular one for $250. Last Friday I went to a Sleep Country USA store and ended up offending the only guy working there when I told him I was looking for a bed under $300. Apparently the only bed that fit my price range had springs poking me in the back. "Well, you get what you pay for," was what the salesman told me. By then he had lost interest in me. Most likely, I wasn't going to bring him his much desired commission. It would serve him right if I went back there and slapped him with a Julia-Roberts-Pretty-Woman moment, huh?
Maybe someday.
So there I was in the other store - the one where I planned to buy a bed. I had figured I'd better lay down on one just to make sure it was going to work for me. Hell, they let me do it at Sleep Country and that guy didn't even like me! I panicked, though, when I saw that almost all of the beds had been sold. There were still plenty of twin size beds, but I would like my next bed to be a bit bigger!
So I did what I normally do. I slapped down the money without a plan.
My roommate had already told me that his daughter was using his van this weekend. He had also told me that she'd be done with it by Sunday. So when the store told me they'd only hold the bed for 24 hours, I was hopeful that my roommate wouldn't let me down.
He later told me that even if he could get me the van by Sunday, it is already so full of his shit that I probably couldn't get my new purchase in there anyway. So I called UHAUL and reserved a van for today. At the hourly rate, it would only cost me $10. My roommate did promise that he'd help me move the bed into storage where it will sit until moving day next week.
Today, I went to rent the van. Apparently, when you rent at the hourly rate from UHAUL, your hour starts when you start filling out paperwork. By the time we were done, he told me I had 40 minutes! Also, because I opted out of the insurance (hey, I'm a school bus driver - I think I know a little something about driving larger vehicles) they charged me $80 right off the bat. I was told that I would be refunded the remainder after the actual total was calculated when the van was returned. But we all know how quickly refunds are given back. They are definitely much slower than the charges.
I hurried to the store to pick up the bed. Of course, two other customers with furniture purchases had arrived just before me. Their workers had to load three beds into the back of one pickup and a crib into the back of another. The whole time I was eyeing the clock like a student counting down the minutes until the school bell rings.
When I finally got the bed "home", my roommate was nowhere to be found. I later discovered that he'd gone to a gun show in Pullayup and didn't even have the decency to get shot! I would have accepted that excuse rather than "Oh, yeah, I forgot." So I had to move the bed from the van into storage by myself.
Have you ever moved a queen size bed? By yourself? Maybe I should have gotten the twin size...
I got the van back to UHAUL with 5 minutes to spare. I even forgot to top off the tank, but since I had only driven it a total of 3 miles, the guy didn't even notice. Seeing as how they have still technically charged me $80 to rent the damn thing (as of yet, the "refund" is still not there) I don't feel bad about getting away with that.
I did a little more packing today and a lot of throwing away. I think that has been my biggest accomplishment in all this: throwing junk away.
I turned on the Oscars and remembered that I still have two free movie tickets to use before they expire on February 28th. Time is definitely running out. I had been wanting to see the movie Slumdog Millionaire, so I decided to head down the hill to the new theater that charges $10 for a movie. It's not like I'd be paying for it anyway.
I even had a $5 concession stand coupon which I used to buy egg rolls. Can you believe that? You can get egg rolls at the theater. Well, at least I think you can...
The guy behind the register told me it would take ten minutes to "prepare" them. When I told him I would rather get my seat, he told me that they can take your items to the theater for you when they're ready. I told him my theater number and waited for my egg rolls.
And waited.
And waited.
They never did come, but I didn't let that ruin the fantastic movie. Slumdog Millionaire was REALLY great! Dev Patel is cute, too! Not surprisingly, when I turned my phone back on after the movie and sent a text to my friend, he told me that it won the Best Picture Oscar while I was watching it. I really didn't know what to expect with the movie. I knew the general premise, but was unprepared for the crazy life that kid had to live to get where he did. I liked the way the questions on the game show helped tell his life story.
Did I mention that Dev Patel is cute?
After the movie, I went back to the concession stand to inquire about my egg rolls. Though I didn't have a receipt, they believed me and gave me back $5. I guess somewhere in the back my egg rolls had been sitting on a counter somewhere. Or maybe the guy ended up eating them. At least I got my $5 back. Or at least the $5 from the concession coupon...hehehe
Okay, I should now get ready for bed. I still have so much left to do as far as packing. I probably shouldn't have gone to see the movie, but I am glad that I did, anyway.
I really haven't blogged much about my upcoming move. Things have been moving along with it, though I continue to feel trepidation. Am I doing the right thing? My roommate has casually been telling my co-workers that he gives me three months before I come crawling back for my old room. I know - total vote of confidence there.
A couple weeks ago, he kept calling me into his room to show me "better deals" he found on Craigslist. He basically thinks I am making a mistake and is trying to help save me from me, apparently. He is concerned that I made too rash a decision.
This whole mess started with my car tabs. They are due this month and (lucky me) I also have to get an emissions test. Well I thought I'd be smart and get that done early in the month, but my car failed the test. The vehicle speed sensor is malfunctioning. To me, this sounds like an electrical problem, not an emissions problem. Actually, I took the car to a mechanic and he seemed surprised that the failed my car for it, so there ya go.
I discovered that it would take $200 to replace the part, though a mechanic at work said he could do it for 1/2 that, so I was all set to go that route, but then the clutch on my car started having problems shifting. Great. Another problem.
It was around this time (or perhaps it came the next day when the mechanic then quoted the fixing cost around $600) that I started thinking about my goals. One of my goals has always been to get an apartment within walking distance of work. As gas prices have risen I have been more and more imagining a life with an easier commute. There is an apartment complex right across the street from work and I inquired about availability.
I walked out of there $40 lighter having paid the application fee.
That night, they called me back and said I was approved and suddenly I was moving.
Over the past several weeks I have been making plans. Can I survive without a car? Can I get by just using Metro and a bike and my own two feet?
As my roommate continually showed a lack of belief in my ability to make it financially (my rent is going to double) and be able to make it without a car, I've started to doubt myself. Well, more so than usual, anyway.
I sent my parents an email detailing my reasons for the move and got a response back from Dad who 100% backed me on my rationale and choice. That was such a boost! As I look at my options things look less and less bleak. It's going to be a major change, not having a car. But when I look at the benefits and $ I'll save on maintenance and gas, I can't help but rejoice as I look at getting rid of my car. As for the higher rent, I will be taking more of those smaller trips I don't usually take due to my current terrible commute and those add up. I will probably do a lot better at getting closer to 40 hours a week.
My roommate continues to give me that look though. You know, the one that says "boy do I pity you."
Then, yesterday he came to my room and provided yet another memorable moment in the history of my roommate. He informed me that the green blanket on my bed is his daughters and he wants me to make sure I leave it.
I looked at the blanket that Mr and Mrs Bork made for me when I was 9 years old and shook my head. "I've had that blanket since I was nine years old," I told him.
"Are you sure? I could swear that it was my daughter's."
I told him about how the pattern called for a blue color because there are sailboats on the blanket, but since my favorite color is green, the Borks chose that. It was a handmade gift of love that I have treasured for almost 25 years, yet my roommate insists it belongs to his daughter.
Thankfully he gave up his protests and left me alone. I guess I'd better check my bed every night to make sure my special blanket is still there. Or maybe I should hide it! He ain't getting it, that's for DAMN sure!
