Uptown Girl

Tomorrow’s to-do list: pack and more packing.

In four days I will be turning in my keys to apartment 403 (the actual apartment, not the blog—despite my absences, I haven’t given up!). Moving this time around feels a lot like the first day of school on when you are like a fourth grader (at least if you were like me). Though you were familiar with the school and knew teachers, and while you couldn’t wait to be reunited with friends, you still have that ball of nerves at the pit of your stomach because you can’t exactly know what to expect. It’s bittersweet. Sweet because I’ll be moving to, you guessed it, Uptown in Minneapolis with Maren, which should be grand! Plus, it’s always fun to decorate a new place and organize a new room (a room that will be just mine, no offense Maren!). But unfortunately, right now I am being bogged down by all the bitter…

First off, packing is not fun. It’s a chore! Especially when packing up a space you’ll continue to inhabit for a few days. I easily get caught up in the task of packing. For instance, when deciding how to proceed with my closet I stop myself, because I couldn’t possibly pack up that outfit, what if I need to wear it to work?–Even if I haven’t worn said outfit in about two years. And while boxing up my library collection I suddenly become hesitant because I can’t pack up that book, I may want to read it between now and Friday!–Yes, because I have so much time to read right now (though joke’s on me because I bought Tina Fey’s book Bossypants this on Friday and managed to finish it already, all for the sake of avoiding real work).  Oh and my favorite moment was while packing up my bathroom and hesitating to put my vitamins in the “pack up now because I won’t need it before the move” pile….I have taken approximately three of those vitamins since I purchased them…in February (what can I say, I’m a health nut!). Simply put, packing  just does not suit me.

Secondly, apt. 403 rocks. Seriously, it’s a pretty sweet set-up. It’s not only new and pretty, but this the view:

I should clarify though, this is some people’s view. Our windows look into the other part of the complex, which was great, until the third floor neighbors who stayed up all night to play halo, and watch Blue Clues and Family Guy moved away.

And I’m about a five minute walk/1 minute drive to THE BEST ONE of two BEST movie theatres in Minneapolis: St. Anthony Main.

And then there is the fact that Qdoba is also only a five minute drive. I don’t know if I’ve shared my (slightly extremely unhealthy) affinity for their burritos. Needless to say I find their authentic-americanized fare to be quite addicting.

Plus I can easily walk or quickly bus to and from work. I’ve been living the good life.

But mostly I’m terribly bitter because you may have noticed that I am only bringing along one of my current roommates to the new place. Allison, being the awesome person she is, has taken a promotion (woo-hoo) that requires relocation (boo!). Now you’d think that since Allison is my sister, and we’ve been roommates off and on for the last 22 and a half years, that I’d be ready to let go. I’m not. Not even close. Despite our skirmishes, most of which revolve around the fact that our definitions of clean live on two opposite sides of the spectrum (I should mention my definition is probably more closely related to messy than clean), Allison still resides on the top of the list of best roommates ever. I’ve had my fair share of roommates—some were awesome <insert shout out to Paige, my fabulous KU roomie> and some have been borderline dreadful <insert comment that roommates should not be allowed to stay up all night, every night, skyping with their friend in Japan>. But while the hard ones were difficult to bear and easy to move on from, it’s even harder finding the ones you enjoy living with, and therefore infinitely harder to part with.  Allison is the latter. Without her I probably wouldn’t be as addicted to Diet Coke as I am, and I certainly wouldn’t love Lifetime movies as much–I dare you to turn on a Lifetime movie and not feel the urge to continue watching simply because you have to see where the ridiculousness leads to–and I would never know the greatness of both Kraft’s three cheese Mac & Cheese or pepper in Prego. But seriously, the past 20 months in apt. 403 have been fabulous–and I’m sad to see the adventure end. Luckily, Allison promised me we would be “roomies for life” so I can’t wait to be reunited 🙂