Schadenfreude

I was in Boston this past weekend with a good girlfriend of mine and we had a great time visiting, sight-seeing, eating cupcakes and reminiscing (we both met at school here). In one of our many heartfelt talks she revealed that she's really starting to feel pressure from friends and family for her and her husband to have a child. They've been married for just under 4 years and are both in their early 30s. They have some personal things they want to work on before bringing a child into the family which I think is the responsible and mature thing to do. She said she knows that, but that seeing all of their other married friends have kids is hard, and makes her feel like she's "behind." I told her the next time she feels like she's "behind" to think of my life, for as of June 30th I will not have:

- A home
- A permanent job
- A husband

She laughed and said, "well, that's true, I guess someone, somewhere is always worse off than you." Now, under normal circumstances these things (especially nos. 1 & 2) might worry me, however due to the fact that I have some kickin' guardian angels I am okay. Yes, I am technically homeless as of June 30th but thanks to the generosity of friends/family I will be safely ensconced in their homes until I am able to get my own place. And, fingers crossed number 2 will be resolved very shortly, but in the meantime I have a great Plan B in place.

In the meantime, the next time I feel "behind" (like yesterday when I logged onto FB to discover yet another one of my friends had had a baby) I will try to remember the advice I gave my friend...or I may just eat a cupcake.

Dear Facebook,

Please do not suggest that I "friend" douchebags. There is a reason I am not "friends" with them online or otherwise. Perhaps when you do your next update you can add this as a filter. The "I don't want to be friends with douchebags" filter.

Thank you.

Where have you gone?

For all 4 of you who regularly read my blog you may have noticed my absence over the past few weeks. Then again, because I talk/email to all 4 of you regularly you probably know why I've been absent. However, for those who don't, my absence has been necessitated by my participation in an ages-old Manhattan ritual...hunting for an apartment.

I have been one of those lucky, rare New Yorkers who has avoided this dreaded task for the past 8 years through a combination of rent stabilization, luck and a steady income. However, my landlord has decided that despite the fact that we're in the worst recession in a generation, and despite the fact that my roommate and I have been ideal tenants for 8 years that he is going to raise our rent. (Pause for effect.) And, because it's the worst recession in a generation my roommate and I have both had our incomes negatively affected. Now, I wasn't a math major, but I'm pretty sure the equation for this problem looks a little something like this:

<(income) + >(rent) = (- negative value!)

So, it is with a heavy heart that I have to leave my home of the past 8 years. The home where I heard the first low-flying plane on September 11, 2001. The home where I experienced the blackout of 2003 with an infestation of mice that were squatting in my stove. The home where I have experienced some of the happiest days of my life and some of the darkest moments I have known.

Everyone keeps saying that "in the end it will all work out and I'll be in a better situation," and I guess I know that, but it still doesn't make it any easier. I mean, I know that I was never going to stay in this apartment forever, but I just thought that when I finally left it would be on my own terms, not because of outside (read: heartless landlord) forces.

I know this kind of change is inevitable, but that doesn't make it an easier pill to swallow. I guess it's all just part of growing up.

Dear X,

Days go by now where I don't think about you. Those are good days. The days I do think about you, I wish you'd never been born.