An apartment, an apartment/ My kingdom for a g-d apartment!

I think I have one -- the application to the condo board is probably going in tomorrow, so if it gets approved, I should have a place to live in Manhattan. Yes, after much wringing of the hands, rending of the clothes, gnashing of the teeth, and multiple phone calls to multiple life coaches, I went out yesterday at noon, and:

1. got 5 money orders at the post office for a total of $1230.25 and 3 cashier's checks at the bank for $7140;
2. went to the broker's office and read through a mind-numbingly boring lease that I don't think is entirely legal (I don't think you can sign away your right to withhold rent if the apartment becomes uninhabitable, for instance);
3. argued that the stupid management company should not charge me $75 for lead paint disclosure when I had to sign an exemption from getting the disclosure because the place is a studio (I won that one);
4. complained about the incomprehensible documents that I had to sign;
5. and generally made an annoyance of myself, forcing the broker to really earn his 15% commission (that's on a year's rent, folks, which equals $3,510 for approximately 2 hours of walking around and 2 hours of paperwork) before signing everything.

It is horrible to be a renter in the NYC.

I am getting out of here as soon as I can.

On the work front (which is coming at me full steam -- ack), I got the schedule for the first week, which is "U.S. University" for all the first year associates. Argh. There's a social event almost every night that first week, including "Night on the Town" on Thursday. Good god, shoot me now.

On the more substantive front, I heard back about my placement in the real estate group, and it was actually a very nice reply -- it's too late to switch out of my first rotation, but they'd try to accommodate me in the future. Apparently the employment group is so small, they can't reall support a full-time rotator, but they would see about maybe splitting my time between that group and another. Surprisingly nice, when they don't have to be.

And on the debauchery front, I went out for din-din with J2 and J3, and had a rocking good time singing karaoke and drinking ice cold beer with the sistas. (The aunties, now. Eek!) I am so glad I'm going to get to know them better. They are kewl. (Not so kewl: getting vomitous in the wee hours. But it might have been the sushi. Or, okay, perhaps I cannot put away 3 beers in a night anymore. Could I ever? I feel there was a time when I could. But that might have been right after college, when I lived on salad and beer. Or is that also an exaggeration? More likely it is my mind making up things where my memory has failed me. Okay, I need to stop now.)

And finally, on the relaxation front, I did not leave Fearless T's apartment today, nor shower, nor change out of my pajamas. I was a trashy novel-readin' sloth today, and I defy your judgin' eye! Whoo hoo!