so there are many, many apartments to be had in oshkosh.

some, like the one above somewhere in time on main street, are very very crappy.

and some, like the ones i went into on jackson and then sawyer, are just okay.

and then some, like the one on merritt, are cool and cheap but are missing things like a big sink and a garbage disposal. which i've done without before, so i can go without in the name of moving somewhere with fantastic natural lighting in the living room and kitchen...

this is a very different apartment hunting trip than those i've been involved in before. typically my sister and i are very quick about it - we're not real picky people when it comes to apartments, and it's never very long (like a day or two) before we find something we really like. this time i'm forcing myself to go about it just a little bit slower. but only a little bit... i expect i'll know where i want to be within a few days whether that's a new place, like maybe the one on minnesota i drove by tonight, where they're redoing the street which would be a pain in the ass to deal with but is also right next to the lawn ornament queen of the state, or staying where i'm at.

because after work tonight i looked through 2 apartments, went to the gym, looked at 2 more apartments, ate a quick dinner at home and did the dishes, took out the garbage, and then took an impromptu drive over to jackson street where i left my car parked on a side street so i could walk from church up to murdock, collecting rental phone numbers as i went... after all of that i came home. and thought about how much i dig my current apartment.

so i'm deeply immersed in looking around, making lots of calls and taking notes on the few people who are nice enough to call back, visiting places seeing if i can find something for less money, but i'm keeping in mind that i really have to like it, too. no sense going through the work of moving just to save a few bucks if i'm going to seriously dislike where i'm living.

thanks go out to jen, who comes along for uber-valuable second opinions like "yes, this place is ghetto" and witnesses such hilarity as "i have keys to 1942, apt. 8, right? i think i have those keys. 1942, apt. 8. 1942, apt. 8. hmmmm. i think 1942, apt. 8 may be a 2 bedroom, not a 1 bedroom.... but lemme check in the car for those keys. 1942, apt. 8."

thanks also to emily and adam, who stopped to make sure i was okay and wasn't having car troubles when they found me wandering back towards my car during my moonlight 2.5 mile trek on jackson tonight. it was really nice of you, even if i did think you were axe murderers before i recognized who you were.

and now, since me sister michelle is a slacker and isn't calling me back, i'm going to bed.