Monday, July 31, 2006
So now I'm scrambling to arrange the move with another mover and extending my stay in Philly one extra day. Love it. Absolutely.
I guess this is kind of my fault. There have been signs that my previous mover was shady. 1) They operate under a name that is VERY similar to a popular NYC mover. In fact when they called me I thought they were the NYC mover. And since the NYC mover was Whartonite recommended, I went with them. Little did I know that I had accidentally booked shady mover. 2) Two weeks ago I wanted to change my inventory, but I couldn't get in touch with anyone at shady mover for several days. I tried to call the number on their website and it was disconnected. When I finally connected with the shady mover, they told me their phone lines were down. I should have known then. 3) Their quote was much lower than the other movers. That should have really tipped me off.
Needless to say DO NOT USE shady mover. They suck and are unprofessional. Popular NYC Mover on the other hand has bent over backwards to work with me and has been very professional. I've been very pleased. And even though they cost more, I think it'll be worth it. I guess you truly get what you pay for.
So the moving saga continues. I'll keep you posted. Hopefully the suckiness of moving across the country has reached its peak.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
I'm a little nervous about moving to a new place, too. I'm a bit of a homebody, and I'm not a big partier. So I wonder how long it will be before I make good friends. Not acquaintances. But good friends who you tell your secrets to. People who see you without makeup, or who are there when you need a good cry, or who you can just sit around in silence with. Real friends. I wonder how long I'll need to go until I find those people. My second family. That's what's scary - being in San Francisco without that second family.
When I think about that and the fact that I'm leaving so many people whom I love behind, I get really sad. I try to keep it positive. But I have to say, I've been a bit mopey for the last few days.
On a lighter note, it was kind of funny to read messages from all the Californians who freaked because they thought I was moving to the Golden State sans automobile. It was like they were frantically trying to save me from a fate worse than death. It kinda made me chuckle. Rest assured, I have every intention of having a car - I am a Houstonian you know. I had planned to buy a new car when I got to California, but now, I've decided on a more economical choice. I'm keeping the car that I own. It's not cute, but it runs. It will serve my transportation needs. And I won't have a car note. As I'm coming to terms with the obscene amount I'm going to have to pay per month for my student loans, no car note is a good thing.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
I hate packing. I hate having to trust random people with my stuff. I hate the thought being without said stuff for 2-3 weeks. I hate that's gonna be me and an air mattress til I get my stuff. I hate unpacking.
I hate moving.
When I'm rich and famous, I'm hiring someone else to deal with this. Like a wedding planner. That's what the world needs - moving planners. I'd buy it...
I have a week left in Philly. Today, some friends and I are going to Pat's / Geno's in South Philly to get cheesesteaks. Believe it or not, during my 9 year tenure to Wharton, I've never made the trek to Pat's or Geno's. Mainly because I don't like cheesesteaks. But maybe Pat and Geno will make me feel differently.
I do know how to order though. Whiz with. That means I'm getting my cheesesteak with Cheese Whiz (an-oh-so-tasty cheese food product) and fried onions. Now I can hear the groans now - why Whiz you ask? Why not get provolone. Because the grade of meat that they use for cheesesteaks was never intended to have real cheese on it. You gotta get it with Whiz. That way you eliminate all nutritious value entirely. Good stuff.
After cheesesteaks, we plan on going to the Italian Market, which an open air market in South Philly and a popular tourist spot. It's also another thing I never did before. I'm trying to move down my list of stuff I've never seen.
It's amazing how when you live somewhere you don't see some of the most popular things. One of my friends once suggested that you have to "use your city." I think I've done pretty well - I've seen the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Museums, Chestnut Hill, New Hope, the Philly Zoo, the Belmont Plateau, and more.
But there's so much I haven't seen. So many times I said I wanted to do things but I put them off because I was doing other things or I was busy with school, work, whatever. Now, with 1 week left, there's no time left to do it all. I guess the lesson is to do these things while you can. Don't put them off. Use your city. Don't leave a place regretting all the things you wanted to do but never did.
So today, I scratch a couple of things off my list of "never-dids." At the very least, it will get me out of the sea of boxes that is my apartment. I so hate moving.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Long time no blog.
I can't say I haven't blogged because I've been too busy. This has been one of the most low key times of my life. I'm basically taking it easy. I fill my days with packing, TV, movies, furniture shopping (and selling/donating), and hanging out with friends and family. My apartment looks like a shell of its former self - I'm surrounded by boxes and all the accoutrement that made my place home are packed away. Packing that stuff away makes it easier to pack. It was like when I packed my pictures and things I packed my attachment to my apartment. It's now easier to say goodbye to two years of memories.
Now I'm trying to get rid of things that won't make the trip across country with me. Goodwill and the Salvation Army have been the primary beneficiary, although the trash divers in West Philly have also made away with some stuff. I'm now about to try to sell a few things online. I've never sold anything online, so this is a new thing for me. I also have to sell my car. I'm also a bit nervous about that - I've never sold a car. I wish my family lived closer so I could lean on them to help me with that stuff. But I realize that I'm on my own - I'll have to figure it out.
I leave Philly in two weeks. I still have a few things on my to-do list but it should be a pretty easy two weeks. It feels weird to be living a place that was my home for the last 9 years. I'm actually moving 9 years to the day of when I first set foot in Philly. I'm ready to go - but I'm a little sad. I won't miss Philly's crappy weather, or my crappy landlord, or my, at times, crappy neighborhood. But I will miss knowing where everything is, and knowing the quickest way to get somewhere, and knowing where to get some obscure gift, and knowing what to expect.
San Francisco is completely new to me and I know nothing. I have to admit I'm a bit scared. Last night I had my first nightmare about moving (I dreamed my new apartment was only a itty-bitty studio with a shower curtain for a wall. I was panicked for a bit until I realized it was just a dream). I guess a little of anxiety is a good thing. It's just weird to be a ball of emotions - scared, anxious, sad, excited, happy - all at once. I guess I feel a lot like I did when I started school. I wasn't sure I'd be successful and I didn't know what was ahead of me. I feel the same thing now.
So the next two weeks I plan to finish my packing, sell my car, TV, and microwave, go see all my favorite haunts one last time, go see those places that I always meant to go to but never did, say goodbye to my friends :(, and say farewell to my life in Philly. I'm ready to go, but I'm sad nonetheless.
