Stuck Between a Rock and a Hardwood Floor
I know I write these entries pretty much every time I visit Wisconsin, but that's when the feelings get stirred up. And this time there's another opportunity that needs to be acted on very soon if I choose to act on it at all. I figure I'll throw the whole situation out for comments. I know I'm the one that ultimately needs to make the decision, but I welcome more (and better) brains than mine to process the facts as well. I mean if I act too hastily here I run the risk of giving myself the financial shaft and impacting others as well, but if I go my usual route of complete inaction, I run the risk of passing up a wonderful opportunity that may not come around again.
Here's the situation: My best friend Meg recently moved into the first floor of a house. The second floor is still for rent. The upper unit is a four-bedroom with a total rent of $750. I wouldn't be there myself though, the expenses would be spent three ways. Enter our cast of characters: Randie is so gay he makes Eric Reithel look straight. Sure, there are benefits to having a live-in hair stylist/makeup artist/manicurist, but he looks like a male Dose, acts like a male Dose, and I fear may possibly share her mental instability as well. Randie is the unknown in this situation--I've met him two or three times, all at parties. At least I wouldn't be the only one snoring though. Also enter Marick. Marick is among my "I was interested but she wasn't so now I supress my feelings as much as I can" file. (Yes, I know, that's a pretty fat file.) I know I can live with Marick because there was a 2-month period when I first met her that I pretty much did. Marick is a cube slave during the week, a schedule I'm used to adapting around anyway from living with my parents.. Along with Marick comes her young son Evan. I haven't spent time with him since before he could talk, and I'm not exactly sure what the current custody schedule entails, but kids seem to love me and I generally love them, so I don't forsee a problem. Controlling my surpressed feelings for Marick is a slight worry,, but a challenge I'm confident I can handle, given the commonality of that situation with me. The unknown is balanced out with a good friend whose company I enjoy.
Every situation has its pros and cons, and this is no different. Here's a 5:45 am with little to no sleep and active cat allergies brainstorm, but feel free to point out any others I may have overlooked. That's why I'm posting this, after all.
Pros:
Here's the situation: My best friend Meg recently moved into the first floor of a house. The second floor is still for rent. The upper unit is a four-bedroom with a total rent of $750. I wouldn't be there myself though, the expenses would be spent three ways. Enter our cast of characters: Randie is so gay he makes Eric Reithel look straight. Sure, there are benefits to having a live-in hair stylist/makeup artist/manicurist, but he looks like a male Dose, acts like a male Dose, and I fear may possibly share her mental instability as well. Randie is the unknown in this situation--I've met him two or three times, all at parties. At least I wouldn't be the only one snoring though. Also enter Marick. Marick is among my "I was interested but she wasn't so now I supress my feelings as much as I can" file. (Yes, I know, that's a pretty fat file.) I know I can live with Marick because there was a 2-month period when I first met her that I pretty much did. Marick is a cube slave during the week, a schedule I'm used to adapting around anyway from living with my parents.. Along with Marick comes her young son Evan. I haven't spent time with him since before he could talk, and I'm not exactly sure what the current custody schedule entails, but kids seem to love me and I generally love them, so I don't forsee a problem. Controlling my surpressed feelings for Marick is a slight worry,, but a challenge I'm confident I can handle, given the commonality of that situation with me. The unknown is balanced out with a good friend whose company I enjoy.
Every situation has its pros and cons, and this is no different. Here's a 5:45 am with little to no sleep and active cat allergies brainstorm, but feel free to point out any others I may have overlooked. That's why I'm posting this, after all.
Pros:
- Closer to most of my friends
- New location means new friends, new possibilities
- I'd have two major markets close enough to look for side jobs in
- Sharing a two-unit house with friends means no concerns about theft of thngs left in basement or back yard
- Could probably consolidate food budget and take turns cooking for everybody upstairs and down, save money.
- Ditto with Internet connection. Yay for wi-fi.
- Much easier access to Meg and Brenna.
- Close to Chicago, Milwaukee, the hospital, the beach, shopping, and Great America
- New schools to attempt when I'm ready.
- No smells of steel mills and refineries.
- My uncle is pretty damn strange.
- Further from both immediate and extended family, ie Seth, Noah, Logan, my aunts
- I'd go from having the second shortest commute to my main job to having the longest in the dept.
- Gas, tolls, and waking up early comes with that commute. And I like the job too much to leave.
- Further from church. While I could find another here, nobody at my current one is currently capable of or ready to assume my responsibilities there.
- No more CPCT (although I could find another theatre to work with, I value the friendships I've developed directly and indirectly through CPCT).
- No more Tuesdays wiith Jenn and probably limited Fridays with Rich.
- Further from friends and interests in NW Indiana.
- Unlikely I'd be able to continue as back-up man and possible part timer with Dr. Karaoke DJ Service.
- Further from Ghost Central.
- No more random spur of the moment getting wasted and discussing theology with Jacob
- Financial impact: My current arrangements are no rent for the next month or two then $150/mo which includes utilities. My only house expense is the groceries I use. That would be upped to $250/mo plus 1/3 utilities should I accept the new arrangements. Mind you I'd still have my student loans, credit cards, car expenses, etc. When I first started my new job, covering that would have been no problem. Hours have been cut since then and my 70 hour weeks turned into 17. So unless I find some side work, I'm having problems paying my bills as it is, much less an increase on them. My hours will get a little bit better come spring when more events are booked, but probably won't go back to the massive amounts of overtime until the economy improves, which will probably not be til early Fall.