Moving

[emmie]

I like all the pics of the Hampton Inns! too funny. so did you have to stock pile on gas during those stretches in Utah? that would be my fear of a cross country road trip. accidently getting stuck in the mountains, canyons, deserts, etc.

[Nostradamus]

Yup, then J T Walsh comes along in a semi and offers you a lift, and things pretty much go downhill from there...

[lance]

I like all the pics of the Hampton Inns! too funny. so did you have to stock pile on gas during those stretches in Utah? that would be my fear of a cross country road trip. accidently getting stuck in the mountains, canyons, deserts, etc.

Glad you liked them.

As I said pricy, but free breakfasts. Nah, I didn't have to stock pile gas. Except for the stretch between Green River and Salina UT there were plenty of gas stations. I expected to pay for some extremely expensive gas in these places, both being on the edge of the no-gas zone, but I didn't.

Even loaded down my car got pretty good gas mileage. Also my car was/is new. I got a 2004 Toyota. Before I left Cincy I had everything, everything check out. Oil, belts, fluids, brakes and engine. I did have an extra bottle of wiper fluid and coolant in the car just in case.

I did hit some rain in Kansas and had to refil the washer fluid. I didn't really need more coolant until Utah. Otherwise it was just keeping the gas tank full, the CDs rotating and the soda flowing.

At the end of day four I was coming across these beautiful stretches of Utah were I took those pictures. Thing was though it was beginning to get dark and there was nobody else on the road, occassionaly an truck but nothing like Kansas City or Denver. So I would pull over on these scenic, but totally deserted places and snap a couple of pictures off and jump back in the car.

I would drive for another twenty or thirty minutes, jump out and take a few more pictures, never staying too long. Visions of wandering serial killers from various bad B movies kept popping up in my head so I kept moving.

-LanceMan

[emmie]

I would drive for another twenty or thirty minutes, jump out and take a few more pictures, never staying too long. Visions of wandering serial killers from various bad B movies kept popping up in my head so I kept moving.

LOL. for some reason, Pee Wee's Big Adventure comes to mind. isn't that the one where he gets picked up by a trucker and they crash in the middle of the desert?

but anyway....that sounds really cool. at least your scenery was nice during those long hours of driving. how often is it that you are completely alone and surrounded by such beauty?

[lance]

Ahh the winds of change are still blowing.

Having recovered from post election blaws I poked my head up and took a look around at greater Lanceland to see what had transpired in my absence while I was generally out of it.

My sister reports that she is having a blast in New York City. Having moved from Houston she is loving being around other Democrats. One of my brothers appears bound for Phoenix sometime this Spring, in pursuit of better employment and cheaper housing. Housing here having become insane: median income for Vegas is $44,000 average home price is now $250,000.

As for myself I think I will be in Vegas for another year to year and a quarter. After that I am moving to San Jose, California.

-LanceMan

[SanDeE*]

Glad to hear your sister is doing well in New York. I've always wanted to visit there, but I don't know if I could live there for good. Maybe for a year, I don't know.

I never told you guys how my move was to my new apartment! I moved at the end of May from a horrible roommate situation into a lovely little one-bedroom all to myself. It is in a really nice, upscale neighborhood only five minutes drive (15 mins walk) from my campus, and I got a steal for $470 a month. My apartment has a fairly spacious front porch, lots of windows, and essentially three rooms: living room, kitchen/dining, and bedroom. There is a tiny bathroom off the bedroom. All wood floors, gas stove, 2nd floor! Everything I wanted for an apartment. I was really lucky to get this place! My boyfriend was the only person I could get to help me move, though. I moved right at the beginning of summer, so most of our friends were working or not in town. We were so sore the next day! But it was SO worth it. I love living alone!

[emmie]

yeah, I just moved to a different apartment this week. I had to hire movers for my furniture because all my friends were out of town for thanksgiving. and then I had move all of my boxes and misc stuff by myself. it was from a second story apartment to another second story, with my bedroom on the third floor. I can't tell you how sore my legs are from going up and down. I actually moved from a one bedroom to a large townhouse, but it's the first time I've ever had a roommate. (did I mention I'm an only child?) hopefully I will be able to learn to share!

because I moved right after finals and thanksgiving, I never really had a chance to emotionally remove myself from my old apartment. it didn't hit me until I got my last carload and left for good. it was pretty sad. and then of course I came right to my parent's house so that I didn't even have time to unpack! oh well.

[SanDeE*]

Good luck with the roommate thing, emmie. When I was a sophomore in college (2 years ago), I moved in with my then-boyfriend. Of course, a huge mistake. Well, actually, it wasn't that bad until we broke up. There was a week or so we were living together after we broke up, but before his new apartment was ready. That was halfway through the school year, so I had that apartment all to myself 2nd semester that year and it was wonderful.

Right after school ended that year I moved into a 2-bedroom apartment with 2 other girls. The day I moved out, I sat in my old apartment and cried to my mother (there to help with the move) "I can't do it! I don't want to move in with them! I don't want to leave!" But there was nothing I could really do. So I moved in with them, and the next school year was horrible. I felt decieved, used, and disrespected by my roommates. We had really different personalities, temperaments, and habits... so it was really bad. I think the whole 2nd semester last year I only slept at my apt a total of 3 times, the rest of the time I stayed at my boyfriend's place. Maybe when I cried to my mom I knew that something wasn't right about the situation with the 2 girls. It was a gut feeling, I guess.

I'm not saying that you won't get along with your roommate, emmie. I think the problem with my situation was that I had 2. I felt ganged up on sometimes, because they were so similar and best friends, while I was the odd woman out. That's okay with me, I couldn't live with my best friends anyway. But it was uncomfortable. Maybe if I had had only one roommate it wouldn't have been so bad. At least I had my own room. Do you have your own bedroom? I think that is key to getting along with roommates. Good luck!

[lance]

Glad to hear your sister is doing well in New York. I've always wanted to visit there, but I don't know if I could live there for good. Maybe for a year, I don't know.

I never told you guys how my move was to my new apartment! I moved at the end of May from a horrible roommate situation into a lovely little one-bedroom all to myself. It is in a really nice, upscale neighborhood only five minutes drive (15 mins walk) from my campus, and I got a steal for $470 a month. My apartment has a fairly spacious front porch, lots of windows, and essentially three rooms: living room, kitchen/dining, and bedroom. There is a tiny bathroom off the bedroom. All wood floors, gas stove, 2nd floor! Everything I wanted for an apartment. I was really lucky to get this place! My boyfriend was the only person I could get to help me move, though. I moved right at the beginning of summer, so most of our friends were working or not in town. We were so sore the next day! But it was SO worth it. I love living alone!

$470 a month? Very cool, I am glad that things worked out for you.

-LanceMan

[emmie]

yeah, I have my own room and bathroom. plus, all of the living room furniture is mine. so at least it will be more comfortable for me. and I didn't take the situation lightly. I used to work with the girl, and we met about half a dozen times to talk and make sure our lifestyles were compatible. but I guess you never really know until you are into it. I do think it's best that we aren't great friends to begin with. I've heard too many stories about friendships ending once they move in together.

congrats on your new place, Kristin!

[lance]

Well it appears that my mom may be leaving Ohio for location TBA later.

She really hasn't made up her mind yet but she feels her career has gone as far as it will go in Ohio. In the meantime her three kids have already come forward and pledged their support, money and time, to help her get there. In trying to figure this out my brother and I began to divided the US geographically.

If mom moves to California, Oregon or Washington I will be the point person in helping her with her move. If she moves to the Southwest (Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico) my brother will be the go to dude. We don't think she will go upper plains, rocky mountain west (Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, etc.) Having figured that out we informed our sister that should mom move anywhere east of the Mississippi, she is in charge.



I can't totally convey in words my sister's pure joy in this possible assignment other that to tell you that she said,

"Thanks a lot guys."

To which we both replied with as much sincerity as we could muster, "Your welcome."

-LanceMan

[lance]

Man, a lot can happen in a couple of weeks or days.

Looks like I am on the move again. Come May of this year I am moving to San Jose, California.

I am looking forward to the move. I still get to keep the awesome Pacific Time Zone (so very sweet for watching living sporting events). I have friends in the area. And very significantly, for the first time in my life I will live in a "blue state". Not gonna dump on red states. Vegas has a lovely 12.66% tax rate I have learned to enjoy (no state income tax), but I am looking forward to the differences.

Details are still a bit sketchy at this point but a buddy of mine from Cincy will be sharing an apartment with me. I will miss several things from Vegas, but not the 115+ degree days.

-LanceMan

[Natasha (candygirl)]

On the plus side, you'll be out of Las Vegas before another summer of insane heat (it's the heat, not the humidity!).

[SanDeE*]

Good luck with your move, lance! Enjoy California!

[lance]

On the plus side, you'll be out of Las Vegas before another summer of insane heat (it's the heat, not the humidity!).

Tis the sad truth. I have endured like 10 Augusts in Houston and I have to say July in Vegas is worse. Over 110 my higher brain functions just start to shut down. On the plus side most people who I have talked to say they usually drop a couple of pounds over summer here in Vegas.

-LanceMan