Greetings from 1878!

This is going to be long, because it's been a while and I have a lot to vent say.

I know, you're dying to know - was 1878 a completely arbitrary year that I pulled out of my ass? Please! I think everything to death! 1878 just so happens to be the year before the electric light bulb was invented, and lights are something I've been without for a few days.

What? You're shocked and appalled that I didn't blog about this sooner? Well, I didn't have internet either (other than on my Blackberry, which barely counts...In fact, it's probably the same model Blackberry they used in 1878). On the subject of my Blackberry, it's starting to arbitrarily shut off, so it might be on it's last legs.

And on the subject of last legs, my cat Smokey died on Tuesday. We were kind of expecting it - she was 17 years old after all - but it's still sad to lose the pet you've had since you were six years old. (Side note: Last weekend, while my family was spending some TLC with the cat, I started to compose a post about preparing to say goodbye to a pet- then got sidetracked, it went into drafts, and now that she's actually dead it seems weird to post it. So I won't). Instead, here is a photo tribute to the original scaredy cat (she spent most of her life hiding in the fireplace. Hence the name Smokey).

Baby kitty! (notice the date/my outfit - 1995!)

Sultry middle-aged Smokey, guarding my dad's guitar. Check out those eyes.

Needless to say, this has been quite a week. I am officially living alone now, and I suspect my roommate, in the process of moving out and tying up his own affairs, did everything in his power to completely fuck me over (okay, it was more stupidity than malice, but still frustrating).

On Monday, he disconnected our cable box (and internet), but figured it would keep working for a few days. Wrong. So we were without internet or television.  Tuesday night, he and I finally got around to switching the power and utilities into my name (while sitting in a Starbucks, stealing their Wifi). Unfortunately, new accounts take two business days to process. Roommate assured me that the electricity and gas wouldn't go off right away. Wrong again. I came home from work with no electricity, no gas (and still no internet or TV). I tried to call the electric company, but was put on hold for so long that my phone, which I couldn't charge without electricity, was about to die and had to hang up.

During all this chaos, various Craigslist strangers were traipsing through my apartment, which, as of now, is a big empty rectangle.  Weirdo after weirdo came to the place, and I was starting to dread the idea of signing a 1 year lease with some weirdo I could barely tolerate, and having another awkward, anti-social year.

Finally, when all was almost lost, a nice, normal girl came to look. I showed her around, we talked for a while, and realized that we hit it off really well. The problem is, she didn't want to live in my apartment. In fact, she pretty much refused. "There are tons of two bedroom apartments around here. Why don't the two of us find another place?" she suggested.  

What? No! As a quasi-hermit, her suggestion seemed appalling. Then the electricity went out.  Over the course of my lonely, lantern-lit evening, I though more about moving and realized that a change of scenery might be just what I need right now. This apartment has been my skin for the last year, which, if you haven't already figured out on your own, has been a stressful/tiring/lonely and overall weird year. Like the snake that I am, it's time to shed my skin and move on.

Future roommate called me the next night, and we struck a deal: I would be willing to move if she found a good-sized, reasonably-priced place and I could stay in my current apartment for an extra week (since I hadn't given my landlord 30 days notice, I'd have to pay through mid-July). Throughout the work day, she emailed me pictures of apartments. After work, she and I met at our favorite place and filled out paperwork. So now, given that all goes well with the credit check, I'm moving into a lovely new apartment in three weeks!

What a week. Death, "time travel", and a new apartment. Though I'm relieved that things are finally looking up, this has been way too much excitement for one week.