Seasonally Inappropriate

As the summer weather disappears here, it's hard not to take issue with some of the outrageous fashions I have seen on my commute to work. Yesterday morning it was 70 degrees and I saw numerous people with scarves. Not to mention 2 people with Ugg boots. Today, I saw a woman in a winter coat. I mean, seriously. It's only 70 degrees. This offends my sensibilities and is completely seasonally inappropriate.

In other news, I'm settling into my apartment sans fish. I do like the freedom that living by myself entails. I still don't have any kind of sofa, but just about everything else is in place. Last week I did an Ikea run and Vince and I set up some furniture. I bought these kithchen chairs there that took hours to set up and involved cursing and throwing allen wrenches across the room. And my headboard will be arriving soon, which means two things - my pillow will not fall off my bed anymore and I will not have to get up to shut off the alarm clock. The second point just really drives me crazy. Even though the apartment is a studio, I think it's a great amount of space for me. I wish there was more counter space, though, because I feel as though I must choose between having a toaster oven and a blender. I don't know that I have space for both.

I just have to start having more hobbies to break up my week more. I'm investigating music lessons and potentially what else I don't know. I can't wait until my mom brings my Dreamweaver book so I can resume working on meghanloftus.com.

In other news...work is going well. I'm organizing a public event for Monday so I'm nervous about that and also hoping that my nerves don't ruin the weekend. And I got my own business cards! I have truly made it in the world.

Moving On Up

After months of waiting, I have finally moved into my apartment. It's a bit smaller than I remember - my queen size bed does take up a bit of real estate - but it gets a lot of natural light, there's more counter space in the kitchen than I remember, and the appliances are all new. Plus, when I moved in, everything was spotless. I will post pictures as I fill up the place with furniture. Right now, I've got my bed, my rocking chair, two wicker Pier 1 chairs, and a table (but no chairs). This Saturday is big furniture shopping day so hopefully I wil have more to show for the apartment by Monday.

Pyschologically, the move has been good. It's nice having my own space. It also has helped me to realize that I am no longer in college and no longer an intern. The sense of self-sufficiency is also rewarding - it's my apartment, and I've financed it.

Someone told me that living on my own would mean I'd start talking to random strangers and talking out loud to myself. On both counts, true. Yesterday in the supermarket the girl behind me had a Wegman's bag - and obviously I just couldn't resist striking up a conversation about the world's best supermarket. And I also made small talk with a girl in the elevator in my building. Hopefully, this will improve my friend quotient as this is currently lacking.

But sadly, amidst all this happiness, bad news to report: my beloved fish and amigo, Jean-Claude, has passed away. I think the trip from Buffalo put too much stress on his fish heart. After taking the approrpiate time to mourn, my dad purchased a replacement fish for me. However, I did not have a chance to name him before he too died. I haven't had the heart to flush him down the toilet yet, so now I'm sharing my studio with a dead fish (my mom didn't believe he was dead). I think I will try living sans fish for a while before I attempt to replace both of these dear fish.

All My Problems Will be Solved

Come Monday, all my problems will be solved, for that is when I finally move into my very own place. Off the top of my head, here are some biggies: 

• my long, two hour round-trip commute will become half of what it was
  
• I will stop dealing in hypothetical furniture arrangements and buckle down and buy some stuff
• I will be closer to most things I want to be closer to
• I will have my bike

So really, things are looking up - although I won't be ordering Internet for my apartment so that may impede the blog slightly. Tonight I went to Ikea and again, purchased nothing. This trip follows one made in early August. I think I have a fairly good idea of what to purchase and what to look elsewhere. To that end - I am definitely hitting up Value City Furniture, World Market, and Pier One. I'd rather make an investment in something really nice than buy something that will only last me two years. Also - as much as I'd love to get a bed from the Internet, it's too risky. I'll just have to wait.

Speaking of Ikea - I ate the food there today. I can't say that I was thrilled to be doing so, but I was surprised that it wasn't half bad. On a completely unrelated note, today I ordered business cards - makes me feel like I have made it in the world. And tomorrow, my office is getting a free Chipotle lunch, courtesy of a co-worker who dropped her card in the bin. According to my co workers, this is the third time this year we have been blessed with taco fortune. Hopefully, when I get my cards, I can pull my weight.