I only celebrated Fat Tuesday by eating the last four Maman raspberry rose cookies in my freezer.
But I really celebrated Lunar New Year yesterday as Kelly instructed:
Do: Wear red to attract good fortune.
Don’t: Wash your hair, do laundry, clean or take out the trash. You might send your good fortune down the drain or trash chute.
I hadn’t washed my hair all weekend because the Marriott didn’t have a hair dryer in my room. And I hadn’t gotten cash to tip anyone till the final day of my stay, so I didn’t want anyone in my room.
On the plus side, I hit four Disney Parks plus Disney Springs.
I saw NINE apartments too.
Ruled out five based on drywall vs concrete.
We had Chinese drywall at Renaissance Commons. I am convinced that’s how Mom’s cancer started. And we lost Kadie there too.
It’s a shame because, all things being equal and nontoxic, I’d have probably picked The Addison. Best amenities. And it has Ledge Loungers, which I fell in love with at The Boulevard Pool at the Cosmopolitan.
Even if they don’t have the asbestos-laden drywall, the smell was so bad that my eyes watered and the leaflets stunk up my car.
The remaining places — P, R, CT and M — were impressed that I knew to ask about concrete construction vs. wood frames.
Like well I’m twice all ya’lls ages. Been around a bit. And I am the type of person to stay six years wherever I go.
That was a real pisser too, having to negotiate on a starting rent because they all raise the rent every year. The Addison said we’re more focused on RETENTION so that’s when we do the negotiating.
I mean sounds good but I would think they have more leverage after I’ve completed a 15-month lease and all my shit is on their property.
I liked M’s guarantees — you can break the lease within 30 days, no questions asked. Or you can break the lease within six months and cite a life event with no penalty.
Again, ATBE, I walked into CT and said I want the unit we are looking at.
I mean, I don’t have a spare $2500 a month before pet application, fees and rent. But I loved that unit.
I think R is the best pick for me, though a studio costs as much as my 2/2. Costs more when you get into parking, amenities, pets, valet trash and all that shit.
Also I got “The World” tarot card with R. Which if I typed out the full name of R, would translate to full circle as depicted on the card.
It’s clear if I want to move to the area I viewed, I have to lose space. Which means Operation: Decumulation has to happen.
It’s the first day of Lent and I don’t have any vacations scheduled for the next 40 days.
I figure it’s time to either get sugar sober or gluten sober.
And of course to eliminate more shit, though it’s all that’s left of my life with Momma.
I def need a second bedroom for what I do want to keep. And my desk of course. Which lends to CT because the second bedroom is den-sized.
The Addison had a separate desk area tho so I could keep the bedroom as a bedroom.
Every place does resident events. The Addison did chocolate covered strawberry making. The P gave out Crumbl to all the residents while I was there.
Everyone did some sort of flower arrangement making thing for V day. Two of them did wine nights. Again, Addison and I want to say R. R also does food trucks, Addison does coffee trucks, etc.
I hate that The Addison has so much of what I want, including the very best location.
But, watery eyes ahoy.
I loved L’s location right on a lake. Tons of privacy. Weird though that the pool — on a gorgeous lake — closes at like five. Addison’s is open till 11. Every other pool I saw was in the dead fucking center of the building and everyone could look up my ass to see what I had for dinner whilst sunbathing.
Obv I use the name of the place I ruled out. I do not need to apply there so this is making sure I won’t.
I sent myself 40 texts about all the pros and cons. But the prices are all out of fucking control is the problem.
Right now I’d honestly be better where I am, paying $xx and having free cable/internet, no pet rent, HUGE balcony, covered/free parking, and … after six months without one, a working elevator.
Sure, everyone else has elevator banks and on site maintenance and walking distance to museums and driving distance to theme parks.
But that’s really the beauty of having a trip scheduled post-Lent. I couldn’t move today if I wanted to.
I mean, unless I wanted to grab that CT unit that’s available — and security deposit is FREE with my credit.
Damn it.
What I found super cool is all the co-working spaces at all these places. Like, that’s how I get my fat ass out of my apartment and drag my laptop and portable monitors down to the fifth or fourth floor, grab a couch or conference room, and go to town.
I’d miss my floor to ceiling windows and my gorgeous water view tho.
But man it would be a nice change to say welp, five o’clock, time to go home and have a period between both parts of my day.
I might rot on the couch after five or six, but I still worry about the shit that’s undone on the computer 10 feet away.
Anyway, all the tarot cards say it’s time to go.
That it’s going to be a bittersweet move, leaving things that matter but in pursuit of a very needed change.
Leaving a good doctor and great pet sitters and my beloved Delray. But … going toward … I don’t know what yet but I am planning on a healthy lifestyle.
I pulled the Death card for CT. A welcome Death, clean break from the life before.
And also the Soulmate card when I asked which building. would be more conducive to meeting people.
Logically R is the best location. Newest building. It has a dart room FFS.
P has a grocery store on the first floor tho I can get there easily from the others.
Anyway I know only Goonhilda and the Pest will read this. So I don’t owe anyone a cogent post or ending to it.
But I do feel so much better now that I did all this on-the-ground research and had a three hour drive to process it.
I guess it’s like a wedding dress or a groom — you really just want the feeling you get when you find the one.
And I get the same feeling now that I’ve always gotten with men. That this is the best I can get so maybe I should just be alone rather than smell their stink.