That's work!

My first full week of work is under my belt. It was a snap - great people with great ideas.

The real challenge this week has been the apartment search. It is insane. Beyond. Buying my condo in St Paul was a piece of cake in comparison. Would some smart financial wizard please invent a product that streamlines this process? I have gathered financial records I didn't even know existed before. First month, last month, security deposit, and the always fun broker's fee (10-15% of the annual rent) congeal into a mass of cash required to RENT an apartment that far exceeds the downpayment to OWN my condo. I'm looking at lots of different places that all have different fee and paperwork requirements. A few select gems have no broker's fee. I hope very soon to have identified a place of my own.

This weekend I'm spending a lot of my time in Brooklyn. Lots of people have told me how much they like this place, but so far I am not dazzled. Maybe it's because Manhattan is what comes to mind when I think of New York. I'm sure there are lovely and fun parts of this outer borough, and I'll be delighted to find them.