  | |||
|
Spill Guts Here. It's gotta go somewhere, know what I mean? Can you stand it?
purls before swine
Geek Knitting
West Indian Parade
West Indian Parade
Dog/Cat Wrestling
|
6.28.2005
Not much going on, taking the next few days off from apt. search, end of the month is bad for this. Focusing on the shop for now. It's been so busy, not used to replacing stock so quickly, it's a growth spurt I have to adjust to. Shopping in the city all afternoon. Rained all day yesterday, I feel damp, hot and clammy.
6.24.2005
UPDATE: Color me a SUCKA!! The whole damned 4 story building was 2130, not the apt. The neighborhood was lovely, well maintained brownstones, no problem there, but the actual apt. was 532 sq. ft., tiny. When I gently informed the owner of the "miscalculation", she smiled and nodded. Whoo boy, this is what it's like looking for apts here, never a dull moment.
Ok, apt. hunting just got fun again, jumping on my bike to go see a 2130 sq. ft. top floor brownstone apt. at 11. Yes 2130 sq. ft. It must be in the most hidious, dangerous neighborhood, because it's just under a grand. Riding there rather than taking the subway so I can try to spot the "monkeywrench". The building is owned and occupied by an elderly woman, and it's very possible she is just not aware of recent market rents. It's in Bed-Stuy, there are safe, beautiful blocks, and extremely scary ones as well, all mixed up.
More later after I get a look-see. This would be worth getting a car for, if it's at all do-able. It's the size of a football field! But not interested in being robbed, raped or worse just for indoor space. We'll see what the deal is. I don't mind being a "pioneer", I actually have to be, I'm not like a normal person who can move into a one bedroom, I need room to do my work. But you have to be careful, as much as possible, about moving into in certain neighborhoods. 6.23.2005
Oh fuck, someone else got the apt. This is not good. damn it. Not happy today, now starting at square one again. SHIT.
6.22.2005
Paperwork tommorrow morning, I'm pretty sure I got that apt. Here we go again, hope this one sticks. :-> I got pooped on by a bird the other day, and someone told me that was good luck. Very much looking forward to getting my studio set-up and producing.
6.21.2005
I saw the coolest apartment this am! 3 bdrm, 6 rooms, top floor, another old school {built in 1916} 8 apt. building, tons of "character", original patterned parquet floors just re-varnished, lots of windows and light, painted bright white, and it smelled GOOD!! It has a "garbage shaft", a panel opens on the wall in the hallway, and you drop your bags of garbage down there, and they magically disappear. I guess that's the old dumbwaiter, reconfigured. Same price as the stinky one, better neighborhood, right around the corner from the kosher gourmet store. 15 min to work by bike right down leafy Eastern Parkway, 1 blk from the 3 train if it's raining or cold. So much room, that's the luxury in this town, and I can afford it. Hope I can get it.
Off to the city to shop for the shop, run errands. I guess everything works out for the best, in the end. *sigh* 6.20.2005
Wow, I just asked around a little, and *very* affordable top floor 3 bdrms are somehow in abundance right now., Going to look at another one in the am. I felt sad today taking out the lighting fixtures, it's HUGE fuckin place, what a great, sunny and roomy apt, but the stench is too much, I really just can't do it. The one I'm looking at tommorrow is in a very safe, Hasidic neighborhood anyway, not near projects, one block from my beloved Eastern Parkway.
Spent a lovely afternoon in the park with my dogs, Jen and her little monster, Killer. A beautiful day. 6.19.2005
Thanks to reading my lawyer friend Ingrids book of Landlord/Tenant laws in NY this am, I successfully negotiated this afternoon with my former new landlord for a full refund. Now I know what "implied warranty of habitability" means. Whatever...it worked. I have an appt. to see another top floor 3 bdrm in the am, hopefully this one not reeking of cat urine.
Whooppee! Really, I am relieved at not wasting more time. Still have to hire an electrician and get the lighting fixtures uninstalled, I have 2 days to complete that, should be no big deal. Next!
Moving is canceled. There's no way I'm living in a building with a hoarder, I did some research, and it's a chronic problem. Disgusting, unhealthy and a fire hazard. The woman in question is getting SSI, and evicting someone with problems like that is next to impossible. Gearing up to go to housing court to get money back, as the landlord won't return my phone calls. At this point, I'm just about ready to go to law school and get it over with. Zen about the whole thing, it always felt a little wrong, and I was right. Everything is in a box, and I'm living minimally, not sure what the next move is. Sort of enjoying it, it eliminates many daily decisions.
On the interesting side, getting hooked up with a factory through a friend, and planning to produce my first "product", and it's not knitted. This is going to be fun and interesting, I love the manufacturing process. Thinking about the design of it, sourcing, etc, currently. Hope to have them in my shop within 3-4 months. One of the extreme benefits of running the shop myself is the feedback from customers as they try things on, or discuss pros/cons of objects, usefulness, etc. Invaluable. Now, I'm going to attempt to distill that data and make an ultimately beautiful, practical thing, renewable twice a year in variations on the original. 6.15.2005
Moving date postponed for a few weeks, we apparently have a mentally ill "cat lady" in the building. I realized it when it rained, and we went to move some small things in last Saturday night. The cat piss smell was overwhelming, just haircurling and eyewatering. Asking some other tenants and the super, I found out about it. Now working with the Department of Health and the landlord to get her, her cats, and her trashed, piss and feces filled apartment that she won't let anyone into under control. Jeez. Can't anything just go smoothly? :-<
At least the heat wave broke today, it's been extremely hot here for the last 9 or 10 days. 6.10.2005
I'm stressed out again and tired, want this move to be OVER!!! I am unplugging/moving computers/other machinery tommorrow {Sat} night with help from my dear friend Jen, and don't know when my cable connection will be working at the new place, certainly not for at least week or two. SO: no email, etc. Shop is closed Wednesday, 15th for R&R & unpacking. Take care, soon I'll be posting from Crown Heights, Brooklyn! xxx, Staceyjoy, Murphy, Ha'Penny and Kitty
6.09.2005
Frozen coffee = GOOD. Snapped out of panicky ennui, cranking the packing/tossing since 7am, after walking dogs. Getting OUT! Yippee!
Latest of my adorable niece, Little Lorna:  She's SO CUTE! 6.08.2005
It was a weird, super-hot day, and although I have an air conditioner in the shop, it doesn't work all that well. I had to steam clothes all day, and just wasn't into it. I hate it when summer comes in one day. Busy feeling extremely overwhelmed and sorry for myself for having to move so much crap. This is somewhat rare, but it happens. Miserable until move is over, wound tighter than a drum. Am a sweaty bitch on wheels.
Froze freshly made french roast coffee to mix with milk. Put it into ice cube trays. Love iced coffee, don't like it when it gets watered down from the ice, so the ice is the coffee. Can't wait till morning to have it. Also froze green grapes for later. My new landlord has a 1 bdrm opening up {in my new building in Crown Heights} in a few weeks for $900. Email me if you want it, and I'll hook you up. staceyatredlipstickdotnet. I'm guessing you can bargain him down a bit. 6.07.2005
Errands all am, in the city all afternoon, check on reno tonight. Day is done. Shopping for pretty dresses today.
Animals getting used to shifting furniture, seem just fine today {thankfully}. My pants are starting to fall off again, getting my "summer lean", oh how I love that, it feels good. 6.06.2005
My body h.uuuu.r.t.s, a hot shower had no effect except to wash the dust off. We packed and sorted and threw away for 7 solid hours, then went and had a glass of wine and a crepe. Kirsten is coming back next Monday to help finish the job. must hold out/will make it. Thank you, Kirsten! Thank you so very, very much! She was like a drill instructor, barking "Throw it! Do your really want to live with that? What use is that?", etc. :-> hehe
Kitty attacked her hand, reaching for some books. *sigh* Now, I'm smoking a doob and eating vanilla swiss almond ice cream and parking my tired ass in front of the tube. I'm done for today.
I hired an "organizer" to help me pack and get rid of stuff today, Kirsten. She's on the way here now, and I'm deeply grateful. Filling up on coffee this am.
oh this sucks. Miserable now, hope to feel exhilarated looking at stuffed boxes later. 6.05.2005
I may get an extra week to pack, I just went up to my new place, and the contractor hasn't done any more work than last time! And now the paint job needs touchups in every room, none of the fixtures are installed and the stove is not either. We found that 4 windows need to be totally replaced, they're trashed. Not done. I'm not moving in until the workmen are completely finished, not cleaning up after them twice.
I've been having bad insomnia and waking up with mild panic attacks about this, if I can make it through this month, everything will be Golden. But I have to make it through this month first. Oh please let this go smoothly, I despise moving so very, very much. I wish I could just go to sleep and wake up with all my stuff there. *sigh* OLS {Outdoor Loudness Season} has begun in earnest in this neighborhood. Pounding SUVs vibrating buildings with deafeningly bad music, and all night screaming. rowdy rasta parties right across the street in the car repair place run by Jamaican ex-cons. Can't wait to get the fuck off this block. On the other hand, my shop is busier than ever, thank you so much {grandpa}! I'm really enjoying the hot weather. 6.02.2005
Collected $88.37 in change, just from around the kitchen. Believe it. Changed it into paper at the local Key Food's CoinStar.
I'm going to be very highstrung for the next few weeks, obviously that's where the pets are getting it from, I aso hate having my routine disrupted. Got Bach's Rescue Remedy yesterday for us all. |
||
