New apartment pics

The new apartment in Butte! I will be taking care of all the official paperwork this week. Here are the pics I took while apartment hunting with Gary and his grandson (the model in several photos).
Living room, complete with small balcony

Front bedroom (I thought I had more of the room, but at least you can see the closet)

Other bedroom (that adjoins the kitchen)

Built in drawers/shelves in other bedroom (which will most likely become the office/dining room/guestroom)

Kitchen (it's a galley, with new appliances on one side and shelving (lots!) on the other

More kitchen - small, but wainscotting, glass front cabinets, shelves!!

Yes, the kitchen (can you tell I liked the cupboards?)

bathroom (with old claw tub!)

skylight in bathroom above tub

view from right outside the apartment looking down at the lobby (yes, second floor, steep stairs, apparently I like to try to kill myself and others)

view from balcony looking south (ish)

view from balcony looking north (ish)

It's not huge, but it's just the right size for me and Callie. It's only about 5-6 blocks from the library. And, it has all those quirky architectural details that I so love....

Let the Voting Begin!

Okay, the rules of the game. Read the following descriptions of apartments. Choose the one you think I should live in. Vote by going here, typing in your name, and checking a box (You don't have to register or anything): http://www.doodle.ch/wcgez4bp5f4ivu93. Voting ends Monday morning at 8am eastern time.

All these apartments are on the east side of town in quieter neighborhoods. All of them will require me to use the bus more than I am currently.

Your choices are as follows:

Knightridge
http://www.cfcapartments.com/apt_apartment_full.php?community_cd=6&company_cd=1
$550 for 2 bedroom (1 bedroom $475 but only 1 is left and it may be rented)

Advantages:
1. On a bus route that goes to the campus (every 20 minutes)
2. laundry facilities
3. pets allowed - $200 deposit
4. water furnished (no kidding, they actually put this in their brochure)
5. swimming pool & clubhouse
6. decent number of closets

Disadvantages:
1. electric heat
2. the "model" apartment had peeling linoleum from leakage, stained countertops, cracked handles on appliances
3. Dogs are allowed in any of the apartments (and there was one yapping away in an apartment next to the one I looked at)
4. entrances are inside, not outside
5. to take the bus to shopping, etc, I would have to go to the campus, and the catch a bus to the shopping area, then take it back to campus to get the bus to the apartment
6. Required to professionally clean carpets
7. Can sublease only (not sign over lease)
8. Is on a quieter highway (but still a highway with traffic)

Fountain Park
http://www.apartmentsbloomington.com/apartments/building_details.asp?property_cd=fountainpark
1 Bedroom $559, 2 bedroom $610

Advantages
1. sublease or assign the lease
2. On several bus routes, including one that goes to campus (every 20 minutes), and one that goes to the mall and shopping areas
3. ample counter and cupboard space
4. a bit closer to campus than the other two
5. Cats allowed ($175 deposit)
6. graduate student discount
7. swimming pool
8. laundry facilities
9. clubhouse
10. on-site management

Disadvantages
1. Electric forced air central heating and a/c.
2. Very big complex (they have apartments on both sides of 10th street).
3. Located on a very well traveled street with lots of traffic (although some apartments are very far off the street)
5. it can take 10 minutes to walk to the bus stop (if you're located far away from the street, which is where the bus goes).

Meadow Park
http://www.apartmentsbloomington.com/apartments/building_details.asp?property_cd=meadowpark
1 bedroom $539, 2 bedroom $569

Advantages
1. sublease or assign the lease
2. a built-in bookcase in the living room.
3. you can paint your apartment
4. On several bus routes, including one to campus (every 20 minutes), and one to the mall and shopping (so, you can go from your apartment to shopping without transfering buses all over).
5. counter space, lots of cupboards and closets
6. not required to clean your carpet professionally
7. cats allowed ($175 deposit)
8. Graduate student discount
9. swimming pool
10. laundry facilities
11. clubhouse
12 fitness center
13. on-site management
14. picnic areas
15. bus stop has a covered seating area

Disadvantages
1. Electric forced air central heating and a/c
2. Large complex of 300 apartments (but not as large as Fountain Park), but in a residential area of town

Apartment Voting This Weekend

Okay, I have an appointment set up with contestant three. I have ruled out other options that didn't make it to the contestant stage (too expensive, loud neighborhoods, no pets, etc, etc), so number 3 will be the third and final contestant. I will post details on Friday (late afternoon or evening). Actually, I'll recap all the choices then, so you have the info handy.

You will be able to vote by going here: http://www.doodle.ch/wcgez4bp5f4ivu93. All you have to do is type in your name and check a box. You don't have to register for anything. You don't have to use your email. It's very, very simple.

I'll look at the poll on Monday morning at 8:00am Eastern time, and then I'll be calling someone to sign a lease before I leave for spring break. This is how simple it is. Hopefully, this method will change my apartment karma.

I've finished 2 of the 3 bigger projects (each for different classes). I'll be done with the last one on Thursday morning. Woo hoo. I'll still h work left for the semester, but it actually gets decidedly easier from that point out. It's kind of nice, because I usually end up with everything due at the end and a mad scramble to finish up

Still Alive

My nonposting indicates the number of projects that have been and will be due. I finished my 30 minute teaching project, and now have evaluation and management left. Both of those are due the same week, one on the 25th and the other on the 28th. This is why you will find me celebrating on the 29th, and fairly quiet here until those things are finished.

I'm going to be going to Omaha/Council Bluffs March 6-13th for spring break. Woo hoo. I know how to live it up for spring break. Beaches, palm trees.... oh, wait, that's Mexico, not Omaha! Oh man, and I bought an unrefundable ticket!

I really wanted to go back to Missoula, but the $600+ airfare kind of killed that idea. Flying to Spokane was cheaper, but still would have cost $350-400, as opposed to Omaha's less than $200. Money does influence our decisions, maybe more than we'd care to admit.

Other than being buried in a ton of work, life is good. I hope to have several more contestants soon for the apartment contest, and some clarification on the first few. I really, really hate the rental market here. One of the options might be living in a van, down by the river. Oh wait, there's not really a river here. Hmmm, in a van by a tree?

The Game Continued: Contestant Number 2

The second contestant is an apartment at Fountain Park. I was able to visit a friend who has an apartment there, and got the inside scoop. This is the link:
http://www.apartmentsbloomington.com/apartments/building_details.asp?property_cd=fountainpark

For these apartments, the pluses are:

1. If you find someone who will sublease, you can assign the lease to them and have your name taken off the lease (important for the hopeful December graduate).
2. It's way out on the east side of town so it's quieter.
3. There's a bus stop, and the bus runs every 20 minutes during the week (less often on the weekend).
4. Not only is there counter space, but even more cupboards and closets than the other place.

The minuses are:

1. Electric forced air central heating and a/c.
2. Even bigger complex (they have apartments on both sides of 10th street).
3. no shorter leases (they are usually leased, though, so apparently people want to live there and it could be easy to sublease).
4. I would have to take the bus to get everywhere.
5. Depending on where you are located in the complex, it can take 10 minutes to walk to the bus stop.

So far, I think I like Meadow Park better. I will post more contestants and info as I get it.

A New Game: Contestant Number 1

Since I have been so good at picking apartments (yes, that's sarcasm for those of you keeping score), let's play a new game. It's called help Trish pick a new apartment for next fall. I will be listing the contestants here. Once the list is complete, I will announce the voting, at which time you can cast your vote for an apartment.

The first contestant is an apartment at Meadow Park. This is the link: http://www.apartmentsbloomington.com/apartments/building_details.asp?property_cd=meadowpark.

For these apartments, the pluses are:

1. If you find someone who will sublease, you can assign the lease to them and have your name taken off the lease (important for the hopeful December graduate).
2. There's a built-in bookcase in the living room.
3. Since they paint after every moveout, you can paint your apartment and not get charged for it!
4. Some of the second floor apartments have small balconies in the back.
5. It's way out on the east side of town so it's quieter.
6. There's a bus stop out front and the bus runs every 20 minutes during the week (less often on the weekend).
7. Not only is there counter space, but lots of cupboards and closets.
8. They don't make you hire someone to clean your carpet.

The minuses are:

1. Electric forced air central heating and a/c (expensive, but probably cheaper than the wall-mounted electic heaters I have now)
2. Big complex (300 or so apartments).
3. no shorter leases (but people wanting to sublet in December were able to by January this year)
4. I would have to take the bus to get everywhere.

I got to look at the model apartment after work today. Bonnie came with me to be the voice of reason. They look nice, and it seems like a relatively quiet place. I will be posting the other candidates as I view them. I'll let you know when you can cast your votes.

On the health side of things, I'm getting better. I've had real food today. Yippee. I'm working tomorrow for awhile at the new job, to make up/catch up. Other than that, it's lots of reading and sleeping for me.

Let the Games Begin

So, week number 2 begins tomorrow. While I began my new job this past week, things were slow. I'm still trying to figure out what I'm doing there. With things picking up for this next week, I'm hoping I get a better feel for how the office functions. The council meets Tuesday for a state of the campus address by the Provost. That sounds interesting, but I learned Friday that this involves a reception afterward, something that strikes terror into the heart of socially inept library science students. Ah well, this is where I start paying back that fee remission part. Wish me luck, because I will need it.

I have begun checking on apartments for fall. This is the initial contact phase, which will result in the official visit phase, which in turn results in the signed lease. I am hoping to find a six month lease. I don't think that will happen, so the next best option is a place which allows a subleasee who can assume the lease. That (also) is highly improbable. We shall see. I have never lived in a place with such unusual housing issues. When I mention any of them, I'm met by, "It's a college town." Hate to say, but I've lived in several other college towns, and this is less a college town thing and more of a all-bets-are-off-there-are-no-regulations thing.

I remain ever hopeful, though. After my previous experiences, my standards have been lowered. If I can find something that doesn't leak, has pipes that don't freeze, can be heated and cooled adequately, has even three feet of kitchen counter space, and allows a cat, I could be happy. I look back at my places in Missoula longingly, even those which I then considered to be unworkable for some reason. I would be happy to be living in any of them again. With a cat, it's even more fun looking for places. Here, we have not only the pet deposit, but the portion which is nonrefundable (you pay for having a pet, not for any damage that might be caused by the pet), in addition to a monthly pet rent.

How could anyone not want such a cute cat as a tenant? (the mat behind her is the first scratching device she's ever willingly used.)