Tuesday, August 10, 2010

pardon our mess...

Things are under construction in my life once again.

About 98% of my belongings are now in boxes, thanks to three intrepid friends of mine who, when I posted on Facebook on Sunday that I was doing some serious procrastination with my packing, invited themselves over one at a time to help me pack. I stood there, overwhelmed and a little freaked out, as they helped me neatly pack books (WHY DO I OWN SO MANY BOOKS?!) and dvd's, trinkets and memories, vases and tea light holders, bowls and spoons, into box after box after box. I have the best friends in the entire world, of that I am certain. I must have been Joan of Arc in a former life to deserve such loyalty.

The apartment Benni and I are moving into should be ready hopefully within a week. We won't be signing the lease until the construction is finished, which freaks me out. Right now I have to be out of my current apartment by September 1st and I don't have a lease signed for the new place yet. I am in mid-air, suspended, between two trapeze bars, with a very long fall and a very shallow safety net if this new apartment doesn't work out.

As Benni pointed out, worst case scenario, the apartment we're in love with doesn't work out, we're out the $1100 security deposit we put down, and we have roughly ten days to find another apartment and do it all over again.

As I pointed out, that's a pretty damn awful worst-case scenario.

I also can't find my current lease agreement, (I couldn't find it even before my life was put into boxes) which probably has it very clearly written that I paid $200 for a cat deposit, and my apartment landlord is now arguing and saying, No, you only paid $100.

Breathe and smile. Breathe and smile.

In the meantime:

Go and read this post about fatherhood. It's amazing, honest, and captures a sentiment that I think a lot of men feel but rarely get a chance to put into such well-written words. Read the post right after it too, if you want, because it's just as good but for completely different reasons.

And a long time ago, The Purple Cow over at Australian in Athens left this for me as a comment. It's kind of changed my life, and I printed it out and read it and re-read it almost daily. Purple Cow, if I didn't thank you before... I'm thanking you now. Thank you, a million times thank you.

I think I'm somewhere between Change #3 and Change #4.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

FIVE SHORT CHANGES ON CHANGE - Author unknown

Chapter 1.
I walk down a street and there's a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. It takes forever to get out. It's my fault.

Chapter 2.
I walk down the same street. I fall in the hole again. It still takes a long time to get out. It's not my fault.

Chapter 3.
I walk down the same street. I fall in the hole again. It's becoming a habit. It is my fault. I get out immediately.

Chapter 4.
I walk down the same street and see the deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it.

Chapter 5.
I walk down a different street.

28 comments:

Gwen said...

Moving sucks but I'm sending positive thoughts and good vibes your way. :) XOXO

Robin said...

She left me that same comment. I don't know what that says about us. Hmmmm. I left you comments on your previous post in response to the comment you left on my blog. Ugggh... I really am sending good energy your way on the apartment thing and prayers and everything else. Moving is stressful. Hang in there. It will be okay. Of all the things you've dealth with, this is the small stuff. It only looks big because it is happening right now. Two weeks from now, really tiny. Love ya.

g. fox said...

Oy, girl. I feel your pain. Keep breathing and limbo does get easier. Take it from me. Hugs.

B. Nagel said...

Best of luck on the move and the paperwork and not losing any dollas. And thanks for the links!

Maggie May said...

i lvoe that list, seen it before.

my husband is a mover and i know all too well from him how stressed out people are when they move. hang in there xo

Bathwater said...

Knowing the worst makes it less frightening, I'm sure your friends are only mirroring the kindness shown them by you. Good luck with the move.

Wine and Words said...

Bennie will take good care of you. Let him breathe. You just walk around the damn hole. You got this handled :)

drollgirl said...

i know this is stressful, but it is also exciting! such a good step in your relationship! and i hope all is ready in time, and that the move is FAST AND PAINLESS! fingers crossed!

thank you so much for your sweet comment. as a kid, i refused to cry. as an adult i cry all the time. perhaps too much! i feel like it is poison inside of me, and i just have to get it out!

Dave said...

Being in construction I can tell you that every once in a great while we meet a deadline. :) I'm sure it will work out. Congrats on your soon to be new place, and don't yell at Benni if he leaves the seat up...it's a guy thing.

Lori ann said...

It will all be okay dear one. When you get stressed just look at that last photo you posted.

It's all exciting stuff.(except for losing your deposit. maybe)

Lydia Kang said...

Those are awesome Changes of Change! Thank you for posting it, and I hope your moving gets better!

Avo said...

You're gracefully arcing through the heavens well on your way to catching the next trapeze bar.

Should you miss, you have people to catch you. : j

You're already ahead!

Elisabeth said...

These things pass, Phoenix. I don't have any trouble with your mess. As you'd know I have enough of my own and I'm not moving house.

Thanks for the links.

LenoreNeverM♡re said...

All the best!
I feel you...inhale & exhale okie*

hugs

Scarlet-O said...

moving does SUCK and landlords that try not to give you your deposit are A-HOLES. i've dealt with this before-- call the housing department of the city--- they are MORE than happy to go after landlords, and describe it as a rent increase. your landlord will buck up before they even send over their inspector.

those Changes are incredibly profound.

love and light always--
s-o

jennifer from pittsburgh said...

Moving, and all of the change/work that accompany it, is both mentally and physically exhausting.
Best to you and Benni and NO worst case scenarios!!!

Jo said...

Wow, you've got some pretty amazing friends! Good luck with the move! I'm sure it will all turn out just fine....even better, it will turn out just fabulous!!

Ida/FarEastLogbook said...

Stressful -but exciting!! Best of luck on your move!

B. Nagel said...

If you get stuck on the interstate while moving, maybe you'll run into these guys doing puppet shows in traffic jams: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129128690&ft=1&f=1008

Kristin Quinn said...

I wish we could skip to Chapter 5 every time. That would be nice, right? Good luck with your move!

Marion said...

I hope all works out for you and Bennie! Good luck with the move, girlie. I wish my red Chevy truck and I were there to help. I love that piece on change. I've fallen in many a hole and some of them changed my life...for the better. (Just think how organized & happy you'll be when all those pesky boxes are unpacked!) Sending you love, hugs & blessings! xoxo

Heather Taylor said...

It's always tough to move, but I know you'll be fine! Hang in there sweetie!

Purple Cow said...

actually I got it from a book by Argentine Jorge Bucay and he undoubtedly got it from somewhere else (which is probably why he is notorious for plagiarism)...I don't know where it comes from but I think it applies to everyone. That's exactly how it is...CHANGE! I guess though that ultimately its inevitable. Good luck moving...Your life may be in boxes, but it seems to me that you are living life outside the box.

Rosaria Williams said...

Hope your situation gets worked out. I know how it can be, both exciting and scared. Take a deep breath and look at life as one enormous adventure. It beats being bored, yes?

Rosaria Williams said...

p.s. every move is a chance to clarify your priorities of what's important in your space.

Eric W. Trant said...

So was your apartment ready in a week?

Isn't moving the most exciting suck-fest!

- Eric

Anonymous said...

I like moving because it gives me an opportunity to get rid of all the junk the fam has collected over the years. Me, I like the Use It Or Lose It motto. Not really into storage. Good luck with your move.

Stephen Tremp

Anonymous said...

I like moving because it gives me an opportunity to get rid of all the junk the fam has collected over the years. Me, I like the Use It Or Lose It motto. Not really into storage. Good luck with your move.

Stephen Tremp

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