Three Years, Three Days

This Monday was Jared and my 3 year anniversary. We didn't do much for the actual day. Jared came home with a bouquet of daisies. We went to Java and ate at the dinner buffet. Then, I passed out. (I rolled my ankle over the weekend and was totally wiped out from walking around at work. That's actually why I'm updating in the middle of the day today. I needed a day off to myself.)

This year was our first year of living together as well as our first year out of school. We worked full-time jobs for the first six-months working opposite shifts Monday through Friday. I was sick for a number of months and out of work for a number more. Jared continued to work his job in various locations for Swiss Valley. It was trying to work opposite shifts and only see each other on weekends. It was also trying to live together with a lot less solitary time than we are used to.

In May, we moved to Minneapolis together to our first shared apartment. In July we adopted a dog together. I look forward to what will happen next in our fourth year.

The day we signed our lease.

Dogtoberfest 2011

Saturday, Jared and I took Gizmo to Dogtoberfest!

Dogtoberfest is a get-together benefiting Underdog Rescue. It is put on annually by Urbanimal in Uptown. There were several dog-lovin' vendors there as well as activities for dogs and their humans. Of course, there was a beer tent and brats.

At the start of our day out, we walked down to the Urbanimal location on Lyndale. It was a great day and the walk was uneventful. When we arrived, we were greeted by a representative of Urbanimal and signed up for the raffle. We also got a wristband for being one of the first 100 people to arrive accompanied by a dog.

Gizmo got right to sniffing other dogs. His favorite booth was the bobbing for hotdogs kiddie pool. We stopped there three times, and he vacuumed up all the hotdogs he could get his tongue on. There were two pools, one for smaller dogs and one for bigger dogs. Gizmo stuck his nose in both.

We also made some dog art. He made a paint paw print onto a red foam leaf. We wrote his name on it and stuck on a UFO sticker.

Because we were the first 100 in the door, Gizmo got the best goodie bag I have ever seen for just showing up. We're good on dog treats for the next few months! I also picked him up a few duck feet, a pig snout and strips of pigs ear.

The Downtown Dogs booth let us know about a dog Halloween party their throwing on the 31st! He was suited up in a Downtown Dogs scarf, and we picked up a flyer for the party. I ordered him a Dracula cape for Halloween. Hopefully, he'll be able to romp around and play in the cape. I didn't want to get him a costume that stretched over him like pajamas, because he can't do his business in those and they cover his ears. Plus, I'm having a hard time justifying a $30 costume for my dog. He looks way better naked anyways.

Preparing to sniff butts!

Gizmo hasn't gotten over his Gentle Leader yet, and continues to run his face against anything he can find. I made a (bad) gif of this going down.

If I still had a copy of Photoshop, I could align these frames better. For now, this is what you get.

I'm Prime; It's My Birthday

23 years ago on August 1st, my mother went into labor around 1 pm, and I popped out August 2nd. I suppose I needed to marinate a little longer. I wanted to give an update on what has happened/will happen birthday-wise since I posted my birthday list in July.

Meaningful, Bill Paying Employment

I was contacted by Kelly Mitchell via Monster Jobs concerning a position with a corporation headquartered in Minneapolis. I went in for an interview on Friday and received a call on Monday offering me a job. I"ll be answering customer service emails and doing some light incoming-call customer service. It's 40 hours a week with over-time. It's a temporary position, but I'm hoping it leads to a permanent position within the company. The women at Kelly Mitchell were very professional and welcoming. I start in September, and the position is scheduled to end in January. During the five month period, I will make more than I did all of last year.

The women at Kelly Mitchell also asked me for referrals, so I offered up my good friend Jenni and my new friend Carissa. This should be great, right?

Reliable Collapsible Transportation

Soon after posting the birthday list, I purchased a folding bicycle off of Craigslist. It's a two year-old Tokyo that's silver. It's about 30 lbs, but can become less unwieldy, because it compacts. I purchased the bicycle for $80.00. 

Also pictured: A huge vase.

Very Irish Weekend

We have plans to be in Madison/Milwaukee/Sun Prairie the weekend of the 19th of August! I'll get to spend the day with Jared and as many people as I can talk into joining me. Gram sent me a check for $100.00 for my birthday that I will use for spending money. I'm very excited! There will be many photos, and we're going for the whole day!

Loyal, Dwarfed Dog

On Friday, the 29th of July, Jared and I met a nice woman in a parking lot about adopting her corgi, Gizmo. We took him home that afternoon. He's been great so far! I started a phlog of him which you can visit at the following link: Gizmo the Corgi. He's a 3 year-old tri-colored dude with stumpy little legs. Over the weekend I taught him to lay down on command. He already knew sit and kennel. While I'm busy doing nothing from the 5th to the 5th, I plan on getting him well versed on tricks.

More Effective Means of Time Travel

I have not gotten a camera. Actually, the more I think about it, the more I want an iPod. We'll see. 

Additional:

Comedy Club

I'm going out with some friends to see a comedy show at Acme Comedy. It's free, because I'm a birthday girl! I would like to wear a crown.

Free Treats From Starbucks

I wasn't hungry today by the time Jared came home, so instead we took the dog on a walk and stopped at Starbucks. I was talking to the woman behind the counter about volunteering at Jabbok over the fall and gave her the information for that. I asked if Starbucks does birthday specials, and she gave me my coffee and treats for free. She was very nice and thought Gizmo was a looker.  

Dinner with Gram

When we go to Madison, we'll be stopping by Gram's and heading to a birthday dinner (my favorite tradition). I'm not 100% sure where yet, but I'm like to try some place new and tasty.

It's really strange now, because I come home from volunteering and have nothing to search for on the internet. I have the bike, dog and job I wanted. Overall, it's been a great couple of weeks. Everything's coming up Holley.

My Ultimate Sales Pitch to Move to My Neighborhood

I was raised to harbor a stoic personality; I tend to be happy with whatever I can get/have. When we were looking to move to Minneapolis, I based where we were living off of Internet suggestions to avoid anything that started with Brooklyn and my need to live as cheaply as possible. We looked around the south side of Minneapolis and visited 5 different complexes. We lucked out in location and wound up in a great neighborhood. Our apartment is on the east side of the Whittier neighborhood which is also called the "International Neighborhood." My neighborhood is artsy with great restaurants and affordable living. It's the trifecta of urban life.

My apartment is less than a block from MIA, MCAD, Fallout Arts Initiative and the Children's Theatre Company. This means not only can I see art for free any time I feel the itch, there are also great murals and little artsy bits around the neighborhood. (Below are a few murals and whatnot from the neighborhood. There are a lot more.)

There is also a fantastic pizza place called Slice of New York just a few blocks away. You can get a huge, face-sized slice and a chunk of baklava for around $6.00 (depending on what type of pizza). I like the guy who works behind the counter too. He talks to you like he knows you, which is refreshing. A lot of people in food services seem to hate people.

There is also Hibachi Buffet down the street, but they already got a full post out of me.

I'm a huge fan of Jabbok Family Services, where I volunteer. Jabbok offers daycare, an after school program, and a summer program to neighborhood families at ridiculously reasonable prices. (It costs $0.50 an hour per family for daycare.) Jabbok has a small full-time staff and a few part-timers. The program has a large volunteer base of people passionate about people.

There are wonderful shopping opportunities in The Whittier Neighborhood. Buffalo Exchange is a nation-wide thrift store that carries a large range of brandname clothing. (I purchased True Religion jeans for $20.00.) Blacklist Vintage is closer to a specialty store. They carry vintage clothing sorted by waist size. It makes finding interesting clothing a little bit easier, because you aren't forced to juggle sizes. Lost and Found is another thrift store off of Nicollet. They carry both vintage pieces as well as modern pieces. Lost and Found is worth a visit just to check out the interior mural by a local artist.

Whittier is home to several great parks. I especially like Whittier Park and Clinton Field for child-friendly parks. Whittier Park has a wading pool which is great for kids who are not strong swimmers.

Music stores in my neighborhood include the Electric Fetus, Treehouse Records. Electric Fetus has a full-sized store front that is very organized. There is a gift shop with clothing, jewelry, gifts and music paraphernalia. Treehouse Records is a smaller store that is owner operated. It has better prices on older records, but you better be in the mood to dig.

Here are more photos of my neighborhood:

This Week In Herstory

On the job front:
This week, I've interviewed with a high-end department store and a hotel in Minneapolis. I received an email from an art school about a position in their art store. I've met up with a woman from a temp agency about finding an office job. I need to call another agency and register with them. And today, I received a phone call from an office supply store about a specialized sales job. However, I don't know if the job at the office supply store will meet my salary requirements.

I really want the job at the hotel. I think it will be a great opportunity for a career in hospitality. What I like most is that the hotel brand has hotels all over downtown, so I can find open positions within a number of hotels while staying with the same company. I sent a thank you letter this afternoon to the manager. It's important to me to seem eager for the position. Because, well, I am.

On the home front:
Minneapolis is awesome. I really like the city. I feel like anything is possible, and I can do anything I want here. I'm also getting a big head, because my price of living is so cheap. I can walk almost anywhere, and once I get a job I will be getting a bus pass. That will open up a whole world of "what next."

On the Jared front:
Jared took a job with Swiss Valley about an hour from town. It's not super high paying, but there is a very real opportunity for promotion. We're both very excited.

On the Netflix queue:
We're watching Lost, Psych, Veronica Mars and a lot of random movies (some starring John Cleese). I've found a lot of humor in telling Jared that "the thing [he] hates most about Lost is that [he] doesn't hate it." We've been spending our afternoons exploring the city and our nights watching TV.

On the shore front:
Jared and I realized we don't have any goals to save for tonight at dinner. I really want to go to Disney World, so I'm looking into that. It's a real possibility. Jared wants to spend some time in south Florida not at Disney World too. I don't know why he'd want to do that. All I think about is Mickey Ears with my name on them and 186 foot castles.

Dinner Eating and Job Hunting

I cooked up Korean BBQ Chicken; steamed bok choy, Chinese eggplant, and silk squash; and boiled white rice with chicken bullion. It was all very good. Jared wasn't all too fond of the texture of the bok choy and said the chicken was too moist. Jared skinned and cut a whole catfish in our kitchen sink. We'll be making fish tacos tomorrow.

We walked downtown today and to Nicollet Mall. I put in an application with Macy's to work as a Beauty Advisor. I'm good with people and had a lot of luck in sales last year. I really want to learn how to apply makeup; it's something no one has ever taught me. I also want to work somewhere that will force me to dress like a grownup. Even if that means all black all day. If I don't hear back in a week or so, then I'm going to apply at Lush. I want to work for an organic beauty line.

In the mean time, I'm also applying for Administrative Assistant positions via Craigslist. I'd like to get a job soon, so that I'll have money in savings. The sooner I get a job the sooner I can go to Disney World.

I'm going to start waking up half an hour earlier everyday until I'm waking up at 7 am. Given I woke up today at noon... I should be on course by the 27th. I've got to get going on my goals before time gets the best of me.

MN Catch Up

It's time to do some catch up!

Jared and I are all moved in to our apartment in Minneapolis. We had a really uneventful move and are currently working on getting everything just right. (Jared is building a bookcase in our living room as I type.) We went to IKEA on our second day here and bought two DVD racks, bars to hang up in the kitchen, a hook for my purses, hooks for the kitchen and hooks for jackets in the entry way. Why all the hooks? We're taking advantage of all the vertical storage we can. I'll post photos of our place once we're at a good stopping point. 

I had my San Fran trip right in the middle of everything, and left Jared to himself in the city.

I got back yesterday. Jared told me he bought a gallon of milk for $4.00. We spent all of today learning about all of the grocery stores in Uptown. We bought produce and a large catfish at Shuang Hur. We stopped Truong Thanh and picked up more produce and beef balls. Then, we went to Rainbow Foods and just went nuts and loaded up the cart. Jared was worried Rainbow Foods would be "slummy" because of some of the reviews the store had. When we got there all I said was, "if this is the 'grimy' one, then the one in St Louis Park is paved with gold."

Today we have a lot of banging nails and drilling screws to do before the building's quiet hours at 10 pm. I should get some laundry done from my trip, and some time soon I need to contact the maintenance guy about fixing our intercom.

The Final Countdown

We are in the final days of the move out countdown. Here are the few things I have left to do:

• File a Change of Address
• Take my cell phone to US Cellular and cancel my contract
• Get a new phone with Verizon (US Cellular doesn't cover Minneapolis.)
• Call my two student loan providers and change my billing address
• Cancel my Younker's card (I'm a Macy's girl at heart. Thank you Mall of America.)
• Change the billing address for my Old Navy account
• Cancel utility services to the Platteville house
• Find a cheap, yet reliable internet service for the apartment
• Nag Jared into ordering more Insulin

When we get to Minneapolis I need to get these things done:

• Find a place to volunteer a few times a week
• Arrange the living room where it looks less cramped
• Set up the kitchen
• Hang up my clothes
• Unpack everything
• Go grocery shopping
• Get a Minnesota ID
• Register to vote
• EDIT: Take photos of new place and send cards to the grandmothers.

I won't be applying for jobs until after my trip to San Francisco. And I won't be shopping for anything until after I get a job. The great news is that I'm in the home stretch for moving. I keep thinking about things I'd like to replace that are broken (like I have two Barenaked Ladies Stunt CDs that are scratched in the same place). Then, I realize that because I buy second hand, everything is going to be cheaper in the city. Another bit of great news is that I'm being added on to Jared's family's cell phone plan. That will cut my bill in half! I also called US Cellular and they're waiving the fee for early contract termination as long as I turn in my cell phone and equipment.

So far serendipity has been good to our tiny household.

Slow Going

Moving for me has never been a drawn out process. Usually I'd have less than 24 hours to get it all done including cleaning; if I was lucky, I'd have 48 hours. Jared and I have been packing (actively), moving and cleaning (sluggishly) for almost a month now. I feel kind of stuck where I'm at right now. I really need a push to get the house all squared away by May 1st. Instead, I wake up late, make some food and watch television shows on Netflix until Jared comes home around 2 pm. I get a lot of energy once he's here, but I really can't do anything with all his stuff in the way. I nag him about picking up his stuff, but we aren't getting anywhere. I've gotten so nervous that I'm back to taking 5-htp once a day again. Man, I don't care if it's a placebo effect. If it works, it works. I have people coming over tomorrow to look at the blue recliner and the orange chairs that I put up on Craigslist. We'll see how that goes.

This is what I have listed on Craigslist:

I did have a very strange call about the blue recliner. I can only quote a small section of it verbatim, but the gist is that I had to ask a lot of unnecessary questions. The woman that called asked if the chair was one piece or two (which is confusing because, in the picture it is very obvious it is in one piece). I said it was one piece. She asked if it had any tears. I told her that there was some wear to the bottom, which is visible in the photo on the advertisement. She then asked "Where can it be seen at?" I had her repeat this, because it's odd phrasing. "Our home in Platteville," I replied. "Where's that?" she questioned. "Platteville or my home in Platteville?" I replied. She never really answered this, but instead muttered to herself (possibly me?) something about $10.00 or best offer and having seen another chair. And then she disconnected the call. At that point, I decided that if she called back, I was not answering.

The woman who called about the chairs was very nice, so hopefully that goes well.
I am also expecting a call from a woman about the jewelry armoire I'm selling.

It should be an interesting tomorrow.

In other news, I have spent an obscene amount of time on this spreadsheet of the Best of the Twin Cities 2010/2011 spots I'm interested in. And, I've started a bookmarks folder titled "If I Had A Million Dollars" that will hold all the links to my window shopping finds. I'm doing whatever I can to distract myself, but at the end of every night I have Dire Straits stuck in my head and a brow sore from furrowing.

Headlines and Snippets

For whatever reason, I cannot organize my thoughts coherently enough to form a journal entry in the usual way. So, instead I'm doing headlines and snippets.

Things I want to talk about:
Having My First Period in a Year and Thinking I Was Dying

This is a pretty obvious title. But here is the story: In March 2010, I had an Implanon implanted in my arm. This is a great little device the size of a matchstick that guarantees no babies for three years. Which is awesome. The bonus was that it stopped my Aunt Flo from visiting monthly. I haven't menstruated in a full year, but last Monday I woke up one morning bleeding like the best of us. Of course, I jumped to the conclusion that I'm dying. It took me two mood swings and side cramps to figure out what was going on. The good news was that I hadn't yet given away my tampons (though I offered). I hope this is just an annual thing.

My Decision to (Radically) Avoid Contact With My Mother

I asked my mom to come down to Platteville April 4th and pick up her photo albums that I have. She was supposed to arrive at 10:00 am. She called at 12:43 pm to tell me that she wasn't coming because it was hailing like crazy. It did not hail here, and I have spent the last two weeks telling Jared we can't walk to the store/drive some place because of "The hail! the hail!" This Thursday (10 days later) I called my mother again to ask when she'll be down. She told me that the car doesn't have insurance and that the hail broke the windshield. I told her she should have informed me sooner, so that I could make arrangements. She told me that she had just found out "this morning." The whole time she kept reminding me that her phone was dying, so eventually I said fine we can hang up. She blared into the phone "Wait! Wait!" with increasing urgency. "What?" I grimaced. "Call your father! He doesn't have much time left! He's only 120 lbs!" At this point I couldn't restrain myself. I harped back that she shouldn't pity him or feel guilt or shame. He put himself into this position. Half an hour later she called back. Jared yelled down the stairs, "It's your mother." To which I replied, "If you want to talk to her, you can answer." She left a message telling me to call her back. She wants to see me, and she doesn't have "$80.00 for gas."

Now, that's the backstory. Some where between my call to my mother and her call back I had a little break down from the stress she puts me under. Also, when I thought they were going to visit on the 4th, I couldn't sleep and called my friend Brittany in a panic, because I didn't want to be alone with them. It was a good thing I called her and told her not to come too... they didn't even show up. So, here is my stance as of late Thursday night: I am done. I am through trying to talk my mother into being someone she isn't. I have given up on her. And, more importantly, I am now avoiding her. No more calls, no visits, nothing. I don't need the extra stress in my life. This seems selfish, because it is. I am the child. She is the parent. And, although as a young child I looked up to my mother as a woman who could take care of herself, she has now become a helpless, hopeless individual. I wish her the best and hope she can find the courage to seek the help she needs.

Stressing Out About Jared (Not) Packing

This week I was becoming increasingly tense about our move. My biggest issue was that, for the most part, I have been packed up for weeks; however, Jared had a closet full of god-knows-what and stuff scattered everywhere. I couldn't help him pack for two reasons: I have no clue what he wants to keep, and he won't be able to find a thing if I pack for him. Unfortunately, this led to a lot of me saying "I have no earthly idea" when asked if this or that box was important. I don't enjoy how helpless I feel sometimes when living with another person.

Moving and How Great Jared's Parents Are

How grateful I am towards Jared's parents for helping us move cannot be put into words. Jared's dad arrived right on time in a big, white, unmarked van. It became quickly apparent that he had a plan. That was a man of action. He knew exactly what went in the van first and what next. We fit a full sized mattress with box spring, two dressers, a desk, a kitchen table, three end tables, a coffee table, two kitchen chairs, the flatscreen and a whole slew of boxes into the pedo-van. We placed our orange chair, the black rolling chair, two endtables and two rugs into the mini-van. Really, this could have been a one van move. We decided that since we had the room we could bring both dressers and the rugs at the last minute. It was a regular clown-car of furniture. This van is what I would imagine Mary Poppins would drive if she liked little kids ... too much.

And, the drive up was interesting and energetic. I was in the big van with Jared's dad. We told stories and talked the whole time. I learned a lot about Jared and his family. I told Jared's dad that I was very worried about him and Jared's mom meeting my parents and that reflecting poorly on me. He told me not to worry about that. Oh! And I finally feel comfortable calling Jared's parents by their first names. (This is an issue with me and parents. What do you call them?)

Unloading with four people was very easy. Jared and his dad took up the heavy stuff. I was pretty weak from still being sick. Jared's mom was hauling stuff up stairs too. She's also very courteous with door holding. Jared and his dad went to the landlords' and picked up a loveseat out of their basement. I put together the furniture that needed to be put together and made the bed.

The only thing I'm not too thrilled about is the living room arrangement. That will need some work. I also need to put together some creative storage in the kitchen. (I'm thinkin' Ikea.) The bedroom looks great just the way it is, so that's a good thing. I want to have a good number of plants in the apartment, too. It's all very exciting.

Positive Things

Now is a very stressful time in my life. I've decided to focus on the positive things to distract myself. I'm also taking part in recreational shopping.

I'm a college graduate. - I bought nice, matching frames for Jared's and my diplomas.
I have a good amount of savings.
I'm purging a lot of clutter which will lead to a less toxic environment.
I'm moving into the first apartment I will share with my wonderful boyfriend.
I'm moving to a big city that offers an urban environment.
There is food in the fridge and in the pantry.
There is a roof over my head.
The weather is beautiful.
In three weeks I'll be visiting my aunt in San Francisco.
I've been feeling better and am getting my energy back.
My skin is looking great.
I have a cute haircut with a little color.

I do have to say that Jared is the highlight of my every day. He cracks me up.

Let's consider how awesome my life could be if everything falls into place. Somehow we move all of our stuff in only two trips. Our apartment is in a great neighborhood where we have easy access to a grocery store and library. The couch our landlord offered us is in good shape and attractive. We befriend our neighbors who are helpful, kind and courteous. We get jobs within three months of the move which allows us to have a good amount of savings to cushion our accounts. We make friends at work and around town. We attend concerts, go to museums, eat at nice restaurants, volunteer in the community. We go to Disney in winter. We like our apartment enough to stay another year. We buy a fuel efficient car. We get a corgi that can travel with us around the nation sightseeing. We still make it back to visit with friends and family for holidays. And, then one day, we decide if we like the Twin Cities enough to buy a house with a yard or a condo with a rooftop garden. That's the dream: Jared, a corgi and me living in a nice city in a small, affordable home, traveling to nice places and eating tasty food.

Ready Set Go: Part IV

My moving checklist is doing awesome! I packed up a lot of my things and they are ready to go. But, more important than what I've packed is what I haven't packed. I sorted out my clothing twice - once by myself and once with Jared. I filled two garbage bags so heavy with clothing I could barely lift them into Jenni's van. We took the clothing to The Hanger in Dubuque. They gave me $30.72 up front for one basket of clothing and then put another basket up for sale on commission.

Now all of my clothing can fit inside one box and my large and medium Leisure brand suitcases.

I boxed up my trinkets and jewelry. All of my jewelry fits inside of a cigar box and all of my trinkets fit in the medium sized box under that lamp shade pictured above. Everything else is either in a plastic tub to store in Jared's parent's basement or in a box for donations.

I went through my blankets and art work and cut both down by half. Artwork is going to the basement. Jared still needs to go through the blankets. We went through the kitchen and have a mondo box for pots and pans to donate. Basically, all of my pots and pans came from thrift stores and are really showing their wear. Early this week, Jenni and I went to Monroe to the Swiss Colony Outlet store, and I lucked out and found some nice enamel pots and pans for a whopping $52.47. They retail for $139.95, but one handle's paint was cracked and I had a 25% employee discount. The new set makes a lot of our older pans obsolete. I went through my toiletries last night. I really wanted to just toss all of them and start fresh, but once again Jared was the voice of reason. I can fit all of my remaining toiletries into a small travel bag.

The other thing I did this week was finish up those pesky tables I've been meaning to paint. I started priming the tables in early March when the weather was suddenly warm for a week. It was really cold the following three weeks and this Wednesday was the first good spray paintin' day. Here is a before and after of my metal end table and just an after of my typist's desk.

Previously, I said I wanted to reupholster the chair we have upstairs, because the fabric was worn out and faded. Jared thought that wasn't a good use of money. He tends to keep me grounded when it comes to projects. However, on my trip out to Monroe, I found a cute pillow that matched in both color and kitsch. The pillow really covers up the faded back of the chair (that, apparently, only I see.)

I'm really ready to move. I just can't wait. Today, we're visiting Jared's folks and dropping off boxes for storage (mostly artwork, records, and Christmas decorations). I emailed our landlord to double-check our address. I want to order checks with a current address on them. I want to see if Jared's dad has some pegboard I can fit into two identical frames. I plan to hang them as his and hers key holders.

Preparation and Inspiration

I've been rained in for the past two days and haven't been able to work on painting my tables. What I have been doing instead is going through my closet (clothes and trinkets) and sorting out what goes, what stays and what will be stored. I've also done a fair amount of research on storage in a small apartment. Along the way I've found a lot of inspiring images from Apartmenttherapy.com.

When the decision was made that we would be moving to a city, I began a quest to read up on organization and diminishing clutter. Technically, this decision was made mid-2009. I have developed a system of determining what to keep and what to get rid of. If I don't love it or if I don't use it incessantly, it goes. It has to meet at least one of these claims or hold a ridiculous amount of history/sentimentality.

I took every article of clothing I own and put them into two piles: keep and donate/sell. (I toss damaged clothes after they're damaged. So, I don't have a "toss" pile.) Then I bag up the donate/sell pile and begin piling into the following categories of type: pants, jackets, sweaters, hoodies, short sleeved t-shirts, long sleeved t-shirts, tank tops, dress jackets, skirts, shorts, jeans, pj pants, pj shirts. I have so many sub-categories, because I have a very large amount of clothing. Then I went through each pile with Jared, who sees me everyday and knows what I wear. He told me what additionally I needed to donate/sell. (Of course I had veto power for my one plaid shirt.) The point of going through this with a close friend is that he helped me make tough decisions and justify my keeps. For example, I purchased a sweater on clearance that I love. However, by the time it was on clearance it was a size large, and in Jones New York I wear a small. Jared told me I've never worn that and told me that if I'm not going to wear it, get rid of it. Easy for him to say. In the end, I have two 13 gallon trash bags filled if items to take to a resale shop. Which leaves me with one large sized box, one large sized suitcase and one small sized suitcase of clothing to haul to Minneapolis.

Trinkets was much more difficult. Originally, I had two large plastic tubs filled with trinkets. I emptied both tubs into four piles: keep, toss, donate and store. I now have a plastic tub to storage and one medium/small box of trinkets that I Tetris-ed into place. Unfortunately, I only went through the trinkets upstairs in my closet that were already boxed up. I still have to go through the trinkets downstairs and in the upstairs bedroom. I also need to go through all of our kitchen items.

I need to go through all of the house by next Saturday. Jared and I are going to make a trip to his parents to drop off all items marked for storage. (Shouldn't be too much. Although, Jared has decided we aren't bringing my record player along.)

I've been researching the best way to add storage to a small kitchen and small bathroom. What I've landed on is that pegboard solves a lot of problems and when in doubt, use magnets. I want to install pegboard in the kitchen as well as above the end-table in the entryway. I've drawn up a diagram of where we'll be placing furniture in the apartment. I'm only having a problem with what to place the rabbit and the hamster. Parts of me wish we didn't have to worry about the pets and where they'll be living. We'll have to solve this issue when we get there. I have a hard time imagining three-dimensional space.

Here are some of those inspirational photos from Apartmenttherapy.com.

1. The print on this chair from the Kindel Manufacturing Company is classic in a granny way but very fun and loud.
2. I'm modeling our bedroom on this design. The layout of out room is a little larger with a larger window.
3. Magnetic paint is being used on the back of this bathroom door to create storage.
4. I'm really feeling accordion scissor lamps. 
5. I can't get enough of this table set. I'll need to keep an eye out for one of my own.
6. This wooden sewing storage would be good for all-purpose storage as well. 

An Intense Storm

Some weeks of my life are slow moving, boring and uninformative unlike the colossal shit-storm that is this week. Here is my week in review.

We leased an apartment.

This is a positive outcome from a very stressful experience. I'm proud of myself for researching and finding a nice place to live in a nice city. However, moving can be very stressful when time is a factor. And, seeing that we move in 24 days, time is a nemesis.

Jared's parents aren't pleased.

Moving is made even more stressful knowing that we do not have the full support of Jared's family. My parents could care less where I'm living. I haven't needed their approval in my life since the day I left home, a month after my 18th birthday. Jared, however, isn't like that. He's blessed with a family that is an active part of his life. His mother definitely does not approve of our move, because we do not have jobs lined up waiting for us in Minneapolis. She isn't comforted by our savings. I don't know what she expected us to do after the house sold, but I get the feeling it involved moving into an apartment in Platteville so that Jared could continue his low paying, no room for promotion, intellectually unsatisfying job. Perhaps in this economy it's better to stick with a job you hate than be unemployed and living off savings. I've read otherwise. This disapproval makes me feel like a villain. It is hard to stay excited about something when someone is there to point out all the risks.

My dad might have cancer.

I haven't wanted to speak to my father in a very long time. I actively would avoid his calls. I don't enjoy being drunk dialed at noon. On Friday, I received a Facebook message from my Aunt Cathy, his sister, stating that Dad had cancer. I called my Aunt Leigh, also his sister, to get details. That night, at about 4 AM, I called Dad to hear the news first hand. He told me he might have cancer in a way that someone might announce getting a haircut. He has to have surgery to find out if the mass is benign or malignant. I'm calling him Wednesday to hear how the surgery went. I don't know how I feel about the possibility of my father having cancer. He has told my aunts and myself that he wants to die. He might not seek treatment.

I'm still sick.

I'm on week three of The Illness. My throat is still swollen; I'm out of breath; And, my joints ache. Viruses are a menace.

One of my best friends is getting a divorce.

The people I've grown to know over the years are very important to me. Even when we're hours or hundreds of miles apart, I don't stop caring about these people. My heart breaks for my friend who is going through the beginning motions of a divorce. I do not worry about her future. She can accomplish anything she puts her mind to. Right now life is hard for her. All of my thoughts and hopes are with her.

I struggle internally with my own disgust.

I purposely excluded part of our weekend in Minneapolis, because right now I'm not at my best when I try to provide an honest viewpoint. I've decided to share this seeing that I don't believe I'm going to be impartial about this particular nuisance for years. Jared returned a call from his best friend, Michael, on our way back to Platteville. During the call, Michael called Minneapolis a "shit hole." When this was told to me, I felt a rush of hatred. This feeling of such a strong dislike for another human being was alarming. I don't really believe that life should be filled with such strong, negative emotion. I understand that Jared will never purposely remove Michael as a part of his life. At the same time, I do not know how to tackle my own emotions. I'm disgusted by my own hatred.

It takes all my strength to keep smiling as the wind blows against me. The struggle is worth it though. Struggling to let the haters hate while the world does its worse is far better than giving into my own overwhelming sadness. I've been called "spineless" before by a simple minded person who perceived stoicism for weakness. I keep my head held high, just above the water and rely on the knowledge that I know how to swim. Or, at least I can float by until a sunny day. But, that's enough of a nautical storm analogy for one entry.

Ready Set Go: Part III

After almost three weeks compiling three separate to-do lists that are color coded by importance and in order of necessary completion... my checklists are finally shrinking!

Pluck your eyebrows and deep condition your hair? No problem! Clean, sand and prime both tables? Check. Check. Check. Clean the upstairs and do the dishes? Yes, please. Call my most awesome Aunt Leigh. You bet! And, finally, create a moving binder and find an apartment? Done and done!

That is right, Jared and I have lucked out. We managed to find an apartment after one day of searching! This is fantastic news, because we don't have to travel another 12 hours for disappointment. Instead, we managed to find a terrific place at our last stop of our five hour tour. (Five hour tour.)

This apartment is so perfect I just spent a good chunk of time researching my future landlords. (Who also seem like kind, honorable people.) It's in the Whittier neighborhood and is a very moderate price. The apartment is a one bedroom with new fixtures, floors, windows and appliances. It even has a dishwasher and off-street parking. When we toured, it took me about two minutes to look and want to move in. Jared felt a little rushed with the decision. (Which he kind of, and I stress "kind of," was rushed.) But, this was the best apartment we'd seen all day and at the best price in the best neighborhood. I'm more than ecstatic. I really hope living there will be as great as I think it is going to be. Oh! And, they allow pets, so Eva, Pepper and Scoopie are welcome guests. They even allow dogs. But, we're not ready for a dog yet.

I saw a lot of now hiring signs around town and am not worried about job availability. I don't want to start applying until around the end of May or early June after my San Francisco trip and after a mini-Summer of exploring town.

When Jared and I were apartment viewing, we got lost in the city. I really didn't mind being lost, but I didn't like being late for an appointment. Minneapolis was beautiful. There are parks everywhere! The traffic isn't congested. I'm really excited, and I haven't even been shopping yet!

We also ate at a very cute diner called The Bad Waitress. It's a great combination of tattooed waitstaff, super hero references, organic (and vegan) food and really great atmosphere. I feel like it's going to be a regular stop for me. I feel like a lot of places in Minneapolis are going to be a regular stop for me.

I hope your weekend was as amazing and productive as mine. I have two lady dates this week to hangout with my friends. I'm pretty excited about that too.

Ready Set Go: Part II

I quit my job.

I've spent the last two weeks laid up with an annoying illness. I went into work for the first time in March today and I didn't make it an hour before my throat started swelling up. I asked to be put on emails. An hour later, I'm hot and disoriented. I can't remember anything and my fingers aren't doing what I tell them to. It takes four tries to type "CSR" onto a screen. On break, I put my hours on the give away board. Writing up the small slips of paper took four tries to write two tickets. I couldn't keep myself from writing "Tuesday" and "3/15" for Thursday 3/17. After break I asked to speak to my supervisor. We went into an office space and I told her how freaked out I am about being sick this long and about my frustrations with calling in sick all the time. She drafted up the paperwork for immediate layoff because of illness. All I had to do was sign on the Employee Signature line. Even that took unnecessary effort. There were too many lines to choose from. 

Jared and I got hamburgers after he picked me up from work. I wanted to sleep on the bar, and I was totally sober. We stopped over at Menard's to pick up spray paint for my new projects then came home, watched half of Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome and crashed at around 10:30 PM. I woke up at 12:18 AM hot as Hell. Now, I'm back to staying up very late feeling like it's August in Florida and our A/C is out again. 

Tomorrow I have a date with a welder to fix my metal end table. Jared said he could fix the leaves of my typewriter table with pliers. I need to make doctor's appointments both with my general and my podiatrist. 

I'm making appointments to view apartments on Saturday. I figure either I'll get over being sick or I'll die. And, if I die, apartment hunting won't be so important anymore.

Ready Set Go: Part I

I am pretty excited to say that I am feeling much much better. I have my usual energy back and the headaches have dissipated. I am one happy camper about this. The only potential downside is that this makes me want to get a big move on a bunch of projects.

I've decided that if we're taking furniture along with us, it needs to be in excellent shape. I want to refinish my typewriter table that I love dearly. I want to refinish my metal end table. And, most of all, I want to find someone to refinish the arm chair. (Notice I didn't say "my;" technically this chair belongs to Jared.) I also would like to refinish the large dresser upstairs.

I really love these pieces, but the typewriter table is covered in paint (from my college years) and the end table hasn't been taken care of. It used to live in a basement, and I have no idea how old it is. The dresser is chipped up and needs to be sanded and painted. I love the chair, but it's very faded. I want the chair to be something we keep a long time. I'm searching for someone to professionally upholster the chair. I think this will be an excellent investment piece of furniture.

Jared wants to keep this small table that we refinished last summer, but it needs additional work. He might take this to his father for further tweaking.

Of course we are keeping our coffee table, end table and laptop table that I purchased from Swiss Colony this year. Also we're keeping the kitchen table and chairs from my old apartment.

Also, I need to clean the downstairs and start boxing up items. I want to inventory every item we own in order to narrow down what is coming with us. I will do this on an Excel chart broken up by room. This list can be used when we purchase renter's insurance once we do move.

I've used my Google calendar to schedule my days off to be devoted to a particular room in the house.
I've emailed three posters on Craigslist about viewing apartments this weekend.
I've made a list of short term goals for moving and a list of short term goals for everything else.
I've made a list of long term goals.

Now that I'm better I can get on all the stuff I've been sluggishly planning for the past two weeks. (Yay!)

Budgeting for MN

Lately, I've been spending an inordinate amount of my free time researching apartments and budgeting for when we move to Minneapolis. A psychological explanation is that I'm compensating for the fact that when we move I lose my healthcare and and foodshare through the state. Which scares the living daylights out of me. On the bright side, if I go bankrupt from medical bills after a horrible accident... I don't have much to lose. Also, with the path Scott Walker is taking Wisconsin down... I'd be losing all that anyways.

I'm off topic.

I figure that I will have $5,000.00 to be unemployed with as of May. (Thank you, being poor enough to get all tax money back.) Now, Jared makes more money than me and works more hours... so even without tax money he'll have equal to or more than my savings. I'm budgeting for the following expenses:

Economy Internet (Provider Comcast): $39.95
Rent including utilities: $550.00
Cell Phone Plan: $45.00
Food: $200.00
Down payment equal to the price of rent: $550.00

Jared and I will split the cost of everything with the exception of my cell phone plan.

Here is the equation I've come up with to figure out how many months we can remain unemployed while sustaining a $1,000.00 emergency fund.

$5,000.00 - $1,000.00/2 = [($550.00 + $39.95 + $200.00)/2]x + $45.00x + $550

Solving for x and rounding down to the nearest month... we can survive eight months while being unemployed in Minneapolis.

It took us two months to find jobs in a worker saturated, tiny town. If we get jobs right away, I'm buying a couch.

I told Jared that when he gets a job with health insurance, we're getting court house married, and I'm living off his insurance forever. The only problem he had with this idea is the forever part. "Why can't you get a job with insurance then I can live off your job forever?" he asks me. If the answer wasn't obvious enough: Because I said so. Also, getting a chemistry job with good insurance is far more likely than whatever I stumble into having good insurance. But, who knows.

So far my plan is to hang out here, make some money, find an apartment in late March/early April. Move out by April 15th. We'll start packing after we find an apartment. We'll job hunt in May. I have a San Francisco trip in May too.

Actually, I have a trip with Britt this week to look forward to. It will be a last hurrah before strangers start asking to touch her stomach in public.

And, if we get jobs soon... I want to go to Disney World. I've never been there before. I think it's right up my alley.

Oh yea, and because we won't be in the middle of no where... maybe my Florida friends will want to visit the Upper Midwest.

MN Planning

Two weeks ago I purchased an Idiot's Guide to Smart Moving book from http://www.thriftbooks.com. Jared has to sleep way before I'm ready to, so while he's resting I read my guide book and take notes to prepare for the future. I am reminded of the Lennon quote, “Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans,” but it's not going to stop me. I need to plan to keep my sanity.

On Sunday I read chapters one and two which suggested requesting information from our future home town. I spent Monday calling both the Minneapolis and St. Paul Chamber of Commerce as well as the Roseville Chamber of Commerce. I also called the Minnesota Tourism Office. I should be receiving several packages this month on relocation.

I'm trying to read the chapters and do what they say in order, but one woman told me it' d be a "couple of weeks" before I'd receive a relocation packet. If I don't hear word by Friday, I'm going to read a few more chapters and get going on that.

Jared hasn't told his parents yet that we're moving... and I can't remember if I told my family here in Wisconsin. I've told my cousin Rachel in Mississippi that we're planning on moving though. I think that counts in my favor in some way.

This week has been day in day out working where Jared and I are on opposite shifts. I've spent very little and am prepared to welcome debt free October into my In the Red year.

Also, I have to start paying my student loan back in November at $61.50 a month.

And, I am getting orthotics sometime in October that I will be paying on monthly as well.

But, I can say that I am very happy with all that I own and what I have been loaned. I do not want for much.

This quote is a little more insightful than Lennon's. (Although, he is my favorite Beatle.)

“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.”

- Anatole France

Playing Catch Up

We are 111 days from Christmas. 110 days until finalizing our move. I am very excited. Actually I think I'm nesting. I bought a coffee table this last week, received it on Friday and had it in the door and put together in under an hour. Today, I bought a small side table... but I probably won't get it. It'd be nice to replace the big hunker that's next to the couch, but the last time I checked there were only two left.

Other than shopping -- which is always a wonderful thing when you have some money to do so. Especially, when the company is buying. -- I've been working, cooking, cleaning and watching Covert Affairs.

So the working has been okay. I'm looking forward to not working weekends anymore. Saturdays and Sundays are so slow that they let us off early. I am let off last of the morning shift, because my hours go through first shift and into second. The calls sometimes have 4-7 minutes between them. Today I sang "Dancing By My Self" at least 20 times while waiting. I ate some cookies... and attempted doing the crossword.

Cooking wise I made a Greek dish from allrecipes.com for the work week's lunch.

Greek Penne and Chicken

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package penne pasta

2 1/2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped red onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

1.7 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into bite-size pieces

1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts in water

1 can diced tomato

1 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions

Marinade chicken bites in parsley, oregano, lemon juice, 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter while noodles boil. (About half an hour)

In a large pot with boiling salted water cook penne pasta until al dente. Drain.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat melt butter, add onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add chopped chicken and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium- low. Drain and chop artichoke hearts and add them, diced tomato, feta cheese, and drained penne pasta to the large skillet. Cook until heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Serve warm.

Here is the original recipe. My version makes over 12 servings.

Cleaning is never-ending and not worth talking about.

Covert Affairs is worth talking about. It's an excellent addition to television. It's sharp, action packed and the blind tech guy is hilarious. I like it a lot more than the Bourne Identity movies.

On a side note: Jared and I are constantly battling with our city planning office, and Water and Sewer. First they dug up our yard. Then, they put gigantic concrete tubey things on our yard for three weeks. Then they filled the holes with sand and gravel instead of dirt. Plus, the people across the street believe it's better to park in our driveway instead of the numerous parking spots on the street. Now, the workers went into our backyard and took a hose from the house. They hooked that hose to a fire hydrant. Jared was really angry when he saw it. He made the rounds of calls the figure out what was going on. Apparently, the construction workers are running water to our house with that hose. Jared is still kind of riled about them not asking permission.

Also, our microwave has gone rogue. We have the breaker off to stop it from beeping loudly unendingly.

We start our new work schedule tomorrow. Jared works 6am to 4pm, and I work 4:30pm to midnight. We have weekends off. We should do something this weekend.