beginnings and endings and beginnings

After work, I went to the new house to assist Jeff and Tara in interviewing potential candidates for the 4th bedroom in the house. There was Justen and Blake. Justen was quieter, Blake was more energetic. Both were younger, one had lived with many different people (even in Denmark) and one had not. We talked about it and we all agreed on our choice, so if the references clear....he shall be in! I got a better look at the house and it seems pretty good. Plenty of pantry space.

Being on the other end of the interview process is interesting. Figuring out all the different questions, and what matters in a candidate. It's a pretty big thing, figuring out who you are going to live with. After many years of experience though, you should figure it out. What you are looking for in a home and people to home with. Anyhoo. That was cool. Then Jeff, Tara, Chris (the guy who is moving out) and I went to Discretion Brewing for a quick brewksi. Chris is moving to Portland. It was a really awesome time! I'm a bit sad that Chris is leaving, because I think I would have liked living with him. Really nice dude. Hope he likes Portland. Found out that probably the lady who wrote the Feministory piece I illustrated for Bitch Magazine is a friend of Jeff's. Small world! Anyway. The conversation was fun and Tara and I bonded over mutual love for Spice World. Things should be good.

What can I say about work? I caught some sweatpants, I prepped some screens for discharge ink, I cut out and smoothed down some big magnets that are going on the side of a car that is going to be in a demolition derby, I cleaned squeegees and floodbars. It's always different and changing. I think I've mentioned that that is what I like about my job, but it bears repeating.

All in all, a very good active day. And whee, it is Friday! Fun!

measure twice, protect against scuffs once

It ended up being a short day at work. A job was ran. I coated screens. I activated a new thing of emulsion. Tomorrow there shall be more shirts, so that should be cool.

Nice to have a shorter day though. Had a weird restless night sleep.

I met Jeff (housemate Jeff) to go through a housing agreement contract. I met Chris, who is moving out, which sucks because he was really easy to talk to and was really nice and seemed like he would be a good roomie, but alas he is moving out. So the house will be Jeff, Tara, a forth person yet unknown, and myself. The contract is pretty straightforward "no candles, this is how it goes" type stuff. After I signed it (I start moving in on the 15th, which is awesome because I only pay half a months rent instead of the full kebab) I went to my room and took measurements so that I can measure my existing stuff and figure out how it'll all fit.

I'll need to but some felt for under my bed, and maybe a little rug thing for under my desk/chair as I have wood floors and I don't want to scratch/gouge them (as that will cost me if/when I move out).

So that was thing 1 crossed off my 4 thing to do soon list.

mostly lazy

Got cramps something fierce at work, but making a heat pad out of shirts sent down the dryer helped. Ended up leaving early because I was not feeling up to snuff. Now I'm going to bed at...what is technically a reasonable hour.

Ran shirts. Ran more shirts. Cleaned things. Found no dead half rats. Stopped by Chase Bank and deposited my deposit for the new place. Next up: first months rent.

Did my laundry. Watched Archer.

Damn. Neglected to do thing I needed to do. I've gotten lazy.

well, that went fast

So on Saturday I slept in, and woke up to find an email... or did I return that email in the evening? Anyway, there was an email from someone who saw my post- no it was in the morning- there was an email from someone, Jeff (a different Jeff), saying they had a room and they linked me to their post. And it sounded really neat and up my alley, so I responded, and after my shower and stuff I got a call and we talked about housing basics and stuff and then we set up a time for me to see the place and that was that! So the rest of the day I relaxed and tidied. Then I went to the Live Oak area to see the house. It is in the middle of a neighborhood with lots of other houses and streets upon streets of houses. Very residential. Jeff works with schools and biking things. Tara works as a nurse in Monterey. Wasabi is an oldish cat who lives in the house. The other roommate is moving to Portland as it turns out, so I didn't meet them. The house has a nice back yard, not lawn back yard. More trees and some sculptures and a big bottlebrush tree. And a pear tree. It's nice. The room is smaller than my current room, but the closet is nice. I could make it work. I plan to make it work as Jeff called me today (Sunday) telling me that they talked about it and would like me to live with them! Yay! Anyway to go back to the meeting. We talked and there are house meetings, so that is neat. And it seems close to a different sort of stuff. Not downtown stuff but stuff...stuff. Maybe I'll be biking more! I'll have to do a "Trillian has moved!" card to send to all my correspondents. So the meeting was good (obviously) and I returned home feeling good. Didn't get up to much for the rest of the day. Just took some much needed head space relaxing time. Then I went to bed and stayed in it for a good long while. Sunday came around and I needed food, so I bought food. And bought some naan. Ate an early dinner and got a call from Jeff! Hurray! I have the room! I threw on some fun makeup and drove up to Felton for the Odd Owl show! They were playing at a newish open air venue that is an outdoor stage in someones sorta backyard. Anyway, it was nice. And even though I was running late, I got there with plenty of time. I had a beer at the start and that was that. Had some pizza and sausage later on. Dina was there, and I met a buncha people. I keep forgetting business cards! But they were awesome and played the old hits and some new stuff and they just jammed for a while, which was great to hear. Just a lot of fun and mingling. Dina lent me her jacket. I went around collecting tips. Chatted for a bit but didn't stay too late as I have work in the morning and BREAKING BAD TO WATCH! Wow, what a start to the season! So good.

I've almost got three weeks left in this month, and I aim to relax. I'll start sorting eventually, but I don't even move in till September. It's nice to have that out of the way. And the rent & utilities are almost a full Benjamin cheaper all together. Sweeet.

representing the biz

I called Janet and asked if I could rent the room in her house on Bixby. Well, she also rents the house, but yeah. She agreed, though I need to meet the other roommate first. Though I think we should get along. If Janet liked her, and I like Janet, then I should like this Amanda lady. I can generally find reasons to like/get along with people. But yeah, I'll meet them, then fork over a check, then I can get to moving in. It probably won't be this weekend, but next one seems likely. Ohhhh I almost have a place to live! How exciting. And paychecks. I'll be getting those. I think I'm setting up direct deposit, so no fuss no muss, just cash! Wheee! Oh wait, I'll have bills to pay. And a bed to buy. Ahhh grownup stuff.

Anyway, today work had a lateish start because I was an official errand runner. I picked up some shirts on San Jose. I was all professional and the sheets said "pick up by Trillian" even! Ahhh! I love that kind of stuff. Felt so legit. And I got paid for doing the pick up, which is pretty neat. Today I caught and cleaned and wore gloves so that my hands stayed clean. Something I'm doing much more of. Yay gloves! Oh, and I have my own personal respirator. It was a pretty good day.

I swung by Safeway and got a soda pop and some doughnuts, because I had a craving. Well, actually my craving was for ice creme but I couldn't find any ice cream that wasn't a huge serving. So I bought doughnuts.

Driving from work into Santa Cruz and going from Ocean Street to 17 seems to take less time than winding along Branciforte and merging onto 17 somewhere on the woods. It seems to, or maybe just the winding feels like it takes longer because it is going at a slow speed.

Back in San Francisco, we chilled out and watched this insect thing. It was pretty neat. Wow, tomorrow is Thursday? This week went by fast!

too much stuff, not enough space

So apparently mom and dad were up at 6, because when I said "I'll be up early" they thought "really early" when I really meant 9ish because I didn't have that much to pack.

I got everything in bags and hauled it down. I filled a bin with fabric and the small rotary mat. Dad played boxes tetris with the truck and got everything magically sorted away. So much stuff fit! Wow! Mom took Holly to the kennel for our trip duration. We left at around 11:30 and went through Belfair. We took a couple detours for the hydrolizer in the truck and depositing a check. We didn't hit traffic till just a couple miles out of Portland and since we transferred to 405, we got out of it quick. A car pulled out right as we got to my new apartment and we got a perfect spot! Kristen helped us unload. Hauled the bed in. Ma and Pa seemed to like the new apartment.

The new place has a lot more living room and dining space, but less cabinets, smaller closet, and a sort of smaller bedroom in general. But with some creative sorting and organizing, I think I can get it to work. We also have a downstairs storage space, which some of my dishes might end up in and maybe some winter clothes that don't need to be in circulation yet. Maybe it is time to embrace the habit of only having season appropriate clothes in the wardrobe and shifting it out. I have plenty of plastic storage bins.

My new apartment also has the possibility to paint the walls, but the walls already have some nice color. And there is generally more freedom all around. Whoo!

After moving in the stuff from Seabeck, we took a Martinelli's break and then we three went to my storage unit. Backed the truck in and ma and pa hauled several loads down and filled the truck to the brim with boxes. So many boxes. It looks like less stuff in the unit, but then it was just really compacted and upright. Makoto, a nice neighbor, helped us move! In exchange for nothing! He just hauled some boxes (he was really strong) with a smile. What a great guy. Everything went into the place quite smoothly.

Ma and Pa treated us to a high class dinner at Lucy's Table. One of those hip and fancy places but not so fancy as to refuse business to some people dressed a little casually. I had the home made pasta in a light sauce with some beans, mom had halibut, Kristen had the goat cheese ravioli, and dad had the buffalo steak. We had a little pate appetizer followed with bread. Mmm good! Not really a huge meal, just enough.

Afterwards we three made the poor decision to go to Ikea tonight. The GPS gave us trouble and we were tired and stressed upon arrival. I liked this nice rattan bed frame but after we powered through the store (to the anxiety and stress of us all) we found that the sideboards were out of stock and no one was around to help us. Boo! I did grab a hamper, clothes organizer, multiple outlet thingie, and a new pillow, but didn't locate a bathrobe. Dad picked up some food from the market and very tired from the busy day, they drove me home. I felt bad about encouraging the trip after so much activity. But what is done is done.

Got home at 9:30 and started sorting and unpacking. Moved boxes out of the way and changed my bed orientation around. This allowed space to put up my shelves, which allowed me the chance to empty a couple book boxes into them. I'll still need another book shelving solution but for now just gotta work with what I got. It looks almost cozy if you ignore the many many boxes that I still have to sort through. Maybe this next week will give me a chance to minimize and organize my life and lifestyle.