Heading to Chicago

I just made a flight reservation to head to Chicago in March. Clay is happy, because he gets to go home. It will be nice. Our apartment lease is up at the beginning of April, and since we seem to be staying in North Carolina for the time being, it's time to get rid of the apartment. That's right, if you have read past entries, I have a house in Los Angeles, an apartment in Chicago, and a rental house in North Carolina. How am I not eating cat food? Who knows really. It will be nice to head back to a large city, I miss being in a city. It's time to move forward though, and getting rid of the apartment is one of the requirements for that. My tenant in L.A. has been handed down the ultimatum, and we'll see what happens there. He has until the end of the week to come up with all the back rent or he has to move out. If he has to move out, then I'll sell the house and be done with it. Woohoo!! 2008 is starting out in a pretty interesting way. I really think by the end of this year I'll have a long term plan worked out, and it will be in full swing.

My job is changing, I will no longer be an ICU Nurse. I'm moving to the surgery department next week. I'm a little nervouse about this, it's like starting a whole new job. I'm excited though, to learn new things. It gets me a Monday through Friday schedule, except the weekends that I'll be on cal. That won't happen for a few months, I have to be trained first. This year is full of all kinds of changes that I'm enjoying.

My new car is working out pretty well. I like having a car that starts on the first try. Plus the heated seats are quite a bonus. Defrost is nice too. It's very weird for me to have a new car, it's one of things I never thought would happen to me. I know that may be silly, it's pretty easy to get financing for a car. But still, just something I never thought about doing.

So I hope all is well for whatever random person is reading this. I know I don't have the most exciting life. I enjoy it, and I'm happy. So that's what counts.

Ultimatum

Well I told my friend/tenant that he has until the end of the month to get me all the back rent or he has to find somewhere else to live. It's something I didin't really want to say, because I know he likes living there. Plus I don't really have the time to go back to L.A. and deal with the details of getting the house ready to sell. Blah! I had to do it though, for my own sanity. To be honest, I just want to sell it and move on with my life. I want that chapter of my life closed. There are a lot of memories associated with that house. Some good, some bad. They are best left as memories, I don't want to go back. Los Angeles as a city is pretty cool, there is lots of fun things to do there. I don't think I ever want to live there again. I want to continue to move forward. 

Bru ha ha

I tell you, I'm an emotional wreck today. I feel like crying and for no real reason. Maybe it's PMS. Maybe living in Raleigh is just getting to me. Maybe the fact that this whole buying a car thing has turned in to such a process. Maybe because my friend and tenant never seems to pay all his rent, or on time. Maybe the whole paperwork thing trying to get the house completely in my own name. It's just a lot for one person to deal with at the same time. My ex has a bad habit of not paying his bills, and I worry if I don't get his name off the title of the house I'll end paying for it. I don't really know anything right now. I just want a nice dark hole to crawl in to for a day or so. Okay that's just being dramatic. Going out of town this weekend sounds like a better option, a change of pace and scenery. That's what I need. That and maybe a plane ticket to California to go work out some details. Meh! (Stomps off and hides)

Frustrated

I have been trying to get certified copies of my divorce agreement, so I can the title of the house changed over to me and update my loan info. I want to get my ex's name off the loan, and I don't want to have to find him to sign papers if I want to sell the house. It has been a frustrating process. Basically I need to be in California so I can go to the courthouse and pick up copies. I can't order them over the phone, but I can mail in a request. Although through the mail you have to guesstimate the costs of the copies and it takes 4-6 weeks to hear anything from them. This is almost not worth the hassle. Once I get the copies I have to send it the county recorder office so the title can be changed over, and wait another 4-6 weeks. Then once I actually get the title I have to deal with the bank, and probably another month of paperwork. I might put the house on the market before that, so you can see why I'm not sure it's worth the trouble. Sometimes I wish I could the time to go to L.A. for a couple of weeks and just get it all taken care of. Meh!!!

12 Days

It's 12 days in to the new year, and so far things are starting out okay. The new car is lovely and I'm enjoying it quite a bit. I am getting all the little details of life sorted out, one at a time. Clay and I are going to Charlotte next weekend to give it a look-see. We'll see how that goes, I've never really spent any time there. Housing is really affordable, and it's supposed to be more of a "city" than Raleigh. So it's worth checking out I think.

My tenant in my house in L.A. Did pay some money, and another payment is due this weekend. Hopefully it will happen. He's been told if he doesn't keep up with the bills I'll have no choice but to kick him and sell the house. So let's hope it works out, I don't feel like dealing with that right now, soon but not now.

Life is looking up. I'm going to make sure it stays that way

A New Car

On Saturday I got a new car. Well new to me, but practically brand new all around. It's a 2007 Saturn Aura and it only had 3500 miles on it. It still has that new car smell. This is the first new car I have ever owned. The youngest car I ever had was 10 years old and my current car is 36. That one is my 1972 Datsun 240Z, which I did not sell. I want to restore it but I had to get it off the road as my daily driver first. So now I have something shiny and new with all the bells and whistles. I think Clay is amused by my joy at the simple things the Aura has, like power steering and heat! It's even got XM radio. Pretty neat. So I feel even more adult like with a car payment and a mortgage payment. Ahhh the joys of getting older.

Getting it Together

So it's a New Year, and time to get my life on track. I need to get all my loose ends tied up. This time of year I begin to stress, a lot. Taxes, they always drive me nuts. This year since I'm finally divorced, I am filing single again. I always have weird stuff with my taxes and luckily I can still use my same tax preparer that I've used for the past few years. I'll be a big ball of stress until mid March, yippee. (Can you feel the sarcasm?)

New Year's was great. Clay and I went downtown and got a few drinks, but we came home before midnight so we wouldn't be on the road with the drunken masses. After we got home, we had a great time ringing in the new year. Just the two of us. It's the way we both wanted to start the year, together.

So far this year I've tried to get things together. I am trying to get my house stuff in order.I need to get the title changed over to my name alone, so I can refinance or get my ex's name off the loan. My tenant is paying something now, but he's still behind. If he can't get caught up, then out he goes and the house goes on the market. I'm giving him a chance since he's a friend. I'm probably being too nice, but that's just the person I am. I care about my friends and will always give them the benefit of the doubt. So he gets one last chance to get it all caught up.

I really want this year to start out right. I want life to be in order. Maybe find a house to buy that I actually live in. Maybe get to a point where I feel safe enough to start a family. Wish me luck.