Catching my breath
Fri, 02 Mar 2007.
Hi Addyboo!
First of all, I have emails from friends from a month ago that I need to reply to. Don’t worry. I will. I want to. Things just keep jumping in the way.
Dog Whisperer is eighteen awesomes
I’ve been watching a lot of TV lately as a way to escape a lot of responsibilities. First of all, it doesn’t work. Second of all, it’s pretty toxic.
Last night, as a good will gesture, I skipped Grey’s Anatomy and spent the time researching credit cards and car purchasing. Today I found out that it didn’t even air. So I guess someone is looking out for me. Right before I left, mum joked that I’m always so damn lucky and someone always seems to be there for me.
Anyway. Relocation. Yeah, now we’re at the business end. After having been successfully cleared by immigration and getting a social security card, I have some things to think about:
God, I am so American. Yay consumerism!
- credit card
- driver’s license
- car
- car loan
- car insurance
- renting an apartment
- more insurance
- decorating this apartment with furniture
- decorating this furniture with cute girls
Ok, so the credit card I mostly dealt with this morning, I’m with the credit union that was recommended to me. One or two more steps and I should have more plastic for my wallet. My regret is that I didn’t ask for a day or so to read the contract before signing. There’s nothing remotely bad about the contract but it’s always a point that makes me uncomfortable, I need to be more assertive and tell people to hold up while I pore over the legalese.
Down payment! Monthly payment! Interest! Fees! Insurance! Maintenance!
Car stuff? God, I’m so green at this. My greatest fear is committing to a financing option and regretting it immediately. It’s a matter of pride more than it is dollar value. I need to prove that I can shop with the sharks and come out on top. Just because I have more money now doesn’t mean I should be any less careful.
For cars? I don’t know really. I might go the safe bet and get a new Honda Civic Coupe LX. New because I don’t know what to look for in a used car. Civic because they seem to be the most harmless car you could possibly ever buy. Coupe because everyone in America over the age of 16 has a car and I’ll be damned if I ever let kids in my car. LX because I’m a spoilt brat and I’m too in love with things like keyless entry and air conditioning.
Housing stuff? No clue. I need to start reading shitloads on the internet because I move out of corporate housing in about one month. Rent is still looking to be about $900 to $1200 from what people say. I will need to budget for this and car repayments and World of Warcraft subscription (I’m kidding, WoW sucks).
I’m not so much in love with the city now. I do love living above street level and having a parking garage because it’s so deliciously snobby. But it would also be ok to just live close to a big soulless strip mall and be near friends.
I love lamp
Furniture? IKEA. Maybe some Urban Outfitters. Throw in an oversize bean bag. Think college dorm meets anti-conformist yuppie; the classic post-post-graduate look. Or fuck it all and sit on the floor in the dark, eating straight out of pots and pans.
You guys only bug me because y’all are sexually frustrated
To those who thought that moving a city would mean instant girlfriend, hah. All those people that went on vacation or exchange were trapped in a building with other lonely, horny twentysomethings. I am trapped in amongst people who look at photos from the 1970s and think, “Yes! Beards and that long hair are a great lifestyle choice!” I know, I realize the Australian accent is a thing of beauty and I do understand on some level how being so foreign has made me more appealing but I haven’t actually met anyone yet. I generally don’t make friends, I steal them.
…So you will have to cut me some slack there. Once I find my footing, I promise I will make you all (more) jealous of me.
I always seem to be the first to hit up the comments here…
anywho, car: if you want to consider a used one, look at something 3 - 5 years old; they’ll usually be just out of warranty, so no major defects, modern enough styling and will have the walk-out depreciation factored in. with cars that young, judging it is more about how big the number on the odo is (average would be 10 - 15k miles/year) and what vibe you get from the owner (do they look like they care about it or what). And those selling that early will be corporate types, so the car will be mostly looked after for sheer aesthetic value.
and from my experience in Sydney, meeting people is all about common activities: sport, hobbies, music, the pub, whatever. go do all those things you would in Melbourne, but pluck up the courage to talk to strangers while you’re at it =)
Jack’s activities in Melbourne consisted of stealing friends. So all he has to do is find someone with interesting friends and steal them.
Go for a studio apartment! Fewer rooms to vacuum! ;D
If Jack is not yet comfortable with getting a car, maybe Jack could wait a bit until he gets housing sorted and think over the car options some more. And in the meantime, Jack could get a bike. Or a moped why not! :D
Yeah get your apartment sorted first, I’m sure transport is decent there in Seatle to get around.
Secondly, getting a recent second hand car is the way to go, nothing more than 4 years old I reckon, but it all comes to odo
as for friends, stop being a sissy and just make some, u can always make other new ones if the first lot turn out crap.