Catchy phrases reiterated from my mother will forever reside in the back of my head. Lately the phrase, "Beggars can't be choosers" has been taking a couple of laps around my brain. But my question is: How do we know when we're being too picky?
In this housing ordeal, I find ads that sound appealing and either 1) I don't get a response or 2) I'm left with the feeling that the ad sounds "just right, but..." In the last three weeks I have contacted in some form 10-15 ads. I recognize that this is minimal, but I am ideally looking to live in a select area of the city (which is pickiness #1). I could list any number of additional "pickiness" thoughts that live in my brain: decent sized room, yard, close to public transport, quiet enough to study and sleep, 1-2 other individuals living in the home, individuals that are at least similar or open enough to be okay with my lifestyle, and affordable. But at what point do I truly become the beggar and have to agree to settle?
Housing has forever been a difficult situation for me. I butted heads with both my college dorm roommates based on personality. My final year of college I lived with a great group of girls, but since that time I have primarily chosen to live alone or to return to live with my parents. I have always been sensitive to noise and I appreciate having my own organized space. And the more socially and environmentally aware I become, the more outside my own generation I feel (especially since I have these values but do not engage in smoking anything extra).
I guess now my biggest debate is which item to do I compromise on? Do I give up my preferred mode of public transportation and have to drive slightly farther for I-5 access? Do I begin to contact individuals who have some larger traits that don't adhere to my values? Do I bite the bullet and hope I can afford an extra $50 a month in rent and live in a bit noiser of a neighborhood? Or do I try my best to remain patient for the next couple of weeks, truly believing that the right opportunity will open up?
However, when I truly think about it: beggars are always choosers too. I think about this when it comes to the homeless individuals. And I think about this when it comes to my interactions with friends and family. It still floors me that people "close" to me, still invite me to events that they know contradict my values or continue to ask me to join them at things that they know I don't care to spend money on. So even at this stage of my life, I'm still making choices to turn down things that don't adhere to my values (even though I look like the grinch who stole 'fun' in the process). I wish more people my age would recognize it doesn't take a big event to "build community" and that the best times are spent in the simplest and most low-key of ways.
Until then, please continue to send positive thoughts or prayer this way for a great (and not super compromising) housing situation. Hope you all are having a fabulous week!
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
Weekend Wedding
There's nothing like going to a wedding you truly believe in. This last weekend I traveled to isolated Oregon for a campground wedding for my good buddy from high school. The groom had arranged for my transport down there with one of his friends, and the five hour trip flew by as we talked about the things you're never supposed to talk about the first time you meet someone (war, politics, religion, life philosophy). From a frugal and green stand point the wedding was awesome. They spent limited funds on renting the location, the wedding was small and intimate. The cake was delicious and made by a coworker of the bride. The photographer was a friend of the groom. The food was catered but no leftovers remained. Half the beer was home brewed. Decorations were minimal. Dress was casual. And as much as possible was recycled.
The females spent the first night in the couple's home with the bride, while the males all bonded at the uncle of the groom's place. The second night was spent with a small group of us camping at the wedding site. It was great to reconnect with a fun group from high school and to get away from the stress of the city. (Although the bugs were intense and walking through thousands of them to get into the bathroom was not the most fun experience.)
I also was quite impressed to hang out with several other people my age that are as concerned about debt as I am. The couple getting married almost have their house paid off and have already bought outright two pieces of property. One near the campground and a vacant lot adjacent to their home. They make a decent sized income, but they are also very aware of how they spend their money. Both are very crafty as well. The couple I drove with also are aware of money and the power of it. Both have good paying jobs now and have begun questioning what is truly necessary versus what is desired.
Overall it was a great experience. Time away from the city. Time in nature. Time with great (old and new) friends. Time seeing things that one truly can believe in. I hope that you all had a great weekend as well!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
You Can Take the Girl Out of the Small Town
But you can't keep her from missing the small town! In the last year, I have been back to my home town very infrequently. There are many reasons for avoiding it-most of which have to do with the length of the trip. However the last two times I've been there, I've realized that another reason I don't go as frequently as I'd like is due to the fact that I miss it too much upon my return. The irony of this is that I find myself quite satisfied with the city for the most part, except for when I get a taste of small town life.
However today I had a small bout of hometown desire. While recycling is harder to do in a small town, I find it much easier to engage in re-use. Part of this is due to the fact that everyone knows everyone and that resources are readily accessible. If I want to sell books, I go straight to the local book store where she knows me by name and where I get 50% of the retail value of the book. Granted I have to use it for store credit, but it sure beats the measly 25% the city's used book stores will give me.
If I want to donate items in the small town, I know of several organizations within easy driving distance that will accept household goods and clothing to give directly to individuals who need them. After researching today, I could only find one place that would accept the items I wanted to donate and it's located far out on the other side of the city. (However this is something I will do, as I've realized that while it's nice to donate to Goodwill to have items reused, at times I'd rather donate goods that will get directly where they are needed.)
When I wanted to donate a piece of glass today from a broken frame, I was able to walk it to a nearby frame shop, but even then the woman wasn't sure she would put it to re-use. In my small town existence, the art supply/frame shop would have been delighted by the free glass.
So while the city is great because it has more resources and is generally of a more liberal slant, I'm finding it's actually harder to get items to places in order to have them be re-used. Too bad the city couldn't be more of a series of sustainable small town pockets.
However today I had a small bout of hometown desire. While recycling is harder to do in a small town, I find it much easier to engage in re-use. Part of this is due to the fact that everyone knows everyone and that resources are readily accessible. If I want to sell books, I go straight to the local book store where she knows me by name and where I get 50% of the retail value of the book. Granted I have to use it for store credit, but it sure beats the measly 25% the city's used book stores will give me.
If I want to donate items in the small town, I know of several organizations within easy driving distance that will accept household goods and clothing to give directly to individuals who need them. After researching today, I could only find one place that would accept the items I wanted to donate and it's located far out on the other side of the city. (However this is something I will do, as I've realized that while it's nice to donate to Goodwill to have items reused, at times I'd rather donate goods that will get directly where they are needed.)
When I wanted to donate a piece of glass today from a broken frame, I was able to walk it to a nearby frame shop, but even then the woman wasn't sure she would put it to re-use. In my small town existence, the art supply/frame shop would have been delighted by the free glass.
So while the city is great because it has more resources and is generally of a more liberal slant, I'm finding it's actually harder to get items to places in order to have them be re-used. Too bad the city couldn't be more of a series of sustainable small town pockets.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Housing
Yesterday I was sort of mopey. I am not a huge fan of unknowns and patience is a lesson I am constantly having to relearn. On Saturday, I met with the three housing contacts I had made via craigslist.
Place #1 and Place #3 were the best options, with Place #3 being the one I was most interested in. Place #3 is owned by a woman slightly older than myself. She is like-minded and civic-ly involved. There is a garden, worm compost, and a clothesline in the backyard. The room is in the back of the house and there is a room in the basement that could benefit from extra furniture (and has storage). Rent is a wonderful, flat rate, and the house is near a park. The location is also two blocks from public transportation, and two blocks from I-5 access. The commute to my practicum would be about 8 minutes.
Place #1 let me know the next day that they had selected the other person they interviewed. However I haven't heard from Place #3 yet. I sent her an email checking in on Monday, and am hopeful to get some sort of response in the next day or two. To be on the safe side, I have started looking for other options again.
Yet, even with all of my housing angst yesterday, I still felt slightly guilty. For my afternoon class yesterday we participated in a homeless immersion. The downtown area of Portland has a high homeless population which has spurred controversy in recent months. As part of the immersion, we were led by a formerly homeless gentleman on a tour of the agencies that provide services in downtown to the homeless population. While there are a lot of people doing good things, it was still amazing to learn about the gaps. For all of the homeless in the city, there are only TWO locations that offer showers for those not currently in shelters. There is only ONE restroom available 24/7. There are long lines for individuals to get into shelters (many of which operate on a random draw system), and only one shelter that will allow homeless individuals to bring in their pets. Why do homeless individuals need pets? Well, pets offer protection and companionship. Often they are the only living things that will interact and offer love to a homeless individual on a consistent basis.
Besides the walking tour, we were encouraged to just walk around the area and talk to people on the streets. Anyone that reads this blog, knows that it's not hard for me to stop and talk to a homeless individual, so my group met a couple of different people. We had questionnaires, but I felt it created an increased power dynamic, and so we just chatted with people instead. We met a couple with two gorgeous and friendly dogs. They had just received domestic partnership status after being together for five years. The one gentleman had been through the youth system and thus had documentation to receive food stamps. Both admitted to having mental health issues of some sort. They survive by camping in different locations (however we learned yesterday that camping, sitting, and laying in the city is illegal for homeless individuals).
The tour wrapped up with two individuals who came to speak to us briefly about how they had ended up on the streets, although both are currently living in apartments. One man is a recovering drug addict. He's been clean for a year and begins a new job today. Passing him on the street today, you never would have known that he spent the majority of the last 20 years being homeless. The other gentleman was a veteran who had spent about 10 years being homeless (8 of them in a camping community under a local bridge) after he lost his wife to breast cancer. The recurring theme yesterday was that homelessness can happen for a variety of reasons (anyone seen The Pursuit of Happyness?). There are a lot of individuals with A&D or mental health issues, but that does not stand for everyone. And there are a lot of street kids in the city as well.
So here I was moping about my housing woes, when really I have no woes in comparison to so many others. I might currently be financially hard pressed but I have so much. And really, all I want to do now...is donate my shower.
Place #1 and Place #3 were the best options, with Place #3 being the one I was most interested in. Place #3 is owned by a woman slightly older than myself. She is like-minded and civic-ly involved. There is a garden, worm compost, and a clothesline in the backyard. The room is in the back of the house and there is a room in the basement that could benefit from extra furniture (and has storage). Rent is a wonderful, flat rate, and the house is near a park. The location is also two blocks from public transportation, and two blocks from I-5 access. The commute to my practicum would be about 8 minutes.
Place #1 let me know the next day that they had selected the other person they interviewed. However I haven't heard from Place #3 yet. I sent her an email checking in on Monday, and am hopeful to get some sort of response in the next day or two. To be on the safe side, I have started looking for other options again.
Yet, even with all of my housing angst yesterday, I still felt slightly guilty. For my afternoon class yesterday we participated in a homeless immersion. The downtown area of Portland has a high homeless population which has spurred controversy in recent months. As part of the immersion, we were led by a formerly homeless gentleman on a tour of the agencies that provide services in downtown to the homeless population. While there are a lot of people doing good things, it was still amazing to learn about the gaps. For all of the homeless in the city, there are only TWO locations that offer showers for those not currently in shelters. There is only ONE restroom available 24/7. There are long lines for individuals to get into shelters (many of which operate on a random draw system), and only one shelter that will allow homeless individuals to bring in their pets. Why do homeless individuals need pets? Well, pets offer protection and companionship. Often they are the only living things that will interact and offer love to a homeless individual on a consistent basis.
Besides the walking tour, we were encouraged to just walk around the area and talk to people on the streets. Anyone that reads this blog, knows that it's not hard for me to stop and talk to a homeless individual, so my group met a couple of different people. We had questionnaires, but I felt it created an increased power dynamic, and so we just chatted with people instead. We met a couple with two gorgeous and friendly dogs. They had just received domestic partnership status after being together for five years. The one gentleman had been through the youth system and thus had documentation to receive food stamps. Both admitted to having mental health issues of some sort. They survive by camping in different locations (however we learned yesterday that camping, sitting, and laying in the city is illegal for homeless individuals).
The tour wrapped up with two individuals who came to speak to us briefly about how they had ended up on the streets, although both are currently living in apartments. One man is a recovering drug addict. He's been clean for a year and begins a new job today. Passing him on the street today, you never would have known that he spent the majority of the last 20 years being homeless. The other gentleman was a veteran who had spent about 10 years being homeless (8 of them in a camping community under a local bridge) after he lost his wife to breast cancer. The recurring theme yesterday was that homelessness can happen for a variety of reasons (anyone seen The Pursuit of Happyness?). There are a lot of individuals with A&D or mental health issues, but that does not stand for everyone. And there are a lot of street kids in the city as well.
So here I was moping about my housing woes, when really I have no woes in comparison to so many others. I might currently be financially hard pressed but I have so much. And really, all I want to do now...is donate my shower.
Monday, July 21, 2008
A Perfect Ending to a Day
Today was one of those days that started with a list:
Email practicum supervisor-check
Email housing option-check
Track down vaccination history-check
Respond to job email-check
Finish scholarship application-check
Finish course readings-check
Make weekend plans-check
And before you know it, you need something new. Something to take you away from your computer, away from the interior of your apartment, away from what is making you stir crazy with your thoughts.
SO I went for a walk. Up the big hill to the park. And then on to the city's immense Rose Garden. Where I laid in the grass, had a long talk with God, watched the birds, heard the bees, smelled the flowers, and just....relaxed...and soaked it all in. At some point, all the stress dissipated from my shoulders, my senses heightened, and I just felt at ease in my surroundings. And to top it all off, I jumped on the swings and flew in the breeze before coming home.
I came back to my apartment to discover a voice mail on my phone. My aunt had called wanting to know if they could bring me some produce from their garden. How could I deny that?! Fresh zucchini, lettuce, snow peas, and blueberries-straight from the backyard. And on top of that they took me to my favorite local restaurant for dinner. Good food, good beer, and even better company and conversation.
What a perfect second half to an otherwise regular day. So many blessings come in disguise and so many come in the most perfectly, simple of experiences.
On top of all that my good buddy from high school is getting married this weekend. I had RSVPed yes, but after my budgeting evening told him no. He responded that I had to be there, so he's tracking me down a ride (it's 5 hours away) and providing me with lodging (most likely camping). I feel so thankful for the steadiness of good friends and family, and for little moments away....
Email practicum supervisor-check
Email housing option-check
Track down vaccination history-check
Respond to job email-check
Finish scholarship application-check
Finish course readings-check
Make weekend plans-check
And before you know it, you need something new. Something to take you away from your computer, away from the interior of your apartment, away from what is making you stir crazy with your thoughts.
SO I went for a walk. Up the big hill to the park. And then on to the city's immense Rose Garden. Where I laid in the grass, had a long talk with God, watched the birds, heard the bees, smelled the flowers, and just....relaxed...and soaked it all in. At some point, all the stress dissipated from my shoulders, my senses heightened, and I just felt at ease in my surroundings. And to top it all off, I jumped on the swings and flew in the breeze before coming home.
I came back to my apartment to discover a voice mail on my phone. My aunt had called wanting to know if they could bring me some produce from their garden. How could I deny that?! Fresh zucchini, lettuce, snow peas, and blueberries-straight from the backyard. And on top of that they took me to my favorite local restaurant for dinner. Good food, good beer, and even better company and conversation.
What a perfect second half to an otherwise regular day. So many blessings come in disguise and so many come in the most perfectly, simple of experiences.
On top of all that my good buddy from high school is getting married this weekend. I had RSVPed yes, but after my budgeting evening told him no. He responded that I had to be there, so he's tracking me down a ride (it's 5 hours away) and providing me with lodging (most likely camping). I feel so thankful for the steadiness of good friends and family, and for little moments away....
Plastics
So my sister-in-law, always a fearless reader of Simply Authentic blog, sent me two forwards today that I found to be quite interesting. So I am passing them on to you the blog reader.
The first is a link to a little informative quasi power point that promotes tote bag usage and gives facts on the plastic bag problem. You can find it here: http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080506/MULTIMEDIA02/80505016
The second is an interesting blog based on 3 individuals who have put together an excursion to Hawaii via a "sail boat" on plastic bottles. You can find it here: http://junkraft.blogspot.com/
I know, I know, blogland doesn't like being linked over to different sites, but in this case you should. Quick, easy, painless, and informative. Good resources to send on to others.
Hope you are having a wonderful start to the week!
The first is a link to a little informative quasi power point that promotes tote bag usage and gives facts on the plastic bag problem. You can find it here: http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080506/MULTIMEDIA02/80505016
The second is an interesting blog based on 3 individuals who have put together an excursion to Hawaii via a "sail boat" on plastic bottles. You can find it here: http://junkraft.blogspot.com/
I know, I know, blogland doesn't like being linked over to different sites, but in this case you should. Quick, easy, painless, and informative. Good resources to send on to others.
Hope you are having a wonderful start to the week!
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