I published a quick update on the fundraiser itself (have you filled out your form yet?) the other day but wanted to write something longer here.
Thing The First: I’m Moved!
The day after the (fully funded within 24 hours holy crap thank you!) fundraiser launched, I went over to my new landlord’s office and signed my lease. The day after that I moved in!
Thing The Second: The New Place
The new place is four-ish blocks from my old place so I didn’t move far, but this new apartment is worlds different than the old apartment:
- Building is far more secure: key fobs, on-site security, etc.
- It’s around 200 sq ft bigger (a change that has been a surprisingly tricky adjustment).
- I finally have a view! Instead of looking directly into my neighbor’s living room (old place) now I look out at Marquam Hill (where OHSU lives). My apartment gets natural light! I don’t have to leave my apartment to see the sky anymore!
- Instead of hoarding quarters, the laundry room in this building accepts debit cards and the machines will text me when they’re done. The laundry room has easily three times as many machines, too.
- The building has its own gym for residents! I have big plans to use it. Y’know, later.
- Regular bathtub! Claw footed tubs are gorgeous but getting into and out of them when you’re short? I do not miss it.
- SO MANY ELECTRICAL OUTLETS. My old apartment had five electrical outlets, total. I have more than that in my new kitchen.
- Radiator instead of tiny forced air heater. I don’t have to use it much because the building is well insulated so I stay pretty warm (I’m wondering how this will pan out in summer).
- Full sized refrigerator and stove/oven! The foodies will be disappointed to learn it’s electric and not gas, but meh. I can make more than three cookies at a time!
Price-wise, I’m not paying that much more for the new place than I was for the old place. The difference works out to about $50ish, depending on how the utility costs shake out.
None of this would have been possible without all your help. Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you for helping me get out of what turned out to be a not great place and into somewhere safer and better. And that brings me to the very best thing about this new place.
I loved my old apartment. I really did. It was a weird old building and my apartment definitely had its share of quirks and I think that’s part of the reason I loved it there. Probably the biggest reason I loved that weird tiny place so much is because I worked hard and saved up and found it/afforded it all by myself. I’d never been able to do that before and accomplishing that goal made me feel really proud of myself.
I’m going to love this new place more. Not because it is so much better, amenity-wise, but because when I look around this space, I see you. Which sounds cheesy, but stick with me. My living here is a direct result of an amazing and supportive community having my back. It is literal and physical proof that I’m not and don’t have to be my own little self-sustaining island. This is something that I’ve known for a while now, but as someone who with a brain that likes to tell some really mean lies? Being able to see proof that my brain is lying? Is a really big deal.
So, again: Thank You. Times a millionty billionty googleplexes infinity squared. Forever and ever, amen.
Congratulations!