Packing SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKS!

Everytime I turn around I swear more things pop up. How did I get to have so much shit!!!!!

But at leastI have a place to live.

One Molehill Checked Off...and Now for the Mountain

Oy...

So here is a shortened version of the last four days as I have purposely remained tight lipped so as to avoid any false hopes or expectations on the part of myself or others.

1) Agent found two places for us on Wednesday - center of Hamilton Heights next to City College and one near 174 and Ft. Washington.

2) Called an hour later. Told me to hold my breath and that the original apartment we wanted was up for grabs. The one given to the relative of the super. For some reason they did not want it. I didn't care.

3) Application went in Thursday. They like what they saw but were unweary because my three jobs were based out of Florida - guess the fact that I had three jobs was not enough. But I digress. They wanted guarantor info.

4) Scrambled to get it that afternoon. Twas not easy. The stuff was sent out Friday morning. Obviously gotta wait until Monday.

5) Agent calls with the lease in his hand. An ok had come back Friday night, but no one was around. So he found out when he went in today and called me.

I am still in disbelief in light of the farrago of the last two weeks and it probably will not fully hit me until I see and then sign the lease and then really sink in when I move. But the goal is to head out the end of this coming week - details forthcoming as Tony and I have to talk and he is Gasparilla-ed out. His reaction was less than enthusiastic, but I digress.

The apartment is on 147 and Riverside. 5th floor (yes, there is an elevator, thank god) overlooking the river and Riverside Park, two blocks from subway, good neighborhood and reasonable rent.

Thanks for the support from all who dragged along on this craziness with me.

Pictures and more details to come as they arrive.

Things MIGHT be Looking Up

There is a possibility that we might have a place by the end of this week. Nothing is for sure and I refuse to get my hopes up in light of the malarkey that happened last week. I also don't want to jinx anything by talking about the details - I'll do that after something happens for sure.

This would be a VERY good thing if everything falls into place like I am hoping it will. So pray, burn sage, an send positive vibes our way.

crossing fingers and all other possible appendages

Trying to Move the Mountain

Nice and short: I got an e-mail from the realtor this weekend and after days of speculating why he was not returning my messages it turns out we lost the apartment because the management company gave it to the relative of the super. Something I am told sometimes happens.

Why to me?

So the backup apartment? Well, by that point (six days having passed), the apartment is long gone.

Naturally, had all the papers been in much earlier I am sure this could have been waylaid. Then again, who knows.

So we are back to square one, I may have to fly up there again to look at more places, and I have to be out of my place by Feb 1. Nothing like a little deadline to get you going.

I would say this sucks and I hate it (oops, already did) but what would be the point. I would be wasting my emotion for no reason. I am, as the Scissor Sisters would say, comfortably numb to everything at this point.

And the Waiting Continues

I am so freaking exhausted. I went to bed at 4 am. Was up at 11 am. Tried to run and errand. Crashed again at 3 pm. Woke up at 6 pm. Did some grading. And watched TV.

The waiting continues on the apartment as my cousin has still not sent in the paperwork. I hate relying on others to accomplosh my goals, but in this case it would be a great deal sealer, and I am starting to worry now that it won't come through because of this one thing. And while I am trying to be positive about it, I am concerned because I don't want to go through this process again. This apartment is great and I REALLY want to move into it.

Even now, I am still really tired, and a little defeated, but optimistic and patiently waiting. It seems odd that having three jobs would work against me, but Agent 1 thinks it might. I don't get it. But I have good credit and a good rental history, so who knows. I just hope to God my cousin comes through by tomorrow.

To those who actually read the long post below, sorry for any errors, but I am in no mood to go revise it. Besides, I like real-time errors. Makes it seem all the more real.

Way to justify being lazy about it, I know, but there is some measure of truth in it.

Around the World of Real Estate in Five Days,
Or, Why Real Estate Brokers are Scum

Ok, so here is the lowdown and dirty of everything that has happened over the last week for those wanting a laugh or wanting to know what getting an apartment here is like because having a broker does NOT make things easier per se.

After an abnormally long time waiting for the plane to land and a ridiculous 30 minutes waiting for my luggage to come around on the carousel, I made my way outside and got a taxi that I shared with a juniors fashion designer, once buyer, from LA. We got to experience an attempt at being swindled by the taxi driver who wanted to charge us both the flat $45 from airport to city, and we both managed to be bitchy enough and lower the cost.

New York is fun.

Amanda's place is a quaint and stereotypical studio apartment. You know, the kind that is too small and costs too much. BUT, it IS charming and I liked it. I even like the little "loft" where I slept - I affectionately call it my cave as it is the top of the man-made and added walk in-closet/office. It was about 4 feet between the top and the ceiling. But it was cozy.

Amanda and I went to dinner around the corner and caught up on old times and old friends. It was exactly what I needed.

Sleep did not come too swiftly as I was being attended to by the hissing and whistling of the steam pipe that was 2 feet away from me in the corner of the wall.

Day 2, Wednesday: Chicken and Rice

And so begins my first day of looking for a place to call home in this steel and concrete maze called New York. I start off my morning meeting with an agent at 9:30 in the charming neighborhood of Riverside. We look at four places:

1) A nice apartment. Fifth floor. Elevator. Overlooking Riverside Park and the river. Roomier than the stereotype. Still being renovated. That's out.

2) A nice apartment. Same one as the one of the fifth, but on the second floor. Gut Renovated. That's out.

3) A nice apartment. SAME one as the other two, but a different layout. On the first floor. Crime statistics for those living on the first floor knocks that one out.

4) A lovely place with a NICE NICE NICE kitchen. The catch? It overlooks the Trinity Church Cemetary where a bunch of rich and famous old New Yorkers are buried. Charming and out of our budget.

I went on to meet the other agent. Tony had met with him months before and had some positive things to say. I was crepped out by his perpetual staring and smiling. I felt like I was being scoped out by some predatory plant. We chatted briefly, I filled out some forms, and then we made a list of places to see. I say we because I got tired of his being distracted by the phone and other people that at one point I grabbed his laptop and starting searching on their system myself.

Most people would have spotted the problem already, but I tend to like to see the craziness to its end because I find it analytically fascinating.

I was sent out with a runner to view the places. A very quiet and somber looking man named Rob. To say the experience was radically different from the morning's session would be an understatement. The first place I went to had an air of murder and rape about it that was only compounded by the copious amounts of magic marker graffiti of things sucks as penises and cartoon characters saying things like: I went to jail. My wife did not visit me. Why? WHY? A sane person would have turned right around. I thought, what the hell, and went on.

I was in there for 30 seconds and turned right back around.

The following three places were a bust. One building smelled entirely of chicken and rice. Another had an odd layout that culminated in a bedroom with no closet. A final place had an amazing and HUGE kitchen. I mean huge. But lacked some other basic things.

I was disgruntled. Depressed. Upset. And ended the day being very fatalistic about the whole thing. I decide to drop some of my parameters and widened my search further north and in Queens, figuring as long as I had a place to stay I could find something else in a year.

I decide to take in a show that night to reset my brain. But as enjoyable as Spring Awakening was, even though I think the show got in the way of the show with its use of handheld mics and disruption of the narrative with these rock concert motifs, I was distracted with trying to find a place to life. Tony arrived the following the day and I needed a good handful of places to show him on Friday.

I met William for after-show dinner at Angus McIndoe's and had a nice chat and great affordable food. I do so enjoy his company.

I came home, did a little more searching for viable places, and had an adult talk with myself. Sleep came fast and hard.

Day 3, Thursday: I Know Why New Yorkers Love Ambien

I woke up determined and ready to go out and find a damn place to live. The weather, although not as cold as I expected, was still biting. As I did not need to meet with the second agent until later, I took a really long shower and headed to Barnes and Noble to sit and make calls. I worked through my list and managed to throw myself back on the pyre as a result of people thinking I was crazy in trying to find a 2 bedroom with the budget I had. New York and the real estate market was starting to be very unkind to me and I was not a happy camper.

I usually handle things like this really well, but I tend to be a control freak about things because I like to be able to feel some control over things in my life. In this case, I was out of my league though I was learning quickly.

I spent more time than I needed to with the second agent as I was regaled with more drawn out explanations of non sequiturs. I managed to provide him with a place I had found and he had only one more.

The more observant of you will wonder why the hell I was doing his work for him. See above :) That, and after being put through the gauntlet of trashy places I was losing confidence in his abilities. Although he was a nice guy, niceness is not all.

I met up with William and Michael at their place in Washington Heights, it was convenient to meet up with them and then see the new places. They have a really nice place, and ironically, the new places I was looking at was in their neighborhood.

I met up again with Rob. His talent for conversation amazed me. Monosyllables were his favorite.

Washington Heights was our new destination. I guess I forgot to mention that the day before was spent in Hamilton Heights in and around the Riverside area. While I have always loved W.H., I did want to live closer to the park.

The first place we saw, which is the one I found myself, was amazing (and was literally down the street from William). It was listed as a 2 bedroom but was actually 3 bedrooms, and was totally in our budget. Building had an elevator, a laundry room, no in-room closets, but at this point I was willing to forgo that, and I did not feel like I was going to be murdered. And no catch as far as I could see. It did overlook busy 'ol Broadway, but it was not too bad.

The second place was ok, but the layout sucked and cost more for less space. It was out of the question. But I was happy because I found one GREAT place. Of course, finding a place and actually getting it are two different things.

I went back and filled out forms and started on the process of getting stuff done. I was on a little bit of a high but not naively enthusiastic enough to think that the journey had ended. Tony needed to see that place and we needed to jump the application hurdle. Management companies can be real bastards when it comes to tenants, and with the revitalization and gentrification of many areas, they want to be as picky as possible.

My legs by this point were starting to hurt. My thigh from climbing stairs and more stairs. The balls of my feet from walking all over. And my shins from a combo of the two. I slipped so easily into the way of a New Yorker as I silently told people to get the fuck out of my way as I walked the streets and tried to get around halted couples and clicking tourists. I just soaked in what I could and understood why New Yorkers are the way they are and realized that not everyone is like that or has to resign themselves to being like that. I started feeling comfortable about it. I look forward to taking the city on.

I went to see Color Purple and had an amazing time. God I love TKTS. The show was just as moving as the movie. LaChanze's replacement was incredible. I love Felicia Fields. And a kind usher let me move over to the center of the rear orchestra so I could see the stage better. It was a good night.

I met up with William at 9th Avenue Bistro where he plays the piano and were some old queens and show offs hang out. As much as I would love to enjoy piano bars, I just can't. But William is hysterical and amazingly proficient and his rendition of "MacArthur Park" is something to be seen. Tony arrived, tired to meet up with me, but I was glad he was finally there.

Most literary minded people know that at this point the other shoe is dangerously dangling off the end of the bed waiting to fall off and thump onto the ground.

Day 4, Friday: Walking and Still More Walking

My legs hurt. A LOT. But I was excited to show Tony the places I had found. First stop was Washington Heights, and thankfully, Tony liked it. We walked the neighborhood to scope it out and all seemed well. We took over a deposit check to the second agent, got all the other papers together, rushed to get some other papers sent (which on a Friday a 4 is NOT easy), and talked about the possibilities. It was proving difficult to try and get my cousin to turn in the guarantor information as a backpocket card to seal the deal for an apartment. Not that I blame him as he is busy running a company, but I was really excited to get the place and move.

But being an anal retentive meant Tony was going to see the places from the first agent (mind you, he did not have too many kind words about the second agent's company. I definitley liked the first not only because he totally got my sense of humor and traded back quips with me, but he was totally honest and nice about things).

Tony liked the other places as well. Moreso, I suspected than the W.H. one. So one more apartment became a viable back up and althought it would not be ready until February it was too good a place to pass up. While I was not as crazy about it, I did eventually warm up to it that night.

TKTS was our friend that night as we took in The Apple Tree with La Chenoweth. I was bored. As talented as she is, she does the same thing and has the same gimmicks in everything she does. I was just not a fan of the show. It was not a bad show. I just didn't like it.

Sleeping with the hissing pipe was moot now. I was used to it. I was able to turn over without hitting my head or hands on the ceiling and I was able to sleep quite well. Amanda is always a hoot to talk to. I just love her.

Even more so after she clued me in to a little thing called the keeping of the deposit. It seems that the second agent's company (whom she also worked with) had kept her deposit even though she turned down the apartment. While I was sure that we were going to get it back regardless, I thought it prudent to check it out for sure in the morning.

Day 5, Saturday: Opening the Can of Whoop-Ass

Today was the turning point in the apartment hunting journey. I woke up deciding not to be juvenile about wanting to get out quickly and making sure all my bases were covered. As annoying as it may seem sometime, I make sure to CYA as much as I can. This time, it seemed to work out.

Tony and I talked about the places we had seen, the agents, what our guy instinct was, and what we were going to do about this deposit meshugenah. We met up with the second agent again, and it was serendipitous that my cousing had not yet sent in any of the paperwork. While Tony and I are quite intelligent people it seems that the one important line in the deposit contract that we should have read we did not. The company had rights to our deposit which we could only get back if we withdrew BEFORE we were notified orally or in print of getting an apartment. After that point, the deposit would be non-refundable. Needless to say we were both irritated, mostly because that made no sense. Especially in comparison to the $300 deposit the first agent asked for. The drawn out explanations began, and while I wanted to watch him rhetorically try and get out of it, Tony cut him off left right and sideways. I am usually good cop, but in this case, I became a little bitch cop and explained to him how I thought the whole thing was ridiculous.

But we wanted that damn apartment, and after some verbal wrestling the second agent agreed to set aside the application should anything not work out on our end. I had done some more searching the night before and he had agreed to just let us go on out and look at the places without him. As nice as Rob was, he was deadweight. Tony and I were fine on our own.

But after we left and did some walking around, we felt that things were just not sitting well with us. We went to see the first agent again and looked at the apartment we had chosen on his end. The renovations had come along nicely. We went back to his office and from some good advice from him we decided to dump the second agent and use the first one exclusively. Things did not add up and Tony catching him in some lies and just being with what seemed like a sketchy company did not make us feel well.

Besides, the first agent had access to that same W.H. listing :) In this instance, my cousin taking so long was working in our favor.

We filled out a new set of paperwork, I managed to get a hold of my cousin and give him the new info, and since I had spent two days getting new paperwork, and had slyly asked for copies that morning from the second, we were on our way. We decided to go with the Hamilton Heights apartment. It was homier, cozier, quieter and overlooked the river and the park. The lack of a laundry room being the only drawback was ok.

So we were set, we needed to dump the second, which we did with some fine acting panache, get the deposit check back, which we would pick up on Monday, and we felt a huge weight lifted off. The application went in with just my name (long story) and once my cousin sent in the info they needed we would apply and, hopefully, crossing fingers, get the place.

We felt MUC H better.

We met up with David later and all went to see The Drowsy Chaperone, which I just loved to pieces. Great fun. Smart and clever. And it did not try too hard which made it all the better. We went to a Hooters afterwards....I know I know. But it was an enjoyable evening and it was great to see David again and trade quips and sarcasm. It was indeed missed.

Day 6, Sunday: Can we Please, God, Rest?!?!

Sleeping in was a blessing. My legs were still in pain, the nosebleeds from the cold and wind were getting on my nerves, and the previous days' events all lent themselves to my needing to just sleep and sleep. I met up with Tony at TKTS and we went to see Company. I was hesitant about it having heard some negative things about the show. But it was the only thing on the board and we strick lightning, as the TKTS lady told me, and were granted center orchestra seats in row J. Now, I don't know if this is because I love the show so much or because I did the show so I am biased, but although some things were a little repetitive and though I am not a fan of Esparza singing the show, I did REALLY like it. I was totally blown away by the cast playing so many damn instruments from different families. It was ridiculous. But I got it. I liked it.

Sorry.

We opted out of looking around more neighborhoods and just wanted to unwind, so we took in some shopping and acted like goofballs. We walked way too many blocks, mostly from a lack of not knowing where the hell we were going, but enjoying the sauntering and talking and shopping. I realized that there this a lot of crap in NY to buy. And I mean the stuff is crap.

Tony could not go back to David's because he had no key and could not get a hold of him so he came back with me to Amanda's to chill. We ate and watched Project Runway. He got to meet Amanda and they hit it off. He left. I went to bed. I was content.

But I was not being naive. I knew we did not have the place yet. It did all hinge on my cousin sending in the paperwork and then being approved.

Day 7, Monday: One Last Fell Swoop

And so here we are on the last day. With a short day and not much to do we took it easy, that is, AFTER we went and got the check back from Agent 2. We wanted to check out a few more places to play with safe and Agent 1 gladly obliged on his day off no less. The fact that he went with us in person everywhere and talked to us like real people and was honest meant a lot. He even dropped his rate to match Agent 2 when he knew he did not have to. We went back to our first choice place to check it out one last time. We could not walk too far into it as the floors had just finished being redone, but it looked nearly complete. Maybe we won't have to wait until Feb 1 to move...if we get it. Another place we wanted to see was not showing due to the holiday and the third had a super that was nowhere to be found. Turned out to be ok as the area looked somewhat sketchy and the elevator reeked of urine. A sure sign that you should NOT live there.

It is indeed amazing what one or two blocks' difference can do. And if you don't believe me, go check it out. I learned A LOT in just four days about areas and what to expect and what to look for, and while I think there is a lot more to it, I do find it interesting and know how to better approach it next time. So much so that I think getting a license would be fun. Sure there is a lot of competition, but I could sell shit to anyone.

The worst part of the day was the almost three hour delay at the airport, where, of all places, I ran into two students from UT. We hung out and tried to kill the time as our 8:30ish flight left at 11:15 ish. To say I was tired was an understatement. Driving a car felt weird.

But coming home never felt so good and sleeping in my head never felt so nice. Though I kept thinking I was sleeping in the loft everytime I turned over.

Though the documents from my cousin are still in MIA, they are the last thing needed before the application can go in. And if all turns out well, then we will have a place to move to in the next two weeks.

Cross the fingers and hope. And if anyone ever plans on moving to NY, call me. Dear God, call me so I can clue you in on a little of what to do.

Yes, I know....I must update as I was supposed to log in daily and report on the day's events. Trust me when I say that this is the first time I have had to actually sit down and type out one thought and even now, I would rather just sit and breathe and chill. It has been a VERY busy four days with extremely highs and lows on the real estate roller coaster. SO many interesting, funny, and tragic things to talk about. I'll do it when I get back, or on the plane, or something.

New York Finding a Place to Live
Part 1: The Airport

So I figured why not try to document this not only for kicks, but also in case anyone I know ever tries to move as well, they will know what it is like.

So the plane just pulled in and we are waiting for the cleaning and such and then we board.

Checking in was fun as security is definitely up a notch. They have this odd chamber thing that blows puffs of air, but they didn't let me through. I kinda wanted to for the fun of it. Of course, not being allowed to go through set of warning bells in my head, but it seemed to be fine. The last thing I need is a testy security officer already annoyed by stupid passengers who can't read or understand what is being told to them. For example, trying to walk through with the carry-on instead of putting it through the x-ray machine.

After a shaky start this morning that started with an early trip to the credit union to get a certified check to take to Bank of America (only to find out that the funds are held for a day...pain in my ass) and ended with forgetting my messenger bag at home and Tony's car needing gas, I got to the airport safe and sound and, surprisingly, on time.

I have to meet realtor after realtor this week (actually talking to one right now through G-Chat) to try and find a place. Of course, Tony and I are also doing reconnaisance of our own in order to find a place that has no fee attached to it for although we each have money saved up, it would be nice not to be raped with percentages.

Them's the breaks I guess.

I have four realtors looking at places and will just use Craig's List and the Village Voice site to find non-fee apartments. The biggest concern aside from space and price is being in a good area and since I do not know the neighborhoods all that well, this is a gamble. Of course, each area has its drawbacks and benefits. I am going to have to be somewhat giving about the things I want, but I also am going to be stubborn about the things I want because I need to nest. The one way this move is going to be the most comfortable for me is if i am able to nest someplace and feel "at home."

BREAK

On the plane now after opting to go down a flight of stairs and onto the tarmac. It reminds me of travelling when I was younger. My family definitely blessed my earlier years with an appreciation for the world by taking us all over the world. Part of our nomadic heritage, I suppose. I loved flying on planes. The take off, the landing, my mother and I rating the worthiness of the pilot based on kind of landing, playing with the lotions and soaps in the bathroom, sitting in the cockpit and talking to the pilots.

Of course, now, flying has a while other feeling for me with all the concerns and security measures. I actually find myself nervous to fly and apprehensive about getting on planes. I no longer can enjoy them the way I used to. Even though I know the odds and statistics, I find my heart always beating a little faster. I, ashamedly, also check myself looking at other people and figuring out their threat levels. Ironic for someone who is usually at the end of those stares.

So off I go. A delayed meeting with a realtor tonight means I can catch a show and unwind, meet up with William, walk around, and figoure out my plan of attack for tomorrow.

Here's hoping...

St-St-Studio

So I am attempting to weed through my DVR before I move (two more weeks..eeeeee). In the last three days I managed to catch up on BSG, LOST, and am now on Studio 60, which I just fall in love with more and more.

But what I find so delicious is Aaron Sorkin airing Kristen Chenoweth's life all up in that show from the whole gay comment to the magazine thing (FHM...what WAS she thinking), the concert issue. And I mean the situations are almost verbatim. Guess the break up did not sit well with him...oh jeez he covers THAT too now doesn't he? :)