the everyday adventures of sabrina

i'm happy, hope you're happy too

hrm

16 April 2008 at 07:35 Comments off

the only problem with trying to decide whether or not to move is in assigning weights to various requirements, and deciding which ones are less important. i thought i would go out and start looking at some places and maybe that would help me decide, using the time-tested technique of “if i find someplace i really like, i will move; otherwise, i will stay/keep looking.” but this backfires somewhat when i (a) come back home to my apartment and the damn furnace kicks on while i am trying to watch “Hell’s Kitchen,” and (b) then i can’t decide which things i should be flexible about.

f’rinstance: i saw a place after work yesterday that was nearly ideal but a little small (like, potentially have to get rid of my elliptical-small — which is less important given that they have a fitness room in the building, but i like having my own private elliptical; that’s why i got it), and a little farther than ‘easy walking distance to work.’ but how important are those relative to the heated assigned garage parking, the in-unit washer/dryer, the incredible amount of closet/cabinet storage space, and the cute-as-all-get-out cat flap in the closet door for clever hiding of the catbox, and the nice landlady? it’s a tough call. i really don’t understand why i have such problems making decisions. i’m pretty sure if i were still seeing my shrink she’d shrug and advise me to break out my strategic problem-solving magic phrase: “fuck it!”

(also, i still am resisting the idea that i have to pay $1500 to live in the south loop. stupid trendy neighborhood massive condo buildouts. i was there first! whine, whine, whine. although, i must admit, if i do the math — the difference between the aggregated costs of living here, with high utilities and paying for the laundry fairies, etc., and the aggregated costs of living there (imagine! a $30 gas bill! in winter! gosh, that caulk must be great stuff. i wish i had me some of that.), actually works out to about $150 more; less if i walked/biked and gave up my $75/mo 30-day transit pass. … man, i just *had* to do the numbers this morning, didn’t i. great. like i wasn’t already on the fence enough.)

chez niqui, moving none

today’s commute

15 April 2008 at 11:11 Comments off

excerpted from an email i just sent to a mailing list:

> > Anyone else (try to) take the Blue Line to work today?
> Rumor has it that it’s not working. Like. At all.

Well, it certainly wasn’t at the time!

> As for their use of the word ‘delay’, I can’t help but quote Inigo Montoya:
> “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

I was just telling John that I’m astounded by the number of just plain dumb Blue Line riders. I was stuck at Division on a train to nowhere, and eventually everyone gave up and went upstairs. So, at that intersection, you have your choice of:

1. Division bus, east to the Red Line
2. 9 or X9 bus, south to the Pink/Green lines
3. 56 Milwaukee bus southeast to the Loop
4. Fabled, mythological Blue Line Shuttle bus that shows up completely packed with customers already
5. Queue up at the Cab Stand in the line that wraps around the entire fountain park
6. Walk 4 blocks to North Ave and catch a #72 eastbound to the Red Line
7. Say “screw it, I’m walking” — it’s only 3 miles to downtown

So by the time I gave up (and granted, I stuck it out a long time — secretly, I wanted to ride a train on the opposite-side tracks, which they PROMISED they were going to do, until the track switches turned out to be broken too), basically an hour’s worth of Division stop riders had accumulated, minus a few hardy folks who saw which way the wind was blowing and bugged out before the situation got nuts. All at this one intersection. Which of the 7 perfectly good options were they mostly opting for?

8. Walk a little bit upstream of the cab stand and try to “sneak in” (hint: cab drivers are bastards, but they’re not THAT bastardish. They usually drive past the weasels that do this, at this intersection
when the Blue Line explodes, in my experience, which, come to think of it, it’s sort of sad that I have experience in this area.)
4. Bitch about the Mythological Shuttle Busses.
3. Complain that the 56s are all full, whine, bitch moan.

This worked out great for me, because it meant I hopped on the first X9 (conveniently waiting, with room on board!), zipped on down the road to Lake/Ashland, hopped on a Pink Line that was pulling in just as I got there, and was at work 20 minutes after leaving the Division blue line platform.

There are probably still people queued at that cab stand, though.

ETA: Look, ma! We made the news! (“100 people”? Are you serious? A full 8-car rush-hour train loaded with standees can hold like 1000+ people. Methinks someone lost a zero.) Repeatedly!

chicago, cta, postcards from insanityville none

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14 April 2008 at 18:26 Comments off

etc none

in which niqui is taken aback

11 April 2008 at 07:52 Comments off

so i’ve been thinking about moving for a while. not just the january carbon monoxide debacle, but, you know, … i miss printer’s row, and i wish my furnace wasn’t so damn LOUD. (i have to pause the tv if i’m trying to watch something and it kicks on. it gets old.) and it’s extremely drafty, and blah, blah, blah. it’d be a great apartment if it was (a) insulated, (b) had central air and heat from a furnace NOT in a closet in my living room, and (c) had a slightly larger living room, so i could have an actual couch, and not just a comfy chair and a giant beanbag (plus my elliptical machine). i wouldn’t turn down (d) had in-unit w/d either. but it’s not a really bad place to live, so it’s been hard to decide whether i should go or whether i should stay.

so there are some new rental buildings downtown that i emailed them to put myself on the waiting list for information when they got closer to opening for leases. one’s at, like, Fulton and Des Plaines, and one’s at 11th and Clark. (that latter one i was a little more interested in, because it’s a so-called green building, and i thought it might be nice to live in a place that, presumably, would be energy-efficient and, say, have caulked walls and other niceties.) then coincidentally, after months of being curious when the buildings were going to be finished, the leasing agents for both buildings got in touch on the same day — the AMLI900 (south loop) people emailed, and the K Station (north loop) people called.

now, keep in mind that just two years ago i was living in printer’s row, renting a 650 sq ft studio for about $800/mo, parking not included (an additional $125). i am now living in wicker park, renting a 850 sq ft one-br+office for $850, with street parking.

the K Station people: “The one bedroom apartments range in price from $1500 to $1965.”
the AMLI900 people: “One bedrooms from $1553 to $1807.”

these people want $1400 for a 636 sq ft studio like i used to rent TWO YEARS AGO for $800! almost twice what i paid TWENTY FIVE LOUSY MONTHS AGO? i’m sorry, including the utilities does not make up for the difference.

i don’t think i’m alone in thinking “hubbidda hubbidda say what?”

part of the problem is, i think, that everything is all new construction and they put in all sorts of niceties that one might put in one’s home if one was focused on having all the luxuries. except for the part that, guys, i don’t really care about marble countertops. i’m perfectly happy with formica that i don’t worry if i drop a coffee mug it’s going to break. and i don’t particularly need a garbage disposal in the sink — when i’ve had one, i’ve always been worried i’d drop a piece of silverware in there and not realize and turn on the machine and destroy it, so i hardly ever used it (and only with great suspicion). i pretty much just want an apartment with enough counter space to knead bread dough, preferably with nice quiet central air and forced heat, located where i can walk to the river east movie complex again. is that so much to ask?

chez niqui, chicago none

heh.

8 April 2008 at 16:52 Comments off

inspired by kim:
The Blog-O-Cuss Meter - Do you cuss a lot in your blog or website?
Created by OnePlusYou

“This is 109% MORE than other websites who took this test.”

HOORAY!!!

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