is the word 'diary' better than the word 'blog'? probably not.
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In Process.
I have a whole slew of partially composed entries written, both in computer files and in my head, and some of them are fairly interesting, but so much is going on right now, it has been difficult to find the time to put anything together.
However� It looks like I may have found an apartment in New York! I applied for it on Saturday, but am not certain I�ll get it, because the landlord could decide to judge me by my current salary and my middling but not terrible credit rating rather than by my salary-to-come and my good personal references. But I spoke to my broker today and he said things looked good, so I should be cautiously optimistic. So you may soon hear of me living in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, in a 2-bedroom apartment newly renovated with all hardwood floors, new appliances, and a tiny bit of exposed brick. And all it takes to get such a thing is a lot of MONEY UP FRONT and WALKING AROUND and looking at a lot of CRAP before you find something good that is in your price range.
I only saw two other good places. One was in Brooklyn Heights, a good location, subway-wise, but it was half the size of the one I am hoping to get, and $300 more per month (which I could probably afford but my goal is to keep the rent at about the level of the apartment I just might get, so I�d have more money for emergencies and for paying down debt). The other is also in Prospect Heights, but its layout just isn�t that good. I think it would end up being a depressing place to live, even though there was really nothing wrong with it. Some places just strike you right away as somewhere you could imagine having a life, other�s don�t. So� keep your fingers crossed that I get the good place!
But if I don�t, I still have plenty of time. I could stay in QB until the end of June if I need to.
But man! It is shameful what some people try to pass off as living spaces in New York City! And what people will pay for those spaces! Man! Woman! Tiny Sasquatch!
On Friday I went to a neighborhood in Brooklyn where I was the only white person I saw the whole time I was there. I always kind of enjoy the experience of being made into a minority, for philosophical and cultural reasons. It�s a good disorientation, etc. However, I could tell that the neighbors and other apartment-viewers in the building did not want whitey moving in. I guess that�s a fair thing to think, if that is what they were thinking. I mean, no matter who I am or what my story is, I can really only be the face of gentrification from the standpoint of those viewing me walking around that neighborhood. And that is bad for anyone except a property owner. So I got back on the subway and went to Prospect Heights, a cute and very mixed neighborhood. I think I like it better than Park Slope, where everyone tends to look like me but with a stroller. Plus my new place, if that�s what it ends up being, is five blocks from the Brooklyn Museum, Botanical Garden, and Prospect Park. And it is sandwiched between a number of subway lines. Living there will mean lots of walking. But that�s what living in New York means in general.
The commute will be slightly long� 40 minutes or so on the subway to Columbus circle, probably. But I don�t have to go in everyday, and often I won�t have to go in or return home during commute times, so it should be manageable. It�s all about trade-offs.
On Friday night, Wendy and I went to see Fountains of Wayne play an in-store performance at the Apple store in Soho. Then Wendy, Chris, and I went and had yummy healthy food at Spring Street Natural. I was really tired from my first demoralizing day of pavement-pounding, so I was relieved when Chris said he was exhausted at 10:45. He and Wendy hopped in a cab to get back over to the West side, and I got on the 6 back to Gramercy. I�ll see Chris again on Wednesday.
In other news, today my new Thirteen Senses CD �Contact� finally came in the mail. The album was released on April 5, and I had been looking forward to it for months, only to learn, come April 5, that it was only released on the other side of the Atlantic from us. So the cheapest I found it for here during the first week was $35. I wasn�t willing to pay that. Then I found one for $24. Still too risky. Then I started bidding on lower-priced ones on eBay being sold from the UK. I kept losing the auctions. Then I finally found a place in the UK selling it for only $15 and not charging me any shipping? No questions were asked by me, not even when today it arrive from Hong Kong.
All I have to say is: it is good!
Also: Heroes finally returns to my television tonight! And then later I go over to Gus�s to watch this week�s Sopranos, which we missed because we were out seeing Spoon last night. It was a good show, in a hot hot venue. By hot I mean I was sweating and not because I was dancing or anything. Anyway, I enjoyed the show very much! But about halfway through my back started hurting a lot, like an old lady�s back, an old lady who just spent two whole days pounding the pavement in Brooklyn and then took the train back, gathered and faxed financial documents, got dressed and went out to yummy Malaysian food and a rock show.
Next weekend I am going NOWHERE. Except maybe out for pancakes.
9:16 p.m. - April 23, 2007
Lola - 2007-04-26 17:44:56
Congratulations on finding a great place! But one question: how did you find the broker?
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jill - 2007-04-30 09:39:07
I lucked out. The broker was in charge of the 4th craigslist apartment I looked at. Then he drove me around all day looking at his other listings. Nice guy. Totally lucky day for me.
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Lola - 2007-05-01 12:53:55
Is it okay to hate you because you lucked out so well? No, I suppose not. But thanks for the tip; and enjoy the Brooklyn digs!
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