Can you find salvation in a shallot?
Probably not, but it's all I can bear to try these days. I've been cooking since I moved into my new apartment. Tonight I made Green Beans with Mushrooms, aka Sam Aur Khumbi, from a cookbook my friend Becca gave me: Madhur Jaffrey's Quick & Easy Indian Cooking. It feels entirely decadent to come home to my own apartment, turn off my mobile, not look at my email, turn on some

I'm down to two piles and multiple projects.
I could not possibly need a personal day more, emotionally and personal work-wise. And I'm not going to get one, so I just keep plugging along.The unpacking is down to a giant pile next to my desk, much of which won't fit into that area, so another puzzle. And a pile in my bedroom of stuff to be jigsawed into my small closet.I got a ton of things done this weekend, including clearing both tables, organizing my tool box, opening all remaining boxes, putting up some posters, putting up the sash in my bedroom that blocks out light around the verticals, and running the phone cable to the Tivo so that it doesn't run across the floor. Garbage out, laundry done. And then a

Well, it's a good thing there's another weekend between my move and Thanksgiving.
I got a lot of unpacking done this weekend, but took two big breaks. On Saturday I went shopping & ran errands, and on Sunday I met with my writers/creative group. The new apartment is slightly smaller than the old one, so most of the fit-stuff-in puzzles are slightly different. The closets are the same, but under the sinks is just slightly smaller. I still have some major projects left to do. Still, I'm pretty pleased at what I did get done. In particular, the bathroom, kitchen, and armoire are going to make this week much more livable than last. Much thanks to my ex for helping with the fridge door and the shower caddy. Now

The Move
The move upstairs and across the hall kicked my ass. It's been over six years since I moved last, and I remember being a powerhouse. Making it happen.Well, I made it happen - with seriously awesome couldn't-have-done-it-without-them help from some friends on the Saturday and the Sunday - but it felt harder. Granted, I only took 3 hours off from work for the entire move, and life is a mess right now, but still, it felt harder. It took all day both days of the weekend.But, it's done. The moving anyway. The unpacking kicks into high gear this weekend, and here's hoping that I'm just as much of a powerhouse, even if it hurts. I'm over the moon about hosting Thanksgiving at my p

Who needs boxes when you've got seven years of free bags?
I slipped financially towards the end of my unemployment. Add Cobra health insurance and a pending security deposit, and you've got mega financial suck. When my roommate told me she was moving, I felt like I just couldn't do the roommate thing again. Plus, the economy's killing me, but it's also bringing rent prices down in L.A. I felt like now was the time to push and get my own place. Extra hundreds per month be damned.But, I also couldn't imagine doing a full move to a new apartment. With the new job and the giant commute, finding a new place seemed impossible, and then renting a truck, loading a truck, unloading a truck. Driving back and forth. It's a lot, and it's not free.