A recent article in the NY Times reminded me that the enthusiasm I had when I set up this blog has now waned. Around the same time, Nilay (who hosts the blog) sent me a somewhat geeky e-mail, telling me how I could post pictures directly from my camera to this blog. Technology is simply amazing. Until it begins running my life and I have to go on missions to destroy replicants. Then it will be evil.
So I do have some very valid excuses for "blog neglect". A move, work travel, trying to get settled into a new life and new patterns. Actually, you'd think by now, with move number 4 in a little over 5 years, I'd have figured out how to find a home, pack, move, unpack and get settled with minimal disruption to my life. I thought that the move from Palo Alto to Mt View proved that theory - moving doesn't have to be more than a bothersome little nit in your life.
But this move was different. Not only did I move from Mt View to San Francisco (a distance of 37 miles, a fact dully reported to my auto insurance company), but for the first time in my life, I am now living sans roommates. Thus, the move involved pre-move shopping trips for previously never needed items such as a TV (yes, ponder the irony that I own 4 videogame consoles and do not own a TV). As well, the new apartment required a dish drain, a garbage can, cleaning supplies, rugs, curtains and lots of other miscellaneous and required stuff that is required with a move, or I had always lacked. And, practically in the middle of the move, a few business trips. Logistically, life became difficult.
And the process of unpacking was a bit unusual. I've become used to simply making room in a preexisting home for all of my stuff. This time, the choice of where to put the glasses, the bathroom towels, the TV, etc. were mine. Under the best of circumstances, I'm not the best decision maker, and in this case, it was simply hard.
But it's done. With the exception of trimming the curtains, buying a few new rugs and hanging some pictures, I would say that I am as settled as I'm ever going to be. Having said that, I can make a few observations about trends in my life in regards to moving:
--Toilet issues. This is the second time that I've lived in a home in which the toilet doesn't function properly. I think that the problem is now resolved, but I do wonder, do toilets see me as an evil being? I've never been anything but respectful, but obviously, somehow the toilet gods see me as less than.
--Ants. With the exception of my apartment in Berkeley, ants always seem to follow me (and in that case, instead of ants, cockroaches were a mainstay. Gross). This time, I smartened up and ran to Target as soon as possible, purchasing $10 worth of super strong and poisonous ant raps and placing strategically in my apartment, a process which allowed me to ponder, "if I were an ant, where would I want to hang out in Schelley's place?"
--Electronics failure. This time, my PC video card blew out. Considering it was sent free with a ridiculously low priced monitor, I'm not that sad. But still, I now need to figure out if the card is AGP or PCI or something like that, and then purchase a new one.