3 websites of interest (to me, anyway)

I thought I'd share a few sites I've been visiting regularly (okay, okay, obsessively).
1. www.facebook.com - For most of you, if not all, this is old news. But I thought I'd share it anyway since it's become an addiction of sorts for me. I've also had the chance to reconnect with several people from high school, from undergrad, etc. who I've lost touch with over the years. It's been really good.

2. www.spiralfrog.com - This one is probably new to all of you. I heard about it a couple years ago on CBC, bookmarked the page when they were still developing the service, and have been checking back periodically to see if the service has gone live. It's only been in the last little while that the site has been activated. The principle of the site is to offer free music downloads with the caveat that you have to be willing to watch/listen an advertisement first. I'm cool with that. I'm not tempted one bit by web-advertising so go ahead show me a promo. Now, I haven't actually done any downloading yet (partly because my silly laptop is very uncooperative!), but I've done quite a bit of searching in their music downloads, and they seem to have quite a variety. Go ahead - check it out.

3. www.archivistontheedge.com - I thought I'd share one of the blogs I've been reading for the past year or so. I'll admit, it's a little strange to be following someone else's life, but I found I was quickly drawn into her blog. It actually has very little to do with archives, and more to do with knitting, but just the sheer fact that she does both had me hooked (crocheted?). Not to mention I identify with a lot of her "about me" points...which alone is a little weird.

Getting settled

Well, I survived another move. I'm now almost settled into my new apartment, and loving it! As many of you know the last apartment didn't work out so well. There were some real security issues that I just couldn't live with - the breaking point being when my neighbour tried to get into my apt one evening - stark naked, not even socks. Need I go on? Not to mention the other issues that kept popping up: no access to laundry, an ever-present cloud of smoke, pulsating bass from the music that the stoners upstairs played all hours of the day/night, etc. etc.

So last Friday afternoon, my uncle with the big truck and my mother with her medium-sized truck came and loaded up my stuff. It took 6 truckloads to get me out of the apartment, but we did it in an afternoon, with relatively few casualties, and with a feast at Boston Pizza for dinner. Yum! Saturday Mom and I went into the old apt, cleaned out the rest of the stuff, swept up the cat hair, washed the floors, the counters etc. I left the place clean and sent the woman I was subletting from a detailed email about why I had to move.

Needless to say, this woman wasn't terribly pleased with me....but then, neither was I with her (or rather, with her apt.). We'll see how far she takes it. I really don't think she's got much of a case for small claims court if she decides to go that route. Perhaps my lawyer friends could weigh in on that matter.... From what I understand our informal email agreement is not binding, and with normal tenancy leases in Nova Scotia I'm supposed to receive a copy of the tenancy act within 10 days of signing a lease, otherwise it's considered void (ie. I'm not obligated to give notice etc.). Not sure if that applies to subletting situations, but under the circumstances I think I've got enough evidence to support my claim for lack of security. I think I might suggest that instead of trying to take me to court (if she decides to), she might be better taking her property management to court snce there's obvious neglect and "dangerous & unsightly conditions."

Regardless, I'm not terribly concerned about it now. All's well on my end.

In case you thought I was exaggerating....

I came home from work today to see this sign, an order from the Halifax Regional Municipality to Remedy the Dangerous and Unsightly conditions, under section 346 of the Municipal Government Act.

HOORAY!!!


It's officially been confirmed... I'm living in a dive!

And I'm not even scared about posting a picture of the sign (which contains the street address) because I'm moving soon, and the place can't get any worse than it already is. (I'll post a few examples later, after my move.)

Afterall, it seems to be the people inside my building that concern me the most.

Fringe benefits

There are many reasons why I moved home: to be closer to family, to enjoy a different pace of life, to be closer to the ocean and to trees and out of the concrete jungle, to be challenged in new and different ways in a new job.

And I was expecting certain benefits to being home: enjoying the company of my folks, my grandparents and the rest of my extended family, spending more time at the cottage in the summer, buying a car and having more freedom, travelling more.

And then there are the fringe benefits: produce from my mom's garden, free laundry, baked/canned goods from the fam.

My mother's backyard is full of fiddleheads, and this year I got to take advantage of being in town at just the right time! Steamed fiddleheads with a touch of butter - there's nothing better!

Except perhaps rhubarb! A whole bag of it! Doesn't look like much once it's all cut up but it'll make a good crisp, and something else too I'd imagine.

Moving again? Really?

Yep, really. It's been about 4 weeks since I moved in here, and I'm preparing to move out again. This arrangement didn't work, but I'm positive my new one will. I'm actually really excited about my new apartment - a beautiful deck/balcony, huge livingroom and bedroom, a kitchen with the most counter/cupboard space I've ever had - complete with dishwasher! The apartment has a tonne of closet/storage space - a large front closet, a walk-in bedroom closet, and a storage room in the apartment. The apt is above ground, but still not high up, the laundry is right underneath my apt., the supers seem to be super (sorry, couldn't resist), and parking is included.

The only thing the apartment doesn't have is the location - it's much further out of the city that I would've liked. But it's a trade-off.

Oh, and the apartment smells like cat urine. But I'll give it a good clean and that should go away.

Have car, will drive

So in the last week it's become painfully clear that I have to leave my current abode. For reasons I'm not going to get into here (yet) I've been truly concerned about my personal security. As a result I've ramped up my efforts to find another apartment. I've been pounding the pavement in my present neighbourhood but have come up with very little. I've looked at half a dozen apartments but they all have significant flaws and don't cover my must haves.



In order to cover more area, and increase my search radius, I rented a car (yes, a cARrrr!) for Saturday. Oh, how I enjoyed having a vehicle again!!! They gave me a Ford Focus sedan, gun-metal grey, and it was a joy to drive.

Though it took me a good while to get used to driving an automatic again (my left leg still a little tense from being ready for the non-existent clutch), the car was easy to drive and good on gas. I weaved up and down streets all around West End, Fairview and Clayton Park looking for apartments. Found a few, but there's one in particular I'm really hoping for. Those of you who are the praying sort can pray about it; those of you who aren't can send positive thoughts my way instead! I really want this place, and I'm waiting, waiting, waiting to see if my application will be accepted. If it is you can expect move in photos soon - I'm hoping to move within the next couple of weeks.

I'll keep you posted.

In the meantime, I thought I would also post a photo I took when I was driving around the city. It's a giant lobster.....to be expected in Nova Scotia (by some) I suppose. I took it because I can think of a few people who would laugh at this. I'm perpetuating the myth.