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Dear Apartment Gods,
Please, oh please let us find a dog-friendly 2 bed/2 bath within walking distance of the L. We’d like parking included. We also wouldn’t mind granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances and wood floors…equal sized bedrooms and new bathrooms…oh yeah, and keep us way under budget and within a 4 block radius of the park.
With Love, Nicole & Katie
I’m moving. For the 4th time in the past year.
And what a nomadic and wonderful year it has been! In fact, the last year- although at times very stressful- has been my favorite year so far. It has been one of those years that pushes you up to the next level.
And what does this have to do with apartment shopping?
Well, before we get to that, first let me say that apartment shopping is a HUGE pain in the ass. While I have loved seeing Katie almost every day for the past two weeks, along with the past two Sunday mornings (not a pretty sight), I’d prefer not to see her under these circumstances.
If you can imagine it, our apartment search consists of us driving the wrong way down one-way streets, relying way too heavily on my iPhone map to navigate our new neighborhood (which quite frankly is embarrassing considering we have lived here for 4 years), getting lost again, almost crashing the car while looking at iPhone map, being scared to get out of the car for showings at places that were listed as a “great deal!”, jumping into my flashy red car in slight embarrassment after working with someone who had quite possibly used illegal substances right before our appointment, (there’s no doubt that guy HATED us)…you get the idea.
We know exactly what we want. But finding it is another story.
We find a place with the space we want, but it is 150 years old and falling apart. We find a gorgeous place that is modern and in the perfect location, but one room is as big as a closet and doesn’t have a window.
I think if I’ve learned one thing over the past year, it’s that you just can’t have it all.
Perhaps this is a simple concept to most, but it wasn’t for me. I really thought you could “have it all.”
What made THIS year so great was letting go of the notion that you can “have it all.”
This year consisted of letting go of things that aren’t working even if you had hoped they would. Making tough decisions in order to get where you want to be. Accepting that you can’t make everyone happy all the time.
In terms of personal friendships and relationships, I’ve learned to pick my battles, let things go, not judge, not speak too quickly, and live the life that makes ME happy, not others.
And that last point is a big one- you need to do what is right for YOU. It’s not as easy as it sounds either. Without even realizing it, we all have pressure from our friends, families, jobs. Perhaps you are your own worst enemy, striving to have it all in a world where perfect just doesn’t exist.
My apartment search has mirrored that of dating and job seeking: it is almost impossible to find the whole package without a flaw. And at some point, you just have to pick one and go from there.
Letting go of perfection is bound to give you a happier and more fulfilling life. Embrace the imperfections. Give up on having it all. Live the life you imagined and have fun doing it!
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Comments
03.18.10
I really like your post. It has a great message that many of us get lost in. That being, we live in a country that does place emphasis on having it all and that it is easy to obtain but it really isn't and it shouldn't be our goal. I think the moment you let go of that notion, you will find all the answers you are looking for and you will be so much happier in the end. happy apartment hunting!
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