Of Moose And Men
The Best Laid Plans Of Both Often Go Astray

The house is a mess.

As planned, I packed the majority of my belongings yesterday. The kitchen is 90% done (silverware and utensils remain outstanding), most all of the books are packed, I’ve accumulated a large pile of things to be donated, and I’m feeling a tad bit less overwhelmed than when I started this yesterday.

Headed out to shop today, need to pick up a few things to have on hand once I’m moved on Thursday or shortly thereafter (e.g., mattress). Also want to pop by the new place and pick up any packages that’ve already arrived. Have to arrange time for laundry before the movers get here, too. So much to do…

I recently upped the amount of protein I’m taking in, in order to help with my training. Picked up some Spiru-Tein soy protein powder and have been having a shake in the morning with breakfast. I do notice that I’m not as hungry mid-morning as I usually am (the joys of the lessened appetite effect that comes from eating more protein), but that’s about it thus far. The only other effect was to notice that I don’t currently own a blender (I’ve been using Richard’s), so I had to order one, as well as a toaster, to be delivered to the new place. Hopefully they’ll be there before next week’s move-in date.

Okay, time for my Pet Peeve of the Day™: If the urinal has a foot pedal for flushing it, men, you have no excuse not to push the thing down and flush the urinal once you’re done. You’re not touching the handle with your bare hand, you’re stomping it with a covered foot; there’s little to no chance you’d pick up any extra germs that way. So don’t be lazy and remember to flush. ‘kthnxbye.

I think I may have to go back and see my physical therapist and/or a coach about my running. The sore calf keeps intermittently coming back, and it’s starting to get me worried about my race in June. If I can’t run more than a 1/2 hour at a time without pain, it’s kinda hard to imagine doing a 1/2 marathon at the end of the tri without injuring myself pretty badly. So the PT gets called today to set up an appointment, I think.

I feel today like I’m back in 2nd grade. That was the year we discovered that the mysterious headaches I was getting, severe enough that I went home several days that spring, were seasonal allergies. I suspect today that it’s a combo of the newly horny plants and the lovely storm front that’s been passing over all day, but right now I just want to take something that’ll knock me out and let me sleep this off. I know it’s not a migraine, I blessedly do not get those, but man does this hurt.

I wonder if any of it is fighting off Richard’s current cold, too. Or stress from the move. Or all of the above.

Speaking of other pains, the movers have been arranged. I went with Tod & Doug’s folks over Starving Students (both were recommended to me) mainly because with Metropolitan I was talking to the local guy, not a national number, and he was much, much friendlier. Not to say that SS wasn’t friendly, but they were damned pushy when I was making it clear (I thought) that I was merely calling for a quote. I’ve already gotten 2 calls and an email from them (and called to ‘cancel’ the move I hadn’t yet signed up for). No thanks, don’t need the hard sell, guys.

So that’s set for the 13th. Also arranged to reserve the elevators, etc.

In shopping for trash cans I’m now thinking an 8 gallon or smaller trash can for the kitchen will be plenty. I’m reltively close to the trash chute and stuff doesn’t need to sit in my apartment for that long. Plus the kitchen’s not as large as I’m used to currently, so smaller would be better from that dimension, too. Still want it to be pretty (duh), but don’t think I need large unless it’s difficult to find medium bags at the local grocery store.

Have my first co-op meeting this evening, voting on officers for the “members’ council,” something separate and apart from the board, evidently. We’ll see how that goes, but if what I’m hearing from folks is any indication it promises to be fairly painful entertaining.

And one last pain, this one in the nipples, for the usual reasons. Not quite to the level of the bruised ribs I had from the tickling scene I did back in 1999, but riding the bus this morning was still a chance to be reminded that they’d been worked over pretty well the previous evening.

Well, it’s now official: I have far too many keys on my keyring.

Closing went off without a hitch, paperwork’s all signed and happy, and I’ve got the keys on my keyring. Mortgage payments, here we come. But until then, it’s nap time.

Anyone for Titan bar HH tonight?

Decided to go ahead and go with the cable modem, so that’s set for installation on the 14th, the day after the movers come. Also decided that I’ve become far too spoiled by having TiVo service at home, and since TiVo has extended their lifetime subscription option until April 15th, 2006, it makes sense to get a unit now and pay the one-time fee, even if I’m not planning to get cable TV immediately. The decider there was that cable modem service sans TV service was the same as cable modem service plus the TV service, so why not go ahead and do that. Now I just have to figure out which TiVO box to get.

(and yes, I know, series III this summer, HD, prettier picture, blah, blah, whatever. I just want something to record shows and be easy to use and TiVo is it for that)

Will be sending out the “help!” posting about details on next Saturday the 8th soon.

The sure cure to panic over things like, say, moving, for me at least, is to sit down and make a list. Started that today, writing down those items I’m thinking about buying for the new place (TV, shelving, etc.), putting a cost (item cost, shipping, tax…) to them, and where I’ve found something, the name and vendor. It does help make the whole thing more manageable and not quite so overwhelming. I’m lucky in that the seller’s credit I’m getting at closing will leave me with more cash than I was expecting to have, so I’ll be in a position to pick up a couple of things sooner rather than later (TV…), which should make the home a tad more comfortable.

Overall the image of the place is coming together in my head. The acid test, of course, will be getting the existing furniture in there so I can see what will and will not work, but I’m liking the concepts I’ve got floating around. The one big thing I’m doing that’s different from previous apartments is that my “office space” is not going into the bedroom, it’s going to be out in the living room. I want the bedroom to be just that, a bedroom, and not to spend all of my time sitting in there at the computer. To keep with that, I’m looking at flat TVs that can be an “all-in-one” solution, meaning it can be TV, computer monitor, and (eventually) gaming console monitor. Any thoughts on that are welcome as I do my research (and yes, I’m pretty much set in getting one device rather than at least two).

Heading out to Tysons this weekend to do some in-person shopping at West Elm to get a feel for a couple of their pieces. I’m very much the “I want to see it and touch it and make sure it looks in person like it does on the web site/in the catalog” kind of shopper, when that option is available. Also have to pick out/up a mattress. After the closing Friday I’m going to try and sit down with the desk folks at the building and chat about package delivery and how that works, but that’s not an immediate need, and could be done over the phone if needed.

I posted some pictures of the new place over in the old site template (since I’ve not come up with a new site template for pictures yet). 36 pics in all, so not so dial-up-friendly.

My closing has been moved up from next Friday (the 7th) to this Friday (the 31st). Eeck! I’m still looking at a two-week process for the move, now doing the packing next weekend (the 8th) and then having the movers come on the 13th.

Basically, everyone was ready to go, I think the seller is anxious to be done and over with the property (it’s being sold by an estate), so we’re doing it sooner rather than later. Fine by me!

The visit to the parents and other family members was good. My new niece, the three and a half week old one, is tres cute, with a full head of very black hair (all spikey, too – punk rock baby!). We’ve determined that her nickname is one that irritates my sister-in-law, so of course we’re all using it (including my brother, interestingly enough). The older niece turned nine on Friday and liked seeing her Uncle Moose, especially since I think I roughhouse a tad more with her than her father does or my parents can (i.e., picking her up, flipping her over, etc). I’m enjoying the chance to play with her while I still can – both her parents are a good chunk taller than I am, and she’s catching up to them rapidly.

Despite the best laid plans, I did nothing more athletic than lifting a wine glass the entire time I was there (though I did get through several levels of Super Princess Peach). Ah well. The Cherry Blossom Ten-Miler is going to hurt this weekend.

Placed a couple calls about the utilities today and was pleased to discover that it’s going to be pretty painless to switch the cable and phone stuff over to Richard without a disruption in service. Thank heavens. Of course, the cable company I use now doesn’t have service in the new building, so I have to decide what I’m doing for ‘net access. I’m leaning heavily toward DSL as opposed to cable because frankly I don’t think I’m going to notice the difference between 3Mbps (DSL) and 5MBps (cable), but I know I’ll notice the $20+ price difference (~$35 for DSL, ~$57 for cable). A decision to be made soon, but not necessarily today.

I’m also dealing with some drama with my real estate agent, but that should get resolved today. I hope. Nothing that’s screwing up the deal, that’s solid and set, it’s just some timing issues on things.

Work has been absolutely insane today, with things we thought were waiting on something else suddenly not needing that something else, or the meeting that we thought was happening on topic A suddenly being on topic B. Ugh. Hopefully that’s not the trend for the entire week, but I don’t have my hopes up.

Drove down to the home of the parental units today. The drive was uneventful, though I seem to have maintained my case of leadus footus, and managed to get here in a little under 3.5 hours. I’m reminded of why I enjoy not owning a car, and not driving on a regular basis – it drives me batty (no pun intended). People don’t get out of the way when they’re not passing, they go slow in the left lane, they don’t use turn signals, etc. Ugh. But I got here just fine.

The niece is enjoying Super Princess Peach, and ’twas fun seeing her. My brother, on the other hand, lives like a pig. Admitedly, he was sick the past couple of days, but their apartment is an absolute mess, with stuff everywhere. Glad he’s not in a highrise or he’d have had bugs all over the place – they love that kind of environment. I shudder just thinking about it.

Showed my parents pictures of the new place via snapfish. I’ll get them uploaded & posted here sometime this next week, after I’m back.

Otherwise it’s quiet here. Going to do some shopping tomorrow with the ‘rents, and I think we may be doing cake for the niece. After that drive I should sleep like the dead tonight, and then I have to figure out if I want to swim or run tomorrow. Either would be good, it’s a matter of where & how long.