Things I Have Accomplished In the Last 48 Hours; Or, Get Me Off This Crazy Train Called Moving Across the Country

The following things happened between yesterday morning and right this second, giving me official cause to tell this move to "bring it, sucka" because I am knocking shit out of the proverbial park.

1. I have a place to live in New York City. Repeat: I have a place to live in New York City. I had to somewhat let go of my ideal Upper West Side quaint studio scenario in a move that is, in the end, totally, mind-blowingly convenient. I'll be four blocks from school, a ten minute walk from the Fairway, and a few blocks from the 1 line which runs from the top to the bottom of Manhattan. Fully furnished. Sigh. And Olive will have a playmate! Deposit sent. Lease in the mail.

2. I have initiated email introductions with two of my new roommates. A teacher, a poly sci grad student and me. Quite the serendipitous combo?

3. Student loans are finalized. Repeat: student loans are finalized!!! Yes!!! And in an odd turn of events, I think I'll actually be acquiring less debt than I would had I stayed in Seattle and done the full-time MPA program at UW. I mean, there are many reasons why that would have been a disastrous choice regardless, but whatever, conscience cleared.

4. "Cat Business" ... I'm lumping this into one because holy hell moving across the country with a cat is an ordeal. But, Olive officially has a vet visit in which I will pay a doctor $80 to look at my cat for five minutes and give me some sort of State-approved certificate that says she's healthy and can travel on a plane. I also managed to track down the Jet Blue-approved pet carrier at Mud Bay and am picking it up after work today. Also, there will be cat valium. Which hopefully doubles as people valium.

5. Discovering that my Columbia ID gets me into most every museum in the city for free. While one R. Matthews pointed out that the museums are all mostly "by donation" anyway, what jerk actually has ever demanded a ticket without paying? I don't have the balls. And now, I don't have to!

6. I have a plane ticket. I have a plane ticket. I have a plane ticket. On August 22nd, 2008 at 11:59 p.m. I will leave the Pacific Northwest from whence* I entered: Portland, Oregon. What? Your mind is blown in the fluidity of that Circle of Life connection I just made there? I think I just gagged.

7. Lost most, if not all, humility. I'M GOING TO NEW YORK CITY IN 23 DAYS! YEAAAAAAAYYYYYYY! Humility be damned!

Siiiigh.

*I know this is technically redundant, but "I will leave the Pacific Northwest whence I entered it" just doesn't sound right so bite me.

Help Me Avoid NYC Hobo-dom

Friends, friends, friends:

I am headed to NYC for school at the end of August, and I am going to go ahead and exhaust all possible avenues to find housing. This is where you maybe come in.

Know of anyone who is looking to sub-let an apt on the Upper West Side for a year (last week of August 2008 - Early/Mid-Summer-ish-maybe 2009)??? And/or anyone who is sane and awesome and just as terrified by roommates as I am but equally terrified by NYC apartment costs and is looking for a roomie (who is, you know, also kind of awesome, will cook rad veg food, and is a serious lover of personal space)???

So, my preferences are: Upper West Side (seriously, anywhere; i'm kinda crushing on the 70s, but I'll consider anything); liveable, I like clean things; cat-friendly; within walking distance to GOOD grocery store: I am kind of a strict eater so I need a soy/organic/SEATTLE-friendly market/co-op (don't laugh, bitches); something close to the 1 line, ideally. I would love, love, love to spend under $1300 a month. God, Seattle, I miss you already.

Also, all of that said, there is still a chance I could maybe MAYBE be persuaded to do Brooklyn (Cobble Hill, Prospect Heights, Park Slope, esp.) for the right person/price/place...though most of my classes are at night, so I'm not really loving the idea of a long late night commute. But if you've got 'em, throw 'em this way.

I'm early on in my hunt, so am open to anything at this point. If you know of anything or anyone and are lovely enough to send them my way, I can guarantee you that it will be much, much, much appreciated.

Hugs and thank yous,

kt