I’ve been moving to a new apartment over the last 10 days or so and today is the day that I finally turn in the keys of the studio apartment where I have lived for the last 11 years…yup 11 years. That’s longer than I’ve lived anywhere other than the boyhood home I grew up in. I didn’t plan on doing it over such a long period of time, but I’m glad I did. I think the new apartment had been vacant for a minute so they were eager to get me on the payroll.

It worked out well because I didn’t have to take the weekend off of work like I had planned. I just did a little moving everyday over the 10 day period when I had the energy. Let me tell you, these overnight shifts are a beast. I do not, I repeat DO NOT recommend working graveyard shifts. It’s like going down a one-way street against oncoming traffic. That said; I have definitely made the situation work for me. I devised a plan some time ago and I have to say it’s working really well. At the same time I have to look at other phases of the plan, because I have no plans of doing this indefinitely…physically I can’t.

As I was making the final trips back and forth to my car I became more and more eager to finish, turn in the keys and be on my way. On the way out the door the very last time it hit me that this chapter in my life was over. Forgive me for making this move into such a dramatic thing, but I guess it’s all relative because it has been a major thing to me. I’ve been nervous and extremely anxious for months- headaches and all. I remember when I moved here from New York; I had a headache for 6 weeks.

Anyway, as I was about to lock the door for the last time I stopped dead in my tracks. I put the items down that I had in my hands and re-entered the apartment. It looked exactly as it had on June 28th, 1998, my birthday. That was my last day of my LA trip for my agent meetings. I prayed that I would be approved. I remember being so excited about living alone, having a little natural light that I never had in New York and moving to the next chapter in my journey. Looking at the empty place made it very clear as to why I wanted to live there. I guess I was “stopping to smell the roses”. It almost brought tears to my eyes..almost.

Next stop; the rental office. The property manager was very nice and wished me well. I got in my car, screamed with joy that it was over and gave the middle finger to the “No Parking from 6am to 11pm” signs for the next day. FU!! No parking signs!...I’m serious…I did 11 years.

The old parking spot...at least for March 16 '04. There's my old white Honda with "for sale" signs on it in the background.



The new parking spot...cold chillin'....Underground parking was one of the "must haves' along with central air, carpet and of course a bedroom with a door.


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