2.1.98

Well, T. and I are officially moved into our new residence. This is our first apartment together, in a way. He lived with me for a month last year before he moved to L.A. But, I don't think that really counts.

It's frightening this living situation. Frightening in its commitment. Not that we aren't committed anyway. We're getting married this next August. But, this is the start of what I hope will be a beautiful and fulfilling long-life together.

We had to sign a year lease. Blegh. I hate leases. With the way my life has been going, shifting gears every three months it seems, a year commitment is a very long time. I'm so sick of asking myself, wondering silently, screaming aloud, where my life will be in a year, five years, twenty. After all, I don't know where my life will be in three months. I hope to God that whatever it is that it's interesting.

Our new apartment is your standard one bedroom. It was advertised as "ALL NEW EVERYTHING." Which leaves us with a new oven and refrigerator in the kitchen - nice, and the sickening smell of cheap white paint which I hope will stop lingering. T. and I have marveled at the thoroughness of the paint job. "Why, looky here, they painted over the outlets... and the door and cabinet hinges... and the control panel of the heating unit... and the light switches." Which equates into ill-fitting outlets, barely opening cabinets (and barely closing) and sticky light switches. When I tried to open the heating panel I ended up ripping the whole thing off the wall.

But, the upside is that it's rent-controlled (so it's cheap for L.A.) and our landlords seem super-cool.

The new owner of the complex is completely renovating the outside. He's adding a security gate and a courtyard and giving it a much-needed paint job. So, our maintenance guy is here almost round-the-clock supervising. When I went out for a breath of fresh air the other day we spoke a little bit.

"Eh there, you guys from New York?"
"Uh....no. We're from Oregon."
"Really. How long ya been here?"
"Well, I've only been here for a couple weeks but T. has been here for about three months."
"Really. Been hotelling it for three months?"
"No. He was staying with friends. And, they let me stay there while we looked for a place."
"Really. Yeah, well now you can swing from the chandeliers without anyone complaining."
!!
"Uh... right."

I considered asking if chandeliers were next on the renovations but held back - it's best not to go there with the maintenance guy, don't ya think?