I think I will make it a goal in the upcoming lease year (from now until next August) to save as much money as possible, buy as few things as possible, and get rid of as much stuff as possible. I have a hard time believing that Moose and I will stay in North Minneapolis for more than a year (unless something really awesome happens, or we suddenly become acclimated and have no issues... we'll see though). This is unfortunate because I know Moose really does not want to keep moving every year. We thought we had a keeper in this house. The house definitely is. We will see how the neighborhood works out.
Anyway, I think this is a great opportunity for us to live like we "belong" in the neighborhood. I don't mean to sound condescending when I say that, but it's true. We are not impoverished. We are, however, getting a good deal on a nice rental home. It's time to start saving up money for a house and getting rid of all of our unnecessary possessions that make moving so hard. In 11 months, we can have a nice chunk of change saved and hopefully have paired down our stuff enough to make the next move easy. Or, we can not move and still be no worse for wear. Time will tell.
Showing posts with label moving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label moving. Show all posts
Friday, August 26, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
More North Minneapolis Woes
Well, we're pretty much moved into our new place in North Minneapolis now. There was another shooting on Wednesday that made the headlines. Apparently somebody decided to shoot at people holding a peace vigil. Yay. I guess crime is still down like 20% in North Minneapolis as compared to this time last year. Let's hope it just keeps going down.
Yesterday, I decided to drive through some of the really nice areas of North Minneapolis. These are the areas about two blocks west of us, going up the edge of the parkway. I'm trying to convince myself that we are close enough to this area to be in its area of effect. It is for certain that there are a lot less crimes in the nicer area, but we're *not* in that area. I just need to keep telling myself - we have insurance, it's ok. But, I worry about the next time we need to go out of town, or somebody picks up on our Monday night excursions to Eden Prairie...
Then I sit here thinking to myself, what happens the next time we move? We will kind of *have* to do everything at once, I think. Time to start getting rid of EVERYTHING. Oh well, we were going to do that anyway. I'm going to be working on that once we've unpacked.
I think I'll get the security system activated. I read today that there are fees associated with false alarms. It's like $45 the first time, $100 the second, and add $100 more for each additional offense. After 5 false alarms, I guess the police just stop coming. This is worse than having no alarm. Can cats set off house alarms?
Yesterday, I decided to drive through some of the really nice areas of North Minneapolis. These are the areas about two blocks west of us, going up the edge of the parkway. I'm trying to convince myself that we are close enough to this area to be in its area of effect. It is for certain that there are a lot less crimes in the nicer area, but we're *not* in that area. I just need to keep telling myself - we have insurance, it's ok. But, I worry about the next time we need to go out of town, or somebody picks up on our Monday night excursions to Eden Prairie...
Then I sit here thinking to myself, what happens the next time we move? We will kind of *have* to do everything at once, I think. Time to start getting rid of EVERYTHING. Oh well, we were going to do that anyway. I'm going to be working on that once we've unpacked.
I think I'll get the security system activated. I read today that there are fees associated with false alarms. It's like $45 the first time, $100 the second, and add $100 more for each additional offense. After 5 false alarms, I guess the police just stop coming. This is worse than having no alarm. Can cats set off house alarms?
Monday, August 22, 2011
New House, New Problems
We moved on Saturday into our new house. We've acknowledged (pretty much from the beginning) that the new place is in a shady neighborhood. We weren't worried because the house is nice, the houses nearby are nice, and the house has a security system installed that we can have activated if we want. We also have renters insurance.
Me, being who I am, have signed up for weekly crime statistics emails for the 4th precinct of Minneapolis. Totals for 8/14-8/20: 1 homicide, 0 rapes, 2 robberies, 5 aggravated assaults, 4 burglaries, 1 act of larceny, 0 auto thefts, and 2 acts of arson. This is just in our "neighborhood," one of five in the 4th precinct. None of the other neighborhoods are nearly as bad. W00!
Well, there's not much I can do about it. The landlord says she and her tenants have never had any issues when they've lived here in the past. It sounds like that's a history of at least 5-6 years. Hopefully, we can have similar luck. Cross your fingers for me... for the next year. :/
Me, being who I am, have signed up for weekly crime statistics emails for the 4th precinct of Minneapolis. Totals for 8/14-8/20: 1 homicide, 0 rapes, 2 robberies, 5 aggravated assaults, 4 burglaries, 1 act of larceny, 0 auto thefts, and 2 acts of arson. This is just in our "neighborhood," one of five in the 4th precinct. None of the other neighborhoods are nearly as bad. W00!
Well, there's not much I can do about it. The landlord says she and her tenants have never had any issues when they've lived here in the past. It sounds like that's a history of at least 5-6 years. Hopefully, we can have similar luck. Cross your fingers for me... for the next year. :/
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Moving, New House Blues
I know Moose is about the only person that reads this blog (hi honey), but I'm going to try to type this stuff out so I can make sense of it myself.
So, Moose and I have started the process of moving into our new house. It is a fairly modest 2 bedroom, 1 and a half bathroom house near the crappiest neighborhood in Minneapolis, Northside. It is also near the areas hardest hit by the tornado that ripped its way through Minneapolis on May 22nd, 2011. So, it's kind of hard to tell what the surrounding neighborhoods really looked like. Our house pulled through that disaster with a broken window, and nothing else. But that's not the point...
Everything about moving has been a disagreement between me and Moose. When to move, what to move, what to do with the rooms, etc. I'm not sure why. There are only so many options for a 2 bedroom house. I don't think I'm just trying to be contrary, but maybe I am. I feel like this is a good opportunity to make our house nice. Now, don't get me wrong, our place in SLP is nice. But it's always a mess. Piles of crap, everywhere. I am as guilty of it as Moose is, and I really don't like it. I want to get our new place set up and personalized with posters, knicknacks, etc, and put the rest of the things we want to keep in bins in the basement. We can then work on getting rid of everything else. I'm tired of being so sentimental about my belongings. I'm tired of having so much shit I never use. It's stressful. In order for me to want to stay at this house for more than one year, I need this. I need to feel settled and cozy. Maybe it stems from the fact that my mother is leaving. I won't have a home. I need a place that feels more permanent and less like a scattered mess. Or, maybe it stems from the fact that we are "adults" now. Another thing stuck in my mind is when we cleaned our current place in order to have the landlord show it. One of our friends came over and said "Hey, your place looks less messy." Which, in itself is true, but makes me feel like everyone thought it was incredibly messy before. It was. What do people think about us because of that?
This is bad. I'm hoping I don't go all "female" on Moose and be like "WE NEED THIS COLOR CURTAINS AND THIS COLOR RUG AND WE CAN PUT THESE THINGS IN THIS ROOM OR ELSE!" In some ways, I feel like Moose feels the same way, though. I think he's tired of all the bins of stuff we never use. At this place, at least they can be put in the basement and not thought of for a while. It'll make the living spaces feel less cluttered. But, we still need to get rid of things. We didn't get rid of much STUFF when we had the dumpster, only furniture.
Oh well, I need to focus on getting MOVED first. We'll have plenty of time to get things situated. Living in the chaos of unpacking is not fun. Then again, neither is moving.
And on top of all that... hopefully we don't get mugged or robbed or raped or killed. YAY MINNEAPOLIS.
So, Moose and I have started the process of moving into our new house. It is a fairly modest 2 bedroom, 1 and a half bathroom house near the crappiest neighborhood in Minneapolis, Northside. It is also near the areas hardest hit by the tornado that ripped its way through Minneapolis on May 22nd, 2011. So, it's kind of hard to tell what the surrounding neighborhoods really looked like. Our house pulled through that disaster with a broken window, and nothing else. But that's not the point...
Everything about moving has been a disagreement between me and Moose. When to move, what to move, what to do with the rooms, etc. I'm not sure why. There are only so many options for a 2 bedroom house. I don't think I'm just trying to be contrary, but maybe I am. I feel like this is a good opportunity to make our house nice. Now, don't get me wrong, our place in SLP is nice. But it's always a mess. Piles of crap, everywhere. I am as guilty of it as Moose is, and I really don't like it. I want to get our new place set up and personalized with posters, knicknacks, etc, and put the rest of the things we want to keep in bins in the basement. We can then work on getting rid of everything else. I'm tired of being so sentimental about my belongings. I'm tired of having so much shit I never use. It's stressful. In order for me to want to stay at this house for more than one year, I need this. I need to feel settled and cozy. Maybe it stems from the fact that my mother is leaving. I won't have a home. I need a place that feels more permanent and less like a scattered mess. Or, maybe it stems from the fact that we are "adults" now. Another thing stuck in my mind is when we cleaned our current place in order to have the landlord show it. One of our friends came over and said "Hey, your place looks less messy." Which, in itself is true, but makes me feel like everyone thought it was incredibly messy before. It was. What do people think about us because of that?
This is bad. I'm hoping I don't go all "female" on Moose and be like "WE NEED THIS COLOR CURTAINS AND THIS COLOR RUG AND WE CAN PUT THESE THINGS IN THIS ROOM OR ELSE!" In some ways, I feel like Moose feels the same way, though. I think he's tired of all the bins of stuff we never use. At this place, at least they can be put in the basement and not thought of for a while. It'll make the living spaces feel less cluttered. But, we still need to get rid of things. We didn't get rid of much STUFF when we had the dumpster, only furniture.
Oh well, I need to focus on getting MOVED first. We'll have plenty of time to get things situated. Living in the chaos of unpacking is not fun. Then again, neither is moving.
And on top of all that... hopefully we don't get mugged or robbed or raped or killed. YAY MINNEAPOLIS.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
New House
Come August 15th, Moose and I will be moving back into Minneapolis. We're renting a house! Here are the canned details about our new house!
HOUSE FOR RENT ...
2 bdr/1.5 ba, 2story with basement & detached 1 car garage well-maintained house located on a large corner lot, wood floors, tile floors in bathrooms
• Privacy fence surrounding the back yard and a gated chain fence in front yard and large dog kennel in back yard (the house is situated on 2 city lots on a corner) with big, beautiful trees
• Pets are allowed, but I have to see the pet--I don't want to upset any of my neighbors with loud animals, and they have to be clean--I want my house to stay nice (additional security deposit)
• Patio, fire pit, and landscaping in back yard
• Huge open kitchen
• Hardwood floors upstairs & downstairs
• A/C and central heat
• Large 3-season porch surrounded by windows in front of house
• Large walk-in closets
• Clean basement with washer & dryer
• Security system available (you can pay if you want to activate, otherwise already installed)
• Detached single-car garage with side door & garage door opener
• 1.5 blocks off of Theodore Wirth Parkway (Theo Wirth -- the largest park in Minneapolis)
o scenic, peaceful road
o paved bike, running, and mountain biking trails that run for miles through the woods and along the parkway
http://www.startribune.com/10130/story/1164447.html
o par 3, 18-hole golf course
Close to grocery stores, gas stations, and banks
10 min from downtown Minneapolis
sq ft approx: basement 600, 1st floor 700, 2nd floor 600 = 1900 sq ft total ... plus there is a detached garage big enough to fit suv, bikes, lawn mower in.
HOUSE FOR RENT ...
2 bdr/1.5 ba, 2story with basement & detached 1 car garage well-maintained house located on a large corner lot, wood floors, tile floors in bathrooms
• Privacy fence surrounding the back yard and a gated chain fence in front yard and large dog kennel in back yard (the house is situated on 2 city lots on a corner) with big, beautiful trees
• Pets are allowed, but I have to see the pet--I don't want to upset any of my neighbors with loud animals, and they have to be clean--I want my house to stay nice (additional security deposit)
• Patio, fire pit, and landscaping in back yard
• Huge open kitchen
• Hardwood floors upstairs & downstairs
• A/C and central heat
• Large 3-season porch surrounded by windows in front of house
• Large walk-in closets
• Clean basement with washer & dryer
• Security system available (you can pay if you want to activate, otherwise already installed)
• Detached single-car garage with side door & garage door opener
• 1.5 blocks off of Theodore Wirth Parkway (Theo Wirth -- the largest park in Minneapolis)
o scenic, peaceful road
o paved bike, running, and mountain biking trails that run for miles through the woods and along the parkway
http://www.startribune.com/10130/story/1164447.html
o par 3, 18-hole golf course
Close to grocery stores, gas stations, and banks
10 min from downtown Minneapolis
sq ft approx: basement 600, 1st floor 700, 2nd floor 600 = 1900 sq ft total ... plus there is a detached garage big enough to fit suv, bikes, lawn mower in.
Friday, May 6, 2011
It is finally Spring! (quick, sell your house)
Today is Friday May 6th. The snow piles are entirely gone from the parking lot at my work. It is going to be sunny and 70 degrees today. It is finally Spring! I was beginning to wonder (after the snow flurries we had last week) if spring was ever going to make an appearance. Better late than never, as they say.
Spring is the time for changes. The snow melts, the world blooms, the roads get repaired... This Spring brings a lot of changes for the people in my life. My boyfriend's parents have put their house on the market and have purchased a new home in Oklahoma. While his father has already moved, his mother is still around, readying the house for potential buyers and finishing out the school year. Moose is no stranger to moving. His parents moved to Minnesota 13 years (or so) ago when he was 9 years old. Before that, they lived in Michigan. And before that, they lived in California. (They lived in other places before California, but these are the moves that Moose was present for.) The move doesn't seem to bother him much. His parents keep saying "Let's not stay in another house this long!" I guess it's in their nature. Plus, they've agreed to fly us to Oklahoma for Thanksgiving. So, at least we'll get to visit.
In other news, my mother intends to move as well! She also has spent the last year or so fixing up our house, which is significantly older than Moose's house. 100 years versus 15 years... hmm... Also, my family has lived in the house for 30 years. There was quite a bit of touch up to be done. Repainting, removing carpet, replacing carpet, selling personal items... All told, there are few places of the house that actually feel like my home. I don't mean to make that sound depressing, but it is true. I think my mother is happy with the progress she has made, and intends to put the house on the market on May 9th. Once it sells, she intends to move to Florida to be closer to family and friends in the area.
That brings me to my dilemma... Moose and I live in a house with NO storage space. We are suddenly going to be bombarded with several boxes of childhood belongings (THAT WE WANT TO KEEP) and have nowhere to put them. Our house is already a disaster all of the time due to lack of storage space. It's only going to get worse! Luckily, we only have 4 months left on our lease. Which means we can move into a new house or apartment with lots of storage space (hopefully). I've been looking at new places, but I haven't seen anything good yet. I've also been toying with the idea of buying a house. Sure, it would mean I'd have to empty out my 401k for a down payment... but oh well. I don't think it's in the cards, anyway. Maybe in another year or two.
If anyone needs a house in Chanhassen, MN or Duluth, MN. Hit me up! I can send you the MLS links easily.
Spring is the time for changes. The snow melts, the world blooms, the roads get repaired... This Spring brings a lot of changes for the people in my life. My boyfriend's parents have put their house on the market and have purchased a new home in Oklahoma. While his father has already moved, his mother is still around, readying the house for potential buyers and finishing out the school year. Moose is no stranger to moving. His parents moved to Minnesota 13 years (or so) ago when he was 9 years old. Before that, they lived in Michigan. And before that, they lived in California. (They lived in other places before California, but these are the moves that Moose was present for.) The move doesn't seem to bother him much. His parents keep saying "Let's not stay in another house this long!" I guess it's in their nature. Plus, they've agreed to fly us to Oklahoma for Thanksgiving. So, at least we'll get to visit.
In other news, my mother intends to move as well! She also has spent the last year or so fixing up our house, which is significantly older than Moose's house. 100 years versus 15 years... hmm... Also, my family has lived in the house for 30 years. There was quite a bit of touch up to be done. Repainting, removing carpet, replacing carpet, selling personal items... All told, there are few places of the house that actually feel like my home. I don't mean to make that sound depressing, but it is true. I think my mother is happy with the progress she has made, and intends to put the house on the market on May 9th. Once it sells, she intends to move to Florida to be closer to family and friends in the area.
That brings me to my dilemma... Moose and I live in a house with NO storage space. We are suddenly going to be bombarded with several boxes of childhood belongings (THAT WE WANT TO KEEP) and have nowhere to put them. Our house is already a disaster all of the time due to lack of storage space. It's only going to get worse! Luckily, we only have 4 months left on our lease. Which means we can move into a new house or apartment with lots of storage space (hopefully). I've been looking at new places, but I haven't seen anything good yet. I've also been toying with the idea of buying a house. Sure, it would mean I'd have to empty out my 401k for a down payment... but oh well. I don't think it's in the cards, anyway. Maybe in another year or two.
If anyone needs a house in Chanhassen, MN or Duluth, MN. Hit me up! I can send you the MLS links easily.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Reflections (sans grad school bullshit)
I'm sitting in my new home in Minneapolis. I have my own, rather luxurious room. I have my bed and my computer and my bean bag and my desk... I have my books and clothes. All the essentials are here with me. Over the last five or so years, I've accumulated these things. Some of my possessions have moved with me several times. This is my fifth place of residence in Minneapolis... not including the apartments I semi-inhabited with my ex-boyfriend.
This is the first time I've lived in a house. Not a duplex, or a dorm, or an apartment, but a house. As I have progressed in years, my dwellings have also progressed. From a dorm room to a shared room in a "cookie-cutter" apartment building to sharing that same apartment with my ex and my sister to my own room in a duplex shared with men to the anomaly of the crappy one bedroom with my sister to my own room in a full house. Where am I going to move to next? Will it continue to be to bigger and better things? Will I continue to spend my days in this mill-worn city?
Life is a long and arduous journey. I sometimes ask myself... why can't I settle for mediocrity? Why can't I just get a crappy 9-5 job and be content with myself? When will I stop pushing so hard? I feel like the kid in that ubiquitous Far Side cartoon, pushing against the pull door at the school for the gifted. How hard to you have to push on a pull door before it opens? Shall we calculate the force required to break a hinge? How hard to you have to push before you give up and walk away? How long do you push before you realize you're making a mistake and need to pull instead?
When do I make a move? A move that doesn't involve packing and boxes and UHaul rentals... but one that involves the position of the swinging door in my mind that allows me to be content. In all my pondering on grad school and life, I still haven't made up my goddamned mind.
It's time to get the Magic 8-Ball and leave my happiness to the hands of fate... or, in the case of the Magic 8-Ball, a buoyant dice roll. As Einstein said, God does not "play dice." Good thing I'm human.
This is the first time I've lived in a house. Not a duplex, or a dorm, or an apartment, but a house. As I have progressed in years, my dwellings have also progressed. From a dorm room to a shared room in a "cookie-cutter" apartment building to sharing that same apartment with my ex and my sister to my own room in a duplex shared with men to the anomaly of the crappy one bedroom with my sister to my own room in a full house. Where am I going to move to next? Will it continue to be to bigger and better things? Will I continue to spend my days in this mill-worn city?
Life is a long and arduous journey. I sometimes ask myself... why can't I settle for mediocrity? Why can't I just get a crappy 9-5 job and be content with myself? When will I stop pushing so hard? I feel like the kid in that ubiquitous Far Side cartoon, pushing against the pull door at the school for the gifted. How hard to you have to push on a pull door before it opens? Shall we calculate the force required to break a hinge? How hard to you have to push before you give up and walk away? How long do you push before you realize you're making a mistake and need to pull instead?
When do I make a move? A move that doesn't involve packing and boxes and UHaul rentals... but one that involves the position of the swinging door in my mind that allows me to be content. In all my pondering on grad school and life, I still haven't made up my goddamned mind.
It's time to get the Magic 8-Ball and leave my happiness to the hands of fate... or, in the case of the Magic 8-Ball, a buoyant dice roll. As Einstein said, God does not "play dice." Good thing I'm human.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Busy couple of weeks
It has been a busy couple of weeks in my life.
I had my birthday (including rainbow cake, a drunken evening, and a weekend at home with a lovely crab dinner and fancy cake).
Then I had a week in which I was just plain crazy, capped off by a wonderful weekend in New Jersey with Keith. We went to the ocean, saw Lucy the Elephant, and had some tasty cheese in Philadelphia. We also watched a fair number of action movies and played some fun video games.
Whilst I was visiting Keith, I received a number of emails from a possible subleaser and set up a meeting with her that Tuesday. She came and viewed the apartment and decided she wanted it. I think this was mostly because she HAD to have an apartment for March 1st and Florence Court is only a half-shit hole. (If I were optimistic about it would I say half-best-place-ever?)
Last week I finished setting up renting our new place of residence: a lovely house up in the Como neighborhood. This involved many phone calls, scraped-together bank checks, and of course, MOVING. This Friday, my sister and I managed to move all of our belongings (save for a few boxes). This involved a full 9am to midnight run at it. Luckily, David, Moose, and Mat were there to help us out.
Now I'm back to normal Adriana life.... troubles with my adviser, problems with grad school, etc.
I'm going to post a link so that I have it for later. It may interest anyone who actually reads my blog as well: History of Computability
That's all, folks.
I had my birthday (including rainbow cake, a drunken evening, and a weekend at home with a lovely crab dinner and fancy cake).
Then I had a week in which I was just plain crazy, capped off by a wonderful weekend in New Jersey with Keith. We went to the ocean, saw Lucy the Elephant, and had some tasty cheese in Philadelphia. We also watched a fair number of action movies and played some fun video games.
Whilst I was visiting Keith, I received a number of emails from a possible subleaser and set up a meeting with her that Tuesday. She came and viewed the apartment and decided she wanted it. I think this was mostly because she HAD to have an apartment for March 1st and Florence Court is only a half-shit hole. (If I were optimistic about it would I say half-best-place-ever?)
Last week I finished setting up renting our new place of residence: a lovely house up in the Como neighborhood. This involved many phone calls, scraped-together bank checks, and of course, MOVING. This Friday, my sister and I managed to move all of our belongings (save for a few boxes). This involved a full 9am to midnight run at it. Luckily, David, Moose, and Mat were there to help us out.
Now I'm back to normal Adriana life.... troubles with my adviser, problems with grad school, etc.
I'm going to post a link so that I have it for later. It may interest anyone who actually reads my blog as well: History of Computability
That's all, folks.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
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