In my time of blogging, this has been the longest stretch I have not blogged about anything. Nothing. Not even posting links to articles I've written elsewhere. I could blame laziness on this reason, but the truth is, life has been so busy that I've preferred to not share everything as it has developed. Things are still developing as I type this, but I'd like to share something.
I am moving for the first time in nine years. Despite efforts to get into a new lease before the sale to new landlords last month, they decided to not grant us a new lease. Previously, speaking through their realtor, they expressed an interest in putting us in a new lease before they bought the property. Jenny had just moved in at the end of July, and was halfway unpacked when a 30 day notice e-mail landed in my inbox on the first of September. Telling us that we had 30 days to vacate, we were crushed. When I called one of the landlords about this, all I got was, "We wanted to live on the property when we bought the place. We changed our minds on where we wanted to live, and since you weren't in a lease, we want your duplex."
Frankly, I'm more than happy to severe ties with people who conduct business this way. It's business, I know, but it also comes across as spine-less and soul-less. This change of mind has added a sour, final note to a long and fruitful time living on a beautiful street. I moved in as a single 25-year-old and am moving out as a 34-year-old who is in a stable and happy relationship.
This was the house I grew very attached to, mainly because of the abundance of positive memories. Parties, band practices, late-night talks, movie-watching, falling in love, out of love, and back in love -- all in a duplex with a foundation desperately in need of repair. This was my home, my own home separate from my parents' home.
As I continue to pack, memories come back to me from all kinds of places. All the Halloweens and Christmases. The two times I was laid off and the times I started new jobs. All the time spent wondering where my life was going while listening to Genesis's Seconds Out and The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. And I clearly remember finishing Post and starting When We Were the Kids and Forever Got Shorter in this house.
Thankfully, Jenny and I have a chance to start in a new place together. It's about 20 minutes north and in a great neighborhood. It's not 100 percent suburbia, but it's close, and that's totally fine by me. I know the area pretty well since I had an aunt, uncle and two cousins live only a few streets away for almost 20 years. But there's much more to discover, from restaurants to biking/running paths. We haven't taken a step down -- it's just different.
The duplex we're moving to has an abundance of storage space, something we're in need of. For the first time in my adult life, I will have a garage and a working ice maker. That's huge when you've lived so long without them. There's plenty of room for our dogs, including a backyard area.
Calculating all the pluses up, I think we will all be happy there. It feels like this is the logical next step in my life, even though it feels like we made the most of an awkward and frustrating situation.
I'm so happy I'm making this step with Jenny, who's been a source of strength and love since we started dating over a year ago. This loop we've been in has made things difficult and stressful, but we see a bigger and better picture ahead of us.
Still, none of this closure will start to sink in until we're all moved out of the old place and settled into the new one. Sometimes life isn't where you'd thought it would be, but accept what you have, what you've lost, and what you want to gain in the future. I don't think I could have said that nine years ago, so I chalk that up to growth and gratefulness to learning new things in life.
I am moving for the first time in nine years. Despite efforts to get into a new lease before the sale to new landlords last month, they decided to not grant us a new lease. Previously, speaking through their realtor, they expressed an interest in putting us in a new lease before they bought the property. Jenny had just moved in at the end of July, and was halfway unpacked when a 30 day notice e-mail landed in my inbox on the first of September. Telling us that we had 30 days to vacate, we were crushed. When I called one of the landlords about this, all I got was, "We wanted to live on the property when we bought the place. We changed our minds on where we wanted to live, and since you weren't in a lease, we want your duplex."
Frankly, I'm more than happy to severe ties with people who conduct business this way. It's business, I know, but it also comes across as spine-less and soul-less. This change of mind has added a sour, final note to a long and fruitful time living on a beautiful street. I moved in as a single 25-year-old and am moving out as a 34-year-old who is in a stable and happy relationship.
This was the house I grew very attached to, mainly because of the abundance of positive memories. Parties, band practices, late-night talks, movie-watching, falling in love, out of love, and back in love -- all in a duplex with a foundation desperately in need of repair. This was my home, my own home separate from my parents' home.
As I continue to pack, memories come back to me from all kinds of places. All the Halloweens and Christmases. The two times I was laid off and the times I started new jobs. All the time spent wondering where my life was going while listening to Genesis's Seconds Out and The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. And I clearly remember finishing Post and starting When We Were the Kids and Forever Got Shorter in this house.
Thankfully, Jenny and I have a chance to start in a new place together. It's about 20 minutes north and in a great neighborhood. It's not 100 percent suburbia, but it's close, and that's totally fine by me. I know the area pretty well since I had an aunt, uncle and two cousins live only a few streets away for almost 20 years. But there's much more to discover, from restaurants to biking/running paths. We haven't taken a step down -- it's just different.
The duplex we're moving to has an abundance of storage space, something we're in need of. For the first time in my adult life, I will have a garage and a working ice maker. That's huge when you've lived so long without them. There's plenty of room for our dogs, including a backyard area.
Calculating all the pluses up, I think we will all be happy there. It feels like this is the logical next step in my life, even though it feels like we made the most of an awkward and frustrating situation.
I'm so happy I'm making this step with Jenny, who's been a source of strength and love since we started dating over a year ago. This loop we've been in has made things difficult and stressful, but we see a bigger and better picture ahead of us.
Still, none of this closure will start to sink in until we're all moved out of the old place and settled into the new one. Sometimes life isn't where you'd thought it would be, but accept what you have, what you've lost, and what you want to gain in the future. I don't think I could have said that nine years ago, so I chalk that up to growth and gratefulness to learning new things in life.
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