While I Was Out...

 
I honestly have no idea where I left off, what I've covered, what I haven't... My bad... Things have been pretty busy.
 

MOVING

Mid-January to early February contained the most hectic weeks of my life I think—topping, even, the move to NYC, which happened gradually and calmly, even though I only had a few weeks to do it all. Moving within NYC, though... Totally different story.

But, that's almost all behind us now. We're 75 to 80 percent unpacked, depending on whether you ask me or Matt. While it's true that we only have three or four boxes left to unpack, we still have so much furniture all over the place (anyone want to buy a pub table or a papasan?) and so many random things to put away/hang/store/throw out, etc. Really no idea when we're going to get around to finishing up, especially since neither of us ever makes much progress on our own (he likes to sleep on his days off; I rarely have days off) and we have like, no time together. But we'll figure it out. Everything's functional for now. When it's tidier, I'll have photos. Until then, check out the empty apartment photos and visualize furniture!

WORK

In the meantime, things at work are finally back to normal. I had a few rough weeks during the move in which I struggled to get to work on time and was just kind of falling behind because of constant phone calls with the real estate agent and picking up the keys from the landlord and signing papers and packing and just... everything piling up. But now, that's all behind me and I've been getting to work not even on time, but early some days! Which, if you know me, is... odd.

Wrapping up spring books a bit early, starting on fall books soon (many of which I acquired myself!), and then looking ahead to winter and spring 2014 and attempting to acquire a few more. I went to lunch with our editor-at-large this afternoon and we had a good time, eating sushi and talking about the acqusitions process. It's definitely something I enjoy and definitely something I want to do more and more of as time passes.

I also received an email from an author today that ended with the following paragraph:

"I can't imagine doing what you do. And you do it so well BTW. You are a saint. A goddess of the publishing world. I'd go nutz dealing with ne'er do wells like me everyday...."

I made sure our director saw this, and we joked about getting me a plaque. Then he dubbed himself a publishing god. Today was a good, amusing day. The office was very... lax. Everyone was joking around, there wasn't a ton of stress. It was almost better than last Thursday, when our publisher treated the entire office to a cupcake and coffee fieldtrip. (I kid you not.)

MATT

Matt works... and works... and works. He has his first social engagement (for lack of better words.. man-date?) that doesn't involve me (or drinks at 2 a.m. after work) on Thursday and is pretty excited about it. They're going to a show downtown that I'm not even the slightest bit interested in, so I'm glad he found someone else to go with! However, I'll have to go if the friend backs out. So... let's hope that doesn't happen.

Like I said, we don't see each other a lot, but it's working. He's hoping to move up to the main kitchen (there are three: main, prep, and pastry) soon, which will also come with the opportunity to create an amuse-bouche (one bite dishes) or two for the menu. He's constantly talking about flavor combinations and this and that, so I'm pretty sure that means he's excited about it. And I would be, too. I think, in SAT speak, his amuse-bouche is to an acquisiton in my world. Maybe. Might even be more exciting than that.

GYM!

I'm back to the gym! And for real this time. The new gym is three blocks away and is wonderful. It's definitely no Planet Fitness, that's for sure. And I'm barely paying more than I was paying at PF. The members don't remind me of convicts—and they don't look at me like I'm a drumstick, either. The machines are new and clean, the locker room is really pretty and has a steam room, and there are two or three classrooms. The classes are included in the membership, and I really think I want to try a spin class eventually. Not right now, though, because I don't think I could handle it just yet.

You can actually tour my new gym on Google+! Check it out if you're interested/jealous/curious/nosy: click! (No judgment here. I'd do it if I was reading your blog.)

Going to try to get back into at least three days a week, at least an hour each day (cardio + strength) to start. Eventually work my way up to 1.5 to 2 hours, like I used to, depending on the day and how much work awaits me at home. One of the good things about Matt's schedule is that I don't have to worry about rushing home to hang out with him because he's not here. Which gives me tons of time to work on myself. Which is healthy and necessary and nice.

OTHER STUFFS

Spending tons of time reading (mostly on the train) and enjoying every second of it. Totally in the right profession; no doubt about it.

Also spending a bit of time working creatively, as I'm finally getting around to helping Sara out with her YA novel. We're about five chapters in now (hitting Chapter Five right after I post this) and I think it's looking good! We'll be looking for Beta readers soon, so if anyone's interested/curious, chat me and we'll set something up.

I can't really think if there's anything else going on. Trying not to spend a lot of money, so there hasn't been much social stuff, other than spending every single weekend with Andrew, my BFFL! ;) I'm trying to challenge myself to spend no more than $50 a week on my own stuff (non-apartment essentials/food). So far, haven't spent a single dollar Monday or Tuesday, so we're off to a good start! (This challenge started Monday, ps.)

Don't think there's really much else... Found out recently that four or five people from high school are out here, too! So we're going to try to plan a night for drinks when everyone's settled. Should be fun!

Moving Day... The Last One for a Long Time. I Hope.

And the stress continues... but at least the "moving" part of "moving" is over.

Speaking of the "moving" part of "moving," the actual process was a nightmare. And it ended up costing us a little more than double what we originally expected which... just made the nightmare even worse, of course. What we were originally told would take four hours actually took seven and a half. And at the end of those seven and a half hours, we were left with my giant couch in the hallway. They were able to get it up five flights of stairs, but just couldn't get it through the front door.

So we called a man known as The Couch Doctor. It was about 5:30 when we made the call. And by 7:00, an old hispanic man had the couch in pieces and in the apartment. Not kidding—

This is the top half of the couch. I didn't want to be a creep and snap a bunch of pictures while they worked, so this is the only proof I have. But less than 45 minutes later, the entire couch was put back in one piece without any issues and they walked away with a pocket full of cash we did not plan on spending when we woke up that morning.

Now, we're unpacking. Or at least, trying to. Clothes are in the closet (which conveniently has two bars to hang clothes on and a few built-in shelves that make me happy) and a few glasses are in the cupboard, but we can't really get to those cabinets because the kitchen is only half unpacked. As is every other room in the apartment, as you may witness in these photos:

First room off the kitchen.

 

Half of the living room. Yes, I have watched nothing but The Office for a week now.

Part of the bedroom. So much work to do.

The other end of the bedroom. Just looking at it gives me a headache...

I didn't get as much unpacking done this weekend as I wanted to because—not gonna lie—I spent a lot of the weekend catching up on the sleep I missed while packing all last week. And I went into work because catalog season is starting and I just wanted to try to get a little bit ahead before I fell completely behind. Siiighhh.

Everything is piling up right now with work/home, headaches are constant, and sleep is still lacking. But at least everything's where it needs to be at the moment. Everything's under one roof... Speaking of roof, we haven't been up to ours yet (nor do we know if we're allowed to) but hopefully the view is decent. I'm a huge fan of the view from the stoop: I can see The Gap!

Kind of distracted right now and my head hurts. Hoping to use this week to get back on track with work (no more leaving early to see places, taking lunches to sign leases, etc.) and get this apartment organized a bit. We need to buy a drill so we can hang some shelves and get some stuff off the ground. And we need to buy a coat rack so we can hang half of our million hoodies. And I'd love to set up the desk so I don't get too used to working in the living room... again.

Oh, and having a cable box would be good, too. Considering I missed the Super Bowl tonight. When the Time Warner guy came, he took the wrong box back with him. Good thing for Netflix!

Hello, from our new place:

And our new pets:

Found a New Place! Moving in T-Minus 36 Hours.

Goodbye, Washington Heights! Hello, Upper East Side!

Hello, Best Buy and Barnes & Noble within walking distance. Hello, Shake Shack and Chipotle. Hello, 6-train and good riddance A-train!

So long to the Friday, Saturday, and holiday 2am fiestas! Toodles to our 40° bedroom. Hello, five flights of stairs every single day... And, coincidentally, hey there, quads! Miss me?

Yep, we're moving. And we had exactly nine days to pack this time. Correction: Make that I had nine days to pack. Matt has been absolutely no help, because Matt has been at work all day every day. But, we knew that would happen, so... I've been sucking it up and trying to pack two people's possessions. And it does, seriously, suck.

I have a bit more left... The kitchen and the bathroom, mostly. And the tops of the dressers in the bedroom. All my books are tucked neatly away in boxes and shopping bags, and my clothes are in garbage bags. You should see where my loyalties lie.

The movers will be here at 9:00 Wednesday morning, the internet/tv installation is taking place between 4:00 and 5:00 (so... like... 6:00 and 7:00?), and our first order of groceries should be arriving around that time period, too. So we should have just about everything we need in our new place by 9:00 on Wednesday evening. Then, and only then, will I allow myself to rest.

The past two weeks have been crazy. Absolutely torturous and stressful. But, I think, we're going to land feet first. We got the apartment I referenced in the last entry, the two bedroom on the Upper East Side. 85th and Lexington, to be exact. It's way smaller than the place we have now (even with the two "bedrooms"), but I think it'll work better for us. Less to clean, less to pack with unnecessary furniture and what not. Matt mentioned that he's looking forward to downsizing and I think I have to agree. We barely made use of all the space we have now. Sure, we'll miss it, but I think we'll get used to everything pretty quickly. Especially our new area...

I'm so excited about the new area; it more than makes up for the higher rent, the realtor's fee, and the smaller rooms. There's so much to do; we'll be three blocks from Central Park, one block from the subway stop and the bus stop, and just a few blocks south is tons of shopping. Plus, we're only ten blocks from Andrew for the time being, so no more passive-aggressive arguing about who has to make the trip across the park to visit the other.

Once we actually get settled, though, it's time to really buckle down and save. I have to find more freelance, try to get more organized at work, and start working on the young adult novel that I've had to put on hold during this whole search. We'll unpack a little at a time, try to figure out how everything will fit, and hopefully I'll be able to have people over for my birthday, which is a Sunday this year and comes right before President's Day, which is an office holiday.

Matt's twenty-fifth birthday is tomorrow; I bought presents, but didn't wrap them. Didn't bother with a card for the very first birthday ever because I figured it'd get lost in the mess that is our current apartment. But hopefully we'll be able to celebrate this week or next. His days off may be changing from Wednesday/Thursday to Friday/Saturday, which means we may actually be able to act like a real couple in their mid-twenties and go out on the weekends. Within reason, of course, because we're supposed to be budgeting.

It'll probably take a while to get photos of the new place with all our stuff inside, so for now, I'll leave you with a few I took tonight when I went over to measure the rooms and test out my keys (and the commute). The keys gave me a hard time (as did the stairs... which makes me nervous for the movers...), but I think we'll be okay in this place.

Front door is to the right. At the back of the building. New fridge and stove.

New cabinets, new stove. Not a lot of counter space, but we'll figure something out. I don't really cook to begin with...

Potty.

Room #1 off the kitchen. It's tiny; thinking the futon and something else will go in here.

Room #2, between Room #1 and the bedroom. This will probably be the living room, only because we don't think we want people walking through our bedroom to get to the living room.

Bedroom; bigger than what we have now. Closet is in Room #2 and is pretty deep. Windows look out at the huge apartment complex across the street and the fire station.

Other view of Bedroom.

Eleven apartments later... Still looking... But close?

As made obvious via my Facebook posts from today and yesterday, I am completely worn out. Work plus apartment hunting has totally wiped me out this week. Physically, yeah, but emotionally as well.

At work, it's hard to concentrate on the actual work because all I can think about is looking at apartments. Will we find something? Will we be forced to settle? What happens if we can't get out in time? Do we have enough money for this? Will the guarantors be accepted? And on, and on, and on... Constant stress. On top of a catalog season that hasn't quite started yet, but will certainly keep me busy for a while.

After a disappointing experience Wednesday night, Matt and I met with a new realtor and company last night. And she's absolutely amazing. As I explained to a few people this morning, we told the first agent, "We'd like A, B, and C." And they were like, "Meh... How 'bout X, Y, and Z?" They told us we couldn't afford what we wanted and that we basically had to go up hundreds of dollars in our already tight budget to get even close to what we're looking for. They took us to three places, we couldn't get in one because they didn't have the right keys, and we sneaked into another that the landlord specifically told us we could not see. And the ones that we did see just weren't... worth the money we would have to pay for them.

The first company insisted that for our budget, we'd need to look at studios. They didn't show us a single "true" one bedroom and they didn't even take us to the Lower East Side, which is where we really wanted to be. That is our ideal location. However, we're extremely flexible. We just need Matt's commute to not be stupid long anymore.

So previously that day, I'd gotten an email, a text, and a phone call from an agent from a different company who I had emailed two days earlier. I texted her while we were eating Wednesday night after seeing the disappointing apartments with the first company. By 11:00 that night, she'd already given me a full list of properties we could afford—all true one bedrooms—and most were LES. So we set up an appointment for Thursday and I left work early to meet her at 4.

We saw seven apartments on the LES last night. Seven apartments that, according to the first company, were not in our budget and didn't even exist. And what's even more, the agent took us to open houses. So anyone could've seen them. So it's not like the first company didn't know about them or didn't have access to  them. Ugh. Whatever.

Of the seven, we really liked two. One was directly across the street from Matt's restaurant. The other, three blocks away. We got really excited about them, got our hopes up really far, and decided to put applications in. So we went back to the agent's office on Union Square and by the time we got there, someone else had put in an app for the apartment across the street from wd~50. Bummer. Big, old, bummer. So we went in as a back up and said if we couldn't get that one, we'd want to apply to the one three blocks away. We left the office at 9:45 last night.

Well, we didn't get the first one. And then while we were putting paperwork together and exchanging phone calls and everything else today, I remembered to ask about the second apartment's move-in date. We need a move-in date of February 15 at the latest because new tenants will be in our apartment March 1. Well, of course this place was March 1 move-in. And none of us knew that (agents included) because last night, two apartments in the building were open. And when we heard one was February 15, I guess we all thought the other was, as well. So, we didn't even bother applying for the second one because we can't be homeless for two weeks.

So... we're both totally, completely disappointed. Distraught. Stressed even worse. I couldn't concentrate on my work, and I had planned on staying at the office until 7 or 8 tonight to catch up on the hours I missed when I had to leave early to meet with the agents this week. But at 4:30, I got a text from the agent asking if I could meet her on the Upper East Side at 6:30. And of course I said sure.

And I'm so glad I did. Because I saw three apartments in one building—and I'm positive we'd be happy in any of them. Two bedrooms, living room, kitchen with new appliances, updated bathroom. In all three. In an awesome part of UES. We wouldn't even really have to get rid of much of our furniture. I think we could make it work. So... I texted Matt like mad while he was at work and we decided to apply for them. I was at the office with the VP and my agent until 9:30 again, filling out forms and getting information for the app. It's ridiculous how hard it is to rent a place in NYC, but... I understand it. I do. But that doesn't make it any less of a pain in the ass.

So, our apps are in for that apartment. But... the work is not yet over. And neither is the waiting game. We won't find out if we get any of them until Monday. Tuesday at the latest. So in the meantime, I'm meeting with our agent again tomorrow. And we're seeing a few more places on the UES. So far, I've spent about four hours filling out paperwork in this woman's office. And eight hours looking at places. And I only just started working with her on Thursday. She's awesome. She listens to us. She understands what we want and she's not pushing us toward anything we don't want and aren't ready for. I can't wait to find a place so I can write her a great review on like, every website I can find.

So after I search tomorrow, I'm headed to the office to work in peace for a little while. No phones, no emails. Just need to knock a bunch of stuff off my to-do list. And then, depending on what I get accomplished tomorrow and how tired I am at the end of the day, we'll see if I go back in on Sunday.

For now, I'm going to cuddle up on the couch under a bunch of blankets, watch some TLC wedding shows, and maybe sleep until Matt gets home... in like, two hours. Gross.

So tired. And it's not over yet.

Apartment Hunt #2: Officially Underway

Since I last wrote, quite a bit has happened. At work, we're gearing up for our Fall 2013 season and I officially acquired my tenth book today! (Happy dance.) Tons of original work coming out in time for next Christmas that I'm super psyched to edit. Memoirs and novels mostly, which... is pretty perfect for me.

In the meantime, though, work is kicking my ass in every way, whether I'm at home or at my desk. I have a feeling I'll be spending the next few weekends in the office, just trying to catch up—and then get ahead. Which is actually okay because we could use the money, because...

We're moving! Again.

It's official. I received confirmation last week that we could get out of our lease without any penalties and they already have someone moving in March 1. So we're looking to get out by February 15. We met with an agent today, looked at two places on the Upper East Side, but really weren't impressed. By the agents, by the apartments... The area was cool, but still too far away from where we want to be. The Lower East Side is somewhat unrealistic for our budget, but I've been in touch with another realtor for a different company and she sent us a few listings in the LES that we could possibly see Thursday or I could see on Saturday.

So, we're making progress. We have a few weeks, but we'd really like to know where we'll be by February 1 so we can schedule a moving company, send our extra furniture home, and pack and clean. The search today was almost disheartening, especially because the people we were touring with kept emphasizing that we couldn't get what we wanted. We know we're going to be sacrificing space—and a bit more money—but we're willing to do that if we can spend a bit more time together and reduce Matt's fifteen-hours-per-week commute.

So, mid-February, if all goes according to plan... We'll be seeing Anthony Raneri play an acoustic set on February 13. Valentine's Day is the 14th, although we're not quite sure if we're going to celebrate it because we may be a bit po'. I'll be taking my "floating holiday" on the 15th to watch the movers (alone, because Matt's going to get out of another move. This is #3 that he doesn't have to help with). The 16th, we'll be unpacking. And the 17th, still unpacking, and celebrating my birthday. Again, alone. Unless I can get some people to take me out. And then the 18th, President's Day, the office is closed. So more unpacking!

Busy, busy month. And before that all happens, Matt's birthday is coming and we're supposed to be getting a visit from Stan, which will result in what I can only assume will be an impressive evening as we dine with Matt at wd~50 on a discount. But we'll see what happens.

2012: A Year in Review

Only a few days left of 2012 and I have to admit... minus a few rocky weeks in the beginning, it's been a phenomenal year for me. I have very few complaints about everything that happened this year, and anything that I could really complain about honestly made me a better, stronger person, so I can't really even complain about those...

Let's take a closer look, shall we?

JANUARY
I rang in the New Year with my best friend and two (nearly) perfect strangers, but it was a good first step toward my major resolution for 2012: meet new people and make new friends. I spent most of January trying to figure out what was going on with my relationship, which was technically off, but realistically still on. Matt went to Italy for the last week of January and we spent a lot of time writing emails, g-chatting, and further realizing that we really didn't have much of a choice: The relationship was certainly not over.

FEBRUARY
I don't necessarily remember much about February, other than receiving a Kindle Fire from Matt for my twenty-fourth birthday. This machine would change my entire perception of ebooks and I quickly became addicted. And I mean... buy-one-or-two-books-per-week addicted. Daily Deals are examined closely every single day and the monthly deals blow my mind. I no longer shunned ebooks, though I almost always have a hardcover or paperback on hand or in progress. Best gift ever. Even, possibly, better than my Pandora bracelets.

MARCH
I visited Andrew in NYC for St. Patrick's Day. Despite being pinched by complete strangers (I forgot to wear green...), I had a great time. He introduced me to The Strand, which is a little slice of heaven for every book lover, and I remember telling him that someday soon I'd be working in the city. I didn't know how true those words were when I spoke them.

APRIL
Matt and I book a somewhat last-minute six-day trip to Chicago and completely reconnect. We decide to "officially" pick up our relationship where we left off and we celebrate our seventh anniversary (because we're in agreement that the break didn't really happen... it was all a dream nightmare) in style at Moto. Then we dine at Alinea for the second time in two years and seriously make a memory that will last a lifetime and then some. We spend some time with my cousin in his natural habitat (Lincoln Park) and we walk all the way to Hot Doug's and experience a cocktail tasting menu at The Aviary. We spend more money than I make in a month and we go home and rarely leave each other's side the rest of the month.

MAY
I am completely miserable at my job. I don't like what I'm doing, I don't feel appreciated, and I don't feel respected. I force myself to get out of bed in the morning and I can't sit in my seat a minute after 5:00. I feel like I'm wasting my time and I start applying for jobs in New York. I apply for a job as an editor and am told that, despite my three combined years of working for a book production company, I don't have the experience necessary to edit trade books. So I ask if there is anything open at said company and I'm invited to interview for an internship on May 14. On May 15, I'm offered the full-time, paid internship. On May 16, I give my two days notice. On May 18, I cash out my final week of vacation time and say goodbye to my old office and coworkers.

I spend the next week packing my apartment, convincing myself that my relationship will survive this decision, and looking for somewhere to live in NYC. My start date is May 30 and I need to be settled in somewhere by Memorial Day. I have one full week to find somewhere to live. Andrew hooks me up with the woman he stayed with when he went to Columbia and I promise her a full month's rent in exchange for a bed, a shelf in her fridge, and the use of her bathroom.

My first day as an intern, I proofread more material than I was given in a full year at my old job. I know I've made the right decision for my career.

JUNE
Work is easy, work is fun, work brings new friends who have a ton of the same likes, dislikes, and attitudes. I do what I'm told, ask for extra, and am loving it. At night, I hunt for apartments, expecting to find a place with a July 1 move in date. Matt has agreed to move to NYC when I find a place for us and I'm determined to make that sooner rather than later, as I'm stuck in a tiny room all night by myself and am still in an unfamiliar land. Before I moved to New York, I'd been there three times: once senior year of high school for a Broadway show, once for a conference in college, and once to visit Andrew.

Matt visits early in June and we meet a realtor I've been emailing. He shows us three places within an hour and we decide to take the third place. Two bedrooms, separate living room, separate kitchen, laundry in the building. We're set. We receive a move-in date of June 15 and the woman I'm living with flips outs. Long story short, I was out of there on June 15.

During the last week of June, I'm offered a full-time, salary position at my company. I accept without any hesitation and soon find myself working with the editorial director, managing editor, the publisher, and a bunch of really great people who are all close to my age and are extremely personable.

JULY
Washington Heights is... different. (You'll get a glimpse if you watch the new MTV show Washington Heights, which debuts in January. I won't be watching. Because I already know that "in the heights, shit gets real." Uh huh...) I stick out, men speak to me in Spanish, and I'm afraid to walk around alone. But I love the apartment and have no problem being there alone until Matt moves in on July 9. After more than seven years of dating, we finally live together. And living with a boy isn't too bad... especially since we work opposite shifts and get a lot of time to ourselves.

Matt starts his job at DBK and kind of likes it, but knows it's not where he ultimately wants to be. He hates burgers with all his heart, but he sucks it up for a bit. A paycheck's a paycheck. For now.

AUGUST
I acquire my first book, a healthy cookbook written by a woman who is more than enthusiastic about the process. I catch the acquisition bug and am soon reviewing proposals sent directly to me by various agents and authors. I love my job. I don't regret a single decision I've made all year.

SEPTEMBER
Matt continues to hate his job. I feel guilty, but I know other opportunities are out there for him. He just has to want it.

One of my best friends moves to Washington—yeah, the state. Despite the distance, we talk almost every day and I'm mostly happy that she's happy. It really sucks that she's so far away, but... other people are starting to fill the void. That's not to say that she has been replaced; no one can replace her. But I've grown close to a few people in the office and am excited to be invited to lunch, dinner, happy hours, and shopping as often as I am. Again, no regrets.

OCTOBER
Matt and I celebrate our seven-and-a-half year anniversary because we've learned to really appreciate our time together. We're closer than ever and it's clear that moving in—and away—was a great decision. The hurricane hits the East Coast and power is knocked out in almost all of lower Manhattan. We barely feel a thing in the Heights, but my office and Matt's restaurant are closed and we get to spend an entire week together. We eat horrible food, watch a ton of superhero movies, and walk the streets on Halloween, weaving our way in and out of clusters of children dressed as Disney princesses, Spiderman, and Batman. All the subways are still down, so we really have no place to go. But that's okay, because we're perfectly happy on our couch.

NOVEMBER
Matt stages (interns, pretty much) at wd~50, a Michelin-rated progressive restaurant on the Lower East Side. He works for free for five days and comes home every single night with a huge smile on his face. He's truly happy with the work he's doing for the first time since we moved and I couldn't be happier for him. The day he goes back to his full-time job, he comes home with absolutely no spirit. The light is completely out.

Two days later, he quits his job at 2 in the afternoon. Three hours later, the chef at wd~50 calls him (completely unprompted) with a full-time job offer. I receive the news while waiting in line for a bus to take me home to W-B for the weekend and desperately wish I could celebrate with him. Instead, I settle for texting nearly every person I work with and every family member I can think of. Shortest unemployment ever, happiest guy ever.

We moved to NYC for our careers and now we're both actually making progress. All is well.

We get to spend Thanksgiving together for the first time in seven years. Since we started dating, one of us always had work, be it at the grocery store where we both worked in high school or at whatever restaurant Matt worked at. We cook a turkey big enough to feed my entire family and I eat leftovers for a week and a half, which undoubtedly added to the slight weight gain I've experienced since moving.

DECEMBER
My parents visit, Matt's parents visit, and my sister's boyfriend speedily recovers from a horrible accident. My grandparents are as healthy as can be and everyone's looking forward to the holidays. Amy asks me to be in her wedding; I say yes. Two years till the big day.

Matt loves his job, I receive a positive review and a substantial raise at mine, and I agree to help a friend of the family and a very talented young woman with her first young adult novel off the clock.

We struggle with the idea of breaking our lease and moving south. Matt's commute is way too far. We're still not sure what will happen, but I don't think we'll be in the Heights much longer.

I find a gym closer to work, we find a grocery store that delivers with a very small fee, and we recommit ourselves to a healthier lifestyle. We'll see how long this lasts.

Like Thanksgiving, we get to spend Christmas together for the first time since we were in high school. We make a very small amount of food, spend about three hours in the kitchen drinking an entire bottle of wine, and finish the night with the season finale of Dexter and the mid-season finale of The Walking Dead. We get two full days together, as I took my only vacation day the day after Christmas. I couldn't be happier.

RESOLUTIONS FOR 2013

• Eat great, lose weight
• Cook more
• Move closer to Matt's job
• Write creatively
• Become more organized (if at all possible)
• Meet more new people
• Reconnect with some people from the past
• Become more confident
• Continue to be happy

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year everyone! I love you all. Thank you for accompanying me through one of the greatest years of my life. And, if you were around for 2011, thank you for sticking by my side while I struggled to overcome my issues and move my life forward. <3

Apartment Hunt #2... Already? (Maybe.)

My six-month anniversary in New York and at Skyhorse came and went as of November 28. I noticed it a day or two later, but really didn't have time to acknowledge it. Now that I finally have a night to myself that doesn't include passing out early (although I could definitely go to bed right now...), battling a sinus headache, or burying myself in freelance (although I do have some I could be working on...), I can give it the recognition it deserves:

WOO! SIX MONTHS AND STILL NOT BROKE/DEAD/SINGLE.

Things have been going very, very well. Everything at home is finally stable, it seems, so I'm not afraid to check my texts or answer my phone anymore. For a while, I was afraid something even more tragic would happen that would beckon me home for a few days (and put me under the weather for a few months), but I think we're in the clear for a while. Everyone is (mostly) happy and (getting) healthy, so that takes a lot of stress out of the equation.

Matt loves his new job at wd~50. Love, love, loves it. The only problem is the commute. (And, for me, the hours. But... We moved out here to work, so work we shall.) His shifts run from 11am until about 12:30/1:30am. So he's already working a hell of a long day. Add to that a 45 minute to 1 hour commute in the morning, plus 1.5 to 2 hours at night, and he's spending between 3/4 am and 9:45/10am at home. And those hours are spent sleeping. And I am also sleeping during that time, and then leaving for work, so we're not seeing a whole lot of each other. And he's running on empty.

A shorter commute wouldn't exactly give us a ton of time to spend together, but it'd at least get him an extra hour or two (or three?) of sleep a night. So, the only way to get a shorter commute is to move. And our lease isn't up until June 30 and we really want that security deposit/last month's rent back. He said he could handle another seven months of this schedule, but I really don't want him to have to...

My parents visited this weekend, and my mom suggested subletting. Not sure why that thought never crossed my mind, but a severe sinus infection/head cold stopped me from thinking logically for about a week and a half so I like to think I would've eventually arrived at that idea. But the world will never know now...

Not sure if our landlord allows subletting. I emailed our realtor, who said he'd be happy to help us find someone to take our place, but we need to get the landlord's approval first. Before I even attempt that, though, we need to get through the holidays. Pay all those bills. And I need to have my six-month full-time review at work. Which should come with a substantial raise. Then we can figure out what we can afford, where we want to live (thinking southern Manhattan, possibly on the East Side, but not entirely sure yet), and if we want to use a realtor again (uh... yes. lol).

If we lived on the Lower East Side (or at least close to it), we probably will have to give up some space. We may lose a second bedroom, but Matt's maybe used the room for more than an hour approximately twenty times in the nearly six months he's lived with me. So it's really unnecessary (except, of course, having a guest room is nice for our guests). So if we have to part with it, then that's fine. We also are giving up the idea of having a dog anytime in the next year, since our schedules just won't allow it. So that opens up a few more potential places than it did originally.

But anyway, if we move closer to his job, we could go out together more often. I could meet him after work for drinks (which I can't do right now) on the weekends and we could hang out in the morning before he has to leave. We'd be surrounded by people our age, instead of angry Dominican grandparents, and most people down there speak English, that we've seen. And that'd be nice.

So maybe I'll get up the courage to ask about subletting in mid-January, and we could be out by mid-February? Depending. I think if we do go this route, we're skipping birthday presents and Valentine's Day next year. Which would kind of suck because I love presents, but I'd get over it.

So much to think about!