first day of work and other things

first day of work and other things

I’m here! In Atlanta, and have officially started work. I drove up here on Sunday which was an uneventful trip. Zeke (my fish) came with me, but I didn’t bring much else. I am staying at my uncle’s condo in Buckhead/Midtown (for those of you who know Atlanta) which means about 30-45 min to work. My cousin took me around yesterday apartment hunting, which was really nice. He just got a new apartment a week ago so he has a good perspective. With him driving, I was able to look around and not worry about getting lost.

The first one we went to claimed to be 950 square feet, for $580/month (a bit higher than most places). I walked in and wanted to cry. It was so small – maybe 700 square feet… There was ugly wallpaper (pink and blue) all throughout the apartment, and I might have been able to fit a couch in the living room. The whole place was rather run down. Now I can look back and laugh. I’m glad we were there first; everything after it was better. I was a little surprised that some of the most rundown places were also some of the most expensive.

I found three that are possibilities. One was in a more upscale-looking apartment complex. To my surprise, it was affordable (due to some specials they are offering). I am looking at 690 sq. feet, a gated community, very nicely tended grounds, and a very nice apartment. There’s a pool, a fitness center, car care center, and an activity center. I’m definitely interested in this one. The only thing I don’t like is the lack of washer/dryer connections. Also, the pet deposit is rather steep ($500).

Then there’s possibility #2. This one was 710 square feet, and one thing I remember about it was that the bedroom was huge. It also had washer/dryer connections, a gorgeous pool, a jacuzzi, a car care center, and a fitness room. There was a gate, which they said they were in the process of buying a new security system and then it would be closed all the time. The weird thing about the apartment complex was that the front was gorgeous, and the back was rather run down. The apartment I would have would be in the front. I’m curious though as to why the difference. The saleslady I was speaking with mentioned that they were under new management who was attempting to clean the place up (consequently, there had been a lot of evictions). I wonder if they had started in the front and were in the process of moving to the back. Actually, as I think about it, I’m not so sure I like this place as much.

The third possibility was definitely my favorite. The buildings looked well taken care of and the grounds were immaculate. The complex was gated and the pool was big and looked awesome. (I am a swimmer, so the pool is important to me.) There were three one-bedroom floorplans, but the one I’d probably get is 720 sq. ft. It has washer/dryer connections, and is the only one of the three with high-speed internet available (yes I know it’s not free but if i’m going to pay for it anyway, I might as well not have to pay for setup fees). This also has a fitness center, laundry, car care center, etc. However, the downside is that they are completely full until May. She said that anything that was available in April was snatched up immediately. This tells me it must be a good place to live. There is one person moving out April 15th, but I wouldn’t even be able to see the apartment until then, and earliest move-in on April 22nd. I didn’t particularly want to wait that long because 1) my dad who was going to drive all my stuff up from Atlanta is going to be out of town for 3 weeks starting April 20th, 2) my uncle doesn’t really have a lot of room for me here, and 3) it’s quite a commute to work from here and it would be nice to get closer. Also, I’m waiting on an address to do lots of things – update my driver’s license, get a library card, get a cell phone, etc. And since I can’t even see the apartment until after April 15th, then I don’t know for sure if inside it is going to be what I want.

So yeah, those are my choices. I might look around some more in the area and see if there is anything else.

Oh yeah today was my first day of work. I have my own office, which is awesome. I need to decorate it now. :-) I think I’m going to like it. I was really really sleepy today – I could hardly keep my eyes open. Unfortunately, that was the same time that my supervisor decided to show me how to do something. :-) Oh well. I will continue to work hard and have a good attitude!

More about the company later. And more about the apartments as I make my decision. :-) I think in the course of writing out this post I have narrowed it down to 2 possibilities! Maybe soon I will narrow it to one and be moved in. :-)

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