So... That Didn't Work Out as Planned

Warning: This is kind of a long story. So grab a cup of coffee (or your beverage of choice), get comfortable, and enjoy.
 
It's amazing how quickly plans can change.

One moment you're doing one thing, the next it's completely different. Then another minute later that plan gets turned on it's head and a few hours later you're driving up to a leasing office and signing the application for a one bedroom apartment.

Yup. My living situation has changed yet again. Twice. Maybe three times.

In case you missed it, check out my last post on this subject. Let's just say that the title of that post was quite accurate (Jinx) because I was so excited I ended up jinxing myself.



After that agreement was made, the two "roommies" and I had begun our home search. It turned out that the 5 bedroom house was a no-go, and that was fine. In a college town like ours we were surely to find a decent house or something with rent we could afford.

We first went to one apartment complex that had three bedroom duplexes. A few years ago before I had moved into my current apartment I actually considered moving there and the music director from my church lives there. So I felt it would be a good place to check out. However, the three bedrooms were tiny tiny tiny. If we had been college students or something, that would be one thing. But considering all three of us had been out of college for a few years, it wasn't going to work. They did have a special going on though where if you turned in your application by Friday you wouldn't  need to pay. So we saved some applications just in case.

The next couple of days we looked around at other houses. Some where REALLY nice, but too expensive. Others were also nice, but in neighborhoods that scared us. There was one house where the own was all "the door is open you can just go right in and pick up an application on the counter."

WHAT? Why would you just leave the door open? Why? Why? Why?

Needless to say, we deiced to not move there.

By Thursday we decided to look around more on Saturday morning and see what happened. I had to go to play practice and the two girls decided to hang out for awhile after I left.

Then I got a phone call on Friday.

The one roommate that was guaranteed backed out. I won't go into details (partially because I don't quite understand them) but she said that she didn't feel it was right for her. The other roommate still doesn't have a job so she was always up in the air.

Which left me... frustrated. Upset. Broke. And still roommate-less.

After venting my frustrations over lunch with a friend I was able to calm down a bit. Then I remembered "that one complex still had that free application fee special going on!" So I booked it over to the complex and thankfully, the guy who had helped us out a few days before was still there. I sat down in his office and explained the situation.

They had one last one bedroom apartment on a first floor.

I checked it out. It wasn't as updated as the place they had shown me originally, but it would work. It was smaller than my apartment now, but in all honesty for one person and her tiny dog it would be perfect. I was actually impressed with how much storage space there was - which is always a perk.

I crossed the t's and dotted the i's and I can move there in three weeks. Lucky for me, the office for my current apartment was right next door and I was able to give them my 30 day notice right away.

Then... last week happened. I had written this blog post out and clicked "publish." Only moments later the ex-possible-roommate called me again.

A friend of hers owned a house that she rented out to a family needed new tenants. It was a three bedroom house with two full bathrooms and one 1/2 bathroom. Four bedrooms if you counted the one in the basement. I told her that I had the impression everything was called off and had already applied to get a new apartment. I already had a move in date.

However, if this did work out I would be saving A LOT of money. So I agreed to check it out with her on Friday. The only issue was that the leasing office of my apartment needed a for sure yes or no by Friday night. We were going to have to make an immediate choice.

The house was perfect. Heck, one of the bedrooms was already painted in the color scheme I wanted for my room and the closet was built for short people.

One problem: the possible roommate didn't like it because she smelled smoke. (I didn't smell it.) She claimed that she was "highly sensitive" to smoke and refused to live somewhere that someone had smoked in. Not gonna lie - I was pretty upset.

But, I immediately called the leasing office and gave them my "yes."

The next morning I paid the first half of my security deposit and picked up my pet application. I move into my new apartment in 11 days.

I'm actually feeling really good about this choice. The stress and drama with trying to find a roommate and to try and afford my expensive (although awesome) apartment was getting to be too much. Here are a few reasons why this is a good thing:

1) I'm already used to living on my own. While making the adjustment to having roommates I'm sure would have been just fine, it's easier to be able to do my own thing without having to worry about anyone else.

2) The rent is cheaper than what I'm paying now (by about $150), and it includes water and the electric bill will also probably be lower since it's a smaller place. With those savings and with my switching to my family's cell phone plan a few weeks ago, I'm going to be doing much better financially.

3) No cat. Yes, I know the cat was sweet, de-clawed, and toilet trained. However, Bandit really doesn't get a long with cats very well. He adjusts... but it takes awhile. No more stress there.

4) If a person backs out of being your roommate after not even a week of saying they would be, it shows how reliable they are. I'm really looking forward to having this girl as a friend and she seems really cool. However, maybe not the best roommate and that would have ruined a potential friendship.

5) Living on my own means that I can do whatever I want to the apartment and not have to see if someone else would like it. (Other than being sure it's okay with the landlord.) I can do my own decorating style and organize how I want. I'm kinda excited about it.

I am a little sad that I won't have roommies. I do my best when I'm around people and it's nice to have people to come home to. Also, it's lame decorating your home for holidays when it's just you living there. However, I'm so relieved that this is all done.

Sometimes you think God is doing one thing, and in reality it's something completely different and it's the kick in the rear that you actually need.

Here's the layout of my apartment (or at least the basic gist):

So... anyone want to help me move next Friday or help me make a decorating plan?