Chapter 2 - New Apartment & Updated Job Status

Hello all!  Long time no see!


Sorry for the lack of updates in the past three months, but I am still alive and doing well!


First things first, my job.  In the last month my status changed officially from Contractor to Helpdesk Specialist I.  What does this meaaaan?!  Well, summary:

• Pay increase.  Not much, but some.  And of course the ability to get a raise / promotion.
• Paid Vacation Time and Extra Holiday Pay.
• Resume Material.  "Sungard Higher Education - Helpdesk Specialist I" looks better than "Sungard Higher Education - Contractor".
• Respect.  I guess.  I always thought that Full Time Employees were "higher up" than Contractors.  I don't feel better than all the Contractors persay, but I do feel like I'm more sure about what I'm doing now.

 Besides a couple people that I really enjoyed working with leaving and some people getting laid off (some getting rehired a week ago or so), all is going well.


And now, the reason why I am posting this entry.  Today I signed the lease for my new apartment!  It's literally a 5 minute walk to work from this apartment, meaning no more 25 minute drives one way to work.  Not that 25 minutes to drive is that far, but living within a 2 minute drive away is pretty sweet.  I can wake up later, and save my dear car some miles.


If anyone is interested, I have a Facebook album here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2129504&id=3708410&l=7038ebd840.  Visit it.  Comment on it.  Love it.  Hate it.  Your decision.  You're in the driver seat here, captain.


All in all of what I've seen of the place, I like it.  A lot.  Let's break it down.
Pros:

• Close to work.  It's a freakin' 5 minute walk.  Less to drive.
• It's my first place I've signed a lease of my own.  No subletting, no sharing a place.  Mine.
• It's in a good location.  Not in the city, but not too far from things I'm familiar with.
• It's on the very dead end side of East Ridge Road.  The other side leads to West Ridge Road, which collectively contains every fast food restaurant, shopping store (including a 5 minute drive from Wegman's), and tons of plazas and restaurants.  That said, the dead endness and not busy end of this road means nearly no traffic.
• Elderly people live here.  Which means that it's probably not a crazy place on weekends with drunk people and parties.  I don't party.  I don't drink.
• It's affordable.  More than what I pay now, but I'm pretty sure it's in a comfortable price range.
• My kitchen!  And bathroom!  No mess will be left, only cleanliness.  You have no idea how exciting this is.

Now some Cons:

• No laundry after 9:00 PM?  Not sure why.  Not a huge issue, I'll just have to do it on my time off or in the morning Sunday.  Or I guess get up one day to do it in the morning.  Not a morning person.
• Internet not included.  Nor is electricity (heat and hot water are).  Not a biggie, but going to add to the monthly bill.
• No package delivery.  To be honest, I ship all my stuff to my parent's house in Waverly now, but I was kinda hoping I wouldn't have to do that.  Not that I order that much.  And honestly... I don't foresee having to order anything anytime soon.
• And I don't think it's a problem for me persay, but the floor in my bedroom is a little squeaky.  Not overly squeaky, but I'm not sure how happy people below me will be at 4:00 AM.  To be honest though, at that time I'm normally just in bed or at a computer chair.

I'll let everyone know more when I move in.  My lease just started, in theory I could move in now, but my bed is coming from home, and that's coming up around Thanksgiving.  In the meantime I was going to move up all my stuff from Park Point, and on my days off, set some stuff up / unpack as well as look for:

• A small dining table.
• A small coffee table.
• A desk for my computer.
• Perhaps a futon.
• A GPS (not related really to my apartment, but I'm terrible with directions)
• An internet plan, possibly cable TV, but most likely just internet.

 Well, as always, comment away, let me know what you think, and thanks for reading!  Enjoy!